The Middy and the Moors: An Algerine Story

by R. M. Ballantyne

  CHAPTER NINE.

  HESTER INTRODUCED TO A NEW HOME AND NEW FRIENDS UNDER PECULIARCIRCUMSTANCES, AND A NEW NAME.

  Long before their flight was discovered Hester Sommers and Dinah hadpenetrated into a dense thicket, where the negress proceeded to producea wonderful metamorphosis.

  "Now, my dear," she said, hastily undoing a large bundle which shecarried, while Hester, panting and terrified, sat down on the grassbeside her, "don't you be frighted. I's your fri'nd. I's Dinah, desister ob Peter de Great, an' de fri'nd also ob Geo'ge. So you makeyour mind easy."

  "My mind is quite easy," said Hester; "and even if you were not Peter'ssister, I'd trust you, because of the tone of your kind voice. But whois Geo'ge?"

  Dinah opened her eyes very wide at this question, for Peter had alreadyenlightened her mind a little as to the middy's feelings towards Hester.

  "You not know Geo'ge?" she asked.

  "Never heard of him before, Dinah."

  "Geo'ge Foster?"

  "Oh, I understand! It was your way of pronouncing his name that puzzledme," returned the girl, with a faint smile. "I'm glad you are hisfriend, too, poor fellow!"

  "Well, you _is_ a babby!" exclaimed Dinah, who had been mixing up whatappeared to be black paint in a wooden bowl. "Now, look yar, don't yoube frighted. It's a matter ob life an' deaf, you know, but _I's_ yourfri'nd! Jest you do zackly what I tells you."

  "Yes, Dinah," said Hester, alarmed, notwithstanding, by the earnestnessand solemnity of her new friend, "what am I to do?"

  "You come yar, an' don't moob whateber I does to you. Dere, I's goin'to make you a nigger!"

  She applied a large brush to Hester's forehead, and drew it thence downher left cheek, under her chin, up the right cheek, and back to thestarting point, thus producing a black band or circle two inches broad.

  "Now shut your bootiful eyes," she said, and proceeded to fill up thecircle.

  In a quarter of an hour Hester was as black as the ace of spades--neck,hands, and arms, as well as face--her fair hair was effectually coveredand concealed by a cotton kerchief, and then her dress was changed forthe characteristic costume of negro women.

  "Now your own mudder wouldn't know you," said Dinah, stepping back tosurvey her work, and, strange to say, putting her black head quiteartistically a little on one side. "You's a'most as good-lookin' asmyself--if you was on'y a little fatter. Now, mind, you's a dumb gal!Can't speak a word. Don't forgit dat. An' your name's Geo'giana. Comealong."

  Leaving her fine clothes concealed in a deep hole, Hester followed hercompanion as fast as she could. On returning to the road Dinah took herfriend by the hand and helped her to run for a considerable distance.Then they walked, and then ran again, until poor Hester was almostexhausted.

  Resuming their walk after a short rest, they gained the main road andmet with several people, who paid no attention to them whatever, much toHester's relief, for she had made sure of being detected. At last theyreached the city gate, which was still open, as the sun had not yet set.Passing through unchallenged, Dinah at once dived into a maze of narrowstreets, and, for the first time since starting, felt comparativelysafe.

  Fortunately for the success of their enterprise, the negress costumefitted loosely, so that the elegance of Hester's form was not revealed,and her exhaustion helped to damage the grace of her carriage!

  "Now, dearie, you come in yar an' rest a bit," said Dinah, turning intoa dark cellar-like hole, from which issued both sounds and smells thatwere not agreeable. It was the abode of one of Dinah's friends--also anegress--who received her with effusive goodwill.

  Retiring to the coal-hole--or some such dark receptacle--Dinah held herfriend in conversation for about a quarter of an hour, during which timeseveral hearty Ethiopian chuckles were heard to burst forth. Then,returning to the cellar, Dinah introduced her friend to Hester as MissisLilly, and Hester to Missis Lilly as Miss Geo'giana.

  Wondering why her friend had selected for her the name--if sheremembered rightly--of one of Blue Beard's wives, Hester bowed, and wasabout to speak when Dinah put her flat nose close to hers and sternlysaid, "Dumb."

  "Moreober," she continued, "you mustn't bow like a lady, or you'll bediskivered 'mediately. You must bob. Sally!"

  This last word was shouted. The instant effect was the abrupt stoppageof one of the disagreeable sounds before referred to--a sound as ofpounding--and the appearance of a black girl who seemed to rise out of apit in the floor at the darkest end of the cellar.

  "Sally, show dis yar stoopid gal how to bob."

  The girl instantly broke off, so to speak, at the knees for a moment,and then came straight again.

  "Now, Geo'giana, you bob."

  Hester entered into the spirit of the thing and broke off admirably,whereat Dinah and Lilly threw back their heads and shook their sideswith laughter. Sally so far joined them as to show all her teeth andgums. Otherwise she was expressionless.

  "Now you come yar wid me into dis room," said Dinah, taking Hester'shand and heading her along a passage which was so profoundly dark thatthe very walls and floor were invisible. Turning suddenly to the left,Dinah advanced a few paces and stood still.

  "You stop where you is, Geo'giana, till I gits a light. Don't stir,"she said, and left her.

  A feeling of intense horror began to creep over the poor girl when shewas thus left alone in such a horrible place, and she began almost toregret that she had forsaken the comfortable home of the Moor, and toblame herself for ingratitude. In her agony she was about to call aloudto her negro friend not to forsake her, when the words, "Call upon Me inthe time of trouble," occurred to her, and, falling on her knees, shecast herself upon God.

  She was not kept waiting long. Only a minute or two had elapsed whenDinah returned with a candle and revealed the fact that they stood in asmall low-roofed room, the brick floor of which was partially coveredwith casks, packing-cases, and general lumber.

  "Dis am to be your room, Geo'giana," said her friend, holding the candleover her head and surveying the place with much satisfaction.

  Poor Hester shuddered.

  "It is an awful place," she said faintly.

  "Yes, it am a awrful good place," said Dinah, with satisfaction. "Noteasy to find you yar; an' if dey did git dis lengt' widout breakin' derelegs, dere's a nice leetil hole yar what you could git in an' larf toyouself."

  She led the poor girl to the other end of the room, where, in a recess,there was a boarded part of the wall. Removing one of the boards, shedisclosed an opening.

  "Das a small hole, Geo'giana, but it's big enough to hold _you_, an'when you's inside you've on'y got to pull de board into its place, andfix it--so."

  Setting down the candle, the woman stepped into the hole, and wentthrough the performance that would devolve upon Hester in case ofemergency.

  "But why leave me here at all?" pleaded Hester, when Dinah had exhaustedher eulogy of the hiding-place. "Why not take me to your own home?"

  "Cause it's not so safe as dis," answered Dinah. "P'r'aps in time youmay come dere--not now. Moreober, Missis Lilly is a fuss-rate creetur,most as good as myself, if her temper was a leetil more 'eavenly. Butshe's a winged serubim wid dem as don't rile 'er, an' she'll be awrfulgood to you for my sake an' Peter's. You see, we was all on us took bythe pints at de same time, and we're all Christ'ns but ob course wedon't say much about dat yar!"

  "And am I to be always dumb--never to speak at all?" asked Hester, in arather melancholy tone.

  "Oh! no--bress you! It's on'y when you're in de front or outside datyou's dumb. When you's back yar you may speak to Lilly an' Sally muchas you like, on'y not too loud; an' keep your eyes open, an' your earssharp always. If you don't it's lost you will be. Don't forgit Osman!"

  Hester shuddered again; said that she would _never_ forget Osman, andwould be as careful and attentive to orders as possible.

  "An' dey'll gib you a little work to do--not much--on'y a little. Whenpeepil speak to you, just point to
your ears and mout', an' shake yourhead. Das enuff. Dey won't boder you arter dat. Now, dearie, I mustgo. I'll come an' see you sometimes--neber fear. What's to become obyou in de long-run's more'n I kin tell, for it's Peter de Great as'llhab to settle dat kestion. You's in his hands. I knows not'ing, soyou'll hab to be patient."

  Patient, indeed! Little did that poor painted slave think what demandswould yet be made upon her patience. Full two months elapsed before sheagain saw Peter, or heard anything about Ben-Ahmed and her formerfriends at Mustapha!

  Meanwhile, Dinah having departed, she wisely set herself to make themost of her new friends.

  Mrs Lilly she soon found to be quite as amiable as Dinah had describedher. She and Sally were slaves to the Moor who dwelt in the house whichformed the superstructure of their cellars; but, unlike white slaves,they were allowed a good deal of personal liberty; first, because therewas no danger of their running away, as they had no place to run to;second, because their master wanted them to buy and sell vegetables andother things, in order that he might reap the profit; and, last,because, being an easy-going man, the said master had no objection tosee slaves happy as long as their happiness did not interfere in any waywith his pleasure.

  "Now, Geo'giana," said Mrs Lilly, in the course of their firstconversation, "my massa he neber come down yar, nor trouble his headabout us, as long's I take him a leetle money ebery day, an' nobody elsehab got a right to come, so you's pretty safe if dey don't send dejanissaries to make a sarch--an' if dey do, you know whar to go. I'lltell massa we make more money if I gits anoder slabe-gal, an' he'llagree, for he agrees to eberyt'ing ob dat sort! Den he'll forgit allabout it, an' den you an' Sally kin go about town what you like."

  "But I fear, Mrs Lilly, that I won't be able to help you to make moremoney," objected Hester timidly.

  "Oh yes, you will. You'll larn to 'broider de red an' blue slippers.Das pay well when neatly done, an' I kin see by de shape ob your fingersyou do it neatly. You's hungry now, I darsay, so go to work at yourgrub, an' den I'll show you what to do."

  Somewhat comforted by the kindly tone and motherly bearing of MrsLilly, Hester went into one of the dark cellar-like rooms of theinterior of her new home, and found it to be a sort of kitchen, whichborrowed its light from the outer room by means of a convenient wallthat was white-washed for the purpose of transmitting it. Thisreflector was not an eminent success, but it rendered darkness visible.At the time we write of, however, the sun having set, the kitchen waslighted by a smoky oil-lamp of classic form and dimness. Here she foundSally busy with her evening meal.

  Sally was apparently about as little of a human being as was consistentwith the possession of a human form and the power of speech. Most ofher qualities seemed to be negative--if we may say so. She wasobviously not unamiable; she was not unkind; and she was not sulky,though very silent. In fact, she seemed to be the nearest possibleapproach to a human nonentity. She may be described as a blackmaid-of-all-work, but her chief occupation was the pounding of roastedcoffee-beans. This operation she performed in the pit in the floorbefore mentioned, which may be described as a hole, into which youdescended by four steps from the front room. As the front room itselfwas below the level of the street, it follows that the "pit" penetratedconsiderably deeper into the bowels of the earth. In this pit Sallylaboured hard, almost day and night, pounding the coffee-beans in aniron mortar, with an iron pestle so heavy that she had to stand up anduse it with both hands. She had got into the habit of relieving herselfby an audible gasp each time she drove the pestle down. It was not anecessary gasp, only a remonstrative one, as it were, and conveyed moreto the intelligent listener than most of the girl's average conversationdid. This gasp was also one of the disagreeable sounds which hadsaluted the ears of Hester on her first entrance into the new home.

  "Mrs Lilly is very kind," said Hester, as she sat down at a small tablebeside her fellow-slave.

  Sally stopped eating for a moment and stared. Supposing that she hadnot understood the remark, Hester repeated it.

  "Yes," assented Sally, and then stopped the vocal orifice with a hugewooden spoonful of rice.

  Judging that her companion wished to eat in undisturbed silence, Hesterhelped herself to some rice, and quietly began supper. Sally eyed herall the time, but was too busy feeding herself to indulge in speech. Atlast she put down her spoon with a sigh of satisfaction, and said, "Dasgood!" with such an air of honest sincerity that Hester gave way to anirresistible laugh.

  "Yes, it is very good indeed. Did you cook it?" asked Hester, anxiousto atone for her impoliteness.

  "Yes. I cook 'im. I do all de cookin' in dis yar ouse--an' most ob deeatin' too."

  "By the way, Sally, what is it that you keep pounding so constantly inthat--that hole off the front room?"

  "Coffee," answered Sally, with a nod.

  "Indeed! Surely not the household coffee. You cannot drink such aquantity!"

  Sally stared for a minute; then opened her mouth, shut her eyes, threwback her head, and chuckled.

  "No," she said, with sudden gravity; "if we drink'd it all we'd allbu'st right off. I pounds it, Missis Lilly sells it, an' massa pocketsde money."

  "Do you pound much?" asked Hester, in a tone of sympathy.

  "Oh! housefuls," said Sally, opening her eyes wide. "'Gin at daylight--work till dark, 'cept when doin' oder t'ings. De Moors drink it.Awrful drinkers am de Moors. Mornin', noon, an' night dey swill leetlecups ob coffee. Das de reason dey's all so brown."

  "Indeed? I never heard before that the brown-ness of their complexionwas owing to that. Are you sure?"

  "Oh yes; kite sure. Coffee comes troo de skin--das it," returned Sally,with perfect confidence of tone and manner.

  Suddenly she was smitten with a new idea, and stared for some time ather fellow-slave. At last she got it out.

  "Missis Lilly say dat you's dumb. How kin you speak so well if you'sdumb?"

  Poor Hester was greatly perplexed. She did not know how far hercompanion had been let into the secret reason of her being there, andwas afraid to answer. At last she made up her mind.

  "I am not really dumb, you know; I have only to be dumb when in thestreet, or when any visitor is in the house here; but when alone withMrs Lilly or you I am allowed to speak low."

  A gleam of intelligence beamed on the black girl's face as she said,"No, you's not dumb. Moreober, you's not black!"

  "Oh, Sally!" exclaimed Hester, in quite a frightened tone; "how did youfind that out?"

  "Hasn't I got eyes an' ears?" demanded Sally. "Your voice ain't nigger,your 'plexion ain't nigger, an' your mout' an' nose ain't nigger. Doesyou t'ink Sally's an ass?"

  "No, indeed, I am sure you are not; but--but, you--you won't betray me,Sally?"

  "Whas dat?"

  "You won't tell upon me? Oh, you can't think what dreadful punishment Ishall get if I am found out! You won't tell on me, _dear_ Sally--won'tyou not?" entreated Hester, with tears in her eyes.

  "Dere, stop dat! Don't cry! Das wuss dan speakin', for de tearz'llwash all de black off your face! Tell on you? Dee see dat?"

  Hester certainly did see "dat," for Sally had suddenly protruded we fearto say how many inches of red flesh from her mouth.

  "I cut dat off wid de carvin'-knife sooner dan tell on you, for you's myfri'nd, because Peter de Great am your fri'nd. But you muss be dumb--dumb as you kin, anyhow--an' you mus' neber--neber cry!"

  The earnestness of this remark caused Hester to laugh even when on theverge of weeping, so she grasped Sally's hand and shook it warmly, thuscementing the friendship which had so auspiciously begun.

  After the meal Mrs Lilly took her lodger into the front room and gaveher embroidery work to do. She found it by no means difficult, havinglearned something like it during her residence with Ben-Ahmed'shousehold. At night she retired to the dark lumber-room, but as Sallyowned one of the corners of it Hester did not feel as lonely as she hadfeared, and although her bed was only made of straw
, it was by no meansuncomfortable, being spread thickly and covered with two blankets.

  She dreamed, of course, and it may easily be understood that her dreamswere not pleasant, and that they partook largely of terrible flightsfrom horrible dangers, and hairbreadth escapes from an ogre who,whatever shape he might assume, always displayed the head and featuresof the hated Osman.

  Next morning, however, she arose pretty well refreshed, andinexpressibly thankful to find that she was still safe.

  For a long time she remained thus in hiding. Then, as it was consideredprobable that search for her had been given up as useless, Mrs Lillyresolved to send her out with Sally to one of the obscurermarket-places, to purchase some household necessaries.

  "You see, chile," said the motherly woman, "you git sick on my hands ifyou not go out, an' dere's no danger. Just keep your shawl well oberyour face, an' hold your tongue. Don't forgit dat. Let 'em kill you ifdey likes, but don't speak!"

  With this earnest caution ringing in her ears, Hester went forth withSally to thread the mazes of the town. At first she was terriblyfrightened, and fancied that every one who looked at her saw through herdisguise, but as time passed and no one took the least notice of her,her natural courage returned, and gradually she began to observe andtake an interest in the strange persons and things she saw everywherearound her.