子浪小说

第9部分（第1页）

ther　white　men　he　couldfind。　They　had　beaten　him　and　left　him　for　dead。　Now；　everyone　had　shut　their　doors；　praying　andwaiting；　for　it　was　said　that　the　white　folks　would　e　to…night　and　set　fire　to　all　the　houses；　asthey　had　done　before。

In　the　night　that　pressed　outside　they　heard　only　the　horse’s　hoofs；　which　did　not　stop；　therewas　not　the　laughter　they　would　have　heard　had　there　been　many　ing　on　this　road；　and　nocalling　out　of　curses；　and　no　one　crying　for　mercy　to　white　men；　or　to　God。　The　hoofbeats　came　tothe　door　and　passed；　and　rang；　while　they　listened；　ever　more　faintly　away。　Then　Florence　realizedhow　frightened　she　had　been。　She　watched　her　mother　rise　and　walk　to　the　window。　She　peered　outthrough　a　corner　of　the　blanket　that　covered　it。

‘They’s　gone；’　she　said；　‘whoever　they　was。’　Then：　‘Blessed　be　the　name　of　the　Lord；’　shesaid。

Thus　had　her　mother　lived　and　died；　and　she　had　often　been　brought　lo；　but　she　had　neverbeen　forsaken。　She　had　always　seemed　to　Florence　the　oldest　woman　in　the　world；　for　she　oftenspoke　of　Florence　and　Gabriel　as　the　children　of　her　old　age；　and　she　had　been　born；　innumerableyears　ago；　during　slavery；　on　a　plantation　in　another　state。　On　this　plantation　she　had　grown　up　asone　of　the　field…workers；　for　she　was　very　tall　and　strong；　and　by　and　by　she　had　married　andraised　children；　all　of　whom　had　been　taken　from　her；　one　by　sickness　and　two　by　auction；　andone；　whom　she　had　not　been　allowed　to　call　her　own；　had　been　raised　in　the　master’s　house。　Whenshe　was　a　woman　grown；　well　past　thirty　as　she　reckoned　it；　with　one　husband　buried—but　themaster　had　given　her　another—armies；　plundering　and　burning；　had　e　from　the　North　to　set　them　free。　This　was　in　answer　to　the　prayers　of　the　faithful；　who　had　never　ceased；　both　day　andnight；　to　cry　out　for　deliverance。

For　it　had　been　the　will　of　God　that　they　should　hear；　and　pass　thereafter；　one　to　another；the　story　of　the　Hebrew　children　who　had　been　held　in　bondage　in　the　land　of　Egypt；　and　how　theLord　had　heard　their　groaning；　and　how　His　heart　was　moved；　and　how　He　bid　them　wait　but　alittle　season　till　He　should　send　deliverance。　Florence’s　mother　had　known　this　story；　so　it　seemed；from　the　day　she　was　born。　And　while　she　lived—rising　in　the　morning　before　the　sun　came　up；standing　and　bending　in　the　fields　when　the　sun　was　high；　crossing　the　fields　homeward　when　thesun　went　down　at　the　gates　of　Heaven　far　away；　hearing　the　whistle　of　the　foreman　and　his　eeriecry　across　the　fields；　in　the　whiteness　of　winter　when　hogs　and　turkeys　and　geese　were　slaughtered；and　lights　burned　bright　in　the　big　house；　and　Bathsheba；　the　cook；　sent　over　in　a　napkin　bits　ofham　and　chicken　and　cakes　left　over　by　the　white　folks—in　all　that　befell：　in　her　joys；　her　pipe　inthe　evening；　her　man　at　night；　the　children　she　suckled；　and　guided　on　their　first　short　steps；　and　inher　tribulations；　death；　and　parting；　and　the　lash；　she　did　not　forget　that　deliverance　was　promisedand　would　surely　e。　She　had　only　to　endure　and　trust　in　God。　She　knew　that　the　big　house；　thehouse　of　pride　where　the　white　folks　lived；　would　e　down；　it　was　written　in　the　Word　of　God。

They；　who　walked　so　proudly　now；　had　nor　fashioned　for　themselves　or　their　children　so　sure　afoundation　as　was　hers。　They　walked　on　the　edge　of　a　steep　place　and　their　eyes　were　sightless—God　would　cause　them　to　rush　down；　as　the　herd　of　swine　had　once　rushed　down；　into　the　sea。　Forall　that　they　were　so　beautiful；　and　took　their　ease；　she　knew　them；　and　she　pitied　them；　who　wouldhave　no　covering　in　the　great　day　of　His　wrath。

Yet；　she　told　her　children；　God　was　just；　and　He　struck　no　people　without　first　giving　manywarnings。　God　gave　men　time；　but　all　the　times　were　in　His　hand；　and　one　day　the　time　to　forsakeevil　and　do　good　would　all　be　finished：　then　only　the　whirlwind；　death　riding　on　the　whirlwind；awaited　those　people　who　had　forgotten　God。　In　all　the　days　that　she　was　growing　up；　signs　failednot；　but　none　heeded。　‘Slaves　done　ris；’　was　whispered　in　the　cabin　and　at　the　master’s　gate：　slavesin　another　county　had　fired　the　masters’　houses　and　fields　and　dashed　their　children　to　deathagainst　the　stones。　‘Another　slave　in　hell；’　Bathsheba　might　say　one　morning；　shooing　thepickaninnies　away　from　the　great　porch：　a　slave　had　killed　his　master；　or　his　overseer；　and　hadgone　down　to　Hell　to　pay　for　it。　‘I　ain’t　got　long　to　stay　here；’　someone　crooned　beside　her　in　thefields；　someone　who　would　be　gone　by　morning　on　his　journey　north。　All　these　signs；　like　theplagues　with　which　the　Lord　had　afflicted　Egypt；　only　hardened　the　hearts　of　these　people　againstthe　Lord。　They　thought　the　lash　would　save　them；　and　they　used　the　lash；　or　the　knife；　or　thegallows；　or　the　auction　block；　they　thought　that　kindness　would　save　then；　and　the　master　andmistress　came　down；　smiling；　to　the　cabins；　making　much　of　the　pickaninnies　and　bearing　gifts。

These　were　great　days；　and　they　all；　black　and　white；　seemed　happy　together。　But　when　the　Wordhas　gone　forth　from　the　mouth　of　God　nothing　can　turn　it　back。

The　Word　was　fulfilled　one　morning；　before　she　was　awake。　Many　of　the　stories　her　othertold　meant　nothing　to　Florence；　she　knew　them　for　what　they　were；　tales　told　by　an　old　blackwoman　in　a　cabin　in　the　evening　to　distract　her　children　from　their　cold　and　hunger。　But　the　storyof　this　day　she　was　never　to　forget；　it　was　a　day　for　which　she　lived。　There　was　a　great　running　andshouting；　said　her　mother；　everywhere　outside；　and；　as　she　opened　her　eyes　to　the　light　of　that　day；　so　bright；　she　said；　and　cold；　she　was　certain　that　the　judgment　trumpet　had　sounded。　While　shestill　sat；　amazed；　and　wondering　what；　on　the　judgment　day；　would　be　the　best　behavior；　in　rushedBathsheba　and　behind　her　many　tumbling　children　and　field　hands　and　house　niggers；　all　together；and　Bathsheba　shouted：　‘Rise　up；　rise　up；　Sister　Rachel；　and　see　the　Lord’s　deliverance！　He　donebrought　us　out　of　Egypt；　just　like　He　promised；　and　we’s　free　at　last！’　Bathsheba　grabbed　her；　tearsrunning　down　her　face；　she；　dressed　in　the　clothes　in　which　she　had　slept；　walked　to　the　door　tolook　out　on　the　new　day　God　had　given　them。

On　that　day　she　saw　the　proud　house　humbled；　green　silk　and　velvet　blowing　out　ofwindows；　and　the　garden　trampled　by　many　horsemen；　and　the　big　gate　open。　The　master　andmistress；　and　their　kin；　and　one　child　she　had　borne　were　in　that　house—which　she　did　not　enter。

Soon　it　occurred　to　her　that　there　was　no　longer　any　reason　to　tarry　here。　She　tied　her　things　in　acloth　that　she　put　on　her　head；　and　walked　out　through　the　big　gate；　never　to　see　that　country　anymore。

And　this　became　Florence’s　deep　ambition：　to　walk　out　one　morning　through　the　cabindoor；　never　to　return。　Her　father；　whom　she　scarcely　remembered；　had　departed　that　way　onemorning　not　many　months　after　the　birth　of　Gabriel。　And　not　only　her　father；　every　day　she　heardthat　another　man　or　woman　had　said　farewell　to　this　iron　earth　and　sky；　and　started　on　the　journeynorth。　But　her　mother　had　no　wish　to　go　North　where；　she　said；　wickedness　dwelt　and　Death　rodemighty　through　the　streets。　She　was　content　to　stay　in　this　cabin　and　do　washing　for　the　whitefolks；　though　she　was　old　and　her　back　was　sore。　And　she　wanted　Florence；　also；　to　be　content—helping　with　the　washing；　and　fixing　meals　and　keeping　Gabriel　quiet。

Gabriel　was　the　apple　of　his　mother’s　eye。　If　he　had　never　been　born；　Florence　might　havelooked　forward　to　a　day　when　she　would　be　released　from　her　unrewarding　round　of　labor；　whenshe　might　think　of　her　own　future　and　go　out　to　make　it。　With　the　birth　of　Gabriel；　which　occurredwhen　she　was　five；　her　future　was　swallowed　up。　There　was　only　one　future　in　that　house；　and　itwas　Gabriel’s—to　which；　since　Gabriel　was　a　man…child；　all　else　must　be　sacrificed。　Her　motherdid　not；　indeed；　think　of　it　as　sacrifice；　but　as　logic：　Florence　was　a　girl；　and　would　by　and　by　bemarried；　and　have　children　of　her　own；　and　all　the　duties　of　a　woman；　and　this　being　so；　her　life　inthe　cabin　was　the　best　possible　preparation　for　her　future　life。　But　Gabriel　was　a　man；　he　would　goout　one　day　into　the　world　to　do　a　man’s　work；　and　he　needed；　therefore；　meat；　when　there　was　anyin　the　house；　and　clothes；　whenever　clothes　could　be　bought；　and　the　strong　indulgence　of　hiswomenfolk；　so　that　he　would　know　how　to　be　with　women　when　he　had　a　wife。　And　he　needed　theeducation　that　Florence　desired　far　more　than　he；　and　that　she　might　have　got　if　he　had　not　beenborn。　It　was　Gabriel　who　was　slapped　and　scrubbed　each　morning　and　sent　off　to　the　one…roomschoolhouse—which　he　hated；　and　where　he　managed　to　learn；　so　far　as　Florence　could　discover；almost　nothing　at　all。　And　often　he　was　not　at　school；　but　getting　into　mischief　with　other　boys。

Almost　all　of　their　neighbors；　and　even　some　of　the　white　folks；　came　at　one　time　or　another　toplain　of　Gabriel’s　wrongdoing。　Their　mother　would　walk　out　into　the　yard　and　cut　a　switchfrom　a　tree　and　beat　him—beat　him；　it　seemed　to　Florence；　until　any　other　boy　would　have　fallendown　dead；　and　so　often　that　any　other　boy　would　have　ceased　his　wickedness。　Nothing　stoppedGabriel；　though　he　made　Heaven　roar　with　his　howling；　though　he　screamed　aloud；　as　his　motherapproached；　that　he　would　never　be　such　a　bad　boy　again。　And；　after　the　beating；　his　pants　still　down　around　his　knees　and　his　face　wet　with　tears　and　mucus；　Gabriel　was　made　to　kneel　downwhile　his　mother　prayed。　She　asked　Florence　to　pray；　too；　but　in　her　heart　Florence　never　prayed。

She　hoped　that　Gabriel　would　break　his　neck。　She　wanted　the　evil　against　which　their　motherprayed　to　overtake　him　one　day。

In　those　days　Florence　and　Deborah；　who　had　e　close　friend　after　Deborah’s　‘accident；’

hated　all　men。　When　men　looked　at　Deborah　they　saw　no　father　that　her　unlovely　and　violatedbody。　In　their　eyes　lived　perpetually　a　lewd；　uneasy　wonder　concerning　the　night　she　had　beentaken　in　the　fields。　That　night　had　robbed　her　of　the　right　to　be　considered　a　woman。　No　manwould　approach　her　in　honor　because　she　was　a　living　reproach；　to　herself　and　to　all　black　womenand　to　all　black　men。　If　she　had　been　beautiful；　and　if　God　had　not　given　her　a　spirit　so　demure；　shemight；　with　ironic　gusto；　have　acted　out　that　rape　in　the　field　for　ever。　Since　she　could　not　beconsidered　a　woman；　she　could　only　be　looked　on　as　a　harlot；　a　source　of　delight　more　bestial　andmysteries　more　shaking　than　any　a　proper　woman　could　provide。　Lust　stirred　in　the　eyes　of　menwhen　they　look　at　Deborah；　lust　that　could　not　be　endured　because　it　was　so　impersonal；　limitingmunion　to　the　area　of　her　shame。　And　Florence；　who　was　beautiful　but　did　not　look　with　favoron　any　of　the　black　men　who　lusted　after　her；　not　wishing　to　exchange　her　mother’s　cabin　for　oneof　theirs　and　to　raise　their　children　and　so　go　down；　toil…blasted；　into；　as　it　were；　a　mon　grave；reinforced　in　Deborah　the　terrible　belief　against　which　evidence　had　ever　presented　itself：　that　allmen　were　like　this；　their　thoughts　rose　no　higher；　and　they　lived　only　to　gratify　on　the　bodies　ofwomen　their　brutal　and　humiliating　needs。

One　Sunday　at　a　camp…meeting；　when　Gabriel　was　twelve　years　old　and　was　to　be　baptized；Deborah　and　Florenc

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