第62章 Chapter XVII.(3)

　　It was not unusual for slave women as well as slavemen to endeavor to escape. Nelly， Eldret’s girl， withwhom I lumbered for a time in the “Big Cane Brake，” layconcealed in Epps’ corn crib three days. At night， whenhis family were asleep， she would steal into the quartersfor food， and return to the crib again. We concluded itwould no longer be safe for us to allow her to remain， andaccordingly she retraced her steps to her own cabin.

　　But the most remarkable instance of a successfulevasion of dogs and hunters was the following： AmongCarey’s girls was one by the name of Celeste. She wasnineteen or twenty， and far whiter than her owner， orany of his offspring. It required a close inspection todistinguish in her features the slightest trace of Africanblood. A stranger would never have dreamed that she wasthe descendant of slaves. I was sitting in my cabin lateat night， playing a low air on my violin， when the dooropened carefully， and Celeste stood before me. She waspale and haggard.

　　Had an apparition arisen from the earth， I could nothave been more startled.

　　“Who are you？” I demanded， after gazing at her amoment.

　　“I’m hungry； give me some bacon，” was her reply.

　　My first impression was that she was some derangedyoung mistress， who， escaping from home， waswandering， she knew not whither， and had been attractedto my cabin by the sound of the violin. The coarse cotton slave dress she wore， however， soon dispelled such asupposition.

　　“What is your name？” I again interrogated.

　　“My name is Celeste，” she answered. “I belong toCarey， and have been two days among the palmettoes.

　　I am sick and can’t work， and would rather die in theswamp than be whipped to death by the overseer. Carey’sdogs won’t follow me. They have tried to set them on.

　　There’s a secret between them and Celeste， and they wontmind the devilish orders of the overseer. Give me somemeat—I’m starving.”

　　I divided my scanty allowance with her， and whilepartaking of it， she related how she had managed to escapeand described the place of her concealment. In the edgeof the swamp， not half a mile from Epps’ house， was as alarge space， thousands of acres in extent， thickly coveredwith palmetto. Tall trees， whose long arms interlockedeach other， formed a canopy above them， so dense as toexclude the beams of the sun. It was like twilight always，even in the middle of the brightest day. In the centre ofthis great space， which nothing but serpents very oftenexplore—a sombre and solitary spot—Celeste had erecteda rude hut of dead branches that had fallen to the ground，and covered it with the leaves of the palmetto. This wasthe abode she had selected. She had no fear of Carey’sdogs， any more than I had of Epps’. It is a fact， which Ihave never been able to explain， that there are those whosetracks the hounds will absolutely refuse to follow. Celestewas one of them.

　　For several nights she came to my cabin for food.

　　On one occasion our dogs barked as she approached，which aroused Epps， and induced him to reconnoitre thepremises. He did not discover her， but after that it wasnot deemed prudent for her to come to the yard. Whenall was silent I carried provisions to a certain spot agreedupon， where she would find them.

　　In this manner Celeste passed the greater part of thesummer. She regained her health， and became strongand hearty. At all seasons of the year the howlings of wildanimals can be heard at night along the borders of theswamps. Several times they had made her a midnightcall， awakening her from slumbers with a growl. Terrifiedby such unpleasant salutations， she finally concluded toabandon her lonely dwelling； and， accordingly， returningto her master， was scourged， her neck meanwhile beingfastened in the stocks， and sent into the field again.