UNCLE TOM'S CABIN

"
eh,
n
the
he
would
it
"
hang
so
142 UNCLE TOM S CABIN I OR,
This was a difficultmattei for one so bruised
and faint,and, as Tom made effortsto do so, Legree
laughedbrutally.
"
What makes ye so spry, this morning Țom?
Cotched cold, may be, last night."
Tom by this time had gained his feet,and was
confronting his master with a
steady, unmoved
front.
"The devil you can!" said Legree,looking
him over.
"
I believe you have n't gotenoughyet.
Now, Tom, getrightdown on
yer knees and beg
my pardon,for yer shines last night."
Tom did not move.
"
Down, you dog !" said Legree,striking with his riding-whip.
"
Mas'r Legree," said Tom, " I can't do it. I
did onlywhat I thought was right. I shall do
just so again,if ever the time comes. I never
will do a cruel thing, come what may."
"
Yes, but ye don't know what may come, Master
you day in,dayout, hanging like a dog on your
throat," suckingyour blood, bleedingaway
your life,dropby drop. I know the man."
Tom. Ye tlunk what you 'vegotis something.
1 tell you
" 'tan'.tanything, nothing
'tall. How
would ye like to be tied to a tree,and 1 ave a slow
firelit up around "
ye? n't that be pleasant,
Tom?"
"
Mas'r," said Tom, " I know
ye can do dreadful
"
things; but, stretched himself upward
and clasped his hands," "but, after ye 've
killed the body,there an't no more ye
can
do. And 0, there's all eternity to come, after
that!"
clear and
cheerful voice,
"
Mas'r Legree,as ye boughtme, I '11 be a
true and faithfulservant to ye. I '11 giveye all Imagine a tall, dignified, spiritual woman,
the work of my hands, all my time, all my
whose clear muslin cap shades waves of silvery
strength ; but my soul I won't giveup to mortal hair,parted on a broad, clear forehead,which
man. I will hold on to the Lord, and put his overarches thoughtful gray eyes. A snowy handkerchief
commands before all, die or live ; you may be
of lisse crape is folded neatlyacross her
sureon't. Mas'r Legree, I an*t a grain afeared bosom ; her glossybrown silk dress rustles peacefully,
to die. I xl as soon die as not. Ye may whip
as she glides up and down
Loker,giving
the chamber.
me, starve me burn me, '11 onlysend me
"
The devil!" Tom a great
sooner where I want to go."
throw
says
to the bed-clothes.
"I'll make ye giveout, though, 'fore I've
"
I must requestthee,Thomas, not to use such
done !" said Legree, in a rage.
language," says Aunt Dorcas, as she quietly
"
I shall have help,"said Tom ; " you '11
J
never rearranges the bed.
do it."
"
Well, I won't, if I can help it,"
granny,
"Who the devil 's going to helpyou?" said says Tom; "but it is enoughto make a fellow
Legree,scornfully.
swear, cursedlyhot !"
Almighty," said Tom.
Dorcas removed a comforter from the bed,
"
The Lord
"
D you !" said Legree, as with one blow straightened the clothes again,and tucked them
of his fisthe felledTom to the earth.
;
A cold soft hand fell on- Legree's,at this moment.
remarking, so,
Ho it turned," was Cassy's; but the cold
softtouch recalled his dream of the nightbefore, and
"
and,flashing throughthe chambers of his brain,
swearing, What the devil,"said think upon
Tom,
thyways."
should I think
came all the fearfulimages of the night-watches, of them for? Last thingever /want to think of
with a. portion of the horror that accompanied
over, untucking
them and disarranging everything,
a manner
.
"
Will you be a fool?" said Cassy,in French. frightful to behold.
"
That fellow and
" Let him go ! Let me alone to get him fit
s'pose," gal are here, I
to be in the fieldagain. Is n't it justas I told he, sullenly, pause.
you?"
"They are so," said Dorcas.
Theysay the "
alligator, the rhinoceros, though They 'd better be off up to the lake,"said
enclosed in bullet-proof mail,have each a spot
Tom ; " the quickerthe better."
where they are vulnerable ; and fierce,reckless, Probablythey will do so,"said Aunt Dorcas,
"
unbelieving reprobates, have commonly this pointknitting
peacefully.
dread.
"
And hark ye," said Tom ; " we 've got co"-
in superstitious
Legree turned away, determined to letbrie point
go for the time.
"
Well, have it your
own way," he said,dog
gedly țo Cassy.
"
Hark, ye !" he said to Tom ; " I won't dea'
with ye now, because the business ispressing, and
I want all my hands ; but I never forget.I '11
score it againstye, and sometime I '11 have my
pay out o' yer old black mind hide," ye!"
Legreeturned,and went out.
"There you go," said Gassy,lookingdarkly
after him ;
"
your reckoning's to come, yet ! "
My poor fellow,how are you ?"
"
The Lord God hath sent his angel,and shut
the lion's mouth, for this time," said Tom.
"
For this time,to be sure,"said Cassy; " but
now you 've got his illwill upon you, to follow
CHAPTER
LIBERTY.
XXXYTL
"No matter with what solemnities he may have been
upon the altar of slavery, the moment he touches the sacred soil
of Britain țhe altar and the god sink togetherin the dust, and ha
stands redeemed, regenerated and disenthralled,by the irresistible
genius of universal "
emancipation. Curran.
A while we must leave Tom in the hands of
Eternity ! " word thrilled through the his persecutors, while we turn to pursue the fortunes
black man's soul with lightand power, a,s he
of George and his wife,whom we left in
spoke; it thrilled through the sinner's soul,too, friendly hands, in a farm-house on the road-side,
like the bite of a scorpion.Legreegnashed on Tom Loker we left groaningand touzling
a
him with his teeth,but rage kept him silent ; most immaculately clean Quaker bed,under the
"and Tom, like a man disenthralled, spoke, in a motherlysupervision of Aunt Dorcas, who found
him to the full as tractable a patient as a sick
bison.
in,till Tom looked something like a chrysalis
"
I wish, friend țhee would leave off cursing