sally dows-第2章

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！


that　could　be　detected　was　marked　by　the　languor　of　convalescence。
The　helplessness　of　a　race；　hitherto　dependent　upon　certain
barbaric　conditions　or　political　place　and　power；　unskilled　in
invention；　and　suddenly　confronted　with　the　necessity　of　personal
labor；　was　visible　everywhere。　　Eyes　that　but　three　short　years
before　had　turned　vindictively　to　the　North；　now　gazed　wistfully　to
that　quarter　for　help　and　direction。　　They　scanned　eagerly　the
faces　of　their　energetic　and　prosperous　neighborsand　quondam
foesupon　the　verandas　of　Southern　hotels　and　the　decks　of
Southern　steamboats；　and　were　even　now　watching　from　a　group　in　the
woods　the　windows　of　the　halted　train；　where　the　faces　appeared　of
two　men　of　manifestly　different　types；　but　still　alien　to　the
country　in　dress；　features；　and　accent。

Two　negroes　were　slowly　loading　the　engine　tender　from　a　woodpile。
The　rich　brown　smoke　of　the　turpentine　knots　was　filling　the　train
with　its　stinging　fragrance。　　The　elder　of　the　two　Northern
passengers；　with　sharp　New　England　angles　in　his　face；　impatiently
glanced　at　his　watch。

〃Of　all　created　shiftlessness；　this　beats　everything！　　Why　couldn't
we　have　taken　in　enough　wood　to　last　the　ten　miles　farther　to　the
terminus　when　we　last　stopped？　　And　why　in　thunder；　with　all　this
firing　up；　can't　we　go　faster？〃

The　younger　passenger；　whose　quiet；　well…bred　face　seemed　to
indicate　more　discipline　of　character；　smiled。

〃If　you　really　wish　to　know　and　as　we've　only　ten　miles　farther　to
goI'll　show　you　WHY。　　Come　with　me。〃

He　led　the　way　through　the　car　to　the　platform　and　leaped　down。
Then　he　pointed　significantly　to　the　rails　below　them。　　His
companion　started。　　The　metal　was　scaling　off　in　thin　strips　from
the　rails；　and　in　some　places　its　thickness　had　been　reduced　a
quarter　of　an　inch；　while　in　others　the　projecting　edges　were　torn
off；　or　hanging　in　iron　shreds；　so　that　the　wheels　actually　ran　on
the　narrow　central　strip。　　It　seemed　marvelous　that　the　train　could
keep　the　track。

〃NOW　you　know　why　we　don't　go　more　than　five　miles　an　hour；　and
are　thankful　that　we　don't；〃　said　the　young　traveler　quietly。

〃But　this　is　disgraceful！criminal！〃　ejaculated　the　other
nervously。

〃Not　at　their　rate　of　speed；〃　returned　the　younger　man。　　〃The　crime
would　be　in　going　faster。　　And　now　you　can　understand　why　a　good
deal　of　the　other　progress　in　this　State　is　obliged　to　go　as　slowly
over　their　equally　decaying　and　rotten　foundations。　　You　can't　rush
things　here　as　we　do　in　the　North。〃

The　other　passenger　shrugged　his　shoulders　as　they　remounted　the
platform；　and　the　train　moved　on。　　It　was　not　the　first　time　that
the　two　fellow…travelers　had　differed；　although　their　mission　was　a
common　one。　　The　elder；　Mr。　Cyrus　Drummond；　was　the　vice…president
of　a　large　Northern　land　and　mill　company；　which　had　bought
extensive　tracts　of　land　in　Georgia；　and　the　younger；　Colonel
Courtland；　was　the　consulting　surveyor　and　engineer　for　the
company。　　Drummond's　opinions　were　a　good　deal　affected　by
sectional　prejudice；　and　a　self…satisfied　and　righteous　ignorance
of　the　actual　conditions　and　limitations　of　the　people　with　whom　he
was　to　deal；　while　the　younger　man；　who　had　served　through　the　war
with　distinction；　retained　a　soldier's　respect　and　esteem　for　his
late　antagonists；　with　a　conscientious　and　thoughtful　observation
of　their　character。　　Although　he　had　resigned　from　the　army；　the
fact　that　he　had　previously　graduated　at　West　Point　with　high
honors　had　given　him　preferment　in　this　technical　appointment；　and
his　knowledge　of　the　country　and　its　people　made　him　a　valuable
counselor。　　And　it　was　a　fact　that　the　country　people　had　preferred
this　soldier　with　whom　they　had　once　personally　grappled　to　the
capitalist　they　had　never　known　during　the　struggle。

The　train　rolled　slowly　through　the　woods；　so　slowly　that　the
fragrant　pine　smoke　from　the　engine　still　hung　round　the　windows　of
the　cars。　　Gradually　the　〃clearings〃　became　larger；　they　saw　the
distant　white　wooden　colonnades　of　some　planter's　house；　looking
still　opulent　and　pretentious；　although　the　fence　of　its　inclosure
had　broken　gaps；　and　the　gate　sagged　on　its　single　hinge。

Mr。　Drummond　sniffed　at　this　damning　record　of　neglect　and
indifference。　　〃Even　if　they　were　ruined；　they　might　still　have
spent　a　few　cents　for　nails　and　slats　to　enable　them　to　look　decent
before　folks；　and　not　parade　their　poverty　before　their　neighbors；〃
he　said。

〃But　that's　just　where　you　misunderstand　them；　Drummond；〃　said
Courtland；　smiling。　　〃They　have　no　reason　to　keep　up　an　attitude
towards　their　neighbors；　who　still　know　them　as　'Squire'　so…and…so；
'Colonel'　this　and　that；　and　the　'Judge；'owners　of　their　vast　but
crippled　estates。　　They　are　not　ashamed　of　being　poor；　which　is　an
accident。〃

〃But　they　are　of　working；　which　is　DELIBERATION；〃　interrupted
Drummond。　　〃They　are　ashamed　to　mend　their　fences　themselves；　now
that　they　have　no　slaves　to　do　it　for　them。〃

〃I　doubt　very　much　if　some　of　them　know　how　to　drive　a　nail；　for
the　matter　of　that；〃　said　Courtland；　still　good…humoredly；　〃but
that's　the　fault　of　a　system　older　than　themselves；　which　the
founders　of　the　Republic　retained。　　We　cannot　give　them　experience
in　their　new　condition　in　one　day；　and　in　fact；　Drummond；　I　am　very
much　afraid　that　for　our　purposesand　I　honestly　believe　for　THEIR
goodwe　must　help　to　keep　them　for　the　present　as　they　are。〃

〃Perhaps；〃　said　Drummond　sarcastically；　〃you　would　like　to
reinstate　slavery？〃

〃No。　　But　I　should　like　to　reinstate　the　MASTER。　　And　not　for　HIS
sake　alone；　but　for　freedom's　sake　and　OURS。　　To　be　plain：　since　I
have　taken　up　this　matter　for　the　company；　I　have　satisfied　myself
from　personal　observation　that　the　negroeven　more　than　his
mastercannot　handle　his　new　condition。　　He　is　accustomed　to　his
old　traditional　task…master；　and　I　doubt　if　he　will　work　fairly　for
any　otherparticularly　for　those　who　don't　understand　him。　　Don't
mistake　me：　I　don't　propose　to　go　back　to　the　whip；　to　that　brutal
institution；　the　irresponsible　overseer；　to　the　buying　and　selling；
and　separation　of　the　family；　nor　any　of　the　old　wrongs；　but　I
propose　to　make　the　old　master　OUR　OVERSEER；　and　responsible　to　US。
He　is　not　a　fool；　and　has　already　learned　that　it　is　more　profitable
to　pay　wages　to　his　old　slaves　and　have　the　power　of　dismissal；　like
any　other　employer；　than　be　obliged；　under　the　old　system　of
enforced　labor　and　life　servitude；　to　undergo　the　cost　of　maintaining
incompetence　and　idleness。　　The　old　sentiment　of　slave…owning　has
disappeared　before　natural　common…sense　and　selfishness。　　I　am
satisfied　that　by　some　such　process　as　this　utilizing　of　the　old
master　and　the　new　freedom　we　will　be　better　able　to　cultivate　our
lands　than　by　buying　up　their　estates；　and　setting　the　old　owners
adrift；　with　a　little　money　in　their　pockets；　as　an　idle；
discontented　class　to　revive　old　political　dogmas；　and　foment　new
issues；　or　perhaps　set　up　a　dangerous　opposition　to　us。

〃You　don't　mean　to　say　that　those　infernal　niggers　would　give　the
preference　to　their　old　oppressors？〃

〃Dollar　for　dollar　in　wagesyes！　　And　why　shouldn't　they？　　Their
old　masters　understand　them　betterand　treat　them　generally
better。　　They　know　our　interest　in　them　is　only　an　abstract
sentiment；　not　a　real　liking。　　We　show　it　at　every　turn。　　But　we
are　nearing　Redlands；　and　Major　Reed　will；　I　have　no　doubt；
corroborate　my　impressions。　　He　insists　upon　our　staying　at　his
house；　although　the　poor　old　fellow；　I　imagine；　can　ill　afford　to
entertain　company。　　But　he　will　be　offended　if　we　refuse。〃

〃He　is　a　friend　of　yours；　then？〃　asked　Drummond。

〃I　fought　against　his　division　at　Stony　Creek；〃　said　Courtland
grimly。　　〃He　never　tires　of　talking　of　it　to　meso　I　suppose　I
am。〃

A　few　moments　later　the　train　glided　beside　the　Redlands　platform。
As　the　two　travelers　descended　a　hand　was　laid　on　Courtland's
shoulder；　and　a　stout　figure　in　the　blackest　and　shiniest　of　alpaca
jackets；　and　the　whitest　and　broadest　of　Panama　hats；　welcomed　him。
〃Glad　to　see　yo'；　cun'nel。　　I　reckoned　I'd　waltz　over　and　bring
along　the　boy；〃　pointing　to　a　grizzled　negro　servant　of　sixty　who
was　bowing　before　them；　〃to　tote　yo'r　things　over　instead　of　using
a　hack。　　I　haven't　run　much　on　horseflesh　since　the　wahha！　ha！
What　I　didn't　use　up　for　remounts　I　reckon　yo'r　commissary　gobbled
up　with　the　other　live　stock；　eh？〃　　He　laughed　heartily；　as　if　the
recollections　were　purely　humorous；　and　again　clapped　Courtland　on
the　back。

〃Let　me　introduce　my　friend；　Mr。　Drummond；　Major　Reed；〃　said
Courtland；　smiling。

〃Yo'　were　in　the　wah；　sir？〃

〃NoI〃returned　Drummond；　hesitating；　he　knew　not　why；　and　angry
at　his　own　embarrassment。

〃Mr。　Drummond；　the　vice…president　of　the　company；〃　interposed
Courtland　cheerfully；　〃was　engaged　in　furnishing　to　us　the　sinews
of　war。〃

Major　Reed　bowed　a　little　more　formally。　　〃Most　of　us　heah；　sir；
were　in　the　wah　some　time　or　other；　and　if　you　gentlemen　will　honah
me　by　joining　in　a　social　glass　at　the　hotel　across　the　way；　I'll
introduce　you　to　Captain　Prendergast；　who　left　a　leg　at　Fair　Oaks。〃
Drummond　would　have　declined；　but　a　significant　pressure　on　his　arm
from　Courtland　changed　his　determination。　　He　followed　them　to　the
hotel　and　into　the　presence　of　the　one…legged　warrior　（who　turned
out　to　be　the　landlord　and　barkeeper）；　to　whom　Courtland　was
hilariously　introduced　by　Major　Reed　as　〃the　man；　sir；　who　had
pounded　my　division　for　three　hours　at　Stony　Creek！〃

Major　Reed's　house　was　but　a　few　minutes'　walk　down　the　dusty　lane；
and　was　presently　heralded　by　the　baying　of　three　or　four　foxhounds
and　foreshadowed　by　a　dilapidated　condition　of　picket…fence　and
stuccoed　gate　front。　　Beyond　it　stretched　the　wooden　Doric　columns
of　the　usual　Southern　mansion；　dimly　seen　through　the　broad　leaves
of　the　horse…chestnut…trees　that　shaded　it。　　There　were　the　usual
listless　black　shadows　haunting　the　veranda　and　outer　offices
former　slaves　and　still　attached　house…servants；　arrested　like
lizards　in　breathless　attitudes　at　the　approach　of　strange
footsteps；　and　still　holding　the　brush；　broom；　duster；　or　home
implement　they　had　been　lazily　using；　in　their　fixed　hands。　　From
the　doorway　of　the　detached　kitchen；　connected　by　a　gallery　to　the
wing　of　the　mansion；　〃Aunt　Martha；〃　the　cook；　gazed　also；　with　a
saucepan　clasped　to　her　bosom；　and　her　revolving　hand　with　the
scrubbing　cloth　in　it　apparently　stopped　on　a　dead　centre。

Drummond；　whose　gorge　had　risen　at　these　evidences　of　hopeless
incapacity　and　utter　shiftlessness；　was　not　relieved　by　the
presence　of　Mrs。　Reeda　soured；　disappointed　woman　of　forty；　who
still　carried　in　her　small　dark　eyes　and　thin　handsome　lips
something　of　the　bitterness　and　antagonism　of　the　typical　〃Southern
rights〃　woman；　nor　of　her　two　daughters；　Octavia　and　Augusta；　whose
languid　atrabiliousness　seemed　a　part　of　the　mourning　they　still
wore。　　The　optimistic　gallantry　and　good　fellowship　of　the　major
appeared　the　more　remarkable　by　contrast　with　his　cypress…shadowed
family　and　their　venomous　possibilities。　　Perhaps　there　might　have
been　a　light　vein　of　Southern　ins