按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
y from the rest of the collection。 The picture which they thus made spoke more than all the measurements and statistics which he now chattered out upon me； reading from his book as I contemplated the skulls。 There was a similarity of shape； a kinship there between the three； which stared you in the face； but in the contours of vaulted skull； the projecting jaws； and the great molar teethwhat was to be seen？ Why； in every respect that the African departed from the Caucasian； he departed in the direction of the ape！ Here was zoology mutely but eloquently telling us why there had blossomed no Confucius； no Moses； no Napoleon； upon that black stem； why no Iliad； no Parthenon； no Sistine Madonna； had ever risen from that tropic mud。
The collector touched my sleeve。 〃Have you now learned someding about skulls； my friend？ Will you invite those Boston philanthropists to stay home？ They will get better results in civilization by giving votes to monkeys than teaching Henry Wadsworth Longfellow to riggers。〃
Retaliation rose in me。 〃Haven't you learned to call them negroes？〃 I remarked。 But this was lost upon the Teuton。 I was tempted to tell him that I was no philanthropist； and no Bostonian； and that he need not shout so loud； but my more dignified instincts restrained me。 I withdrew my sleeve from his touch （it was this act of his； I think； that had most to do with my displeasure）； and merely bidding him observe that the enormous price of the kettle…supporter had been reduced for me by his exhibition to a bagatelle； I left the shop of the screaming anatomistor Afropath； or whatever it may seem most fitting that he should be called。
I bore the kettle…supporter with me； tied up objectionably in newspaper； and knotted with ungainly string； and it was this bundle which prevented my joining the girl behind the counter； and ending by a walk with a young lady the afternoon that had begun by a walk with two old ones。 I should have liked to make my confession to her。 She was evidently out for the sake of taking the air； and had with her no companion save the big curly white dog； confession would have been very agreeable； but I looked again at my ugly newspaper bundle； and turned in a direction that she was not herself pursuing。
Twice； as I went； I broke into laughter over my interview in the shop； which I fear has lost its comical quality in the relating。 To enter a door and come serenely in among dingy mahogany and glass objects； to bargain haughtily for a brass bauble with the shopkeeper； and to have a few exchanged remarks suddenly turn the whole place into a sort of bedlam with a gibbering scientist dashing skulls at me to prove his fixed idea； and myself quite furiousI laughed more than twice； but； by the time I had approached the neighborhood of the carpenter's shop； another side of it had brought reflection to my mind。 Here was a foreigner to whom slavery and the Lost Cause were nothing； whose whole association with the South had begun but five years ago； and the race question had brought his feelings to this pitch！ He had seen the Kings Port negro with the eyes of the flesh； and not with the eyes of theory； and as a result the reddest rag for him was pale beside a Boston philanthropist！
Nevertheless； I have said already that I am no lover of superlatives； and in doctrine especially is this true。 We need not expect a Confucius from the negro； nor yet a Chesterfield； but I am an enemy also of that blind and base hate against him； which conducts nowhere save to the de…civilizing of white and black alike。 Who brought him here？ Did he invite himself？ Then let us make the best of it and teach him； lead him； compel him to live self…respecting； not as statesman； poet； or financier； but by the honorable toil of his hand and sweat of his brow。 Because 〃the door of hope〃 was once opened too suddenly for him is no reason for slamming it now forever in his face。
Thus mentally I lectured back at the Teuton as I went through the streets of Kings Port； and after a while I turned a corner which took me abruptly； as with one magic step； out of the white man's world into the blackest Congo。 Even the well…inhabited quarter of Kings Port （and I had now come within this limited domain） holds narrow lanes and recesses which teem and swarm with negroes。 As cracks will run through fine porcelain； so do these black rifts of Africa lurk almost invisible among the gardens and the houses。 The picture that these places offered； tropic； squalid； and fecund； often caused me to walk through them and watch the basking population； the intricate； broken wooden galleries； the rickety outside stair cases； the red and yellow splashes of color on the clothes lines； the agglomerate rags that stuffed holes in decaying roofs or hung nakedly on human frames； the small； choked dwellings； bursting open at doors and windows with black； round…eyed babies as an overripe melon bursts with seeds； the children playing marbles in the court； the parents playing cards in the room； the grandparents smoking pipes on the porch； and the great…grandparents stairs gazing out at you like creatures from the Old Testament or the jungle。 From the jungle we had stolen them； North and South had stolen them together； long ago； to be slaves； not to be citizens； and now here they were； the fruits of our theft； and for some reason （possibly the Teuton was the reason） that passage from the Book c' Exodus came into my head： 〃For I the Lord thy God am a jealous God； visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children。〃
These thoughts were interrupted by sounds as of altercation。 I had nearly reached the end of the lane； where I should again emerge into the White man's world； and where I was now walking the lane spread into a broader space with ells and angles and rotting steps； and habitations mostly too ruinous to be inhabited。 It was from a sashless window in one of these that the angry voices came。 The first words which were distinct aroused my interest quite beyond the scale of an ordinary altercation：
〃Calls you'self a reconstuckted niggah？〃
This was said sharply and with prodigious scorn。 The answer which it brought was lengthy and of such a general sullen incoherence that I could make out only a frequent repetition of 〃custom house；〃 and that somebody was going to take care of somebody hereafter。
Into this the first voice broke with tones of highest contempt and rapidity：
〃President gwine to gib brekfus' an' dinnah an suppah to de likes ob you fo' de whole remaindah oh youh wuthless nat'ral life？ Get out ob my sight； you reconstuckted niggah。 I come out oh de St。 Michael。〃
There came through the window immediately upon this sounds of scuffling and of a fall； and then cries for help which took me running into the dilapidated building。 Daddy Ben lay on the floor； and a thick； young savage was kicking him。 In some remarkable way I thought of the solidity of their heads； and before the assailant even knew that he had a witness； I sped forward； aiming my kettle…supporter； and with its sharp brass edge I dealt him a crack over his shin with astonishing accuracy。 It was a dismal howl that he gave； and as he turned he got from me another crack upon the other shin。 I had no time to be alarmed at my deed； or I think that I should have been very much so； I am a man above all of peace； and physical encounters are peculiarly abhorrent to me； but； so far from assailing me； the thick； young savage； with the single muttered remark； 〃He hit me fuss；〃 got himself out of the house with the most agreeable rapidity。
Daddy Ben sat up； and his first inquiry greatly reassured me as to his state。 He stared at my paper bundle。 〃You done make him hollah wid dat； sah！〃
I showed him the kettle…supporter through a rent in its wrapping； and I assisted him to stand upright。 His injuries proved fortunately to be slight （although I may say here that the shock to his ancient body kept him away for a few days from the churchyard）； and when I began to talk to him about the incident； he seemed unwilling to say much in answer to my questions。 And when I offered to accompany him to where he lived； he declined altogether； assuring me that it was close； and that he could walk there as well as if nothing had happened to him； but upon my asking him if I was on the right way to the carpenter's shop； he looked at me curiously。
〃No use you gwine dab； sah。 Dat shop close up。 He not wukkin； dis week； and dat why fo' I jaw him jus' now when you come in an' stop him。 He de cahpentah； my gran'son； Cha's Coteswuth。〃
XII： From the Bedside
Next morning when I saw the weltering sky I resigned myself to a day of dullness； yet before its end I had caught a bright new glimpse of John Mayrant's abilities； and also had come； through tribulation； to a further understanding of the South； so that I do not； to…day； regret the tribulation。 As the rain disappointed me of two outdoor expeditions； to which I had been for some little while looking forward； I dedicated most of my long morning to a sadly neglected correspondence； and trusted that the expeditions； as soon as the next fine weather visited Kings Port； would still be in store for me。 Not only everybody in town here； but Aunt Carola； up in the North also； had assure