My Name Is Not Angelica by Scott O’Dell Read Free Book Online Page A

humbly. Instead, many ran away and hid in the bushes. Now there are runaways scattered all over the island, three hundred of them. More than three hundred. And more flee every day."
    "You read other things from the Bible, too. You read what Christ told his friends when he went into the mountain. He told them, 'Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.' He said other things, but these are the words that you said every time you talked to us. You said them at every plantation on the island. 'Blessed are the meek, for theyshall inherit the earth.' I remember that I didn't know what 'inherit' meant and you said, 'It means "own." ' The meek shall own the earth."
    Minister Gronnewold pulled at his nose. "I remember," he said, as if he did not wish to remember.
    "Is that what you are going to say to us now? Do you want us to obey the new laws?"
    "The new laws are bad. So bad they will destroy themselves, one by one."
    "But until that time, until they do destroy themselves, we should obey them?"
    "You
must
obey them. There's no other choice."
    "We can run away. Dozens have. Over two hundred are hiding at Mary Point right now."
    "Yes, but they starve."
    "Better to starve..."
    Cannon shot rang out from Governor Gardelin's ship. It lay anchored far out in the bay, too far to be surprised by enemies. Puffs of dirty white smoke drifted up and floated toward us. A yellow flag fluttered in the wind. The deck swarmed with guards in bright red uniforms.
    "That is true, dear Raisha." He and Konje were the only ones who ever called me by my true name. "It shall come to pass."
    "When?"
    He looked away, far out into the distance.
    "When?" I asked again. "When will the meek inherit the earth?"

    He shook his head. "It has been many years since Christ spoke these words. And it may be many more."
    "While we're alive?"
    "Alas, no. But never unless we are meek."
    "I understand," I said, though I did not.

14

    Cannon roared. Puffs of smoke floated up again. Governor Gardelin came down the ship's ladder. He scrambled into a boat draped with flags and was rowed toward shore. In the shallows he climbed on the shoulders of two guards. But after a few steps, as one of the guards stumbled, the governor fell into the water.
    He came up shouting, waving his arms, and was rowed back to his ship. I didn't see him until nearly noon. They had a horse for him now. He came up from the beach surrounded by guards, with two musicians playing. Slaves were called from the fields to stand and bow. I was invited to join them. He talked to Isaak Gronnewold, who was going to Mary Point to talk to the runaways.
    The governor gave him a paper with his new laws written on it. "Read to them," he said.
    "They know about the laws already," Preacher Gronnewold said. "The drums have told them."
    "Be sure to tell them again," the governor said.

    "I will gladly do so, sir."
    "And tell Konje that if he sends his runaways back to the plantations they have foolishly fled, I will forgive them despite the law. None will be punished except for two bites each from the tongs and ten stripes. They will lose no legs or arms or their lives."
    "Yes, sir." Isaak Gronnewold said.
    He put the paper between the leaves of the Bible and tied it on his donkey's back. The Bible had a wood and goatskin cover. The wood was splintered and the long goat hair was worn off. He got on his donkey and started up the trail for Mary Point. I ran along beside him.
    "Please give all my love to Konje," I said.
    "I will do so."
    "But save some for yourself."
    "I will."
    He stopped when we reached the gully that swooped down, then up again. He was riding a gray donkey. He liked donkeys better than horses because he liked to swing his long legs and touch the earth.
    "Shall I tell Konje to come back?" he asked me.
    "Konje will not come back, whatever I say."
    "Do you want him to come back?"
    "No. I will be with him when there's enough food at Mary Point."
    Isaak Gronnewold reached out with a bony hand and