第6章

"I know you are quite right, Jonas, in what you say.But there were always four hands in the stable in my father's time, and there always have been up to now; and though I know they have an easy time of it, I certainly should not like to send any of them out to the fields.As to Dan, we will think about it.When his father was about his age he used to lead my pony when I first took to riding, and when there is a vacancy Dan must come into the stable.Icould not think of sending him out as a field hand, in the first place for his father's sake, but still more for that of Vincent.Dan used to be told off to see that he did not get into mischief when he was a little boy, and he has run messages and been his special boy since he came back.Vincent wanted to have him as his regular house servant; but it would have broken old Sam's heart if, after being my father's boy and my husband's, another had taken his place as Vincent's."And so Dan had remained in the stable, but regarding Vincent as his special master, carrying notes for him to his friends, or doing any odd jobs he might require, and spending no small portion of his time in sleep.Thus he was an object of special dislike to the overseer; in the first place because he had not succeeded in having his way with regard to him, and in the second because he was a useless hand, and the overseer loved to get as much work as possible out of every one on the estate.The message had been a somewhat important one, as he wanted the slaves for some work that was urgently required; and he lost his temper, or he would not have done an act which would certainly bring him into collision with Vincent.

He was well aware that the lad did not really like him, and that his efforts to gain his good-will had failed, and he had foreseen that sooner or later there would be a struggle for power between them.

However, he relied upon his influence with Mrs.Wingfield, and upon the fact that she was the life-owner of the Orangery, and believed that he would be able to maintain his position even when Vincent came of age.Vincent on his side objected altogether to the overseer's treatment of the hands, of which he heard a good deal from Dan, and bad already remonstrated with his mother on the subject.He, however, gained nothing by this.Mrs.Wingfield had replied that he was too young to interfere in such matters, that his English ideas would not do in Virginia, and that naturally the slaves were set against the overseer; and that now Pearson had no longer a master to support him, he was obliged to be more severe than before to enforce obedience.At the same time it vexed her at heart that there should be any severity on the Orangery estate, where the best relations had always prevailed between the masters and slaves, and she had herself spoken to Jonas on the subject.

He had given her the same answer that she had given her son: "The slaves will work for a master, Mrs.Wingfield, in a way they will not for a stranger.They set themselves against me, and if I were not severe with them I should get no work at all cut of them.Of course, if you wish it, they can do as they like; but in that case they must have another overseer.I cannot see a fine estate going to ruin.I believe myself some of these Abolition fellows have been getting among them and doing them mischief, and that there is a bad spirit growing up among them.I can assure you that I am as lenient with them as is possible to be.But if they won't work Imust make them, so long as I stay here."And so the overseer had had his way.She knew that the man was a good servant, and that the estate was kept in excellent order.

After all, the seventies of which she had heard complaints were by no means excessive; and it was not to he expected that a Northern overseer could rule entirely by kindness, as the owner of an estate could do.A change would be most inconvenient to her, and she would have difficulty in suiting herself so well another time.

Besides, the man had been with her sixteen years, and was, as she believed, devoted to her interests.Therefore she turned a deaf ear to Vincent's remonstrances.

She had always been somewhat opposed to his being left in England at school, urging that he would learn ideas there that would clash with those of the people among whom his life was to be spent; and she still considered that her views had been justified by the result.

The overseer was the first to give his version of the story shout Dan's conduct; for on going to the house Vincent found his sisters, Rosa and Annie, in the garden, having just returned from a two days' visit to some friends in Richmond, and stayed chatting with them and listening to their news for an hour, and in the meantime Jonas had gone in and seen Mrs.Wingfield and told his story.

"I think, Mrs.Wingfield," he said when he had finished, "that it will be better for me to leave you.It is quite evident that I can have no authority over the hands if your son is to interfere when Iam about to punish a slave for an act of gross disobedience and neglect.I found that all the tobacco required turning, and now it will not be done this afternoon owing to my orders not being carried out, and the tobacco will not improbably be injured in quality.My position is difficult enough as it is; but if the slaves see that instead of being supported I am thwarted by your son, my authority is gone altogether.No overseer can carry on his work properly under such circumstances.""I will see to the matter, Jonas," Mrs.Wingfield said decidedly.