英语天堂-第54部分

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“There　was　a　morbid　sensitiveness　and　acuteness　of　feeling　in　me　on　all　possible　subjects；　of　which　he　and　my　father　had　no　kind　of　understanding；　and　with　which　they　could　have　no　possible　sympathy。　But　mother　did；　and　so；　when　I　had　quarreled　with　Alfred；　and　father　looked　sternly　on　me；　I　used　to　go　off　to　mother’s　room；　and　sit　by　her。　I　remember　just　how　she　used　to　look；　with　her　pale　cheeks；　her　deep；　soft；　serious　eyes；　her　white　dress；—she　always　wore　white；　and　I　used　to　think　of　her　whenever　I　read　in　Revelations　about　the　saints　that　were　arrayed　in　fine　linen；　clean　and　white。　She　had　a　great　deal　of　genius　of　one　sort　and　another；　particularly　in　music；　and　she　used　to　sit　at　her　organ；　playing　fine　old　majestic　music　of　the　Catholic　church；　and　singing　with　a　voice　more　like　an　angel　than　a　mortal　woman；　and　I　would　lay　my　head　down　on　her　lap；　and　cry；　and　dream；　and　feel；—oh；　immeasurably！—things　that　I　had　no　language　to　say！
“In　those　days；　this　matter　of　slavery　had　never　been　canvassed　as　it　has　now；　nobody　dreamed　of　any　harm　in　it。
“My　father　was　a　born　aristocrat。　I　think；　in　some　preexistent　state；　he　must　have　been　in　the　higher　circles　of　spirits；　and　brought　all　his　old　court　pride　along　with　him；　for　it　was　ingrain；　bred　in　the　bone；　though　he　was　originally　of　poor　and　not　in　any　way　of　noble　family。　My　brother　was　begotten　in　his　image。
“Now；　an　aristocrat；　you　know；　the　world　over；　has　no　human　sympathies；　beyond　a　certain　line　in　society。　In　England　the　line　is　in　one　place；　in　Burmah　in　another；　and　in　America　in　another；　but　the　aristocrat　of　all　these　countries　never　goes　over　it。　What　would　be　hardship　and　distress　and　injustice　in　his　own　class；　is　a　cool　matter　of　course　in　another　one。　My　father’s　dividing　line　was　that　of　color。　Among　his　equals；　never　was　a　man　more　just　and　generous；　but　he　considered　the　negro；　through　all　possible　gradations　of　color；　as　an　intermediate　link　between　man　and　animals；　and　graded　all　his　ideas　of　justice　or　generosity　on　this　hypothesis。　I　suppose；　to　be　sure；　if　anybody　had　asked　him；　plump　and　fair；　whether　they　had　human　immortal　souls；　he　might　have　hemmed　and　hawed；　and　said　yes。　But　my　father　was　not　a　man　much　troubled　with　spiritualism；　religious　sentiment　he　had　none；　beyond　a　veneration　for　God；　as　decidedly　the　head　of　the　upper　classes。
“Well；　my　father　worked　some　five　hundred　negroes；　he　was　an　inflexible；　driving；　punctilious　business　man；　everything　was　to　move　by　system；—to　be　sustained　with　unfailing　acomuracy　and　precision。　Now；　if　you　take　into　acomount　that　all　this　was　to　be　worked　out　by　a　set　of　lazy；　twaddling；　shiftless　laborers；　who　had　grown　up；　all　their　lives；　in　the　absence　of　every　possible　motive　to　learn　how　to　do　anything　but　‘shirk；’　as　you　Vermonters　say；　and　you’ll　see　that　there　might　naturally　be；　on　his　plantation；　a　great　many　things　that　looked　horrible　and　distressing　to　a　sensitive　child；　like　me。
“Besides　all；　he　had　an　overseer；—great；　tall；　slab…sided；　two…fisted　renegade　son　of　Vermont—（begging　your　pardon）；—who　had　gone　through　a　regular　apprenticeship　in　hardness　and　brutality　and　taken　his　degree　to　be　admitted　to　practice。　My　mother　never　could　endure　him；　nor　I；　but　he　obtained　an　entire　ascendency　over　my　father；　and　this　man　was　the　absolute　despot　of　the　estate。
“I　was　a　little　fellow　then；　but　I　had　the　same　love　that　I　have　now　for　all　kinds　of　human　things；—a　kind　of　passion　for　the　study　of　humanity；　come　in　what　shape　it　would。　I　was　found　in　the　cabins　and　among　the　field…hands　a　great　deal；　and；　of　course；　was　a　great　favorite；　and　all　sorts　of　complaints　and　grievances　were　breathed　in　my　ear；　and　I　told　them　to　mother；　and　we；　between　us；　formed　a　sort　of　committee　for　a　redress　of　grievances。　We　hindered　and　repressed　a　great　deal　of　cruelty；　and　congratulated　ourselves　on　doing　a　vast　deal　of　good；　till；　as　often　happens；　my　zeal　overacted。　Stubbs　complained　to　my　father　that　he　couldn’t　manage　the　hands；　and　must　resign　his　position。　Father　was　a　fond；　indulgent　husband；　but　a　man　that　never　flinched　from　anything　that　he　thought　necessary；　and　so　he　put　down　his　foot；　like　a　rock；　between　us　and　the　field…hands。　He　told　my　mother；　in　language　perfectly　respectful　and　deferential；　but　quite　explicit；　that　over　the　house…servants　she　should　be　entire　mistress；　but　that　with　the　field…hands　he　could　allow　no　interference。　He　revered　and　respected　her　above　all　living　beings；　but　he　would　have　said　it　all　the　same　to　the　virgin　Mary　herself；　if　she　had　come　in　the　way　of　his　system。
“I　used　sometimes　to　hear　my　mother　reasoning　cases　with　him；—endeavoring　to　excite　his　sympathies。　He　would　listen　to　the　most　pathetic　appeals　with　the　most　discouraging　politeness　and　equanimity。　‘It　all　resolves　itself　into　this；’　he　would　say；　‘must　I　part　with　Stubbs；　or　keep　him？　Stubbs　is　the　soul　of　punctuality；　honesty；　and　efficiency；—a　thorough　business　hand；　and　as　humane　as　the　general　run。　We　can’t　have　perfection；　and　if　I　keep　him；　I　must　sustain　his　administration　as　a　whole；　even　if　there　are；　now　and　then；　things　that　are　exceptionable。　All　government　includes　some　necessary　hardness。　General　rules　will　bear　hard　on　particular　cases。’　This　last　maxim　my　father　seemed　to　consider　a　settler　in　most　alleged　cases　of　cruelty。　After　he　had　said　that；　he　commonly　drew　up　his　feet　on　the　sofa；　like　a　man　that　has　disposed　of　a　business；　and　betook　himself　to　a　nap；　or　the　newspaper；　as　the　case　might　be。
“The　fact　is　my　father　showed　the　exact　sort　of　talent　for　a　statesman。　He　could　have　divided　Poland　as　easily　as　an　orange；　or　trod　on　Ireland　as　quietly　and　systematically　as　any　man　living。　At　last　my　mother　gave　up；　in　despair。　It　never　will　be　known；　till　the　last　acomount；　what　noble　and　sensitive　natures　like　hers　have　felt；　cast；　utterly　helpless；　into　what　seems　to　them　an　abyss　of　injustice　and　cruelty；　and　which　seems　so　to　nobody　about　them。　It　has　been　an　age　of　long　sorrow　of　such　natures；　in　such　a　hell…begotten　sort　of　world　as　ours。　What　remained　for　her；　but　to　train　her　children　in　her　own　views　and　sentiments？　Well；　after　all　you　say　about　training；　children　will　grow　up　substantially　what　they　are　by　nature；　and　only　that。　From　the　cradle；　Alfred　was　an　aristocrat；　and　as　he　grew　up；　instinctively；　all　his　sympathies　and　all　his　reasonings　were　in　that　line；　and　all　mother’s　exhortations　went　to　the　winds。　As　to　me；　they　sunk　deep　into　me。　She　never　contradicted；　in　form；　anything　my　father　said；　or　seemed　directly　to　differ　from　him；　but　she　impressed；　burnt　into　my　very　soul；　with　all　the　force　of　her　deep；　earnest　nature；　an　idea　of　the　dignity　and　worth　of　the　meanest　human　soul。　I　have　looked　in　her　face　with　solemn　awe；　when　she　would　point　up　to　the　stars　in　the　evening；　and　say　to　me；　‘See　there；　Auguste！　the　poorest；　meanest　soul　on　our　place　will　be　living；　when　all　these　stars　are　gone　forever；—will　live　as　long　as　God　lives！’
“She　had　some　fine　old　paintings；　one；　in　particular；　of　Jesus　healing　a　blind　man。　They　were　very　fine；　and　used　to　impress　me　strongly。　‘See　there；　Auguste；’　she　would　say；　‘the　blind　man　was　a　beggar；　poor　and　loathsome；　therefore；　he　would　not　heal　him　afar　off！　He　called　him　to　him；　and　put　his　hands　on　him！　Remember　this；　my　boy。’　If　I　had　lived　to　grow　up　under　her　care；　she　might　have　stimulated　me　to　I　know　not　what　of　enthusiasm。　I　might　have　been　a　saint；　reformer；　martyr；—but；　alas！　alas！　I　went　from　her　when　I　was　only　thirteen；　and　I　never　saw　her　again！”
St。　Clare　rested　his　head　on　his　hands；　and　did　not　speak　for　some　minutes。　After　a　while；　he　looked　up；　and　went　on：
“What　poor；　mean　trash　this　whole　business　of　human　virtue　is！　A　mere　matter；　for　the　most　part；　of　latitude　and　longitude；　and　geographical　position；　acting　with　natural　temperament。　The　greater　part　is　nothing　but　an　acomident！　Your　father；　for　example；　settles　in　Vermont；　in　a　town　where　all　are；　in　fact；　free　and　equal；　becomes　a　regular　church　member　and　deacon；　and　in　due　time　joins　an　Abolition　society；　and　thinks　us　all　little　better　than　heathens。　Yet　he　is；　for　all　the　world；　in　constitution　and　habit；　a　duplicate　of　my　father。　I　can　see　it　leaking　out　in　fifty　different　ways；—just　the　same　strong；　overbearing；　dominant　spirit。　You　know　very　well　how　impossible　it　is　to　persuade　some　of　the　folks　in　your　village　that　Squire　Sinclair　does　not　feel　above　them。　The　fact　is；　though　he　has　fallen　on　democratic　times；　and　embraced　a　democratic　theory；　he　is　to　the　heart　an　aristocrat；　as　much　as　my　father；　who　ruled　over　five　or　six　hundred　slaves。”
Miss　Ophelia　felt　rather　disposed　to　cavil　at　this　picture；　and　was　laying　down　her　knitting　to　begin；　but　St。　Clare　stopped　her。
“Now；　I　know　every　word　you　are　going　to　say。　I　do　not　say　they　were　alike；　in　fact。　One　fell　into　a　condition　where　everything　acted　against　the　natural　tendency；　and　the　other　where　everything　acted　for　it；　and　so　one　turned　out　a　pretty　wilful；　stout；　overbearing　old　democrat；　and　the　other　a　wilful；　stout　old　despot。　If　both　had　owned　plantations　in　Louisiana；　they　would　have　been　as　like　as　two　old　bullets　cast　in　the　same　mould。”
“What　an　undutiful　boy　you　are！”　said　Miss　Ophelia。
“I　don’t　mean　them　any　disrespect；”　said　St。　Clare。　“You　know　reverence　is　not　my　forte。　But；　to　go　back　to　my　history：
“When　father　died；　he　left　the　whole　property　to　us　twin　boys；　to　be　divided　as　we　should　agree。　There　does　not　breathe　on　God’s　earth　a　nobler…souled；　more　generous　fellow；　than　Alfred；　in　all　that　concerns　his　equals；　and　we　got　on　admirably　with　this　property　question；　without　a　single　unbrotherly　word　or　feeling。　We　undertook　to　work　the　plantation　together；　and　Alfred；　whose　outward　life　and　capabilities　had　double　the　strength　of　mine；　became　an　enthusiastic　planter；　and　a　wonderfully　sucomessful　one。
“But　two　years’　trial　satisfied　me　that　I　could　not　be　a　partner　in　that　matter。　To　have　a　great　gang　of　seven　hundred；　whom　I　could　not　know　personally；　or　feel　any　individual　interest　in；　bought　and　driven；　housed；　fed；　worked　like　so　many　horned　cattle；　strained　up　to　military　precision；—the　question　of　how　little　of　life’s　commonest　enjoyments　would　keep　them　in　working　order　being　a　constantly　recurring　problem；—the　necessity　of　drivers　and　overseers；—the　ever…necessary　whip；　first；　last；　and　only　argument；—the　whole　thing　was　insufferably　disgusting　and　loathsome　to　me；　and　when　I　thought　of　my　mothcr’s　estimate　of　one　poor　human　soul；　it　became　even　frightful！
“It’s　all　nonsense　to　talk　to　me　about　slaves　enjoying　all　this！　To　this　day；　I　have　no　patience　with　the　unutterable　trash　that　some　of　your　patronizing　Northerners　have　made　up；　as　in　their　zeal　to　apologize　for　our　sins。　We　all　know　better。　Tell　me　that　any　man　living　wants　to　work　all　his　days；　from　day…dawn　till　dark；　under　the　constant　eye　of　a　master；　without　the　power　of　putting　forth　one　irresponsible　volition；　on　the　same　dreary；　monotonous；　unchanging　toil；　and　all　for　two　pairs　of　pantaloons　and　a　pair　of　shoes　a　year；　with　enough　food　and　shelter　to　keep　him　in　working　order！　Any　man　who　thinks　that　human　beings　can；　as　a　general　thing；　be　made　about　as　comfortable　that　way　as　any　other；　I　wish　he　might　try　it。　I’d　buy　the　dog；　and　work　him；　with　a　clear　conscience！”
“I　always　have　supposed；”　said　Miss　Ophelia；　“that　you；　all　of　you；　approved　of　these　things；　and　thought　them　right—acomording　to　Scripture。”
“Humbug！　We　are　not　quite　reduced　to　that　yet。　Alfred　who　is　as　determined　a　despot　as　ever　walked；　does　not　pretend　to　this　kind　of　defence；—no；　he　stands；　high　and　haughty；　on　that　good　old　respectable　ground；　the　right　of　the　strongest；　and　he　says；　and　I　think　quite　sensibly；　that　the　American　planter　is　‘only　doing；　in　another　form；　what　the　English　aristocracy　and　capitalists　are　doing　by　the　lower　classes；’　that　is；　I　take　it；　appropriating　them；　body　and　bone；　soul　and　spirit；　to　their　use　and　convenience。　He　defends　both；—and　I　think；　at　least；　consistently。　He　says　that　there　can　be　no　high　civilization　without　enslavement　of　the　masses；　either　nominal　or　real。　There　must；　he　says；　be　a　lower　class；　given　up　to　physical　toil　and　confined　to　an　animal　nature；　and　a　higher　one　thereby　acquires　leisure　and　wealth　for　a　more　expanded　intelligence　and　improvement；　and　becomes　the　directing　soul　of　the　lower。　So　he　reasons；　because；　as　I　said；　he　is　born　an　aristocrat；—so　I　don’t　believe；　because　I　was　born　a　democrat。”
“How　in　the　world　can　the　two　things　be　compared？”　said　Miss　Ophelia。　“The　English　laborer　is　not　sold；　traded；　parted　from　his　family；　whipped。”
“He　is　as　much　at　the　will　of　his　employer　as　if　he　were　sold　to　him。　The　slave…owner　can　whip　his　refractory　slave　to　death；—the　capitalist　can　starve　him　to　death。　As　to　family　security；　it　is　hard　to　say　which　is　the　worst；—to　have　one’s　children　sold；　or　see　them　starve　to　death　at　home。”
“But　it’s　no　kind　of　apology　for　slavery；　to　prove　that　it　isn’t　worse　than　some　other　bad　thing。”
“I　didn’t　give　it　for　one；—nay；　I’ll　say；　besides；　that　ours　is　the　more　bold　and　palpable　infringement　of　human　rights；　actually　buying　a　man　up；　like　a　horse；—looking　at　his　teeth；　cracking　his　joints；　and　trying　his　paces　and　then　paying　down　for　him；—having　speculators；　breeders；　traders；　and　brokers　in　human　bodies　and　souls；—sets　the　thing　before　the　eyes　of　the　civilized　world　in　a　more　tangible　form；　though　the　thing　done　be；　after　all；　in　its　nature；　the　same；　that　is；　appropriating　one　set　of　human　beings　to　the　use　and　improvement　of　another　without　any　regard　to　their　own。”
“I　never　thought　of　the　matter　in　this　light；”　said　Miss　Ophelia。
“Well；　I’ve　travelled　in　England　some；　and　I’ve　looked　over　a　good　many　documents　as　to　the　state　of　their　lower　classes；　and　I　really　think　there　is　no　denying　Alfred；　when　he　says　that　his　slaves　are　better　off　than　a　large　class　of　the　population　of　England。　You　see；　you　must　not　infer；　from　what　I　have　told　you；　that　Alfred　is　what　is　called　a　hard　master；　for　he　isn’t。　He　is　despotic；　and　unmerciful　to　insubordination；　he　would　shoot　a　fellow　down　with　as　little　remorse　as　he　would　shoot　a　buck；　if　he　opposed　him。　But；　in　general；　he　takes　a　sort　of　pride　in　having　his　slaves　comfortably　fed　and　acomommodated。
“When　I　was　with　him；　I　insisted　that　he　should　do　something　for　their　instruction；　and；　to　please　me；　he　did　get　a　chaplain；　and　used　to　have　them　catechized　Sunday；　though；　I　believe；　in　his　heart；　that　he　thought　it　would　do　about　as　much　good　to　set　a　chaplain　over　his　dogs　and　horses。　And　the　fact　is；　that　a　mind　stupefied　and　animalized　by　every　bad　influence　from　the　hour　of　birth；　spending　the　whole　of　every　week…day　in　unreflecting　toil；　cannot　be　done　much　with　by　a　few　hours　on　Sunday。　The　teachers　of　Sunday…schools　among　the　manufacturing　population　of　England；　and　among　plantation…hands　in　our　country；　could　perhaps　testify　to　the　same　result；　there　and　here。　Yet　some　striking　exceptions　there　are　among　us；　from　the　fact　that　the　negro　is　naturally　more　impressible　to　religious　sentiment　than　the　white。”
“Well；”　said　Miss　Ophelia；　“how　came　you　to　give　up　your　plantation　life？”
“Wel