softness. He was constantly in motion, except when his sisterappeared; and then, placed at her side, he became quiet. Their meals oftenpassed in silence, and, from the grace of their attitudes, the beautifulproportions of their figures, and their naked feet, you might have fanciedyou beheld an antique group of white marble, representing some of thechildren of Niobe; if those eyes which sought to meet those smiles whichwere answered by smiles of the most tender softness, had not rather givenyou the idea of those happy celestial spirits, whose nature is love, andwho are not obliged to have recourse to words for the expression of thatintuitive sentiment. In the mean time, Madame de la Tour, perceiving everyday some unfolding grace, some new beauty, in her daughter, felt hermaternal anxiety increase with her tenderness. She often said to me, 'If Ishould die, what will become of Virginia without fortune?'
"Madame de la Tour had an aunt in France, who was a woman of quality, rich,old and a great bigot. She had behaved towards her niece with so muchcruelty upon her marriage that Madame de la Tour had determined that nodistress or misfortune should ever compel her to have recourse to herhard-hearted relation. But when she became a mother, the pride ofresentment was stilled in the stronger feelings of maternal tenderness. Shewrote to her aunt, informing her of the sudden death of her husband, thebirth of her daughter, and the difficulties in which she was involved at adistance from her own country, without support, and burthened with a child.She received no answer; but, notwithstanding that high spirit which wasnatural to her character, she no longer feared exposing herself tomortification and reproach; and, although she knew her relation would neverpardon her for having married a man of merit, but not of noble birth, shecontinued to write to her by every opportunity, in the hope of awakeningher compassion for Virginia. Many years, however, passed, during which shereceived not the smallest testimony of her remembrance.
"At length, in 1738, three years after the arrival of Monsieur de laBourdonnais in this island, Madame de la Tour was informed that thegovernor had a letter to give her from her aunt. She flew to Port Louis,careless on this occasion of appearing in her homely garment. Maternal hopeand joy subdued all those little considerations, which are lost when themind is absorbed by any powerful sentiment. Monsieur de la Bourdonnaisdelivered to her a letter from her aunt, who informed her, that shedeserved her fate for having married an adventurer and a libertine; thatmisplaced passions brought along with them their own punishment, and thatthe sudden death of her husband must be considered as a visitation fromheaven; that she had done well in going to a distant island, rather thandishonour her family by remaining in France: and that, after all, in thecolony where she had taken refuge, every person grew rich except the idle.Having thus lavished sufficient censure upon the conduct of her niece, shefinished by a eulogium on herself. To avoid, she said, the almostinevitable evils of marriage, she had determined to remain in a singlestate. In truth, being of a very ambitious temper, she had resolved only tounite, herself to a man of high rank; and although she; was very rich, herfortune was not found a sufficient bribe, even at court, to counterbalancethe malignant dispositions of her mind, and the disagreeable qualities ofher person.
"She added, in a postscript, that, after mature deliberation, she hadstrongly recommended her niece to Monsieur de la Bourdonnais. This she hadindeed done, but in a manner of late too common, and which renders a patronperhaps even more formidable than a declared enemy: for, in order tojustify herself, she had cruelly slandered her niece, while she affected topity her misfortunes.
"Madame de la Tour, whom no unprejudiced person could have seen withoutfeeling sympathy and respect, was received with the utmost coolness byMonsieur de la Bourdonnais; and when she painted to him her own situation,and that of her child, he replied, 'We will see what can be done--there areso many to relieve--why did you affront so respectable a relation?--Youhave been much to blame.'
"Madame de la Tour returned to her cottage, her bosom throbbing with allthe bitterness of disappointment. When she arrived, she threw herself on achair, and then flinging her aunt's letter on the table, exclaimed to herfriend, 'This is the recompense of eleven years of patient expectation!' AsMadame de la Tour was the only person in the little circle who could read,she again took up the letter, which she read aloud. Scarcely had shefinished, when Margaret exclaimed, 'What have we to do with your relations?Has God then forsaken us? He only is our father! Have we not hitherto beenhappy? Why then this regret? You have no courage.' Seeing Madame de la Tourin tears, she threw herself upon her neck, and pressing her in her arms,'My dear friend!' cried she, 'my dear friend!' But her emotion choked herutterance.
"At this sight Virginia burst into tears, and pressed her mother's hand andMargaret's alternately to her lips and to her heart: while Paul, with hiseyes inflamed with anger, cried, clasped his hands together, and stampedwith his feet, not knowing whom to blame for this scene of misery. Thenoise soon led Domingo and Mary to the spot, and the little habitationresounded with the cries of distress. Ah, Madame!--My good mistress!--Mydear mother!--Do not weep!'
"Those tender proofs of affection at length dispelled Madame de la Tour'ssorrow. She took Paul and Virginia in her arms, and, embracing them, cried,'You are the cause of my affliction, and yet my only source of delight!Yes, my dear children, misfortune has reached me from a distance, butsurely I am surrounded by happiness.' Paul and Virginia did not understandthis reflection; but, when they saw that she was calm, they smiled, andcontinued to caress her. Thus tranquillity was restored, and what hadpassed proved but a transient storm, which serves to give fresh verdure toa beautiful spring.
"Although Madame de la Tour appeared calm in the presence of her family,she sometimes communicated to me the feelings that preyed upon her mind,and soon after this period gave me the following sonnet:--
SONNET
TO DISAPPOINTMENT.
Pale Disappointment! at thy freezing name Chill fears in every shivering vein I prove; My sinking pulse almost forgets to move, And life almost forsakes my languid frame: Yet thee, relentless nymph! no more I blame: Why do my thoughts 'midst vain illusions rove? Why gild the charms of friendship and of love With the warm glow of fancy's purple flame? When ruffling winds have some bright fane o'erthrown, Which shone on painted clouds, or seem'd to shine, Shall the fond gazer dream for him alone Those clouds were stable, and at fate repine? I feel alas! the fault is all my own, And, ah! the cruel punishment is mine!
"The amiable disposition of those children unfolded itself daily. On aSunday, their mothers having gone at break of day to mass, at the church ofthe Shaddock Grove, the children perceived a negro woman beneath theplantains which shaded their habitation. She appeared almost wasted to askeleton, and had no other garment than a shred of coarse cloth thrownacross her loins. She flung herself at Virginia's feet, who was preparingthe family breakfast, and cried, 'My good young lady, have pity on a poorslave. For a whole month I have wandered amongst these mountains, half deadwith hunger, and often pursued by the hunters and their dogs. I fled frommy master, a rich planter of the Black River, who has used me as you see;'and she showed her body marked by deep scars from the lashes she hadreceived. She added, 'I was going to drown myself; but hearing you livedhere, I said to myself, since there are still some good white people inthis country, I need not die yet.'
"Virginia answered with emotion, 'Take courage, Unfortunate creature! hereis food,' and she gave her the breakfast she had prepared, which the poorslave in a few minutes devoured. When her hunger was appeased, Virginiasaid to her, 'Unhappy woman! will you let me go and ask forgiveness for youof your master? Surely the sight of you will touch him with pity.--Will youshow me the way?'--'Angel of heaven!' answered the poor negro woman, 'Iwill follow you where you please.' Virginia called her brother, and beggedhim to accompany her. The slave led the way, by winding and difficultpaths, through the woods, over mountains which they climbed withdifficulty, and across rivers, through which they were obliged to wade. Atlength they reached the fo
ot of a precipice upon the borders of the BlackRiver. There they perceived a well-built house, surrounded by extensiveplantations, and a great number of slaves employed at their variouslabours. Their master was walking amongst them with a pipe in his mouth,and a switch in his hand. He was a tall thin figure, of a brown complexion;his eyes were sunk in his head, and his dark eyebrows were joined together.Virginia, holding Paul by the hand, drew near, and with much emotion beggedhim, for the love of God, to pardon his poor slave, who stood trembling afew paces behind. The man at first paid little attention to the children,who, he saw, were meanly dressed. But when he observed the elegance ofVirginia's form, and the profusion of her beautiful light tresses, whichhad escaped from beneath her blue cap; when he heard the soft tone of
Paul and Virginia from the French of J.B.H. de Saint Pierre Page 4
