s ours, now, through him," said Monsieur Polverel, gazing at his
guest, "Yes," rejoined Laveaux; "he is the Napoleon Bonaparte of Saint
Domingo."

"Who is he?--who is Napoleon Bonaparte?" asked Toussaint, roused to
listen. "I have heard his name. What has he done?"

"He is a young French artillery officer--"

"A Corsican by birth," interposed Polverel.

"Is he really? I was not aware of that," said Laveaux. "That
circumstance somewhat increases the resemblance of the cases. He was
ill-used (or thought he was) by his officers, and was on the point of
joining the Turkish service, when he was employed in the defence of the
Convention, the other day. He saved the Convention--he saved Paris--and
he is about to put off his uniform of brigadier-general" (and Laveaux
smiled and bowed as he spoke)--"like yourself, he is about to put off
his uniform of brigadier-general for that of a higher rank. His name
was known before in connection with the siege of Toulon. But this last
achievement is the grand one. He has cleaved the path of the
Convention. Polverel, did I not say rightly that General Toussaint is
the Napoleon Bonaparte of Saint Domingo?"

"Yes. General Toussaint also is making for us an opening everywhere."

Toussaint heard the words, but they made a faint impression at the
moment of his imagination being fixed on the young artillery officer.
There were those present, however, who lost nothing of what was spoken,
and who conveyed it all to the eager ears outside. The black
attendants, the gazers and listeners who went in and out, intoxicated
with the glory of the negro general, reported all that was said of him.
These last few words of Polverel wrought wonderfully, and were instantly
spread through the excited multitude. A shout was presently heard,
which must have sounded far up the mountains and over the bay; and
Polverel started with surprise when his word came back to him in a
response like that of an assembled nation. "L'ouverture!"
"L'ouverture!" cried the multitude, fully comprehending what the word
contained in its application to their chief, "Toussaint L'Ouverture!"
Henceforth, the city, the colony, the island, and, after a time, all
Europe, rang with the name of Toussaint L'Ouverture.

When Toussaint heard the cry from without, he started to his feet; and
his hosts rose also, on seeing the fire in his eye--brighter than during
the deeds of the morning.

"The general would address them," sai