And, ah! the cruel punishment is mine!

"The amiable disposition of those children unfolded itself daily. On a
Sunday, their mothers having gone at break of day to mass, at the church of
the Shaddock Grove, the children perceived a negro woman beneath the
plantains which shaded their habitation. She appeared almost wasted to a
skeleton, and had no other garment than a shred of coarse cloth thrown
across her loins. She flung herself at Virginia's feet, who was preparing
the family breakfast, and cried, 'My good young lady, have pity on a poor
slave. For a whole month I have wandered amongst these mountains, half dead
with hunger, and often pursued by the hunters and their dogs. I fled from
my master, a rich planter of the Black River, who has used me as you see;'
and she showed her body marked by deep scars from the lashes she had
received. She added, 'I was going to drown myself; but hearing you lived
here, I said to myself, since there are still some good white people in
this country, I need not die yet.'

"Virginia answered with emotion, 'Take courage, Unfortunate creature! here
is food,' and she gave her the breakfast she had prepared, which the poor
slave in a few minutes devoured. When her hunger was appeased, Virginia
said to her, 'Unhappy woman! will you let me go and ask forgiveness for you
of your master? Surely the sight of you will touch him with pity.--Will you
show me the way?'--'Angel of heaven!' answered the poor negro woman, 'I
will follow you where you please.' Virginia called her brother, and begged
him to accompany her. The slave led the way, by winding and difficult
paths, through the woods, over mountains which they climbed with
difficulty, and across rivers, through which they were obliged to wade. At
length they reached the foot of a precipice upon the borders of the Black
River. There they perceived a well-built house, surrounded by extensive
plantations, and a great number of slaves employed at their various
labours. Their master was walking amongst them with a pipe in his mouth,
and a switch in his hand. He was a tall thin figure, of a brown complexion;
his eyes were sunk in his head, and his dark eyebrows were joined together.
Virginia, holding Paul by the hand, drew near, and with much emotion begged
him, for the love of God, to pardon his poor slave, who stood trembling a
few paces behind. The man at first paid little attention to the children,
who, he saw, were meanly dressed. But when