with lee in virginia-第2章

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or　four　hundred。　　And　the　worst　masters　of　all　were　those　who；

having　made　a　little　money　in　trade　or　speculation　in　the　towns；

purchased　a　dozen　slaves；　a　small　piece　of　land；　and　tried　to　set　up

as　gentry。



In　Virginia　the　life　of　the　large　planters　was　almost　a　patriarchal

one；　the　indoor　slaves　were　treated　with　extreme　indulgence；　and

were　permitted　a　far　higher　degree　of　freedom　of　remark　and

familiarity　than　is　the　case　with　servants　in　an　English　household。　

They　had　been　the　nurses　or　companions　of　the　owners　when

children；　had　grown　up　with　them；　and　regarded　themselves；　and

were　regarded　by　them；　as　almost　part　of　the　family。　　There　was；　of

course；　less　connection　between　the　planters　and　their　field　hands；

but　these　also　had　for　the　most　part　been　born　on　the　estate；　had　as

children　been　taught　to　look　up　to　their　white　masters　and

mistresses；　and　to　receive　many　little　kindnesses　at　their　hands。



They　had　been　cared　for　in　sickness；　and　knew　that　they　would　be

provided　for　in　old　age。　　Each　had　his　little　allotment；　and　could

raise　fruit；　vegetables；　and　fowls　for　his　own　use　or　for　sale　in　his

leisure　time。　　The　fear　of　loss　of　employment　or　the　pressure　of

want；　ever　present　to　English　laborers；　had　never　fallen　upon　them。　

The　climate　was　a　lovely　one；　and　their　work　far　less　severe　than

that　of　men　forced　to　toil　in　cold　and　wet；　winter　and　summer。　

The　institution　of　slavery　assuredly　was　capable　of　terrible　abuses；

and　was　marked　in　many　instances　by　abominable　cruelty　and

oppression；　but　taken　all　in　all；　the　negroes　on　a　well…ordered

estate；　under　kind　masters；　were　probably　a　happier　class　of　people

than　the　laborers　upon　any　estate　in　Europe。



Jonas　Pearson　had　been　overseer　in　the　time　of　Major　Wingfield；

but　his　authority　had　at　that　time　been　comparatively　small；　for　the

major　himself　personally　supervised　the　whole　working　of　the

estate；　and　was　greatly　liked　by　the　slaves；　whose　chief　affections

were；　however；　naturally　bestowed　upon　their　mistress；　who　had

from　childhood　been　brought　up　in　their　midst。　　Major　Wingfield

had　not　liked　his　overseer；　but　he　had　never　had　any　ground　to

justify　him　making　a　change。　　Jonas；　who　was　a　Northern　man；

was　always　active　and　energetic；　all　Major　Wingfield's　orders　were

strictly　and　punctually　carried　out；　and　although　he　disliked　the

man；　his　employer　acknowledged　him　to　be　an　excellent　servant。



After　the　major's　death；　Jonas　Pearson　had　naturally　obtained

greatly　increased　power　and　authority。　　Mrs。　Wingfield　had　great

confidence　in　him；　his　accounts　were　always　clear　and　precise；　and

although　the　profits　of　the　estate　were　not　quite　so　large　as　they

had　been　in　her　husband's　lifetime；　this　was　always　satisfactorily

explained　by　a　fall　in　prices；　or　by　a　part　of　the　crops　being

affected　by　the　weather。　　She　flattered　herself　that　she　herself　man。

aged　the　estate；　and　at　times　rode　over　it；　made　suggestions；　and

issued　orders；　but　this　was　only　in　fits　and　starts；　and　although

Jonas　came　up　two　or　three　times　a　week　to　the　house　nominally　to

receive　her　orders；　he　managed　her　so　adroitly　that　while　she

believed　that　everything　was　done　by　her　directions；　she　in　reality

only　followed　out　the　suggestions　which；　in　the　first　place；　came

from　him。



She　was　aware；　however；　that　there　was　less　content　and　happiness

on　the　estate　than　there　had　been　in　the　old　times。　　Complaints　had

reached　her　from　time　to　time　of　overwork　and　harsh　treatment。　

But　upon　inquiring　into　these　matters；　Jonas　had　always　such

plausible　reasons　to　give　that　she　was　convinced　he　was　in　the

right；　and　that　the　fault　was　among　the　slaves　themselves；　who

tried　to　take　advantage　of　the　fact　that　they　had　no　longer　a

master's　eye　upon　them；　and　accordingly　tried　to　shirk　work；　and　to

throw　discredit　upon　the　man　who　looked　after　the　interests　of

their　mistress；　and　so　gradually　Mrs。　Wingfield　left　the

management　of　affairs　more　and　more　in　the　hands　of　Jonas；　and

relied　more　implicitly　upon　him。



The　overseer　spared　no　pains　to　gain　the　good…will　of　Vincent。　

When　the　latter　declared　that　the　horse　he　rode　had　not　sufficient

life　and　spirit　for　him；　Jonas　had　set　inquiries　on　foot；　and　had

selected　for　him　a　horse　which；　for　speed　and　bottom；　had　no

superior　in　the　State。　　One　of　Mrs。　Wingfleld's　acquaintances；

however；　upon　hearing　that　she　had　purchased　the　animal；　told　her

that　it　was　notorious　for　its　vicious　temper；　and　she　spoke　angrily

to　Jonas　on　the　subject　in　the　presence　of　Vincent。　　The　overseer

excused　himself　by　saying　that　he　had　certainly　heard　that　the

horse　was　high　spirited　and　needed　a　good　rider；　and　that　he　should

not　have　thought　of　selecting　it　had　he　not　known　that　Mr。　Vincent

was　a　first…class　rider；　and　would　not　care　to　have　a　horse　that　any

child　could　manage。



The　praise　was　not　undeserved。　　The　gentlemen　of　Virginia　were

celebrated　as　good　riders；　and　Major　Wingfield；　himself　a　cavalry

man；　had　been　anxious　that　Vincent　should　maintain　the　credit　of

his　English　blood；　and　had　placed　him　on　a　pony　as　soon　as　he　was

able　to　sit　on　one。　A　pony　had　been　kept　for　his　use　during　his

holidays　at　his　uncle's　in　England；　and　upon　his　return　Vincent

had；　except　during　the　hours　he　spent　with　his　father；　almost　lived

on　horseback；　either　riding　about　the　estate；　or　paying　visits　to　the

houses　of　other　planters。



For　an　hour　or　more　every　day　he　exercised　his　father's　horses　in　a

paddock　near　the　house；　the　major　being　wheeled　down　in　an

easy…chair　and　superintending　his　riding。　　As　these　horses　had　little

to　do　and　were　full　of　spirit；　Vincent's　powers　were　often　taxed　to

the　utmost；　and　he　had　many　falls；　but　the　soil　was　light；　　and　he

had　learned　the　knack　of　falling　easily；　and　from　constant　practice

was　able　at　the　age　of　fourteen　to　stick　on　firmly　even　without　a

saddle；　and　was　absolutely　fearless　as　to　any　animal　he　mounted。



In　the　two　years　which　had　followed　he　had　kept　up　his　riding。　

Every　morning　after　breakfast　he　rode　to　Richmond；　six　miles

distant；　put　up　his　horse　at　some　stable　there；　and　spent　three　hours

at　school；　the　rest　of　the　day　was　his　own；　and　he　would　often　ride

off　with　some　of　his　schoolfellows　who　had　also　come　in　from　a

distance；　and　not　return　home　till　late　in　the　evening。　　Vincent　took

after　his　English　father　rather　than　his　Virginian　mother　both　in

appearance　and　character；　and　was　likely　to　become　as　tall　and

brawny　a　man　as　the　former　had　been　when　he　first　won　the　love

of　the　rich　Virginian　heiress。



He　was　full　of　life　and　energy；　and　in　this　respect　offered　a　strong

contrast　to　most　of　his　schoolfellows　of　the　same　age。　　For

although　splendid　riders　and　keen　sportsmen；　the　planters　of

Virginia　were　in　other　respects　inclined　to　indolence；　the　result

partly　of　the　climate；　partly　of　their　being　waited　upon　from

childhood　by　attendants　ready　to　carry　out　every　wish。　　He　had　his

father's　cheerful　disposition　and　good　temper；　together　with　the

decisive　manner　so　frequently　acquired　by　a　service　in　the　army；

and　at　the　same　time　be　had　something　of　the　warmth　and

enthusiasm　of　the　Virginian　character。



Good　rider　as　he　was　he　was　somewhat　surprised　at　the　horse　the

overseer　had　selected　for　him。　　It　was　certainly　a　splendid　animal；

with　great　bone　and　power；　but　there　was　no　mistaking　the

expression　of　its　turned…back　eye；　and　the　ears　that　lay　almost　flat

on　the　head　when　any　one　approached　him。



〃It　is　a　splendid　animal；　no　doubt；　Jonas；〃　he　said　the　first　time　lie

inspected　it；　〃but　he　certainly　looks　as　if　lie　had　a　beast　of　a

temper。　　I　fear　what　was　told　my　mother　about　him　is　no

exaggeration；　for　Mr。　Markham　told　me　to…day；　when　I　rode　down

there　with　his　son；　and　said　that　we　had　bought　Wildfire；　that　a

friend　of　his　had　had　him　once；　and　only　kept　him　for　a　week；　for

he　was　the　most　vicious　brute　he　ever　saw。〃



〃I　am　sorry　I　have　bought　him　now；　sir；〃　Jonas　said。　〃Of　course　I

should　not　have　done　so　if　I　had　heard　these　things　before；　but　I

was　told　he　was　one　of　the　finest　horses　in　the　country；　only　a　little

tricky；　and　as　his　price　was　so　reasonable　I　thought　it　a　great

bargain。　　But　I　see　now　I　was　wrong；　and　that　it　wouldn't　be　right

for　you　to　mount　him；　so　I　think　we　had　best　send　him　in　on

Saturday　to　the　market　and　let　it　go　for　what　it　will　fetch。　You　see；

sir；　if　you　had　been　three　or　four　years　older　it　would　have　been

different；　but　naturally　at　your　age　you　don't　like　to　ride　such　a

horse　as　that。〃



〃I　sha'n't　give　it　up　without　a　trial；〃　Vincent　said　shortly。　　〃It　is

about　the　finest　horse　I　ever　saw；　and　if　it　hadn't　been　for　its

temper；　it　would　be　cheap　at　five　times　the　sum　you　gave　for　it。　　I

have　ridden　a　good　many　bad…tempered　horses　for　my　friends

during　the　last　year；　and　the　worst　of　them　couldn't　get　me　off。〃



〃Well；　sir；　of　course　you　will　do　as　you　please；〃　Jonas　said；　〃but

please　to　remember　if　any　harm　comes　of　it　that　I　strongly　advised

you　not　to　have　anything　to　do　with　it；　and　I　did　my　best　to

dissuade　you　from　trying。〃



Vincent　nodded　carelessly；　and　then　turned　to　the　black　groom。



〃Jake；　get　out　that　cavalry　saddle　of　my　father's；　with　the　high

cantle　and　pommel；　and　the　rolls　for　the　knees。　It's　like　an

armchair；　and　if　one　can't　stick　on　on　that；　one　deserves　to　be

thrown。〃



While　the　groom　was　putting　on　the　saddle；　Vincent　stood　patting

the　horse's　head　and　talking　to　it；　and　then　taking　its　rein　led　it

down　into　the　inclosure。



〃No；　I　don't　want　the　whip；　〃　he　said；　as　Jake　offered　him　one。　　〃I

have　got　the　spurs；　and　likely　enough　the　horse's　temper　may　have

been　spoiled　by　knocking　it　about　with　a　whip；　but　we　will　try

what　kindness　will　do　with　it　first。〃



〃Me　no　like　his　look；　Massa　Vincent；　he　debbie　ob　a　hoss　dat。〃



〃I　don't　think　he　has　a　nice　temper；　Jake；　but　people　learn　to

control　their　temper；　and　I　don't　see　why　horse　shouldn't。　　At　any

rate　we　will　have　a　try　at　it。　　He　looks　as　if　he　appreciates　being

patted　and　spoken　to　already。　Of　course　if　you　treat　a　horse　like　a

savage　he　will　become　savage。　　Now；　stand　out　of　the　way。〃



Gathering　the　reins　together；　and　placing　one　hand　upon　the

pommel；　Vincent　sprang　into　the　saddle　without　touching　the

stirrups；　then　he　sat　for　a　minute　or　two　patting　the　horse's　neck。　

Wildfire；　apparently　disgusted　at　having　allowed　himself　to　be

mounted　so　suddenly；　lashed　out　viciously　two　or　three　times；　and

then　refused　to　move。　For　half　an　hour　Vincent　tried　the　effect　of

patient　coax…jug；　but　in　vain。



〃Well；　if　you　won't　do　it　by　fair　means　you　must　by　foul；〃　Vincent

said　at　last；　and　sharply　pricked　him　with　his　spurs。



Wildfire　sprang　into　the　air；　and　then　began　a　desperate　series　of

efforts　to　rid　himself　of　his　rider；　rearing　and　kicking　in　such　quick

succession　that