the narrative of the life-第15部分

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come。　　I　disregarded　both　his　calls　and　his　threats；

and　made　my　way　to　the　woods　as　fast　as　my　feeble

state　would　allow；　and　thinking　I　might　be　over…

hauled　by　him　if　I　kept　the　road；　I　walked　through

the　woods；　keeping　far　enough　from　the　road　to

avoid　detection；　and　near　enough　to　prevent　losing

my　way。　　I　had　not　gone　far　before　my　little　strength

again　failed　me。　　I　could　go　no　farther。　　I　fell　down；

and　lay　for　a　considerable　time。　　The　blood　was　yet

oozing　from　the　wound　on　my　head。　　For　a　time　I

thought　I　should　bleed　to　death；　and　think　now　that

I　should　have　done　so；　but　that　the　blood　so　matted

my　hair　as　to　stop　the　wound。　　After　lying　there

about　three　quarters　of　an　hour；　I　nerved　myself

up　again；　and　started　on　my　way；　through　bogs　and

briers；　barefooted　and　bareheaded；　tearing　my　feet

sometimes　at　nearly　every　step；　and　after　a　journey

of　about　seven　miles；　occupying　some　five　hours　to

perform　it；　I　arrived　at　master's　store。　　I　then　pre…

sented　an　appearance　enough　to　affect　any　but　a

heart　of　iron。　　From　the　crown　of　my　head　to　my

feet；　I　was　covered　with　blood。　　My　hair　was　all

clotted　with　dust　and　blood；　my　shirt　was　stiff　with

blood。　　I　suppose　I　looked　like　a　man　who　had　es…

caped　a　den　of　wild　beasts；　and　barely　escaped　them。

In　this　state　I　appeared　before　my　master；　humbly

entreating　him　to　interpose　his　authority　for　my

protection。　　I　told　him　all　the　circumstances　as　well

as　I　could；　and　it　seemed；　as　I　spoke；　at　times　to

affect　him。　　He　would　then　walk　the　floor；　and　seek

to　justify　Covey　by　saying　he　expected　I　deserved

it。　　He　asked　me　what　I　wanted。　　I　told　him；　to　let

me　get　a　new　home；　that　as　sure　as　I　lived　with　Mr。

Covey　again；　I　should　live　with　but　to　die　with

him；　that　Covey　would　surely　kill　me；　he　was　in　a

fair　way　for　it。　　Master　Thomas　ridiculed　the　idea

that　there　was　any　danger　of　Mr。　Covey's　killing

me；　and　said　that　he　knew　Mr。　Covey；　that　he　was

a　good　man；　and　that　he　could　not　think　of　taking

me　from　him；　that；　should　he　do　so；　he　would　lose

the　whole　year's　wages；　that　I　belonged　to　Mr。　Covey

for　one　year；　and　that　I　must　go　back　to　him；　come

what　might；　and　that　I　must　not　trouble　him　with

any　more　stories；　or　that　he　would　himself　GET　HOLD

OF　ME。　　After　threatening　me　thus；　he　gave　me　a　very

large　dose　of　salts；　telling　me　that　I　might　remain

in　St。　Michael's　that　night；　（it　being　quite　late；）

but　that　I　must　be　off　back　to　Mr。　Covey's　early

in　the　morning；　and　that　if　I　did　not；　he　would

~get　hold　of　me；~　which　meant　that　he　would　whip

me。　　I　remained　all　night；　and；　according　to　his　or…

ders；　I　started　off　to　Covey's　in　the　morning；　（Sat…

urday　morning；）　wearied　in　body　and　broken　in

spirit。　　I　got　no　supper　that　night；　or　breakfast　that

morning。　　I　reached　Covey's　about　nine　o'clock；　and

just　as　I　was　getting　over　the　fence　that　divided

Mrs。　Kemp's　fields　from　ours；　out　ran　Covey　with

his　cowskin；　to　give　me　another　whipping。　　Before

he　could　reach　me；　I　succeeded　in　getting　to　the

cornfield；　and　as　the　corn　was　very　high；　it　afforded

me　the　means　of　hiding。　　He　seemed　very　angry；　and

searched　for　me　a　long　time。　　My　behavior　was　al…

together　unaccountable。　　He　finally　gave　up　the

chase；　thinking；　I　suppose；　that　I　must　come　home

for　something　to　eat；　he　would　give　himself　no　fur…

ther　trouble　in　looking　for　me。　　I　spent　that　day

mostly　in　the　woods；　having　the　alternative　before

me；to　go　home　and　be　whipped　to　death；　or　stay

in　the　woods　and　be　starved　to　death。　　That　night；

I　fell　in　with　Sandy　Jenkins；　a　slave　with　whom

I　was　somewhat　acquainted。　　Sandy　had　a　free　wife

who　lived　about　four　miles　from　Mr。　Covey's；　and

it　being　Saturday；　he　was　on　his　way　to　see　her。　　I

told　him　my　circumstances；　and　he　very　kindly　in…

vited　me　to　go　home　with　him。　　I　went　home　with

him；　and　talked　this　whole　matter　over；　and　got　his

advice　as　to　what　course　it　was　best　for　me　to　pursue。

I　found　Sandy　an　old　adviser。　　He　told　me；　with

great　solemnity；　I　must　go　back　to　Covey；　but　that

before　I　went；　I　must　go　with　him　into　another

part　of　the　woods；　where　there　was　a　certain　~root；~

which；　if　I　would　take　some　of　it　with　me；　carrying

it　~always　on　my　right　side；~　would　render　it　impos…

sible　for　Mr。　Covey；　or　any　other　white　man；　to

whip　me。　　He　said　he　had　carried　it　for　years；　and

since　he　had　done　so；　he　had　never　received　a　blow；

and　never　expected　to　while　he　carried　it。　　I　at　first

rejected　the　idea；　that　the　simple　carrying　of　a　root

in　my　pocket　would　have　any　such　effect　as　he　had

said；　and　was　not　disposed　to　take　it；　but　Sandy

impressed　the　necessity　with　much　earnestness；　tell…

ing　me　it　could　do　no　harm；　if　it　did　no　good。　　To

please　him；　I　at　length　took　the　root；　and；　ac…

cording　to　his　direction；　carried　it　upon　my　right

side。　　This　was　Sunday　morning。　　I　immediately

started　for　home；　and　upon　entering　the　yard　gate；

out　came　Mr。　Covey　on　his　way　to　meeting。　　He

spoke　to　me　very　kindly；　bade　me　drive　the　pigs

from　a　lot　near　by；　and　passed　on　towards　the

church。　　Now；　this　singular　conduct　of　Mr。　Covey

really　made　me　begin　to　think　that　there　was　some…

thing　in　the　ROOT　which　Sandy　had　given　me；　and

had　it　been　on　any　other　day　than　Sunday；　I　could

have　attributed　the　conduct　to　no　other　cause　than

the　influence　of　that　root；　and　as　it　was；　I　was　half

inclined　to　think　the　~root~　to　be　something　more

than　I　at　first　had　taken　it　to　be。　　All　went　well　till

Monday　morning。　　On　this　morning；　the　virtue　of

the　ROOT　was　fully　tested。　　Long　before　daylight；　I

was　called　to　go　and　rub；　curry；　and　feed；　the　horses。

I　obeyed；　and　was　glad　to　obey。　　But　whilst　thus

engaged；　whilst　in　the　act　of　throwing　down　some

blades　from　the　loft；　Mr。　Covey　entered　the　stable

with　a　long　rope；　and　just　as　I　was　half　out　of　the

loft；　he　caught　hold　of　my　legs；　and　was　about　tying

me。　　As　soon　as　I　found　what　he　was　up　to；　I　gave

a　sudden　spring；　and　as　I　did　so；　he　holding　to　my

legs；　I　was　brought　sprawling　on　the　stable　floor。

Mr。　Covey　seemed　now　to　think　he　had　me；　and

could　do　what　he　pleased；　but　at　this　moment

from　whence　came　the　spirit　I　don't　knowI　re…

solved　to　fight；　and；　suiting　my　action　to　the　reso…

lution；　I　seized　Covey　hard　by　the　throat；　and　as　I

did　so；　I　rose。　　He　held　on　to　me；　and　I　to　him。　　My

resistance　was　so　entirely　unexpected　that　Covey

seemed　taken　all　aback。　　He　trembled　like　a　leaf。

This　gave　me　assurance；　and　I　held　him　uneasy；

causing　the　blood　to　run　where　I　touched　him　with

the　ends　of　my　fingers。　　Mr。　Covey　soon　called　out

to　Hughes　for　help。　　Hughes　came；　and；　while　Covey

held　me；　attempted　to　tie　my　right　hand。　　While　he

was　in　the　act　of　doing　so；　I　watched　my　chance；

and　gave　him　a　heavy　kick　close　under　the　ribs。

This　kick　fairly　sickened　Hughes；　so　that　he　left

me　in　the　hands　of　Mr。　Covey。　　This　kick　had　the

effect　of　not　only　weakening　Hughes；　but　Covey　also。

When　he　saw　Hughes　bending　over　with　pain；　his

courage　quailed。　　He　asked　me　if　I　meant　to　persist

in　my　resistance。　　I　told　him　I　did；　come　what

might；　that　he　had　used　me　like　a　brute　for　six

months；　and　that　I　was　determined　to　be　used　so

no　longer。　　With　that；　he　strove　to　drag　me　to　a

stick　that　was　lying　just　out　of　the　stable　door。　　He

meant　to　knock　me　down。　　But　just　as　he　was　leaning

over　to　get　the　stick；　I　seized　him　with　both　hands

by　his　collar；　and　brought　him　by　a　sudden　snatch

to　the　ground。　　By　this　time；　Bill　came。　　Covey　called

upon　him　for　assistance。　　Bill　wanted　to　know　what

he　could　do。　　Covey　said；　〃Take　hold　of　him；　take

hold　of　him！〃　　Bill　said　his　master　hired　him　out　to

work；　and　not　to　help　to　whip　me；　so　he　left　Covey

and　myself　to　fight　our　own　battle　out。　　We　were

at　it　for　nearly　two　hours。　　Covey　at　length　let　me

go；　puffing　and　blowing　at　a　great　rate；　saying　that

if　I　had　not　resisted；　he　would　not　have　whipped

me　half　so　much。　　The　truth　was；　that　he　had　not

whipped　me　at　all。　　I　considered　him　as　getting　en…

tirely　the　worst　end　of　the　bargain；　for　he　had　drawn

no　blood　from　me；　but　I　had　from　him。　　The　whole

six　months　afterwards；　that　I　spent　with　Mr。　Covey；

he　never　laid　the　weight　of　his　finger　upon　me　in

anger。　　He　would　occasionally　say；　he　didn't　want

to　get　hold　of　me　again。　　〃No；〃　thought　I；　〃you

need　not；　for　you　will　come　off　worse　than　you　did

before。〃

　

　　This　battle　with　Mr。　Covey　was　the　turning…

point　in　my　career　as　a　slave。　　It　rekindled　the　few

expiring　embers　of　freedom；　and　revived　within　me

a　sense　of　my　own　manhood。　　It　recalled　the　de…

parted　self…confidence；　and　inspired　me　again　with

a　determination　to　be　free。　　The　gratification　af…

forded　by　the　triumph　was　a　full　compensation　for

whatever　else　might　follow；　even　death　itself。　　He

only　can　understand　the　deep　satisfaction　which　I

experienced；　who　has　himself　repelled　by　force　the

bloody　arm　of　slavery。　　I　felt　as　I　never　felt　before。

It　was　a　glorious　resurrection；　from　the　tomb　of

slavery；　to　the　heaven　of　freedom。　　My　long…crushed

spirit　rose；　cowardice　departed；　bold　defiance　took

its　place；　and　I　now　resolved　that；　however　long　I

might　remain　a　slave　in　form；　the　day　had　passed

forever　when　I　could　be　a　slave　in　fact。　　I　did　not

hesitate　to　let　it　be　known　of　me；　that　the　white

man　who　expected　to　succeed　in　whipping；　must

also　succeed　in　killing　me。

　

　　From　this　time　I　was　never　again　what　might　be

called　fairly　whipped；　though　I　remained　a　slave

four　years　afterwards。　　I　had　several　fights；　but　was

never　whipped。

　

　　It　was　for　a　long　time　a　matter　of　surprise　to　me

why　Mr。　Covey　did　not　immediately　have　me　taken

by　the　constable　to　the　whipping…post；　and　there

regularly　whipped　for　the　crime　of　raising　my　hand

against　a　white　man　in　defence　of　myself。　　And　the

only　explanation　I　can　now　think　of　does　not