human
Pray where do you come from, sir?
gpt
I live in Baltimore, answered Mr. Lewis;
human
You make a great mistake, sir. Let me tell you, no Virginian gentleman sells his servants, except in one of two cases. He is either bankrupt himself, or the servant whom he sells is too bad for him to keep. There is not one servant I have whom I would part with to you or any man, so long as he serves me faithfully, and I have the means to give him food. God grant it may never be otherwise!
gpt
No offence, sir, I hope--no offence. I was informed positively----
human
I know, sir--I comprehend, interrupted Mr. Thornton, waving his hand.
gpt
You have been labouring under a mistake, which excuses your proposal. My name is Henry Thornton, sir. The person you wished to see is William Thornton, a distant relation of mine. There have been some painful mistakes already.
human
Pray, how far is it to Mr. William Thornton's?
gpt
About fifteen miles,
human
Lord bless my soul! cried the trader,
gpt
All the rooms in my house, he said, at length,
human
Conduct that gentleman to Mr. Jones's, and beg him to supply him with supper and what accommodation he may want.
gpt
A slave-dealer never slept in this house since it was built, he said, in a somewhat apologetic tone, as soon as the man was gone.
human
I should almost be afraid of its catching fire, if he remained in it all night.
gpt
This is strange--very strange, that he should have come here this night of all others in the week; but I am sorry now I dismissed him so rapidly. We have already got one good hint from him, Sir Richard, and perhaps might get more--though I do not much like fish that breed in muddy waters.
human
I really do not understand you, Mr. Thornton, I answered.
gpt
This good man came down in the boat with me from Baltimore to Norfolk; and I heard some conversation going on between him and the master of the vessel, about the probable sale of a Mr. Thornton's slaves.
human
And very likely thought _I_ was the Mr. Thornton, said my host, with a quiet smile.
gpt
Nay, make no excuse; it was a very natural mistake. But the case is this--Mr. William Thornton is my first cousin, with a hitch in the consanguinity which had almost made me, like an Irishman, call him my first cousin once removed. His father and my father were half-brothers; but his father was the elder by two or three years. They were both brothers of Colonel Thornton, who married your excellent aunt, Bab. Now, Colonel Thornton was as good a man as ever lived; but, having been a gay, dashing soldier, he had maintained in his household that sort of fine old Virginian economy which has brought so many of our best families to ruin. He was very nearly on the brink thereof when he married your aunt. Her fortune served, in some degree, to patch up his; her wise economy did the rest, without his ever perceiving that his native hospitality slackened in the least degree; so that, at the end of twenty years, he found himself, to his great surprise, a rich man, with an unencumbered estate. They had no children, unfortunately; and, very naturally, at his death, he left all he had to her who had saved it for him. Now we come to your part of the matter. Your aunt survived her husband twelve or fourteen years; and though she had not seen her own land, or any of her relations, except Mrs. Davenport and one other, for well nigh half a century, her heart naturally turned, on her death-bed, to those whose blood flowed in her own veins; and, as we all understood, she left her property to you.
human
I have the will with me, duly authenticated,
gpt
That is all right, rejoined Mr. Thornton;
human
I beg your pardon, I replied.
gpt
I _did_ answer as soon as I got the letters. I was then in India with my regiment, so that neither of them reached me for several months; but the first I received I answered at once, and the second very shortly after I received it, requesting further information as to the nature and extent of the property, and what steps were necessary to make it secure.
human
Two letters! ejaculated Mr. Thornton, thoughtfully.
gpt
I only know of one having been written to you. Do you remember the signatures?
human
I have them both up stairs, I answered.
gpt
One, I now remember, was signed 'Hubbard,' and advised my coming over immediately. The second was, I think, signed 'Robert Thornton, Attorney-at-law,' who desired I would send him out a power of attorney to act for me.
human
This man's son! exclaimed Mr. Thornton.
gpt
We never heard of that, and never received any answer to the first letter--perhaps it was intercepted. However, Mr. William Thornton almost immediately took out letters of administration to Colonel Thornton's property, as his next of kin--although your aunt had so long enjoyed undisputed possession. He has since, with the aid of this hopeful son of his, been fencing himself in with all sorts of legal forms and quibbles--has got possession of the negroes, let the old house and plantation, and is now, we understand, moving the legislature to escheat the property and grant it to him; the heirs being, as he declares, aliens.
human
But does your law sanction such doings?
gpt
It sanctions a good many things that it should not sanction, replied Mr. Thornton;
human
But can he not be made accountable?
gpt
There are two sorts of banks, he answered,
human
But, my dear sir, I replied,
gpt
I beg your pardon. It is a very richly embroidered farthingale, I can assure you; as fine a plantation as any in Virginia, worth at least, under good management, from twelve to fifteen thousand dollars a year; a nice old house, somewhat like this; a good deal of scattered property; and about fifty negroes. The rest she emancipated; but these preferred to remain in their old condition, being accustomed to no other, and feeling that they wanted somebody to take care of them. Poor creatures! I dare say they are sorry enough now; but they had no notion into whose hands they are going to fall.
human
Still, Mr. Thornton, I do not see how the words of that man Lewis, who was here just now, gave us any serviceable hint.
gpt
Why don't you perceive? he answered;
human
Not in the slightest degree,
gpt
But really, Henry, I must get home. Positively I cannot stay to-night. I have got an attack of sciatica coming on. I feel it quite plainly; and nobody can nurse me like old Betty, you know.
human
Rest your sciatica there, and let me introduce you to your cousin and mine, Sir Richard Conway.
gpt
Sir Richard Conway! he exclaimed.
human
God bless my soul! I thought you were an older man. Well, I am very happy to see you, however; though you should either have come over sooner or answered my letter.