the feat he had undertaken.

I despaired very soon of ever comprehending the intricate strands of
their relationship. When I understood, as I was not long in doing, that
each was in certain ways genuinely afraid of the other, I knew that the
problem must always be far beyond my own little powers.

As to Little Arcady at large, some aspects of this complication were
simpler than they appeared to me; others were more obscure. Of the
tragedy of Miss Caroline's mere coming to us they could suspect nothing,
save it might be the humiliation her old-fashioned furniture must put
upon her in a prosperous town where so much of the furniture was elegant
to the point of extravagance.

In the much-discussed matter of mistress and slave, the town agreed
simply that Clem was stupid and had been deluded by Miss Caroline into
believing that a certain proclamation had stopped short of her personal
property. It was believed that she had terrorized him by threatening to
put bloodhounds on his trail if he ever tried to run off--for the town
knew its "Uncle Tom's Cabin" as well as it knew "Gaskell's Compendium."
It was thought that if Clem proved to be disobedient or rebellious, his
mistress would try to hire "Big Joe" Kestril or some equally strong
person to whip him with a "black-snake." Also it was said that she had
sold his wife away from him, and might try to sell Clem himself if ever
she got "hard up," though it was felt that she would be wise not to go
too far in that matter.

For the rest, Little Arcady rather rejoiced in the novelty of Miss
Caroline's establishment. There was a flavor of much-needed romance in
this survival at our very doors of an ante-bellum unrighteousness. The
town cherished a hope that Clem would try to run off some time, or that
Miss Caroline would have his back cut to ribbons, or try to sell or
mortgage him or something, thus creating entertainment of an agreeable
and exciting character.

If the town could have overheard Clem scolding the lady with frank
irritation in his voice,--as I chanced to do once or twice,--had it
beheld his scowl as he raged, "Miss Cahline, yo' sho'ly gittin' old
'nuff to know betteh'n _that_. I suttinly do wish yo' Paw was alive an'
yeh'bouts. Ah git him afteh yo' maghty quick. Now yo' jes' remembeh Ah
ain't go'n' a' _have_ no sech doin's!"--if it could have noted the
quailing consternation of the mistress at these moments, it might have
been puzzled; but of such phenomena it nev