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But the action of the woman had been seen by the driver, across the field; and, flourishing his whip, he came up to her. What! what! he said to the woman, with an air of triumph, You a foolin? Go along! yer under me now,mind yourself, or yerll cotch it! A glance like sheet-lightning suddenly flashed from those black eyes; and, facing about, with quivering lip and dilated nostrils, she drew herself up, and fixed a glance, blazing with rage and scorn, on the driver. Dog! she said, touch me, if you dare! Ive power enough, yet, to have you torn by the dogs, burnt alive, cut to inches! Ive only to say the word! What de devil you here for, den? said the man, evidently cowed, and sullenly retreating a step or two. Didnt mean no harm, Misse Cassy! Keep your distance, then! said the woman. And, in truth, the man seemed greatly inclined to attend to something at the other end of the field, and started off in quick time. The woman suddenly turned to her work, and labored with a despatch that was perfectly astonishing to Tom. She seemed to work by magic. Before the day was through, her basket was filled, crowded down, and piled, and she had several times put largely into Toms. Long after dusk, the whole weary train, with their baskets on their heads, defiled up to the building appropriated to the storing and weighing the cotton. Legree was there, busily conversing with the two drivers. Dat ar Toms gwine to make a powerful deal o trouble; kept a puttin into Lucys basket.One o these yer dat will get all der niggers to feelin bused, if Masir dont watch him! said Sambo. Hey-dey! The black cuss! said Legree. Hell have to get a breakin in, wont he, boys? Both negroes grinned a horrid grin, at this intimation. Ay, ay! Let Masr Legree alone, for breakin in! De debil heself couldnt beat Masr at dat! said Quimbo. Wal, boys, the best way is to give him the flogging to do, till he gets over his notions. Break him in! Lord, Masrll have hard work to get dat out o him! Itll have to come out of him, though! said Legree, as he rolled his tobacco in his mouth. Now, dars Lucy,de aggravatinest, ugliest wench on de place! pursued Sambo. Take care, Sam; I shall begin to think whats the reason for your spite agin Lucy. Well, Masr knows she sot herself up agin Masr, and wouldnt have me, when he telled her to. Id a flogged her into t, said Legree, spitting, only theres such a press o work, it dont seem wuth a while to upset her jist now. Shes slender; but these yer slender gals will bear half killin to get their own way! Wal, Lucy was real aggravatin and lazy, sulkin round; wouldnt do nothin,and Tom he tuck up for her. He did, eh! Wal, then, Tom shall have the pleasure of flogging her. Itll be a good practice for him, and he wont put it on to the gal like you devils, neither. Ho, ho! haw! haw! haw! laughed both the sooty wretches; and the diabolical sounds seemed, in truth, a not unapt expression of the fiendish character which Legree gave them. |
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