the narrative of the life-第11章

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a　slave　under　her　control　previously　to　myself；　and

prior　to　her　marriage　she　had　been　dependent　upon

her　own　industry　for　a　living。　　She　was　by　trade　a

weaver；　and　by　constant　application　to　her　business；

she　had　been　in　a　good　degree　preserved　from　the

blighting　and　dehumanizing　effects　of　slavery。　　I　was

utterly　astonished　at　her　goodness。　　I　scarcely　knew

how　to　behave　towards　her。　　She　was　entirely　unlike

any　other　white　woman　I　had　ever　seen。　　I　could　not

approach　her　as　I　was　accustomed　to　approach　other

white　ladies。　　My　early　instruction　was　all　out　of

place。　　The　crouching　servility；　usually　so　acceptable

a　quality　in　a　slave；　did　not　answer　when　manifested

toward　her。　　Her　favor　was　not　gained　by　it；　she

seemed　to　be　disturbed　by　it。　　She　did　not　deem　it

impudent　or　unmannerly　for　a　slave　to　look　her　in

the　face。　　The　meanest　slave　was　put　fully　at　ease

in　her　presence；　and　none　left　without　feeling　bet…

ter　for　having　seen　her。　　Her　face　was　made　of　heav…

enly　smiles；　and　her　voice　of　tranquil　music。

　

　　But；　alas！　this　kind　heart　had　but　a　short　time　to

remain　such。　　The　fatal　poison　of　irresponsible　power

was　already　in　her　hands；　and　soon　commenced　its

infernal　work。　　That　cheerful　eye；　under　the　influ…

ence　of　slavery；　soon　became　red　with　rage；　that

voice；　made　all　of　sweet　accord；　changed　to　one　of

harsh　and　horrid　discord；　and　that　angelic　face　gave

place　to　that　of　a　demon。

　

　　Very　soon　after　I　went　to　live　with　Mr。　and　Mrs。

Auld；　she　very　kindly　commenced　to　teach　me　the

A；　B；　C。　　After　I　had　learned　this；　she　assisted　me　in

learning　to　spell　words　of　three　or　four　letters。　　Just

at　this　point　of　my　progress；　Mr。　Auld　found　out

what　was　going　on；　and　at　once　forbade　Mrs。　Auld

to　instruct　me　further；　telling　her；　among　other

things；　that　it　was　unlawful；　as　well　as　unsafe；　to

teach　a　slave　to　read。　　To　use　his　own　words；　further；

he　said；　〃If　you　give　a　nigger　an　inch；　he　will　take

an　ell。　　A　nigger　should　know　nothing　but　to　obey

his　masterto　do　as　he　is　told　to　do。　　Learning　would

~spoil~　the　best　nigger　in　the　world。　　Now；〃　said　he；　〃if

you　teach　that　nigger　（speaking　of　myself）　how　to

read；　there　would　be　no　keeping　him。　　It　would　for…

ever　unfit　him　to　be　a　slave。　　He　would　at　once　be…

come　unmanageable；　and　of　no　value　to　his　master。

As　to　himself；　it　could　do　him　no　good；　but　a　great

deal　of　harm。　　It　would　make　him　discontented　and

unhappy。〃　　These　words　sank　deep　into　my　heart；

stirred　up　sentiments　within　that　lay　slumbering；

and　called　into　existence　an　entirely　new　train　of

thought。　　It　was　a　new　and　special　revelation；　ex…

plaining　dark　and　mysterious　things；　with　which　my

youthful　understanding　had　struggled；　but　struggled

in　vain。　　I　now　understood　what　had　been　to　me　a

most　perplexing　difficultyto　wit；　the　white　man's

power　to　enslave　the　black　man。　　It　was　a　grand

achievement；　and　I　prized　it　highly。　　From　that　mo…

ment；　I　understood　the　pathway　from　slavery　to　free…

dom。　　It　was　just　what　I　wanted；　and　I　got　it　at　a

time　when　I　the　least　expected　it。　　Whilst　I　was　sad…

dened　by　the　thought　of　losing　the　aid　of　my　kind

mistress；　I　was　gladdened　by　the　invaluable　instruc…

tion　which；　by　the　merest　accident；　I　had　gained

from　my　master。　　Though　conscious　of　the　difficulty

of　learning　without　a　teacher；　I　set　out　with　high

hope；　and　a　fixed　purpose；　at　whatever　cost　of　trou…

ble；　to　learn　how　to　read。　　The　very　decided　manner

with　which　he　spoke；　and　strove　to　impress　his　wife

with　the　evil　consequences　of　giving　me　instruction；

served　to　convince　me　that　he　was　deeply　sensible

of　the　truths　he　was　uttering。　　It　gave　me　the　best

assurance　that　I　might　rely　with　the　utmost　confi…

dence　on　the　results　which；　he　said；　would　flow　from

teaching　me　to　read。　　What　he　most　dreaded；　that

I　most　desired。　　What　he　most　loved；　that　I　most

hated。　　That　which　to　him　was　a　great　evil；　to　be

carefully　shunned；　was　to　me　a　great　good；　to　be

diligently　sought；　and　the　argument　which　he　so

warmly　urged；　against　my　learning　to　read；　only

served　to　inspire　me　with　a　desire　and　determina…

tion　to　learn。　　In　learning　to　read；　I　owe　almost　as

much　to　the　bitter　opposition　of　my　master；　as　to

the　kindly　aid　of　my　mistress。　　I　acknowledge　the

benefit　of　both。

　

　　I　had　resided　but　a　short　time　in　Baltimore　before

I　observed　a　marked　difference；　in　the　treatment　of

slaves；　from　that　which　I　had　witnessed　in　the　coun…

try。　　A　city　slave　is　almost　a　freeman；　compared　with

a　slave　on　the　plantation。　　He　is　much　better　fed　and

clothed；　and　enjoys　privileges　altogether　unknown

to　the　slave　on　the　plantation。　　There　is　a　vestige　of

decency；　a　sense　of　shame；　that　does　much　to　curb

and　check　those　outbreaks　of　atrocious　cruelty　so

commonly　enacted　upon　the　plantation。　　He　is　a　des…

perate　slaveholder；　who　will　shock　the　humanity　of

his　non…slaveholding　neighbors　with　the　cries　of　his

lacerated　slave。　　Few　are　willing　to　incur　the　odium

attaching　to　the　reputation　of　being　a　cruel　master；

and　above　all　things；　they　would　not　be　known　as

not　giving　a　slave　enough　to　eat。　　Every　city　slave…

holder　is　anxious　to　have　it　known　of　him；　that　he

feeds　his　slaves　well；　and　it　is　due　to　them　to　say；

that　most　of　them　do　give　their　slaves　enough　to　eat。

There　are；　however；　some　painful　exceptions　to　this

rule。　　Directly　opposite　to　us；　on　Philpot　Street；　lived

Mr。　Thomas　Hamilton。　　He　owned　two　slaves。　　Their

names　were　Henrietta　and　Mary。　　Henrietta　was

about　twenty…two　years　of　age；　Mary　was　about　four…

teen；　and　of　all　the　mangled　and　emaciated　creatures

I　ever　looked　upon；　these　two　were　the　most　so。　　His

heart　must　be　harder　than　stone；　that　could　look

upon　these　unmoved。　　The　head；　neck；　and　shoulders

of　Mary　were　literally　cut　to　pieces。　　I　have　fre…

quently　felt　her　head；　and　found　it　nearly　covered

with　festering　sores；　caused　by　the　lash　of　her　cruel

mistress。　　I　do　not　know　that　her　master　ever　whipped

her；　but　I　have　been　an　eye…witness　to　the　cruelty　of

Mrs。　Hamilton。　　I　used　to　be　in　Mr。　Hamilton's　house

nearly　every　day。　　Mrs。　Hamilton　used　to　sit　in　a　large

chair　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　with　a　heavy　cow…

skin　always　by　her　side；　and　scarce　an　hour　passed

during　the　day　but　was　marked　by　the　blood　of　one

of　these　slaves。　　The　girls　seldom　passed　her　without

her　saying；　〃Move　faster；　you　~black　gip！~〃　at　the　same

time　giving　them　a　blow　with　the　cowskin　over　the

head　or　shoulders；　often　drawing　the　blood。　　She

would　then　say；　〃Take　that；　you　~black　gip！~〃　con…

tinuing；　〃If　you　don't　move　faster；　I'll　move　you！〃

Added　to　the　cruel　lashings　to　which　these　slaves

were　subjected；　they　were　kept　nearly　half…starved。

They　seldom　knew　what　it　was　to　eat　a　full　meal。

I　have　seen　Mary　contending　with　the　pigs　for　the

offal　thrown　into　the　street。　　So　much　was　Mary

kicked　and　cut　to　pieces；　that　she　was　oftener　called

〃~pecked~〃　than　by　her　name。

　

　

　

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　VII

　

　

　　I　lived　in　Master　Hugh's　family　about　seven　years。

During　this　time；　I　succeeded　in　learning　to　read　and

write。　　In　accomplishing　this；　I　was　compelled　to　re…

sort　to　various　stratagems。　　I　had　no　regular　teacher。

My　mistress；　who　had　kindly　commenced　to　instruct

me；　had；　in　compliance　with　the　advice　and　direc…

tion　of　her　husband；　not　only　ceased　to　instruct；　but

had　set　her　face　against　my　being　instructed　by　any

one　else。　　It　is　due；　however；　to　my　mistress　to　say

of　her；　that　she　did　not　adopt　this　course　of　treat…

ment　immediately。　　She　at　first　lacked　the　depravity

indispensable　to　shutting　me　up　in　mental　darkness。

It　was　at　least　necessary　for　her　to　have　some　training

in　the　exercise　of　irresponsible　power；　to　make　her

equal　to　the　task　of　treating　me　as　though　I　were

a　brute。

　

　　My　mistress　was；　as　I　have　said；　a　kind　and　tender…

hearted　woman；　and　in　the　simpli