I crept to their doors and listened; they was snoring, so I tip-toedⒶhistorical collation along, and got down stairsⒶhistorical collation all right. There warn’t a sound anywheresⒶalteration in the MS. I peeped through a crack of the dining roomⒶhistorical collation door, and see the men that was watching the corpse all sound asleep on their chairs. The door was open into the parlor, where the corpse was layingⒶemendation, and there was a candle in both rooms. I passed along, and the parlor door was open;Ⓐhistorical collation but I see there warn’t nobody in there but the remainders of Peter; so I shoved on by; but the front door was locked, and the key wasn’tⒶemendation there. Just then I heard somebody coming down the stairs, back behind meⒶemendation. I run inⒶemendation the parlor, and took a swiftⒶemendation look around, and the only place I see to hide the bag,Ⓐhistorical collation was in the coffin. The lid was shoved alongⒶemendation about a foot, showing the dead man’s face down in there, with a wet cloth over it, and his shroud on.Ⓐhistorical collation I tucked the money bagⒶhistorical collation in under the lid, just downⒶemendation beyondⒶalteration in the MS whereⒶemendation his hands was crossedⒶhistorical collation, which made me creep, they was so cold,Ⓐhistorical collation and then I run backⒶemendation across the room and in behind the door.
The person coming was Mary Jane. She went to the coffin, very soft, and kneeled down and looked in; then she put up her handkerchiefⒶhistorical collation and I see she begun to cry, though I couldn’t hear her, and her back was to me. I slid out, and as I passed the dining roomⒶhistorical collation I thought I’dⒶemendation make sureⒶemendation them watchers hadn’t seen me; so I looked through the crackⒶhistorical collation and everything was all right. TheyⒶhistorical collation hadn’t stirred.
[begin page 231] I slipped up to bed, feeling rutherⒶemendation blue, on accounts of the thing playing out that way after I had took so much trouble and run so much reskⒶemendation about it. Says I, if itⒶalteration in the MS could stay where it is, all right; because when we get down the river aⒶemendation hundred mile or two,Ⓐemendation I could write back to Mary Jane, and she could dig him up again and get it; but that ain’t the thing that’s going to happen; theⒶhistorical collation thing that’s going to happen,Ⓐhistorical collation is, the money’llⒶhistorical collation be found when they come to screw on the lidⒶemendation. Then the king ’llⒶhistorical collation get it again, and it’llⒶhistorical collation be a long day before he gives anybody anotherⒶemendation chance to smouchⒶalteration in the MS it from him. Of course I wanted to slide down and get it out of there, but I dasn’t try it. Every minute it was getting earlier, now, and pretty soon someⒶalteration in the MS of them watchers would begin to stir, and I might get catched—catched with six thousand dollars in my hands that nobody hadn’t hired me to take care of.Ⓐhistorical collation I don’t wish to be mixed up in no such business as that, I says to myself.
WhenⒶemendation I got down stairsⒶhistorical collation in the morning,Ⓐhistorical collation the parlor was shut up,Ⓐhistorical collation Ⓐalteration in the MS and the watchers was gone. There warn’t nobody around but the family and the widow Bartley and our tribe. I watched their faces to see if anything had been happening, but I couldn’t tell.
Towards the middle of the day the undertaker comeⒶhistorical collation, with his man, and they set the coffin in the middle of the room on a couple of chairs, and then set all our chairs in rows, and borrowed more from the neighborsⒶhistorical collation till the hallⒶhistorical collation and the parlorⒶhistorical collation and the dining roomⒶhistorical collation was full. I see the coffin lidⒶhistorical collation was the way it was before, but I dasn’t go toⒶemendation look in under it,Ⓐhistorical collation with folks around.
Then the people begun to flock in, and the beatsⒶemendation and the girls took seats in the front row atⒶalteration in the MS the head of the coffin, and for a halfⒶhistorical collation an hour the people filed around slow,Ⓐhistorical collation in single rank,Ⓐhistorical collation and looked down at the dead man’s face a minute, and some dropped inⒶemendation a tear,Ⓐhistorical collation and it was all very still and solemn, only the girls [begin page 232] and the beatsⒶemendation holding handkerchiefs to their eyes and keeping their heads bent,Ⓐemendation and sobbing a little. There warn’t no other sound but the scraping of the feetⒶemendation on the floor, and blowing noses—because people always blows them more at a funeral than they do at other places except church.Ⓐalteration in the MS
When the place was packed full, the undertaker he slid around in his black gloves withⒶemendation his softy sootheringⒶemendation ways, putting on the last touches, and getting people and things all ship-shapeⒶhistorical collation and comfortable, and making no more sound than a cat. He never spoke; he moved people around, he squeezedⒶemendation in late onesⒶemendation, he openedⒶemendation up passage-ways, and done it all with nods, and signsⒶemendation with his hands. Then he took his placeⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation over against the wall. He was the softest, glidingest, stealthiest manⒺexplanatory note I ever see; and there warn’t no more smile to him than there is to a ham.Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation
They had borrowed a melodeum—a sick oneⒶalteration in the MS; and when everything was ready, a young woman set down and worked it, and it was pretty skreeky and colickyⒶemendation, and everybody joinedⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation in and sung, and Peter was the only one that had a good thing, according to my notionⒶhistorical collation. Then the Reverend Hobson opened up, slow and solemn, and begun to talk; and straight off the most outrageous row busted out in the cellar a bodyⒶemendation ever heard; it was only one dog, but he made a most powerful racket,Ⓐemendation and he keptⒶalteration in the MS it up,Ⓐhistorical collation right along; theⒶhistorical collation parson heⒶemendation had to stand there,Ⓐhistorical collation over the coffin,Ⓐhistorical collation and wait—Ⓐhistorical collationyou couldn’t hear yourself think. It was right downⒶemendation awkward, and nobody didn’t seem to know what to do. But pretty soon they see thatⒶhistorical collation long-legged undertaker make a sign to the preacherⒶalteration in the MS as much as to say, “Don’t you worry—just depend on me.” Then he stooped down and begun to glide along the wall, just his shoulders showing over the people’s heads. So he glided along, andⒶemendation the pow-wowⒶhistorical collation and racket getting more and more outrageous all the time; and at last, when he had gone around two sides of the room, he disappearsⒶemendation down cellar. Then, in about two seconds we heardⒶemendation a whack, and the dog heⒶemendation finished up with a most amazing howlⒶemendation or twoⒶhistorical collation and then everything was dead stillⒶemendation, and the parson begun his solemn talk where he left off. In a minute or twoⒶemendation here comes this undertaker’sⒶemendation back and shoulders gliding along the wallⒶalteration in the MS again; and so he glided, and glided, around three sides of the room, and then rose up, and shaded his mouthⒶalteration in the MS with his handsⒶemendation Ⓐtextual note, and stretched his neck out towards the preacher, over the people’s heads, [begin page 233] and says, in a kind of aⒶemendation coarse whisper, “ He had a rat! Ⓐemendation”Ⓔexplanatory note Then he drooped down and glided along the wall again,Ⓐhistorical collation to his place. YouⒶalteration in the MS could see it was a great satisfaction to the people, because naturally they wanted to know. A little thing like that don’t cost nothing, and it’s just the little things that makes a man to be looked up to and liked. There warn’t no more popular man in town than whatⒶemendation that undertaker wasⒶemendation.
Well, the funeral sermon was very good, but pison-longⒶemendation and tiresome; and then the king he shoved in and got off some of his usual rubbage,Ⓐemendation and at last the job was through, and the undertaker begun to sneak up onⒶalteration in the MS the coffin with his screw-driver. I was in a sweat,Ⓐhistorical collation thenⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation, and watched him pretty keen. But he never meddled at all; just slid the lid along, as soft as mush,Ⓐhistorical collation and screwed it down tight and fast. So thereⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation I was! I didn’t know whether the money was in there or not. So, says I, sposeⒶhistorical collation somebody has hogged that bag,Ⓐhistorical collation on the sly?Ⓐalteration in the MS—now how do I know whether to write toⒶemendation Mary Jane or not? SposeⒶhistorical collation she dug him up and didn’t find nothing—what would she think of me? Blame it, I says, I might get hunted up and jailed; I’dⒶemendation better lay low and keep dark, and not write at all; the thing’s awfulⒶalteration in the MS mixed, now; trying to better it, I’ve worsened it a hundred times, and I wish to goodness I’d justⒶemendation let it alone, dad fetch the whole business!Ⓐhistorical collation
They buriedⒶemendation him, and we come back home, and I went to [begin page 234] watching faces again—I couldn’t help it, and I couldn’t rest easy. But nothing come of it; the faces didn’t tell me nothing.
TheⒶemendation king he visited around,Ⓐhistorical collation in the evening, and sweetened everybodyⒶhistorical collation up, and made himself ever so friendlyⒶemendation; and he give out the idea that his congregation over in England would be in a sweatⒶhistorical collation about him, so he must hurry and settle up the estate right away, and leave for home. He was very sorry he was so pushed, and so was everybody; they wished he could stay longer, but they said they could see it couldn’t be done. And he said of course him and William would take the girls home with them; and that pleased everybodyⒶhistorical collation too, because then the girls would be well fixed, and amongst their own relations; and it pleased the girls, too—tickled them so they clean forgot they ever had a trouble in the world,Ⓐhistorical collation and told him to sell out as quick as he wanted to, they would be ready. Them poorⒶalteration in the MS things was that glad and happy it made my heart ache to see them getting fooled and lied to,Ⓐhistorical collation so, but I didn’t see no safe way for me to chip inⒶalteration in the MS and change the general tune.
Well,Ⓐemendation blamed if the king didn’t bill the house and the niggers andⒶalteration in the MS all the property for auction straight off—sale two days after the funeral; but anybody could buy private beforehand if they wanted to.
So the next day after the funeral, along about noontimeⒶemendation, the girls’ joy got theⒶemendation first jolt:Ⓐhistorical collation a couple of nigger tradersⒶemendation Ⓐalteration in the MS come along, and the king sold them theⒶalteration in the MS niggers reasonable, for three-day draftsⒶalteration in the MS as they called itⒶemendation, and away they went—Ⓐhistorical collationthe two sons up the river to Memphis, and their mother down the river to Orleans. I thought them poor girls and themⒶalteration in the MS niggers would break their hearts for grief; they cried around each other, and took on so itⒶalteration in the MS most made me down sick to see it. The girls said they hadn’t ever dreamed of seeing the family separated or sold away from the townⒶemendation. I can’t ever get it out of my memoryⒺexplanatory note, the sight of them poor miserableⒶemendation girls and niggers hanging around each other’s necks and crying; and I reckon I couldn’t a stoodⒶhistorical collation it allⒶemendation but would a hadⒶhistorical collation Ⓐalteration in the MS to bust out and tell on our gangⒶhistorical collation if I hadn’t knowed the sale warn’t no account and the niggers would be back home in a week or two.
The thing made a big stir in the town, too, and a good many come out flatfootedⒶhistorical collation Ⓐalteration in the MS and said it was scandalous to separate the mother and the children that way. It injured the frauds some,Ⓐhistorical collation but the old fool he [begin page 235] bulled right along, spite of all the duke could say or do, and I tell you the duke was powerful uneasy.
Next dayⒶalteration in the MS was auction day. About broad-dayⒶhistorical collation in the morning, the king and the duke come up in the garret and woke me up, and I see by their look that there was trouble. The kingⒶalteration in the MS says:
“Was you in my room night before last?”
“No, your majestyⒶhistorical collation”—which was the way I always calledⒶemendation him when nobody but our gang warn’t around.
“Was you in there yisterdayⒶemendation erⒶemendation last night?”
“No, your majestyⒶhistorical collation.”
“Honor bright, now—no lies.”
“Honor bright, your majesty,Ⓐhistorical collation I’m tellingⒶemendation you the truth. I hain’t been anear your room since Miss Mary Jane took you and the dukeⒶalteration in the MS and showed it to you.”
The duke says:
“Have you seen anybody else go in there?”
[begin page 236] “No, your grace, not as I remember, I believe.”
“Stop and think.”
I studied a whileⒶhistorical collation, and seeⒶemendation my chance;Ⓐhistorical collation Ⓐalteration in the MS then I saysⒶalteration in the MS:
“Well, I seeⒶemendation the niggers go in there several times.Ⓐemendation”
Both of them give a little jump;Ⓐhistorical collation and looked like they hadn’t ever expected it, and then like they had. ThenⒶalteration in the MS the duke says:Ⓐalteration in the MS
“What, all Ⓐalteration in the MS of them?”
“No—leastwaysⒶemendation not all at once. That is, I don’t think I ever seeⒶalteration in the MS them allⒶemendation come out at once but just one time.”
“Hello—whenⒶhistorical collation was that?”
“It was the day we had the funeral. In the morning. It warn’t early, because I overslept. I was just starting down the ladder, and I see them.”
“Well, go on, go onⒶalteration in the MS—whatⒶhistorical collation did they do? how’dⒶemendation they act?”
“They didn’t do nothing. And they didn’t act anyway, much, as furⒶemendation as I see. They tip-toedⒶhistorical collation away; so,Ⓐhistorical collation Ⓐalteration in the MS I seen,Ⓐalteration in the MS easy enough, that they’d shoved in there to do up your majesty’sⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation room, or something, sposingⒶhistorical collation you was up;Ⓐhistorical collation and found you warn’t up, and so theyⒶalteration in the MS was hoping to slide out of the way of trouble withoutⒶalteration in the MS waking you upⒶalteration in the MS, if they hadn’t already waked you upⒶhistorical collation.”
“Great guns,Ⓐemendation this is a go!” says the king; and both of them looked pretty sick, and tolerable silly. They stood there a thinkingⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐhistorical collation and scratching their heads,Ⓐhistorical collation a minute, and then the duke he bust into a kind of a little raspy chuckle, and says:
“It does beat all, how neat theⒶemendation niggers played their hand. They let on to be sorry they was going out of this region!Ⓐalteration in the MS and I believed they was sorry. And so did you, and so did everybody. Don’t ever tell me,Ⓐhistorical collation any more,Ⓐemendation that a nigger ain’tⒶemendation got any histrionicⒶemendation talent. Why, the way they played that thing, it would foolⒶemendation anybody Ⓐemendation. In my opinion,Ⓐhistorical collation there’s a fortune in ’emⒶemendation. If I had capital and a theatreⒶhistorical collation, I wouldn’t want a betterⒶemendation layoutⒶhistorical collation than thatⒶalteration in the MS—andⒶhistorical collation here we’ve gone andⒶalteration in the MS sold ’em for a song. YesⒶhistorical collation, and ain’tⒶalteration in the MS privileged to sing the song,Ⓐhistorical collation yetⒶemendation. Say, where is that song?—Ⓐhistorical collationthat draft.Ⓐhistorical collation”
“In the bank for to be collectedⒶemendation. Where would it be?”
“Well, that’s all right,Ⓐhistorical collation then, thank goodness.”
Says I, kind of timid-likeⒶalteration in the MS:Ⓐemendation
“Is something gone wrong?Ⓐalteration in the MS”
The king whirls on me and rips out:
[begin page 237] “None o’ your business! You keep your head shet, and mind y’rⒶemendation own affairs—if youⒶemendation got any. Long as you’re in this town, don’t you forgit that,Ⓐhistorical collation you hear?” Then he saysⒶalteration in the MS to the duke, “We got to jest swaller it, and say noth’n:Ⓐalteration in the MS mum’s the word,Ⓐhistorical collation for us.”
As they was startingⒶemendation down the ladder, the duke he chuckles again, and saysⒶemendation:
“Quick sales and Ⓐalteration in the MS smallⒶemendation profitsⒺexplanatory note! It’s a good businessⒶemendation—yes.”
The king snarls around on himⒶhistorical collation and says:Ⓐhistorical collation
“I was tryingⒶemendation to do for the best,Ⓐhistorical collation in sellin’Ⓐemendation ’mⒶemendation out so quick. If the profits has turned out to be none, lackin’ considableⒶemendation, and none to carry, is it my fault any more’n it’s yourn?”
“Well, they’dⒶhistorical collation be in this house yet, and we wouldn’t,Ⓐemendation if I could a gotⒶhistorical collation my advice listened to.”
The king sassed back, as much as was safe for him, and then swapped around and lit into me again. He give me down the banks for not coming and telling him I see the niggers come out of his room acting that way—said any fool would a knowed Ⓐhistorical collation something was up. And then waltzed in and cussed himself a whileⒶhistorical collation; and said it all come of him not laying late and taking his natural rest that morning, and he’d be blamed if he’d ever do it again. So they went off a-jawing; and I felt dreadful glad I’dⒶhistorical collation worked it all off onto the niggers and yet hadn’t done the niggers noⒶemendation harm by itⒶemendation.
