, as if he were enamoured of her,
and every facility will be given to him for effecting this purpose.
Overjoyed at this opportunity of escaping, the _metisse_ will follow her
supposed ravisher, and reach Paris; then she will always have her
sentence of condemnation hanging over her, always be but an escaped
prisoner, and I shall be always ready, when it shall please his royal
highness to desire, again to lay hands upon and incarcerate her."

"I should tell you, my dear baron, that when David learned from
monseigneur of the proposed arrival of Cecily, he was absolutely
petrified, and exclaimed, 'I hope that your royal highness will not
compel me to see the monster?' 'Make yourself easy,' replied
monseigneur; 'you shall not see her, but I may require her services for
a particular purpose.' David felt relieved of an enormous weight off his
mind. Nevertheless, I am sure that some very painful reminiscences were
awakened in his mind."

"Poor negro! he loves her still. They say, too, that she is yet so
lovely!"

"Charming!--too charming! It requires the pitiless eye of a creole to
detect the mixed blood in the all but imperceptible shade which lightly
tinges her rosy finger-nails. Our fresh and hale beauties of the North
have not a more transparent complexion, nor a skin of more dazzling
whiteness."

"I was in France when monseigneur returned from America, accompanied by
David and Cecily, and I know that that excellent man was from that time
attached to his royal highness by ties of the strongest gratitude; but I
never learned how he became attached to the service of our master, and
how he had married Cecily, whom I saw, for the first time, about a year
after his marriage; and God knows the scandal that followed!"

"I can tell you every particular that you may wish to learn, my dear
baron; I accompanied monseigneur in his voyage to America, when he
rescued David and the _metisse_ from the most awful fate."

"You are always most kind, my dear Murphy, and I am all attention," said
the baron.

CHAPTER XXII.

HISTORY OF DAVID AND CECILY.

"Mr. Willis, a rich American planter, settled in Florida," said Murphy,
"had discovered in one of his young black slaves, named David, who was
employed in the infirmary attached to his dwelling, a very remarkable
degree of intelligence, combined with a constant and deep commiseration
for the sick poor, to whom he gave, with the utmost attention and care,
the medicine ordered