Part 27 (2/2)
”A very good method for this country of the old French cavaliers,”
remarked Delaven, in a low tone, to the girl, ”but the lads and la.s.sies of Ireland have to my mind found a better.”
Evilena looked up inquiringly.
”Well, don't you mean to tell me what it is?” she asked, as he appeared to have dropped the subject. He laughed at the aggrieved tone she a.s.sumed.
”Whist! There are mystical rites due to the telling, and it goes for nothing when told in a crowd.”
”You have got clear away from Kenneth,” she reminded him, hastily.
”Did you mean that he was--well, in love with this magnificent Marquise?”
Low as she tried to speak, the words reached Loring, who listened, and Delaven, glancing across, perceived that he listened.
”In love with the Marquise? Bless your heart, we were all of course.”
”But my brother?” insisted Evilena.
”Well, now he might have been the one exception--in fact he always did get out of the merely social affairs when he could, over there.”
”Showed his good sense,” decided Loring, emphatically. ”I don't approve of young people running about Europe, learning their pernicious habits and customs; I've had my fill of foreign places and foreign people.”
Mrs. Nesbitt opened her lips with a shocked expression of protest, and as promptly closed them, realizing the uselessness of it. Evilena laughed outright and directed an eloquent glance towards the only foreigner.
”Me, is it?” he asked, doubtingly. ”Oh, don't you believe it. I've been here so long I'm near a Southerner myself.”
”How near?” she asked, teasingly.
”Well, I must acknowledge you hold me at arms length in spite of my allegiance,” he returned, and in the laugh of the others, Mr. Loring's tirade against foreigners was pa.s.sed over.
It was only a few hours since Pluto arrived with the letter from Mobile telling of the early arrival of Mrs. McVeigh and her guest.
Noting that the letter had been delayed and that the ladies might even now be in Savannah, Judge Clarkson proposed starting at once to meet them, but was persuaded to wait until morning.
Pluto was also told to wait over--an invitation gladly accepted, as visits to Loringwood were just now especially prized by the neighboring darkies, for the two runaways were yet subjects of gossip and speculation, and Uncle Nelse scattered opinions in the quarters on the absolute foolishness in taking such risks for freedom, and dire prophesies of the repentance to follow.
That his own personal feeling did not carry conviction to his listeners was evidenced by the sullen silence of many who did not think it wise to contradict him. Pluto was the only person to argue with him. But this proved to be the one subject on which Pluto could not be his natural good-natured self. His big black eyes held threatening gleams, rebellious blood throbbed through every vein of his dark body. He championed the cause of the runaways; he knew of none who had left a good master; old man Masterson was unreasonable as Matthew Loring; he did not blame them for leaving such men.
”I got good a mistress--good a master as is in all Carolina,” he stated, bluntly, ”but you think I stay here to work for any of them if it wan't for my boy?--my Rose's baby? No, I wouldn't! I'd go North, too! I'd never stop till I reached the men who fight against slave states. You all know what keeps me here. I'd never see my boy again. I done paid eighteen dollars towards Rose's freedom when she died. Then I ask Mr. Jean Larue if he wouldn't let that go on the baby. He said yes, right off, an' told me I could get him for hundred fifty dollars; _that_ why I work 'long like I do, an' let the other men fight fo'
freedom But I ain't contented so long as any man can sell me an' my child.”
None of the other blacks made any verbal comment on his feelings or opinions, but old Nelse easily saw that Pluto's ideas outweighed his own with them.
”I un'stan' you to say Mahs Jean Larue promise he keep yo' boy till such time as the money is raised?” he asked, cautiously.
”That's the way it was,” a.s.sented Pluto. ”I ain't been to see him--little Zekal--for nigh on two months now. I'm goen', sure, soon as Mrs. McVeigh come home an' get settled. It's quite a jaunt from our place to Mahs Larue's--thirty good mile.”
Aunt Chloe poured him out some more rye and corn-meal coffee and insisted on him having more sweet potato pie. She swept an admonis.h.i.+ng glance towards the others as she did so. ”I did heah some time ago one o' the Larue's gwine way down to the Mexico country,” she remarked, carelessly. ”I don't reckon though it is this special Larue. I mind they did have such a monstrous flock o' them Larue boys long time back; some got killed in this heah war what's maken' trouble all roun'. How much you got paid on yo' little boy, Pluto?”
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