wide,
well-built avenue and into a scene of sorrowful misery. Although the new
commissioners of the republic had put down the insurrection of the
slaves with appalling slaughter, their broken bands were still busy with
the torch and the sword, so that the cities were filled with refugees of
the plantation class--men and women who were quite helpless and knew not
where to turn for shelter or for the bread of the day.

De Courval had been quite unprepared for the wretchedness he now saw.
Indistinct in the moon-made shadows, or better seen where the light lay,
were huddled groups of women and children, with here and there near by a
man made helpless by years of the ownership of man. Children were
crying, while women tried in vain to comfort them. Others were silent or
wildly bewailing their fate. To all seeming, indifferent to the
oft-repeated appeals of misery, went by officials, army officers,
smoking cigarettes, drunken sailors, and such women as a seaport
educates to baseness. Half of the town had been for months in ashes. The
congestion of the remainder was more and more felt as refugees from
ruined plantations came hither, hungry and footsore, to seek food where
was little and charity where was none.

Unable to do more than pity, the young vicomte went his way with care
along a street strangely crowded with all manner of people, himself on
the lookout for a cafe where he might find seamen. Presently he found
what he sought, and easily fell into sea-talk with a group of sailors.
He learned only that the town was without the usual supplies of food
from the States; that the troops lived on fish, bananas, and yams, and
that General Esbarbe had ruthlessly put down the negro insurrection.
Only one ship had come in of late. The outbreak of war between England
and France had, in fact, for a time put an end to our valuable trade
with the islands. Learning nothing of value, he paid his score and stood
a moment in the doorway, the drunken revel of idle sailors behind him
and before him the helpless wretchedness of men and women to whom want
had been hitherto unknown. He must seek elsewhere for what he wished to
learn. As he hesitated, two men in white linen went by with a woman.
They were laughing and talking loudly, apparently indifferent to the
pitiable groups on door-steps or on the sidewalks.

"Let us go to the Cocoanut," said the woman. One of the men said "Yes."
They went on, singing a light drinking song. No one seemed