The Hour and the Man, An Historical Romance

by Harriet Martineau

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

  SPOILING SPORT.

  Nothing could exceed the astonishment of the Commissary on seeingToussaint this morning. Hedouville was amusing himself, before the sunwas high, alternately with three or four of his officers, in duettingwith a parrot, which had shown its gaudy plumage among the dark foliageof a tamarind-tree in the garden. At every pause in the bird's chatter,one of the gentlemen chattered in reply; and thus kept up the discord,to the great amusement of the party. Hedouville was just declaring thathe had obtained the best answer--the loudest and most hideous--when heheard the swing of a gate, and, turning round, saw Toussaint enteringfrom the barrack-yard.

  "The ape!" exclaimed one of the officers, in a whisper.

  "Who--who is it?" eagerly asked a naval captain, lately arrived.

  "Who should it be but the black chief? No other of his race is fondenough of us to be for ever thrusting himself upon us. He isconfoundedly fond of the whites."

  "We only ask him," said Delon, another officer, "to like us no betterthan we like him, and leave us to manage our business our own way."

  "Say the word, Commissary," whispered the first, "and he shall not gohence so easily as he came."

  "I should beg pardon, Commissary," said Toussaint, as he approached,"for presenting myself thus--for entering by a back-way--if it were notnecessary. The crisis requires that we should agree upon our plan ofoperations, before we are seen in the streets. It is most importantthat we should appear to act in concert. It is the last chance for thepublic safety."

  "Crisis!--public safety!--seen in the streets!" exclaimed Hedouville."I assure you, General, I have no thoughts of going abroad till evening.It will be a scorching day. Is the crisis you speak of that of theheats?"

  "No trifling, Commissary! Gentlemen," said he, turning to the officers,who happened to be laughing, "no levity! The occasion is too seriousfor mirth or for loss of time. Shall we speak alone, Commissary?"

  "By no means," said Hedouville. "These gentlemen would not for theworld miss hearing your news. Has a fresh insurrection been contrivedalready? or has any Frenchman forgotten himself, and kissed Psyche, orcuffed Agamemnon?"

  "A new insurrection has been contrived; and by you. The cultivators aremarching over the plain; and in four hours the town will be sacked, ifyou, Monsieur Hedouville, who have given the provocation, do notwithdraw it. You must sign this proclamation. It is the opposite ofyour own now waiting for jubilation. But you must sign and issue it--and that within this hour. I hear what you say, gentlemen. You saythat I have raised the cultivators. I have not. There is not a negroin the plain who does not at this moment believe that I am in the south.I come to put them down; but I will not go out with the sword in onehand, if I do not carry justice in the other."

  "What do you mean about justice, General? What injustice has beendone?"

  "Here is the draft of your proclamation--"

  "How came you by that paper--by the particulars of my intention?" askedHedouville. "My proclamation is yet locked up in my own desk."

  "Its contents are nevertheless known throughout the colony. When aCommissary, lightly and incidentally (and therefore the moreoffensively) settles, without understanding them, the most importantpoints of difference between two unreconciled races, the very windsstoop in their flight, to snatch up the tidings, and drop them as theyfly. See here! See how you pronounce on the terms of field-service--and here, on the partition of unclaimed estates--and here, on the claimsof the emigrants! The blacks must be indeed as stupid as you hold themto be, if they did not spread the alarm that you are about to enslavethem again."

  "I protest I never dreamed of such a thing."

  "I believe you. And that you did not so dream, shows that you are blindto the effects of your own measures--that the cultivators of the plainunderstand your proceedings better than you do yourself. Here is theproclamation which must be issued."

  And he offered a paper, which Hedouville took, but tore in pieces,trampling them under foot, and saying, that he had never before been soinsulted in his function.

  "That is a childish act," observed Toussaint, as he looked down upon thefragments of the document. "And a useless one," he continued; "for mysecretary is getting it printed off by this time."

  "Are you going to dare to put my name to a proclamation I have notseen?"

  "Certainly not. My name will suffice, if you compel me to dispense withyours. This proclamation grants--"

  Hedouville here gave whispered directions to Delon, who hastened towardsthe house; and to another, who made for the barrack-yard.

  "From every quarter," said Toussaint, "you will have confirmation of thenews I brought. I will speak presently of what must be done. Thisproclamation," pointing to the torn paper, "grants an amnesty to allengaged in former conflicts of race, and declares that there are no`returned emigrants' in the island--that they are all considered nativeproprietors--that all now absent shall be welcome again, and shall beprotected--that the blacks are free citizens, and will so remain; butthat they shall continue for five years to till the estates on whichthey live, for one-fourth of the produce."

  "I do not see the grounds of your disgust with my proclamation," saidHedouville. "I think your anger absurd."

  "I have no doubt you do. This proves, with a multitude of othercircumstances, that you must go."

  "Admirable! And leave the colony to your government!"

  "Just so. If you ask the whites of the island, they will tell you,almost to a man, that I can govern the whites; while events daily showthat you cannot rule the blacks. While you have held the title ofCommissary, you know that you have ruled only by my permission--sometimes strengthened by my approbation--oftener spared by myforbearance. I am aware that these gentlemen are not of that opinion,"he continued, his voice assuming the mildness which always distinguishedit when he spoke of his personal injuries. "They believe that if two orthree brigands could be got to seize in his camp the ape with the Madrason his head, all would be well. But they are mistaken. They may playthe brigand, and seize me now; but then the town will be burning beforenight."

  "You should not believe all the saucy things that are told you--youshould not care for the impertinence of young soldiers," saidHedouville, who suspected that his affairs were reality in a criticalstate, and had now resumed his usual smoothness of manner. He led theway up the alley between the rose-trees, that the torn proclamationmight be no longer in sight.

  "No doubt," observed an officer, gravely, "the Commissary will report tothe First Consul (if you really persist in sending the Commissaryaway)--he will doubtless report to the First Consul the prodigious poweryou hold here, and how great a rival Bonaparte has on this side thewater."

  "And how willing a servant," added Toussaint--"how willing to bear theburden of government for the good of France."

  "Burden!" exclaimed all.

  "Yes," replied Toussaint: "where is there a heavier burden? Do yousuppose that men choose their own office in life? If so, should I havechosen such a one as mine? Was the pleasure of Heaven ever more clearlyrevealed than in my case? Ask the First Consul whether it was possiblefor me to be other than I am. The revolution of Saint Domingo proceededwithout any interference from me--a negro slave. I saw that thedominion of the whites could not last, divided as they were amongthemselves, and lost in the numbers of their foes. I was glad that Iwas a black. The time came when I was compelled to act. I associatedmyself with the Spaniards, who were the allies of my king, and who hadextended protection to the loyal troops of my colour. But thisprotection served no end. The republic proclaimed the general libertyof the blacks. An unerring voice told me that my allegiance wasthenceforward due to the republic. The blacks in their new conditionwanted a leader. They chose me to lead them--to be the chief predictedby Raynal, as General Laveaux declared. Inspired by this call, Ientered into the service of France. The services that I have renderedprove that it was indeed the voice of God that called
me. Why do I tellyou this?--Because I owe an account of my life to you? No, indeed!--Itell you all this that you may render my account to the First Consul,whom, it appears, I cannot reach by letter. I charge you, by yourfidelity to the mother-country, to repeat to Bonaparte what I havesaid."

  "You could do it more accurately and forcibly yourself," observedHedouville. "Let me advise that you go instead of me."

  "You know," replied Toussaint, "who it was that said that I am theBonaparte of Saint Domingo, and that the colony could not exist withoutme. It was your brother functionaries who said it; and never did theysay anything more true."

  The naval captain, Meronet, observed that his ship, now in the roads,happened to be that which had conveyed the Commissary; and that it wouldgreatly flatter him, after having brought out Commissary Hedouville, tocarry back General Toussaint L'Ouverture.

  "Your ship, sir," replied Toussaint, "will not contain a man like me--aman laden with the destinies of a race."

  "But you speak of the burden of your office," observed one of the aides."It must be great; and all men need occasional repose. Suppose youretire to France for an interval of repose?"

  "Perhaps I may," replied Toussaint, "when this shrub," pointing to thesucker of a logwood tree, "shall be large enough to make a ship to takeme there."

  "You could devolve your cares upon your friend Raymond, General, if youdo not wish fully to trust the whites. Be persuaded to visit yourbrother in destiny and glory, as you call Bonaparte."

  "Raymond is my friend, as you say, and a good man; but he is not calledto be arbiter of the fate of the colony. See! Here are yourmessengers, Commissary."

  The officers entered from the barracks, with news that the plain wasreally in a state of commotion, and that no adequate defences appearedto be provided by the authorities of the town.

  "I charge myself with the defence of the town," said Toussaint. "Yourpart, Commissary, is to sign the new proclamation instantly; and toprepare to sail for France, with as many persons as desire to accompanyyou. On your promise to do this, I will guarantee the public peace. Inthis case, you incur no further dishonour than that of not understandingthe temper and the affairs of the blacks. If you refuse to go, I shallarrest you here, and denounce you to the government of France, as thecause of the insurrection which will undoubtedly ensue. You will notchoose to incur this infamy. Therefore," he continued, turning toCaptain Meronet, "you will have the goodness to return to your ship, andprepare it for the reception of the Commissary. He will probably joinyou in the course of this day."

  Again addressing the astonished functionary, he continued, "You shall beprotected to the latest possible moment, for the convenience of makingyour arrangements. When I can protect you no longer, I will cause thealarm gun on the height behind the barracks to be fired. At thatsignal, you will hasten to the boats, and be gone. Assure yourself ofmy justice, and render me an equal measure at the court of France.Farewell!"

  As he entered Government-house, the officers looked at each other inconsternation.

  "What is to be done?" asked more than one.

  "It is true enough," said Hedouville, "that neither I nor any one elseunderstand these people. The danger is really pressing Delon."

  "Most pressing, there is no doubt."

  "Then I have done with this mongrel colony; and I am not sorry. At homeI shall find means to vindicate my honour."

  "You mean to depart, then, Commissary?"

  "When we hear the alarm gun. Not sooner. It is possible that it may bea mere threat."

  "If so, it will be the first mere threat in which this black has beendetected."

  "That is true. He usually acts first, and speaks afterwards.Gentlemen, we shall have to go. I must first see about thisproclamation, and discover whether anything else can be done. If not,Captain, au revoir!"