CHAPTER V. HARRY AND HIS WIFE.

it?" "Besides,"saidHarry,"Iknow,bythekindofcharactershegivesofhim,thatshethinksofhimverydifferentlyfromwhatsheeverdidofanymanbefore.MissNinalittleknows,whensheisrattlingaboutherbeaux,whatI'mthinkingof.I'msaying,allthewhile,tomyself,'Isthatmangoingtobemymaster?'andthisClayton,I'mverysure,isgoingtobemymaster." "Well,isn'theagoodman?" "Shesaysheisbutthere'sneveranysayingwhatgoodmenwilldo,never.Goodmenthinkitrightsometimestodothestrangestthings.Thismanmayalterthewholeagreementbetweenus,—hewillhavearighttodoit,ifheisherhusbandhemayrefusetoletmebuymyselfand,then,allthemoneythatI'vepaidwillgofornothing." "But,certainly,Harry,MissNinawillneverconsenttosuchathing." "Lisette,MissNinaisonething,butMrs.Claytonmaybequiteanotherthing.I'veseenallthat,overandoveragain.Itellyou,Lisette,thatwewholiveonotherpeople'slooksandwords,wewatchandthinkagreatdeal!Ah!wecometobeverysharp,Icantellyou.ThemoreMissNinahaslikedme,thelessherhusbandmaylikemedon'tyouknowthat?" "NoHarry,youdon'tdislikepeopleIlike." "Child,child,that'squiteanotherthing." "Well,then,Harry,ifyoufeelsobadaboutit,whatmakesyoupaythismoneyforMissNina?Shedon'tknowanythingaboutitshedon'taskyouto.Idon'tbelieveshewouldwantyouto,ifshedidknowit.Justgoandpayitin,andhaveyourfreedom-papersmadeout.Whydon'tyoutellherallaboutit?" "No,Ican't,Lisette.I'vehadthecareofherallherlife,andI'vemadeitassmoothasIcouldforher,andIwon'tbegintotroublehernow.Doyouknow,too,thatI'mafraidthat,perhaps,ifsheknewallaboutit,shewouldn'tdotherightthing.There'sneveranyknowing,Lisette.Now,yousee,Isaytomyself,'Poorlittlething!shedoesn'tknowanythingaboutaccounts,andshedon'tknowhowIfeel.'But,ifIshouldtellher,andsheshouldn'tcare,andactasI'veseenwomenact,why,then,youknowIcouldn'tthinksoanymore.Idon'tbelieveshewouldmindyoubut,then,Idon'tliketotry." "Harry,whatdoesmakeyoulovehersomuch?" "Don'tyouknow,Lisette,thatMasterTomwasadreadfulbadboy,alwayswilfulandwayward,almostbrokehisfather'sheartandhewasalwaysuglyandcontrarytoher?I'msureIdon'tknowwhyforshewasasweetlittlething,andsheloveshimnow,uglyasheis,andheisthemostselfishcreatureIeversaw.And,asforMissNina,sheisn'tselfish—sheisonlyinconsiderate.ButI'veknownherdoforhim,overandover,justwhatIdoforher,givinghimhermoneyandherjewelstohelphimoutofascrape.But,then,tobesure,itallcomesuponme,atlast,whichmakesitallthemoreaggravating.Now,Lisette,I'mgoingtotellyousomething,butyoumustn'ttellanybody.NinaGordonismysister!" "Harry!" "Yes,Lisette,youmaywellopenyoureyes,"saidHarry,risinginvoluntarily"I'mColonelGordon'soldestson!Letmehavethecomfortofsayingitonce,ifIneverdoagain." "Harry,whotoldyou?" "Hetoldme,Lisette—he,himself,toldme,whenhewasdying,andchargedmealwaystowatchoverherandIhavedoneit!InevertoldMissNinaIwouldn'thavehertoldfortheworld.Itwouldn'tmakeherlovememorelikelyitwouldturnheragainstme.I'veseenmanyamansoldfornothingelsebutlookingtoomuchlikehisfather,orhisbrothersandsisters.Iwasgiventoher,andmysisterandmymotherwentouttoMississippiwithMissNina'saunt." "Ineverheardyouspeakofthissister,Harry.Wasshepretty?" "Lisette,shewasbeautiful,shewasgraceful,andshehadrealgenius.I'veheardmanysingersonthestagethatcouldnotsing,withalltheirlearning,asshedidbynature." "Well,whatbecameofher?" "Oh,whatbecomesofsuchwomenalways,amongus!Nursed,andpetted,andcaressedtaughteverythingelegant,nothingsolid.Why,thewomanmeantwellenoughthathadthecareofher,—Mrs.Stewart,ColonelGordon'ssister,—butshecouldn'tpreventherson'swantingher,andtakingher,forhismistressandwhenshediedthereshewas." "Well." "WhenGeorgeStewarthadlivedwithhertwoorthreeyears,hewastakenwithsmall-pox.Youknowwhatperfecthorrorthatalwayscreates.Noneofhiswhiteacquaintancesandfriendswouldcomenearhisplantationthenegroeswereallfrightenedtodeath,asusualoverseerranoff.Well,thenCoraGordon'sbloodcameupshenursedhimallthroughthatsickness.What'smore,shehadinfluencetokeeporderontheplacegotthepeopletogettingthecottoncropsthemselves,sothatwhentheoverseercamesneakingback,thingshadn'tallgonetoruin,astheymighthavedone.Well,theyoungfellowhadmoreinhimthansomeofthemdoforwhenhegotwellhelefthisplantation,tookheruptoOhio,andmarriedher,andlivedwithherthere." "Whydidn'thelivewithheronhisplantation?"saidLisette. "Hecouldn'thavefreedherthereit'sagainstthelaws.But,lately,I'vegotaletterfromhersayingthathehaddiedandlefttoherandhersonallhispropertyontheMississippi." "Why,shewillberich,won'tshe?" "Yes,ifshegetsit.Butthere'snoknowinghowthatwillbetherearefiftywaysofcheatingheroutofit,Isuppose.But,now,astoMissNina'sestate,youdon'tknowhowIfeelaboutit.Iwastrustedwithit,andtrustedwithher.Sheneverhasknown,morethanachild,wherethemoneycamefrom,orwenttoanditshan'tbesaidthatI'vebroughttheestateindebt,forthesakeofgettingmyownliberty.IfIhaveoneprideinlife,itistogiveituptoMissNina'shusbandingoodorder.But,then,thetroubleofit,Lisette!ThetroubleofgettinganythinglikedecentworkfromthesecreaturesthewaysthatIhavetoturnandtwisttogetroundthem,andmanagethem,togetanythingdone.Theyhatemetheyarejealousofme.Lisette,I'mjustlikethebatinthefableI'mneitherbirdnorbeast.HowoftenI'vewishedthatIwasagood,honest,blacknigger,likeUnclePomp!ThenIshouldknowwhatIwasbut,now,I'mneitheronethingnoranother.Icomejustnearenoughtotheconditionofthewhitetolookintoit,toenjoyit,andwanteverythingthatIsee.Then,thewayI'vebeeneducatedmakesitworse.Thefactis,thatwhenthefathersofsuchaswefeelanyloveforus,itisn'tlikethelo