end on what we decide on for our next step. And we must
decide before we leave this room, say your thoughts, Henri."

"I am for a truce."

"I am for a retreat in the mountains. Now for our reasons! Why do you
desire a truce?"

"Because I see that Leclerc so earnestly wishes it, that I am confident
we may make good terms, for the interval of waiting till we recover
altogether our power, our territory, and our people. Leclerc will
revoke our outlawry. That done, you will be the virtual rider of our
people till August; after which no foes will be left upon our soil.
What have you to say against this?"

"That it is yielding, unnecessarily and fatally, to the invaders. Where
are our censures of Clerveaux and Maurepas, if we, too, yield to
Leclerc, and make terms with him?"

"Every one of our people will understand the difference in the cases.
Every one of them sees the difference between falling at the feet of
Leclerc, like Clerveaux; or joining him on the very field on which you
were about to oppose him, like Maurepas; and making a truce, for a short
interval, when you are almost destitute of ammunition, and the enemy so
exhausted with the heats as to decline coming into the field; while, at
the same time, fresh troops are pouring in upon the coast, in such
numbers as to prevent your regaining your independence by remaining in
arms. If every man of the negroes has not wit enough to understand this
for himself, who is better able than you to inform them of whatsoever
you desire them to know? Be assured, Toussaint, powerful as your
influence is this day among our people, it will be more so when you are
no longer an outlaw. It is worth a large sacrifice of our feelings to
have our outlawry revoked."

"Have you more reasons to give for accepting a truce; or, as the French
understand it, a peace?"

"Let me first hear your reasons for a retreat in the mountains."

"A retreat in the mountains is the more honest proceeding of the two,
Henri. If we make terms with the French, it will be knowing that that
which goes by the name of peace is no more than a truce till August."

"And will not they know that as well as we? Is it necessary to tell the
whites, at this day, that they are liable to the fever in the heats, and
that any army, however glorious in its strength previously, becomes a
skeleton at that season? This is a matter that is perfectly understood
by all the parties."

"We must look forward, Henri, to