human
I has found you, has I?
gpt
Crookleg!
human
Yes, it am Crookleg.
gpt
A drop of water, for the love of God; a drop of water!
human
If de whole place war a lake, dis chile wouldn't sprinkle you parched lips with a drop out ob it.
gpt
What do you mean, Crookleg?
human
Ha! the time I been waitin' for has come at last. It hab been long, but it am come! Do you know war you son Warren am?
gpt
Thank heaven! away from this, and in safety.
human
Ha! ha! ha! Safe; yes, he am safe enough wid a big bullet through his brain!
gpt
Dead!
human
Yes, dead; and it war me dat bro't him to it. Ha! ha! ha!
gpt
Who are you? Has hell let loose its fiends to mock me?
human
Perhaps it have. Who am I? Don't you know me yet, Rody--_Massa_ Rody?
gpt
No, devil! I know you not. My son dead--oh, God! what have I done to deserve all this?
human
What hab you done? What hab you not done? You had done ebery ting that de black heart ob a white man do, and de day of recknin' am come at last. So you don't know me, don't you?
gpt
Away, fiend, and let me die in peace!
human
In peace--no; you shall die as you hab made oders live--in pain! When you can't hear dis nigga's voice plainly, he'll hiss it in at your ear, so it may reach your infernal soul, in de last minutes of you life!
gpt
Who--who are you?
human
I am Reuben, de son of Esther.
gpt
Esther!
human
Yes, Esther, your father's slave. You was de cause ob her death. Do you know me now?
gpt
Dey call me Crookleg, kase I was lame. Who made me lame?
human
It war you dat put de ball in my leg for sport, when you war a boy, and I war de same. I have been close to you for years, but you didn't know me. I war too mean--too much below de notice of a proud gentleman like you. But I hab a good memory, and de oath I'd taken to be even wid ye, am kept. My mother war a slave, but she war my mother for all dat, an' if I war a black man I war still a human bein', although you and de likes of you didn't think so. Do you know me now?
gpt
When I war forced to limp away from your father's plantation, I war but a boy, but de boy had de same hate for de cruel massa dat de lame nigga hab now for Elias Rody. Days and years hab passed since den, but de hate war kept hot as ever; and I'se happy now when I knows dat de dyin' planter am at de mercy of de mean slave. Don't be skear'd, I wouldn't lift dis hand to help you eider die or live. All I'se a going to do is to sit hyar an' watch ober you till you am cold and stiff. Every flutter you wicked soul makes to get free from you ugly body, will be a joy to me!
human
Oh, devil!
gpt
Debbil! Yes, I is a debbil, and you has made me one!