with lee in virginia-第10节

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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　river　to

Richmond；　or　to　be　carried　on　by　rail　through　the　town　of

Petersburg。　　Leaving　his　horse　at　a　house　near　the　river；　ho　crossed

the　James　in　a　boat　to　City　Point。　　There　were　several　vessels　lying

here；　and　for　some　hours　ho　hung　about　the　wharf　watching　the

process　of　discharging。　　By　the　end　of　that　time　ho　had　obtained　a

view　of　all　the　captains；　and　had　watched　them　as　they　gave　their

orders；　and　had　at　last　come　to　the　conclusion　as　to　which　would

be　the　most　likely　to　suit　his　purpose。　　Having　made　up　his　mind；

he　waited　until　the　one　he　had　fixed　upon　came　ashore。　　Ho　was　a

man　of　some　five…and…thirty　years　old；　with　a　pleasant　face　and

good…natured　smile。　　He　first　went　into　some　offices　on　the　wharf；

and　half　an　hour　later　came　out　and　walked　toward　the

railway…station。　　Vincent　at　once　followed　him；　and　as　he　overtook

him　said：



〃I　want　very　much　to　speak　to　you；　sir；　if　you　could　spare　me　a

minute　or　two。〃



〃Certainly；〃　the　sailor　said　with　some　surprise。　　〃The　train　for

Petersburg　does　not　go　for　another　half　hour。　What　can　I　do　for

you？〃



〃My　name　is　Vincent　Wingfield。　　My　father　was　an　English

officer；　and　my　mother　is　the　owner　of　some　large　estates　near

Richmond。　　I　am　most　anxious　to　get　a　person　in　whom　I　am

interested　on　board　ship；　and　I　do　not　know　how　to　set　about　it。〃



〃There's　no　difficulty　about　that；〃　the　captain　said　smiling；　〃you

have　only　to　go　to　an　office　and　pay　for　his　passage　to　where　he

wants　to　go。〃



〃I　can't　do　that；〃　Vincent　replied；　〃for　unfortunately　it　is　against　the

law　for　any　captain　to　take　him。〃



〃You　mean　he　is　a　negro？〃　the　captain　asked；　stopping　short　in　his

walk　and　looking　sharply　at　Vincent。



〃Yes；　that　is　what　I　mean；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃He　is　a　negro　who　has

been　brutally　ill…treated　and　has　run　away　from　his　master；　and　I

would　willingly　give　five　hundred　dollars　to　get　him　safely　away。〃



This　is　a　very　serious　business　in　which　you　ar