CHAPTER XLIII. THE SLAVE'S ARGUMENT.

leduponherinadrawing-room.ClaytonintroducedhiscompanionastheRev.Mr.Denton.Therewasanexcitedflashinhereyes,butshesaid,calmly,— "Havethegentlemenbusinesswithme?" "Wecalled,"saidtheclergyman,"toseeifwecouldrenderyouanyassistance." "No,sir,youcannot!"wasthepromptreply. "Mydearfriend,"saidtheclergyman,inaverykindtone,"IwishitwereinmypowertoadministertoyoutheconsolationsoftheGospel." "Ihavenothingtodo,"sheanswered,firmly,"withministerswhopretendtopreachtheGospel,andsupportoppressionandrobbery!Yourhandsaredefiledwithblood!—sodon'tcometome!Iamaprisoner,here,andcannotresist.But,whenItellyouthatIprefertobeleftalone,perhapsitmayhavesomeeffect,evenifIamaslave!" ClaytontookoutHarry'sletter,handedittoher,andsaid:— "Afteryouhavereadthis,youwill,perhaps,receiveme,ifIshouldcallagainto-morrow,atthishour." ThenextdaywhenClaytoncalled,hewasconductedbythejailertothedoorofthecell. "Thereisaladywithhernow,readingtoher." "ThenIoughtnottointerrupther,"saidClayton,hesitating. "Oh,Isuspectitwouldmakenoodds,"saidthejailer. Claytonlaidhishandonhistostophim.Thesoundthatcameindistinctlythroughthedoorwasthevoiceofprayer.Somewomanwasinterceding,inthepresenceofeternalpity,foranoppressedandbroken-heartedsister.Afterafewmomentsthedoorwaspartlyopened,andheheardasweetvoice,saying:— "Letmecometoyoueveryday,mayI?Iknowwhatitistosuffer." Asmotheredsobwastheonlyanswerandthenfollowedwords,imperfectlydistinguished,whichseemedtobethoseofconsolation.Inamomentthedoorwasopened,andClaytonfoundhimselfsuddenlyfacetofacewithaladyindeepmourning.Shewastall,andlargelyproportionedtheoutlinesofherfacestrong,yetbeautiful,andnowwearingtheexpressionwhichcomesfromcommunionwiththehighestandserenestnature.Bothwereembarrassed,andmadeamomentarypause.Inthestartshedroppedoneofhergloves.Claytonpickeditup,handedittoher,bowed,andshepassedon.Bysomesingularassociation,thisstranger,withaserious,radiantface,suggestedtohimthesparkling,glitteringbeautyofNinaanditseemedforamoment,asifNinawasflutteringbyhimintheair,andpassingawayafterher.Whenheexaminedtheemotionmoreminutelyafterwards,hethought,perhaps,itmighthavebeensuggestedbytheperception,asheliftedtheglove,ofapeculiaranddelicateperfume,whichNinawasfondofusing.Sostrangeandshadowyaretheinfluenceswhichtouchthedark,electricchainofourexistence. WhenClaytonwentintothecell,hefounditsinmateinasoftenedmood.Thereweretracesoftearsonhercheek,andanopenBibleonthebedbutherappearancewascalmandself-possessed,asusual.Shesaid:— "Excusemyrudeness,Mr.Clayton,atyourlastvisit.Wecannotalwayscommandourselvestodoexactlywhatweshould.Ithankyouverymuchforyourkindnesstous.Therearemanywhoarekindlydisposedtowardsusbutit'sverylittlethattheycando." "CanIbeofanyassistanceinsecuringcounselforyou?"saidClayton. "Idon'tneedanycounsel.Idon'twishany,"saidshe."Ishallmakenoeffort.Letthelawtakeitscourse.IfyouevershouldseeHarry,givemylovetohim—that'sall!And,ifyoucanhelphim,praydo!Ifyouhavetime,influence,ormoneytospare,andcangethimtoanycountrywherehewillhavethecommonrightsofahumanbeing,praydo,andtheblessingofthepoorwillcomeonyou!That'sallIhavetoask." Claytonrosetodepart.Hehadfulfilledtheobjectofhismission.Hehadgainedalltheinformation,andmorethanall,thathewished.HequeriedwithhimselfwhetheritwerebesttowritetoHarryatall.Thefactsthathehadtorelateweresuchaswerecalculatedtokindletoafiercerflametheexcitementwhichwasnowconsuminghim.Hetrembled,whenhethoughtofit,lestthatexcitementshouldblazeoutinformswhichshouldarrayagainsthim,withstillmoreforce,thatsocietywithwhichhewasalreadyatwar.Thinking,however,thatHarry,perhaps,mightobtaintheinforma