the way, that in
the 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, she
said, "Kiss me, and let me go. L'Ouverture says he shall take us into
church himself, as my father is not here. Mademoiselle and I are going
with Madame Ducie and her daughters; and L'Ouverture will wait for us at
the church, and lead us in. Poor Euphrosyne! I wish you were going!"

"I never cared for anything half so much. Will you really walk all
through the church to your seat on his arm? And I should have been on
the 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 to
spare. You know every one of my colour in Cap is ordered to be in the
church as the hour strikes. Farewell."

Euphrosyne had thought she had heard the crier publish this order; and
presently Pierre brought her the handbill to the same effect, which was
passing from hand to hand. If Euphrosyne and Pierre speculated
curiously on what this order might mean, what must have been the anxiety
of the mulattoes! Most of them had known of the conspiracy of the day
before: all had now heard of its failure. All were anxious to attend
the 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 bring
forth.

As Afra, and the ladies who attended her, drew near the great church,
they found the streets absolutely empty. Loyalty, and the desire to
appear loyal, had carried the entire population to the churches; and the
houses appeared deserted by all but an aged or sick person, here and
there, who looked forth upon the activity he could not share. In the
centre of the area before the church were piled the arms of the garrison
and of Toussaint's troops; and on the top of the pile of arms lay the
fetters which had just been removed from the mulatto conspirators.
L'Ouverture, in giving his orders to this effect, had said that arms
should be laid aside in the act of thanksgiving for peace; and bonds,
while giving thanks for liberty. When, at length, he gave the signal
for the military to enter the church after him, some of the officers
looked earnestly to him for orders that a guard might be left