As our good lady moves quickly away toward the city, the Elder looks
up, imploringly, as if invoking the praise of heaven on his good
deeds. He is, indeed, astonished, that his dear friend, the lady,
should have made such a declaration so closely applied, so
insinuating. That such should have escaped her lips when she must
know that his very soul and intention are purity! "I never felt like
making a wish before now; and now I wishes I was, or that my father
had made me, a lawyer. I would defend my position in a legal sense
then! I don't like lawyers generally, I confess; the profession's
not as honourable as ours, and its members are a set of sharpers,
who would upset gospel and everything else for a small fee, they
would!" He concludes, as his eyes regrettingly wander after the
carriage. The words have moved him; there is something he wishes to
say, but can't just get the point he would arrive at. He turns away,
sad at heart, to his sadder scenes. "I know that my Redeemer
liveth," he sings.
In the city a different piece is in progress of performance. Papers,
and all necessary preparations for procuring the smooth transfer of
the youthful property, are completed; customers have begun to gather
round the mart. Some are searching among the negroes sent to the
warehouse; others are inquiring where this property, advertised in
the morning journals, and so strongly commented upon, may be found.
They have been incited to examine, in consequence of the many
attractions set forth in the conditions of sale.
There the two children sit, on a little seat near the vender's
tribune. Old Aunt Dina, at the prison, has dressed Annette so
neatly! Her white pinafore shines so brightly, is so neatly
arranged, and her silky auburn locks curl so prettily, in tiny
ringlets, over her shoulders; and then her round fair face looks so
sweetly, glows with such innocent curiosity, as her soft blue eyes,
deep with sparkling vivacity, wander over the strange scene. She
instinctively feels that she is the special object of some important
event. Laying her little hand gently upon the arm of an old slave
that sits by her side, she casts shy glances at those admirers who
stand round her and view her as a marketable article only.
"Auntie, where are they going to take me?" the child inquires, with
a solicitous look, as she straightens the folds of her dress with
her little hands.
"Gwine t' sell 'um," mumbles the old slave. "Lor', child, a'h wishes
ye wa'h mine; reckon da'h wouldn't sell ye. T'ant much to sell
nigger like I, nohow; but e' hurt my feelins just so 'twarnt right
t' sell de likes o' ye." The old slave, in return, lays her hand
upon Annette's head, and smooths her hair, as if solicitous of her
fate. "Sell ye, child-sell ye?" she concludes, shaking her head.
"And what will they do with me and Nicholas when they get us sold?"
continues the child, turning to Nicholas and taking him by the arm.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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