ter general consternation spread itself
through the whole assembled party. Domingo and Mary began to weep.
Paul, motionless with surprise, appeared almost ready to burst with
indignation; while Virginia, fixing her eyes anxiously upon her mother,
had not power to utter a single word. "And can you now leave us?" cried
Margaret to Madame de la Tour. "No, my dear friend, no, my beloved
children," replied Madame de la Tour; "I will never leave you. I have
lived with you, and with you I will die. I have known no happiness but
in your affection. If my health be deranged, my past misfortunes are the
cause. My heart has been deeply wounded by the cruelty of my relations,
and by the loss of my beloved husband. But I have since found more
consolation and more real happiness with you in these humble huts, than
all the wealth of my family could now lead me to expect in my country."

At this soothing language every eye overflowed with tears of delight.
Paul, pressing Madame de la Tour in his arms, exclaimed,--"Neither will
I leave you! I will not go to the Indies. We will all labour for you,
dear mamma; and you shall never feel any want with us." But of the whole
society, the person who displayed the least transport, and who probably
felt the most, was Virginia; and during the remainder of the day, the
gentle gaiety which flowed from her heart, and proved that her peace of
mind was restored, completed the general satisfaction.

At sun-rise the next day, just as they had concluded offering up, as
usual, their morning prayer before breakfast, Domingo came to inform
them that a gentleman on horseback, followed by two slaves, was coming
towards the plantation. It was Monsieur de la Bourdonnais. He entered
the cottage, where he found the family at breakfast. Virginia had
prepared, according to the custom of the country, coffee, and rice
boiled in water. To these she had added hot yams, and fresh plantains.
The leaves of the plantain-tree, supplied the want of table-linen; and
calabash shells, split in two, served for cups. The governor exhibited,
at first, some astonishment at the homeliness of the dwelling; then,
addressing himself to Madame de la Tour, he observed, that although
public affairs drew his attention too much from the concerns of
individuals, she had many claims on his good offices. "You have an aunt
at Paris, madam," he added, "a woman of quality, and immensely rich, who
expects that you will hasten to see her, and who mea