Legree kicked the boy, and swore at him; but George, without saying another word, turned and strode to the spot
Tom had been lying two days since the fatal night, not suffering, for every nerve of suffering was blunted and destroyedHe lay, for the most part, in a quiet stupor; for the laws of a powerful and well-knit frame would not at once release the imprisoned spiritBy stealth, there had been there, in the darkness of the night, poor desolated creatures, who stole from their scanty hours? rest, that they might repay to him some of those ministrations of love in which he had always been so abundantTruly, those poor disciples had little to give,?only the cup of cold water; but it was given with full hearts
Tears had fallen on that honest, insensible face,?tears of late repentance in the poor, ignorant heathen, whom his dying love and patience had awakened to repentance, and bitter prayers, breathed over him to a late-found Saviour, of whom they scarce knew more than the name, but whom the yearning ignorant heart of man never implores in vain
Cassy, who had glided out of her place of concealment, and, by overhearing, learned the sacrifice that had been made for her and Emmeline, had been there, the night before, defying the danger of detection; and, moved by the last few words which the affectionate soul had yet strength to breathe, the long winter of despair, the ice of years, had given way, and the dark, despairing woman had wept and prayed
When George entered the shed, he felt his head giddy and his heart sick
?Is it possible,,?is it possible?? said he, kneeling down by him?Uncle Tom, my poor, poor old friend!?
Something in the voice penetrated to the ear of the dyingHe moved his head gently, smiled, and said,
?Jesus can make a dying-bed
Feel soft as down pillows are
Tears which did honor to his manly heart fell from the young man?s eyes, as he bent over his poor friend
?O, dear Uncle Tom! do wake,?do speak once more! Look up! Here?s Mas?r George,?your own little Mas?r GeorgeDon?t you know me??
?Mas?r George!? said Tom, opening his eyes, and speaking in a feeble voice; ?Mas?r George!? He looked bewildered
Slowly the idea seemed to fill his soul; and the vacant eye became fixed and brightened, the whole face lighted up, the hard hands clasped, and tears ran down the cheeks
?Bless the Lord! it is,?it is,?it?s all I wanted! They haven?t forgot meIt warms my soul; it does my heart good! Now I shall die content! Bless the Lord, on my soul!?
?You shan?t die! you mustn?t die, nor think of it! I?ve come to buy you, and take you home,? said George, with impetuous vehemence
?O, Mas?r George, ye?re too lateThe Lord?s bought me, and is going to take me home,?and I long to goHeaven is better than Kintuck
?O, don?t die! It?ll kill me!?it?ll break my heart to think what you?ve suffered,?and lying in this old shed, here! Poor, poor fellow!?
?Don?t call me poor fellow!? said Tom, solemnly, ?I have been poor fellow; but that?s all past and gone, nowI?m right in the door, going into glory! O, Mas?r George! Heaven has come! I?ve got the victory!?the Lord Jesus has given it to me! Glory be to His name!?
George was awe-struck at the force, the vehemence, the power, with which these broken sentences were utteredHe sat gazing in silence
Tom grasped his hand, and continued,??Ye mustn?t, now, tell Chloe, poor soul! how ye found me;??t would be so drefful to herOnly tell her ye found me going into glory; and that I couldn?t stay for no oneAnd tell her the Lord?s stood by me everywhere and al?ays, and made everything light and easyAnd oh, the poor chil?en, and the baby;?my old heart?s been most broke for ?em, time and agin! Tell ?em all to follow me?follow me! Give my love to Mas?r, and dear good Missis, and everybody in the place! Ye don?t know! ?Pears like I loves ?em all! I loves every creature everywhar!?it?s nothing but love! O, Mas?r George! what a thing ?t is to be a Christian!?
At this moment, Legree sauntered up to the door of the shed, looked in, with a dogged air of affected carelessness, and turned away
?The old satan!? said George, in his indignation?It?s a comfort to think the devil will pay him for this, some of these days!?
?O, don?t!,?oh, ye mustn?t!? said Tom, grasping his hand; ?he?s a poor mis?able critter! it?s awful to think on ?t! Oh, if he only could repent, the Lord would forgive him now; but I?m ?feared he never will!?
?I hope he won?t!? said George; ?I never want to see him in heaven!?
?Hush, Mas?r George!?it worries me! Don?t feel so! He an?t done me no real harm,?only opened the gate of the kingdom for me; that?s all!?
At this moment, the sudden flush of strength which the joy of meeting his young master had infused into the dying man gave wayA sudden sinking fell upon him; he closed his eyes; and that mysterious and sublime change passed over his face, that told the approach of other worlds
He began to draw his breath with long, deep inspirations; and his broad chest rose and fell, heavilyThe expression of his face was that of a conqueror
?Who,?who,?who shall separate us from the love of Christ?? he said, in a voice that contended with mortal weakness; and, with a smile, he fell asleep
George sat fixed with solemn aweIt seemed to him that the place was holy; and, as he closed the lifeless eyes, and rose up from the dead, only one thought possessed him,?that expressed by his simple old friend,??What a thing it is to be a Christian!?
He turned: Legree was standing, sullenly, behind him
Something in that dying scene had checked the natural fierceness of youthful passionThe presence of the man was simply loathsome to George; and he felt only an impulse to get away from him, with as few words as possible
Fixing his keen dark eyes on Legree, he simply said, pointing to the dead, ?You have got all you ever can of himWhat shall I pay you for the body? I will take it away, and bury it decently
?I don?t sell dead niggers,? said Legree,
shop doggedly