CHAPTER LIII. THE BURIAL.
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thatamongthechildrenofoneFatheraneventwhichexcitesinoneclassbitternessandlamentationshouldinanotherbecauseofexultationandtriumph.ButtheworldhasbeenthousandsofyearsandnotyetlearnedthefirsttwowordsoftheLord'sPrayerandnotuntilalltribesandnationshavelearnedthesewillhiskingdomcome,andhiswillbedone,onearth,asitisinheaven.
Amongthosewhostoodaroundthegrave,noneseemedmoreboweddownanddespairingthanonewhomwehavebeforeintroducedtothereader,underthenameofHannibal.Hewasatallandsplendidlyformednegro,whoselargehead,highforehead,andmarkedfeatures,indicatedresolutionandintellectualability.Hehadbeenallhislifeheldasthepropertyofanuneducatedman,ofverymeanandparsimoniouscharacter,whowassingularlydividedinhistreatmentofhim,byadesiretomakethemostofhisenergiesandcapabilitiesasaslave,andafearlesttheyshoulddevelopsofastastorenderhimunfitfortheconditionofslavery.
Hannibalhadtaughthimselftoreadandwrite,butthesecretoftheacquisitionwasguardedinhisownbosom,asvigilantlyasthetravelleramongthieveswouldconcealinhisbreastaninestimablediamondforhewellknewthat,weretheseacquisitionsdiscovered,hismaster'sfearswouldbesoexcitedastoleadhimtorealizeatonceapresentsumuponhim,bysellinghimtothemorehopelessprison-houseofthefarsouth,thusseparatinghimfromhiswifeandfamily.
Hannibalwasgenerallyemployedasthekeeperofaferryboatbyhismaster,andduringthehourswhenhewaswaitingforpassengersfoundmanyopportunitiesforgratifying,inanimperfectmanner,histhirstforknowledge.
Thosewhohavealwayshadbooksaboutthemmorethantheycouldorwouldreadknownothingofthepassion
