Drum (57 page)

"Seen it onct. Don't want to see it 'gain."

"Then go anyway."

"Won't."

Augusta came to the rescue. ;

"K you'll go upstairs to the big room in front which is^ my room, and look on the table beside my bed, you'll find my reticule. In it, you'll find a little bottle of perfimie. It's from Paris. Why don't you try it?"

"Kin Drumson go with me?"

"No," Hammond said, "now scoot." He waited to hear her footsteps die away on the upper floor and turned to Augusta.

"You're right, Miz Augusta. Shouldn't talk such things afore Sophie. But this yere's a breedin' farm and she's heard a lot, specially whilst I was away in Texas. Mayhap you kin change her. Want you should make a lady outa her. Think you kin?"

"I'll try, Mr. Maxwell. But do you think such things should go on here in the house—such as wenches sleeping with our boys? Is it necessary to tvu-n the house into a stud farm?"

"Cain't help it, Miz Augusta. Cain't be wastin' these boys just a-waiting on table." Hammond seemed to have made up his mind.- "And besides, when the saps a-risin' in 'em, if you keeps 'em away from the wenches you're sure goin' to have trouble. These yere boys are men now, strong men with strong yeamin's. If n we don't give 'em wenches to dreen off their sap, they'll have to be gelded. Never gelded a nigger yet." He paused a moment. "Always a firsti time, though."

"Heavens no!" Augusta was shocked. "Let them have the wenches. Their rooms are over the kitchen so it's away from the rest of the house."

"Better that way, Miz Augusta. You nor Miss Sophie nor Regine not safe in this house less'n those boys have wenches or less'n they gelded. We got to use a lot of wenches here at Falconhurst and them boys goin't to come in useful. That Brute boy, he's already gotten me four fine

suckers. And this boy Drumson. Bo't him fer breedin' not ans'ering the do'bell. Buttles for you daytimes and works for iiie nights. Keep him happy that-a way too."

Augusta bowed her head. "Very well, Mr. Maxwell," she sighed, resigned. "It's your business. Naturally you can run it as you choose."

"AjQd this is yo' house. Do- with it as you please. I'll not bother you."

"Thank you, Mr. Maxwell."

Drumson, who had been standing by the door listening to the conversation, was thinking only of the Elvira who had been awarded to him as his companion. His thoughts were wandering but he was called back to reality by Hammond's question to him.

"Did you git my room ready so's I kin sleep here tonight?"

"Yas suh, Masta Hammond, suh."

"And Regine's?"

"Yas suh, Masta Hanmiond, suh.'*

Augusta got up suddenly.

"I shall see about getting supper on the table," she said. She disappeared through the dining room into the kitchen.

Hammond winked at Drumson.

"That Elvira wench, she purty. 'Spects you goin* to like her. She not black, neither. But she small. Fear maybe you too big for her, so you be careful. Better you get some bacon rind from Lucretia Borgia and go slow, boy, go slow."

Drumson yearned for Regine but this Elvira sounded promising. He had no idea why he might want bacon rind or what it might have to do with Elvira but he'd ask Brutus about that. He'd also ask Brutus what gelded meant He'd never heard the word before.

"Thank you, Masta Hammond, suh. 'Preciates all you done fo' me."

"Then you git busy for me. Tell you what I'll do. You and Brute, you both git busy. First one gits his wench knocked up, I gives him a silver dollar."

"Shore be glad of that silver dollar, Masta Hammond, suh." Drumson felt sure it was his already.

I

chapter viii

The days rolled by into weeks and gradually the big house at Falconhurst developed from a raw, untenanted buildinf into a gracious home, both inside and out, under Augusta': excellent management and Drumson's willing co-operation He had learned some things at Madame's and August.-taught him the rest. Although he had had no experience in handling slaves, he quickly became adept at getting thi most possible out of them by a combination of good humored cajolery and stern discipline. If the first did no work, he tried the second, and with Augusta backing him he appUed the whip when necessary, although it was onl; the same light mule whip he had seen Hammond use oi the twins. This he kept beside his bed in his room wit) strict orders that it never be touched. His strokes were al ways few in number and light ones at that but the ver threat of them was usually sufficient.

The first slave he had been- forced to punish was Ajaj, who disappeared early one afternoon, making it impossibl for Augusta to take a drive she had planned into Bensor When he reappeared just before the evening meal, Drun" son accosted him. The fellow said that Miss Sophie ha ordered him to go to the river with her, to stand by whi] she waded in the water, and he thought he must obey he Drumson agreed with him but told him that whenever h went out, regardless of who ordered him to go, he mu report first to Miss Augusta and never leave if there was possibihty he might be wanted. To remind him of this fa and impress it on his mind so that he would not easi forget it, Drumson had Brutus hold him while he stur the calves of his legs with the whip until his howls a tracted Sophie herself. She came running to the barn ar watched the process with excited enthusiasm, denyirj vehemently that he had been with her. Drumson felt thf Ajax had been punished enough, but now Sophie picked ij

the whip and started to lash him. Her strokes were much more vicious than Drumson's, and it was Ajax' louder howls that saved him. Hammond, attracted by the screaming, came into the bam and grabbed the whip from Sophie. For a moment, Drumson thought he was going to use it on her, but Hammond merely handed it back to him and walked away.

When he returned to the kitchen a few moments later,

having delivered Sophie to Augusta, Hammond forbade

Drumson ever to let her have a whip in her hands again.

"Even if'n she orders me to give it to her?" Drumson

asked.

"Even ifn she does. 'Tain't fittin' for no gal to whip niggers. And yo', boy, you take care how you use that whip. Don' never let me hear of you doin' it on yo' own •cord, 'ceptin' Miz Augusta gives you leave."

Clytie, the cook Lucretia Borgia had trained, was the only one Drumson experienced any serious difficulties with. She had expected that she was to wield exactly the same authority in the new house that Lucretia Borgia had exercised in the old—the supreme factotum of the house servants—and when she discovered that she was subservient to Drumson and through him to Augusta, she became rebellious and disagreeable. She was one of the few older hands, somewhere in her late twenties, and had already produced eight children, all fathered by Clees, who was the self-appointed bully-boy of the plantation, owing to his length of residence there and his position as whipper. Clytie resented her present separation from him and was always running off to meet him outside or else providing him with special little dainties in the kitchen. Whenever Dnmison entered the kitchen and found them together, he was treated to surly looks and derogatory remarks. That these remarks were always made in the third person prevented him from taking open umbrage at them, although he knew they were intended for him.

Clytie and her man Clees were Drumson's only problems. All the rest of the servants showed him proper respect and he had few difficulties with them. Balsam, who was in charge of the second floor, was secretly enamored of Drumson even though she was Brutus' bedmate, so she was always compliant. She was, however, a lazy girl, doing only what was expected of her and that indifferently. As for Elvira, she was so de-

voted to Dnimson she worked overtime to gain his appro-t^ bation.

Sophie had been right. Elvira was a pretty girl with a;! head of short curls. She was agreeable, clean, charming andrj naturally a coquette. Regine was the only one of the serv-j ants not directly under his supervision, spending all hen! time on the second floor, caring for Augusta's and Sophie's i clothes and their personal needs. It was rarely indeed that'; she and Drumson ever had a moment together and whenr*; they did, neither of them dared repeat the intimacy of ij the embrape they had stolen the first day. But Drumsonf knew that she was as anxious for it to be repeated as he was.

However, the demands that Elvira made on him each night kept him physically satisfied. Although he responded with the proper amount of ardor, he realized that his own passion was always much more quickly appeased than that of Brutus. Elvira was demanding and convenient and he was ready to comply, but his mental image, even in his most ecstatic moments, was always that of Regine. It wass her body that he held, her lips that he kissed, her warmth) that he entered. Elvira sensed that she did not possess himi entirely and redoubled her efforts to please him. But always, when he had reached the point of satiation and she was no 3 longer desirable to him, he moved to the other side of thai bed, not wanting even the touch of her body. t

On the whole, however, he was content with Elvira. But/ even in his contentment, he was beset by fears. Brutus'i' explanation of the word gelding had struck terror in him. He tried in vain to think what it might be like to experi--ence the horror of emasculation, but it was beyond the scope of his imagination. The only thing that calmed hiss fears was Brutus' assertion that no slave on the Maxwell plantation had ever been gelded. But he recalled Hammond's s final words, "there's always a first time," and the words s brought back his fear.

While Drumson was having his difficulties with Clytie ini the kitchen, Augusta was experiencing hers with Sophie. During the first years of her life, while Hammond was away, from Falconhurst, Sophie had been indulged in her every, whim and notion by an aging grandfather and a fawning Lucretia Borgia, both of whom had doted on her. She had always been a precocious child, far more accustomed to the conversation of adults than that of children. The only ones of her own age she had ever known were the slave children)

on the plantation and she had queened it over them, exacting complete obedience. In this she was upheld both by her grandfather and Lucretia Borgia. In their eyes, she could do no wrong. Whenever she was at fault, she laid the blame on some small slave, partly to defend herself but perhaps even more because she enjoyed the punishment she knew would be inflicted on her victim. More often than not, she maneuvered them into some compromisiag position, just to see her grandfather's or the cook's wrath descend upon them. ! After her grandfather's death she had been even more spoiled by her father, not because he loved her so much— actually he had very little affection for his daughter—^but through a sense of duty to her as a white child and the future mistress of the plantation. Any attempt that Ellen might have made to discipline Sophie was, of course, nulli-:fied by Ellen's position as a slave.

\ It was only natural that the child should resent Augusta's authority. The first few days Sophie refused to abandon her own way of life, treating Augusta merely as though she were another slave. Augusta, not daring to go too far in the way of discipline, merely spoke of her naughtiness to Hanunond, who shrugged his shoulders and ignored it. Finally, however, matters came to a head. It was Drumson—all unknowingly —who precipitated matters by the most agonizing confession he had ever been forced to make. He had first sought out Brutus, begging for advice on what he should do. Brutus, on learning of his dilemma, had considered it of such importance that he had called in Elvira and Balsam and together they had discussed the matter. All had urged him to go to Augusta and tell her exactly what had happened, admitting that although it was a most dangerous thing to do, it might be better in the end. Certainly it would be better than for Hammond to find it out That would mean the end of Drumson.

"Ain' a buck on this plantation but what afeared of that Miz Sophie," Brutus had affirmed. "She a bad 'un. Likes to play 'round wid de boys and ain' no one kin stop her. No boy dast to go to Masta Hanunond an' tell him. AH scairt for fear he kill 'em."

"Praps he kill me." Dnmison was moire frightened than ever. "Or wors'n killin' me, perhaps he geld me."

"Not if'n you goes to Miz 'Gusta first. She yo' fren. She understand. She know you're not a-lyin' to her."

Brutus tried to give Drumson courage. "Ev'y boy at Fal-conhurst scairt of Miz Sophie 'cept that Clees bastard. He

al'ays a-lettin' her sit on his lap when he come to de kitchen. Thinks he started her, I do."

"You better go to Miz 'Gusta, Dnimson." Balsam put a protective arm over his shoulder. "Praps you feels better if'n we all goes wid you."

Bolstered by Brutus, Balsam and Elvira, Drumson approached Augusta, who was henmiing damask napkins by an; open window in the ladies' sitting room. She looked up, surprised to see almost the entire household staff approaching) her en masse, but she laid down her sewing, sat back in her chair and invited their confidence with a smile. The look of terror on Drumson's face forewarned her.

"Miz 'Gusta, ma'am, might I have a word with you?" H© halted a few steps from her.

"Why of course. Why are you trembling, Drumson?" She was trying to put him to ease. "Has something terrible hapn pened? If so, I am glad you came to me. I don't want you ever to be afraid to come to me with anything. Never." ;

"Mighty scairt now, Miz 'Gusta, ma'am," he admitted.

"Well don't be. Whatever it is, your coming to me is sur« to mitigate the offense. Is it something you did?"

"No ma^am, Miz 'Gusta. Ain't nothin' I done did."

"Then something Brutus did, or Balsam, or Elvira?"

"No, ma'am, nothin' they done neither. Nothin' none ol us done did. Nothin' Ajax did, nor Jackson, nor Merc, not Jupe. But we all scairt, Miz 'Gusta, Scairt of Miz Sophie, we are."

"Oh for pity's sake! Of Miss Sophie? Why, she's nothing but a little girl."

"Not so httle, Miz 'Gusta, ma'am, and she white. What she say, Masta Hammond believe. What we niggers say, he think jes' lies. She white, Miz 'Gusta, ma'am, but she bad."