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希尔比太太笑了。 "I'm a thinkin' my old man won't know de boys and de baby. Lor'! she's de biggest gal, now,--good she is, too, and peart, Polly is. She's out to the house, now, watchin' de hoe-cake. I 's got jist de very pattern my old man liked so much, a bakin'. Jist sich as I gin him the mornin' he was took off. Lord bless us! how I felt, dat ar morning!"" 老头子一定认不出我们那两个儿子和女孩了，哦，波莉长成了大姑娘，又活泼，又善良！她也到主宅来了，正在厨房里看烙饼呢。今天我烙的饼是老头子从前最喜欢吃的，他离开家的那天早晨吃的就是这种饼！" Mrs. Shelby sighed, and felt a heavy weight on her heart, at this allusion. She had felt uneasy, ever since she received her son's letter, lest something should prove to be hidden behind the veil of silence which he had drawn. 听了这话，太太不由得深深叹了口气，心里沉重得无以复加。接到乔治的来信后她一直担心不已，怕儿子只言片语的背后有什么不好的消息等待着她们。 "Missis has got dem bills?" said Chloe, anxiously. 克鲁伊急切地问："太太，你把钱拿回来了吗？" "Yes, Chloe."" 取回来了。" 
我要把自己在'高家店铺'挣的钱给老头子看看。老板对我说：'克鲁伊，你要是多留一段时间该有多好啊！'我回答他：'老爷，多谢你了，我也很乐意在这里工作，可我的老头子要回来了，再说我也舍不得我家太太。她不愿意再和我分开啦。'琼斯老板真是好人，太太。" Chloe had pertinaciously insisted that the very bills in which her wages had been paid should be preserved, to show her husband, in memorial of her capability. And Mrs. Shelby had readily consented to humor her in the request. 克鲁伊固执地要太太帮她把自己挣的钱存起来，让汤姆看看她是多么能干。太太为了让她喜悦，非常痛快地答应了这个要求。 "He won't know Polly,--my old man won't. Laws, it's five year since they tuck him! She was a baby den,--couldn't but jist stand. Remember how tickled he used to be, cause she would keep a fallin' over, when she sot out to walk. Laws a me!"" 汤姆一定不认识波莉了，唉！他走了五年啦！波莉那时刚刚能站稳，还不大会走路呢。她总是跌跌撞撞地，惹得老头子很欢喜。唉！" The rattling of wheels now was heard. 车轮声由远及近，越来越清晰了。 "Mas'r George!" said Aunt Chloe, starting to the window." 乔治少爷回来了！"克鲁伊猛地扑到窗前。 
希尔比太太跑到楼道入口处，投进了儿子的怀抱。暮色深沉，克鲁伊好不焦急，连连向夜色中寻找着。 "O, _poor_ Aunt Chloe!" said George, stopping compassionately, and taking her hard, black hand between both his; "I'd have given all my fortune to have brought him with me, but he's gone to a better country."" 可怜的克鲁伊婶婶！"乔治握住她黝黑粗大的手掌，悲哀地说："即使倾家荡产，我也会把汤姆赎回来的，可是他已经离开我们了，去了天堂。" There was a passionate exclamation from Mrs. Shelby, but Aunt Chloe said nothing. 太太悲痛地叫了一声，克鲁伊却没有哭，也没有说话。 The party entered the supper-room. The money, of which Chloe was so proud, was still lying on the table. 大家走进餐厅里，克鲁伊的钱仍然摊放在桌子上。 "Thar," said she, gathering it up, and holding it, with a trembling hand, to her mistress, "don't never want to see nor hear on 't again. Jist as I knew 't would be,--sold, and murdered on dem ar' old plantations!" 克鲁伊拿起钱，双手不停地颤抖着，她把钱放在太太手里，说："我不想再看到这些钱，也不想再听别人说起它们。我早就知道，被卖到种植园里去，迟早会死的呀！" 
克鲁伊转身向外面走去，她的背影看上去骄傲而且顽强。太太追上去拉住她的手，把她按在椅子上，自己也坐在她旁边。 "My poor, good Chloe!" said she." 克鲁伊，你好命苦！"她说。 Chloe leaned her head on her mistress' shoulder, and sobbed out, "O Missis! 'scuse me, my heart's broke,--dat's all!" 克鲁伊把头倚在太太的肩上，开始抽泣起来："太太，别怪我，我的心碎了啊！" "I know it is," said Mrs. Shelby, as her tears fell fast; "and _I_ cannot heal it, but Jesus can. He healeth the broken hearted, and bindeth up their wounds."" 我知道，"太太满脸是泪水，"我虽然不能安慰你，可基督能够抚慰你的伤痛，他总是医好伤心人的痛苦。" There was a silence for some time, and all wept together. At last, George, sitting down beside the mourner, took her hand, and, with simple pathos, repeated the triumphant scene of her husband's death, and his last messages of love. 没有人说话，人们都悲哀地哭泣。乔治坐在克鲁伊身边，握着她的手，叙述了汤姆逝世的情景。他满怀深情，言辞扼要，把汤姆临死前的话转述给大家。 
一个月以后的一天上午，希尔比庄园的全部仆役都聚集在上房的厅堂里，听少爷讲话。 To the surprise of all, he appeared among them with a bundle of papers in his hand, containing a certificate of freedom to every one on the place, which he read successively, and presented, amid the sobs and tears and shouts of all present. 令人意外的是，他手里竟然拿着许多契约书，庄园中每一个奴隶的自由证书都在契约书里。每个人都哭泣着、欢喜地叫喊着，乔治念着他们的名字，把证书发到每个人手中。 Many, however, pressed around him, earnestly begging him not to send them away; and, with anxious faces, tendering back their free papers. 可是许多人拥在他身边恳求着，不愿离去，他们神色忧虑，甚至要把证书还给少爷。 "We don't want to be no freer than we are. We's allers had all we wanted. We don't want to leave de ole place, and Mas'r and Missis, and de rest!"" 少爷，我们现在的生活已经很好了，很自由，什么都不缺。我们不想离开少爷、太太，也不愿离开庄园里其他人啊。" "My good friends," said George, as soon as he could get a silence, "there'll be no need for you to leave me. The place wants as many hands to work it as it did before. We need the same about the house that we did before. But, you are now free men and free women. I shall pay you wages for your work, such as we shall agree on. The advantage is, that in case of my getting in debt, or dying,--things that might happen,--you cannot now be taken up and sold. I expect to carry on the estate, and to teach you what, perhaps, it will take you some time to learn,--how to use the rights I give you as free men and women. I expect you to be good, and willing to learn; and I trust in God that I shall be faithful, and willing to teach. And now, my friends, look up, and thank God for the blessing of freedom."" 朋友们，"等人们渐渐安静下来，乔治说，"你们可以不离开我，庄园里仍然需要许多人来工作，主宅里也需要佣人。可是你们现在都是自由人，按我们的约定，我为你们的劳动付报酬。还有一点益处是，一旦我负债，或者我死去--这两种情况都有可能发生--你们不会被别人抓去做奴隶。以后我会接管庄园的全部生计，我要教你们学知识，教你们学习怎样行使自己作为自由者的权利，我希望大家努力学习和工作，真正对这些知识感兴趣。我以上帝的名义起誓，一定诚信待人，教导你们学习。朋友们，为你们获得的自由感谢上帝吧！" 
一位受人尊敬的、头发灰白、双目已经失明的黑人老者站起身来，把颤抖的双手，举向天空，高声道："感谢基督！"他们都跪在地上听老人唱感恩诗。这诗声发自肺腑，摧人心折。与之相比，以悠扬的琴声、钟声和炮声为衬托的赞美诗，也不能具备如此强烈的感染力！ On rising, another struck up a Methodist hymn, of which the burden was, 他们又站起来身来，有个黑人唱出一首卫理公会的赞美诗，他的附录部分有两句歌词是： "The year of Jubilee is come,-- Return, ye ransomed sinners, home."" 自由的时刻已经来到，获得求赎的罪人啊，快快回家吧！" "One thing more," said George, as he stopped the congratulations of the throng; "you all remember our good old Uncle Tom?" 正当人们互相贺喜时，乔治说："你们还记得善良的老汤姆叔叔吗？" George here gave a short narration of the scene of his death, and of his loving farewell to all on the place, and added, 乔治叙述了汤姆临逝世时的情景，向人们转述了汤姆对他们的爱心和告别语。他又说道： 
朋友们，我在他的坟墓前向上帝保证：我不会再让家里有一个黑奴，我会想尽办法使奴隶们获得自由，没有人会由于我的意图而离妻别子，飘零异地，像汤姆那样客死他乡。所以当你们激情欢悦的时候，不要忘了汤姆，因为这一切都归功于他那善良的心啊。请照顾他的妻儿来报答他的深情厚谊吧。当你们看到汤姆叔叔的小屋时，要把它看成一块纪念碑，纪念他诚信、忠厚、笃信基督的精神。希望他的精神指引你们去努力、沿循着他的步伐前进。"
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