human
I was not aware that it was exactly so, replied the abbess.
gpt
It appears to me that she dislikes to hear any parties made answerable for the murder but those by whose hands it was actually done. She--
human
Another shot! said the abbess.
gpt
It is a fearful execution. I should have been glad to have removed this poor child out of hearing of these shots; but I had no notice of what was to happen, till the streets were too full for her to appear in them.
human
A piece of L'Ouverture's haste!
gpt
A fresh instance, perhaps, of his wise speed, observed the abbess.
human
Events seem to show that he understands the conduct of affairs better than you and I, my daughter.
gpt
Again! Hark! Oh, mercy!
human
Let us hope it is the last, said the abbess, with changing colour.
gpt
Christ save their sinful souls!
human
Madame, she cried, gasping for breath,
gpt
My daughter, said the abbess,
human
L'Ouverture's duty is to execute justice.
gpt
Oh, Genifrede! Poor, poor Genifrede! She will die too. I hope she is dead.
human
Hush, my child! Her life is in God's hands.
gpt
Oh, how cruel! how cruel!
human
What would L'Ouverture say, interposed sister Claire,
gpt
she continued, calling Euphrosyne's attention to her new mourning;
human
It is a natural and amiable grief in Euphrosyne, said the abbess;
gpt
You may--you may, cried Euphrosyne.
human
You may tell the whole world that it is cruel to--to--They were to have been married so very soon!-- Afra wrote me all about it.
gpt
Justice! justice! exclaimed Euphrosyne.
human
There has been no justice till now; and so the first act is nothing but cruelty.
gpt
Euphrosyne thinks, father, reported the abbess,
human
I am surprised,
gpt
I only mean, said she, striving to subdue her sobs;
human
I only mean that I wish sister Claire, and sister Benoite, and all of them, would not want me to be glad and revengeful.
gpt
Glad and revengeful! repeated Father Gabriel.
human
That would be difficult.
gpt
It makes me very miserable--it can do no good now--it could not bring grandpapa to life again, if every negro in Limbe were shot, she continued, as tears rained down her cheeks.
human
Dear grandpapa never wished any ill to anybody--he never did anybody any harm--
gpt
Why do you suppose these wretched blacks killed him, my dear?
human
I do not know why they rose, this one particular time. But I believe they have always risen because the whites have been proud and cruel; because the whites used to put them in chains, and whip them, and part mothers and children. After doing all this, and after bringing them up ignorant and without religion, we expect them to forgive everything that has passed, while we will not forgive them ourselves. But I will--I will forgive them my share. For all that you religious people may say, I will forgive them: and I am not afraid of what grandpapa would think. I hope he is in a place now where there is no question about forgiving those who have injured us. The worst thing is, the thing that I cannot understand is, how L'Ouverture could do anything so cruel.
gpt
I have a word to say to you, my dear,
human
Oh, father!
gpt
We must bring her to a right view, reverend sister. Euphrosyne, if your grandfather had not been the kind master you suppose him--if he had been one of the cruel whites you spoke of just now, if his own slaves had always hated him, and--
human
Do stop! said Euphrosyne, colouring crimson.
gpt
I cannot bear to hear you speak so, father.
human
You must bear, my child, to listen to what it is good for you to hear. If he had been disliked by every black in the colony, and they had sought his life out of revenge, would you still be angry that justice was done, and ungrateful that he is avenged?
gpt
You talk of avenging--you, a Christian priest! said Euphrosyne.
human
You talk of justice--you, who slander the dead!
gpt
Peace, my daughter, said the abbess, very gently.
human
Remember where you are, and whom you speak to.
gpt
Remember where my grandfather is, cried Euphrosyne.
human
Remember that he is in his grave, and that I am left to speak for him. However, she said--and, in these few moments, a thousand confirmations of the priest's words had rushed upon her memory--a thousand tokens of the mutual fear and hatred of her grandfather and the black race, a thousand signs of his repugnance to visit Le Bosquet--
gpt
she resumed, in a milder tone, and with an anxious glance at Father Gabriel's face,
human
Father Gabriel only said `if'--_if_ all that he described had been so.
gpt
True, my child, replied the abbess:
human
Father Gabriel only said `if it had been so.'
gpt
And if it had, exclaimed Euphrosyne, who did not wish to hear the father speak again at the moment--
human
It is indeed said, observed the abbess,
gpt
And oh! poor Genifrede! pursued Euphrosyne.
human
She no more wished ill to my parent than I do to hers; and her lover--it was not he that did it: and yet--Oh, Father Gabriel, are you sure that that firing--that last volley--
gpt
It was certainly the death stroke of Moyse. I perceive how it is, my child. I perceive that your friendships among this new race have blinded your eyes, so that you cannot see that these executions are, indeed, God's avenging of the murder by which you are made a second time an orphan.
human
Do you think L'Ouverture right, then? I should be glad to believe that he was not cruel--dreadfully cruel.
gpt
There is no doubt of L'Ouverture's being wise and right--of his having finally assured the most unwilling of the inhabitants of their security, and his stern justice. There is no doubt that L'Ouverture is right.
human
I could not have believed, said the abbess,
gpt
Nor I,
human
Under him, said Father Gabriel,
gpt
As, said the abbess,
human
And where, continued the father,
gpt
And it was the French, said Euphrosyne,
human
Pray for comfort, my child. In prayer you will find consolation.
gpt
I dare not pray, now this has happened. If they were but alive, how I would pray for them!
human
They are alive, my daughter, and where they much need your prayers. Pray for them, and your intercession may be heard.