Samboe seemed now the happiest of human beings. He suffered nothing to pass unnoticed; asking the reason, the use, the name of every thing he heard, or saw, or touched. This he contrived to do, either by broken words, gestures, or signs. The new-made friends thus passed several hours of the morning, before the groom made his appearance; for, although his apartments were above the stables, he did not often occupy them, finding numerous engagements more pleasant than attending to his duty.
The only unpleasant circumstance of this morning of delight to Samboe, was its chilliness. It was one of those which frequently occur in May, as if to reprove the hastiness of the family of Flora, in putting forth their fair forms; and its asperity was severely felt by the little African. Frank determined to make him as comfortable as he could; and having received no orders to the contrary, lighted a fire in the groom's room, and invited Samboe to its genial warmth, while he quickly prepared a comfortable mess of milk-pottage.
They were thus enjoying themselves, when the master of the house appeared, half awake, and storming at Frank for a lazy dog, for not having swept the stable-door. But he supposed he and the beggarly neger had been idling away their time together. Frank, who was used to his arbitrary temper, said little; but, making signs for Samboe to return to the loft, he quickly prepared every thing for his master's toilet, and proceeded to rectify the omission of not having swept the door-way. While thus engaged, a servant from the house arrived with an order to the groom to take the negro-boy to a clothes-shop, and have him neatly clothed, until a a proper dress could be fixed upon; as he was to have an interview with his mistress and young master, who neither of them could bear the smell of tar, exhaling from the filthy things he wore.
This message, delivered in due form to the groom while he was shaving himself, nearly endangered his cutting his throat, by the resentful agitation it caused, that he should be appointed to wait upon a neger. It was a degradation which he could not, nor would not submit to. Following, therefore, the example of his superiors, he delegated the office to his subordinate; and calling loudly for Frank, as soon as the messenger had left him, he desired him to take the black he seemed so fond of, to Mr. Draper's, and get him rigged. "And mind ye, Frank, boy, call at the 'potecaries or 'fumers, and bid 'em pour some musk or lavender, or something sweet over the lad, for missis is very particular; and as to Master Fred, I shall have him trying how my legs will bear the exercise of his new hunting-whip, if I do not please him about this black, who, I dare say, will not be long before he feels it. But I suppose he has been used to flogging, so it will be nothing to him."