CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.
THE GIFT AT THE ALTAR.
Poor Euphrosyne! She was not allowed by her grandfather to go to churchthis day. Monsieur Revel insisted upon it that it would be an act oftreason for one of the French race to attend a thanksgiving for havinggot rid of the French authorities. In vain did Euphrosyne representthat the thanksgiving was for something very different--for thedeliverance of the town and district from war--for the security of whiteand black inhabitants alike.--Neither Monsieur Revel nor Pierre wouldhear a word of this. They were quite sure that the faster the darkpeople thronged to the churches to rejoice, the more fervently shouldthe whites mourn and pray for mercy at home. Her grandfather saidPierre should escort her to the chapel of the convent, where she mightgo without being seen. That service was a fitting one for her toattend; and he would spare her for a couple of hours, to be so spent,under the eye of the abbess. This, however, Euphrosyne declined. Shepreferred remaining to see from behind the blind what went on in theJesuits' Walk--to see Afra and her gouvernante dressed for church--tosee L'Ouverture set forth--to see the soldiers follow, marching in acompact body, each man carrying a green bough, in token of rejoicing.She did not know, any more than the crowd that lined the way, that inthe centre of this body of military, and concealed by the green boughs,were the eleven mulatto prisoners.
Afra entered quickly to say farewell; and, lifting her veil hastily, shesaid, "Kiss me, and let me go. L'Ouverture says he shall take us intochurch himself, as my father is not here. Mademoiselle and I are goingwith Madame Ducie and her daughters; and L'Ouverture will wait for us atthe church, and lead us in. Poor Euphrosyne! I wish you were going!"
"I never cared for anything half so much. Will you really walk allthrough the church to your seat on his arm? And I should have been onthe other side, if grandpapa would have let me go! Do not stay, dear.Tell me all about it when you come back."
"I must be gone. There will not be standing-room for one person tospare. You know every one of my colour in Cap is ordered to be in thechurch as the hour strikes. Farewell."
Euphrosyne had thought she had heard the crier publish this order; andpresently Pierre brought her the handbill to the same effect, which waspassing from hand to hand. If Euphrosyne and Pierre speculatedcuriously on what this order might mean, what must have been the anxietyof the mulattoes! Most of them had known of the conspiracy of the daybefore: all had now heard of its failure. All were anxious to attendthe church, as staying away would amount to a confession of disloyalty;but there was not one of them who did not go with fear and trembling,wishing that the day was over, though dreading what it might bringforth.
As Afra, and the ladies who attended her, drew near the great church,they found the streets absolutely empty. Loyalty, and the desire toappear loyal, had carried the entire population to the churches; and thehouses appeared deserted by all but an aged or sick person, here andthere, who looked forth upon the activity he could not share. In thecentre of the area before the church were piled the arms of the garrisonand of Toussaint's troops; and on the top of the pile of arms lay thefetters which had just been removed from the mulatto conspirators.L'Ouverture, in giving his orders to this effect, had said that armsshould be laid aside in the act of thanksgiving for peace; and bonds,while giving thanks for liberty. When, at length, he gave the signalfor the military to enter the church after him, some of the officerslooked earnestly to him for orders that a guard might be left with thearms. He understood their thoughts, and replied, with a smile:--
"Let every one enter to worship: the arms are safe. There is no onenear who would employ them against us."
Afra's heart beat, and she did not forget Euphrosyne, as she was led toher seat by L'Ouverture, at whose entrance there was a half-suppressedmurmur throughout the vast congregation--a murmur which sank intosilence at the first breathing of solemn music from the choir. Thesigns of gratulation for the escape of the Deliverer, first heard in thestreets, and now witnessed amidst the worshipping crowd, were too muchfor the self-command of the conspirators. Their attitude became everymoment more downcast--their countenances more sullen and wretched. Theyhad a strong impression that their execution was to seal thethanksgivings of this day; and in every allusion to deliverance fromdanger, privy conspiracy, and rebellion, they believed that they readtheir own doom. A tempting idea of escape now and then crossed theimagination of one or other of them. As they sat with their heads upontheir breasts, the thought that they were unfettered, and their guardsunarmed, made them eager to glance around, and see if there was hope;but whenever they raised their eyes, and whichever way they looked, theyencountered eyes seemingly as numerous as the stars of heaven--as many,as penetrating, but not so calm. Eyes which shone with love ofL'Ouverture could not look benignly on those who would have kidnapped ormurdered him. Nor did the eleven meet with any visible sympathy fromthe multitude of their own colour who were present. The greater numberlooked studiously another way, in order to appear to have no connectionwith them; and the countenances which were turned towards them wore astrong expression of displeasure, as towards men who had ruined the lasthopes of a cause. The wretched men gave themselves up, at length, tocounting the minutes till the service should be over, and they should beonce more retired from this myriad of eyes, when they were roused by asingular suspension of the service.
After the prayer for divine pardon, ensuing upon mutual forgiveness,L'Ouverture arose from his knees, stepped from his place, and stoodbefore the altar. He spoke, while all rose to hear.
"In this place," said he, "brethren should be reconciled, or theiroffering of thanksgiving will not be pure. Will all who feel enmitytowards me come to this holy spot, and exchange forgiveness?"
He looked towards the conspirators, who gazed upon him with eager eyes,but did not move. They could not believe that tills appeal was intendedfor them, till he beckoned to them. They advanced with hesitatingsteps--first one or two--then several--then all; and as they drew nearerthey rushed upon him, some kissing his hand, others kneeling andembracing his knees. Bidding these arise, he said gently, but in avoice so penetrating that it was heard in the farthest recess of thebuilding, "I must have offended you, since you have conspired againstme; and you are very guilty towards me and your country. May He wholooks down with pity on the shameful strifes of men, bear witness to ourhearty forgiveness of each other! Can you with truth say Amen?--If notyet with truth, say it not till you have heard me."
"Amen!" they cried, with a cry which was echoed first from the roof ofthe church, and then by every voice beneath it which was not choked withsobs.
"If you had had patience with me," said Toussaint, "you would have foundthat I am above partiality in regard to race. When I find men of yourcolour fit for office, they shall be promoted to office as my friendRaymond was. I entreat you henceforth to give me time; to watch me,though closely, generously; and if I fail to satisfy you, to make yourcomplaints to myself. As for the past, let it be forgotten by all. Goto your homes, and I trust no one will ever speak to you of this day.As for myself, I must go where I am wanted. It may be that I shall haveto punish the leader of your colour, if he persists in disturbing thepeace of the colony. But fear not that, if you do not share in hisoffences, I shall impute them to you. It is true that, however far-off,my eye will be upon you, and my arm stretched out over you; but as longas you are faithful, this my presence will be, your protection. Afterthe blessing, the amnesty I have promised will be read. This, my act offorgiveness, is sincere. Show that yours is so, I entreat, bycherishing the peace of the colony. By the sanctity of the place onwhich we stand, let there be peace among us all, and mutual forgivenessfor all time to come!"
"Amen!" again resounded, louder than the most joyous strain of the choirthat ever rang through the building.
L'Ouverture went back to his place, surrounded by the eleven releasedmen, for whom room was made round his person by those who could bestread his eye. After the priest had given
the blessing, the amnesty wasroad which declared pardon for all political offences, and all personaloffences against the Commander-in-chief, up to that hour. The moment itwas concluded, those who had arrived at the church in custody, left itin freedom, though in shame, and sped away to their several homes, as ifthe death they had anticipated were at their heels. There they toldtheir wonderful tale to their families, turning the desolation of wivesand children into joy almost too great to be believed.
Afra found, to her satisfaction, that no one had entered to tellEuphrosyne of this act of L'Ouverture. Euphrosyne had been full ofperplexity about the mulattoes--almost disposed to think that the wholerace must have suddenly gone mad. She had seen them two hours before,flocking to church with faces whose gloom contrasted strangely withtheir numbers, their holiday dresses, and their eagerness to be in timeto secure admittance. She now saw them return, as if intoxicated withjoy, cheering, the whole length of the walk, and crying with anenthusiasm, if possible, surpassing that of the blacks, "Long live theDeliverer!"
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