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Leffie now proposed that her mother should defer her intended flight until the arrival of the dreaded Julia, while Rondeau added, "Besides, Dilsey, if you should run away your delicate body couldn’t get further than the swamp, where you’d go in up to your neck first lunge, and all marster’s horses couldn’t draw you out."
The letter was accordingly put in his pocket, and in a few moments he rejoined his master and Mr. Middleton. The next day they returned home. Rondeau’s first act was to draw Leffie aside, and after winning from her various strong promises of secrecy, he imparted to her the astounding fact that, "He had found one of marster’s letters in his trousers—no, his coat pocket.
"There," said Leffie, as Rondeau laid over the spot a piece of fresh green turf, "nobody’ll ever have any idee whose grave this is." Rondeau rolled up his eyes, and assuming a most doleful expression, said, "Couldn’t you manage to bust a tear or two, just to make it seem like a real buryin’?"
Rondeau saw he had stretched a trifle too much, but he answered, "Well, anyhow, he throwed it away, and I’m goin’ to keep it till—till, you know when, Dilsey." "Keep it till you’re gray," said Aunt Dilsey. "Leffie ain’t goin’ to be married with no such flummery." Here Leffie, anxious to change the conversation, asked, "What of Miss Fanny?"
A violent squabble ensued, in which the large china dish which Leffie held in her hand was broken, two pickle jars thrown down, chairs upset, the baby scalded, and the dog Tasso’s tail nearly crushed!
Lacey, ’twas a sorry moment when you listened to the whispering of that pride! Had that letter been sent, it would have saved you many sleepless nights of sorrow. But it was not to be. That night there was to be a large party at the house of Mr. Mortimer, whom Leffie had mentioned as second to the Laceys in wealth. Mr.
It had been there two weeks, and he didn’t know what in cain to do with it. If he gave it to marster now, ’twould make him lose faith in him, and so forth." Leffie heard him through, and then fully agreed with him that ’twas best not to tell marster at this late hour. "But," said she, "I’d put it out of the way, so ’twouldn’t be poppin’ out in sight some time." "Shall I burn it?" asked Rondeau.
Lacey had made Leffie the present of a pair of gold earrings, so that she was really a pretty bride, and Rondeau was the happiest negro in all New Orleans. As weddings seem to be the order of this chapter, we may here, as well as anywhere, dispose of Mrs. Carrington, whom, you will remember, Raymond said he would one day marry.
Then she would call out, "Get along you, Jack, pokin’ your fingers into the ’lasses cup; make yourself scarce in this kitchen, or I’ll crack your head mighty nigh as hard as the new Miss will." Then she would scold Leffie, who, she said, "was of no more account than a burnt stick, now she was spectin’ Rondeau. Pity but the boat he come on wouldn’t blow up and let ’em all into perdition together."
"Not an atom too tight," answered Rondeau, at the same time getting nearer and nearer to Leffie, and laying his hand on her shoulder. Before she was aware of his intention, he stole the kiss he was seeking for. Leffie rewarded him by spitting in his face, while Aunt Dilsey called out, "Ain’t you ’shamed to act so, Leffie? Don’t make a fool of yourself!"
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