with lee in virginia-第13节

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cruelty　to　his　slaves；　we　will　make　it　so　hot　for　him　that　he　will

have　to　leave　the　state。　　I　don't　say　that　we　could　do　anything；　but

as　we　should　represent　most　of　the　large　estates　round　here；　I　don't

think　old　Jackson　and　his　son　would　like　being　sent　to　Coventry。

The　feeling　is　very　strong　at　present　against　ill…treatment　of　the

slaves。　　If　these　troubles　lead　to　war　almost　all　of　us　will　go　into

the　army；　and　we　do　not　like　the　thought　of　the　possibility　of

troubles　among　the　hands　when　the　whites　are　all　away。〃



〃I　will　find　out　all　about　it　for　you　to…night；　sah。　　I　don't　suspect　dat

dey　will　do　nuffin　to…day。　　Andrew　Jackson　too　sick　after　dat

knock　against　de　tump。　　He　keep　quiet　a　day　or　two。〃



〃Well；　Dan；　you　go　over　to…night　and　find　out　all　about　it。　　I　expect

I　had　better　have　left　things　alone；　but　now　I　have　interfered　I　shall

go　on　with　it。〃



Mrs。　Wingfield　was　much　displeased　when　Vincent　told　her　at

dinner　of　his　incident　at　Jackson's　plantation　and　even　his　sisters

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。　　lf　the　Jacksons　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　breeze　sprang　up。　　Vincent　then　put　up　the　mast；　and；　having

hoisted　the　sail；　took　his　place　at　the　helm；　while　Dan　went

forward　into　the　bow。　　They　passed　several　fishing…boats；　and　the

smoke　was　seen　curling　up　from　the　huts　in　the　clearings　scattered

here　and　there　along　the　shore。　　The　sun　had　now　risen；　and　its　heat

was　pleasant　after　the　damp　night　air。



Although　the　breeze　was　light；　the　boat　made　fair　way　with　the

tide；　and　when　the　ebb　ceased　at　about　ten　o'clock　the　mouth　of　the

river　was　but　a　few　miles　away。　　The　mast　was　lowered　and　the

sails　stowed。　　The　boat　was　then　rowed　into　a　little　creek　and　tied

up　to　the　bushes。　　The　basket　of　provisions　was　opened；　and　a

hearty　meal　enjoyed；　Tony　being　now　permitted　for　the　first　time

to　sit　up　in　the　boat。　　After　the　meal　Vincent　and　Dan　lay　down　for

a　long　sleep；　while　Tony；　who　had　slept　some　hours　during　the

night；　kept　watch。



At　four　in　the　afternoon　tide　again　slackened；　and　as　soon　as　it　had

fairly　turned　they　pushed　out　from　the　creek　and　again　set　sail。　　In

three　hours　they　were　at　the　mouth　of　the　river。　　A　short　distance

out　they　saw　several　boats　fishing；　and　dropping　anchor　a　short

distance　away　from　these；　they　lowered　their　sail；　and　taking　the

fishing…lines　from　the　locker　of　the　boat；　set　to　to　fish。　　As　soon　as

it　was　quite　dark　the　anchor　was　hauled　up；　and　Vincent　and　Dan

took　the　oars；　the　wind　having　now　completely　dropped。　　For　some

time　they　rowed　steadily；　keeping　the　land　in　sight　on　their　right

hand。



Tony　was　most　anxious　to　help；　but　as　he　had　never　had　an　oar　in

his　hand　in　his　life；　Vincent　thought　that　ho　would　do　more　harm

than　good。　　It　was；　he　knew；　some　ten　miles　from　the　mouth　of　the

York　River　to　Fortress　Monroe；　at　the　entrance　to　Hampton　Roads；

and　after　rowing　for　three　hours　he　thought　that　he　could　not　be　far

from　that　point；　and　therefore　turned　the　boat's　head　out　toward　the

sea。　　They　rowed　until　they　could　no　longer　make　out　the　land

astern；　and　then　laying　in　their　oars　waited　till　the　morning；

Vincent　sitting　in　the　stern　and　often　nodding　off　to　sleep；　while

the　two　negroes　kept　up　a　constant　conversation　in　the　bow。



As　soon　as　it　was　daylight　the　oars　were　again　got　out。　They　could

clearly　make　out　the　outline　of　the　coast；　and　saw　the　break　in　the

shore　that　marked　the　entrance　to　Hampton　Roads。　　There　was　a

light　breeze　now；　but　Vincent　would　not　hoist　the　sail　lest　it　might

attract　the　attention　of　some　one　on　shore。　　He　did　not　think　the

boat　itself　could　be　seen；　as　they　were　some　eight　or　nine　miles

from　the　land。　　They　rowed　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　when　Vincent

saw　the　white　sails　of　a　ship　coming　out　from　the　entrance。



The　breeze　was　so　light　that　she　would；　he　thought；　be　nearly　three

hours　before　she　reached　the　spot　where　they　were　now；　and

whether　she　headed　to　the　right　or　left　of　it　he　would　have　plenty

of　time　to　cut　her　off。　　For　another　two　hours　he　and　Dan　rowed

steadily。　　The　wind　had　freshened　a　good　deal；　and　the　ship　was

now　coming　up　fast　to　them。　　Two　others　had　come　out　after　her；

but　were　some　miles　astern。　　They　had　already　made　out　that　the

ship　was　flying　a　flag　at　her　masthead；　and　although　they　had　not

been　able　to　distinguish　its　colors；　Vincent　felt　sure　that　it　was　the

right　ship；　for　he　felt　certain　that　the　captain　would　get　up　sail　as

soon　as　possible；　so　as　to　come　up　with　them　before　any　other

vessels　came　out。　They　had　somewhat　altered　their　course；　to　put

themselves　in　line　with　the　vessel。　　When　she　was　within　a

distance　of　about　a　mile　and　a　half　Vincent　was　able　to　make　out

the　flag；　and　knew　that　it　was　the　right　one。



〃There's　the　ship；　Tony；〃　he　said；　〃it　is　all　right；　and　in　a　few

minutes　you　will　be　on　your　way　to　England。〃



Tony　had　already　changed　his　tattered　garments　for　the　suit　of

sailor's　clothes　that　at　Dan　had　bought　for　him。　　Vincent　had　given

him　full　instructions　as　to　the　course　be　was　to　pursue。　　The　ship

was　bound　for　Liverpool；　on　his　arrival　there　be　was　at　once　to　go

round　the　docks　and　take　a　passage　in　the　steerage　of　the　next

steamer　going　to　Canada。



〃The　fare　will　be　about　twenty…five　dollars；〃　he　said。　〃When　you

get　to　Canada　you　will　land　at　Quebec；　and　you　bad　better　go　on　by

rail　to　Montreal；　where　you　will；　I　think；　find　it　easier　to　get　work

than　at　Quebec。　　As　soon　as　you　get　a　place　you　are　likely　to　stop

in；　get　somebody　to　write　for　you　to　me；　giving　me　your　address。　

Here　are　a　hundred　dollars；　which　will　be　sufficient　to　pay　your

expenses　to　Montreal　and　leave　you　about　fifty　dollars　to　keep　you

till　you　can　get　something　to　do。〃



CHAPTER　IV。　　SAFELY　BACK。



WHEN　the　ship　came　within　a　few　hundred　yards；　Vincent　stood

up　and　waved　his　cap；　and　a　minute　later　the　ship　was　b