The Hour and the Man, An Historical Romance Page 3

  CHAPTER THREE.

  WHAT TO DO!

  The report brought by Toussaint was astounding to his hearers, evenafter the preparation afforded by the events of the evening. It wasclear that the negroes had everything in their own hand, and that thespirit roused in them was so fierce, so revengeful, as to leave no hopethat they would use their power with moderation. The Breda estate, andevery one near it, was to be ravaged when those on the north side of theplain were completely destroyed. The force assembled at Latour'salready amounted to four thousand; and no assistance could be looked forfrom the towns at all adequate to meet such numbers, since the personsand property of the whites, hourly accumulating in the towns as theinsurrection spread, required more than all the means of protection thatthe colony afforded. The two gentlemen agreed, as they sat at the tablecovered with supper, wine, and glittering arms, that to remain was torisk their lives with no good object. It was clear that they must fly.

  Toussaint suggested that a quantity of sugar from the Breda estate wasnow at Port Paix, lying ready for shipment. There was certainly onevessel, if not more, in that port, belonging to the United States. Ifthe gentlemen would risk the ride to the coast with him, he thought hecould put them on board, and they might take with them this sugar,intended for France, but now wanted for their subsistence in theirexile. Bayou saw at once that this was the best plan he could adopt.Papalier was unwilling to turn his back so soon, and so completely, onhis property. Bayou was only attorney to the Breda estate, and had noone but himself to care for. Papalier was a proprietor, and he couldnot give up at once, and for ever, the lands which his daughters shouldinherit after him. He could not instantly decide upon this. He wouldwait some hours at least. He thought he could contrive to get into sometown, or into the Spanish territory, though he might be compelled toleave the plain. He slept for this night with his arms at hand, andunder the watch of Placide, who might be trusted to keep awake andlisten, as his father vouched for him. Bayou was gone presently; withsuch little money as he happened to have in the house; and in hispockets, the gold ornaments which Toussaint's wife insisted on hisaccepting, and which were not to be despised in this day of hisadversity. He was sorry to take her necklace and ear-rings, which werereally valuable; but she said, truly, that he had been a kind master formany years, and ought to command what they had, now that they were allin trouble together.

  Before the next noon, Monsieur Bayou was on board the American vessel inthe harbour of Port Paix, weary and sad, but safe, with his sugar, andpocketsful of cash and gold trinkets. Before evening, Toussaint, whorode like the wind, and seemed incapable of fatigue, was cooling himselfunder a tamarind-tree, in a nook of the Breda estate.

  He was not there to rest himself, while the world seemed to be fallinginto chaos around him. He was there for the duty of the hour--to meetby appointment the leader of the insurgents, Jean Francais, whom, tillnow, he had always supposed to be his friend, as far as theirintercourse went, though Jean had never been so dear to him as Henri.He had not sat long, listening for sounds of approach amidst the clatterof the neighbouring palm-tree tops, whose stiff leaves struck oneanother as they waved in the wind, when Jean appeared from behind themill.

  "You have stopped our wheel," said Toussaint, pointing to the reekingwater-mill. "It will be cracked in the sun before you can set it goingagain."

  "Yes, we have stopped all the mills," replied Jean. "Every stream inthe colony has a holiday to-day, and may frolic as it likes. I amafraid I made you wait supper last night?"

  "You gave me poison, Jean. You have poisoned my trust in my friends. Iwatched for you as for a friend; and what were you doing the while? Youwere rebelling, ravaging, and murdering!"

  "Go on," said Jean. "Tell me how it appears to you; and then I willtell you how it appears to me."

  "It appears to me, then, that if the whites are to blame towards thosewho are in their power--if they have been cruel to the Oges, and theirparty--if they have oppressed their negroes, as they too often have, ourduty is clear--to bear and forbear, to do them good in return for theirevil. To rise against them cunningly, to burn their plantations, andmurder them--to do this is to throw back the gospel in the face of Himwho gave it!"

  "But you do not understand this rising. It is not for revenge."

  "Why do I not understand it. Because you knew that I should disapproveit, and kept me at home by a false appointment, that I might be out ofthe way. Do you say all this is not for revenge? I look at the hellyou have made of this colony between night and morning, and I say thatif this be not from revenge, there must be something viler than revengein the hearts of devils and of men."

  "And now, hear me," said Jean, "for I am wanted at Latour's, and my timeis short. It was no false appointment last night. I was on my way toyou, when I was stopped by some news which altered our plans in amoment, and made us rise sooner, by three days, than we expected. I wascoming to tell you all, and engage you to be one of our chiefs. Haveyou heard that the _Calypso_ has put into port at the other end of theisland?"

  "No."

  "Then you do not know the news she brought. She has a royalist master,who is in no hurry to tell his news to the revolutionary whites. Theking and all his family tried to escape from France in June. They wereovertaken on the road, and brought back prisoners to Paris."

  Toussaint, who always uncovered his head at the name of the king, nowbent it low in genuine grief.

  "Is it not true," said Jean, "that our masters are traitors? Do theynot insult and defy the king? Would there not have been one shout ofjoy through all Cap last night, if this news had been brought to thedeputies after dinner with their wine?"

  "It is true. But they would still have been less guilty than those whoadd ravage and murder to rebellion."

  "There was no stopping the people when the messengers from the _Calypso_crossed the frontier, and sent the cry, `Vive le Roi! et l'ancienregime,' through the negro quarters of every estate they reached. Thepeople were up on the Noe plantation at the word. Upon my honour, theglare of the fire was the first I knew about it. Then the spirit spreadamong our people, like the flames among our masters' canes. I likemurder no better than you, Toussaint; but when once slaves are up, withknife and firebrand, those may keep revenge from kindling who can--Icannot."

  "At least, you need not join--you can oppose yourself to it."

  "I have not joined. I have saved three or four whites this day bygiving them warning. I have hidden a family in the woods, and I willdie before I will tell where they are. I did what I could to persuadeGallifet's people to let Odeluc and his soldiers turn back to Cap: and Ibelieve they would, but for Odeluc's obstinacy in coming among us. Ifhe would have kept his distance, he might have been alive now. As itis--"

  "And is he dead?--the good Odeluc?"

  "There he lies; and half-a-dozen of the soldiers with him. I am sorry,for he always thought well of us; but he thrust himself into the danger.One reason of my coming here now is to say that this plantation andArabie will be attacked to-night, and Bayou had better roost in a treetill morning."

  "My master is safe."

  "Safe? Where?"

  "On the sea."

  "You have saved him. Have you--I know your love of obedience isstrong--have you pledged yourself to our masters, to oppose the rising--to fight on their side?"

  "I give no pledges but to my conscience. And I have no party where bothare wrong. The whites are revengeful, and rebel against their king; andthe blacks are revengeful, and rebel against their masters."

  "Did you hear anything on the coast of the arrival of the _Blonde_frigate from Jamaica?"

  "Yes; there again is more treason. The whites at Cap have implored theEnglish to take possession of the colony. First traitors to the king,they would now join the enemies of their country. Fear not, Jean, thatI would defend the treason of such; but I would not murder them."

  "What do you mean to do? this very night your estate will be attacked.Your
family is almost the only one remaining on it. Have you thoughtwhat you will do?"

  "I have; and your news only confirms my thought."

  "You will not attempt to defend the plantation?"

  "What would my single arm do? It would provoke revenge which mightotherwise sleep."

  "True. Let the estate be deserted, and the gates and doors left wide,and no mischief may be done. Will you join us then?"

  "Join you! no! Not till your loyalty is free from stain. Not while youfight for your king with a cruelty from which your king would recoil."

  "You will wait," said Jean, sarcastically, "till we have conquered thecolony for the king. That done you will avow your loyalty."

  "Such is not my purpose, Jean," replied Toussaint, quietly. "You havecalled me your friend; but you understand me no more than if I were yourenemy. I will help to conquer the colony for the king; but it shall beto restore to him its lands as the King of kings gave them to him--notravaged and soaked in blood, but redeemed with care, to be made fair andfruitful, as held in trust for him. I shall join the Spaniards, andfight for my king with my king's allies."

  Jean was silent, evidently struck with the thought. If he had beentroubled with speculations as to what he should do with hisundisciplined, half-savage forces, after the whites should have beendriven to entrench themselves in the towns, it is possible that thisidea of crossing the Spanish line, and putting himself and his peopleunder the command of these allies, might be a welcome relief to hisperplexity.

  "And your family," said he: "will the Spaniards receive our women andchildren into their camp?"

  "I shall not ask them. I have a refuge in view for my family."

  "When will you go?"

  "When you leave me. You will find the estate deserted this night, asyou wish. The few negroes who are here will doubtless go with me; andwe shall have crossed the river before morning."

  "You would not object," said Jean, "to be joined on the road by some ofour negro force; on my pledge, you understand, that they will not ravagethe country."

  "Some too good for your present command?" said Toussaint, smiling. "Iwill command them on one other condition--that they will treat well anywhite who may happen to be with me."

  "I said nothing about your commanding them," said Jean. "If I send menI shall send officers. But whites! what whites? Did you not say Bayouwas on the sea?"

  "I did; but there may be other whites whom I choose to protect, as yousay you are doing. If, instead of hiding whites in the woods, I carrythem across the frontier, what treatment may I expect for my party onthe road?"

  "I will go with you myself, and that is promising everything," saidJean, making a virtue of what was before a strong inclination. "Set outin two hours from this time. I will put the command of the plain intoBiasson's hands, and make a camp near the Spanish lines. The posts inthat direction are weak, and the whites panic-struck, if indeed theyhave not all fled to the fort. Well, well," he continued, "keep to yourtime, and I will join you at the cross of the four roads, three milessouth of Fort Dauphin. All will be safe that far, at least."

  "If not, we have some strong arms among us," replied Toussaint. "Ibelieve my girls (or one of them at least) would bear arms where myhonour is at stake. So our king is a prisoner! and we are free! Suchare the changes which Heaven sends!"

  "Ay, how do you feel, now you are free?" said Jean. "Did you not putyour horse to a gallop when you turned your back on your old master?"

  "Not a word of that, Jean. Let us not think of ourselves. There iswork to do for our king. He is our task-master now."

  "You are in a hurry for another master," said Jean. "I am not tired ofbeing my own master yet."

  "I wish you would make your people masters of themselves, Jean. Theyare not fit for power. Heaven take it from us, by putting all powerinto the hand of the king!"

  "We meet by starlight," said Jean. "I have the business of fivethousand men to arrange first; so, more of the king another time."

  He leaped the nearest fence and was gone. Toussaint rose and walkedaway, with a countenance so serious, that Margot asked if there was badnews of Monsieur Bayou.

  When the family understood that the Breda estate was to be attacked thisnight, there was no need to hasten their preparations for departure. Inthe midst of the hurry, Aimee consulted Isaac about an enterprise whichhad occurred to her, on her father's behalf; and the result was, thatthey ventured up to the house, and as far as Monsieur Bayou'sbook-shelves, to bring away the volumes they had been accustomed to seetheir father read. This thought entered Aimee's mind when she saw him,busy as he was, carefully pocket the Epictetus he had been reading thenight before. Monsieur Papalier was reading, while Therese was makingpackages of comforts for him. He observed the boy and girl, and when hefound that the books they took were for their father, he muttered overthe volume he held--

  "Bayou was a fool to allow it. I always told him so. When our negroesget to read like so many gentlemen, no wonder the world is turned upsidedown."

  "Do your negroes read, Monsieur Papalier?" asked Isaac.

  "No, indeed! not one of them."

  "Where are they all, then?"

  Aimee put in her word.

  "Why do they not take care of you, as father did of Monsieur Bayou?"