Great Britain -- Social conditions -- 19th century -- Fiction
And sure enough he had boiled down about forty pounds of beef and filled
a huge calabash with the extract, which he set by George's side.
“And why are you so fond of me, Jacky? It isn't on account of my saving
your life, for you had forgotten that. What makes you such a friend to
me?”
“I tell you. Often I go to tell you before, but many words dat a good
deal trouble. One--when you make thunder the bird always die. One--you
take a sheep so and hold him up high. Um never see one more white fellow
able do dat. One--you make a stone go and hit thing; other white fellow
never hit. One--little horse come to you; other white fellow go to
horse--horse run away. Little horse run to you, dat because you so good.
One--Carlo fond of you. All day now he come in and go out, and say so
(imitating a dog's whimper). He so uncomfortable because you lie down
so. One--when you speak to Jacky you not speak big like white fellow,
you speak small and like a fiddle--dat please Jacky's ear.
“One--when you look at Jacky always your face make like a hot day when
dere no rain--dat please Jacky's eye; and so when Jacky see you stand up
one day a good deal high and now lie down--dat makes him uncomfortable;
and when he see you red one day and white dis day--dat make him
uncomfortable a good deal; and when he see you so beautiful one day and
dis day so ugly--dat make him so uncomfortable, he afraid you go away
and speak no more good words to Jacky--and dat make Jacky feel a thing
inside here (touching his breast), no more can breathe--and want to do
like the gin, but don't know how. Oh, dear! don't know how!”
“Poor Jacky! I do wish I had been kinder to you than I have. Oh, I am
very short of wind, and my back is very bad!”
“When black fellow bad in um back he always die,” said Jacky very
gravely.
“Ay,” said George quietly. “Jacky, will you do one or two little things
for me now?”
“Yes, do um all.”
“Give me that little book that I may read it. Thank you. Jacky, this
is the book of my religion; and it was given to me by one I love better
than all the world. I have disobeyed her--I have thought too little of
what is in this book and too much of this world's gain. God forgive me!
and I think He will, because it was for Susan's sake I was so greedy of
gain.”
Jacky looked on awestruck as George read the book of his religion. “Open
the door, Jacky.”
Jacky opened the door; then coming to George's side, he said with an
anxious, inquiring look and trembling voice, “Are you going to leave me,
George?”
“Yes, Jacky, my boy,” said George, “I doubt I am going to leave you. So
now thank you and bless you for all kindness. Put your face close down
to mine-there--I don't care for your black skin--He who made mine made
yours; and I feel we are brothers, and you have been one to me. Good-by,
dear, and don't stay here. You can do nothing more for your poor friend
George.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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