Master of the Crossroads - Madison Smartt Bell [27]
“I have heard report of this, but my own eyes have not seen it.”
“Yet you support such an abomination?” Delahaye searched the dark face for a sign of reaction.
Toussaint looked at him mutely, waiting. The priest folded his hands and closed his eyes for a moment, breathing slowly.
“My son,” he said, “I am convinced that you will find the rights of man of which you have written better served by the French Republic than by any of these nations still ruled by kings. And as you set such store by the quality of your information, I think it would very much interest you to know that the proclamation of Commissioner Sonthonax has been confirmed by the French National Assembly: Slavery has been abolished, once and for all, throughout all our French colonies.”
“Is it true?” Toussaint said eventually.
“It’s I who tell you.”
“Monpè, I give you my most perfect confidence.”
“Come home to France, my son,” breathed Delahaye. “The arms of the Republic are open to receive you.”
“Doucement,” said Toussaint. “Doucement allé loin.”
“Oui, toujours,” said Delahaye.
Toussaint set down his coffee cup with a deliberate clatter. “But today I have come on another errand,” he said. “The boy—his name is Jean-Raphael, though everyone knows him as Moustique. He is the son of the Père Bonne-chance who was executed at Le Cap for having assisted in the tortures committed by Jeannot against the blancs and for having procured white women to be raped by—in any case it must be said that in truth Père Bonne-chance did none of these things, that he was a good and godly man and that his identity was mistaken by the blancs who judged him.”
“I am familiar with that terrible story,” said Delahaye.
“As the boy is the son of a priest, it may be that he is destined for the priesthood,” Toussaint said solemnly.
Delahaye turned his face to the wall to hide his smile.
“He is intelligent, and can read and write,” Toussaint continued. “I would wish that you take him under your instruction for a time. Perhaps in that way he may find his place in the world at last.”
“It is done,” said Delahaye.
“I thank you,” said Toussaint.
“You’ll stay tonight?”
“No.” Toussaint shifted in his seat. “I return immediately toward Ennery, today.”
“In that case you will have missed Jean-François.”
Toussaint displayed his empty palms. “Yes, so it would seem.” He leaned forward, reaching for the priest’s stole as if he’d touch it, but instead let his hands settle on his knees as he bowed his head, his whole upper body.
“Bless me, monpè, for I have sinned; it has been long since my last confession. I have too much mistrusted my fellowmen, I have even shed the blood of my brothers, I have spoken words not entirely true, I have even thought of serving other gods than Holy Jesus . . .”
Delahaye composed himself to listen. He knew from past experience that Toussaint could go on in this vein for a considerable time. And he was amazed, now and for a long time afterward, how the man could use so many words in his confession yet still, in the end, reveal nothing.
4
In a cool, mist-swirling dawn Guiaou woke for no reason that he knew and saw the fetlocks of the white stallion stepping daintily through the encampment on the slopes; Bel Argent was moving almost as quietly as a cat. Toussaint sat the horse as upright and correct as if he were on parade. He looked neither right nor left, and his face was dark and unmoving as if it were molded in lava. Guiaou sat up. Quamba was just then stepping out from the shelter of the next ajoupa, and Guiaou rose also and followed him down toward the stables, in the path of Toussaint. As he passed he saw that others were rousing, tracking the horse and rider with their eyes. No voice was heard, except for roosters crowing from their perches in the coffee trees all up