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ICREPTtotheirdoorsandlistened;theywassnoring.
SoItiptoedalong,andgotdownstairsallright.Therewarn’tasoundanywheres.
Ipeepedthroughacrackofthedining-roomdoor,andseethementhatwaswatchingthecorpseallsoundasleepontheirchairs.
Thedoorwasopenintotheparlor,wherethecorpsewaslaying,andtherewasacandleinbothrooms.
Ipassedalong,andtheparlordoorwasopen;butIseetherewarn’tnobodyintherebuttheremaindersofPeter;soIshovedonby;butthefrontdoorwaslocked,andthekeywasn’tthere.
JustthenIheardsomebodycomingdownthestairs,backbehindme.
Irunintheparlorandtookaswiftlookaround,andtheonlyplaceIseetohidethebagwasinthecoffin.
Thelidwasshovedalongaboutafoot,showingthedeadman’sfacedowninthere,withawetclothoverit,andhisshroudon.
Ituckedthemoneybaginunderthelid,justdownbeyondwherehishandswascrossed,whichmademecreep,theywassocold,andthenIrunbackacrosstheroomandinbehindthedoor.
ThepersoncomingwasMaryJane.Shewenttothecoffin,verysoft,andkneeleddownandlookedin;thensheputupherhandkerchief,andIseeshebeguntocry,thoughIcouldn’thearher,andherbackwastome.
Islidout,andasIpassedthedining-roomIthoughtI’dmakesurethemwatchershadn’tseenme;soIlookedthroughthecrack,andeverythingwasallright.Theyhadn’tstirred.
Islippeduptobed,feelingrutherblue,onaccountsofthethingplayingoutthatwayafterIhadtooksomuchtroubleandrunsomuchreskaboutit.
SaysI,ifitcouldstaywhereitis,allright;becausewhenwegetdowntheriverahundredmileortwoIcouldwritebacktoMaryJane,andshecoulddighimupagainandgetit;butthatain’tthethingthat’sgoingtohappen;thethingthat’sgoingtohappenis,themoney‘llbefoundwhentheycometoscrewonthelid.
Thentheking‘llgetitagain,andit‘llbealongdaybeforehegivesanybodyanotherchancetosmouchitfromhim.
OfcourseIWANTEDtoslidedownandgetitoutofthere,butIdasn’ttryit.
Everyminuteitwasgettingearliernow,andprettysoonsomeofthemwatcherswouldbegintostir,andImightgetcatched–catchedwithsixthousanddollarsinmyhandsthatnobodyhadn’thiredmetotakecareof.
Idon’twishtobemixedupinnosuchbusinessasthat,Isaystomyself.
WhenIgotdownstairsinthemorningtheparlorwasshutup,andthewatcherswasgone.
Therewarn’tnobodyaroundbutthefamilyandthewidowBartleyandourtribe.
Iwatchedtheirfacestoseeifanythinghadbeenhappening,butIcouldn’ttell.
Towardsthemiddleofthedaytheundertakercomewithhisman,andtheysetthecoffininthemiddleoftheroomonacoupleofchairs,andthensetallourchairsinrows,andborrowedmorefromtheneighborstillthehallandtheparlorandthedining-roomwasfull.
Iseethecoffinlidwasthewayitwasbefore,butIdasn’tgotolookinunderit,withfolksaround.
Thenthepeoplebeguntoflockin,andthebeatsandthegirlstookseatsinthefrontrowattheheadofthecoffin,andforahalfanhourthepeoplefiledaroundslow,insinglerank,andlookeddownatthedeadman’sfaceaminute,andsomedroppedinatear,anditwasallverystillandsolemn,onlythegirlsandthebeatsholdinghandkerchiefstotheireyesandkeepingtheirheadsbent,andsobbingalittle.
Therewarn’tnoothersoundbutthescrapingofthefeetonthefloorandblowingnoses–becausepeoplealwaysblowsthemmoreatafuneralthantheydoatotherplacesexceptchurch.
Whentheplacewaspackedfulltheundertakerheslidaroundinhisblackgloveswithhissoftysootheringways,puttingonthelasttouches,andgettingpeopleandthingsallship-shapeandcomfortable,andmakingnomoresoundthanacat.
Heneverspoke;hemovedpeoplearound,hesqueezedinlateones,heopeneduppassageways,anddoneitwithnods,andsignswithhishands.
Thenhetookhisplaceoveragainstthewall.
Hewasthesoftest,glidingest,stealthiestmanIeversee;andtherewarn’tnomoresmiletohimthanthereistoaham.
Theyhadborrowedamelodeum–asickone;andwheneverythingwasreadyayoungwomansetdownandworkedit,anditwasprettyskreekyandcolicky,andeverybodyjoinedinandsung,andPeterwastheonlyonethathadagoodthing,accordingtomynotion.
ThentheReverendHobsonopenedup,slowandsolemn,andbeguntotalk;andstraightoffthemostoutrageousrowbustedoutinthecellarabodyeverheard;itwasonlyonedog,buthemadeamostpowerfulracket,andhekeptituprightalong;theparsonhehadtostandthere,overthecoffin,andwait–youcouldn’thearyourselfthink.
Itwasrightdownawkward,andnobodydidn’tseemtoknowwhattodo.
Butprettysoontheyseethatlong-leggedundertakermakeasigntothepreacherasmuchastosay,“Don’tyouworry–justdependonme.”
Thenhestoopeddownandbeguntoglidealongthewall,justhisshouldersshowingoverthepeople’sheads.
Soheglidedalong,andthepowwowandracketgettingmoreandmoreoutrageousallthetime;andatlast,whenhehadgonearoundtwosidesoftheroom,hedisappearsdowncellar.
Theninabouttwosecondsweheardawhack,andthedoghefinishedupwithamostamazinghowlortwo,andtheneverythingwasdeadstill,andtheparsonbegunhissolemntalkwhereheleftoff.
Inaminuteortwoherecomesthisundertaker’sbackandshouldersglidingalongthewallagain;andsoheglidedandglidedaroundthreesidesoftheroom,andthenroseup,andshadedhismouthwithhishands,andstretchedhisneckouttowardsthepreacher,overthepeople’sheads,andsays,inakindofacoarsewhisper,“HEHADARAT!”
Thenhedroopeddownandglidedalongthewallagaintohisplace.
Youcouldseeitwasagreatsatisfactiontothepeople,becausenaturallytheywantedtoknow.
Alittlethinglikethatdon’tcostnothing,andit’sjustthelittlethingsthatmakesamantobelookeduptoandliked.
Therewarn’tnomorepopularmanintownthanwhatthatundertakerwas.
Well,thefuneralsermonwasverygood,butpisonlongandtiresome;andthenthekingheshovedinandgotoffsomeofhisusualrubbage,andatlastthejobwasthrough,andtheundertakerbeguntosneakuponthecoffinwithhisscrew-driver.
Iwasinasweatthen,andwatchedhimprettykeen.
Buthenevermeddledatall;justslidthelidalongassoftasmush,andscreweditdowntightandfast.SothereIwas!
Ididn’tknowwhetherthemoneywasinthereornot.
So,saysI,s’posesomebodyhashoggedthatbagonthesly?
–nowhowdoIknowwhethertowritetoMaryJaneornot?
S’poseshedughimupanddidn’tfindnothing,whatwouldshethinkofme?
Blameit,Isays,Imightgethuntedupandjailed;I’dbetterlaylowandkeepdark,andnotwriteatall;thething’sawfulmixednow;tryingtobetterit,I’veworseneditahundredtimes,andIwishtogoodnessI’djustletitalone,dadfetchthewholebusiness!
Theyburiedhim,andwecomebackhome,andIwenttowatchingfacesagain–Icouldn’thelpit,andIcouldn’tresteasy.Butnothingcomeofit;thefacesdidn’ttellmenothing.
Thekinghevisitedaroundintheevening,andsweetenedeverybodyup,andmadehimselfeversofriendly;andhegiveouttheideathathiscongregationoverinEnglandwouldbeinasweatabouthim,sohemusthurryandsettleuptheestaterightawayandleaveforhome.
Hewasverysorryhewassopushed,andsowaseverybody;theywishedhecouldstaylonger,buttheysaidtheycouldseeitcouldn’tbedone.
AndhesaidofcoursehimandWilliamwouldtakethegirlshomewiththem;andthatpleasedeverybodytoo,becausethenthegirlswouldbewellfixedandamongsttheirownrelations;anditpleasedthegirls,too–tickledthemsotheycleanforgottheyeverhadatroubleintheworld;andtoldhimtoselloutasquickashewantedto,theywouldbeready.
Thempoorthingswasthatgladandhappyitmademyheartachetoseethemgettingfooledandliedtoso,butIdidn’tseenosafewayformetochipinandchangethegeneraltune.
Well,blamedifthekingdidn’tbillthehouseandtheniggersandallthepropertyforauctionstraightoff–saletwodaysafterthefuneral;butanybodycouldbuyprivatebeforehandiftheywantedto.
Sothenextdayafterthefuneral,alongaboutnoontime,thegirls’joygotthefirstjolt.
Acoupleofniggertraderscomealong,andthekingsoldthemtheniggersreasonable,forthree-daydraftsastheycalledit,andawaytheywent,thetwosonsuptherivertoMemphis,andtheirmotherdowntherivertoOrleans.
Ithoughtthempoorgirlsandthemniggerswouldbreaktheirheartsforgrief;theycriedaroundeachother,andtookonsoitmostmademedownsicktoseeit.
Thegirlssaidtheyhadn’teverdreamedofseeingthefamilyseparatedorsoldawayfromthetown.
Ican’tevergetitoutofmymemory,thesightofthempoormiserablegirlsandniggershangingaroundeachother’snecksandcrying;andIreckonIcouldn’tastooditall,butwouldahadtobustoutandtellonourgangifIhadn’tknowedthesalewarn’tnoaccountandtheniggerswouldbebackhomeinaweekortwo.
Thethingmadeabigstirinthetown,too,andagoodmanycomeoutflatfootedandsaiditwasscandaloustoseparatethemotherandthechildrenthatway.
Itinjuredthefraudssome;buttheoldfoolhebulledrightalong,spiteofallthedukecouldsayordo,andItellyouthedukewaspowerfuluneasy.
Nextdaywasauctionday.Aboutbroaddayinthemorningthekingandthedukecomeupinthegarretandwokemeup,andIseebytheirlookthattherewastrouble.Thekingsays:
“Wasyouinmyroomnightbeforelast?”
“No,yourmajesty”–whichwasthewayIalwayscalledhimwhennobodybutourgangwarn’taround.
“Wasyouinthereyisterdayerlastnight?”
“No,yourmajesty.”
“Honorbright,now–nolies.”
“Honorbright,yourmajesty,I’mtellingyouthetruth.Ihain’tbeena-nearyourroomsinceMissMaryJanetookyouandthedukeandshowedittoyou.”
Thedukesays:
“Haveyouseenanybodyelsegointhere?”
“No,yourgrace,notasIremember,Ibelieve.”
“Stopandthink.”
Istudiedawhileandseemychance;thenIsays:
“Well,Iseetheniggersgointhereseveraltimes.”
Bothofthemgavealittlejump,andlookedliketheyhadn’teverexpectedit,andthenliketheyHAD.Thenthedukesays:
“What,allofthem?”
“No–leastways,notallatonce–thatis,Idon’tthinkIeverseethemallcomeOUTatoncebutjustonetime.”
“Hello!Whenwasthat?”
“Itwasthedaywehadthefuneral.Inthemorning.Itwarn’tearly,becauseIoverslept.Iwasjuststartingdowntheladder,andIseethem.”
“Well,goon,GOon!Whatdidtheydo?How’dtheyact?”
“Theydidn’tdonothing.Andtheydidn’tactanywaymuch,asfurasIsee.
Theytiptoedaway;soIseen,easyenough,thatthey’dshovedintheretodoupyourmajesty’sroom,orsomething,s’posingyouwasup;andfoundyouWARN’Tup,andsotheywashopingtoslideoutofthewayoftroublewithoutwakingyouup,iftheyhadn’talreadywakedyouup.”
“Greatguns,THISisago!”saystheking;andbothofthemlookedprettysickandtolerablesilly.
Theystoodtherea-thinkingandscratchingtheirheadsaminute,andthedukehebustintoakindofalittleraspychuckle,andsays:
“Itdoesbeatallhowneattheniggersplayedtheirhand.
TheyletontobeSORRYtheywasgoingoutofthisregion!
AndIbelievedtheyWASsorry,andsodidyou,andsodideverybody.
Don’tevertellMEanymorethataniggerain’tgotanyhistrionictalent.
Why,thewaytheyplayedthatthingitwouldfoolANYBODY.
Inmyopinion,there’safortunein‘em.
IfIhadcapitalandatheater,Iwouldn’twantabetterlay-outthanthat–andherewe’vegoneandsold‘emforasong.
Yes,andain’tprivilegedtosingthesongyet.Say,whereISthatsong–thatdraft?”
“Inthebankfortobecollected.WhereWOULDitbe?”
“Well,THAT’Sallrightthen,thankgoodness.”
SaysI,kindoftimid-like:
“Issomethinggonewrong?”
Thekingwhirlsonmeandripsout:
“Noneo’yourbusiness!Youkeepyourheadshet,andmindy’rownaffairs–ifyougotany.
Longasyou’reinthistowndon’tyouforgitTHAT–youhear?”
Thenhesaystotheduke,“Wegottojestswalleritandsaynoth’n’:mum’sthewordforUS.”
Astheywasstartingdowntheladderthedukehechucklesagain,andsays:
“QuicksalesANDsmallprofits!It’sagoodbusiness–yes.”
Thekingsnarlsaroundonhimandsays:
“Iwastryingtodoforthebestinsellin’‘emoutsoquick.Iftheprofitshasturnedouttobenone,lackin’considable,andnonetocarry,isitmyfaultanymore’nit’syourn?”
“Well,THEY’DbeinthishouseyetandweWOULDN’TifIcouldagotmyadvicelistenedto.”
Thekingsassedbackasmuchaswassafeforhim,andthenswappedaroundandlitintoMEagain.
HegivemedownthebanksfornotcomingandTELLINGhimIseetheniggerscomeoutofhisroomactingthatway–saidanyfoolwouldaKNOWEDsomethingwasup.
AndthenwaltzedinandcussedHIMSELFawhile,andsaiditallcomeofhimnotlayinglateandtakinghisnaturalrestthatmorning,andhe’dbeblamedifhe’deverdoitagain.
Sotheywentoffa-jawing;andIfeltdreadfulgladI’dworkeditalloffontotheniggers,andyethadn’tdonetheniggersnoharmbyit.
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