Tom was in St Louis The servants said he had spent the best part time there during the previous two years Roxy came every day, and had many talks family and its affairs Once she asked why Tom was away 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 him fifty dollahs 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 you, gimme chanst, 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 two hundred dollahs for Marse Tom's gamblin' debts, en dat's true, Mammy, jes as dead certain 's bawn "

"Two--hund'd dollahs ! Why, you talkin' 'bout ? Two --hund'd--dollahs Sakes alive, it's 'mos' enough tol'able good secondhand nigger wid En you ain't lyin', honey ? You wouldn't lie ' old Mammy ? "

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

"Disen_whiched him ? "

"Dissenhurrit him "

"What's dat ? What ? "

"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 abide such disaster ; she couldn't endure the thought of it Her remark amused Chambers

"Yah-yah-yah ! Jes listen to dat ! If I's imitation, 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 new one made, en Marse Tom's all right ag'in But you in sich sweat 'bout it for, Mammy ? 'Tain't none o' your business I don't reckon "

"'Tain't none o' my business ? Whose business den, I'd like ? Wuz I his mother tell fifteen years old, or wusn't I ? -- you answer me dat En you speck I him turned out po' and ornery on de worl' en never care noth'n' 'bout it ? I reckon 'd ever be'n 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 sofa when Chambers brought the petition Time modified his ancient detestation humble drudge and protector boyhood; still bitter and uncompromising He sat up and bent severe gaze face young fellow whose name unconsciously using and whose family rights enjoying He maintained the gaze until the victim of it had become satisfactorily pallid with terror, then :

"What does the old rip want with me ? "

The petition was meekly repeated

"Who permission and disturb me social attentions of niggers ? "

Tom had risen The other young man was trembling now, visibly coming, and bent his head sideways, and put up his left arm to shield it Tom rained cuffs head and its shield, saying no word: the victim received each blow with beseeching, "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 old, ragged sleeve Tom shouted after him, "Send her in ! "

Then he flung himself panting sofa again, and rasped out the remark, "He arrived just right moment; full brim with bitter thinkings, and nobody it out of How refreshing ! 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 words and attitudes born slave She stopped yard from her boy and made admiring exclamations over his manly stature and general handsomeness, and Tom put an arm under his head and hoisted leg over the sofa back 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 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 ! it ? "

"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 ? "

bitter disappointment Roxy had for days nourished and fondled and petted her notion that Tom would his old nurse, and would make her proud and happy marrow with cordial word or two, took two rebuffs her that not funning, her beautiful dream was fond and foolish variety, shabby and pitiful mistake She was hurt heart, and so ashamed that for moment she quite know what or how to act Then her breast began to heave, the tears came, and in her forlornness she was moved that other dream of hers-- an appeal to her boy's charity; and so, 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 gimme dollah--on'y jes one little dol--"

Tom was feet so suddenly supplicant was startled into jump herself

"A dollar ! -- dollar ! I've notion to strangle you ! your errand here ? Clear out ! And be quick ! "

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

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

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

"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 well up, and same time her great frame unconsciously assumed an erect and masterful attitude, with all the majesty and grace of her vanished youth 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 git another one, you'll git down on yo' knees en beg ! "

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

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

"Dis 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 through his head "How can she know ? And yet she 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 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 she knows ? Oh, oh, oh, it's enough to break body's heart ! But I've got to humor her--there's no other way "

Then he worked up rather sickly sample of gay laugh and 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 "

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

"What does ? 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 ? " , "What call more ? Where's there any room for more ? "

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

"Yes ! --oh, I reckon ! co'se you'd like --wid yo' po' little ole rag dollah What you reckon I's gwine you for ? -- you ain't got no money I's gwine yo' uncle--en I'll 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 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 it you told me ? "

"I tole you dat de I chance you'd git down on yo' knees en beg "

Tom was stupefied for moment panting with excitement Then :

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

"I'll let 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 'uz sick en hadn't no mother but me in de whole worl', en beg you de po' ole nigger dollah for 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 second--you hear ? "

Tom slumped knees and began to beg, saying:

" 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 nigger wench ! I's wanted dat jes once befo' I's called Now, Gabr'el, blow de hawn, I's ready . Git up ! "

Tom did it , humbly:

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

"Yes, I bet ; en you won't stop dah, nuther But I ain't gwine 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 't 'ford to roos' nowher's else " She started toward the door, but stopped and said, "Gimme de dollah bill ! " 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 ? "

"Yes, little "

"Fetch it ! "

He ran room overhead and brought down bottle two-thirds full She tilted it up and took drink Her eyes sparkled with satisfaction, and she tucked the bottle under her shawl, saying, "It's prime I'll take it along "

Tom humbly held the door for her, and she marched out as grim and erect as grenadier

CHAPTER 9

Tom Practices Sycophancy

Why that we rejoice at birth and grieve at funeral ? because the person involved

--Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar