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It proved to be the master of the house. "Why, Gerald, how glad I am! I thought you were in Savannah," exclaimed Rosa. "Have you seen anything of Floracita?" "No. Isn't she here?" inquired he, in such a tone of surprise, that Tulee's suspicions were shaken. Rosa repeated the story of her disappearance, and concluded by saying, "She told Tulee she was homesick to go to Madame."
He went back and forth from Savannah to procure such articles as were needed at the cottage, and he always had a budget of gossip for Tulee. Tom's Chloe was an expert ironer; and as Mr. Fitzgerald was not so well pleased with Tulee's performances of that kind, baskets of clothes were often sent to Chloe, who was ingenious in finding excuses for bringing them back herself.
Tom had learned to read quite fluently, and was accustomed to edify his household companions with chapters from the Bible on Sunday evenings. The descriptions of King Solomon's splendor made a lively impression on Tulee's mind.
He will like better the plain braids of my hair with the curls falling over them." As she sat, hour after hour, embroidering the dress which was expected to produce such a sensation, Tulee's heart was gladdened by hearing her sing almost continually. "Bless her dear heart!" exclaimed she; "that sounds like the old times."
He hastened to the kitchen and told Chloe to go directly to Miss Rosa. He then briefly explained his errand to Tulee, and told her to prepare for departure as fast as possible. "But first go to your mistress," said he; "for I am afraid she may go crazy." The sufferer yielded more readily to Tulee's accustomed influence than she had done to that of Mr. Duroy.
One evening he had run before her all the way, as a very little child, whose shining garments lighted up all the woods. Four months after the swift destruction of her hopes, Rosa, after taking some drink from Tulee's hand, looked up in her face, and said, "How long have I been sick, dear Tulee?" "No matter about that, darling," she replied, patting her head fondly.
While she was doing this, tears fell on her dear young mistress, lying there so broken and helpless, talking incoherently about her father and Floracita, about being a slave and being sold. This continued eight or ten days, during which she never seemed to recognize Tulee's presence, or to be conscious where she was.
And poor Tulee, too, how much I intended to do for her! No mortal can ever know what she was to me in the darkest hours of my life." "Well, poor Tulee's troubles are all over," rejoined Madame, with a sigh; "and bambinos escape a great deal of suffering by going out of this wicked world.
Then, suddenly recollecting what a narrow escape her young lady had had from the auction-stand, she hastened with intuitive delicacy to change the subject. But the same thought had occurred to Flora; and she fell asleep, thinking how Tulee's wishes could be gratified. When morning floated upward out of the arms of night, in robe of brightest saffron, the aspect of everything was changed.
A letter from him made her cheerful for days; but they did not come often, and were generally brief. Tom came with the carriage once a week, according to his master's orders; but she found solitary drives so little refreshing to body or mind that she was often glad to avail herself of Tulee's company.
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