Though Mrs. Shelby had promised that the dinner should be hurried on
table, yet it was soon seen, as the thing has often been seen before,
that it required more than one to make a bargain. So, although the order
was fairly given out in Haley's hearing, and carried to Aunt Chloe by at
least half a dozen juvenile messengers, that dignitary only gave certain
very gruff snorts, and tosses of her head, and went on with every
operation in an unusually leisurely and circumstantial manner.

For some singular reason, an impression seemed to reign among the
servants generally that Missis would not be particularly disobliged by
delay; and it was wonderful what a number of counter accidents occurred
constantly, to retard the course of things. One luckless wight contrived
to upset the gravy; and then gravy had to be got up _de novo_, with
due care and formality, Aunt Chloe watching and stirring with dogged
precision, answering shortly, to all suggestions of haste, that she
"warn't a going to have raw gravy on the table, to help nobody's
catchings." One tumbled down with the water, and had to go to the spring
for more; and another precipitated the butter into the path of events;
and there was from time to time giggling news brought into the kitchen
that "Mas'r Haley was mighty oneasy, and that he couldn't sit in his
cheer no ways, but was a walkin' and stalkin' to the winders and through
the porch."

"Sarves him right!" said Aunt Chloe, indignantly. "He'll get wus nor
oneasy, one of these days, if he don't mend his ways. _His_ master'll be
sending for him, and then see how he'll look!"

"He'll go to torment, and no mistake," said little Jake.