running a thousand miles for freedom-第11节

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We　felt　as　though　we　had　come　into　deep　waters　and　were　about　being　overwhelmed；　and　that　the　slightest　mistake　would　clip　asunder　the　last　brittle　thread　of　hope　by　which　we　were　suspended；　and　let　us　down　for　ever　into　the　dark　and　horrible　pit　of　misery　and　degradation　from　which　we　were　straining　every　nerve　to　escape。　　While　our　hearts　were　crying　lustily　unto　Him　who　is　ever　ready　and　able　to　save；　the　conductor　of　the　train　that　we　had　just　left　stepped　in。　　The　officer　asked　if　we　came　by　the　train　with　him　from　Washington；　he　said　we　did；　and　left　the　room。　　Just　then　the　bell　rang　for　the　train　to　leave；　and　had　it　been　the　sudden　shock　of　an　earthquake　it　could　not　have　given　us　a　greater　thrill。　　The　sound　of　the　bell　caused　every　eye　to　flash　with　apparent　interest；　and　to　be　more　steadily　fixed　upon　us　than　before。　　But；　as　God　would　have　it；　the　officer　all　at　once　thrust　his　fingers　through　his　hair；　and　in　a　state　of　great　agitation　said；　〃I　really　don't　know　what　to　do；　I　calculate　it　is　all　right。〃　　He　then　told　the　clerk　to　run　and　tell　the　conductor　to　〃let　this　gentleman　and　slave　pass；〃　adding；　〃As　he　is　not　well；　it　is　a　pity　to　stop　him　here。　　We　will　let　him　go。〃　My　master　thanked　him；　and　stepped　out　and　hobbled　across　the　platform　as　quickly　as　pos…　sible。　　I　tumbled　him　unceremoniously　into　one　of　the　best　carriages；　and　leaped　into　mine　just　as　the　train　was　gliding　off　towards　our　happy　desti…　nation。

We　thought　of　this　plan　about　four　days　before　we　left　Macon；　and　as　we　had　our　daily　employ…　ment　to　attend　to；　we　only　saw　each　other　at　night。　So　we　sat　up　the　four　long　nights　talking　over　the　plan　and　making　preparations。

We　had　also　been　four　days　on　the　journey；　and　as　we　travelled　night　and　day；　we　got　but　very　limited　opportunities　for　sleeping。　　I　believe　nothing　in　the　world　could　have　kept　us　awake　so　long　but　the　intense　excitement；　produced　by　the　fear　of　being　retaken　on　the　one　hand；　and　the　bright　anticipation　of　liberty　on　the　other。

We　left　Baltimore　about　eight　o'clock　in　the　evening；　and　not　being　aware　of　a　stopping…　place　of　any　consequence　between　there　and　Phila…　delphia；　and　also　knowing　that　if　we　were　fortu…　nate　we　should　be　in　the　latter　place　early　the　next　morning；　I　thought　I　might　indulge　in　a　few　minutes'　sleep　in　the　car；　but　I；　like　Bunyan's　Christian　in　the　arbour；　went　to　sleep　at　the　wrong　time；　and　took　too　long　a　nap。　　So；　when　the　train　reached　Havre　de　Grace；　all　the　first…class　pas…　sengers　had　to　get　out　of　the　carriages　and　into　a　ferry…boat；　to　be　ferried　across　the　Susquehanna　river；　and　take　the　train　on　the　opposite　side。

The　road　was　constructed　so　as　to　be　raised　or　lowered　to　suit　the　tide。　　So　they　rolled　the　luggage…　vans　on　to　the　boat；　and　off　on　the　other　side；　and　as　I　was　in　one　of　the　apartments　adjoining　a　bag…　gage…car；　they　considered　it　unnecessary　to　awaken　me；　and　tumbled　me　over　with　the　luggage。　　But　when　my　master　was　asked　to　leave　his　seat；　he　found　it　very　dark；　and　cold；　and　raining。　　He　missed　me　for　the　first　time　on　the　journey。　　On　all　previous　occasions；　as　soon　as　the　train　stopped；　I　was　at　hand　to　assist　him。　　This　caused　many　slaveholders　to　praise　me　very　much：　they　said　they　had　never　before　seen　a　slave　so　attentive　to　his　master：　and　therefore　my　absence　filled　him　with　terror　and　confusion；　the　children　of　Israel　could　not　have　felt　more　troubled　on　arriving　at　the　Red　Sea。　So　he　asked　the　conductor　if　he　had　seen　anything　of　his　slave。　　The　man　being　somewhat　of　an　abo…　litionist；　and　believing　that　my　master　was　really　a　slaveholder；　thought　he　would　tease　him　a　little　respecting　me。　　So　he　said；　〃No；　sir；　I　haven't　seen　anything　of　him　for　some　time：　I　have　no　doubt　he　has　run　away；　and　is　in　Philadelphia；　free；　long　before　now。〃　　My　master　knew　that　there　was　nothing　in　this；　so　he　asked　the　conductor　if　he　would　please　to　see　if　he　could　find　me。　　The　man　indignantly　replied；　〃I　am　no　slave…hunter；　and　as　far　as　I　am　concerned　everybody　must　look　after　their　own　niggers。〃　　He　went　off　and　left　the　confused　invalid　to　fancy　whatever　he　felt　in…　clined。　　My　master　at　first　thought　I　must　have　been　kidnapped　into　slavery　by　some　one；　or　left；　or　perhaps　killed　on　the　train。　　He　also　thought　of　stopping　to　see　if　he　could　hear　anything　of　me；　but　he　soon　remembered　that　he　had　no　money。　That　night　all　the　money　we　had　was　consigned　to　my　own　pocket；　because　we　thought；　in　case　there　were　any　pickpockets　about；　a　slave's　pocket　would　be　the　last　one　they　would　look　for。　　However；　hoping　to　meet　me　some　day　in　a　land　of　liberty；　and　as　he　had　the　tickets；　he　thought　it　best　upon　the　whole　to　enter　the　boat　and　come　off　to　Philadelphia；　and　endeavour　to　make　his　way　alone　in　this　cold　and　hollow　world　as　best　he　could。　The　time　was　now　up；　so　he　went　on　board　and　came　across　with　feelings　that　can　be　better　imagined　than　described。

After　the　train　had　got　fairly　on　the　way　to　Philadelphia；　the　guard　came　into　my　car　and　gave　me　a　violent　shake；　and　bawled　out　at　the　same　time；　〃Boy；　wake　up！〃　　I　started；　almost　frightened　out　of　my　wits。　　He　said；　〃Your　master　is　scared　half　to　death　about　you。〃　　That　frightened　me　still　moreI　thought　they　had　found　him　out；　so　I　anxiously　inquired　what　was　the　matter。　　The　guard　said；　〃He　thinks　you　have　run　away　from　him。〃　　This　made　me　feel　quite　at　ease。　　I　said；　〃No；　sir；　I　am　satisfied　my　good　master　doesn't　think　that。〃　　So　off　I　started　to　see　him。　　He　had　been　fearfully　nervous；　but　on　seeing　me　he　at　once　felt　much　better。　　He　merely　wished　to　know　what　had　become　of　me。

On　returning　to　my　seat；　I　found　the　conductor　and　two　or　three　other　persons　amusing　themselves　very　much　respecting　my　running　away。　　So　the　guard　said；　〃Boy；　what　did　your　master　want？〃*　I　replied；　〃He　merely　wished　to　know　what　had　become　of　me。〃　　〃No；〃　said　the　man；　〃that　was　not　it；　he　thought　you　had　taken　French　leave；　for　parts　unknown。　　I　never　saw　a　fellow　so　badly　scared　about　losing　his　slave　in　my　life。　　Now；〃　continued　the　guard；　〃let　me　give　you　a　little　friendly　advice。　　When　you　get　to　Philadelphia；　run　away　and　leave　that　cripple；　and　have　your　liberty。〃　　〃No；　sir；〃　I　indifferently　replied；　〃I　can't　promise　to　do　that。〃　　〃Why　not？〃　said　the


*　I　may　state　here　that　every　man　slave　is　called　boy　till　he　is　very　old；　then　the　more　respectable　slaveholders　call　him　uncle。　　The　women　are　all　girls　till　they　are　aged；　then　they　are　called　aunts。　　This　is　the　reason　why　Mrs。　Stowe　calls　her　characters　Uncle　Tom；　Aunt　Chloe；　Uncle　Tiff；　&c。　conductor；　evidently　much　surprised；　〃don't　you　want　your　liberty？〃　　〃Yes；　sir；〃　I　replied；　〃but　I　shall　never　run　away　from　such　a　good　master　as　I　have　at　present。〃

One　of　the　men　said　to　the　guard；　〃Let　him　alone；　I　guess　he　will　open　his　eyes　when　he　gets　to　Philadelphia；　and　see　things　in　another　light。〃　After　giving　me　a　good　deal　of　information；　which　I　afterwards　found　to　be　very　useful；　they　left　me　alone。

I　also　met　with　a　coloured　gentleman　on　this　train；　who　recommended　me　to　a　boarding…house　that　was　kept　by　an　abolitionist；　where　he　thought　I　would　be　quite　safe；　if　I　wished　to　run　away　from　my　master。　　I　thanked　him　kindly；　but　of　course　did　not　let　him　know　who　we　were。　　Late　at　night；　or　rather　early　in　the　morning；　I　heard　a　fearful　whistling　of　the　steam…engine；　so　I　opened　the　window　and　looked　out；　and　saw　a　large　number　of　flickering　lights　in　the　distance；　and　heard　a　passenger　in　the　next　carriage　who　also　had　his　head　out　of　the　windowsay　to　his　companion；　〃Wake　up；　old　horse；　we　are　at　Philadelphia！〃

The　sight　of　those　lights　and　that　announce…　ment　made　me　feel　almost　as　happy　as　Bunyan's　Christian　must　have　felt　when　he　first　caught　sight　of　the　cross。　　I；　like　him；　felt　that　the　straps　that　bound　the　heavy　burden　to　my　back　began　to　pop；　and　the　load　to　roll　off。　　I　also　looked；　and　looked　again；　for　it　appeared　very　wonderful　to　me　how　the　mere　sight　of　our　first　city　of　refuge　should　have　all　at　once　made　my　hitherto　sad　and　heavy　heart　become　so　light　and　happy。　　As　the　train　speeded　on；　I　rejoiced　and　thanked　God　with　all　my　heart　and　soul　for　his　great　kindness　and　tender　mercy；　in　watching　over　us；　and　bringing　us　safely　through。

As　soon　as　the　train　had　reached　the　platform；　before　it　had　fairly　stopped；　I　hurried　out　of　my　carriage　to　my　master；　whom　I　got　at　once　into　a　cab；　placed　the　luggage　on；　jumped　in　myself；　and　we　drove　off　to　the　boarding…house　which　was　so　kindly　recommended　to　me。　　On　leaving　the　station；　my　masteror　rather　my　wife；　as　I　may　now　say　who　had　from　the　commencement　of　the　journey　borne　up　in　a　manner　that　much　surprised　us　both；　grasped　me　by　the　hand；　and　said；　〃Thank　God；　William；　we　are　safe！〃　and　then　burst　into　tears；　leant　upon　me；　and　wept　like　a　child。　　The　reaction　was　fearful。　　So　when　we　reached　the　house；　she　was　in　reality　so　weak　and　faint　that　she　could　scarcely　stand　alone。　　However；　I　got　her　into　the　apartments　that　were　pointed　out；　and　there　we　knelt　down；　on　this　Sabbath；　and　Christmas…day；a　day　that　will　ever　be　memorable　to　us；and　poured　out　our　heartfelt　gratitude　to　God；　for　his　good…　ness　in　enabling　us　to　overcome　so　many　perilous　difficulties；