The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain
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now_and_then-- maybe a dollar, once_a_month, say; any little thing like that_would help, oh, ever so_much .

by_the_time she reached Dawson's Landing, she was her old self again; her blues were gone, she was in high feather . she_would get along, surely; there were many kitchens where the servants would share their meals with her, and also steal sugar and apples and other dainties for her to carry home-- or give her a chance to pilfer them herself, which would answer just as_well . and there_was the church . she was a more rabid and devoted methodist than ever, and her piety was no sham, but was strong and sincere . yes, with plenty of creature comforts and her old place in_the amen corner in her possession again, she_would be perfectly happy and at peace thenceforward to_the end .

she went to judge Driscoll's kitchen first of all . she was received there in great form and with vast enthusiasm . her wonderful travels, and_the strange countries she had seen, and_the adventures she had had, made her a marvel and a heroine of romance . the Negros hung enchanted upon a great story of her experiences, interrupting her all along with eager questions, with laughter, exclamations of delight, and expressions of applause; and she was obliged to confess to herself that if there_was anything better in_this world than steamboating, it was_the glory to_be got by telling about_it . the audience loaded her stomach with their dinners, and then stole the pantry bare to load up her basket .

Tom was in St . Louis . the servants said he had spent the best part of_his time there during the previous two years .Roxy came every day, and had many talks about_the family and its affairs . once she asked why Tom was away so_much . the ostensible "Chambers" said:

"De fac' is, ole marster kin git along better when young marster's away den he kin when he's in de town; yes, en he love him better, too; so he_gives him fifty dollahs a month--"

" no, is dat so ? Chambers, you's a-jokin', ain't you ? "

"'Clah to goodness I ain't, Mammy; Marse Tom tole me so his own self . but nemmine, 'tain't enough ."

" my lan', what de reason 'tain't enough ? "

" well, I's gwine to_tell you, if_you gimme achanst, Mammy .De reason it ain't enough is 'ca'se Marse Tom gambles ."

Roxy threw up her hands in astonishment, and Chambers went on:

"Ole marster found it out, 'ca'se he had to_pay two hundred dollahs for Marse Tom's gamblin' debts, en dat's true, Mammy, jes as dead certain as_you's bawn ."

" two--hund'd dollahs ! why, what_is you talkin' ' bout ? two --hund'd--dollahs .Sakes alive, it's 'mos' enough to_buy atol' able good secondhand nigger wid .En you ain't lyin', honey ? you wouldn't lie to_you' old Mammy ? "

" it's god's own truth, jes as I tell you-- two hund'd dollahs-- I wisht I_may never stir outen my tracks if_it ain't so .En, oh, my lan', ole Marse was jes a-hoppin' ! he_was b'ilin' mad, I tell you ! he tuck 'n' dissenhurrit him ."

"Disen_whiched him ? "

"Dissenhurrit him ."

" what's dat ? what do_you_mean ? "

"Means he bu'sted de will ."

"Bu's--ted de will ! he wouldn't ever treat him so ! take it back, you mis' able imitation nigger dat I bore in sorrow en tribbilation ."

Roxy's pet castle-- an occasional dollar from Tom's pocket-- was tumbling to ruin before her eyes . she_could_not abide such a disaster as_that; she couldn't endure the thought of it . her remark amused Chambers .

"Yah-yah-yah ! Jes listen to dat ! if I's imitation, what_is you ? Bofe of us is imitation white_--dat's what we is--en POW'ful good imitation, too .Yah-yah-yah ! we don't ' mount to noth'n as imitation niggers_; en as for--"

"Shet up yo' foolin', 'fo' I knock you side de head, en tell me ' bout de will . tell me 'tain't bu'sted-- do, honey, en I'll never forgit you ."

" well, 'tain't_--'ca'se dey's a new one made, en Marse Tom's all right ag' in . but what_is you in sich a sweat ' bout it for, Mammy ? 'Tain't none o' your business I don't reckon ."

"'Tain't none o' my business ? whose business is_it den, I'd like to_know ? Wuz I his mother tell he_was fifteen years old, or wusn't I ? -- you answer me dat .En you speck I could_see him turned out po' and ornery on de worl' en never care noth'n' ' bout it ? I reckon if_you'd ever be'n a mother yo' self, valet de Chambers, you wouldn't talk sich foolishness as dat ."

" well, den, ole Marse forgive him en fixed up de will ag' in -- do dat satisfy you ? "

yes, she was satisfied now, and quite happy and sentimental over it . she kept coming daily, and at last she was told that Tom had come home . she began to tremble with emotion, and straightway sent to beg him to let his "po' ole nigger Mammy have jes one sight of him en die for joy ."

Tom was stretched at his lazy ease on a sofa when Chambers brought the petition . time had_not modified his ancient detestation of_the humble drudge and protector of_his boyhood; it_was still bitter and uncompromising . he sat up and bent a severe gaze upon_the face of_the young fellow whose name he_was unconsciously using and whose family rights he_was enjoying . he maintained the gaze until the victim of it had become satisfactorily pallid with terror, then he_said:

" what does the old rip want with me ? "

the petition was meekly repeated .

" who gave_you permission to_come and disturb me with_the social attentions of niggers ? "

Tom had risen . the other young man was trembling now, visibly . he_saw what_was coming, and bent his head sideways, and put up his left arm to shield it .Tom rained cuffs upon_the head and its shield, saying no word: the victim received each blow with abeseeching, " please, Marse Tom ! --oh, please, Marse Tom ! " Seven blows-- then Tom said, " face the door-- march ! " he followed behind with one, two, three solid kicks . the last one helped the pure- white slave over the door-sill, and he limped away mopping his eyes with_his old, ragged sleeve .Tom shouted after him, " send her in ! "

then he flung himself panting on_the sofa again, and rasped out the remark, " he arrived just at_the right moment; i_was full to_the brim with bitter thinkings, and nobody to_take it out of . how refreshing it_was ! I_feel better ."

Tom's mother entered now, closing the door behind her, and approached her son with all the wheedling and supplication servilities that fear and interest can impart to_the words and attitudes of_the born slave . she stopped a yard from her boy and made two_or_three admiring exclamations over his manly stature and general handsomeness, and Tom put an arm under his head and hoisted a leg over the sofa back in_order to look properly indifferent .

" my lan', how you is growed, honey ! 'Clah to goodness, I wouldn't a-knowed you, Marse Tom ! ' deed I wouldn't ! look at me good; does you ' member old Roxy ? Does you_know yo' old nigger mammy, honey ? well now, I kin lay down en die in peace, 'ca'se I'se seed--"

" cut it short, Goddamn it, cut it short ! what_is it you_want ? "

" you heah dat ? Jes the same old Marse Tom, al'ays so gay and funnin' wid de ole mammy .I'uz jes as shore--"

" cut it short, I tell you, and get along ! what do_you_want ? "

this_was a bitter disappointment .Roxy had for so_many days nourished and fondled and petted her notion that Tom would be_glad_to_see his old nurse, and would make her proud and happy to_the marrow with a cordial word or two, that_it took two rebuffs to_convince her that he_was not funning, and_that her beautiful dream was a fond and foolish variety, a shabby and pitiful mistake . she was hurt to_the heart, and so ashamed that for a moment she did_not quite know what to_do or how to act . then her breast began to heave, the tears came, and in her forlornness she was moved to_try that other dream of hers-- an appeal to her boy's charity; and so, upon_the impulse, and without reflection, she offered her supplication:

"Oh, Marse Tom, de po' ole mammy is in sich hard luck dese days; en she's kinder crippled in de arms and can't work, en if_you_could gimme adollah-- on'y jes one little dol--"

Tom was on_his feet so suddenly that_the supplicant was startled into a jump herself .

"A dollar ! -- give_you a dollar ! I've a notion to strangle you ! is_that your errand here ? clear out ! and be quick about_it ! "

Roxy backed slowly toward the door . when she was halfway she stopped, and said mournfully:

"Marse Tom, I nussed you when_you was a little baby, en I raised you all by_myself tell you was ' most a young man; en now you is young en rich, en I is po' en gitt'n ole, en I come heah b'leavin' dat you_would he'p de ole mammy ' long down de little road dat's lef' 'twix' her en de grave, en--"

Tom relished this tune less_than any that he preceded it, for_it began to wake up a sort of echo in_his conscience; so he interrupted and said with decision, though without asperity, that he_was not in a situation to help her, and wasn't going to_do_it .

"Ain't you ever gwine to he'p me, Marse Tom ? "

" no ! now go away and don't bother me any more ."

Roxy's head was down, in an attitude of humility . but now the fires of her old wrongs flamed up in her breast and began to burn fiercely . she raised her head slowly, till it_was well up, and at_the same time her great frame unconsciously assumed an erect and masterful attitude, with all the majesty and grace of her vanished youth in_it . she raised her finger and punctuated with it .

" you has said de word . you has had yo' chance, en you has trompled it under yo' foot . when_you git another one, you'll git down on yo' knees en beg for_it ! "

a cold chill went to Tom's heart, he didn't know why; for he_did_not reflect that such words, from such an incongruous source, and so solemnly delivered, could_not easily fail of_that effect . however, he_did the natural thing: he replied with bluster and mockery .

"_You'll give_me a chance--_you ! perhaps I'd better get down on my knees now ! but in_case I don't-- just for argument's sake-- what's going to happen, pray ? "

"Dis is what_is gwine to happen, I's gwine as straight to yo' uncle as I kin walk, en tell him every las' thing I knows ' bout you ."

Tom's cheek blenched, and she saw it .Disturbing thoughts began to chase each_other through his head ." how can she know ? and yet she must_have found out-- she looks it .I've had the will back only three months, and am already deep in debt again, and moving heaven and earth to save myself from exposure and destruction, with a reasonably fair show of getting the thing covered up if I'm let alone, and now this fiend has gone and found me out somehow or other .I wonder how_much she knows ? Oh, oh, oh, it's enough to break a body's heart ! but I've got to humor her-- there's no other way ."

then he worked up a rather sickly sample of a gay laugh and a hollow chipperness of manner, and said:

" well, well, Roxy dear, old friends like you and me mustn't quarrel . here's your dollar-- now tell me what you_know ."

he held out the wildcat bill; she stood as she was, and made no movement . it_was her turn to scorn persuasive foolery now, and she did_not waste it . she said, with a grim implacability in voice and manner which made Tom almost realize_that even a former slave can remember for ten minutes insults and injuries returned for compliments and flatteries received, and can also enjoy taking revenge for_them when_the opportunity offers:

" what does I_know ? I'll tell you what I knows, I knows enough to bu'st dat will to flinders--en more, mind you, more ! "

Tom was aghast .

" more ? " he_said, " what do_you call more ? where's there any room for more ? "

Roxy laughed amocking laugh, and said scoffingly, with a toss of her head, and her hands on her hips:

" yes ! --oh, I reckon ! co'se you'd like to_know--wid yo' po' little ole rag dollah . what you reckon I's gwine to_tell you for ? -- you ain't got no money .I's gwine to_tell yo' uncle--en I'll do_it dis minute, too-- he'll gimme FIVE dollahs for de news, en mighty glad, too ."

she swung herself around disdainfully, and started away .Tom was in a panic . he seized her skirts, and implored her to wait . she turned and said, loftily:

" look-a-heah, what 'uz it I tole you ? "

" you-- you--I don't remember anything . what_was it you told me ? "

"I tole you dat de next_time I give_you a chance you'd git down on yo' knees en beg for_it ."

Tom was stupefied for a moment . he_was panting with excitement . then he_said:

"Oh, Roxy, you wouldn't require your young master to_do such a horrible thing . you_can't mean it ."

"I'll let you_know mighty quick whether I means it or not ! you call me names, en as good as spit on me when I comes here, po' en ornery en 'umble, to praise you for bein' growed up so fine and handsome, en tell you how I used to nuss you en tend you en watch you when_you 'uz sick en hadn't no mother but me in de whole worl', en beg you to_give de po' ole nigger adollah for to_get her som'n' to eat, en you call me names--_names_, dad blame you ! Yassir, I gives you jes one chance mo', and dat's now_, en it las' on'y half a second-- you hear ? "

Tom slumped to_his knees and began to beg, saying:

" you_see I'm begging, and it's honest begging, too ! now tell me, Roxy, tell me ."

the heir of two centuries of unatoned insult and outrage looked down on him and seemed to drink in deep draughts of satisfaction . then she said:

" fine nice young white gen'l' man kneelin' down to anigger wench ! I's wanted to_see dat jes once befo' I's called . now, Gabr'el, blow de hawn, I's ready .. .Git up ! "

Tom did it . he_said, humbly:

" now, Roxy, don't punish me any more .I deserved what I've got, but be good and let me off with_that .Don't go to uncle . tell me-- I'll give_you the five dollars ."

" yes, I bet you_will; en you won't stop dah, nuther . but I ain't gwine to_tell you heah--"

" good gracious, no ! "

" is you ' feared o' de ha'nted house ? "

"N- no ."

" well, den, you come to de ha'nted house ' bout ten or 'leven tonight, en climb up de ladder, 'ca'se de sta'rsteps is broke down, en you'll find me .I's a-roostin' in de ha'nted house 'ca'se I_can't ' Ford to roos' nowher's else ." she started toward the door, but stopped and said, "Gimme de dollah bill ! " he_gave it to her . she examined it and said, "H'm-- like enough de bank's bu'sted ." she started again, but halted again ." has you got any whisky ? "

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