CHAPTER XVIII. DRED.

edarifle,andashot-pouchwassuspendedtohisbelt.Arudegame-baghunguponhisarm.Wildandstartlingastheapparitionmighthavebeen,itappearedtobenostrangertoHarryfor,afterthefirstmovementofsurprise,hesaid,inatoneoffamiliarrecognition,inwhichtherewasblendedsomewhatofaweandrespect:— "Oh,itisyou,then,Dred!Ididn'tknowthatyouwerehearingme!" "HaveInotheard?"saidthespeaker,raisinghisarm,andhiseyesgleamingwithwildexcitement."Howlongwiltthouhaltbetweentwoopinions?DidnotMosesrefusetobecalledthesonofPharaoh'sdaughter?HowlongwiltthoucastinthylotwiththeoppressorsofIsrael,whosayuntothee,'Bowdownthatwemaywalkoverthee'?ShallnottheRedSeabedivided?'Yea,'saiththeLord,'itshall.'" "Dred!Iknowwhatyoumean!"saidHarry,tremblingwithexcitement. "Yea,thoudost!"saidthefigure."Yea,thoudost!Hastthounoteatenthefatanddrunkthesweetwiththeoppressor,andhidthineeyesfromtheoppressionofthypeople?Havenotourwivesbeenforaprey,andthouhastnotregarded?Hathnotourcheekbeengiventothesmiter?Havewenotbeencountedassheepfortheslaughter?Butthousaidst,'Lo!Iknewitnot,'anddidsthidethineeyes!Therefore,thecurseofMerozisuponthee,saiththeLord.Andthoushaltbowdowntotheoppressor,andhisrodshallbeupontheeandthywifeshallbeforaprey!" "Don'ttalkinthatway!—don't!"saidHarry,strikingouthishandswithafranticgesture,asiftopushbackthewords."Youareraisingtheverydevilinme!" "Lookhere,Harry,"saidtheother,droppingfromthehightoneheatfirstusedtothatofcommonconversation,andspeakinginbitterirony,"didyourmasterstrikeyou?It'ssweettokisstherod,isn'tit?Bendyourneckandasktobestruckagain!—won'tyou?Bemeekandlowly!that'sthereligionforyou!Youareaslave,andyouwearbroadcloth,andsleepsoft.Byandbyhewillgiveyouafiptobuysalveforthosecuts!Don'tfretaboutyourwife!Womenalwayslikethemasterbetterthantheslave!Whyshouldn'tthey?Whenamanlickshismaster'sfoot,hiswifescornshim,—serveshimright.Takeitmeekly,myboy!'Servants,obeyyourmasters.'Takeyourmaster'soldcoats—takeyourwifewhenhe'sdonewithher—andblessGodthatbroughtyouunderthelightoftheGospel!Go!youareaslave!Butasforme,"hesaid,drawinguphishead,andthrowingbackhisshoulderswithadeepinspiration,"Iamafreeman!Freebythis,"holdingouthisrifle."FreebytheLordofhosts,thatnumbereththestars,andcalleththemforthbytheirnames.Gohome—that'sallIhavetosaytoyou!Yousleepinacurtainedbed.—Isleepontheground,intheswamps!Youeatthefatoftheland.Ihavewhattheravensbringme!Butnomanwhipsme!—nomantouchesmywife!—nomansaystome,'Whydoyeso?'Go!youareaslave!—Iamfree!"And,withoneathleticbound,hesprangintothethicket,andwasgone. Theeffectofthisaddressonthealr