with lee in virginia-第8章

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wife　had　been　bought　by　Vincent。　　The　joy　of　the　negro　was

extreme。　The　previous　message　had　raised　his　hopes　that　Vincent

would　succeed　in　getting　her　bought　by　some　one　who　would　be

kind　to　her；　hut　he　knew　well　that　she　might　nevertheless　fall　to

the　lot　of　some　higher　bidder　and　be　taken　hundreds　of　miles　away；

and　that　he　might　never　again　get　news　of　her　whereabouts。　　He

had　then　suffered　terrible　anxiety　all　day；　and　the　relief　of　learning

that　Vincent　himself　had　bought　her；　and　that　she　was　now

installed　as　a　house　servant　at　the　Orangery；　but　a　few　miles　away；

was　quite　overpowering；　and　for　some　minutes　he　could　only　gasp

out　his　joy　and　thankfulness。　　He　could　hope　now　that　when　better

times　came　he　might　be　able　to　steal　away　some　night　and　meet

her；　and　that　some　day　er　other；　though　how　he　could　not　see；　they

might　be　reunited。　The　Jacksons　remained　in　ignorance　that　their

former　slave　was　located　so　near　to　them。



It　was　for　this　reason　that　Mr。　Renfrew　had　instructed　his　agent　to

buy　her　in　his　own　name　instead　of　that　of　Vincent；　and　the

Jacksons；　having　no　idea　of　the　transfer　that　had　subsequently

taken　place；　took　no　further　interest　in　the　matter；　believing　that

they　had　achieved　their　object　of　torturing　Tony；　and　avenging

upon　him　the　humiliation　that　Andrew　had　suffered　at　Vincent's

hands。　　Had　they　questioned　their　slaves；　and　had　these　answered

them　truly；　they　would　have　discovered　the　facts。　　For　although

Tony　himself　said　no　word　to　any　one　of　what　he　had　learned　from

Dan；　the　fact　that　Dinah　was　at　the　Orangery　was　speedily　known

among　the　slaves；　for　the　doings　at　one　plantation　were　soon

conveyed　to　the　negroes　on　the　others　by　the　occasional　visits

which　they　paid　at　night　to　each　other's　quarters；　or　to　some

common　rendezvous　far　removed　from　interruption。



Occasionally　Tony　and　Dinah　met。　　Dan　would　come　up　late　in　the

evening　to　the　house；　and　a　nod　to　Dinah　would　be　sufficient　to

send　her　flying　down　the　garden　to　a　clump　of　shrubs；　where　he

would　be　waiting　for　her。　At　these　stolen　meetings　they　were

perfectly　happy；　for　Tony　said　no　word　to　her　of　the　misery　of　his

life…how　he　was　always　put　to　the　hardest　work　and　beaten　on　the

smallest　pretext；　how　in　fact　his　life　was　made　so　unendurable　that

the　idea　of　running　away　and　taking　to　the　swamps　was　constantly

present　to　him。



As　to　making　his　way　north；　it　did　not　enter　his　mind　as　possible。　

Slates　did　indeed　at　times　succeed　in　traveling　through　the

Northern　States　and　making　their　way　to　Canada；　but　this　was　only

possible　by　means　of　the　organization　known　as　the　underground

railway；　an　association　consisting　of　a　number　of　good　people　who

devoted　them…selves　to　the　purpose；　giving　shelter　to　fugitive

slaves　during　the　day；　and　then　passing　them　on　to　the　next　refuge

during　the　night。　　For　in　the　Northern　States　as　well　as　the

Southern　any　negro　unprovided　with　papers　showing　that　be　was　a

free　man　was　liable　to　be　arrested　and　sent　back　to　the　South　a

prisoner；　large　rewards　being　given　to　these　who　arrested　them。



As　he　was　returning　from　one　of　these　interviews　with　his　wife；

Tony　was　detected　by　the　overseer；　who　was　scrolling　about　round

the　slaves'　quarters；　and　was　next　morning　flogged　until　he　became

insensible。　　So　terrible　was　the　punishment　that　for　some　days　he

was　unable　to　walk。　　As　soon　as　he　could　get　about　he　was　again

set　to　work；　but　the　following　morning　he　was　found　to　be　missing。　

Andrew　Jackson　at　once　rode　into　Richmond；　and　In　half　an　hour

placards　and　handbills　were　printed　offering　a　reward　for　his

capture。　　These　were　not　only　circulated　in　the　neighborhood；　but

were　sent　off　to　all　the　towns　and　villages　through　which　Tony

might　be　expected　to　pass　in　the　endeavor　to　make　his　way　north。　

Vincent　soon　learned　from　Dan　what　had　taken　place。



〃You　have　no　idea；　I　suppose；　Dan；　as　to　which　way　he　is　likely　to

go？〃



Dan　shook　his　bead。



〃Me　suppose；　massa；　dat　most　likely　he　gone　and　hidden　in　de

great　woods　by　de　James　River。　　Berry　difficult　to　find　him　dere。〃



〃Difficult　to　find　him；　no　doubt；〃　Vincent　agreed。　〃But　he　could

not　stop　there　long…he　would　find　nothing　to　eat　in　the　woods；　and

though　he　might　perhaps　support　himself　for　a　time　on　corn　or

roots　from　the　clearings　scattered　about　through　the　James

Peninsula；　he　must　sooner　or　later　be　caught。〃



〃Dar　are　runaways　in　de　woods　now；　Massa　Vincent；〃　Dan　said；

〃some　ob　dem　hab　been　dar　for　month。〃



〃But　how　do　they　live；　Dan？〃



〃Well；　sar；　you　see　dey　hab　friends　on　de　plantations；　and

sometimes　at　night　one　of　de　slaves　will　steal　away　wid　a　basket

ob　yams　and　corn…cakes　and　oder　things　and　put　dem　down　in　a

certain　place　in　de　forest；　and　next　morning；　sure　enough；　dey　will

be　gone。　　Dangerous　work　dat；　massa；　because　if　dey　caught　with

food；　it　known　for　sure　dat　dey　carry　it　to　runaway；　and　den　you

know　dey　pretty　well　flog　the　life　out　of　dem。〃



〃Yes；　I　know；　Dan；　it　is　a　very　serious　matter　hiding　a　runaway

slave；　and　even　a　white　man　would　be　very　heavily　punished；　and

perhaps　lynched；　if　caught　in　the　act。　　Well；　make　what　inquiries

you　can　among　the　slaves；　and　find　out　if　you　can　whether　any　of

those　Jacksons　have　an　idea　which　way　Tony　has　gone。　　But　do　not

go　yourself　on　to　Jackson's　place；　if　you　were　caught　there　now　it

would　be　an　awkward　matter　for　both　of　us。〃



〃I　will　find　out；　Massa　Vincent；　but　I　don't　s'pose　Tony　said　a　word

to　any　of　the　others。　　He　know　well　enough　dat　de　Jacksons

question　ebery　one　pretty　sharp；　and　per　haps　flog　dem　all　round　to

find　out　if　dey　know　anything。　He　keep　it　to　himself　about　going

away　for　sush。〃



The　Jacksons　kept　up　a　vigorous　hunt　after　their　slave　and　day

after　day　parties　of　men　ranged　through　the　woods　but　without

discovering　any　traces　of　him。　　Bloodhounds　were　employed　the

first　day；　but　before　these　could　be　fetched　from　Richmond　the

scent　had　grown　cold；　for　Tony　had　gone　off　as　soon　as　the　slaves

had　been　shut　up　for　the　night　and　had；　directly　he　left　the　hut；

wrapped　leaves　round　his　feet；　therefore　the　hounds；　when　they

arrived　from　Richmond；　were　unable　to　take　up　the　scent。



A　week　after　Tony's　escape；　Vincent　returned　late　one　evening

from　a　visit　to　some　friends。　　Dan；　as　he　took　his　horse；　whispered

to　him：　〃Stop　a　little　on　your　way　to　house；　Massa　Vincent；　me　hab

something　to　tell　you。〃



〃What　is　it；　Dan？〃　Vincent　asked；　as　the　lad；　after　putting　up　his

horse　in　the　stable；　came　running　up　to　him。



〃Me　have　seen　Tony；　sah。　　He　in　de　shrubs　ober　dar。　He　want　to

see　Dinah；　but　me　no　take　message　till　me　tell　you　about　him。　　He

half　starved；　sah；　me　give　him　some　yams。〃



〃That's　right；　Dan。〃



〃He　pretty　nigh　desperate；　sar；　he　say　dey　hunt　him　like　wild

beast。〃



〃I　will　see　him；　Dan。　　If　I　can　help　him　in　any　way　I　will　do　so。　

Unfortunately　I　do　not　know　any　of　the　people　who　help　to　get

slaves　away；　so　I　can　give　him　no　advice　as　to　the　best　way　to

proceed。　　Still　I　might　talk　it　over　with　him。　　When　I　have　joined

him；　do　you　go　up　to　the　house　and　tell　Chloe　from　me　to　give　you

a　pile　of　corn…cake…　it's　no　use　giving　him　flour；　for　he　would　be

afraid　to　light　a　fire　to　cook　it。　　Tell　her　to　give　you；　too；　any　cold

meat　there　may　be　in　the　house。　　Don't　tell　Dinah　her　husband　is

here　till　we　have　talked　the　matter　over。〃



Dan　led　Vincent　up　to　a　clump　of　bushes。



〃It　am　all　right；　Tony；〃　he　said；　〃here　is　Massa　Vincent　come　to　see

you。〃



The　bushes　parted　and　Tony　came　out　into　the　full　moonlight。　　He

looked　haggard　and　worn；　his　clothes　were　torn　into　strips　by　the

bushes。



〃My　poor　fellow；〃　Vincent　said　kindly；　〃I　am　sorry　to　see　you　in

such　a　state。〃



A　great　sob　broke　from　the　black



〃De　Lord　bress　you；　sah；　for　your　goodness　and　for　saving　Dinah

from　do　hands　of　dose　debils！　Now　she　safe　wid　you　and　de　child；

Tony　no　care　berry　much　what　come　to　him…do　sooner　he　dead　de

better。　　He　wish　dat　one　day　when　dey　flog　him　dey　had　kill　him

altogether；　den　all　de　trouble　at　an　end。　　Dey　hunt　him　ebory　day

with　dogs　and　guns；　and　soon　they　catch　him。　　No　can　go　on　much

longer　like　dis。　　To…day　me　nearly　gib　myself　up。　Den　me　thought

me　like　to　see　Dinah　once　more　to　say　good…by；　so　make　great

effort　and　ran　a　bit　furder。〃



〃I　have　been　thinking　whether　it　would　be　possible　to　plan　some

way　for　your　escape；　Tony。〃



The　negro　shook　his　head。



〃Dar　never　escape；　sah；　but　to　get　to　Canada；　dat　too　far　any　way。　

Not　possible　to　walk　all　dat　way　and　get　food　by　do　road。　　Suah　to

be　caught。〃



〃No；　I　do　not　think　it　will　be　possible　to　escape　that　way；　Tony。　

The　only　possible　plan　would　be　to　get　you　on　board　some　ship

going　to　England。〃



〃Ships　not　dare　take　negro　on　board；〃　Tony　said。　　〃Me　heard　dat

said　many　times…dat　against　de　law。〃



〃Yes；　I　know　it's　against　the　law；〃　Vincent　said；　〃and　it's　against

the　law　my　talking　to　you　here；　Tony；　but　you　see　it's　done。　　The

difficulty　is　how　to　do　it。　　All　vessels　are　searched　before　they

start；　and　an　officer　goes　down　with　them　past　Fortress　Monroe　to

see　that　they　take　no　one　en　board。　　Still　it　is　possible。　　Of　course

there　is　risk　in　the　matter；　but　there　is　risk　in　everything。　　I　will

think　it　over。　　Do　not　lose　heart。　　Dan　will　be　back　directly　with

enough　food　to　last　you　for　some　days。　　If　I　were　you　I　would　take

refuge　this　time　in　White　Oak　Swamp。　　It　is　much　nearer；　and　I

hear　it　has　already　been　searched　from　end　to　end；　so　they　are　not

likely　to　try　again；　and　if　yon　hear　them　you　can；　if　you　are

pressed；　cross　the　Chickahominy　and　make　down　through　the

woods。　　Do　you　come　again　on　Saturday　evening…that　will　give　me

four　days　to　see　what　I　can　do。　　I　may　not　succeed；　you　know；　for

the　penalty　is　so　severe　against　taking　negroes　on　board　that　I　may

not　be　able　to　find　any　one　willing　to　risk　it。　　But　it　is　worth

trying。〃



〃De　Lord　bless　you；　sah！〃　Tony　said。　　〃I　will　do　juss　what　you　toll

me；　but　don't　you　run　no　risks　for　me；　my　life　ain't　worth　dat。〃



〃I　will　take　care；　Tony。　And　now　here　comes　Dan　with　the

provisions。〃



〃Can　I　see　Dinah；　sah？〃　Tony　pleaded。



〃I　think　you　had　better　not；〃　Vincent　replied。　　〃You　see　the

Jacksons　might　at　any　moment　learn　that　she　is　here；　and　then　she

might　be　questioned　whether　she　had　seen　you　since　your　escape；

and　it　would　be　much　better　for　her　to　be　able　to　deny　having　done

so。　　But　you　shall　see　her　next　time　you　come；　whether　I　am　able　to

make　any　arrangements　for　your　escape　or　not。　　I　will　let　he！　know

to…morrow　morning　that　I　have　seen　you；　and　that　you　are　safe　at

present。〃



The　next　morning　Vincent　rode　over　to　City　Point；　where　ships

with　a　large　draught　of　water　generally　brought　up；　either

transferring　their　goods　into　smaller　craft　to　be　sent　up　by　riv