CHAPTER XL. THE FLIGHT INTO EGYPT.

Theonceneatandhappycottage,ofwhichOldTiffwastheguardiangenius,soonexperiencedsadreverses.PollySkinflint'sviolentanddomineeringtempermadeherabsencefromherfather'sestablishmentratheramatterofcongratulationtoAbijah.Hermother,oneofthoselistlessandinefficientwomen,whoselivesflowinacalm,muddycurrentofstupidityandlaziness,talkedverylittleaboutitbut,onthewhole,wasperhapsbettercontentedtobeoutoftherangeofPolly'ssharpvoiceandlongarms.Itwassomethingofaconsideration,inAbijah'sshrewdviewofthings,thatCrippsownedanigger—thefirstpointtowhichtheaspirationofthepoorwhiteoftheSouthgenerallytends.Polly,whoseloveofpowerwasapredominantelementinhernature,resolutelydeclared,inadvance,she'dmakehimshinround,orshe'dknowthereasonwhy.Astothechildren,sheregardedthemastheincumbrancesoftheestate,tobegotoverwithinthebestwaypossiblefor,asshegraphicallyremarked,"Everydurnedyoungunhadtolookoutwhenshewas'bout!" Thebridehadbeenendowedwithamarriage-portion,byherfather,ofhalfabarrelofwhiskeyanditwasannouncedthatCrippswastiredoftradingroundthecountry,andmeanttosetuptradingathome.Inshort,thelittlecabinbecamealowgrog-shop,aresortofthemostmiserableandviciousportionofthecommunity.TheviolenttemperofPollysoondroveCrippsuponhistravelsagain,andhischildrenwereleftunprotectedtothefuryoftheirstep-mother'stemper.Everyvestigeofwhateverwasdecentaboutthehouseandgardenwassoonsweptawayforthecustomersoftheshop,inagrandSundaydrinking-bout,amusedthemselveswithtearingdowneventheprairie-roseandclimbing-vinethatoncegaveasylvancharmtotherudedwelling.Polly'scourse,intheabsenceofherhusband,wasoneofgross,unblushinglicentiousnessandtheearsandeyesofthechildrenwereshockedwithlanguageandscenestoobadforrepetition. OldTiffwasalmostheart-broken.Hecouldhavebornethebeatingsandstarvingswhichcameonhimselfbuttheabusewhichcameonthechildrenhecouldnotbear.Onenight,whenthedrunkenorgywasragingwithinthehouse,Tiffgatheredcouragefromdespair. "MissFanny,"hesaid,"jistgoindegarret,andmakeabundleo'sichtingsasdereis,andthrow'emouto'dewinder.I'sbeenaprayingnightanddayanddeLordsaysHe'llopensomewayoroderforus!I'llkeepTeddyouthereunderdetrees,whileyoujistbundlesupwhatporclothesisleft,andthrows'emouto'dewinder." Silentlyasarayofmoonlight,thefair,delicate-lookingchildglidedthroughtheroomwhereherstep-motherandtwoorthreedrunkenmenwererevellinginaloathsomedebauch. "Halloa,sis!"criedoneofthemen,afterher,"whereareyougoingto?Stophere,andgivemeakiss!" Theunutterablelookofmingledpride,andfear,andangrydistress,whichthechildcast,as,quickasthought,sheturnedfromthemandranuptheladderintotheloft,occasionedroarsoflaughter. "Isay,Bill,whydidn'tyoucatchher?"saidone. "Oh,nomatterforthat,"saidanother"she'llcomeofherownaccord,oneofthesedays." Fanny'sheartbeatlikeafrightenedbird,asshemadeupherlittlebundle.Then,throwingittoTiff,whowasbelowinthedark,shecalledout,inalow,earnestwhisper,— "Tiff,putupthatboard,andI'llclimbdownonit.Iwon'tgobackamongthosedreadfulmen!" Carefullyandnoiselesslyaspossible,Tiffliftedalong,roughslab,andplaceditagainstthesideofthehouse.CarefullyFannysetherfeetonthetopofit,and,spreadingherarms,camedown,likealittlepuffofvapor,intothearmsofherfaithfulattendant. "BressdeLord!Hereweis,allright,"saidTiff. "Oh,Tiff,I'msoglad!"saidTeddy,holdingfasttotheskirtofTiff'sapron,andjumpingforjoy. "Yes,"saidTiff,"allright.NowdeangelofdeLord'llgowithusintodewilderness!" "Ther'splentyofangelsthere,an'tthere?"saidTeddy,victoriously,asheliftedthelittlebundle,withundoubtingfaith. "Laws,yes!"saidTiff."Idon'knowwhydereshouldn'tbeinourdays.Anyrate,deLord'pearedtomeinadream,andsayshe,'Tiff,riseandtakedechil'enandgoindelandofEgypt,andbederetilldetimeItelldee.'Demisdeberywords.And'twas'tweendecock-crowanddaylightdeycometome,whenI'dbeenlyingdarpraying,likeahail-storm,allnight,notgibingdeLordnorest!SaysItohim,saysI,'Lord,Idon'knownothingwhattodoandnow,efyouwasporasIbe,andIwasgreatking,likeyou,I'dhelpyou!Andnow,Lord,'saysI'youmusthelpus,'causewean'tgotnoplaceelsetogo'cause,youknow,MissNinashe'sdead,andMr.JohnGordon,too!Anddisyerwomanwillruindeseyerchil'en,efyoudon'thelpus!AndnowIhopeyouwon'tbeangry!ButIh