human
Even a right to cross two races?
gpt
No, suh; no, suh! De same Lawd what give' ev'y man a wuck he cayn't do ef he ain't dat man, give' ev'y ra-ace a wuck dey cayn't do ef dey ain't dat ra-ace.
human
Still, I suggested,
gpt
I don't 'spute dat, suh; no, suh. But de Lawd ain't neveh gwine to make a betteh ra-ace by cross'n' one what done-done e'en-a' most all what even yit been done, on to anotheh what, eh----
human
What ain't neveh yit done noth'n'! And her mother sighed,
gpt
Amen!
human
Yes? inquired Mme. Castanado.
gpt
Well?
human
Ah, surely! cried several,
gpt
Tha'z not all?
human
Even two, three hun'red mile', that din'n' bring the line of Canada, I think.
gpt
No, but, I suppose, of the Ohio.
human
And that undergroun' railway!
gpt
Yes, Mme. Alexandre agreed,
human
Not even his State,
gpt
But he did, Chester said;
human
Oh, 'tis easy to insert that, at the en'--foot-note.
gpt
And Hardy? asked Beloiseau,
human
I believe they did, each the other. I never quite understood the hints I got of it, till now. I know that six months in bed with a back full of _somebody's_ buckshot saved my uncle's life.
gpt
From lynching! That also muz' be insert'!
human
No, centre the interest in the runaway family, as in mademoiselle's 'Clock in the Sky.'
gpt
It's hard enough at best, he said,
human
Yes, 'tis true. Only one man, Mr. Chester, I ever knew, myself, who did that.
gpt
Your father?
human
Yes, my dear father.
gpt
Will you not some day tell me his story?
human
Mr. Castanado will tell you it. Any of those will tell you.
gpt
I can't question them about you, and besides----
human
Well, here is my gate. 'And besides--' what?
gpt
Besides, why can't you tell me?
human
Ah, I'll do that--'some day,' as you say.
gpt
But, mademoiselle, our 'Clock in the Sky'--our 'Angel of the Lord'--shan't we join them?
human
Ah, they are already one, but you have yet to hear that _first_ manuscript, and that is so very separate--as you will see.
gpt
Isn't it also a story of dark skins?
human
Ah, but barely at all of souls under them; those souls we find it so hard to remember.
gpt
--M. De l'Isle had come up, with Mme. Alexandre--
human
Does Mr. Chester think 'twill be that? A best-seller?
gpt
They say not even a publisher can tell.
human
Hah! monsieur cried,
gpt
Some poetry, Chester continued, urged by mademoiselle's eyes,
human
That they go, madame broke in,
gpt
Well, I think we will be satisfied, Mr. Chester, with the tenth of that, eh?
human
No, my child! But nine-tenth' _maybe_, yes! No-no-no! if those pewblisher' find out you are satisfi' by one-tenth, one-tenth is all you'll ever see!
gpt
Ah, said mademoiselle to madame,
human
No, monsieur said,
gpt
Then I suppose I might read it with the Castanados alone.
human
No, madame put in,
gpt
If he'll take the pains, the niece broke in,
human
Yes, yet not in this li'l' garden in the front, but in the large, far back from the house, in the h-arbor of 'oneysuckle and by the side of the li'l' lake, eh?
gpt
Assuredly, said the smiling girl;