CHAPTER XXVIII. MAGNOLIA GROVE.

JudgeClaytonwasnotmistakeninsupposingthathissonwouldcontemplatetheissueofthecasehehaddefendedwithsatisfaction.Aswehavealreadyintimated,Claytonwassomewhataversetothepracticeofthelaw.Regardforthefeelingsofhisfatherhadledhimtoresolvethathewouldatleastgiveitafairtrial.Hisownturnofmindwouldhaveledhimtosomeworkofmoreimmediateandpracticalphilanthropy.Hewouldhavemuchpreferredtoretiretohisownestate,anddevotehimself,withhissister,totheeducationofhisservants.Buthefeltthathecouldnot,withdueregardtohisfather'sfeelings,dothisuntilhehadgivenprofessionallifeafairtrial. Afterthesceneofthetrialwhichwehavedescribed,hereturnedtohisbusiness,andAnnesolicitedNinatoaccompanyherforafewweekstotheirplantationatMagnoliaGrove,whither,asindutybound,wemayfollowher. OurreaderswillthereforebepleasedtofindthemselvestransportedtotheshadysideofaverandabelongingtoClayton'sestablishmentatMagnoliaGrove. Theplacederiveditsnamefromagroupofthesebeautifultrees,inthecentreofwhichthehousewassituated.Itwasalong,lowcottage,surroundedbydeepverandas,festoonedwithanexuberanceofthoseclimbingplantswhicharesosplendidinthesouthernlatitude. TherangeofapartmentswhichopenedontheverandawhereAnneandNinaweresittingweredarkenedtoexcludethefliesbutthedoors,standingopen,gavepicture-likegleamsoftheinterior.Thewhite,mattedfloors,lightbamboofurniture,couchescoveredwithglazedwhitelinen,andthelargevasesofrosesdisposedhereandthere,wherethelightwouldfalluponthem,presentedabackgroundofinvitingcoolness. Itwasearlyinthemorning,andthetwoladieswereenjoyingtheluxuryofatête-à-têtebreakfastbeforethesunhadyetdriedtheheavydewswhichgivesuchfreshnesstothemorningair.Asmalltablewhichstoodbetweenthemwasspreadwithchoicefruits,arrangedondishesingreenleavesapitcheroficedmilk,andadelicatelittletête-à-têtecoffee-service,dispensingtheperfumeofthemostfragrantcoffee.Norweretheywantingthosesmall,delicatebiscuits,andsomeofthosecuriousformsofcornbread,ofthemanufactureofwhicheverysoutherncookissojustlyproud.Norshouldweomitthecentralvaseofmonthlyroses,ofeveryshadeofcolor,thedailyarrangementofwhichwasthespecialdelightofAnne'sbrownlittlewaiting-maidLettice. AnneClayton,inafreshwhitemorning-wrapper,withherpure,healthycomplexion,fineteeth,andfrank,beamingsmile,lookedlikeaqueenlydamaskrose.Aqueenshereallywasonherownplantation,reigningbythestrongestofallpowers,thatoflove. TheAfricanracehavelargeidealityandvenerationandinnodrawing-roomcouldAnne'sbeautyandgrace,herfinemannersandcarriage,secureamoreappreciatingandunlimitedadmirationanddevotion.Thenegrorace,withmanyofthefaultsofchildren,unitemanyoftheirmostamiablequalities,inthesimplicityandconfidingnesswithwhichtheyyieldthemselvesupinadmirationofasuperiorfriend. Ninahadbeentherebutaday,yetcouldnotfailtoreadintheeyesofallhowabsolutewasthereignwhichAnneheldovertheiraffections. "Howdelightfulthesmellofthismagnoliablossom!"saidNina."Oh,I'mgladthatyouwakedmesoearly,Anne!" "Yes,"saidAnne,"inthisclimateearlyrisingbecomesanecessaryoflifetothosewhomeantohaveanyreal,positivepleasureinit,andI'moneofthesortthatmusthavepositivepleasures.Merelynegativerest,lassitude,anddreaming,arenotenoughforme.IwanttofeelthatI'malive,andthatIaccomplishsomething." "Yes,Isee,"saidNina,"youarenotnominallylikeme,butreallyhousekeeper.Whatwonderfulskillyouseemtohave!Isitpossiblethatyoukeepnothinglockeduphere?" "No,"saidAnne,"nothing.Iamreleasedfromthepowerofthekeys,thankfortune!WhenIfirstcamehere,everybodytoldmeitwassheermadnesstotrysuchathing.ButItoldthemthatIwasdeterminedtodoit,andEdwardupheldmeinit:andyoucanseehowwellI'vesucceeded." "Indeed,"saidNina,"youmusthavemagicpower,forIneversawahouseholdmoveonsoharmoniously.Allyourservantsseemtothink,andcontrive,andtakeaninterestinwhattheyaredoing.Howdidyoubegin?Whatdidyoudo?" "Well,"saidAnne,"I'lltellyouthehistoryoftheplantation.Inthefirstplace,itbelongedtomamma'suncleand,nottospoilastoryforrelation'ssake,Imustsayhewasadissipated,unprincipledman.Helivedaperfectlyheathenlifehere,inthemostshockingwayyoucanimagineandsothepoorcreatureswhowereunderhimwereworseheathenthanhe.Helivedwithaquadroonwoman,whowasviolenttempered,andwhenangryferociouslycruelandsotheservantswereconstantlypassingfromtheextremeofindulgencetotheextremeofcruelty.Youcanscarcehaveanideaofthestatewefoundthemin.MyheartalmostfailedmebutEdwardsaid,'Don'tgiveitup,Annetrythegoodthatisinthem.'Well,Iconfess,itseemedverymuchasitseemedtomewhenIwasonceatawater-cureestablishment,—patientswouldbebroughtinlanguid,pale,cold,halfdead,anditappearedasifitwouldkillthemtoapplycoldwaterbut,somehoworother,therewasavitalpowerinthemthatreactedunderit.Well,justsoitwaswithmyservants.Icalledthemalltogether,andIsaidtothem,'Now,peoplehavealwayssaidthatyouarethegreatestthievesintheworldthatthereisnomanagingyouexceptbylockingupeverythingfromyou.But,Ithinkdifferently.Ihaveanideathatyoucanbetrusted.Ihavebeentellingpeoplethattheydon'tknowhowmuchgoodthereisinyouandnow,justtoshowthemwhatyoucando,I'mgoingtobeginandleavetheclosetsanddoors,andeverything,unlocked,andIshallnotwatchyou.Youcantakemythings,ifyouchooseandif,afteratime,Ifindthatyoucan'tbetrusted,Ishallgobacktotheoldway.'Well,mydear,Iwouldn'thavebelievedmyselfthatthethingwouldhaveansweredsowell.Inthefirstplace,approbativenessisastrongerprinciplewiththeAfricanracethanalmostanyothertheyliketobethoughtwellof.Immediatelytherewasthegreatestspiritinthehouse,forthepoorcreatures,havingsuddenlymadethediscoverythatsomebodythoughttheyweretobetrusted,wereve