The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-11-09
CHAP. Xxx.
MQytiu and The I" IrODerfg.n

Martin sat him down to copy the deeds and
the bond. His heart was heavy like the work
he had to get through before the morrow, if
that morrow was to be to him a festival. Too
well he understood why Gaetano had not in
trusted those precious documents to other hands.
A witness more or less might seriously affect
the issue of an inquiry, should any accident
lead to a disclosure. But hc-he, Martin
might be trusted. Who was he? A poor, de-
graded, abject dependent, inextricably involved
in debt, not only to his patron, but to others !;
and whom a word from the attorney would con-
sign to a Jail, to rot out the remnant of miser-
able existence. Yet, an existence not wholly
blank, not entirely without hope, without pleas.
ure- Lisette Her caresses hung about him
like incense. Her smiles, her affection, fell
upon his saddened and scared heart, like balm
On green wounds. Her gentleness, her patience,
her meekness, were themes to dwell upon and
to distract his mind, when in the silent watches
of the night sometimes her form arose between
him and the grim shadow of some desperate act.
often contemplated, but shrunk from az quick
ly as that spirit of hers interposed its monitory
finger, pointing upwards. Even as he turned
over the parchment sheets, his thorghts revert
ed to her, expecting him on the n.orrow. AUD
he could not 60
Mechanically he cas-. his eyes across the
deeply interested him? Property! Estates.
buildings, negroes, and other cattle. There IT
was, inscribed in fair, round, clerky hand,
and in good, black ink. An accurate descrip-
ton, no doubt. Goods chattels, and effects.
movable and immovable. But this property |!
He read unto the end, with quivering lip and
blnnched cheek. These negroes then, the men,
the women, the children, we're property-chat-
tells personal and /" my daughter Mildred,
whom intend to make free" was not excepted.
For the first time in his life, no doubted the
meaning of that legal term, property.
He paused awhile, and then he read the bond.
Having finished that, he perused the agreement
between the attorney and Mark Aveling, and
then-then he began to understand. Oh A
vianous plot this piece of black treachery,
he thought; and he wiped away the clammy
moisture from his brow, as the idea forced itself
upon his mind that he was party to it, and
the fundamentally through whom this arch
deed of rapacious, sensual vengeance was to be
consumnlated. No wonder, with this idea on
his mind, and the form Of Lisette looming mis-
tily in his imagination, that he buried his face
in his hands, and paused.
Vengeance, and money! Gaetano had en-
gagged to lend himself to this wicked project,
for Just so many golden pieces. Gold 1t is
good thing, gold! 1t makes men respected,
if not respectable. 1t makes the fool the wise
mans master, and exalts the vulgar to level
with the refined 1t must be-aye, it is-a fine
thing to possess an abundance of that shining
metal. What noble uses he-the dreamer lying
there with his arms across his desk, and his
face buried in their hollow-what noble uses
he would put it to, if he could suddenly become
enriched with as much only as he saw lying in
little heaps ON the table last night, the table
where, after nights play, he won twice twenty
touis dor. And it was to be donel And he
could become rich. 1t only required for him
to have a certain sum. Perhaps, if he accom-
plished the task before him, and managed
adroitly on the morrow, perhaps Gaetano would
lend him sum!
He reused himself presently, and carefully
nibbed his pen.
He squared himself to write, with the clean
sheets before him, and the documents by his
side. 1t was a singular association of ideas
that led his distraught mind from the parch-
ment to the name of Mildred, and to coniure
up in his imagination some form that should be
like hers, but which merged into that of
Lisette that then conducted him to the neat
chamber in the Rue Blanche, where she might
then be sitting and that incontinently brought
before his eyes her pet starting, with its reedy
cry of !" tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow" So
it was, however, and the words sounded in his
ears with startling distinctness. And he could
not help thinking that Omorrow would assur
edly arrive, and that he, Martin, would not be
able to make festival with Lisette.
He tried to form a bold heading to the deed,
but his hand shook, and the experiment failed.
A second time, and third a fourth and fifth
he attempted it, but with despairing result.
He laid down the pen, and took cut the small
tin box, from which he extracted square of
that dark composition, presently conveying 1T
to his mouth. 1t was not long before he re-
sumed his pen, and then his hand did not trem-
bic. So he wrote on. Yet, as he wrote, strange
scenes arose before his eyes, which seemed to
be peering through mist. Everything was
confused, save the distinct outline of human
forms, which would persist in taking the shape
of Lisette, though strangely her name identi-
fed itself with another's. He could not pro-
coed; so again he laid down the pen, and sec
ond time had recourse to the tin box.
His haad was 6rmer now, and the pen traced
its lettered course with marvellous celebrity. 1t