when god laughs and other stories(当上帝发笑时)-第33节
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slaves。
Kingsbury； my brothers； is in the old State of Alabama。 For three
hundred years the Vanderwaters have owned Kingsbury and its slave pens
and factories； and slave pens and factories in many other places and States。
You have heard of the Vanderwaterswho has not？but let me tell you
things you do not know about them。 The first Vanderwater was a slave；
even as you and I。 Have you got that？ He was a slave； and that was
over three hundred years ago。 His father was a machinist in the slave pen
of Alexander Burrell； and his mother was a washerwoman in the same
slave pen。 There is no doubt about this。 I am telling you truth。 It is
history。 It is printed； every word of it； in the history books of our masters；
which you cannot read because your masters will not permit you to learn
to read。 You can understand why they will not permit you to learn to read；
when there are such things in the books。 They know； and they are very
wise。 If you did read such things； you might be wanting in respect to
your masters； which would be a dangerous thing 。 。 。 to your masters。 But
I know； for I can read； and I am telling you what I have read with my own
eyes in the history books of our masters。
The first Vanderwater's name was not Vanderwater； it was VangeBill
Vange； the son of Yergis Vange； the machinist； and Laura Carnly； the
washerwoman。 Young Bill Vange was strong。 He might have remained
with the slaves and led them to freedom； instead； however； he served the
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WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
masters and was well rewarded。 He began his service； when yet a small
child； as a spy in his home slave pen。 He is known to have informed on
his own father for seditious utterance。 This is fact。 I have read it with
my own eyes in the records。 He was too good a slave for the slave pen。
Alexander Burrell took him out； while yet a child； and he was taught to
read and write。 He was taught many things； and he was entered in the
secret service of the Government。 Of course； he no longer wore the slave
dress； except for disguise at such times when he sought to penetrate the
secrets and plots of the slaves。 It was he； when but eighteen years of age；
who brought that great hero and comrade； Ralph Jacobus； to trial and
execution in the electric chair。 Of course； you have all heard the sacred
name of Ralph Jacobus； but it is news to you that he was brought to his
death by the first Vanderwater； whose name was Vange。 I know。 I have
read it in the books。 There are many interesting things like that in the
books。
And after Ralph Jacobus died his shameful death； Bill Vange's name
began the many changes it was to undergo。 He was known as 〃Sly
Vange〃 far and wide。 He rose high in the secret service； and he was
rewarded in grand ways； but still he was not a member of the master class。
The men were willing that he should become so； it was the women of the
master class who refused to have Sly Vange one of them。 Sly Vange gave
good service to the masters。 He had been a slave himself； and he knew
the ways of the slaves。 There was no fooling him。 In those days the
slaves were braver than now； and they were always trying for their
freedom。 And Sly Vange was everywhere； in all their schemes and plans；
bringing their schemes and plans to naught and their leaders to the electric
chair。 It was in 2255 that his name was next changed for him。 It was in
that year that the Great Mutiny took place。 In that region west of the
Rocky Mountains； seventeen millions of slaves strove bravely to
overthrow their masters。 Who knows； if Sly Vange had not lived； but that
they would have succeeded？ But Sly Vange was very much alive。 The
masters gave him supreme command of the situation。 In eight months of
fighting； one million and three hundred and fifty thousand slaves were
killed。 Vange； Bill Vange； Sly Vange； killed them； and he broke the Great
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WHEN GOD LAUGHS； AND OTHER STORIES
Mutiny。 And he was greatly rewarded； and so red were his hands with
the blood of the slaves that thereafter he was called 〃Bloody Vange。〃
You see； my brothers； what interesting things are to be found in the books
when one can read them。 And； take my word for it； there are many other
things； even more interesting； in the books。 And if you will but study
with me； in a year's time you can read those books for yourselvesay； in
six months some of you will be able to read those books for yourselves。
Bloody Vange lived to a ripe old age； and always； to the last； was he
received in the councils of the masters； but never was he made a master
himself。 He had first opened his eyes； you see； in a slave pen。 But oh；
he was well rewarded！ He had a dozen palaces in which to live。 He；
who was no master； owned thousands of slaves。 He had a great pleasure
yacht upon the sea that was a floating palace； and he owned a whole island
in the sea where toiled ten thousand slaves on his coffee plantations。 But
in his old age he was lonely； for he lived apart； hated by his brothers； the
slaves； and looked down upon by those he had served and who refused to
be his brothers。 The masters looked down upon him because he had been
born a slave。 Enormously wealthy he died； but he died horribly；
tormented by his conscience； regretting all he had done and the red stain
on his name。
But with his children it was different。 They had not been born in the
slave pen； and by the special ruling of the Chief Oligarch of that time；
John Morrison； they were elevated to the master class。 And it was then
that the name of Vange disappears from the page of history。 It becomes
Vanderwater； and Jason Vange； the son of Bloody Vange； becomes Jason
Vanderwater； the founder of the Vanderwater line。 But that was three
hundred years ago； and the Vanderwaters of to…day forget their beginnings
and imagine that somehow the clay of their bodies is different stuff from
the clay in your body and mine and in the bodies of all slaves。 And I ask
you； Why should a slave become the master of another slave？ And why
should the son of a slave become the master of many slaves？ I leave
these questions for you to answer for yourselves； but do not forget that in
the beginning the Vanderwaters were slaves。
And now； my brothers； I come back to the beginning of my tale to tell
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you of Tom Dixon's arm。 Roger Vanderwater's factory in Kingsbury was
rightly named 〃Hell's Bottom；〃 but the men who toiled in it were men； as
you shall see。 Women toiled there； too； and children； little children。 All
that toiled there had the regular slave rights under the law； but only under
the law； for they were deprived of many of their rights by the two
overseers of Hell's Bottom； Joseph Clancy and Adolph Munster。
It is a long story； but I shall not tell all of it to you。 I shall tell only
about the arm。 It happened that； according to the law； a portion of the
starvation wage of the slaves was held back each month and put into a
fund。 This fund was for the purpose of helping such unfortunate fellow…
workmen as happened to be injured by accidents or to be overtaken by
sickness。 As you know with yourselves； these funds are controlled by the
overseers。 It is the law； and so it was that the fund at Hell's Bottom was
controlled by the two overseers of accursed memory。
Now； Clancy and Munster took this fund for their own use。 When
accidents happened to the workmen； their fellows； as
