Page:Duty and Inclination 1.pdf/281

Rh as a freeman and not as a slave. Oh massa!" rejoined he, "me hab enough from my savings, out of all your former bounty, to carry me whider I am going, far, far away; even so far as de land me was brought from, when lilly negro boy, by de American Captain who parted from me to your moder."

"And why, Robert, why leave the country?"

"It is wat I always meant to do," replied he, "if I should eber quit your service. But me will always tink of massa; me will remember de day we hab passed togeder, when we were bote of us boys."

"And I too," said De Brooke, viewing him at once with admiration and regret.

"I have my views in going, massa," added Robert.

"Call me no longer master," said De Brooke, "my friend, my equal, fit associate for a prince; happy could I have retained you with me till death had closed these eyes; adversity, sad adversity forbids."

"Neber mind it, massa," replied Robert: "yes, I shall always call and tink of you as my massa, my goot massa, since it formed my happiness to serb you and dear missus; but I hab my views in going." Hope, in its bright exultation, chased