CHAPTER XVIII. DRED.

ssion.Atlasthesaid:— "Youmaybesure,Mr.Gordon,thismarkwillneverbeforgotten!" Therearemomentsofhighexcitement,whenallthatisinahumanbeingseemstoberoused,andtoconcentrateitselfintheeyeandthevoice.And,insuchmoments,anyman,apparentlybyvirtueofhismerehumanity,bythemereawfulnessofthehumansoulthatisinhim,gainspowertooverawethosewhoinotherhoursscornhim.Therewasaminute'spause,inwhichneitherspokeandMr.Jekyl,whowasamanofpeace,tookoccasiontotouchTom'selbow,andsay:— "Itseemstomethisisn'tworthwhile—weshallmissthestage."And,asHarryhadalreadyturnedhishorseandwasridingaway,TomGordonturnedhis,shoutingafterhim,withascornfullaugh:— "IcalledonyourwifebeforeIcameawaythismorning,andIlikedherratherbetterthesecondtimethanIdidthefirst!" ThislasttauntflewlikeaParthianarrowbackward,andstruckintothesoulofthebondmanwithevenakeenerpowerthanthedegradingblow.Thestingofitseemedtoranklemorebitterlyasherodealong,tillatlasthedroppedthereinsonhishorse'sneck,andburstintoatransportofbittercursing. "Aha!aha!ithascomenighthee,hasit?Ittoucheththee,andthoufaintest!"saidadeepvoicefromtheswampythicketbesidehim. Harrystoppedhishorseandhisimprecations.Therewasacracklingintheswamp,andamovementamongthecopseofbriersandatlastthespeakeremerged,andstoodbeforeHarry.Hewasatallblackman,ofmagnificentstatureandproportions.Hisskinwasintenselyblack,andpolishedlikemarble.Alooseshirtofredflannel,whichopenedverywideatthebreast,gaveadisplayofaneckandchestofherculeanstrength.Thesleevesoftheshirt,rolledupnearlytotheshoulders,showedthemusclesofagladiator.Thehead,whichrosewithanimperialairfromthebroadshoulders,waslargeandmassive,anddevelopedwithequalforcebothinthereflectiveandperceptivedepartment.Theperceptiveorgansjuttedlikedarkridgesovertheeyes,whilethatpartoftheheadwhichphrenologistsattributetothemoralandintellectualsentiments,roselikeanampledomeabovethem.ThelargeeyeshadthatpeculiarandsolemneffectofunfathomableblacknessanddarknesswhichisoftenastrikingcharacteristicoftheAfricaneye.Butthereburnedinthem,liketonguesofflameinablackpoolofnaphtha,asubtleandrestlessfirethatbetokenedhabitualexcitementtothevergeofinsanity.Ifanyorganswerepredominantinthehead,theywerethoseofideality,wonder,veneration,andfirmnessandthewholecombinationwassuchasmighthaveformedoneofthewildoldwarriorprophetsoftheheroicages.Heworeafantasticsortofturban,apparentlyofanoldscarletshawl,whichaddedtotheoutlandisheffectofhisappearance.Hisnethergarments,ofcoarsenegro-cloth,weregirdedroundthewaistbyastripofscarletflannel,inwhichwasthrustabowie-knifeandhatchet.Overoneshoulderhecarri