; but waited, as if to hear something more,
besides Christophe's declaration, for his own part, of agreement in what
L'Ouverture had said.

Sabes at length spoke, not without another cautionary sign from his
companion.

"Your generous frankness, General Toussaint," said he, "induces me to
remind you of one more duty which, in case of the desired pacification,
you will owe to the Captain-General. You will hold yourself indebted to
France for all such treasure as, in an hour of alarm, you may have
chosen to conceal."

"What does this mean?" said Toussaint. "General Christophe, do you know
of any public treasure being concealed in any part of the island?"

"None," said Christophe, "public or private."

"Nor do I. You hear, gentlemen."

"You forget, General Toussaint, what we heard on the occasion of our
capture."

"You forget your own words to us," said Lieutenant Martin--"that we had
seen and heard too much for you to let us go."

"I remember my words perfectly; and that they referred to my choice of a
post in the mornes, and a retreat for my family--affairs long since made
public enough. What else do you suppose you saw and heard? If I spoke
of depositing my treasures in the mornes, I was doubtless speaking of my
household. Did you understand me to mean gold and silver? What was it
that you suppose you saw and heard?"

"We saw new-made graves, and the tools that dug them, after having heard
shots."

"You are welcome to dig upon the Plateaux, and to take whatever treasure
you may find. You will find only the bones of the brave who fell in
attacking and defending the post."

"And of those who, being there, can tell no tales. You forget that we
heard their death-shots before we saw their graves. The time is come
for you to tell the secret that you buried with them."

Christophe rarely laughed; but he laughed now.

"They believe," said he--"apparently they believe--that you hid treasure
in the morne, and then shot and buried the servants employed."

"We do," said the officers, gravely.

"Were you really about to carry this story to the Captain-general?"
asked Toussaint, smiling. "Tell him that the wealth of the colony,
sufficient for the desires of its inhabitants, is dispersed through all
its dwellings, to be enjoyed--not hidden by avarice, and sealed with
blood."

"We are too well informed," said Sabes, "concerning the wealth and
splendour of the colony to believe that any part of its treasu