第20章 Chapter VI.(2)

　　What has become of the lad， God knows. It was amournful scene indeed. I would have cried myself if I haddared.

　　That night， nearly all who came in on the brig Orleans，were taken ill. They complained of violent pain in thehead and back. Little Emily—a thing unusual withher—cried constantly. In the morning， a physician wascalled in， but was unable to determine the nature of ourcomplaint. While examining me， and asking questionstouching my symptoms， I gave it as my opinion that itwas an attack of smallpox—mentioning the fact of Robert’sdeath as the reason of my belief. It might be so indeed， hethought， and he would send for the head physician of thehospital. Shortly， the head physician came—a small， lighthairedman， whom they called Dr. Carr. He pronounced itsmall-pox， whereupon there was much alarm throughoutthe yard. Soon after Dr. Carr left， Eliza， Emmy， Harry andmyself were put into a hack and driven to the hospital—alarge white marble building， standing on the outskirts ofthe city. Harry and I were placed in a room in one of theupper stories. I became very sick. For three days I wasentirely blind. While lying in this state one day， Bob came in， saying to Dr. Carr that Freeman had sent him over toinquire how we were getting on. Tell him， said the doctor，that Platt is very bad， but that if he survives until nineo’clock， he may recover.

　　I expected to die. Though there was little in the prospectbefore me worth living for， the near approach of deathappalled me. I thought I could have been resigned to yieldup my life in the bosom of my family， but to expire inthe midst of strangers， under such circumstances， was abitter reflection.

　　There were a great number in the hospital， of bothsexes， and of all ages. In the rear of the building coffinswere manufactured. When one died， the bell tolled—asignal to the undertaker to come and bear away the bodyto the potter’s field. Many times， each day and night， thetolling bell sent forth its melancholy voice， announcinganother death. But my time had not yet come. The crisishaving passed， I began to revive， and at the end of twoweeks and two days， returned with Harry to the pen，bearing upon my face the effects of the malady， whichto this day continues to disfigure it. Eliza and Emilywere also brought back next day in a hack， and againwere we paraded in the sales-room， for the inspectionand examination of purchasers. I still indulged the hopethat the old gentleman in search of a coachman wouldcall again， as he had promised， and purchase me. Inthat event I felt an abiding confidence that I would soonregain my liberty. Customer after customer entered， butthe old gentleman never made his appearance.

　　At length， one day， while we were in the yard， Freemancame out and ordered us to our places， in the greatroom. A gentleman was waiting for us as we entered， andinasmuch as he will be often mentioned in the progress ofthis narrative， a deion of his personal appearance，and my estimation of his character， at first sight， may notbe out of place.

　　He was a man above the ordinary height， somewhatbent and stooping forward. He was a good-looking man，and appeared to have reached about the middle age oflife. There was nothing repulsive in his presence； buton the other hand， there was something cheerful andattractive in his face， and in his tone of voice. The finerelements were all kindly mingled in his breast， as anyone could see. He moved about among us， asking manyquestions， as to what we could do， and what labor we hadbeen accustomed to； if we thought we would like to livewith him， and would be good boys if he would buy us， andother interrogatories of like character.

　　After some further inspection， and conversationtouching prices， he finally offered Freeman one thousanddollars for me， nine hundred for Harry， and seven hundredfor Eliza. Whether the small-pox had depreciated ourvalue， or from what cause Freeman had concluded to fallfive hundred dollars from the price I was before held at， Icannot say. At any rate， after a little shrewd reflection， heannounced his acceptance of the offer.

　　As soon as Eliza heard it， she was in an agony again.