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Watch and Wait; The Young Fugitives

<hr />[Pg 62] <h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> <h2>A VISION OF THE PROMISED LAND.</h2> Dandy, lacerated and bleeding, but still insensible, was conveyed to his chamber in the mansion house, by some of the servants. His physician was an old slave, skilled in the treatment of cases of this kind. When the patient recovered from the swoon into which he had fallen, his back was carefully washed, and the usual remedies were applied. Though suffering terribly from the effects of his wounds, he did not permit a sigh nor a groan to escape him. The mangled flesh could be healed, but there was no balm at Redlawn that could restore his mangled spirit. Dandy felt that he had been crushed to earth. Slavery, which had before been endurable with patience and submission, was now intolerable. He had been scourged with the lash. [Pg 63]He had realized what it was to be a slave in the most bitter and terrible sense. "I will watch and wait," said he to himself, when the old slave had left him alone with his reflections, "but no longer with patience and submission. I will cease to be a slave, or I will die a freeman with the herons and the alligators in the swamp." The day wore slowly away, but it was filled up with earnest and energetic reflections,—in a word, with plans and suggestions of plans for escaping from the bondage whose fetters now galled him to the quick. And before the sun set upon the day of his greatest humiliation, he had matured a scheme by which he hoped and expected to win the priceless boon of freedom. It was a daring scheme, and its success must depend wholly upon the skill and energy with which its details were managed. When one resolves to do a thing, it is already half done; and Dandy, stretched upon his couch of pain, was inspired by the hope and comfort which his plan afforded him. It might be weeks or months before the favorable opportunity for [Pg 64]executing his purpose should arrive; but the time would come, sooner or later. "I will watch and wait," said he, while a smile of hope illuminated his pale face. Watch and wait had now a new significance, more vital than before; and he kept repeating the words, for they were an epitome of the whole duty of the future. While he was pondering his great purpose, he was surprised to receive a visit from Master Archy. The imperious young gentleman displayed a languid smile upon his face as he entered the chamber. It was intended as a token of conciliation. If his pride had permitted him to speak to the suffering bondman, he would have said, "Dandy, you see this smile upon my face. It is the olive-branch of peace. I freely forgive you for what you have done; and you see, by my coming, that I feel an interest in you. Not every young master would bestow a visit of sympathy upon his slave, after he had been whipped; so you see how condescending I am. We will be friends, as we were before. It is true you have been whipped; but you deserved [Pg 65]it, and I am willing to forgive you. It may have been my fault, but as you are a nigger, and in my power, it don't make much difference." This was what Master Archy's looks said, and the sufferer read them as well as though the words had been written upon his face. After Dandy came to his senses, his first thought was, that he would be revenged upon Archy for his mean and cowardly conduct; but the great scheme he had matured drove this purpose from his mind. Success required that he should conceal his feelings, or he might lose the confidence of his master, and thus be deprived of the opportunity for which he intended to watch and wait. "How do you feel, Dandy?" asked Archy, in tones of sympathy, as he placed himself by the bedside of his body-servant. "Not very well, Master Archy," replied Dandy. "My father carried it farther than I intended, Dandy. I tried to stop him before." "Thank you, Master Archy," answered the patient, meekly. "Though it was more than I meant you should [Pg 66]have, I hope you will remember it a long time," added Archy. "I shall, master." "My eye is not in very good condition," said he, wiping the injured organ with his handkerchief. "It was a hard blow you gave me." Dandy wished he would leave him, and he did not care to argue the matter with him, even if he had been privileged to do so. "It won't do to let your servant go too far," said Archy. "I am very sorry it happened," replied Dandy. "Well, I hope the lesson will last you as long as you live." "It will, Master Archy." The young tyrant, when he had fully satisfied himself that his minion was in a tractable state, took his leave, much to the satisfaction of the sufferer. The old negro who acted as his physician paid him another visit in the evening, and assured him that he would be well in a few days. He left him with the injunction to go to sleep, and forget all about it. [Pg 67]Dandy could not go to sleep, could not forget all about it. The wound in his soul was more painful than those upon his back, and hour after hour passed away, but his eyes were still set wide open. His great resolution filled the future with sublime visions, which he panted to realize. His path lay through trial and danger, was environed by death on every side; but paradise was at the end of it, and he was willing to encounter every hardship, and brave every danger, to win the glorious prize, or content to die if his struggles should be in vain. He was determined to leave Redlawn at the first favorable opportunity; and while he pictured a glowing future beyond the chilly damps of the swamp, and out of the reach of the rifle-ball and the bloodhound, there were still some ties which bound him to the home of his childhood. Home! No, it was only a mockery of that heaven upon earth! It had been the scene of his tribulation—that which riveted the bonds upon his limbs. But it was home so far as it was the abiding place of his friends,—not those who [Pg 68]scourged him, whose caprices had tormented him; not his young master, not his old master. That delightful poetry which paints a loving slave clinging fondly to the master that scourges him had never glowed in his imagination. Whatever of regard he had before cherished towards his master had been driven from his heart by the thongs of the slave whip. He had friends at Redlawn,—the gentle, meek, and patient Lily,—the wild, rollicking, mirthful Cyd. They were his friends, indeed, and the thought of leaving them at all was sad; the thought of leaving them in bondage, to be sold and scourged, was intolerable. While he was thinking of them he heard a slight rap at the door. "May I come in?" It was Lily, and the permission was promptly given. The clock in the great hall below had struck eleven, and the family had but just retired. She had been waiting all this time to pay a visit of sympathy to the sufferer. "How do you do, Dandy?" asked she, as she sat down in a chair at the head of the bed. [Pg 69]"I'm better, Lily." "I'm very glad. I wanted to come and see you very much, but I was afraid to do so. It was terrible, Dandy! To think that you should be whipped! I should as soon have thought of being whipped myself." "It is terrible, Lily." "What did you do, Dandy? It must have been some awful thing." The sufferer briefly related the particulars of the event at Green Point, which had procured him the whipping. Lily expressed her horror at the meanness of Master Archy, and poured out her sympathy in unmeasured fulness upon her friend. "But I shall not be here long, Lily," added Dandy, in a whisper. "Why, what do you mean?" asked she, amazed at the idea of resistance in any form. "Will you keep my secret, Lily?" "You know that I will, Dandy." "I mean to run away." "Run away!" gasped Lily. "I will not stay here another month if I can help it." [Pg 70]"But where will you go?" "I know where to go, and how to go; and, live or die, I shall make the attempt." "And you will be free?" "I will, or I will die. I will not be a slave!" said he, in an energetic whisper. "How grand it would be! I wish I could be free," sighed Lily. "I don't know what will become of me one of these days." "None of us can know." "If I were a man I should not fear so much. Master was offered two thousand dollars for me a year ago." "He will not sell you." "Whether he does or not, I shall be miserable as long as I live. I often wish I was dead." "Poor Lily!" sighed Dandy. "Can't I go with you," asked she, bending over him, and whispering the words into his ear. "You, Lily! I shall go to the swamps first. I may have to live with the alligators for months, perhaps for years." "I am not afraid of them. If you will let me, I will go with you," added she, eagerly. [Pg 71]"I shall have to meet hardships and dangers,—more than you could bear." "I'll bear every thing, Dandy. I will help you; I will die with you." "Poor girl!" "I would bear any thing. I would rather live with the alligators than with Miss Edith. You don't know how much I have to bear, Dandy." "The same that I have to bear from Master Archy. If I thought you could stand it, Lily, I should be glad to take you with me." "I can stand it," replied she, with enthusiasm. "You shall go, Lily." "Heaven bless you, Dandy!" "And I'm going to take Cyd with me, too, if he will go; but he don't know any thing about it yet." "When shall we start?" "I don't know; not till master goes a hunting again. I will tell you all about it in a few days." Lily was content to leave every thing with Dandy, in whom she had more confidence than in any other person, for he was her only real friend. With her [Pg 72]soul full of new emotions, she left the chamber of the sick boy just as the clock struck twelve. Dandy's great purpose now assumed a new significance; and as Lily was to share in the toils, privations, and dangers of the enterprise, a new responsibility was imposed upon him. It was two hours more before his exciting thoughts would permit him to sleep. His wounds had ceased to smart, and he had even forgotten his flogging in the glorious vision to which it had introduced him. And when he slept it was but to dream of the swamp and its perils, and of the promised land which his fancy pictured beyond it. <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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