CHAPTER XIII. TOM GORDON.

hatroopofnegrochildrenandthreeorfourdogswereplayingathide-and-go-seekwithgreatrelishandnoise.OnthealightingofNinaandClaytonatthedoor,theyalllefttheirsports,andarrangedthemselvesinagrinningrow,toseethenew-comersdescend.Nothingseemedtobefurtherfromthemindsofthelittletroopthanaffordingtheslightestassistanceinthewayofholdinghorsesoransweringquestions.Alltheydidwasalternatelytolookateachotherandthetravellers,andgrin. Atatteredservant-man,withhalfastrawhatonhishead,wasatlengthraisedbyacallofClayton,whotooktheirhorses—havingfirstdistributedasalutationofkicksandcuffsamongthechildren,askingwheretheirmannerswerethattheydidn'tshowthegentlemanandladyin.AndNinaandClaytonwerenowmarshalledbythewholesevenofthemintoanapartmentontherightofthegreathall.Everythingintheroomappearedinanunfinishedstate.Thecurtainswerehalfputupatthewindows,andpartlyinginaconfusedheaponthechairs.Thedamp,mouldypaper,whichhunglooselyfromthewall,hadbeentornawayinsomeplaces,asiftoprepareforrepaperingandcertainhalf-openedrollsofcostlywall-paperlayonthetable,onwhichappearedthefragmentofsomeancientluncheontowit,plates,andpiecesofbreadandcheese,dirtytumblers,andanemptybottle.Itwasdifficulttofindachairsufficientlyfreefromdusttositdownon.Ninasentuphercardbyoneofthesmallfry,who,havinggothalf-wayupthestaircase,wassuddenlytakenwiththedesiretoslidedownthebanisterswithitinhishand.Ofcoursehedroppedthecardintheoperationandthewholegroupprecipitatedthemselvesbrisklyontoit,allinaheap,andfought,toothandnail,forthehonorofcarryingitupstairs.Theywerearoused,however,bytheentranceofthemanwithhalfahatwho,onNina'searnestsuggestion,plungedintothetroop,whichran,chatteringandscreaminglikesomanycrows,todifferentpartsofthehall,whilehepickedupthecard,and,withinfinitegood-willbeamingonhisshiningblackface,wentupwithit,leavingNinaandClaytonwaitingbelow.Inafewmomentshereturned. "Missiswillseedeyoungladyupstairs." Ninatrippedpromptlyafterhim,andleftClaytonthesoletenantoftheparlorforanhour.Atlengthshereturned,skippingdownthestairs,andopeningthedoorwithgreatanimation. "Thethingisdone!"shesaid."Thebillofsalewillbesignedassoonaswecansenditover." "Ihadbetterbringitovermyself,"saidClayton,"andmakethearrangement." "Sobeit!"saidNina."Butprayletusbedeliveredfromthisplace!Didyoueverseesuchadesolate-lookinghouse?IrememberwhenI'veseenitaperfectparadise—fullofthemostagreeablepeople." "Andpraywhatsortofapersondidyoufind?"saidClayton,astheywereridinghomeward. "Well,"saidNina,"she'soneofthetow-stringorderofwomen.Veryslack-twisted,too,Ifancy—tall,snuffy,andsallow.Clotheslookedrough-dry,asiftheyhadbeenpulledoutofabag.Shehadabright-coloredMadrashandkerchieftiedroundherhead,andspokeFrenchalittlemorethroughhernosethanFrenchpeopleusuallydo.Flourishedayellowsilkpocket-handkerchief.Poorsoul!Shesaidshehadbeensickforaweekwithtoothache,andkeptawakeallnight!So,onemustn'tbecritical!OnecomfortabouttheseFrenchpeopleis,thattheyarealways'ravisdevousvoir,'letwhatwillturnup.Thegoodsoulwasreallypolite,andinsistedonclearingallthethingsofffromadustyoldchairformetositdownin.Theroomwasasmuchatsixesandsevensastherestofthehouse.Sheapologizedforthewholestateofthingsbysayingthattheycouldnotgetworkmenouttheretodoanythingforherandsoeverythingisleftinthesecondfuturetenseandthedarkeys,Iimagine,haveageneralglorificationinthechaos.Sheisoneoftheindulgentsort,andIsuspectshe'llbeeatenupbythemlikethelocusts.Poorthing!sheisshockinglyhome-sick,andlongingforLouisiana,again.For,notwithstandinghersnuffyappearance,andyellowpocket-handkerchief,shereallyhasagenuinetasteforbeautyandspokemostfeelinglyoftheoleanders,crapemyrtles,andcapejessamines,ofhernativestate." "Well,howdidyouintroduceyourbusiness?"saidClayton,laughingatthisdescription. "Me?—Why,IflourishedoutthelittleFrenchIhaveatcommand,andsheflourishedherlittleEnglishandIthinkIratherprepossessedthegoodsoul,tobeginwith.ThenImadeasentimentalstoryaboutLisetteandHarry'samoursbecauseIknowFrenchpeoplealwayshaveatasteforthesentimental.Theoldthingwasreallyquiteaffected,wipedherlittleblackeyes,pulledherhookednoseasatributetomyeloquence,calledLisetteher'enfantmignon,'andgavemealittlelectureonthetenderpassion,whichIamgoingtolayupforfutureuse." "Indeed!"saidClayton."Ishouldbecharmedtohaveyourepeatit.Can'tyougiveusasynopsis?" "Idon'tknowwhatsynopsismeans.But,ifyouwantmetotellyouwhatshesaid,Ishan'tdoit.Well,now,doyouknowIaminthebestspiritsintheworld,nowthatI'vegotthisthingoffmymind,andoutofthatdesolatehouse?Didyoueverseesuchadirefulplace?Whatisthereason,whenwegetdownsouth,here,everythingseemstobegoingtodestruction,so?InoticeditallthewaydownthroughVirginia.Itseemsasifeverythinghadstoppedgrowing,andwasgoingbackwards.Well,now,it'ssodifferentatthenorth!Iwentup,onevacation,intoNewHampshire.It'sadreadfullypoor,barrencountrynothingbutstonyhills,andpoorsoil.Andyetthepeoplethereseemtobesowelloff!Theyliveinsuchnice,tight,clean-lookingwhitehouses!Everythingaroundthemlookssocarefulandcomfortableandyettheirlandisn'thalfsogoodasours,downhere.Why,actually,someofthoseplacesseemasiftherewerenothingbutrock!And,then,theyhavewinteraboutninemonthsintheyear,Idobelieve!ButtheseYankeesturneverythingtoaccount.Ifaman'sfieldiscoveredwithrock,he'llfindsomewaytosellit,andmakemoneyoutofitandiftheyfreezeupallwinter,theyselltheice,andmakemoneyoutofthat.Theyjustlivebysellingtheirdisadvantages!" "Andwegrowpoorbywastingouradvantages,"saidClayton. "Doyouknow,"saidNina,"peoplethinkit'sadreadfulthingtobeanabolitionist?But,formypart,I'veagreatinclinationtobeone.PerhapsbecauseIhaveacontraryturn,andalwayshavealittlespiteagainstwhateverybodyelsebelieves.But,ifyouwon'ttellanybody,I'lltellyou—Idon'tbelieveinslavery!" "NorI,either!"saidClayton. "Youdon't!Well,really,IthoughtIwassayingsomethingoriginal.Now,theotherday,AuntNesbit'sministerwasatourhouse,andtheysatcrooningtogether,astheyalwaysdoand,amongotherthings,theysaid,'WhatablessedinstitutionitwastobringthesepoorAfricansoverheretogetthemChristianized!'So,b