, in the palace here. Placide and Isaac are at
Paris."

"At Paris! For education?"

"Partly so."

"And partly," interposed Paul, "for an object in which you, sir, have an
interest, and respecting which you ought, therefore, to be informed.
There are those who represent my brother's actions as the result of
personal ambition. Such persons have perpetually accused him to the
French Government as desiring to sever the connection between the two
races, and therefore between this colony and France. At the moment when
these charges were most strongly urged, and most nearly believed, my
brother sent his two elder sons to Paris, to be educated for their
future duties under the care of the Directory. I hope, sir, you see in
this act a guarantee for the safety and honour of the whites in Saint
Domingo."

"Certainly, certainly. All very right--very satisfactory."

"Everybody who understands, thinks all that the Commander-in-chief does
quite right," said Madame, with so much of her old tone and manner as
made Bayou ready to laugh. He turned to Paul, saying--

"May I ask if you are the brother who used to reside on the northern
coast--if I remember right?"

"I am. I am Paul--Paul L'Ouverture." He sighed as he added, "I do not
live on the northern coast now. I am going to live on the southern
coast--in a palace, instead of my old hut."

"Monsieur Bayou will see--Monsieur Bayou will hear," interrupted Madame,
"if he will stay out the levee. You will not leave us to-day, Monsieur
Bayou?"

Monsieur Bayou bowed. He then asked if he had the pleasure of any
acquaintance with the other lady, who had not once turned round since he
arrived. Therese had indeed sat with her face concealed for some time
past.

"Do not ask her," said Aimee, eagerly, in a low voice. "We do not speak
to her of old times. She is Madame Dessalines."

"The lady of General Dessalines," said Madame. "Shall I introduce you?"

She called to Therese. Therese just turned round to notice the
introduction, when her attention was called another way by two officers,
who brought her some message from Toussaint. That one glance perplexed
Monsieur Bayou as much as anything he had seen. That beautiful face and
form were not new to him; but he had only a confused impression as to
where and when he had seen them. He perceived, however, that he was not
to ask. He followed her with his eyes as she rose from her low seat,
and placed herself close by