with lee in virginia-第6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！



were　shocked　at　this　interference　between　a　master　and　his　slave。



〃You　will　get　yourself　into　serious　trouble　with　these　fanciful

notions　of　yours；〃　Mrs。　Wingfield　said　angrily。　〃You　know　as　well

as　I　do　how　easy　it　is　to　get　up　a　cry　against　any　one　as　an

Abolitionist　and　how　difficult　to　disprove　the　accusation；　and　just

at　present；　when　the　passions　of　every　man　in　the　South　are

inflamed　to　the　utmost；　such　an　accusation　will　be　most　serious。　

In　the　present　instance　there　does　not　seem　that　there　is　a　shadow

of　excuse　for　your　conduct。　You　simply　heard　cries　of　a　slave

being　flogged。　　You　deliberately　leave　the　road　and　enter　these

people's　plantation　and　interfere　without；　so　far　as　I　can　see；　the

least　reason　for　doing　so。　　You　did　not　inquire　what　the　man's

offense　was；　and　he　may　for　aught　you　know　have　half　murdered

his　master。　　You　simply　see　a　slave　being　flogged　and　you　assault

his　owner。　　if　the　Jackson　a　lay　complaints　against　you　it　is　quite

probable　that　you　may　have　to　leave　the　state。　　What　on　earth　can

have　influenced　you　to　act　in　such　a　mad…brained　way？〃



〃I　did　not　interfere　to　prevent　his　flogging　the　slave；　mother；　but　to

prevent　his　flogging　the　slave's　wife；　which　was　pure　wanton

brutality。　　It　is　not　a　question　of　slavery　one　way　or　the　other。　　Any

one　has　a　right　to　interfere　to　put　a　stop　to　brutality。　　If　I　saw　a　man

brutally　treating　a　horse　or　a　dog　I　should　certainly　do　so；　and　if　it

is　right　to　interfere　to　save　a　dumb　animal　from　brutal　ill…treatment

surely　it　must　be　justifiable　to　save　a　woman　in　the　same　case。　　I

am　not　an　Abolitionist。　　That　is　to　say；　I　consider　that　slaves　on　a

properly　managed　estate；　like　ours；　for　instance；　are　just　as　well　off

as　are　the　laborers　on　an　estate　in　Europe；　but　I　should　certainly

like　to　see　laws　passed　to　protect　them　from　ill…treatment。　　Why；　in

England　there　are　laws　against　cruelty　to　animals；　and　a　man　who

brutally　flogged　a　dog　or　a　horse　would　get　a　month's

imprisonment　with　hard　labor。　　I　consider　it　a　disgrace　to　us　that　a

man　may　here　ill…treat　a　human　being　worse　than　he　might　in

England　a　dumb　animal。〃　



〃You　know；　Vincent；〃　his　mother　said　more　quietly；　〃that　I　object

as　much　as　you　do　to　the　ill…treatment　of　the　slaves；　and　that　the

slaves　here；　as　on　all　well…conducted　plantations　in　Virginia；　are

well　treated；　but　this　is　not　a　time　for　bringing　in　laws　or　carrying

out　reforms。　　It　is　bad　enough　to　have　scores　of　Northerners　doing

their　best　to　stir　up　mischief　between　masters　and　slaves　without　a

Southern　gentleman　mixing　himself　up　in　the　matter。　We　have　got

to　stand　together　as　one　people　and　to　protect　our　State　rights　from

interference。〃



〃I　am　just　as　much　in　favor　of　State　rights　as　any　one　else；　mother；

and　if；　as　seems　likely；　the　present　quarrel　is　to　be　fought　out；　I

hope　I　shall　do　my　best　for　Virginia　as　well　as　other　fellows　of　my

own　age。　　But　just　as　I　protest　against　any　interference　by　the

Northerners　with　our　laws；　I　say　that　we　ought　to　amend　our　laws

so　as　not　to　give　them　the　shadow　of　an　excuse　for　interference。　　It

is　brutes　like　the　Jacksons　who　have　afforded　the　materials　for

libels　like　'Uncle　Tom's　Cabin'　upon　us　as　a　people；　and　I　can't　say

that　I　am　a　bit　sorry　for　having　given　that　young　Jackson　what　he

deserved。〃



〃Well；　I　hope　there　will　be　no　trouble　come　of　it；〃　Mrs。　Wingfield

said。　　〃I　shouldn't　think　the　Jacksons　would　like　the　exposure　of

their　doings　which　would　be　caused　by　bringing　the　matter　into

court；　but　if　they　do；　you　may　be　quite　sure　that　a　jury　in

Richmond　at　the　present　time　would　find　against　you。〃



〃I　don't　suppose　that　they　will　do　anything；　mother。　But　if　they

must；　they　must；　and　I　don't　suppose　anything　serious　will　come　of

it　any　way。〃



The　next　morning　Vincent　went　down　early　to　the　stables。　　As　he

approached　them　Dan　came　out　to　meet　him。



〃Well；　Dan；　what's　your　news？〃



〃Berry　great　bobbery　ober　at　Jackson's　last　night；　Massa　Vincent。　

Fust　of　all　I　crept　round　to　de　huts　ob　de　field　hands。　　Dey　all　know

nullin　bout　it；　but　one　of　dem　he　goes　off　and　gets　to　hab　a　talk

with　a　gal　employed　in　do　house　who　was　in　do　habit　of　slipping

out　to　see　him。　She　say　when　do　young　un　war　carried　in　de　old

man　go　on　furious；　he　bring　suit　against　you；　he　hab　you　punished

berry　much…no　saying　what　he　not　going　to　do。　　After　a　time　do

young　un　come　round；　he　listen　to　what　the　ould　man　say　for　some

time；　den　he　answer：　'No　use　going　on　like　dat。　　Set　all　de　county

families　against　us　if　we　have　suit。　　As　to　dat　infernal　young

villain；　me　pay　him　out　some　other　way。'　　Den　de　old　man　say　he

cut　de　flesh　off　de　bones　ob　dat　nigger；　but　do　young　one　say：

'Mustn't　do　dat。　　You　sure　to　hear　about　it；　and　make　great　bobbery。

Find　some　odor　way　to　punish　him。'　　Den　dey　talk　together　for

some　time；　but　girl　not　hear　any　more。〃



〃Well；　then；　there　will　be　no　suit　anyhow；〃　Vincent　said。　　〃As　to

paying　me　out　some　other　way；　I　will　look　after　myself；　Dan。　　I

believe　that　follow　Jackson　is　capable　of　anything；　and　I　will　be　on

the　lookout　for　him。〃



〃Be　sure　you　do；　Massa　Vincent。　　You　ride　about　a　great　deal；　dat

fellow　bery　like　take　a　shot　at　you　from　behind　tree。　　Don't　you　go

near　dat　plantation；　or　sure　enuff　trouble　come。〃



〃I　will　look　out；　Dan。　　There　is　one　thing；　I　always　ride　fast；　and　it

wants　a　very　good　shot　to　hit　one　at　a　gallop。　　I　don't　think　they

will　try　that；　for　if　he　missed；　as　he　would　be　almost　sure　to　do；　it

would　be　a　good　deal　worse　for　him　than　this　affair　would　have

been　had　he　brought　it　into　court。　　You　keep　your　ears　open；　Dan；

and　find　out　how　they　are　thinking　of　punishing　that　poor　follow

for　my　interference　on　his　behalf。〃



After　breakfast　a　negro　arrived　with　a　note　for　Mrs。　Wingfield

from　Mr。　Jackson；　complaining　of　the　unwarrantable　and　illegal

interference　by　her　son　on　behalf　of　a　slave　who　was　being　very

properly　punished　for　gross　misconduct；　and　of　the　personal

assault　upon　his　son。　　The　writer　said　that　ho　was　most　reluctant　to

take　legal　proceedings　against　a　member　of　so　highly　respected　a

family；　but　that　it　was　impossible　that　ho　could　submit　to　such　an

outrage　as　this。



Although　Mrs。　Wingfield　had　expressed　her　disapproval　of

Vincent's　conduct　on　the　evening　before；　there　was　no　trace　of　that

feeling　in　her　reply　to　this　letter。　She　wrote　in　the　third　person；

coldly　acknowledging　the　receipt　of　Mr。　Jackson's　letter；　and

saying　that　she　had　heard　from　her　son　of　his　interference　to　put　a

stop　to　one　of　those　brutal　scenes　which　brought　discredit　upon　the

Southern　States；　and　that　she　considered　he　had　most　rightly

punished　Mr。　Jackson；　jun。；　for　his　inhuman　and　revolting　conduct；

that　she　was　perfectly　aware　the　interference　had　been　technically

illegal；　but　that　her　son　was　fully　prepared　to　defend　his　conduct　if

called　upon　to　do　so　in　the　courts；　and　to　pay　any　fine　that　might

be　inflicted　for　his　suffering　himself　to　be　carried　away　by　his

righteous　indignation。　She　ended　by　saying　that　as　Mr。　Jackson

was　a　stranger　in　Virginia；　he　was　perhaps　not　aware　that　the

public　sentiment　of　that　State　was　altogether　opposed　to　such　acts

of　brutality　as　that　of　which　his　son　had　been　guilty。



〃What　have　you　been　doing　to　that　fellow　Andrew　Jackson？〃　one

of　Vincent's　friends；　a　young　fellow　two　years　older　than　himself；

said　to　him　a　few　days　later。　〃There　wore　a　lot　of　us　talking　over

things　yesterday；　in　Richmond；　and　he　came　up　and　joined　in。　

Something　was　said　about　Abolitionists；　and　he　said　that　he　should

like　to　see　every　Abolitionist　in　the　State　strung　up　to　a　tree。　　He　is

always　pretty　violent；　as　you　know；　　but　on　the　present　occasion　he

went　further　than　usual；　and　then　went　on　to　say　that　the　worst　and

most　dangerous　Abolitionists　were　not　Northern　men　but

Southerners；　who　were　traitors　to　their　State。　



He　said：　'For　example；　there　is　that　young　Wingfield。　　He　has　been

to　England；　and　has　come　back　with　his　heart　filled　with

Abolitionist　notions；'　and　that　such　opinions　at　the　present　time

were　a　danger　to　the　State。



〃Two　or　three　of　us　took　the　matter　up；　as　you　might　guess；　and

told　him　he　had　better　mind　what　he　was　saying　or　it　would　be　the

worse　for　him。　　Harry　Furniss　went　so　far　as　to　tell。　him　that　he

was　a　liar；　and　that　if　he　didn't　like　that　he　would　have　satisfaction

in　the　usual　way。　　Master　Jackson　didn't　like　it；　but　muttered

something　and　slunk　off。　　What's　the　matter　between　you？〃



〃I　should　not　have　said　anything　about　it；〃　Vincent　replied；　〃if

Jackson　had　chosen　to　hold　his　tongue；　but　as　　he　chooses　to　go

about　attacking　me；　there　is　no　reason　why　I　should　keep　the

matter　secret。〃　And　he　then　related　what　had　taken　place。



The　young　Virginian　gave　a　low　whistle。



〃I　don't　say　I　blame　you；　Wingfield；　but　I　tell　you；　you　might　have

got　yourself　into　an　awful　mess　if　the　Jacksons　had　chosen　to　take

it　up。　　You　know　how　hot　the　feeling　is　at　present；　and　it　is　a

serious　matter　at　any　time　to　interfere　between　a　master　and　his

slaves　in　the　Southern　States。　　Of　course　among　us　our　feelings

would　be　all　against　Jackson；　but　among　the　poorer　class　of

whites；　who　have　been　tremendously　excited　by　the　speeches；　both

in　the　North　and　here；　the　cry　of　Abolitionist　at　the　present

moment　is　like　a　red　rag　to　a　bull。　However；　I　understand　now　the

fellow's　enmity　to　you。　



〃None　of　us　ever　liked　him　when　ho　was　at　school　with　us。　　He　is

an　evil…tempered　brute；　and　I　am　afraid　you　may　have　some　trouble

with　him。　　If　ho　goes　about　talking　as　he　did　to　us；　he　would　soon

get　up　a　feeling　against　you。　Of　course　it　would　be　nonsense　to

openly　accuse　a　member　of　an　old　Virginian　family　of　being　an

Abolitionist；　but　it　would　be　easy　enough　to　set　a　pack　of　the　rough

classes　of　the　town　against　you；　and　you　might　get　badly　mauled　if

the