?"

My interest in Aurore began to return.

"Ye, mass'r--daat do 'Rore. But I 'splain to you. Ole Mass'r 'Sancon
berry good to de coloured people--teach many ob um read de
books--'specially 'Rore. 'Rore he 'struckt read, write, many, many
tings, and young Missa 'Genie she teach her de music. 'Rore she
'complish gal--berry 'complish gal. Know many ting; jes like de white
folks. Plays on de peany--plays on de guitar--guitar jes like banjo, an
Ole Zip play on daat heamseff--he do. Wugh!"

"And withal, Aurore is a poor slave just like the rest of you, Scipio?"

"Oh! no, mass'r; she be berry different from de rest. She lib different
life from de other nigga--she no hard work--she berry vallyble--she
fetch two thousand dollar!"

"Fetch two thousand dollars!"

"Ye, mass'r, ebbery cent--ebbery cent ob daat."

"How know you?"

"'Case daat much war bid for her. Mass'r Marigny want buy 'Rore, an
Mass'r Crozat, and de American Colonel on de oder side ob ribber--dey
all bid two thousand dollar--ole mass'r he only larf at um, and say he
won't sell de gal for no money."

"This was in old master's time?"

"Ye--ye--but one bid since--one boss ob ribber-boat--he say he want
'Rore for de lady cabin. He talk rough to her. Missa she angry--tell
'im go. Mass'r Toney he angry, tell 'im go; and de boat captain he go
angry like de rest. Hya! hya! hya!"

"And why should Aurore command such a price?"

"Oh! she berry good gal--berry good gal--but--"

Scipio hesitated a moment--"but--"

"Well?"

"I don't b'lieve, mass'r, daat's de reason."

"What, then?"

"Why, mass'r, to tell de troof, I b'lieve dar all bad men daat wanted to
buy de gal."

Delicately as it was conveyed, I understood the insinuation.

"Ho! Aurore must be beautiful, then? Is it so, friend Scipio?"

"Mass'r, 'taint for dis ole nigger to judge 'bout daat; but folks dey
say--bof white folks an black folks--daat she am de best-lookin' an
hansomest quaderoom in all Loozyanna."

"Ha! a _quadroon_?"

"Daat are a fact, mass'r, daat same--she be a gal ob colour--nebber
mind--she white as young missa herseff. Missa larf and say so many,
many time, but fr'all daat dar am great difference--one rich lady--
t'other poor slave--jes like Ole Zip--ay, jes like Ole Zip--buy 'em,
sell 'em, all de same."

"Could you describe Aurore, Scipio?"

It was not idle curiosity that prompted me to put this question. A
stronger motive impelled me. The dream-face