"Now, I tell ye what," she said to Digo,--"jest 'cause you wear your master's old coats and hats, you tink you must go in for all dese yer old, mean, white 'pinions. A'n't ye 'shamed--you, a black man--to have no more pluck and make cause wid de Egyptians? Now, 'ta'n't what my Doctor gives me,--he never giv' me the snip of a finger-nail,--but it's what he does for _mine;_ and when de poor critturs lands dar, tumbled out like bales on de wharves, ha'n't dey seen his great cocked hat, like a lighthouse, and his big eyes lookin' sort o' pitiful at 'em, as ef he felt o' one blood wid 'em? Why, de very looks of de man is worth everyting; and who ever thought o' doin' anyting for deir souls, or cared ef dey had souls, till he begun it?" "Well, at any rate," said Digo, brightening up, "I don't believe his doctrine about de doings of de unregenerate,--it's quite clear he's wrong dar." "Who cares?" said Candace,--"generate or unregenerate, it's all one to me. I believe a man dat _acts_ as he does. Him as stands up for de poor,--him as pleads for de weak,--he's my man. I'll believe straight through anyting he's a mind to put at me." At this juncture, Mary's fair face appearing at the door put a stop to the discussion. "Bress _you_, Miss Mary! comin' here like a fresh June rose! it makes a body's eyes dance in deir head! Come right in! I got Cato up from de lot, 'cause he's rader poorly dis mornin'; his cough makes me a sight o' concern; he's allers a-pullin' off his jacket de wrong time, or doin' sometin' I tell him not to,--and it just keeps him hack, hack, hackin', all de time." During this speech, Cato stood meekly bowing, feeling that he was being apologized for in the best possible manner; for long years of instruction had fixed the idea in his mind, that he was an ignorant sinner, who had not the smallest notion how to conduct himself in this world, and that, if it were not for his wife's distinguishing grace, he would long since have been in the shades of oblivion. "Missis is spinnin' up in de north chamber," said Candace; "but I'll run up and fetch her down." Candace, who was about the size of a puncheon, was fond of this familiar manner of representing her mode of ascending the stairs; but Mary, suppressing a smile, said, "Oh, no, Candace! don't for the world disturb her. I know just where she is." And before Candace could stop her, Mary's light foot was on the top step of the staircase that led up from the kitchen.