the house behind the cedars(雪松后的房子)-第33节
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You have the somewhat unusual privilege； it seems； of choosing between
two races； and if you are a lad of spirit； as I think you are； it will not take
you long to make your choice。 As you have all the features of a white
man； you would； at least in South Carolina； have simply to assume the
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place and exercise the privileges of a white man。 You might； of course；
do the same thing anywhere； as long as no one knew your origin。 But the
matter has been adjudicated there in several cases； and on the whole I
think South Carolina is the place for you。 They're more liberal there；
perhaps because they have many more blacks than whites； and would like
to lessen the disproportion。〃
〃From this time on；〃 said the boy； 〃I am white。〃
〃Softly； softly； my Caucasian fellow citizen；〃 returned the judge；
chuckling with quiet amusement。 〃You are white in the abstract； before
the law。 You may cherish the fact in secret； but I would not advise you to
proclaim it openly just yet。 You must wait until you go awayto South
Carolina。〃
〃And can I learn to be a lawyer； sir？〃 asked the lad。
〃It seems to me that you ought to be reasonably content for one day
with what you have learned already。 You cannot be a lawyer until you
are white； in position as well as in theory； nor until you are twenty…one
years old。 I need an office boy。 If you are willing to come into my
office； sweep it； keep my books dusted； and stay here when I am out； I do
not care。 To the rest of the town you will be my servant； and still a negro。
If you choose to read my books when no one is about and be white in your
own private opinion； I have no objection。 When you have made up your
mind to go away； perhaps what you have read may help you。 But mum 's
the word！ If I hear a whisper of this from any other source； out you go；
neck and crop！ I am willing to help you make a man of yourself； but it
can only be done under the rose。〃
For two years John Walden openly swept the office and surreptitiously
read the law books of old Judge Straight。 When he was eighteen； he
asked his mother for a sum of money； kissed her good… by； and went out
into the world。 When his sister； then a pretty child of seven； cried
because her big brother was going away； he took her up in his arms； gave
her a silver dime with a hole in it for a keepsake； hugged her close； and
kissed her。
〃Nev' min'； sis；〃 he said soothingly。 〃Be a good little gal； an' some o'
these days I'll come back to see you and bring you somethin' fine。〃
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In after years； when Mis' Molly was asked what had become of her son；
she would reply with sad complacency；
〃He's gone over on the other side。〃
As we have seen； he came back ten years later。
Many years before； when Mis' Molly； then a very young woman； had
taken up her residence in the house behind the cedars； the gentleman
heretofore referred to had built a cabin on the opposite corner； in which he
had installed a trusted slave by the name of Peter Fowler and his wife
Nancy。 Peter was a good mechanic； and hired his time from his master
with the provision that Peter and his wife should do certain work for Mis'
Molly and serve as a sort of protection for her。 In course of time Peter；
who was industrious and thrifty； saved enough money to purchase his
freedom and that of his wife and their one child； and to buy the little house
across the street； with the cooper shop behind it。 After they had acquired
their freedom； Peter and Nancy did no work for Mis' Molly save as they
were paid for it； and as a rule preferred not to work at all for the woman
who had been practically their mistress； it made them seem less free。
Nevertheless； the two households had remained upon good terms； even
after the death of the man whose will had brought them together； and who
had remained Peter's patron after he had ceased to be his master。 There
was no intimate association between the two families。 Mis' Molly felt
herself infinitely superior to Peter and his wife；scarcely less superior
than her poor white neighbors felt themselves to Mis' Molly。 Mis' Molly
always meant to be kind； and treated Peter and Nancy with a certain good…
natured condescension。 They resented this； never openly or offensively；
but always in a subconscious sort of way； even when they did not speak of
it among themselvesmuch as they had resented her mistress…ship in the
old days。 For after all； they argued； in spite of her airs and graces； her
white face and her fine clothes； was she not a negro； even as themselves？
and since the slaves had been freed； was not one negro as good as another？
Peter's son Frank had grown up with little Rena。 He was several
years older than she； and when Rena was a small child Mis' Molly had
often confided her to his care； and he had watched over her and kept her
from harm。 When Frank became old enough to go to work in the cooper
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shop； Rena； then six or seven； had often gone across to play among the
clean white shavings。 Once Frank； while learning the trade； had let slip a
sharp steel tool； which flying toward Rena had grazed her arm and sent the
red blood coursing along the white flesh and soaking the muslin sleeve。
He had rolled up the sleeve and stanched the blood and dried her tears。
For a long time thereafter her mother kept her away from the shop and was
very cold to Frank。 One day the little girl wandered down to the bank of
the old canal。 It had been raining for several days； and the water was
quite deep in the channel。 The child slipped and fell into the stream。
From the open window of the cooper shop Frank heard a scream。 He ran
down to the canal and pulled her out； and carried her all wet and dripping
to the house。 From that time he had been restored to favor。 He had
watched the girl grow up to womanhood in the years following the war；
and had been sorry when she became too old to play about the shop。
He never spoke to her of love；indeed； he never thought of his passion
in such a light。 There would have been no legal barrier to their union；
there would have been no frightful menace to white supremacy in the
marriage of the negro and the octoroon： the drop of dark blood bridged the
chasm。 But Frank knew that she did not love him； and had not hoped
that she might。 His was one of those rare souls that can give with small
hope of return。 When he had made the scar upon her arm； by the same
token she had branded him her slave forever； when he had saved her from
a watery grave； he had given his life to her。 There are depths of fidelity
and devotion in the negro heart that have never been fathomed or fully
appreciated。 Now and then in the kindlier phases of slavery these
qualities were brightly conspicuous； and in them； if wisely appealed to；
lies the strongest hope of amity between the two races whose destiny
seems bound up together in the Western world。 Even a dumb brute can
be won by kindness。 Surely it were worth while to try some other
weapon than scorn and contumely and hard words upon people of our
common race； the human race； which is bigger and broader than Celt or
Saxon； barbarian or Greek； Jew or Gentile； black or white； for we are all
children of a common Father； forget it as we may； and each one of us is in
some measure his brother's keeper。
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