Miles Wallingford | Page 5

and a ship. Neb own, himself, young Masser, he
doesn't even lib in cabin, where you lib, sah."
"All that is true, Dido; but there is a difference of another sort between
a ship and a house. The house-servant may be more liked and trusted
than the out-door servant; but we think, at sea, it is more honourable to
be a foremast-hand than to be in the cabin, unless as an officer. I was a
foremast Jack some time, myself; and Neb is only in such a berth as his
master once filled."
"Dat a great deal--quite won'erful, sah--berry great deal, and more dan
Chloe can say, or I can wish her to say. But, sah, dey say now Neb has
save 'e young masser's life, young masser must gib him free-paper; and
no gal of mine shall ebber be free nigger's wife. No, sah; 'scuse me
from dat disgrace, which too much for fait'ful ole servant to bear!"
"I am afraid, Dido, Neb is the same way of thinking. I offered him his
freedom, the other day, and he refused to receive it. Times are changing
in this country; and it will be thought, soon, it is more creditable for a
black to be free, than to be any man's slave. The law means to free all
hands of you, one of these days."
"Nebber tell me dat, Masser Mile--dat day nebber come for me or mine;

even ole Cupid know better dan dat. Now, sah, Misser Van Blarcum's
Brom want to have Chloe, dreadful; but I nebber consent to sich a
uner"--(Dido meant union)--"nebber. Our family, sah, altogedder too
good to marry in among the Van Blarcums. Nebber has been, and never
shall be uner atween 'em."
"I was not aware, Dido, that the Clawbonny slaves were so particular
about their connections."
"Won'erful particular, sah, and ebber hab been, and ebber will be. Don't
t'ink, Masser Mile, I marry ole Cupid, myself, if anoder prop'r
connection offer in 'e family; but I prefar him, to marry into any oder
family hereabout."
"Neb is Clawbonny, and my great friend; so I hope you will think better
of his suit. Some day Chloe may like to be free; and Neb will always
have it in his power to make his wife free, as well as himself."
"Sah, I t'ink, as you say, Masser Miles, sah--when I hab done t'inkin',
sah, hope young masser and young missus hear what ole cook got to
say, afore 'ey gives consent."
"Certainly; Chloe is your daughter, and she shall pay you all due
respect--for that, I will answer for my sister as well as for myself. We
will never encourage disrespect for parents."
Dido renewed and redoubled her thanks, made another profound
curtsey, and withdrew with a dignity that, I dare say, in Neb's and
Chloe's eyes, boded little good. As for myself, I now mused on the
character of the things of this world. Here were people of the very
humblest class known in a nation--nay, of a class sealed by nature itself,
and doomed to inferiority--just as tenacious of the very distinctions that
were making me so miserable, and against which certain persons, who
are wiser than the rest of the world, declaim without understanding
them, and even go so far, sometimes, as to deny their existence. My
cook reasoned, in her sphere, much as I knew that Rupert reasoned, as
the Drewetts reasoned, as the world reasoned, and, as I feared, even
Lucy reasoned in my own case! The return of Marble, who had left my

side as soon as Dido opened her budget, prevented my dwelling long
on this strange--I had almost said, uncouth--coincidence, and brought
my mind back to present things.
"As the old woman has spun her yarn, Miles," the mate resumed, "we
will go on with matters and things. I have been talking with the mother
of the youngster that fell overboard, and giving her some advice for the
benefit of her son in time to come; and what do you think she gives as
the reason for the silly thing he did?"
"It is quite out of my power to say--that he was a silly fellow naturally,
perhaps."
"Love. It seems the poor boy is in love with this sweet friend of yours,
Rupert's sister; and it was nothing more nor less than love which made
him undertake to play rope-dancer on our main-boom!"
"Did Mrs. Drewett tell you this, with her own mouth, Marble?"
"That did she, Captain Wallingford; for, while you were discussing Neb
and Chloe with old Dido, we, that is, the doctor, the mother and myself,
were discussing Andrew and Lucy between ourselves. The good old
lady gave me to understand it was a settled thing, and that she looked
on Miss Hardinge, already,