tive as could
have been desired--as much so as Vincent would probably be on the other
side. He declared that the attack on Le Zephyr was a mere accident:
that his company had entered the morne, led by the bloodhounds in
pursuit of some negroes, from whom they wanted certain information for
Rochambeau, respecting the localities; that they had thus become
acquainted with the almost impracticable pass by which they had entered;
that, when the hounds had destroyed the children, and proved that there
were inhabitants in the morne, the situation of Le Zephyr had been
discovered, and afterwards the rank of its inhabitants; that the
temptation of carrying off these hostages to Rochambeau had been too
strong to be resisted; and hence the attack.

"We shall have to remove," the ladies said to each other, "now that our
retreat is known."

"Shall we have to remove?" asked Euphrosyne, whose love of the place
could not be quenched, even by the blood upon its threshold. "I am not
afraid to stay, if any one else will."

"How can you be so rash, Euphrosyne?" asked Afra.

"I would not be rash, Euphrosyne replied; but we know now how these
people came into the morne, and L'Ouverture will guard the pass. And
remember, Afra, we have beaten them; and they will take care how they
attack us another time. Remember, we have beaten them."

"We have beaten them," said Dessalines, laughing. "And what did you do
to beat off the French, my little lady?"

"I watched the prisoners through the keyhole; and if they had made the
least attempt to set the house on fire--"

"You would have put it out with your tears--hey, Mademoiselle
Euphrosyne?"

"Ask Madame, your lady, what she would have done in such a case: she
stood beside me. But does L'Ouverture say we must remove?"

"L'Ouverture thinks," said Toussaint, who heard her question, "that this
is still the safest place for the brave women who keep up his heart by
their cheerful faces. He is ashamed that they have been negligently
guarded. It shall not happen again."

He was just departing for the Plateaux. As he went out he said to his
wife, while he cast a look of tender compassion upon Madame Bellair--

"I shall tell Charles that you will cherish Deesha. It is well that we
can let her remain here, beside the graves of her children. Bury them
with honour, Margot."

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

AUGUST FAR-OFF.

In time of peace, and if her children had perished by any other mode,