The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-11-09

night, and until quite early in the morning i
the morrow was to be for him festival witt
Lisette sand so on it went
But those strange scenes Plantations, witt
majestic trees in the distance, a shining river,
a large mansion-looking house, and many low
huts scattered in small clusters here and there,
A bright, blue sky and scorching sun. Ex-
tensive fields, with men, and women, and chil,1
dren, busily engaged hoeing and wedding and
picking plant with beautiful flowers. And
Lisette there, only black, and that man Aveline
calling her Mildred, apparently in derision, and
because she would not look up, striking he.
with long-lashed whip. Property He hal[
come to that
long list OF names-men, women, and chill
dren, all regularly catalogued, with their names
designations, and price set down in dollars
Human beings, owned, and to be bought an
sold; chattels, for any mans money and whet
! once bought with it, to be scourged, worked,
| used up, or sold again. 1t was of no use ; BIZ
could not blot out those scenes, try as he would,
They were stamped upon the deeds there before
him, and he was transferring them bodily TO
the paper under his hand. He was setting
price upon his beautiful. his meek, his dutifuf,
his pious Lisette. And Mark Aveling-that
man Of craft and of determined purpose, whose
eyes shot lascivious lightning, and on whose
hard features sensuality and fierce passion had
| set their stamp-he might buy her, and use
her as his british inclinations prompted.
''All true, all true all true" and he threw
| down the pen, as he thought of other fathers,
| and of mothers, and brothers, and sisters work,
| ing there on those remote plantations.
| A burning fever suddenly seemed to have
| seized him, but his mental vision grew strongss
| and clearer. Was he, then, so abject q wretcX
that for patry pittance he must become Il :
| tool of man like Gaetano? Could he find J
| other but he-Martin-to do this dirty worf ?
| Low, low indeed, then, must he have sunk /
| the attorneys estimation. Debased he was, i ;
deed. That he know and felt. He had eve
done for Gaetano many things which might N t
have borne the closest scrutiny, but never y t
had he been privy to the selling of men, az 1
women, and children. Lower than this fe
could not go. Should he descend so low?
And morality Strange for him to think IF
morality he, an inveterate gamester! But
gaming was not selling human beings-was not
cheating humanity of its rights Oh there wis
a difference between the two. 1t could not Ia
that the moral code recognised none. And re-
| igion, too! Was there no divine vengeani 9
to punish him who sold the image of his Ma
ker? Yes True he had long forgotten Gel,
or only thought of him sometimes in connectifth
with prayers once lisped by the side Of one lo'g
| since departed, but now too imperfectly reme;a-
bered. Mol He could not pray to be deliver
ed from temptation, though the words came to
his lips. His heart did not feel right for So
solemn an invocation. But he could reflect, AID
ask himself if this was right, that he was doire.
And he did this, and hesitated, and pondertd,
did Martin, as he took to pacing that narrtSw
7 den, until he felt that under the anguish of
mind he suffering, he must die unless nc
had again recourse to the tin box.
Yet still those thoughts, as he paced the floor,
chatting like Gagged wild beast as he stopped
short in his walk of five PAGES, to fasten sis
glowing eyes on the parchments that bore in ms
mind the impress of those vivid pictures, and
upon the sheets to which he had commenced
transferring them--as he read them over ani
over again, till the words acquired a fcaaa
meaning, and he saw only the things they 10
resented and the system they revealed So
those thoughts and others crowding fast VI" II
mis- mind, now morbidly cleared by the potef y
of the drug he had swallowed, as he continf Vi
his monotonous walk to and fro, till the day J I'd
=, fallen and darkness had come on, and he COZ ID
no longer see but the white sheets on the de K,
which marked the place where the picture la
, And still those thoughts, as suddenly st p
, ping, he heard footsteps which he recogni! cd
ascending the stairs, slowly and measured y,
until thoy came to a sandstill outside the doc :
Yes, and those thoughts still, as he muttered Ne
names Of Gaetano and Aveling, and as wit a
| bound he gained his stool, and lay, his h I'd
| upon his arms, across his desk, feigning sic p
but mover more keenly awake than now, tn
these thoughts painting the dark picture in us
mind, having Lsette in the foreground, strap e.
" mixed up with those negro slaves, and be ,r.
ing the name of Mildred.
He heard the door tried-mechanicaly, a, il
were. 1t was by hand who knew his Gust m
to lock himself in. 1t could be none other Il IN
Il 4a1 hot
bewilderment that morning, when Grit effec ed
his sudden and impulsice retreat, he had tot
fastened the door after him. SO the pair N
tered, with an exclamation of surprise from he
attorney, almost Immediately followed by q loud
| call after Martin, by name.
"This is very unusual " exclaimed the attar
ney; and he called again still no answer
Stay moment" he added, speaking to Aval
ing, " will get light"
This was soon procured from the pOrtcr's lodge
Martin peeped at them, as he lay with his head
still on his arms, and those thoughts yet in s,i;
mind, and saw them approach the inner DIN
where he was-the attorney coming first he ID
ing the candle up.
"Sound as q roach" calculated Aveling.
Martin saw Gaetano sign to his companion
not to make a noise, and then felt himself pY'h
ed the attorney calling him by name agfln
twice or thrice. But Martin nor moved ,aol
groaned. His feigned sleep was perfect pysce
of acting.
Drink" muttered Aveling, perceiving saat
it was impossible to arouse the sleeper.
"Opum !" answered the attorney, in a loud
or voice "But he has been at work" And
Martin felt that the associates in the deed o.
villany were examining, as well as they could
how far he had proceeded with his part Of The
, machinery.
|, "Huml" was the only sound uttered by Av
cling, as he followed his companion into the
other chamber.
ale will sleep off the effects of the drug, 'rse
sumed Gaetano, and then will resume ws.k
We are as safe as though he were absent"
1t needed but for Martin to lift his eyes &c
enable him to command perfect view of W 'at
was passing. He saw Gaetano light anol eel
candle, and motion to Aveling to be seated.
at is all very well,T observed the attoris,y
apparently resuming the thread of an inter-: St
ed discourse, "to trust to mems honor; bu' in
such matters as these, Monsieur Aveling, ny
habit is to trust only to cash. You will exc sc
nv candor, but it is my habit"
swell" responded Mark, /" and I've got it or
YOU. That does not prevent me from say >hg
Il that / consider your mode of doing BUSH ,ss
damned ungentlemanly"
Martin saw that the speaker was excited. 1t
seemed by drink. He also betrayed cert Yin
recklessness of manner, which appeared to he
watcher to indicate that the mind of the u an
was i'll at ease. The attorney glanced at Finn
across the table, but made no reply.
"You've put me to serious inconvenief &c,
Mister" resumed Mark "The sum is lar &c,
and was not so easily procured. I've had togo
| a begging to make it up
But you have got p" was the immedi tie
response, in an eager tone.
| Martin saw Ayeling thrust his hand down