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Once Madame L'Ouverture went to her, and once Therese; but she would say nothing but "Leave me!" From her they went to Afra, who wept incessantly, though she did not reject their consolations. The night wore on wearily and drearily.
"Oh dear, let us make haste, or they will be gone!" cried Euphrosyne. While Euphrosyne was endeavouring to make her grandfather feel himself at home and comfortable in the apartment appointed for him by the Governor, Afra ran to her window, to see if the potentates of the island were still at their conference. The rose-garden was empty; and she came back sorrowfully to say so.
She had witnessed Toussaint's power the power with which his spirit of gentleness and forbearance endowed him; and she believed that, if he would but try, he would find he could govern better by declaring always for the right and against the wrong, and leaving vengeance to God, than by the violent death of all the ignorant and violent men in the island. She would ask Afra.
She preferred remaining to see from behind the blind what went on in the Jesuits' Walk to see Afra and her gouvernante dressed for church to see L'Ouverture set forth to see the soldiers follow, marching in a compact body, each man carrying a green bough, in token of rejoicing.
"I did: but I added a prayer that Bonaparte might be moved to leave us the glory and dominion which we value the duty and the hearts of our children and that he might be contented with gaining the homage of the French nation, and grasping the kingdoms of Europe." "I think God will hear that prayer," said Afra, cheerfully.
Captain Miller's account was, that not long after leaving the Mersey, there had set in an impenetrable fog, lasting for a night and a day. There was perhaps some confusion as to charts, and the scarcely visible lights upon the Maidens. At any rate, the Afra had suddenly struck on a reef, and, shifting at once, had been hopelessly rent, so as to leave no hope save in the boats.
"Shall I venture? yes, I will shall I? At least, I will keep upon the watch," said Afra, as she withdrew. She presently sent in, with the tray of fruit, a basket of flowers, which Euphrosyne occupied herself in dressing, exactly as she did at home, humming the while the airs her grandfather heard her sing every day. Her devices answered very well.
These thoughts would intrude again, however; and he found himself listlessly watching through the window a waving treetop, or a sinking star, while his pen dried in his hand. These intrusive ideas were of Afra. He had never thought of love, in regard to himself, even enough to despise it, or to resolve against it: and the time was apparently come when love was to revenge himself for this neglect.
"Afra," I said, laying my hand on her arm as she took to her swift pace again, "perhaps I had better go home: I am afraid I can't I think that is " "Nonsense! as if you could not get on after all those hints! Anyway, you cannot return alone, and I am unable to go with you. Make up your mind to blunder, and do it.
A series of doors flanked the place, looking to my unaccustomed eyes all alike, but Afra without a moment's hesitation went to one of them and knocked. It was opened by a lady, who smiled and said, "Enter. You are just in time: school is over and the model about going." I found myself in a high-ceiled room, at one end of which was suspended a row of perhaps a dozen lamps.
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