with lee in virginia-第3部分

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！



during　the　last　year；　and　the　worst　of　them　couldn't　get　me　off。〃



〃Well；　sir；　of　course　you　will　do　as　you　please；〃　Jonas　said；　〃but

please　to　remember　if　any　harm　comes　of　it　that　I　strongly　advised

you　not　to　have　anything　to　do　with　it；　and　I　did　my　best　to

dissuade　you　from　trying。〃



Vincent　nodded　carelessly；　and　then　turned　to　the　black　groom。



〃Jake；　get　out　that　cavalry　saddle　of　my　father's；　with　the　high

cantle　and　pommel；　and　the　rolls　for　the　knees。　It's　like　an

armchair；　and　if　one　can't　stick　on　on　that；　one　deserves　to　be

thrown。〃



While　the　groom　was　putting　on　the　saddle；　Vincent　stood　patting

the　horse's　head　and　talking　to　it；　and　then　taking　its　rein　led　it

down　into　the　inclosure。



〃No；　I　don't　want　the　whip；　〃　he　said；　as　Jake　offered　him　one。　　〃I

have　got　the　spurs；　and　likely　enough　the　horse's　temper　may　have

been　spoiled　by　knocking　it　about　with　a　whip；　but　we　will　try

what　kindness　will　do　with　it　first。〃



〃Me　no　like　his　look；　Massa　Vincent；　he　debbie　ob　a　hoss　dat。〃



〃I　don't　think　he　has　a　nice　temper；　Jake；　but　people　learn　to

control　their　temper；　and　I　don't　see　why　horse　shouldn't。　　At　any

rate　we　will　have　a　try　at　it。　　He　looks　as　if　he　appreciates　being

patted　and　spoken　to　already。　Of　course　if　you　treat　a　horse　like　a

savage　he　will　become　savage。　　Now；　stand　out　of　the　way。〃



Gathering　the　reins　together；　and　placing　one　hand　upon　the

pommel；　Vincent　sprang　into　the　saddle　without　touching　the

stirrups；　then　he　sat　for　a　minute　or　two　patting　the　horse's　neck。　

Wildfire；　apparently　disgusted　at　having　allowed　himself　to　be

mounted　so　suddenly；　lashed　out　viciously　two　or　three　times；　and

then　refused　to　move。　For　half　an　hour　Vincent　tried　the　effect　of

patient　coax…jug；　but　in　vain。



〃Well；　if　you　won't　do　it　by　fair　means　you　must　by　foul；〃　Vincent

said　at　last；　and　sharply　pricked　him　with　his　spurs。



Wildfire　sprang　into　the　air；　and　then　began　a　desperate　series　of

efforts　to　rid　himself　of　his　rider；　rearing　and　kicking　in　such　quick

succession　that　he　seemed　half　the　time　in　the　air。　　Finding　after

awhile　that　his　efforts　were　unavailing；　he　subsided　at　last　into

sulky　immovability。　Again　Vincent　tried　coaxing　and　patting；　but

as　no　success　attended　these　efforts；　he　again　applied　the　spur

sharply。　　This　time　the　horse　responded　by　springing　forward　like

an　arrow　from　a　bow；　dashed　at　the　top　of　his　speed　across　the

inclosure；　cleared　the　high　fence　without　an　effort；　and　then　set　off

across　the　country。



He　had　attempted　to　take　the　bit　in　his　teeth；　but　with　a　sharp　jerk

as　he　drove　the　spurs　in；　Vincent　had　defeated　his　intention。　　He

now　did　not　attempt　to　check　or　guide　him；　but　keeping　a　light

hand　on　the　reins　let　him　go　his　own　course。　　Vincent　knew　that　so

long　as　the　horse　was　going　full　speed　it　could　attempt　no　trick　to　

unseat　him；　and　he　therefore　sat　easily　in　his　saddle。



For　six　miles　Wildfire　continued　his　course；　clearing　every

obstacle　without　abatement　to　his　speed；　and　delighting　his　rider

with　his　power　and　jumping　qualities。　　Occasionally；　only　when

the　course　he　was　taking　would　have　led　him　to　obstacles

impossible　for　the　best　jumper　to　surmount；　Vincent　attempted　to

put　the　slightest　pressure　upon　one　rein　or　the　other；　so　as　to　direct

it　to　an　easier　point。



At　the　end　of　six　miles　the　horse's　speed　began　slightly　to　abate；

and　Vincent；　abstaining　from　the　use　of　his　spurs；　pressed　it　with

his　knees　and　spoke　to　it　cheerfully　urging　it　forward。　　He　now

from　time　to　time　bent　forward　and　patted　it；　and　for　another　six

miles　kept　it　going　at　a　speed　almost　as　great　as　that　at　which　it

had　started　Then　he　allowed　it　gradually　to　slacken　its　pace；　until

at　last　first　the　gallop　and　then　the　trot　ceased；　and　it　broke　into　a

walk。



〃You　have　had　a　fine　gallop；　old　fellow；〃　Vincent　said；　patting　it；

〃and　so　have　I。　　There's　been　nothing　for　you　to　lose　your　temper

about；　and　the　next　road　we　come　upon　we　will　turn　our　face

homeward。　　Half　a　dozen　lessons　like　this；　and　then　no　doubt　we

shall　be　good　friends。〃



　The　journey　home　was　performed　at　a　walk；　Vincent　talking　the

greater　part　of　the　time　to　the　horse。　　It　took　a　good　deal　more　than

six　lessons　before　Wildfire　would　start　without　a　preliminary

struggle　with　his　master；　but　in　the　end　kindness　and　patience

conquered。　　Vincent　often　visited　the　horse　in　the　stables；　and；

taking　with　him　an　apple　or　some　pieces　of　sugar；　spent　some　time

there　talk。　mg　to　and　petting　it。　　He　never　carried　a　whip；　and　never

used　the　spurs　except　in　forcing　it　to　make　its　first　start。



Had　the　horse　been　naturally　ill…tempered　Vincent　would　probably

have　failed；　but；　as　he　happened　afterward　to　learn；　its　first　owner

had　been　a　hot…tempered　and　passionate　young　planter；　who；

instead　of　being　patient　with　it；　had　beat　it　about　the　head；　and　so

rendered　it　restive　and　bad…tempered。　　Had　Vincent　not　laid　aside

his　whip　before　mounting　it　for　the　first　time；　he　probably　would

never　have　effected　a　cure。　　It　was　the　fact　that　the　animal　had　no

longer　a　fear　of　his　old　enemy　the　whip　as　much　as　the　general

course　of　kindness　and　good　treatment　that　had　effected　the

change　in　his　behavior。



It　was　just　when　Vincent　had　established　a　good　under　standing

between　himself　and　Wildfire　that　he　had　the　altercation　with　the

overseer；　whom　he　found　about　to　flog　the　young　negro　Dan。　

Pearson　had　sent　the　lad　half　an　hour　before　on　a　message　to　some

slaves　at　work　at　the　other　end　of　the　estate；　and　had　found　him

sitting　on　the　ground　watching　a　tree　in　which　he　had　discovered　a

possum。　　That　Dan　deserved　punishment　was　undoubted。　He　had　at

present　no　regular　employment　upon　the　estate　Jake；　his　father；

was　head　of　the　stables；　and　Dan　had　made　himself　useful　in　odd

jobs　about　the　horses；　and　expected　to　become　one　of　the　regular

stable　hands。　　The　overseer　was　of　opinion　that　there　were　already

more　negroes　in　the　stable　than　could　find　employment；　and　had

urged　upon　Mrs。　Wingfield　that　one　of　the　hands　there　and　the　boy

Dan　should　be　sent　out　to　the　fields。　　She；　however；　refused。



〃I　know　you　are　quite　right；　Jonas；　in　what　you　say。　But　there　were

always　four　hands　in　the　stable　in　my　father's　time；　and　there

always　have　been　up　to　now；　and　though　I　know　they　have　an　easy

time　of　it；　I　certainly　should　not　like　to　send　any　of　them　out　to　the

fields。　　As　to　Dan；　we　will　think　about　it。　　When　his　father　was

about　his　age　he　used　to　lead　my　pony　when　I　first　took　to　riding；

and　when　there　is　a　vacancy　Dan　must　come　into　the　stable。　　I

could　not　think　of　sending　him　out　as　a　field　hand；　in　the　first

place　for　his　father's　sake；　but　still　more　for　that　of　Vincent。　　Dan

used　to　be　told　off　to　see　that　he　did　not　get　into　mischief　when　he

was　a　little　boy；　and　he　has　run　messages　and　been　his　special　boy

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　seve