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Updated: June 29, 2025
The ingratitude of which our friend Ravonino was supposed to be guilty, consisted in his having forsaken the idols of the country and renounced the favour of the Queen by becoming a Christian, preferring, like Moses, to suffer affliction with the banished people of God. "No doubt," continued the premier, "they will be praying and psalm-singing.
Great was the amusement of our travellers at all this, especially when Ravonino explained about the toothache. "You must know," he said, "that almost all the houses in the central provinces of the island are built with their length running north and south, or nearly so, and the people use the points of the compass in describing the position of things.
They remained where they were, therefore, and every morning, before dawn, Ravonino stole out to a neighbouring mountain with Rafaravavy and her maid. There they lay hid among the craggy rocks until night-fall, when they returned to their friend's house.
At the same moment as if the blow had been the touching of a secret spring the whole garden was lighted up with a magnificent red glare, and they knew that Ebony had done his part and lighted the giant candle. The red glare lasted long enough to reveal the fact that Ravonino and Rafaravavy were gone, and that the man at their feet was indeed the executioner whom they had guessed him to be.
At the time when Mamba started away on his expedition to Tamatave, Ravonino, as we have said, lay concealed in the forest, anxiously awaiting news from the town. At last the news came the two white men and the negro had got involved in a row, and were in prison!
"Not in the city, certainly," returned the Secretary. "Bold and daring though he is, he would scarcely venture that; but he has been seen and heard of more than once lately." Mark felt relieved. It was evident the Secretary neither knew of nor suspected the fact that Ravonino had actually attended the garden party and met Rafaravavy almost under the Queen's eyes!
Before Ravonino could make up his mind to drag her into the thicket by main force, Rafaravavy had disengaged herself and bounded away. At the same moment Ravonino glided into the shrubbery and disappeared. A few seconds later and Mark Breezy stood on the spot they had quitted. He was alone.
"Not so, mother," said Ravonino, taking the poor woman's hand, "be of good cheer; Mamba is not dead. I know not indeed where he is at this moment, having been pressed in my own flight, but I know that the Queen has set him free this much I learned from our white friend, Mark Breezy. More I cannot tell, but is not this cause for joy and gratitude? Come, let us return thanks to our Father."
Springing towards Ravonino, he spoke several words eagerly, at the same time pointing in the direction of the passage just referred to. "Lights out and silence!" cried the guide, authoritatively, in the native tongue.
When the torches were relighted the men and women assembled round Ravonino with looks little less solemn than those of the soldiers who had just taken their departure. "Surely," said the handsome young man whom we have already introduced, "surely God has wrought a miracle and sent an angel's voice for our deliverance." "Not so, Laihova," replied Ravonino, with a slight smile.
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