stories by modern american authors-第29节

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and；　ascending　the　high　grounds　on　the　shore　of　the　mainland；

proceeded　in　a　northwesterly　direction；　through　a　tract　of　country

excessively　wild　and　desolate；　where　no　trace　of　a　human　footstep

was　to　be　seen。　　Legrand　led　the　way　with　decision；　pausing　only

for　an　instant；　here　and　there；　to　consult　what　appeared　to　be

certain　landmarks　of　his　own　contrivance　upon　a　former　occasion。



In　this　manner　we　journeyed　for　about　two　hours；　and　the　sun　was

just　setting　when　we　entered　a　region　infinitely　more　dreary　than

any　yet　seen。　　It　was　a　species　of　table…land；　near　the　summit　of

an　almost　inaccessible　hill；　densely　wooded　from　base　to　pinnacle；

and　interspersed　with　huge　crags　that　appeared　to　lie　loosely　upon

the　soil；　and　in　many　cases　were　prevented　from　precipitating

themselves　into　the　valleys　below；　merely　by　the　support　of　the

trees　against　which　they　reclined。　　Deep　ravines；　in　various

directions；　gave　an　air　of　still　sterner　solemnity　to　the　scene。



The　natural　platform　to　which　we　had　clambered　was　thickly

overgrown　with　brambles；　through　which　we　soon　discovered　that　it

would　have　been　impossible　to　force　our　way　but　for　the　scythe；　and

Jupiter；　by　direction　of　his　master；　proceeded　to　clear　for　us　a

path　to　the　foot　of　an　enormously　tall　tulip　tree；　which　stood；

with　some　eight　or　ten　oaks；　upon　the　level；　and　far　surpassed　them

all；　and　all　other　trees　which　I　had　then　ever　seen；　in　the　beauty

of　its　foliage　and　form；　in　the　wide　spread　of　its　branches；　and　in

the　general　majesty　of　its　appearance。　　When　we　reached　this　tree；

Legrand　turned　to　Jupiter；　and　asked　him　if　he　thought　he　could

climb　it。　　The　old　man　seemed　a　little　staggered　by　the　question；

and　for　some　moments　made　no　reply。　　At　length　he　approached　the

huge　trunk；　walked　slowly　around　it；　and　examined　it　with　minute

attention。　　When　he　had　completed　his　scrutiny；　he　merely　said：



〃Yes；　massa；　Jup　climb　any　tree　he　ebber　see　in　he　life。〃



〃Then　up　with　you　as　soon　as　possible；　for　it　will　soon　be　too　dark

to　see　what　we　are　about。〃



〃How　far　mus'　go　up；　massa？〃　inquired　Jupiter。



〃Get　up　the　main　trunk　first；　and　then　I　will　tell　you　which　way　to

goand　herestop！　take　this　beetle　with　you。〃



〃De　bug；　Massa　Will！de　goole…bug！〃　cried　the　negro；　drawing　back

in　dismay〃what　for　mus'　tote　de　bug　way　up　de　tree？dn　if　I

do！〃



〃If　you　are　afraid；　Jup；　a　great　big　negro　like　you；　to　take　hold

of　a　harmless　little　dead　beetle；　why　you　can　carry　it　up　by　this

stringbut；　if　you　do　not　take　it　up　with　you　in　some　way；　I　shall

be　under　the　necessity　of　breaking　your　head　with　this　shovel。〃



〃What　de　matter　now；　massa？〃　said　Jup；　evidently　shamed　into

compliance；　〃always　want　for　to　raise　fuss　wid　old　nigger。　　Was

only　funnin　anyhow。　　ME　feered　de　bug！　what　I　keer　for　de　bug？〃

Here　he　took　cautiously　hold　of　the　extreme　end　of　the　string；　and；

maintaining　the　insect　as　far　from　his　person　as　circumstances

would　permit；　prepared　to　ascend　the　tree。



In　youth；　the　tulip　tree；　or　Liriodendron　tulipiferum；　the　most

magnificent　of　American　foresters；　has　a　trunk　peculiarly　smooth；

and　often　rises　to　a　great　height　without　lateral　branches；　but；　in

its　riper　age；　the　bark　becomes　gnarled　and　uneven；　while　many

short　limbs　make　their　appearance　on　the　stem。　　Thus　the　difficulty

of　ascension；　in　the　present　case；　lay　more　in　semblance　than　in

reality。　　Embracing　the　huge　cylinder；　as　closely　as　possible；　with

his　arms　and　knees；　seizing　with　his　hands　some　projections；　and

resting　his　naked　toes　upon　others；　Jupiter；　after　one　or　two

narrow　escapes　from　falling；　at　length　wriggled　himself　into　the

first　great　fork；　and　seemed　to　consider　the　whole　business　as

virtually　accomplished。　　The　RISK　of　the　achievement　was；　in　fact；

now　over；　although　the　climber　was　some　sixty　or　seventy　feet　from

the　ground。



〃Which　way　mus'　go　now；　Massa　Will？〃　he　asked。



〃Keep　up　the　largest　branchthe　one　on　this　side；〃　said　Legrand。

The　negro　obeyed　him　promptly；　and　apparently　with　but　little

trouble；　ascending　higher　and　higher；　until　no　glimpse　of　his　squat

figure　could　be　obtained　through　the　dense　foliage　which　enveloped

it。　　Presently　his　voice　was　heard　in　a　sort　of　halloo。



〃How　much　fudder　is　got　to　go？〃



〃How　high　up　are　you？〃　asked　Legrand。



〃Ebber　so　fur；〃　replied　the　negro；　〃can　see　de　sky　fru　de　top　oh　de

tree。〃



〃Never　mind　the　sky；　but　attend　to　what　I　say。　　Look　down　the　trunk

and　count　the　limbs　below　you　on　this　side。　　How　many　limbs　have

you　passed？〃



〃One；　two；　tree；　four；　fibeI　done　pass　fibe　big　limb；　massa；　'pon

dis　side。〃



〃Then　go　one　limb　higher。〃



In　a　few　minutes　the　voice　was　heard　again；　announcing　that　the

seventh　limb　was　attained。



〃Now；　Jup；〃　cried　Legrand；　evidently　much　excited；　〃I　want　you　to

work　your　way　out　upon　that　limb　as　far　as　you　can。　　If　you　see

anything　strange　let　me　know。〃



By　this　time　what　little　doubt　I　might　have　entertained　of　my　poor

friend's　insanity　was　put　finally　at　rest。　　I　had　no　alternative

but　to　conclude　him　stricken　with　lunacy；　and　I　became　seriously

anxious　about　getting　him　home。　　While　I　was　pondering　upon　what

was　best　to　be　done；　Jupiter's　voice　was　again　heard。



〃Mos　feered　for　to　ventur　pon　dis　limb　berry　far'tis　dead　limb

putty　much　all　de　way。〃



〃Did　you　say　it　was　a　DEAD　limb；　Jupiter？〃　cried　Legrand　in　a

quavering　voice。



〃Yes；　massa；　him　dead　as　de　door…naildone　up　for　sartindone

departed　dis　here　life。〃



〃What　in　the　name　of　heaven　shall　I　do？〃　asked　Legrand；　seemingly

in　the　greatest　distress。



〃Do！〃　said　I；　glad　of　an　opportunity　to　interpose　a　word；　〃why　come

home　and　go　to　bed。　　Come　now！that's　a　fine　fellow。　　It's　getting

late；　and；　besides；　you　remember　your　promise。〃



〃Jupiter；〃　cried　he；　without　heeding　me　in　the　least；　〃do　you　hear

me？〃



〃Yes；　Massa　Will；　hear　you　ebber　so　plain。〃



〃Try　the　wood　well；　then；　with　your　knife；　and　see　if　you　think　it

VERY　rotten。〃



〃Him　rotten；　massa；　sure　nuff；〃　replied　the　negro　in　a　few　moments；

〃but　not　so　berry　rotten　as　mought　be。　　Mought　venture　out　leetle

way　pon　de　limb　by　myself；　dat's　true。〃



〃By　yourself！what　do　you　mean？〃



〃Why；　I　mean　de　bug。　　'Tis　BERRY　hebby　bug。　　Spose　I　drop　him　down

fuss；　an　den　de　limb　won't　break　wid　just　de　weight　of　one　nigger。〃



〃You　infernal　scoundrel！〃　cried　Legrand；　apparently　much　relieved；

〃what　do　you　mean　by　telling　me　such　nonsense　as　that？　　As　sure　as

you　drop　that　beetle　I'll　break　your　neck。　　Look　here；　Jupiter；　do

you　hear　me？〃



〃Yes；　massa；　needn't　hollo　at　poor　nigger　dat　style。〃



〃Well！　now　listen！if　you　will　venture　out　on　the　limb　as　far　as

you　think　safe；　and　not　let　go　the　beetle；　I'll　make　you　a　present

of　a　silver　dollar　as　soon　as　you　get　down。〃



〃I'm　gwine；　Massa　Willdeed　I　is；〃　replied　the　negro　very

promptly〃mos　out　to　the　eend　now。〃



〃OUT　TO　THE　END！〃　here　fairly　screamed　Legrand；　〃do　you　say　you　are

out　to　the　end　of　that　limb？〃



〃Soon　be　to　de　eend；　massao…o…o…o…oh！　　Lor…gol…a…marcy！　what　IS

dis　here　pon　de　tree？〃



〃Well！〃　cried　Legrand；　highly　delighted；　〃what　is　it？〃



〃Why　'taint　noffin　but　a　skullsomebody　bin　lef　him　head　up　de

tree；　and　de　crows　done　gobble　ebery　bit　ob　de　meat　off。〃



〃A　skull；　you　say！very　well；how　is　it　fastened　to　the　limb？

what　holds　it　on？〃



〃Sure　nuff；　massa；　mus　look。　　Why　dis　berry　curious　sarcumstance；

pon　my　worddare's　a　great　big　nail　in　de　skull；　what　fastens　ob

it　on　to　de　tree。〃



〃Well　now；　Jupiter；　do　exactly　as　I　tell　youdo　you　hear？〃



〃Yes；　massa。〃



〃Pay　attention；　thenfind　the　left　eye　of　the　skull。〃



〃Hum！　hoo！　dat's　good！　why　dey　ain't　no　eye　lef　at　all。〃



〃Curse　your　stupidity！　do　you　know　your　right　hand　from　your　left？〃



〃Yes；　I　knows　datknows　all　about　dat'tis　my　lef　hand　what　I

chops　de　wood　wid。〃



〃To　be　sure！　you　are　left…handed；　and　your　left　eye　is　on　the　same

side　as　your　left　hand。　　Now；　I　suppose；　you　can　find　the　left　eye

of　the　skull；　or　the　place　where　the　left　eye　has　been。　　Have　you

found　it？〃



Here　was　a　long　pause。　　At　length　the　negro　asked：



〃Is　de　lef　eye　of　de　skull　pon　de　same　side　as　de　lef　hand　of　de

skull　too？cause　de　skull　aint　got　not　a　bit　oh　a　hand　at　all

nebber　mind！　　I　got　de　lef　eye　nowhere　de　lef　eye！　what　mus　do

wid　it？〃



Let　the　beetle　drop　through　it；　as　far　as　the　string　will　reach

but　be　careful　and　not　let　go　your　hold　of　the　string。〃



〃All　dat　done；　Massa　Will；　mighty　easy　ting　for　to　put　de　bug　fru

de　holelook　out　for　him　dare　below！〃



During　this　colloquy　no　portion　of　Jupiter's　person　could　be　seen；

but　the　beetle；　which　he　had　suffered　to　descend；　was　now　visible

at　the　end　of　the　string；　and　glistened；　like　a　globe　of　burnished

gold；　in　the　last　rays　of　the　setting　sun；　some　of　which　still

faintly　illumined　the　e