with lee in virginia-第7章

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Orangery。



Vincent　said　nothing　during　the　next　two　days　to　any　of　his　friends

as　to　the　course　the　Jacksons　wore　taking　in　selling　Tony's　wife；

for　he　thought　that　if　the　news　got　about；　some　of　his　friends　who

had　heard　the　circumstances　might　go　down　to　the　auction　and

make　such　a　demonstration　that　Jackson　would　be　obliged　to

withdraw　Dinah　from　the　sale；　in　which　case　he　would　no　doubt

dispose　of　her　privately。　　On　the　Saturday　he　mounted　his　horse

and　rode　into　Richmond；　telling　Dan　to　meet　him　there。　　At　the

hour　the　sale　was　announced　he　went　to　the　yard　where　it　was　to

take　place。



This　was　a　somewhat　quiet　and　secluded　place；　for　although　the

sale　of　slaves　was　permitted　by　law　in　Virginia；　at　any　rate　these

auctions　were　conducted　quietly　and　with　as　little　publicity　as

possible。　　For　although　the　better　classes　still　regarded　slavery　as　a

necessary　institution；　they　were　conscious　that　these　sales；

involving　as　they　did　the　separation　of　families；　were　indefensible；

and　the　more　thoughtful　would　gladly　have　seen　them　abolished；

and　a　law　passed　forbidding　the　sale　of　negroes　save　as　part　and

parcel　of　the　estate　upon　which　they　worked；　an　exception　only

being　made　in　the　case　of　gross　misconduct。　Many　of　the

slave…owners；　indeed；　forbade　all　flogging　upon　their　estates；　and

punished　refractory　slaves；　in　the　first　place；　by　the　cutting　off　of

the　privileges　they　enjoyed　in　the　way　of　holidays；　and　if　this　did

not　answer；　threatened　to　sell　them…a　threat　which　was；　in　the　vast

majority　of　cases；　quite　sufficient　to　ensure　good　behavior；　for　the

slaves　were　well　aware　of　the　difference　between　life　in　the

well…managed　establishments　in　Virginia　and　that　in　some　of　the

other　Southern　States。　　Handing　his　horse　to　Dan；　Vincent　joined　a

knot　of　four　or　five　of　his　acquaintances　who　had　strolled　in　from

mere　curiosity。



There　were　some　thirty　or　forty　men　in　the　yard；　a　few　of　whom

had　come　in　for　the　purpose　of　buying；　but　the　great　majority　had

only　attended　for　the　sake　of　passing　an　idle　hour。　　Slaves　had

fallen　in　value；　for　although　all　in　the　South　professed　their

confidence　that　the　law　would　never　attempt　by　force　of　arms　to

prevent　their　secession；　it　was　felt　that　slave　property　would　in

future　be　more　precarious；　for　the　North　would　not　improbably

repeal　the　Jaws　for　the　arrest　of　fugitive　slaves；　and　consequently

all　runaways　who　succeeded　in　crossing　the　border　would　be　lost

to　their　masters。



Upon　the　other　side　of　the　yard　Vincent　saw　Andrew　Jackson

talking　to　two　or　three　men　who　were　strangers　to　him；　and　who；

he　guessed；　were　buyers　from　some　of　the　more　southern　States　

There　were　in　all　twelve　lots　to　be　disposed　of。　　Of　these　two　or

three　were　hands　who　wore　no　longer　fit　for　field　work；　and　who

were　bought　at　very　low　prices　by　men　who　owned　but　a　few　acres

of　land；　and　who　could　utilize　them　for　odd　jobs　requiring　but　little

strength。　　Then　there　was　a　stir　of　attention。　　Dinah　Moore　took　her

stand　upon　the　platform；　with　her　baby　in　her　arms。　　The　message

which　Dan　had　conveyed　from　Vincent　to　her　husband　had　given

her　some　hope；　and　though　she　looked　scared　and　frightened　as　she

clasped　her　babe　to　her　breast；　she　was　not　filled　with　such　utter

despair　as　would　otherwise　have　been　the　case。



The　auctioneer　stated　the　advantages　of　the　lot　in　the　same

business…like　tone　as　if　he　had　been　selling　a　horse：



〃Lot　6。　　Negro　wench；　Dinah；　ago　twenty…two；　with　male　child。

Strong　and　well　made；　as　you　see；　gentlemen；　fit　for　field　work；　or

could　be　made　a　useful　hand　about　a　house；　said　to　be　handy　and

good…tempered。　　Now；　gentlemen；　what　shall　we　say　for　this

desirable　lot？〃



One　of　the　men　standing　by　Andrew　Jackson　bid　a　hundred　dollars。　

The　bid　was　raised　to　a　hundred　and　fifty　by　a　rough…looking

fellow　standing　in　front　of　the　platform。　For　some　time　the　bidding

was　confined　to　these　two；　and　it　rose　until　it　reached　seven

hundred　and　fifty；　at　which　point　the　man　near　the　platform　retired；

and　there　was　a　pause。



Vincent　felt　uncomfortable。　　He　had　already　been　round　to　Mr。

Renfrew；　who　had　told　him　that　he　had　deputed　an　agent　to　buy；

and　until　the　man　near　the　platform　stopped　ho　had　supposed　that

he　was　the　solicitor's　agent。



〃Now；　gentlemen；〃　the　auctioneer　said；　〃surely　you　are　not　going

to　let　this　desirable　piece　of　property　go　for　seven　fifty？　She　would

be　cheap　at　double　the　price。　　I　have　sold　worse　articles　for　three

thousand。〃　



〃I　will　go　another　twenty…five　dollars；〃　a　tall　man　in　homespun　and

a　broad　planter's　straw　hat　said　quietly。



The　contest　now　recommenced；　and　by　bids　of　twenty…five　dollars

at　a　time　the　amount　was　raised　to　twelve　hundred　and　fifty

dollars。



〃That's　enough　for　me；〃　the　man　standing　by　Andrew　Jackson　said；

〃he　may　have　her　at　twelve　fifty；　and　dear　enough；　too；　as　times

go。〃



Will　any　one　else　make　an　offer？〃　the　auctioneer　asked。　There　was

no　response；　and　the　hammer　fell。



〃What　name？〃



〃Nathaniel　Forster；〃　the　tall　man　said；　and　advancing　to　the　table

he　counted　out　a　roll　of　notes　and　gave　them　to　the　auctioneer；

who　handed　to　him　a　formal　note　certifying　to　his　having　duly　and

legally　purchased　Dinah　Moore　and　her　infant；　late　the　property　of

Andrew　Jackson；　Esquire；　of　the　Cedars；　State　of　Virginia。



The　purchaser　had　evidently　made　up　his　mind　beforehand　to

secure　the　lot；　for　he　handed　a　parcel　he　had　been　holding　to　

Dinah；　and　said　briefly；　〃Slip　those　things　on；　my　lass。〃



The　poor　girl；　who　had　before　been　simply　attired　in　the　scantiest

of　petticoats；　retired　to　a　corner　of　the　yard；　and　speedily　came

forward　again　dressed　in　a　neat　cotton　gown。　There　were　several

joking　remarks　made　by　the　bystanders；　but　Dinah's　new　master

took　no　notice　of　them；　but　with　a　motion　of　his　hand　to　her　to

follow　him；　walked　out　of　the　yard。



A　minute　later　Vincent　followed；　and　although　he　had　no　doubt

that　the　man　was　the　agent　Mr。　Renfrew　had　employed；　he　did　not

feel　thoroughly　satisfied　until　he　saw　　them　enter　the　lawyer's

office。　　He　quickly　followed。　They　had　just　entered　the　private

room　of　Mr。　Renfrew。



〃That's　right；　Wingfield；〃　the　lawyer　said。　　〃You　see　we　have

settled　the　business　satisfactorily；　and　I　think　you　have　got　a　fairly

cheap　bargain。　　Just　wait　a　moment　and　we　will　complete　the

transaction。〃



Dinah　gave　a　start　as　Vincent　entered；　but　with　the　habitual

self…repression　of　a　slave　she　stood　quietly　in　the　corner　to　which

she　had　withdrawn　at　the　other　end　of　the　room。



The　lawyer　was　busy　drawing　up　a　document；　and　touching　the

bell　ordered　a　clerk　to　go　across　to　Mr。　Rawlins；　justice　of　the

peace；　and　ask　him　to　step　across　the　road。



In　a　minute　Mr。　Rawlins　entered。



〃I　want　you　to　witness　a　deed　of　sale　of　a　slave；〃　Mr。　Renfrew　said。　

〃Here　are　the　particulars：　'Nathaniel　Forster　sells　to　Vincent

Wingfield　his　slave；　Dinah　Moore　and　her　male　infant；　for　the　sum

of　fourteen　hundred　dollars。'　These　are　the　parties。　Forster　sign　this

receipt。〃



The　man　did　so。　　The　justice　put　his　signature　as　wit…ness　to　the

transaction；　dropped　into　his　pocket　the　fee　of　five　dollars　that　the

lawyer　handed　to　him；　and　without　a　word　strolled　out　again。



〃There；　Dinah；〃　Mr。　Renfrew　said；　〃Mr。　Wingfield　is　now　your

master；〃



The　girl　ran　forward；　fell　on　her　knees　before　Vincent；　seized　his

hand　and　kissed　it；　sobbing　out　her　thanks　as　she　did　so。　



〃There；　that　will　do；　Dinah；〃　the　lawyer　said；　seeing　that　Vincent

was　confused　by　her　greeting。　　〃I　think　you　are　a　lucky　girl；　and

have　made　a　good　exchange　for　the　Orangery　instead　of　the

Cedars。　　I　don't　suppose　you　will　find　Mr。　Wingfield　a　very　hard

master。　　What　he　is　going　to　do　with　you　I　am　sure　I　don't　know。〃



Vincent　now　went　to　the　door　and　called　in　Dan　and　told　him　to

take　Dinah　to　the　Orangery；　then　mounting　his　horse　he　rode　off

home　to　prepare　his　mother　　for　the　reception　of　his　new　purchase。



　CHAPTER　III。　AIDING　A　RUNAWAY。



〃WELL；　you　are　an　extraordinary　boy；　Vincent；〃　Mrs。　Wingfield

said　as　her　son　told　her　the　story；　while　his　sisters　burst　into　fits　of

laughter　at　the　idea　of　Vincent　owning　a　female　slave　with　a　baby。　

〃Why　did　you　not　tell　me　that　you　wanted　the　money　instead　of

going　to　Mr。　Renfrew？　　I　shall　tell　him　I　am　very　angry　with　him

for　letting　you　have　it　for　such　a　purpose。〃



〃I　was　not　sure　whether　you　would　let　me　have　it；　mother；　and　if

you　had　refused；　and　I　had　got　it　afterward　from　Mr。　Renfrew；　I

should　not　have　liked　to　bring　her　home　here。〃



〃That　would　have　been　fun；〃　Annie　said。　　〃Fancy　Vincent's

troubles　with　a　female　slave　on　his　hands　and　nowhere　to　put　her。　

What　would　you　have　done；　Vincent？〃



〃I　suppose　I　could　have　got　a　home　for　her　somewhere；〃　Vincent

said　quietly。　　〃I　don't　think　there　would　have　been　any　difficulty

about　that。　　Still　I　am　glad　I　didn't　have　to　do　so；　and　one　slave

more　or　less　can　make　no　difference　here。〃



〃Not　at　all；〃　Mrs。　Wingfleld　said；　〃I　dare　say　Chloe　will　find

something　for　her　to　do　in　the　way　of　washing；　and　such　other　light

work　that　she　is　fit　for　about　the　house。　　It　is　not　that；　but　it　is　years

since　a　slave　was　brought　into　the　Orangery；　never　since　I　can

remember。　We　raise　more　than　we　want　ourselves；　and　when　I　see

all　those　children　about；　I　wonder　sometimes　what　on　earth　we　are

to　find　for　them　all　to　do。　　Still；　it　was　a　scandalous　thing　of　that

man　Jackson　selling　the　girl　to　punish　her　husband；　and　as　you　say

it　was　your　foolish　interference　in　the　matter　that　brought　it　about；

so　I　do　not　know　that　I　can　blame　you　for　doing　what　you　can　to

set　the　matter　straight。　　Still；　except　that　the　knowledge　that　she　is

here　and　will　be　well　treated　will　be　a　comfort　to　the　man；　I　do　not

see　that　he　will　be　much　the　better　off；　unless　indeed　the　Jacksons

should　try　to　sell　him　also；　in　which　case　I　suppose　you　would

want　to　buy　him。〃



〃I　am　afraid　they　won't'　do　that；　mother。　　Still；　some…how　or　other；

in　time　they　may　come　together　again。



〃I　don't　see　how　they　can；　Vincent。　　However　we　need　not　think　of

that　now。　　At　any　rate　I　hope　there　will　he　no　further　opportunity

for　your　mixing　yourself　up　in　this　business。　　You　have　made　two

bitter　enemies　now；　and　although　I　do　not　see　that　such　people　as

these　can　do　you　any　harm；　it　is　always　well　not　to　make　enemies；

especially　in　times　like　these　when　no　one　can　foresee　exactly

what　may　occur。〃



And　so　Dinah　Moore　became　an　inmate　of　the　Orangery；　and

though　the　girls　had　laughed　at　their　brother；　they　were　very　kind

to　her　when　she　arrived　with　Dan；　and　made　much　of　her　and　of

her　baby。　　The　same　night　Dan　went　over　to　the　Cedars；　and

managed　to　have　an　inter　view　with　Tony；　and　to　tell　him　that　his

wife　had　been　bought　by　Vincent。　　The　joy　of　the　n