with lee in virginia-第21章

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of　compassion　the　slave　might　be；　and　however　brutal　the　master

from　whose　hands　he　had　fled。　　However；　as　Vincent　was　on　the

point　of　starting　for　the　war　to　meet　danger；　and　possibly　death；　in

the　defense　of　Virginia；　she　had　said　little；　and　that　little　was　in

reference　rather　to　the　imprudence　of　the　course　he　had　taken　than

to　what　she　regarded　in　her　own　mind　as　its　folly；　and　indeed　its

criminality。



She　had；　however；　promised　that　as　soon　as　Tony's　letter　arrived

she　would；　if　it　was　still　possible；　forward　Dinah　and　the　child　to

him；　supplying　her　with　money　for　the　journey；　and　giving　her　the

papers　freeing　her　from　slavery　which　Vincent　had　duly　signed　in

the　presence　of　a　justice。　When　the　letter　came；　however；　it　was

already　too　late。　Fighting　was　on　the　point　of　commencing；　all

intercourse　across　the　border　was　stopped；　the　trains　were　all　taken

up　for　the　conveyance　of　troops；　and　even　a　man　would　have　had

great　difficulty　in　passing　northward；　while　for　an　unprotected

negress　with　a　baby　such　a　journey　would　have　been　impossible。



Mrs。　Wingfield　had　therefore　written　four　times　at　fort…nightly

intervals　to　Tony；　saying　that　it　was　impossible　to　send　Dinah　off

at　present；　but　that　she　should　be　despatched　as　soon　as　the

troubles　were　over；　upon　receipt　of　another　letter　from　him　saying

that　his　address　was　unchanged；　or　giving　a　new　one。　　These　letters

were　duly　posted；　and　it　was　probable　that　one　or　other　of　them

would　in　time　reach　Tony；　as　mails　were　sent　off　to　Europe

whenever　an　opportunity　offered　for　them　to　be　taken　by　a　steamer

running　the　blockade　from　a　Southern　port。　Dinah；　therefore；　still

remained　at　the　Orangery。　　She　was　well　and　happy；　for　her　life

there　was　a　delightful　one　indeed　after　her　toil　and　hardship　at　the

Jackson's；　and　although　she　was　anxious　to　join　her　husband；　the

knowledge　that　he　was　well　and　safe　from　all　pursuit；　and　that

sooner　or　later　she　would　join　him　with　her　child；　was　sufficient　to

make　her　perfectly　contented。



During　Vincent's　illness　she　had　been　his　most　constant　attendant；

for　her　child　now　no　longer　required　her　care；　and　passed　much　of

its　time　down　at　the　nursery；　where　the　young　children　of　the

slaves　were　looked　after　by　two　or　three　aged　negresses　past　active

work。　　She　had　therefore　begged　Mrs。　Wingfield　to　be　allowed　to

take　her　place　by　the　bedside　of　her　young　master；　and；　after　giving

her　a　trial；　Mrs。　Wingfleld　found　her　so　quiet；　gentle；　and　patient

that　she　installed　her　there；　and　was　able　to　obtain　the　rest　she

needed；　with　a　feeling　of　confidence　that　Vincent　would　be　well

attended　to　in　her　absence。



When　Vincent　was　well　enough　to　be　about　again；　his　sisters　were

surprised　at　the　change　that　had　taken　place　in　him　since　he　had

started　a　few　months　before　for　the　war。　　It　was　not　so　much　that

he　had　grown；　though　he　had　done　so　considerably；　but　that　he　was

much　older　in　manner　and　appearance。　　He　had　been　doing　man's

work：　work　requiring　vigilance；　activity；　and　courage；　and　they

could　no　longer　treat　him　as　a　boy。　　As　he　became　stronger　he　took

to　riding　about　the　plantation；　but　not　upon　Wildfire；　for　his　horse

was　still　with　the　troop；　Colonel　Stuart　having　promised　to　see　that

the　animal　was　well　cared　for；　and　that　no　one　should　ride　upon　it

but　himself。



〃I　hope　you　like　Jonas　Pearson　better　than　you　used　to　do；

Vincent；〃　Mrs。　Wingfield　said　a　day　or　two　before　he　started　to

rejoin　his　troop。



〃I　can't　say　I　do；　mother；〃　he　replied　shortly。　　〃The　man　is　very

civil　to　me　now…too　civil；　in　fact；　but　I　don't　like　him；　and　I　don't

believe　he　is　honest。　　I　don't　mean　that　he　would　cheat　you；　though

he　may　do　so　for　anything　I　know；　but　he　pretends　to　be　a　violent

Secessionist；　which　as　he　comes　from　Vermont　is　not　natural；　and

I　imagine　he　would　sing　a　different　tune　if　the　blue　coats　ever　get

to　Richmond。　　Still　I　have　nothing　particular　to　say　against　him；

except　that　I　don't　like　him　and　I　don't　trust　him。　　So　long　as

everything　goes　on　well　for　the　Confederacy　I　don't　suppose　it

matters；　but　if　we　should　ever　get　the　worst　of　it　you　will　see　that

fellow　will　be　mischievous。



〃however；　I　hear　that　he　has　obeyed　your　orders；　and　that　there　has

been　no　flogging　on　the　estate　since　I　went　away。　　In　fact；　as　far　as

I　can　see；　he　does　not　keep　anything　like　such　a　sharp　hand　over

the　slaves　as　he　used　to　do；　and　in　some　of　the　fields　the　work

seems　to　be　done　in　a　very　slovenly　way。　　What　his　game　is　I　don't

know；　but　I　have　no　doubt　whatever　that　he　has　some　game　in　his

mind。〃



〃You　are　a　most　prejudiced　boy；〃　Mrs。　Wingfield　said；　laughing。　

〃First　of　all　the　man　is　too　strict；　and　you　were　furious　about　it；

now　you　think　he's　too　lenient；　and　you　at　once　suspect　he　has

what　you　call　a　game　of　some　sort　or　other　on。　　You　are　hard　to

please　indeed。〃



Vincent　smiled。　　〃Well；　as　I　told　you　once　before；　we　shall　see。　　I

hope　I　am　wrong；　and　that　Pearson　is　all　that　you　believe　him　to

be。　　I　own　that　I　may　be　prejudiced　against　him；　but　nothing　will

persuade　rue　that　it　was　not　from　him　that　Jackson　learned　that

Dinah　was　here；　and　it　was　to　that　we　owe　the　visit　of　tho　sheriff

and　the　searching　the　plantation　for　Tony。　　However；　whatever　the

man　is　at　heart；　he　can；　as　far　as　I　see；　do　you　no　injury　as　long　as

things　go　on　as　they　are；　and　I　sincerely　trust　he　will　never　have　an

opportunity　of　doing　so。〃



During　the　winter　Vincent　had　made　the　acquaintance　ef　many　of

the　Southern　leaders。　　The　town　was　the　center　of　the　movement；

the　heart　of　the　Confederacy。　　It　was　against　it；　as　the　capital　of　the

Southern　States；　that　the　efforts　of　the　Northerns　were　principally

directed；　and　to　it　flocked　the　leading　men　from　all　parts　of　the

country。　Although　every　Virginian　family　had　some　of　its　members

at　the　front；　and　a　feeling　of　anxiety　reigned　everywhere；　a

semblance　of　gayety　was　kept　up。　　The　theater　was　opened；　and

parties　and　balls　given；　in　order　to　keep　up　the　spirits　of　the　people

by　the　example　of　those　of　higher　rank。



These　balls　differed　widely　in　appearance　from　those　of　eighteen

months　before。　　The　gentlemen　were　almost　all　in　uniform；　and

already　calicoes　and　other　cheap　fabrics　were　worn　by　many　of　the

ladies；　as　foreign　dress　materials　could　no　longer　be　purchased。　

Mrs。　Wingfield　made　a　point　of　always　attending　with　her

daughters　at　these　entertainments；　which　to　the　young　people

afforded　a　cheerful　break　in　the　dullness　and　monotony　of　their

usual　life；　for；　owing　to　the　absence　of　almost　all　the　young　men

with　the　army；　there　had　been　a　long　cessation　of　the　pleasant

interchange　of　visits；　impromptu　parties；　and　social　gatherings　that

had　formed　a　feature　in　the　life　in　Virginia。



The　balls　would　have　been　but　dull　affairs　had　only　the　residents

of　Richmond　been　present；　but　leave　was　granted　as　much　as

possible　to　officers　stationed　with　regiments　within　a　railway　run

of　the　town；　and　as　these　eagerly　availed　themselves　of　the　change

from　the　monotony　of　camp　life；　the　girls　had　no　reason　to

complain　of　want　of　partners。　　Here　and　at　the　receptions　given　by

President　Davis；　Vincent　met　all　the　leaders　of　the　Confederacy；

civil　and　military。　　Many　of　them　had　been　personal　friends　of　the

Wingfields　before　the　Secession　movement　began；　and　among

them　was　General　Magruder；　who　commanded　the　troops　round

Richmond。



Early　in　the　winter　the　general　had　called　at　the　Orangery。　　〃We

are　going　to　make　a　call　upon　the　patriotism　of　the　planters　of　this

neighborhood；　Mrs。　Wingfield；〃　he　said　during　lunch　time。　　〃You

see；　our　armies　are　facing　those　of　the　Federals　opposite

Washington；　and　can　offer　a　firm　front　to　any　foe　marching　down

from　the　North；　but；　unfortunately　they　have　the　command　of　the

sea；　and　there　is　nothing　to　prevent　their　embarking　an　army　on

board　ship　and　landing　it　in　either　the　James　or　the　York　Rivers；

and　in　that　case　they　might　make　a　rush　upon　Richmond　before

there　would　be　time　to　bring　down　troops　to　our　aid。　　I　am

therefore　proposing　to　erect　a　chain　of　works　between　the　two

rivers；　so　as　to　be　able　to　keep　even　a　large　army　at　bay　until

reinforcements　arrive；　but　to　do　this　a　large　number　of　hands　will

be　required；　and　we　are　going　to　ask　the　proprietors　of　plantations

to　place　as　many　negroes　as　they　can　spare　at　our　disposal。〃



〃There　can　be　no　doubt　as　to　the　response　your　question　will　meet

with；　general。　　At　present　we　have　scarce　enough　work　for　our

slaves　to　do。　　I　intend　to　grow　no　tobacco　next　year；　for　it　will　only

rot　in　the　warehouse；　and　a　comparatively　small　number　of　hands

are　required　to　raise　corn　crops。　　I　have　about　a　hundred　and

seventy　working　hands　on　the　Orangery；　and　shall　be　happy　to

place　a　hundred　at　your　disposal　for　as　long　a　time　as　you　may

require　them。　If　you　want　fifty　more　you　can　of　course　have　them。

Everything　else　must　at　present　give　way　to　the　good　of　the　cause。〃



〃I　thank　you　much；　Mrs。　Wingfield；　for　your　offers；　and　will　put

your　name　down　the　first　on　the　list　of　contributors。〃



〃You　seem　quite　to　have　recovered　now；〃　he　said　to　Vincent　a　few

minutes　afterward。



〃Yes；　I　am　quite　ashamed　of　staying　here　so　long；　general。　　But　I

feel　some　pain　at　times；　and　as　there　is　nothing　doing　at　the　front；

and　my　doctor　says　that　it　is　og　importance　I　should　have　rest　as

long　as　possible；　I　have　stayed　on。　　Major　Ashley　has　promised　to

recall　me　as　soon　as　there　is　a　prospect　of　active　work。〃



〃I　think　it　is　quite　likely　that　there　will　be　active　work　here　as　soon

as　anywhere　else；〃　the　general　said。　　〃We　know　pretty　well　what　is

doing　at　Washington；　and　though　nothing　has　been　decided　upon；

there　is　a　party　in　favor　of　a　landing　in　force　here；　and　if　so；　we

shall　have　hot　work。　What　do　you　say？　　If　you　like　I　will　get　you　a

commission　and　appoint　you　one　of　my　aides…de…camp。　　Your

knowledge　of　the　country　will　make　you　useful；　and　as　Ashley　has

specially　mentioned　your　name　in　one　of　his　despatches；　you　can

have　your　commission　by　asking　for　it。



〃If　there　is　to　be　fighting　round　here；　it　will　be　of　more　interest　to

you　defending　your　own　home　than　in　taking　part　iii　general

engagements　for　the　safety　of　the　State。　It　will；　too；　enable　you　to

be　a　good　deal　at　home；　and　although　so　far　the　slaves　have

behaved　extremely　well；　there　is　no　saying　exactly　what　may

happen　if　the　Northerners　come　among　us。　　You　can　rejoin　your

own　corps　afterward；　you　know；　if　nothing　comes　of　this。〃



Vincent　was　at　first　inclined　to　decline　the　offer；　but　his　mother

and　sisters　were　so　pleased　at　having　him　near　them　that　he　finally

accepted　with　thanks；　being　principally　influenced　by　the　general's

last　argument；　that　possibly　there　might　be　trouble　with　the　slaves

in　the　event　of　a　landing　in　the　James　Peninsula　by　the

Northerners。　A　few　days　l