Chapter 10 - Page 2

yourself, that he can feel shame; it's the only virtue he's got.
It's wonderful how they find out everything that's going on - the
animals. They - "

"Do you really believe they do, Dorcas?"

"I don't only just believe it, Marse Tom, I know it. Day before
yesterday they knew something was going to happen. They were that
excited, and whispering around together; why, anybody could see
that they - But my! I must get back to her, and I haven't got to
my errand yet."

"What is it, Dorcas?"

"Well, it's two or three things. One is, the doctor don't salute
when he comes . . . Now, Marse Tom, it ain't anything to laugh at,
and so - "

"Well, then, forgive me; I didn't mean to laugh - I got caught
unprepared."

"You see, she don't want to hurt the doctor's feelings, so she
don't say anything to him about it; but she is always polite,
herself, and it hurts that kind for people to be rude to them."

"I'll have that doctor hanged."

"Marse Tom, she don't WANT him hanged. She - "

"Well, then, I'll have him boiled in oil."

"But she don't WANT him boiled. I - "

"Oh, very well, very well, I only want to please her; I'll have him
skinned."

"Why, SHE don't want him skinned; it would break her heart. Now -
"

"Woman, this is perfectly unreasonable. What in the nation DOES
she want?"

"Marse Tom, if you would only be a little patient, and not fly off
the handle at the least little thing. Why, she only wants you to
speak to him."

"Speak to him! Well, upon my word! All this unseemly rage and row
about such a - a - Dorcas, I never saw you carry on like this
before. You have alarmed the sentry; he thinks I am being
assassinated; he thinks there's a mutiny, a revolt, an
insurrection; he - "

"Marse Tom, you are just putting on; you know it perfectly well; I
don't know what makes you act like that - but you always did, even
when you was little, and you can't get over it, I reckon. Are you
over it now, Marse Tom?"

"Oh, well, yes; but it would try anybody to be doing the best he
could, offering every kindness he could think of, only to have it
rejected with contumely and . . . Oh, well, let it go; it's no
matter - I'll talk to the doctor. Is that satisfactory, or are you
going to break out again?"

"Yes, sir, it is; and it's only right to talk to him, too, because
it's just as she says; she's trying to keep up discipline in the
Rangers, and this insubordination of his is a bad example for them
- now ain't it so, Marse Tom?"

"Well, there IS reason in it, I can't deny it; so I will speak to
him, though at bottom I think hanging would be more lasting. What
is the rest of your errand, Dorcas?"