Introducing the StrongBox®️ - Security, Privacy and Digital Rights for Everyone. Serenity Shield protects your investments so they will carry over to the recipient of your choice and not become permanently lost due to untimely demise or death.

Serenity Shield

In an insightful and expansive conversation as part of the "Behind the Startup" series, Ishan Pandey interviews Venket Naga, the visionary CEO of Serenity Shield. With an illustrious career spanning 25 years across various technological sectors, Venket dives into his unique journey leading to the creation of Serenity Shield. : This author is an independent contributor publishing via our . HackerNoon has reviewed the report for quality, but the claims herein belong to the author. #DYOR Vested Interest Disclosure brand-as-author program Inspiration Behind Serenity Shield and Its Impact on Data Security and Privacy Ishan Pandey: Hi Venket, great to have you here for our "Behind the Startup" series. Could you begin by introducing yourself and sharing a bit about your background, specifically your journey leading up to the creation of Serenity Shield? Greetings Ishan, I'm delighted to connect with you, and I appreciate the opportunity. I am Venket Naga, a computer engineer based in India. My professional journey commenced in IT engineering and gradually evolved into the dynamic realm of global organizations. Over a span of 25 years, I immersed myself in finance, banking, and merger operations. However, my recent fascination with the profound potential of blockchain technology led me to shift my focus. This journey led me to explore and deeply engage within the blockchain space, accumulating expertise and invaluable experience. Venket Naga: For the past eighteen months, I've been at the forefront of Serenity Shield, assuming the role of CEO. As such, my foremost responsibility involves charting the visionary and technological trajectory of Serenity Shield as a groundbreaking blockchain initiative. Beyond my organizational duties, I am dedicated to forging a lasting legacy for both the project and myself during this pivotal juncture in my career. Ishan Pandey: It's clear that your experience in various tech sectors has played a significant role in shaping your career. How have your past roles influenced your current approach to leading Serenity Shield? Indeed, my diverse background significantly influences my Serenity Shield approach. My corporate experience, which involved navigating mergers and intricate challenges, has honed my strategic thinking and risk management skills. Both are crucial in the blockchain landscape. Prior global roles have certainly emphasized my passion for teamwork and effective communication, which are vital for Serenity Shield's cohesiveness. My technical foundations as a computer engineer also allow me to bring a pragmatic view to assess blockchain solutions practically. Venket Naga: These experiences drive a balanced leadership style, harmonizing innovation and practicality, nurturing resilience within the team, and propelling Serenity Shield's sustainable success. Ishan Pandey: Can you talk about the inspiration behind Serenity Shield and the problem it seeks to address in the world of data storage and security? Sure. Serenity Shield was inspired by the urgent demand for robust data storage and security solutions in today's digital realm. Fueled by escalating data breaches and privacy issues, we set out to craft a platform that confronts these challenges head-on. Venket Naga: Current data storage methods often lack essential safeguards, exposing sensitive information to unauthorized access and cyber threats. Serenity Shield aims to redefine this paradigm by leveraging blockchain technology's strengths. Serenity Shield's user-centric design empowers individuals to maintain control over their data, addressing concerns of misuse and exploitation. Our vision is to offer individuals and businesses a safe space for their data – a true shield that offers serenity – where security and privacy take precedence. We aspire to usher in a new data protection and storage era, cultivating trust and assurance in an interconnected digital landscape. Ishan Pandey: How would you describe the core values and mission of Serenity Shield, and how do these play out in the day-to-day operations of the company? At Serenity Shield, we firmly believe in individual data ownership and control. Our core values centre around security, confidentiality, innovation, and user empowerment. These values underpin our day-to-day operations, influencing all aspects of our work. Security and privacy are paramount, shaping our tech development, protocols, and user interfaces. We prioritise ongoing innovation, adapting to emerging threats. Our team empowers users with complete data control and fosters trust. Venket Naga: Similarly, our mission is to provide individuals with fully decentralised data storage and estate planning DApp boasting military-grade encryption that helps them regain confidence, clarity, and control over their private data through self-verification. Finally, collaboration and open communication mirror our values, creating an environment where every team member's input is valued. Our commitment to these principles instils confidence as we iterate and refine our offerings. Serenity Shield's values and mission drive our daily efforts, fostering a safer, more secure digital realm. Ishan Pandey: Could you explain in layman's terms how the StrongBox®️ DApp works and the unique solutions it offers for secure data storage, recovery, and transfer? Certainly! Imagine the StrongBox®️ DApp as a digital vault for your important files and data. Just like you have a safe place to store your physical belongings, the StrongBox®️ DApp is a safe place for your digital assets, like passwords or essential information, that you want to keep safe and share only with specific people if and when needed. Venket Naga: Here's how it works: Connect your favourite DEX wallet to the StrongBox®️ DApp on the Serenity Shield website. The DApp then prompts and guides you to make a unique userr account. Next, you can add sensitive data for storage in the StrongBox, such as seed phrases or private keys or any confidential information. This data is then encrypted and stored on a private smart contract, on the layer-1 Secret Network, that specifies release conditions, like to a designated inheritor after a pre-defined time. A viewing key of the smart contract is returned to the DApp as the smart contract is stored on the blockchain, and the same viewing key is fragmented into three separate NFTs. The NFTs are minted on any compatible network and serve as access keys to the box. 2 out of the 3 NFTs(A or B + C) are required to access data, ensuring owner control while providing secure access to the designated nominee only when the smart contract conditions are met. Ishan Pandey: One key aspect of Serenity Shield is its blockchain-based inheritance solution. Can you elaborate on how this innovative feature functions and the implications it has for data ownership? Certainly. our innovative inheritance solution is designed to address a critical concern in the realm of data ownership and digital estate planning, ensuring that your digital assets and sensitive information remain accessible and protected even after you're no longer able to manage them. Now, going back to the previous question, as I mentioned, the smart contract's viewing key is fragmented into three separate NFTs, which serve as access keys to the StrongBox. Crucially, one of these keys is designated for a specific nominee or inheritor of your StrongBox account in case you're unable to access your data. Once the smart contract's conditions are fulfilled, nominees merge their NFT segment with Serenity Shield's vault to unlock and access the stored data. This approach guarantees data continuity with users maintaining control over their digital legacy and providing peace of mind for loved ones. Our patent-pending inheritance solution indeed empowers users to protect vital data, reshape ownership norms, and enable smooth, secure data transfer during challenging situations. Venket Naga: Ishan Pandey: Serenity Shield operates using a utility token, $SERSH. How does this token integrate with the services you provide and what benefits does it offer to users of the platform? Primarily, SERSH serves as a versatile payment method within Serenity Shield's platform, simplifying payments, subscriptions, and confidential data retrieval from users' StrongBox. It allows for add-ons like extra storage or data transfer capabilities. Moreover, SERSH incentivizes data storage, nurturing a symbiotic user relationship. Venket Naga: In the future, the token will play a key role in rewards and loyalty programs, bestowing frequent StrongBox users with exclusive perks. Additionally, SERSH broadens closed-ecosystem engagement, providing access to varied activities and partner services. This all-inclusive approach enhances convenience, fosters participation, and deepens user engagement within Serenity Shield's ecosystem. Ishan Pandey: Looking forward, what are some of the upcoming milestones on the roadmap that you're most excited about, and why? Looking ahead, several exciting milestones on our roadmap hold immense promise. Most notably, the impending mainnet launch of our StrongBox DApp later this month is a monumental achievement. This accomplishment is particularly noteworthy given its rarity in the landscape, marking us as pioneers in achieving such a feat before our token listing. Equally thrilling is the scheduled release of our SERSH token listing by the end of September, a significant step towards broader accessibility and recognition of Serenity Shield. Venket Naga: Furthermore, we are eagerly gearing up to introduce our accredited academic program in India in collaboration with the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology. We believe this initiative can empower the next generation of full-stack blockchain engineers and pave the way for blockchain education worldwide. Also, we're on the cusp of revolutionizing institutional data storage services with the anticipated launch of the B2B version of StrongBox later this year. This groundbreaking move is poised to reshape data management practices within the institutional sphere. These milestones collectively signify our relentless pursuit of innovation, growth, and impact in technology, education, and industry. Ishan Pandey: Lastly, as a leader in the blockchain-based data security market, what is your vision for the future of data security and the role of Serenity Shield in shaping this landscape? Venket Naga: As a vanguard in the blockchain-based data security realm, our vision for the future is committed and transformative. We envision a world where individuals and businesses wield unparalleled control and confidence over their digital assets, safe from the perils of data breaches and unauthorized access. Serenity Shield's role in shaping this landscape is pivotal. We strive to be the cornerstone of secure data management, setting new benchmarks for privacy, integrity, and accessibility. Through cutting-edge blockchain technology, we aim to establish a global standard where data ownership is unequivocal and non-negotiable, where every individual possesses a digital fortress. In the future, Serenity Shield hopes to lead the charge in redefining data security paradigms, pioneering innovative solutions, and fostering a culture of empowerment. By amplifying awareness, enhancing education, and forging strategic partnerships, we aspire to cultivate a safer, more resilient digital ecosystem. Our legacy will be a world where the serenity of data ownership is safeguarded and where individuals and enterprises thrive in a secure, interconnected landscape under our trusted shield. Don’t forget to like and share the interview!

Serenity Shield: A Pioneering Vision For Secure Data Storage, Recovery, and Transfer

Serenity Shield: una visión pionera para el almacenamiento, la recuperación y la transferencia seguros de datos

Serenity Shield : une vision pionnière pour le stockage, la récupération et le transfert sécurisés des données

सेरेनिटी शील्ड: सुरक्षित डेटा भंडारण, पुनर्प्राप्ति और स्थानांतरण के लिए एक अग्रणी दृष्टिकोण

Serenity Shield: 安全なデータ ストレージ、リカバリ、転送のための先駆的なビジョン

Serenity Shield: uma visão pioneira para armazenamento, recuperação e transferência segura de dados

Serenity Shield: Tầm nhìn tiên phong về lưu trữ, khôi phục và truyền dữ liệu an toàn

Serenity Shield：安全数据存储、恢复和传输的开创性愿景

The wait is over! - it’s time to celebrate the champion startups of the world. Shout out to all of the participants in our ! You did a wonderful job showcasing your incredible startups and powering through another year. 2023 Startups of the Year is a community-driven voting platform brought to you by HackerNoon that recognizes and celebrates tech startups changing technology and the world for the better. The award started on May 8th, 2023, where the internet nominated and voted for 30k startups around the world. The voting period remained open until December 31, 2023, and now we are here with the winner announcement after a comprehensive evaluation by the HackerNoon team. Startups of the Year 2023 To see the top 3 startups in each respective city, visit and pick a city. hackernoon.com/startups You’ll get a little surprise 😉 Here are the Startups of the Year Regional Announcements: North America Europe Asia Africa South America Oceania Misc/Remote From all of us at HackerNoon, thank YOU for your excellent campaign perseverance 🥺 This year has been awesome! Startups of the Year 2023 is concluded with 623k+ total votes, up from 215k+ votes in the inaugural startup competition. We look forward to seeing you again in the next campaign (stay tuned 😉)! Without further ado, let us kick off the announcement by celebrating the cities with top votes per region for 2023 🎉 North America (11,697 votes): Winner: Bloomfilter Cleveland, Ohio (8,835 votes) - Winner: SerpApi Austin, Texas , California (5,564 votes) - Winner: Finch San Francisco (4,258 votes) - Winner: RELAYTO SoMa, California - (3339 votes) Winner: Windscribe Toronto, Canada, North America (3304 votes) - Winner: Vouched Seattle (2716 votes) - Winner: Seccuri Palo Alto, CA, North America (2671 votes) - Winner: Salsa Valley Miami, FL, North America (2,613 votes) - Winner: Majhi Group Manhattan, New York (2423 votes) - Winner: Flieber, Inc. New York City, NY, North America See the complete announcement for the . Startups of the Year, North America, here Europe (45,612 votes) - Winner: Algomo London, UK (2,344votes) - Winner: Data Lake Warsaw, Poland (1,955 votes) - Winner: Hoken Tech Bari, Italy (1716 votes) - Winner: Not8 Amsterdam, Netherlands (1657 votes) - Winner: KYVE Frankfurt Am Main, Germany (1566 votes) - Winner: BazaIT Kyiv, Ukraine (1496 votes) - Winner:  Unity Network Tallinn, Estonia (1,478 votes) - Winner: Volcaino Ghent, Belgium (1,288 votes) - Winner: Owl Me Dublin, Ireland (1198 votes) - Winner: Groover Paris, France See the complete announcement for the . Startups of the Year, Europe, here Oceania (3,350 votes) - Winner: Sharepass Melbourne (2,107 votes) - Winner: The Catfisher Project Perth, Australia (220 votes) - Winner: Gemini AI Solutions Auckland, New Zealand, Oceania (213 votes) - Winner: Nexustorage Wellington, New Zealand, Oceania (138 votes) - Winner: Coviu Sydney (124 votes) - Winner: Bopple Brisbane, Australia, Oceania (124 votes) - Winner: Regional CFO New South Wales, Australia, Oceania (106 votes) - Winner: Edit on the Spot Gold Coast, Australia, Oceania (93 votes) - Winner: Knowledge Satnav Canbera, Australia, Oceania , Australia, Oceania (48 votes) - Winner: Peptalk360 North Melbourne, Melbourne See the complete announcement for the . Startups of the Year, Oceania, here Asia (16,345 votes) - Winner: Serenity Shield Singapore (13,588 votes) - Winners: QUIXY Telangana, India (10,168 votes) - Winner: HealthySure Mumbai, India (3,865 votes) - Winner: InterviewBuddy Visakhapatnam, India (3,733 votes) - Winner: Omniflo Bengaluru, India (4589 votes) - Winner: MeNow Tel Aviv (3877 votes) - Winner: ForestVPN Dubai (2478 votes) - Winner: TechGraph Powai, Mumbai, India (1004 votes) - Winner: Reelo Ahmedabad, GJ, India (875 votes) - Winner: Debt Hunter Hong Kong, China See the complete announcement for the . Startups of the Year, Asia, here Africa (8,179 votes) - Winner: GO PLATFORM Algiers, Algeria (767 votes) - Winner: Tudu Accra, Ghana (415 votes) - Winner: Treford Lagos, Nigeria (265 votes) - Winner: Phalconwise Ogbomosho, Nigeria (157 votes) - Winner: AbuErdan Cairo (151 votes) - Winner: Eazipay Lekki (144 votes) - Winner: KaziConnect Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (101 votes) - Winner: faceATT Gauteng, South Africa (79 votes) - Winner: Dimagi Cape Town (71 votes) - Winner: Sabi Addis Ababa See the complete announcement for the . Startups of the Year, Africa, here South America (376 votes ) - Winner: UpGirl Santiago, Chile (217 votes) - Winner: Klever Sao Paulo, Brazil (191 votes) - Winner: Tributo Simple Buenos Aires, Argentina (127 votes) - Winner: Light-it Montevideo, Uruguay (87 votes) -Winner: Thousand Antioquia, Colombia (108 votes) - Winner: GetLavado Lima (101 votes) - Winner: Cogniflow Medellin (73 votes) - Winner: TPAGA Bogota (73 votes) - Winner: Reliv Quito (47 votes) - WInner: Quantex Cordoba See the complete announcement for the . Startups of the Year, South America, here Misc/Remote: Featured Startups (1500 votes) - Winner: CIC Chain Remote, Earth (1193 votes) - Winner: Reship Colony US Misc (146 Votes) - Winner: Partful UK, Misc (116 votes) - Winner: GoMining British Virgin Islands Misc (283 Votes) - Winner: tomorrowSpace Germany Misc (225 votes) - Winner: Dtravel Cayman Islands See the complete announcement for Misc/Remote startups . here Once again, HUGE CONGRATULATIONS and BIG PROPS to all of the top Startups of each region this year! The whole team at HackerNoon would like to thank you for your perseverance in the campaign, and we look forward to seeing you in the next campaign. About HackerNoon’s Startups Of The Year Startups of The Year is HackerNoon’s Flagship community-driven event celebrating startups that survived and thrived in 2023. 30,000 startups across 4200+ cities and six continents participated this year to be crowned the best startup in their city. Visit our page to learn more. FAQ Companies that blog more get 67% more leads - Jumpstart your company’s blogging journey by purchasing our . Business Blogging Package The 2023 Startups Of The Year is sponsored by: . . The winners get a free .Tech Domain, a HackerNoon NFT, and a Tech Company News Page. TECH Domains

Stand Up for the Champion Startups of the Year! 

বছরের চ্যাম্পিয়ন স্টার্টআপের জন্য দাঁড়ান!

Setzen Sie sich für die Champion-Startups des Jahres ein!

¡Defiende a las startups campeonas del año!

Défendez les startups championnes de l’année !

वर्ष के चैंपियन स्टार्टअप के लिए खड़े रहें!

今年のチャンピオンスタートアップのために立ち上がろう!

올해의 챔피언 스타트업을 위해 일어서세요!

Defenda as startups campeãs do ano!

Встаньте на защиту стартапов-чемпионов года!

Yılın Şampiyon Startup'ları için Ayağa Kalkın!

Hãy ủng hộ các công ty khởi nghiệp vô địch của năm!

为年度冠军初创企业挺身而出！

Recent events in the crypto market have brought up conversations about the importance of self-custody for users. According to CNN, major crypto exchange FTX declared bankruptcy, and at least worth of users' cryptocurrency has gone missing. Before this, crypto lender Celsius also went bankrupt, losing over worth of its user's funds, according to CNBC. $1 billion $4 billion While centralized exchanges may be convenient for users to store their crypto holdings if anything were to happen to the exchange, there's no guarantee that anyone can get their funds back. This is why it is often recommended for users to store their crypto using a wallet that gives them access to the seed phrase and private key. Centralized exchanges control the private keys for a user's funds, so when they go down or get hacked, there is no way for a user to retrieve their funds. For example, suppose someone downloaded a self-custodial wallet app, and it stopped working. In that case, the user can use the seed phrase to import their wallet into another wallet application and retrieve their funds. With centralized exchanges, this is not possible. How crypto wallets work To better understand this, let's look at how crypto wallets work. Crypto wallets signify the ownership of blockchain-based assets, including cryptocurrency and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). Wallets consist of a public key and a private key. The public key allows anyone to receive transactions from another user. Public keys appear as a long string of numbers and letters and act as a destination address for incoming transfers. It's similar to how bank accounts have a sort code and account number that enables users to deposit money into the account. However, similar to the sort code and account number found in bank accounts, the public key cannot be used to spend funds from a crypto wallet; this is where the private key comes in. The private key allows users to spend funds from their crypto wallets. They're similar to a card number, expiry date, and security code found on credit cards. If anyone gets access to a person's private key, they can also spend all of the contents of the wallet. The wallet address is another way that users can receive crypto in their wallets and, in many cases, of the wallet's public key. Since addresses are shorter, they are more convenient to use when receiving crypto. Users can also generate wallet addresses multiple times depending on their wallet app. This is because, as mentioned earlier, the address is simply a hashed version of the public key. is a hashed (shortened) version Finally, a seed phrase is a group of random words that are generated each time a new wallet is created via a wallet application. You can think of this as the proof of address and identification a bank asks you for when you call them up or visit them in a branch to prove ownership of your bank account. Therefore, users must keep a copy of their seed phrase offline and in a safe place (i.e., a piece of paper or a computer with no internet access and very few apps). The seed phrase is used as a backup for the wallet in case the wallet app stops working, a user loses the device containing the wallet, or any event that causes them to lose access to their wallet. In addition, users can recover their funds by importing their wallet into another app by entering the generated seed phrase. Solutions The best solution is for crypto investors to download and use non-custodial crypto wallets, keep their seed phrases safe, and not store large amounts of tokens on an exchange. Using centralized exchanges may be more convenient, but safety trumps convenience regarding large amounts of cryptocurrency. Centralized exchanges should only be used for trading and converting cryptocurrencies into fiat currency, with a personal wallet acting as a personal bank account. Private key wallets are used to protect digital assets, and digital currency users have access to various wallet solutions. However, due to the increased difficulty in remembering and using private keys, many users forget their login information, passwords, and wallets. As a result, when the owners of cryptographic assets suddenly or unexpectedly pass away, we will never know how much money was lost in those assets. The inability of bereaved families to reclaim digital assets that have been locked away permanently is a loss for the whole ecosystem. This loss is compounded by users' inability to unlock digital assets. Some platforms aim to tackle these challenges. For example, aims to do so by providing the first seed recovery method that does not involve custody of the seeds. In addition, a "Digital Asset Legacy" feature allows users to pick who will take ownership of their digital assets when they pass away. Wallets will be easier to pass on as a result of this change. Serenity Shield The business uses a "StrongBox," which houses three NFTS, each of which stores one-third of the wallet's secret. The user will be responsible for safeguarding the first NFT, the selected successor will hold on to the second NFT, and Serenity Wallet will hold on to the third NFT. This smart contract will transmit the key to the original user of the Serenity Wallet, or it will transfer it to the heir of the original user, depending on the information provided during the activation of the StrongBox. The Serenity Wallet is an encrypted data storage solution powered by the blockchain. Software solutions are also a better way of protecting a user's assets by connecting and plugging them into the blockchain. For example, Serenity Shield uses blockchain technology to encrypt user data, helping to protect it from foul play by malicious actors. In order to ensure the continued success of blockchain and the development of its technological potential, we must find Conclusion While self-custody has always been an important practice for crypto investors, the benefits of it have become more apparent due to recent events. Crypto holdings are more secure when the user has access to the private keys and seed phrases, so their funds can be recovered anytime.

Why Self-Custody Is More Important Than Ever Now

Chaos in Code: AI Assistants Clash in a Battle for Digital Supremacy

After this long digression

The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson by Mark Twain, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book . Marse Tom Tramples His Chance here Marse Tom Tramples His Chance The holy passion of Friendship is of so sweet and steady and loyal and enduring a nature that it will last through a whole lifetime, if not asked to lend money. —Pudd’nhead Wilson’s Calendar. Consider well the proportions of things. It is better to be a young June-bug than an old bird of paradise. —Pudd’nhead Wilson’s Calendar. It is necessary now, to hunt up Roxy. At the time she was set free and went away chambermaiding, she was thirty-five. She got a berth as second chambermaid on a Cincinnati boat in the New Orleans trade, the . A couple of trips made her wonted and easy-going at the work, and infatuated her with the stir and adventure and independence of steamboat life. Then she was promoted and became head chambermaid. She was a favorite with the officers, and exceedingly proud of their joking and friendly way with her. Grand Mogul During eight years she served three parts of the year on that boat, and the winters on a Vicksburg packet. But now for two months she had had rheumatism in her arms, and was obliged to let the wash-tub alone. So she resigned. But she was well fixed—rich, as she would have described it; for she had lived a steady life, and had banked four dollars every month in New Orleans as a provision for her old age. She said in the start that she had “put shoes on one bar’footed nigger to tromple on her with,” and that one mistake like that was enough; she would be independent of the human race thenceforth forevermore if hard work and economy could accomplish it. When the boat touched the levee at New Orleans she bade good-by to her comrades on the and moved her kit ashore. Grand Mogul But she was back in a hour. The bank had gone to smash and carried her four hundred dollars with it. She was a pauper, and homeless. Also disabled bodily, at least for the present. The officers were full of sympathy for her in her trouble, and made up a little purse for her. She resolved to go to her birthplace; she had friends there among the negroes, and the unfortunate always help the unfortunate, she was well aware of that; those lowly comrades of her youth would not let her starve. She took the little local packet at Cairo, and now she was on the home-stretch. Time had worn away her bitterness against her son, and she was able to think of him with serenity. She put the vile side of him out of her mind, and dwelt only on recollections of his occasional acts of kindness to her. She gilded and otherwise decorated these, and made them very pleasant to contemplate. She began to long to see him. She would go and fawn upon him, slave-like—for this would have to be her attitude, of course—and maybe she would find that time had modified him, and that he would be glad to see his long-forgotten old nurse and treat her gently. That would be lovely; that would make her forget her woes and her poverty. Her poverty! That thought inspired her to add another castle to her dream: maybe he would give her a trifle now and then—maybe a dollar, once a month, say; any little thing like that would help, oh, ever so much. By the time she reached Dawson’s Landing she was her old self again; her blues were gone, she was in high feather. She would get along, surely; there were many kitchens where the servants would share their meals with her, and also steal sugar and apples and other dainties for her to carry home—or give her a chance to pilfer them herself, which would answer just as well. And there was the church. She was a more rabid and devoted Methodist than ever, and her piety was no sham, but was strong and sincere. Yes, with plenty of creature comforts and her old place in the amen-corner in her possession again, she would be perfectly happy and at peace thenceforward to the end. She went to Judge Driscoll’s kitchen first of all. She was received there in great form and with vast enthusiasm. Her wonderful travels, and the strange countries she had seen and the adventures she had had, made her a marvel, and a heroine of romance. The negroes hung enchanted upon the great story of her experiences, interrupting her all along with eager questions, with laughter, exclamations of delight and expressions of applause; and she was obliged to confess to herself that if there was anything better in this world than steamboating, it was the glory to be got by telling about it. The audience loaded her stomach with their dinners, and then stole the pantry bare to load up her basket. Tom was in St. Louis. The servants said he had spent the best part of his time there during the previous two years. Roxy came every day, and had many talks about the family and its affairs. Once she asked why Tom was away so much. The ostensible “Chambers” said: “De fac’ is, ole marster kin git along better when young marster’s away den he kin when he’s in de town; yes, en he love him better, too; so he gives him fifty dollahs a month—” “No, is dat so? Chambers, you’s a-jokin’, ain’t you?” “’Clah to goodness I ain’t, mammy; Marse Tom tole me so his own self. But nemmine, ’tain’t enough.” “My lan’, what de reason ’tain’t enough?” “Well, I’s gwine to tell you, if you gimme a chanst, mammy. De reason it ain’t enough is ’ca’se Marse Tom gambles.” Roxy threw up her hands in astonishment and Chambers went on— “Ole marster found it out, ’ca’se he had to pay two hundred dollahs for Marse Tom’s gamblin’ debts, en dat’s true, mammy, jes as dead certain as you’s bawn.” “Two—hund’d—dollahs! Why, what is you talkin’ ’bout? Two—hund’d—dollahs. Sakes alive, it’s ’mos’ enough to buy a tol’able good second-hand nigger wid. En you ain’t lyin’, honey?—you wouldn’t lie to yo’ ole mammy?” “It’s God’s own truth, jes as I tell you—two hund’d dollahs—I wisht I may never stir outen my tracks if it ain’t so. En, oh, my lan’, ole Marse was jes a-hoppin’! he was b’ilin’ mad, I tell you! He tuck ’n’ dissenhurrit him.” He licked his chops with relish after that stately word. Roxy struggled with it a moment, then gave it up and said— “Dissen him?” whiched “Dissenhurrit him.” “What’s dat? What do it mean?” “Means he bu’sted de will.” “Bu’s—ted de will! He wouldn’t treat him so! Take it back, you mis’able imitation nigger dat I bore in sorrow en tribbilation.” ever Roxy’s pet castle—an occasional dollar from Tom’s pocket—was tumbling to ruin before her eyes. She could not abide such a disaster as that; she couldn’t endure the thought of it. Her remark amused Chambers: “Yah-yah-yah! jes listen to dat! If I’s imitation, what is you? Bofe of us is imitation —dat’s what we is—en pow’ful good imitation, too—yah-yah-yah!—we don’t ’mount to noth’n as imitation ; en as for—” white niggers “Shet up yo’ foolin’, ’fo’ I knock you side de head, en tell me ’bout de will. Tell me ’tain’t bu’sted—do, honey, en I’ll never forgit you.” “Well, —’ca’se dey’s a new one made, en Marse Tom’s all right ag’in. But what is you in sich a sweat ’bout it for, mammy? ’Tain’t none o’ your business I don’t reckon.” ’tain’t “’Tain’t none o’ my business? Whose business is it den, I’d like to know? Wuz I his mother tell he was fifteen years old, or wusn’t I?—you answer me dat. En you speck I could see him turned out po’ en ornery on de worl’ en never care noth’n’ ’bout it? I reckon if you’d ever be’n a mother yo’self, Valet de Chambers, you wouldn’t talk sich foolishness as dat.” “Well, den, ole Marse forgive him en fixed up de will ag’in—do dat satisfy you?” Yes, she was satisfied now, and quite happy and sentimental over it. She kept coming daily, and at last she was told that Tom had come home. She began to tremble with emotion, and straightway sent to beg him to let his “po’ ole nigger mammy have jes one sight of him en die for joy.” Tom was stretched at his lazy ease on a sofa when Chambers brought the petition. Time had not modified his ancient detestation of the humble drudge and protector of his boyhood; it was still bitter and uncompromising. He sat up and bent a severe gaze upon the fair face of the young fellow whose name he was unconsciously using and whose family rights he was enjoying. He maintained the gaze until the victim of it had become satisfactorily pallid with terror, then he said— “What does the old rip want with me?” The petition was meekly repeated. “Who gave you permission to come and disturb me with the social attentions of niggers?” Tom had risen. The other young man was trembling now, visibly. He saw what was coming, and bent his head sideways, and put up his left arm to shield it. Tom rained cuffs upon the head and its shield, saying no word: the victim received each blow with a beseeching, “Please, Marse Tom!—oh, please, Marse Tom!” Seven blows—then Tom said, “Face the door—march!” He followed behind with one, two, three solid kicks. The last one helped the pure-white slave over the door-sill, and he limped away mopping his eyes with his old ragged sleeve. Tom shouted after him, “Send her in!” Then he flung himself panting on the sofa again, and rasped out the remark, “He arrived just at the right moment; I was full to the brim with bitter thinkings, and nobody to take it out of. How refreshing it was! I feel better.” Tom’s mother entered now, closing the door behind her, and approached her son with all the wheedling and supplicating servilities that fear and interest can impart to the words and attitudes of the born slave. She stopped a yard from her boy and made two or three admiring exclamations over his manly stature and general handsomeness, and Tom put an arm under his head and hoisted a leg over the sofa-back in order to look properly indifferent. “My lan’, how you is growed, honey! ’Clah to goodness, I wouldn’t a-knowed you, Marse Tom! ’deed I wouldn’t! Look at me good; does you ’member old Roxy?—does you know yo’ old nigger mammy, honey? Well, now, I kin lay down en die in peace, ’ca’se I’se seed—” “Cut it short, ——— it, cut it short! What is it you want?” “You heah dat? Jes the same old Marse Tom, al’ays so gay and funnin’ wid de ole mammy. I ’uz jes as shore—” “Cut it short, I tell you, and get along! What do you want?” This was a bitter disappointment. Roxy had for so many days nourished and fondled and petted her notion that Tom would be glad to see his old nurse, and would make her proud and happy to the marrow with a cordial word or two, that it took two rebuffs to convince her that he was not funning, and that her beautiful dream was a fond and foolish vanity, a shabby and pitiful mistake. She was hurt to the heart, and so ashamed that for a moment she did not quite know what to do or how to act. Then her breast began to heave, the tears came, and in her forlornness she was moved to try that other dream of hers—an appeal to her boy’s charity; and so, upon the impulse, and without reflection, she offered her supplication: “Oh, Marse Tom, de po’ ole mammy is in sich hard luck dese days; en she’s kinder crippled in de arms en can’t work, en if you could gimme a dollah—on’y jes one little dol—” Tom was on his feet so suddenly that the supplicant was startled into a jump herself. “A dollar!—give you a dollar! I’ve a notion to strangle you! Is your errand here? Clear out! and be quick about it!” that Roxy backed slowly toward the door. When she was half-way she stopped, and said mournfully: “Marse Tom, I nussed you when you was a little baby, en I raised you all by myself tell you was ’most a young man; en now you is young en rich, en I is po’ en gitt’n ole, en I come heah b’lievin’ dat you would he’p de ole mammy ’long down de little road dat’s lef’ ’twix’ her en de grave, en—” Tom relished this tune less than any that had preceded it, for it began to wake up a sort of echo in his conscience; so he interrupted and said with decision, though without asperity, that he was not in a situation to help her, and wasn’t going to do it. “Ain’t you ever gwine to he’p me, Marse Tom?” “No! Now go away and don’t bother me any more.” Roxy’s head was down, in an attitude of humility. But now the fires of her old wrongs flamed up in her breast and began to burn fiercely. She raised her head slowly, till it was well up, and at the same time her great frame unconsciously assumed an erect and masterful attitude, with all the majesty and grace of her vanished youth in it. She raised her finger and punctuated with it: “You has said de word. You has had yo’ chance, en you has trompled it under yo’ foot. When you git another one, you’ll git down on yo’ knees en for it!” beg A cold chill went to Tom’s heart, he didn’t know why; for he did not reflect that such words, from such an incongruous source, and so solemnly delivered, could not easily fail of that effect. However, he did the natural thing: he replied with bluster and mockery: “ give me a chance— ! Perhaps I’d better get down on my knees now! But in case I don’t—just for argument’s sake—what’s going to happen, pray?” You’ll you “Dis is what is gwine to happen. I’s gwine as straight to yo’ uncle as I kin walk, en tell him every las’ thing I knows ’bout you.” Tom’s cheek blenched, and she saw it. Disturbing thoughts began to chase each other through his head. “How can she know? And yet she must have found out—she looks it. I’ve had the will back only three months, and am already deep in debt again, and moving heaven and earth to save myself from exposure and destruction, with a reasonably fair show of getting the thing covered up if I’m let alone, and now this fiend has gone and found me out somehow or other. I wonder how much she knows? Oh, oh, oh, it’s enough to break a body’s heart! But I’ve got to humor her—there’s no other way.” Then he worked up a rather sickly sample of a gay laugh and a hollow chipperness of manner, and said: “Well, well, Roxy dear, old friends like you and me mustn’t quarrel. Here’s your dollar—now tell me what you know.” He held out the wild-cat bill; she stood as she was, and made no movement. It was her turn to scorn persuasive foolery, now, and she did not waste it. She said, with a grim implacability in voice and manner which made Tom almost realize that even a former slave can remember for ten minutes insults and injuries returned for compliments and flatteries received, and can also enjoy taking revenge for them when the opportunity offers: “What does I know? I’ll tell you what I knows. I knows enough to bu’st dat will to flinders—en more, mind you, ” more! Tom was aghast. “More?” he said. “What do you call more? Where’s there any room for more?” Roxy laughed a mocking laugh, and said scoffingly, with a toss of her head, and her hands on her hips— “Yes!—oh, I reckon! you’d like to know—wid yo’ po’ little ole rag dollah. What you reckon I’s gwine to tell for?—you ain’t got no money. I’s gwine to tell yo’ uncle—en I’ll do it dis minute, too—he’ll gimme dollahs for de news, en mighty glad, too.” Co’se you five She swung herself around disdainfully, and started away. Tom was in a panic. He seized her skirts, and implored her to wait. She turned and said, loftily— “Look-a-heah, what ’uz it I tole you?” “You—you—I don’t remember anything. What was it you told me?” “I tole you dat de next time I give you a chance you’d git down on yo’ knees en beg for it.” Tom was stupefied for a moment. He was panting with excitement. Then he said: “Oh, Roxy, you wouldn’t require your young master to do such a horrible thing. You can’t mean it.” “I’ll let you know mighty quick whether I means it or not! You call me names, en as good as spit on me when I comes here po’ en ornery en ’umble, to praise you for bein’ growed up so fine en handsome, en tell you how I used to nuss you en tend you en watch you when you ’uz sick en hadn’t no mother but me in de whole worl’, en beg you to give de po’ ole nigger a dollah for to git her som’n’ to eat, en you call me names— , dad blame you! Yassir, I gives you jes one chance mo’, and dat’s , en it las’ on’y a half a second—you hear?” names now Tom slumped to his knees and began to beg, saying— “You see, I’m begging, and it’s honest begging, too! Now tell me, Roxy, tell me.” The heir of two centuries of unatoned insult and outrage looked down on him and seemed to drink in deep draughts of satisfaction. Then she said— “Fine nice young white gen’l’man kneelin’ down to a nigger-wench! I’s wanted to see dat jes once befo’ I’s called. Now, Gabr’el, blow de hawn, I’s ready … Git up!” Tom did it. He said, humbly— “Now, Roxy, don’t punish me any more. I deserved what I’ve got, but be good and let me off with that. Don’t go to uncle. Tell me—I’ll give you the five dollars.” “Yes, I bet you will; en you won’t stop dah, nuther. But I ain’t gwine to tell you heah—” “Good gracious, no!” “Is you ’feared o’ de ha’nted house?” “N-no.” “Well, den, you come to de ha’nted house ’bout ten or ’leven to-night, en climb up de ladder, ’ca’se de sta’r-steps is broke down, en you’ll find me. I’s a-roostin’ in de ha’nted house ’ca’se I can’t ’ford to roos’ nowhers’ else.” She started toward the door, but stopped and said, “Gimme de dollah bill!” He gave it to her. She examined it and said, “H’m—like enough de bank’s bu’sted.” She started again, but halted again. “Has you got any whisky?” “Yes, a little.” “Fetch it!” He ran to his room overhead and brought down a bottle which was two-thirds full. She tilted it up and took a drink. Her eyes sparkled with satisfaction, and she tucked the bottle under her shawl, saying, “It’s prime. I’ll take it along.” Tom humbly held the door for her, and she marched out as grim and erect as a grenadier. About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Mark Twain (2004). The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/102/pg102-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at , located at . www.gutenberg.org https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html

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