l preserve an understanding with the
whole island, as to the vigilance which the blacks must exercise, day
and night, over their invaders. The first treacherous thought in
Leclerc's mind is a breach of the truce; and dearly shall he rue it."

"This is all well-planned, Henri. If the cunning of Leclerc proves
deeper than yours--"

"Say ours, Toussaint."

"No. I have no part in this arrangement. I act under your compulsion,
and under my own protest; as I require of you, Henri, to remember. If
we are not deep enough, vigilant enough, active enough, for Leclerc and
his council--if he injures us before August, and Bonaparte ordains a
second campaign after it, are you ready to endure the responsibility of
whatever may befall?"

"I am."

"Have you looked well forward into the future, and detected every
mischief that may arise from our present temporising, and resolved that
it was a less evil than losing the rest of this season, putting a
compulsion upon your best friend, and fettering the deliverer of your
people?"

"I have so looked forward--repudiating the charge of undutiful
compulsion. I act for myself, and those under my command."

"Virtually compelling me to act with you, by reducing me from being the
General of an army to be the leader of a troop; and by exposing our
cause to the peril--the greatest of all--of a declared division between
you and me. I yield, Christophe; but what I am going to do, I do under
protest. Order in the French prisoners."

"Yet one moment," said Henri. "Let me reason with you a little further.
Be satisfied of the goodness of the act before you do it."

"I do not need satisfaction on that. I do not quarrel with the terms we
are to make. I do not protest against any of the provisions of the
treaty. I protest against the necessity of treating. Summon the
prisoners."

"Can you," said Christophe, still delaying, "can you improve upon the
terms proposed? Can the conditions be altered, so as to give more
satisfaction to your superior foresight? I would not use flattering
terms at this moment, Toussaint; you know I would not. But your
sagacity is greater than mine, or any one's. I distrust myself about
the terms of the treaty, I assure you."

"About anything more than the mere terms of the treaty?" asked
Toussaint, again stopping in his walk.

"About the conditions--and about the conditions only."

"Your self-distrust is misplaced, and comes too late. Order the
priso