“I see!  There’s no spoilin’ a gentleman what’s got to be one by his merits in trade.  Thar’s whar ye takes the shine out of us.  Y’er gentleman gives ye a right smart chance to walk into them ar’ big bugs what’s careless,—­don’t think yer comin’ it over ’em with a sort o’ dignity what don’t ’tract no s’picion.” rejoined Romescos, taking up his hat, and placing it carelessly on his head, as if to assure Graspum that he is no better than the rest.

“Comprehend me, comprehend me, gentlemen!  There can, and must be, dignity in nigger trading; it can be made as honourable as any other branch of business.  For there is an intricacy about our business requiring more dignity and ability than general folks know.  You fellers couldn’t carry out the schemes, run the law down, keep your finger on people’s opinion, and them sort o’ things, if I didn’t take a position in society what ‘ud ensure puttin’ ye straight through.  South’s the place where position’s worth somethin’; and then, when we acts independent, and don’t look as if we cared two toss-ups, ah!”

“I wonder you don’t set up a dignity shop, and go to selling the article;-might have it manufactured to sell down south.”

“Ah, Romescos,” continued Graspum, “you may play the fool; but you must play it wisely to make it profitable.  Here, position puts law at defiance!-here it puts croakers over humanity to rest-here, when it has money, it makes lawyers talk round the points, get fat among themselves, fills the old judge’s head with anything; so that he laughs and thinks he don’t know nothin’.  Listen to what I’m goin’ to say, because you’ll all make somethin’ out on’t.  I’ve just got the dignity to do all; and with the coin to back her up, can safe every chance.  When you fellers get into a snarl running off a white ’un, or a free nigger, I has to bring out the big talk to make it seem how you didn’t understand the thing.  ’Tain’t the putting the big on, but it’s the keepin’ on it on.  You’d laugh to see how I does it; it’s the way I keeps you out of limbo, though.”

We have said these men were Graspum’s “men;” they are more-they are a band of outlaws, who boast of living in a free country, where its institutions may be turned into despotism.  They carry on a system of trade in human bodies; they stain the fairest spots of earth with their crimes.  They set law at defiance-they scoff at the depths of hell that yawn for them,—­the blackness of their villainy is known only in heaven.  Earth cares little for it; and those familiar with the devices of dealers in human bodies shrink from the shame of making them known to the world.  There was a discontent in the party, a clashing of interests, occasioned by the meagre manner in which Graspum had divided the spoils of their degradation.  He had set his dignity and position in society at a much higher value than they were willing to recognise,—­especially when it was to share the spoils in proportion.  Dan Bengal, so called from his ferocity of character,