“Lola!” I called. “Lola!”
The day’s work had been long on the docks, I was looking forward to receiving the attentions of the lovely little slut.
“Lola!” I called.
Where was she? By now she should have run to me and knelt before me, happily, waiting to be commanded.
“Lola!” I called. “Lola!” I began to grow slightly irritated. Was the girl lax? Perhaps it would be necessary to put her under some unpleasant discipline.
“She is not here,” said Miss Henderson, lightly.
“You have sent her shopping?” I asked.
“No,” she said.
“Where is she?” I asked. “You, know I like her at my feet when I come home.”
“She is not here,” said Miss Henderson, somewhat evasively I thought.
“Where is she?” I asked.
“She was a poor slave,” said Miss Henderson. “She was lazy. Her work was not adequate.”
“Where is she?” I asked.
“I grew displeased with her,” said Miss Henderson.
“Where is she?” I asked.
“I sold her,” said Miss Henderson.
I looked at her, disbelievingly.
“Her work was not satisfactory,” she said. “I ordered her to submit to binding, as a slave must. I then, with a switch, conducted her to the wharves, where I sold her.”
“To what merchant?” I said, angrily.
“I did not inquire his name,” she said.
“The market was on what wharf?” I asked.
“I received two copper tarsks for her,” she said.
“The market was on what wharf?” I asked.
“I will give you the two copper tarsks, if you wish,” she said.
“The market was on what wharf?” I asked.
“I did not pay any attention,” she said. “Doubtless, by now, she has been sold off anyway. Jason! Take your hands off me!”
I held her rudely by the arms, almost lifting her from the floor.
“She was not yours to sell!” I said.
“Her work was not satisfactory,” she said. “I share this household.”
“She was not yours to sell,” I said.
“I will give you the two copper tarsks, if you wish,” she said. “We can buy another work slave, if you wish, a better worker, one mutually agreeable to us.”
“Lola was a splendid worker,” I said.
“I did not care for her,” said Miss Henderson. “Jason!”
I had flung her halfway across the room, in fury. “Beware!” she said. “I am free!”
“You had no right to sell her,” I said.
“I am free,” she said. “I do what I please!”
I glared at her, in fury. Then I turned about.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“To the wharves,” I said.
“She will have been sold by now!” she cried. “You will never find her!”
“When did you take her to the market?” I asked.
“Early this morning,” she said, “as soon as you had left.”
“You planned well,” I said.
“You will never find her!” she cried.
I left the house, in fury, slamming the door.
“You will never find her!” she cried, from within.
I began to run toward the wharves.