Chapter 32 Chapter 32

Your eyes are clear, and you ignore evil and evil. Why do you ignore those who do evil? The wicked devour those who are more just than themselves, Why don't you say a word? Habakkuk Chapter 1 Verse Thirteen Tom was sitting on the bottom tier of a crude little steamer that was sailing on the Red River.He wears heavy shackles and handcuffs, but more than that is his heart.The moon and the stars have fallen from his sky, and all good things are fleeting, just as the trees and dams on the shore are now hastily receding from sight and disappearing without a trace.The manor of KFC, the wife, children and benevolent master there; the luxurious St. Clair Mansion, Eva's small head covered with long golden hair and pure eyes like angels, and the handsome, optimistic and confident Mr. St. Clair, The appearance is so casual but the heart is so kind.Those good and comfortable times are like flowing water.What is left?

Slavery has brought great disasters to human beings, but none is more painful than this one: the blacks who are endowed with compassion and emotion are fortunate enough to be educated and educated in a good master's house, and have cultivated a noble and noble personality. Character and noble sentiments, unfortunately turned into the hands of the most brutal and violent masters.It is as if the table and chairs, which had been in a grand drawing room, were worn out and thrown into the bar of some dingy little hotel or some vulgar place.But there is a key difference between the two, that is, tables and chairs are dead while people are alive.Man is a sentient being, and though legally seen, recognized and judged to be a slave, a slave is still a living being whose emotions, memories, hopes, likes, fears and aspirations are indelible.

Tom's master, Simon Legrey, bought a total of eight slaves from several auction houses in New Orleans, handcuffed them two by two, and escorted them to the Viking ship beside the pier.The ship was about to set sail, heading upriver to the upper reaches of the Red River. Once the slaves were all on board, the ship was about to weigh anchor.With his characteristic dexterity, Simon gave the slaves a tour.He stopped when he came up to Tom.Tom was still dressed in the clothes he had worn at the auction, a fine woolen uniform and a crisply laundered shirt, and well-polished boots.Simon ordered succinctly: Stand up!Tom stood up.Take off the stiff neckerchief!Tom obediently went to untie the scarf, but it was inconvenient to wear handcuffs, so Simon roughly tore the stiff scarf off his collar and put it into his pocket.

Legrey, who had been rummaging through Tom's trunk for a long time, produced an old coat and a pair of trousers that Tom usually wore in the stable.He uncuffed Tom, pointed to a recess in the cargo box, and said: Go, go there and change into this suit. Tom complied.After a while, he changed his clothes and came back. Take off my boots too.Mr. Legrey continued to give instructions. Tom was ordered to take off his boots again. Here, Legay throws you a pair of stout shoes, the kind niggers usually wear, and put these on. When Tom changed his clothes in a hurry, he did not forget to take out his beloved Bible and put it in the pocket of his old clothes.This was indeed prescient, for Mr. Legrey, after re-handcuffing Tom, went through Tom's changed clothes.He took out a silk handkerchief from the pocket of his clothes, and put it in his own pocket; he also found some small things, which were treasured by Tom after Eva's death. He looked at it and hummed disdainfully. He let out a sound and waved his hand casually, and those little gadgets passed over his shoulders and fell into the river.

In his haste Tom forgot to take out the Methodist hymn-book, which was now in Legey's hands, and he flipped through it. Oh, I didn't expect you to be quite devout!what's your nameAre you a Christian? Yes Master.Tom replied firmly. Oh, is it so?But before long, I'll make you forget about them.I don't want a bunch of niggers howling and praying or singing hymns on my estate.Remember?Be honest with me. At this point, he stomped his feet and stared at Tom like a wolf with gray eyes. From now on, I am your God!Listen to me, if I tell you to go east, you go east, and if I tell you to go west, you go west!

Tom was silent, but his heart cried out: No!At the same time, a voice said over and over again a passage from an ancient prophecy that Eva often read to him before his death: Don't be afraid, because I saved you and summoned you in my name ,you belong With Me! But Simon Legrey could hear nothing, the voice he would never hear.He just blew his beard and stared at Tom, and finally left helplessly.He lifted Tom's box on the foredeck, which was full of clean clothes Tom packed, and soon a group of sailors came over, mocking that niggers don't deserve so many clothes to look like a gentleman, while you I bought all the clothes one by one, and even the empty boxes were bought.They all thought it very funny when they broke up, especially when they saw Tom's clean and tidy attire.The auction of empty boxes was also a joke for a while.

After the deal was over, Simon walked back slowly. Look, Tom, I've cleaned up your mess for you.This set of clothes on you should be spared and cherished, it will take a long time to change clothes!I'm all for the idea, let you niggas dress carefully, only one outfit a year! He then came to Emmeline, who was handcuffed with another woman. Come on, baby, cheer me up!He stroked Emmeline's chin and said. The girl looked at Simon with great reluctance, with horror and disgust in her eyes, which did not escape Simon's eyes. He frowned and said viciously: You girl, don't do this with me, do you hear me?Don't cry when you talk to me, you hear?And you, you yellow-faced woman!He pushed hard the mixed-race woman who was handcuffed with Emmeline, don't put on a straight face, let me see your ugly face!Tell you, you have to put on a smile for me.

I said, listen to me, all of you, Legerey took a step or two back and shouted, look at me, look at me!Look into my eyes, you all look carefully!Right now!As he spoke, he stamped his foot after every pause. Everyone seemed to be possessed by an evil spirit, and all looked at the pair of eyes that were shining fiercely and full of murderous intent. You see, he clenches his big, strong fist, that fist looks like a blacksmith's sledgehammer, see this fist?How much does it weigh?He put his fist on Tom's hand.Look at the bones!Well, to tell you the truth, this fist is as hard as iron, and it's all made by beating niggers.No nigga ever got punched by me and didn't get down.He swung his fist and almost hit Tom in the face.Tom blinked involuntarily, and took a step back.I never needed a goddamn overseer, I was one myself.You all have to behave well to me, work quickly, and do what you are told to do immediately, so that it suits me.Don't expect me to be soft-hearted anytime, it's nothing!Take care yourselves, I have no mercy.

The two women gasped involuntarily, and the others sat there with sad faces, not daring to breathe.After Simon finished speaking, he turned and walked towards the small bar on the ship, where he was going to have a few drinks. That's what I'll do, first give them a warning.Simon told a gentleman-looking man who had been standing by his side listening to what he had to say.I took tough measures from the beginning to make them mentally alert. Yeah?said the gentleman in amazement, looking Simon up and down like a naturalist studying some curious specimen. That's right.I'm not a gentle and kind master. Those people have white and tender fingers, like a woman's hands. They chatter all day long and are always cheated by the supervisor. Damn it!Come, feel my joints and look at my fists.I'll tell you the truth, sir, I've got muscles like a rock from beating up the goddamn niggers.If you don't believe me, come and touch it.

The stranger did touch it, and said simply, "It's strong enough, very hard." Then, he added, "Maybe your heart is as hard as it is." You're right, is there anything wrong with that?Simon laughed wildly.I can't soften my heart, and to tell you the truth, no one dares to play tricks in front of me.It doesn't matter if the niggers are noisy or flattering. Your batch is pretty good! Not so bad, said Simon, and I've heard people say that Tom's a good one, and I paid a little more for him.I'm going to make him a coachman or housekeeper or something.His previous master had been too kind to him to be a slave, and he had picked up some bad temper.But it would be useful if he taught him a lesson.As for that yellow-faced woman, I just happened to be unlucky, she looked sickly.However, in any case, I have to let her work for a year or two to earn back the capital.I hate the idea of ​​being nicer to slaves than anyone else, it's so ridiculous!I'd rather let them work their ass out and buy new ones, it's a lot less hassle that way.I bet it's more cost-effective to do so.Having said that, Simon took a sip of his wine.

How many years can black slaves usually work?asked the stranger. This can be uncertain, it depends on each person's physique.Those who are strong can work for seven or eight years, while those who are weak can only work for two or three years.When I first started working in the past, there were many things to worry about.At that time I always wanted to keep the slaves for a few more years, so they were sick and sent them to the doctor, sent them clothes, blankets, whatever, and always wanted to make them live comfortably and decently.It was only later that I realized that it was really stupid to do so, and it was useless at all.Now you see, whether they are sick or not, they all have to work hard.If a nigger dies, it's cheap and easy to buy a new one. The stranger turned away and sat down beside another gentleman.The gentleman had been listening to their conversation just now, and he felt a little uneasy. Don't take him for a typical Southern planter.He said. I wish he wasn't.emphasized the young gentleman. This shameless, despicable and cruel guy!another said. However, your laws permit the keeping of slaves, and there is no limit to them, you can keep as many as you want.The black slaves obeyed him, but there was no guarantee at all, even their lives were in his hands.What's even more frightening is that there are not many people in the south who are as despicable and shameless as him. You are right, the other party replied, but there are also many caring, caring and benevolent manor owners! It is true, said the young gentleman, but it seems to me that it is the well-meaning landowners you speak of who are responsible for such inhuman violence.Without the recognition and understanding of people like you, the entire system of slavery simply cannot stand.Or, it’s all the words of a manor owner like him. He pointed to Legrey who turned his back on him and said that slavery may have been overthrown long ago. . Thank you for your kindness, said the manor with a smile, but I have to warn you not to speak so loudly here, not everyone on this boat accepts your point of view as I do.After you arrive at my manor, you can teach me whatever you want. The young gentleman couldn't help laughing, his face flushed slightly.The two stopped talking about it and went to play Backgammon instead.At the same time, Emmeline, who was trapped in the bottom of the boat, also chatted with the half-race woman who was handcuffed to her.It is natural for them to mention their own backgrounds. Who was your original master?Emmeline asked. It's Mr. Ellis of Embankment Road.Maybe you've seen that house before. How did he treat you?Emmeline asked again. Before he got sick, he was always nice to me, but after he got sick, he lay on the bed intermittently. After more than half a year, his condition was not stable, and his temper became irritable.From morning till night, he would not allow anyone to take a break; his temperament became more and more eccentric, and he was not pleasing to the eyes of anyone.Later, his temper became even worse, and he lost his temper at every turn. He made me stay by the hospital bed all night, and I was so exhausted.One night, I was so sleepy that I fell asleep.God!When he found out he was furious with me, and said he was going to sell me to the cruelest owner he had ever seen in his life.Alas, he promised me freedom before he died! Do you have any relatives or friends?Emmeline asked. some.I have a husband who is a blacksmith, and the owner usually rents him out to do odd jobs.Well, they brought me out in no time, and I didn't even see him in time.I have four children too!The woman covered her face with her hands and began to cry. Hearing other people's misadventures, the listener generally tries to comfort them as much as possible.Emmeline wanted to say something, but seemed to have nothing to say.Yes, what can she say?They were silent, as if there was some kind of tacit agreement, and they all avoided talking about the current master. Even in the darkest of times, religion persists.The biracial woman was also a Methodist, and despite the blindness of her faith, she was profoundly sincere.Emmeline was well-educated due to the teachings of her previous mistress. She learned to read and write. Like the mistress, she also believed in Christianity and had studied the "Bible" seriously; Forgotten by God, it has fallen into the hands of thugs like wolves and tigers, which is undoubtedly a severe test for their faith.Especially for those immature and weak children, it means a painful choice. The turbid red river flows swiftly, stretching forward with thousands of twists and turns; the ship flows up slowly, full of sorrow.The sad eyes of people watching the steep embankment on the bank of the Red River slowly slide past the corners of their eyes, it is a kind of dull monotony.Finally, the ship landed in a small town, and Legrey led his black slaves ashore.