第71章 Chapter XX.(1)

　　Faithful to his word， the day before Christmas， just atnight-fall， Bass came riding into the yard.

　　“How are you，” said Epps， shaking him by the hand，“glad to see you.”

　　He would not have been very glad had he known theobject of his errand.

　　“Quite well， quite well，” answered Bass. “Had somebusiness out on the bayou， and concluded to call and seeyou， and stay over night.”

　　Epps ordered one of the slaves to take charge of hishorse， and with much talk and laughter they passed intothe house together； not， however， until Bass had lookedat me significantly， as much as to say，

　　“Keep dark， we understand each other.” It wasten o’clock at night before the labors of the day wereperformed， when I entered the cabin. At that time UncleAbram and Bob occupied it with me. I laid down upon myboard and feigned I was asleep. When my companionshad fallen into a profound slumber， I moved stealthilyout of the door， and watched， and listened attentively forsome sign or sound from Bass. There I stood until longafter midnight， but nothing could be seen or heard. AsI suspected， he dared not leave the house， through fear of exciting the suspicion of some of the family. I judged，correctly， he would rise earlier than was his custom， andtake the opportunity of seeing me before Epps was up.

　　Accordingly I aroused Uncle Abram an hour sooner thanusual， and sent him into the house to build a fire， which，at that season of the year， is a part of Uncle Abram’sduties.

　　I also gave Bob a violent shake， and asked him if heintended to sleep till noon， saying master would beup before the mules were fed. He knew right well theconsequence that would follow such an event， and，jumping to his feet， was at the horse-pasture in a twinkling.

　　Presently， when both were gone， Bass slipped into thecabin.

　　“No letter yet， Platt，” said he. The announcement fellupon my heart like lead.

　　“Oh， do write again， Master Bass，” I cried； “I will giveyou the names of a great many I know. Surely they arenot all dead. Surely some one will pity me.”

　　“No use，” Bass replied， “no use. I have made up mymind to that. I fear the Marksville post-master willmistrust something， I have inquired so often at his office.

　　Too uncertain—too dangerous.”

　　“Then it is all over，” I exclaimed. “Oh， my God， howcan I end my days here！”

　　“You’re not going to end them here，” he said， “unlessyou die very soon. I’ve thought this matter all have cometo a determination. There are more ways than one to manage this business， and a better and surer way thanwriting letters. I have a job or two on hand which can becompleted by March or April. By that time I shall have aconsiderable sum of money， and then， Platt， I am going toSaratoga myself.”

　　I could scarcely credit my own senses as the words fellfrom his lips. But he assured me， in a manner that left nodoubt of the sincerity of his intention， that if his life wasspared until spring， he should certainly undertake thejourney.

　　“I have lived in this region long enough，” he considered；“I may as well be in one place as another. For a long timeI have been thinking of going back more to the placewhere I was born. I’m tired of Slavery as well as you. IfI can succeed in getting you away from here， it will be agood act that I shall like to think of all my life. And I shallsucceed， Platt； I’m bound to do it. Now let me tell youwhat I want. Epps will be up soon， and it won’t do to becaught here. Think of a great many men at Saratoga andSandy Hill， and in that neighborhood， who once knewyou. I shall make excuse to come here again in the courseof the winter， when I will write down their names. I willthen know who to call on when I go north. Think of allyou can. Cheer up！ Don’t be discouraged. I’m with you，life or death. Good-bye. God bless you，” and saying thishe left the cabin quickly， and entered the great house.

　　It was Christmas morning—the happiest day in thewhole year for the slave. That morning he need not hurryto the field， with his gourd and cotton-bag. Happinesssparkled in the eyes and overspread the countenances ofall. The time of feasting and dancing had come. The caneand cotton fields were deserted. That day the clean dresswas to. be donned—the red ribbon displayed； there wereto be re-unions， and joy and laughter， and hurrying toand fro. It was to be a day of liberty among the children ofSlavery. Wherefore they were happy， and rejoiced.

　　After breakfast Epps and Bass sauntered about theyard， conversing upon the price of cotton， and variousother topics.

　　“Where do your niggers hold Christmas？” Bass inquired.

　　“Platt is going to Tanners to-day. His fiddle is in greatdemand. They want him at Marshall’s Monday， and MissMary McCoy， on the old Norwood plantation， writes me anote that she wants him to play for her niggers Tuesday.”

　　“He is rather a smart boy， ain’t he？” said Bass. “Comehere， Platt，” he added， looking at me as I walked upto them， as if he had never thought before to take anyspecial notice of me.

　　“Yes，” replied Epps， taking hold of my arm and feelingit， “there isn’t a bad joint in him. There ain’t a boy on thebayou worth more than he is—perfectly sound， and nobad tricks. D—n him， he isn’t like other niggers； doesn’tlook like ’em—don’t act like ’em. I was offered seventeenhundred dollars for him last week.”

　　“And didn’t take it？” Bass inquired， with an air ofsurprise.

　　“Take it—no； devilish clear of it. Why， he’s a reg’lar genius；can make a plough beam， wagon tongue—anything， aswell as you can. Marshall wanted to put up one of hisniggers agin him and raffle for them， but I told him Iwould see the devil have him first.”

　　“I don’t see anything remarkable about him，” Bassobserved.

　　“Why， just feel of him， now，” Epps rejoined. “You don’tsee a boy very often put together any closer than he is.

　　He’s a thin-skin’d cuss， and won’t bear as much whippingas some； but he’s got the muscle in him， and no mistake.