with lee in virginia-第4节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



since　he　came　back。　　Vincent　wanted　to　have　him　as　his　regular

house　servant；　but　it　would　have　broken　old　Sam's　heart　if；　after

being　my　father's　boy　and　my　husband's；　another　had　taken　his

place　as　Vincent's。〃



And　so　Dan　had　remained　in　the　stable；　but　regarding　Vincent　as

his　special　master；　carrying　notes　for　him　to　his　friends；　or　doing

any　odd　jobs　he　might　require；　and　spending　no　small　portion　of

his　time　in　sleep。　　Thus　he　was　an　object　of　special　dislike　to　the

overseer；　in　the　first　place　because　he　had　not　succeeded　in　having

his　way　with　regard　to　him；　and　in　the　second　because　he　was　a

useless　hand；　and　the　overseer　loved　to　get　as　much　work　as

possible　out　of　every　one　on　the　estate。　　The　message　had　been　a

somewhat　important　one；　as　he　wanted　the　slaves　for　some　work

that　was　urgently　required；　and　he　lost　his　temper；　or　he　would　not

have　done　an　act　which　would　certainly　bring　him　into　collision

with　Vincent。



He　was　well　aware　that　the　lad　did　not　really　like　him；　and　that　his

efforts　to　gain　his　good…will　had　failed；　and　he　had　foreseen　that

sooner　or　later　there　would　be　a　struggle　for　power　between　them。　

However；　he　relied　upon　his　influence　with　Mrs。　Wingfield；　and

upon　the　fact　that　she　was　the　life…owner　of　the　Orangery；　and

believed　that　he　would　be　able　to　maintain　his　position　even　when

Vincent　came　of　age。　　Vincent　on　his　side　objected　altogether　to

the　overseer's　treatment　of　the　hands；　of　which　he　heard　a　good

deal　from　Dan；　and　bad　already　remonstrated　with　his　mother　on

the　subject。　　He；　however；　gained　nothing　by　this。　　Mrs。　Wingfield

had　replied　that　he　was　too　young　to　interfere　in　such　matters；　that

his　English　ideas　would　not　do　in　Virginia；　and　that　naturally　the

slaves　were　set　against　the　overseer；　and　that　now　Pearson　had　no

longer　a　master　to　support　him；　he　was　obliged　to　be　more　severe

than　before　to　enforce　obedience。　　At　the　same　time　it　vexed　her　at

heart　that　there　should　be　any　severity　on　the　Orangery　estate；

where　the　best　relations　had　always　prevailed　between　the　masters

and　slaves；　and　she　had　herself　spoken　to　Jonas　on　the　subject。



He　had　given　her　the　same　answer　that　she　had　given　her　son：　〃The

slaves　will　work　for　a　master；　Mrs。　Wingfield；　in　a　way　they　will

not　for　a　stranger。　　They　set　themselves　against　me；　and　if　I　were

not　severe　with　them　I　should　get　no　work　at　all　cut　of　them。　　Of

course；　if　you　wish　it；　they　can　do　as　they　like；　but　in　that　case　they

must　have　another　overseer。　　I　cannot　see　a　fine　estate　going　to

ruin。　　I　believe　myself　some　of　these　Abolition　fellows　have　been

getting　among　them　and　doing　them　mischief；　and　that　there　is　a

bad　spirit　growing　up　among　them。　　I　can　assure　you　that　I　am　as

lenient　with　them　as　is　possible　to　be。　　But　if　they　won't　work　I

must　make　them；　so　long　as　I　stay　here。〃



And　so　the　overseer　had　had　his　way。　　She　knew　that　the　man　was

a　good　servant；　and　that　the　estate　was　kept　in　excellent　order。　

After　all；　the　seventies　of　which　she　had　heard　complaints　were　by

no　means　excessive；　and　it　was　not　to　he　expected　that　a　Northern

overseer　could　rule　entirely　by　kindness；　as　the　owner　of　an　estate

could　do。　A　change　would　be　most　inconvenient　to　her；　and　she

would　have　difficulty　in　suiting　herself　so　well　another　time。　

Besides；　the　man　had　been　with　her　sixteen　years；　and　was；　as　she

believed；　devoted　to　her　interests。　　Therefore　she　turned　a　deaf　ear

to　Vincent's　remonstrances。



She　had　always　been　somewhat　opposed　to　his　being　left　in

England　at　school；　urging　that　he　would　learn　ideas　there　that

would　clash　with　those　of　the　people　among　whom　his　life　was　to

be　spent；　and　she　still　considered　that　her　views　had　been　justified

by　the　result。



The　overseer　was　the　first　to　give　his　version　of　the　story　shout

Dan's　conduct；　for　on　going　to　the　house　Vincent　found　his　sisters；

Rosa　and　Annie；　in　the　garden；　having　just　returned　from　a　two

days'　visit　to　some　friends　in　Richmond；　and　stayed　chatting　with

them　and　listening　to　their　news　for　an　hour；　and　in　the　meantime

Jonas　had　gone　in　and　seen　Mrs。　Wingfield　and　told　his　story。



〃I　think；　Mrs。　Wingfield；〃　he　said　when　he　had　finished；　〃that　it

will　be　better　for　me　to　leave　you。　　It　is　quite　evident　that　I　can

have　no　authority　over　the　hands　if　your　son　is　to　interfere　when　I

am　about　to　punish　a　slave　for　an　act　of　gross　disobedience　and

neglect。　I　found　that　all　the　tobacco　required　turning；　and　now　it

will　not　be　done　this　afternoon　owing　to　my　orders　not　being

carried　out；　and　the　tobacco　will　not　improbably　be　injured　in

quality。　　My　position　is　difficult　enough　as　it　is；　but　if　the　slaves

see　that　instead　of　being　supported　I　am　thwarted　by　your　son；　my

authority　is　gone　altogether。　　No　overseer　can　carry　on　his　work

properly　under　such　circumstances。〃



〃I　will　see　to　the　matter；　Jonas；〃　Mrs。　Wingfield　said　decidedly。　

〃Be　assured　that　you　have　my　entire　support；　and　I　will　see　that　my

son　does　not　again　interfere。〃



When；　therefore；　Vincent　entered　the　house　and　began　his

complaint　he　found　himself　cut　short。　



〃I　have　heard　the　story　already；　Vincent。　　Dan　acted　in　gross

disobedience；　and　thoroughly　deserved　the　punishment　Jonas　was

about　to　give　him。　　The　work　of　the　estate　cannot　be　carried　on　if

such　conduct　is　to　be　tolerated；　and　once　for　all；　I　will　permit　no

interference　on　your　part　with　Jonas。　　If　you　have　any　complaints

to　make；　come　to　me　and　make　them；　but　you　are　not　yourself　to

interfere　in　any　way　with　the　overseer。　　As　for　Dan；　I　have　directed

Jonas　that　the　next　time　he　gives　cause　for　complaint　he　is　to　go

into　the　fields。〃



Vincent　stood　silent　for　a　minute；　then　he　said　quietly：　



〃Very　well；　mother。　Of　course　you　can　do　as　you　like；　but　at　any

rate　I　will　not　keep　my　month　shut　when　I　see　that　fellow

ill…treating　the　slaves。　　Such　things　were　never　done　in　my　father's

time；　and　I　won't　see　them　done　now。　　You　said　tile　other　day　you

would　get　me　a　nomination　to　West　Point　as　soon　as　I　was　sixteen。　

I　should　be　glad　if　you　would　do　so。　　By　the　time　I　have　gone

through　the　school；　you　will　perhaps　see　that　I　have　been　right

about　Jonas。〃



So　saying；　he　turned　and　left　the　room　and　again　joined　his　sisters

in　the　drawing…room。



〃I　have　just　told　mother　that　I　will　go　to　West　Point；　girls；〃　he　said。　

〃Father　said　more　than　once　that　he　thought　it　was　the　best

education　I　could　get　in　America。〃



〃But　I　thought　you　had　made　up　your　mind　that　you　would　rather

stop　at　home；　Vincent？〃



〃So　I　had；　and　so　I　would　have　done；　but　mother　and　I　differ　in

opinion　　That　fellow　Jonas　was　going　to　flog　Dan；　and　I　stopped

him　this　morning；　and　mother　takes　his　part　against　me。　　You

know；　I　don't　like　the　way　he　goes　on　with　the　slaves。　　They　are　not

half　so　merry　and　happy　as　they　used　to　be；　and　I　don't　like　it。　　We

shall　have　one　of　them　running　away　next；　and　that　will　be　a　nice

thing　on　what　used　to　be　considered　one　of　the　happiest　plantations

in　Virginia。　　I　can't　make　mother　out；　I　should　have　thought　that

she　would　have　been　the　last　person　in　the　world　to　have　allowed

the　slaves　to　be　harshly　treated。〃



〃I　am　sure　we　don't　like　Jonas　more　than　you　do；　Vincent；　but　you

see　mamma　has　to　depend　upon　him　so　much。　　No；　I　don't　think

she　can　like　it；　but　you　can't　have　everything　you　like　in　a　man；　and

I　know　she　thinks　he　is　a　very　good　overseer。　　I　suppose　she　could

get　another？〃



Vincent　said　he　thought　that　there　could　not　be　much　difficulty

about　getting　an　overseer。



〃There　might　be　a　difficulty　in　getting　one　she　could　rely　on　so

thoroughly；〃　Rosa　said。　　〃You　see　a　great　deal　must　be　left　to　him。　

Jonas　has　been　here　a　good　many　years　now；　and　she　has　learned

to　trust　him。　　It　would　be　a　long　time　before　she　had　the　same

confidence　in　a　stranger；　and　you　may　be　sure　that　he　would　have

his　faults；　though；　perhaps；　not　the　same　as　those　of　Jonas。　I　think

you　don't　make　allowance　enough　for　mamma；　Vincent。　　I　quite

agree　with　you　as　to　Jonas；　and　I　don't　think　mamma　can　like　his

harshness　to　the　slaves　any　more　than　you　do；　but　every　one　says

what　a　difficulty　it　is　to　get　a　really　trustworthy　and　capable

overseer；　and；　of　course；　it　is　all　the　harder　when　there　is　no　master

to　look　after　him。〃



〃Well；　in　a　few　years　I　shall　be　able　to　look　after　an　overseer；〃

Vincent　said。



〃You　might　do　so；　of　course；　Vincent；　if　you　liked；　but　unless　you

change　a　good　deal；　I　don't　think　your　supervision　would　amount　to

much。　　When　you　　are　not　at　school　you　are　always　on　horseback

and　away；　and　we　see　little　enough　of　you；　and　I　do　not　think　you

are　likely　for　a　long　time　yet　to　give　up　most　of　your　time　to

looking　after　the　estate。〃



〃Perhaps　you　are　right；〃　Vincent　said；　after　thinking　for　a　minute；

〃hut　I　think　I　could　settle　down　too；　and　give　most　of　my　time　to

the　estate；　i