English
NEXTday,towardsnight,welaidupunderalittlewillowtowheadoutinthemiddle,wheretherewasavillageoneachsideoftheriver,andthedukeandthekingbeguntolayoutaplanforworkingthemtowns.
Jimhespoketotheduke,andsaidhehopeditwouldn’ttakebutafewhours,becauseitgotmightyheavyandtiresometohimwhenhehadtolayalldayinthewigwamtiedwiththerope.
Yousee,whenwelefthimallalonewehadtotiehim,becauseifanybodyhappenedontohimallbyhimselfandnottieditwouldn’tlookmuchlikehewasarunawaynigger,youknow.
SothedukesaiditWASkindofhardtohavetolayropedallday,andhe’dcipheroutsomewaytogetaroundit.
Hewasuncommonbright,thedukewas,andhesoonstruckit.
HedressedJimupinKingLear’soutfit–itwasalongcurtain-calicogown,andawhitehorse-hairwigandwhiskers;andthenhetookhistheaterpaintandpaintedJim’sfaceandhandsandearsandneckalloveradead,dull,solidblue,likeamanthat’sbeendrowndedninedays.
Blamedifhewarn’tthehorriblestlookingoutrageIeversee.
Thentheduketookandwroteoutasignonashingleso:
SickArab–butharmlesswhennotoutofhishead.
Andhenailedthatshingletoalath,andstoodthelathupfourorfivefootinfrontofthewigwam.Jimwassatisfied.
Hesaiditwasasightbetterthanlyingtiedacoupleofyearseveryday,andtremblingallovereverytimetherewasasound.
Theduketoldhimtomakehimselffreeandeasy,andifanybodyevercomemeddlingaround,hemusthopoutofthewigwam,andcarryonalittle,andfetchahowlortwolikeawildbeast,andhereckonedtheywouldlightoutandleavehimalone.
Whichwassoundenoughjudgment;butyoutaketheaverageman,andhewouldn’twaitforhimtohowl.
Why,hedidn’tonlylooklikehewasdead,helookedconsiderablemorethanthat.
TheserapscallionswantedtotrytheNonesuchagain,becausetherewassomuchmoneyinit,buttheyjudgeditwouldn’tbesafe,becausemaybethenewsmightaworkedalongdownbythistime.
Theycouldn’thitnoprojectthatsuitedexactly;soatlastthedukesaidhereckonedhe’dlayoffandworkhisbrainsanhourortwoandseeifhecouldn’tputupsomethingontheArkansawvillage;andthekingheallowedhewoulddropovertot’othervillagewithoutanyplan,butjusttrustinProvidencetoleadhimtheprofitableway–meaningthedevil,Ireckon.
Wehadallboughtstoreclotheswherewestoppedlast;andnowthekingputhis’non,andhetoldmetoputmineon.Idoneit,ofcourse.
Theking’sdudswasallblack,andhedidlookrealswellandstarchy.
Ineverknowedhowclothescouldchangeabodybefore.
Why,before,helookedliketheorneriestoldripthateverwas;butnow,whenhe’dtakeoffhisnewwhitebeaverandmakeabowanddoasmile,helookedthatgrandandgoodandpiousthatyou’dsayhehadwalkedrightoutoftheark,andmaybewasoldLeviticushimself.
Jimcleanedupthecanoe,andIgotmypaddleready.
Therewasabigsteamboatlayingattheshoreawayupunderthepoint,aboutthreemileabovethetown–beenthereacoupleofhours,takingonfreight.Saystheking:
“Seein’howI’mdressed,IreckonmaybeIbetterarrivedownfromSt.LouisorCincinnati,orsomeotherbigplace.Goforthesteamboat,Huckleberry;we’llcomedowntothevillageonher.”
Ididn’thavetobeorderedtwicetogoandtakeasteamboatride.
Ifetchedtheshoreahalfamileabovethevillage,andthenwentscootingalongthebluffbankintheeasywater.
Prettysoonwecometoaniceinnocent-lookingyoungcountryjakesettingonalogswabbingthesweatoffofhisface,foritwaspowerfulwarmweather;andhehadacoupleofbigcarpet-bagsbyhim.
“Runhernoseinshore,”saystheking.Idoneit.“Wher’youboundfor,youngman?”
“Forthesteamboat;goingtoOrleans.”
“Gitaboard,”saystheking.“Holdonaminute,myservant‘llhe’pyouwiththembags.Jumpoutandhe’pthegentleman,Adolphus”–meaningme,Isee.
Idoneso,andthenweallthreestartedonagain.
Theyoungchapwasmightythankful;saiditwastoughworktotinghisbaggagesuchweather.
Heaskedthekingwherehewasgoing,andthekingtoldhimhe’dcomedowntheriverandlandedattheothervillagethismorning,andnowhewasgoingupafewmiletoseeanoldfriendonafarmupthere.Theyoungfellowsays:
“WhenIfirstseeyouIsaystomyself,‘It’sMr.Wilks,sure,andhecomemightyneargettinghereintime.’
ButthenIsaysagain,‘No,Ireckonitain’thim,orelsehewouldn’tbepaddlinguptheriver.’YouAIN’Thim,areyou?”
“No,myname’sBlodgett–ElexanderBlodgett–REVERENDElexanderBlodgett,Is’poseImustsay,asI’moneo’theLord’spoorservants.
ButstillI’mjistasabletobesorryforMr.Wilksfornotarrivingintime,allthesame,ifhe’smissedanythingbyit–whichIhopehehasn’t.”
“Well,hedon’tmissanypropertybyit,becausehe’llgetthatallright;buthe’smissedseeinghisbrotherPeterdie–whichhemayn’tmind,nobodycantellastothat–buthisbrotherwouldagiveanythinginthisworldtoseeHIMbeforehedied;nevertalkedaboutnothingelseallthesethreeweeks;hadn’tseenhimsincetheywasboystogether–andhadn’teverseenhisbrotherWilliamatall–that’sthedeefanddumbone–Williamain’tmorethanthirtyorthirty-five.
PeterandGeorgeweretheonlyonesthatcomeouthere;Georgewasthemarriedbrother;himandhiswifebothdiedlastyear.
HarveyandWilliam’stheonlyonesthat’sleftnow;and,asIwassaying,theyhaven’tgothereintime.”
“Didanybodysend‘emword?”
“Oh,yes;amonthortwoago,whenPeterwasfirsttook;becausePetersaidthenthathesorterfeltlikehewarn’tgoingtogetwellthistime.
Yousee,hewasprettyold,andGeorge’sg’yirlswastooyoungtobemuchcompanyforhim,exceptMaryJane,thered-headedone;andsohewaskinderlonesomeafterGeorgeandhiswifedied,anddidn’tseemtocaremuchtolive.
HemostdesperatelywantedtoseeHarvey–andWilliam,too,forthatmatter–becausehewasoneofthemkindthatcan’tbeartomakeawill.
HeleftaletterbehindforHarvey,andsaidhe’dtoldinitwherehismoneywashid,andhowhewantedtherestofthepropertydividedupsoGeorge’sg’yirlswouldbeallright–forGeorgedidn’tleavenothing.
Andthatletterwasalltheycouldgethimtoputapento.”
“WhydoyoureckonHarveydon’tcome?Wher’doeshelive?”
“Oh,helivesinEngland–Sheffield–preachesthere–hasn’teverbeeninthiscountry.Hehasn’thadanytoomuchtime–andbesideshemightn’tagottheletteratall,youknow.”
“Toobad,toobadhecouldn’talivedtoseehisbrothers,poorsoul.YougoingtoOrleans,yousay?”
“Yes,butthatain’tonlyapartofit.I’mgoinginaship,nextWednesday,forRyoJaneero,wheremyunclelives.”
“It’saprettylongjourney.Butit’llbelovely;wishtIwasa-going.IsMaryJanetheoldest?Howoldistheothers?”
“MaryJane’snineteen,Susan’sfifteen,andJoanna’saboutfourteen–that’stheonethatgivesherselftogoodworksandhasahare-lip.”
“Poorthings!tobeleftaloneinthecoldworldso.”
“Well,theycouldbeworseoff.OldPeterhadfriends,andtheyain’tgoingtoletthemcometonoharm.
There’sHobson,theBabtis’preacher;andDeaconLotHovey,andBenRucker,andAbnerShackleford,andLeviBell,thelawyer;andDr.Robinson,andtheirwives,andthewidowBartley,and–well,there’salotofthem;butthesearetheonesthatPeterwasthickestwith,andusedtowriteaboutsometimes,whenhewrotehome;soHarvey‘llknowwheretolookforfriendswhenhegetshere.”
Well,theoldmanwentonaskingquestionstillhejustfairlyemptiedthatyoungfellow.
Blamedifhedidn’tinquireabouteverybodyandeverythinginthatblessedtown,andallabouttheWilkses;andaboutPeter’sbusiness–whichwasatanner;andaboutGeorge’s–whichwasacarpenter;andaboutHarvey’s–whichwasadissenteringminister;andsoon,andsoon.Thenhesays:
“Whatdidyouwanttowalkallthewayuptothesteamboatfor?”
“Becauseshe’sabigOrleansboat,andIwasafeardshemightn’tstopthere.Whenthey’redeeptheywon’tstopforahail.ACincinnatiboatwill,butthisisaSt.Louisone.”
“WasPeterWilkswelloff?”
“Oh,yes,prettywelloff.Hehadhousesandland,andit’sreckonedheleftthreeorfourthousandincashhidupsom’ers.”
“Whendidyousayhedied?”
“Ididn’tsay,butitwaslastnight.”
“Funeralto-morrow,likely?”
“Yes,‘boutthemiddleoftheday.”
“Well,it’sallterriblesad;butwe’veallgottogo,onetimeoranother.Sowhatwewanttodoistobeprepared;thenwe’reallright.”
“Yes,sir,it’sthebestway.Mausedtoalwayssaythat.”
Whenwestrucktheboatshewasaboutdoneloading,andprettysoonshegotoff.
Thekingneversaidnothingaboutgoingaboard,soIlostmyride,afterall.
Whentheboatwasgonethekingmademepaddleupanothermiletoalonesomeplace,andthenhegotashoreandsays:
“Nowhustleback,rightoff,andfetchthedukeuphere,andthenewcarpet-bags.
Andifhe’sgoneovertot’otherside,gooverthereandgithim.
Andtellhimtogithimselfupregardless.Shovealong,now.”
IseewhatHEwasupto;butIneversaidnothing,ofcourse.
WhenIgotbackwiththedukewehidthecanoe,andthentheysetdownonalog,andthekingtoldhimeverything,justliketheyoungfellowhadsaidit–everylastwordofit.
Andallthetimehewasa-doingithetriedtotalklikeanEnglishman;andhedoneitprettywell,too,foraslouch.
Ican’timitatehim,andsoIain’ta-goingtotryto;buthereallydoneitprettygood.Thenhesays:
“Howareyouonthedeefanddumb,Bilgewater?”
Thedukesaid,leavehimaloneforthat;saidhehadplayedadeefanddumbpersononthehistronicboards.Sothentheywaitedforasteamboat.
Aboutthemiddleoftheafternoonacoupleoflittleboatscomealong,buttheydidn’tcomefromhighenoughuptheriver;butatlasttherewasabigone,andtheyhailedher.
Shesentoutheryawl,andwewentaboard,andshewasfromCincinnati;andwhentheyfoundweonlywantedtogofourorfivemiletheywasboomingmad,andgaveusacussing,andsaidtheywouldn’tlandus.Butthekingwasca’m.Hesays:
“Ifgentlemenkinaffordtopayadollaramileapiecetobetookonandputoffinayawl,asteamboatkinaffordtocarry‘em,can’tit?”
Sotheysofteneddownandsaiditwasallright;andwhenwegottothevillagetheyyawledusashore.Abouttwodozenmenflockeddownwhentheyseetheyawla-coming,andwhenthekingsays:
“Kinanyofyougentlementellmewher’Mr.PeterWilkslives?”
theygiveaglanceatoneanother,andnoddedtheirheads,asmuchastosay,“Whatd’Itellyou?”
Thenoneofthemsays,kindofsoftandgentle:
“I’msorry.sir,butthebestwecandoistotellyouwhereheDIDliveyesterdayevening.”
Suddenaswinkingtheorneryoldcreturwentantosmash,andfellupagainsttheman,andputhischinonhisshoulder,andcrieddownhisback,andsays:
“Alas,alas,ourpoorbrother–gone,andwenevergottoseehim;oh,it’stoo,toohard!”
Thenheturnsaround,blubbering,andmakesalotofidioticsignstothedukeonhishands,andblamedifhedidn’tdropacarpet-bagandbustouta-crying.
Iftheywarn’tthebeatenestlot,themtwofrauds,thateverIstruck.
Well,themengatheredaroundandsympathizedwiththem,andsaidallsortsofkindthingstothem,andcarriedtheircarpet-bagsupthehillforthem,andletthemleanonthemandcry,andtoldthekingallabouthisbrother’slastmoments,andthekinghetolditalloveragainonhishandstotheduke,andbothofthemtookonaboutthatdeadtannerlikethey’dlostthetwelvedisciples.
Well,ifeverIstruckanythinglikeit,I’manigger.
Itwasenoughtomakeabodyashamedofthehumanrace.
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