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And then will he rise and Speak strange and sometimes Terrible things, and Prophesy. In the old times my Father smil'd, and let him be. But here 't is otherwise. When Shooba's Spiritt made him Heavy and Sleepy, and when he woke again and Spoke, mine Uncle's new Overseer had the old man Whip't. Twice did this Happen before I knew of It.
Once old Shooba cur'd me of a pestilent Fever, with Simples, when I was a little Child, and our Leech had given me Over, nor did he Bleed me once. Now Shooba's Back was Bleeding, and I might not help him! Now in the night I had gone secretly to his Hut to fetch him such poor little Comforts as I might secretly get & give.
Higher than a tall man's head, it was painted on bricks of a lighter hue than the surrounding ones, and when the light touched it it seemed to leap out of the dark like a thing alive, a thing that watched with an unwinking and terrifying intensity. I remembered Shooba's savage chant of the One Eye that his Snake had shown him; and the doggerel verse on the frayed paper in Freeman's diary.
I whispered, remembering Freeman's diary. "A slave, an unlettered slave. How he discovered it I do not know. But he did discover it. He knew, and the Hyndses did not. In regard to this same slave, a curious item was set down by Richard's son: "'This day Black Shooba's son told me of a heathen song Shooba made before he died and swore him to forget not.
And indeed the Tale he whisper'd me was enough to Craze a Christian Man, & hath all but crack'd mine own Witts. If 't were not for the Paper he slip't into my Palm, I should sett it down for a Phantazy, one of old Shooba's evil Spells. Most merciful God, how came he by that Paper if the Tale be untrue? "Greatly am I upsett by this Improbable & Frightful Thing.
They that Spoke evil of me are Astonied & made Asham'd. The Lord hath done it." Then comes this last entry: "Two nights since died Scipio, son of old Shooba's last Wife, the which did send for me, Urgently entreating of my Presence. 'T was ever a Simple-minded Creature & found a faithful Servant, wherefore I did go to him.
And he had written: This day was Accus'd Rich'd. my Bro. of robbing us of our Jewells. He protests he knows Naught & my Mthr. believes him as doth Emily. Has a true Heart, Emily. Horrid Confusion & my Fthr. Confound'd. Impatiently I turned over the pages, raging to read the end, my heart pounding and fluttering. Two nights since dy'd Scipio, son of old Shooba's wife, the which did send for me
Women always choose hiding-places like that, and the notion would suit Shooba's grim humor," I said. "They who knew every nook and cranny of the house searched it pretty thoroughly at the time," he reminded me. "I have fine-combed it myself." "I am so sorry! I wanted you to find them. But the fact that you didn't surely couldn't make very much difference to you.
Never, never did you truly Love me: I know, the Dead being Wiser than the Living! 'T is Emily Lov'd me truest." And oh, thou awful, far-off God, I cannot make him Understand! And unless I can make him understand, I am lost! My misery, my misery! He will not listen. I am dying of this thing! Now did Shooba's Death-in-Life come upon him once more, and for a day and a night he lay Stark.
"I will ask my Snake if he knows anything of Keyes," said Shooba. And remembering the Overseer, I did not smile, but gave him the Paper. I like not to think of Shooba's Snake. Then buried we mine Uncle in the Hynds tomb and my Aunt was left to wander ghostlike, seeking for what she should never find. Oh, why did not they leave Richard and me alone! I repent not.
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