Stone That the Builder Refused - Madison Smartt Bell [5]
Toussaint had reached an islet of stability somewhere amid the ocean of his fever. He crouched and blew the dormant coals to life and built the fire to a considerable brightness. There was now just a little fuel to spare, since during his delirium he’d used none.
However, he must make good use of the present interval of lucidity. He warmed his hands till they flexed easily, then pushed himself upright and went to the small square table. The writing implements were still at hand, though the secretary had long since departed. He arranged the pen, the ink, the paper, and sat for a moment looking down on them.
He would not allow the spirit of embitterment to devour him. Between betrayer and betrayed it was equal in the end, when they should come together beneath the mapou tree, or when the crossroads sprang upright before their faces, for their judgment . . . The truth was that Toussaint had known, when he kept his rendezvous with Brunet, what would follow. Or it seemed to him now that he had known then, just as, when he first saw Leclerc’s great fleet assembling off Point Samana, he had known the secret orders of the First Consul which it bore—orders to which only Leclerc and a very few of his entourage had been privy. As he knew also, certainly enough, the outcome of his present situation.
In the end it was all one. And now there was one more letter to write. He lit the stub of candle affixed to the table top by its own melted wax, dipped the pen in the ink and began.
Au Cachot du Fort de Joux, ce 17 Vendémiaire
Je vous pri au nom de Dieu au nom de l’humanité de jai té un cou deuille favorable sur ma réclamation, sur ma position et ma famille, employé votre Grand Génie sur ma conduite, sur la mannière que je servis ma patris, sur toutes les dangés que je courir an faisant ma devoire, j’ai servis ma patrie avec fidelité et probité jai les servis avec zèlle et courage, et jai été devoué à mon gouvernement. J’ai sacrifié mon sant et emporté ce que je pocede pour la servire et malgré mes séfort tous mé travaux a été envin, vous me permettrai premiere consulde vous dire avec tout les respec et las soumition que je vous doit: le Gouvernement a été tromppé entièrement sur le conte de Toussaint Louverture, sur une de cé plus zellé et couragé serviteurs à Saint Domingue. J’ai travaillé depuis lontans pour aquiérire l’honneur et la gloire de mon gouvernement et atire lestime de mes concitoien, et je suis aujourd’hui couronné des sépines et lingratitude le plus marqué pour recompence, et je ne desavoue pas les fautes que je pourais faire et je vous sant fait mé excuse, mais ce parti ne vaut les care de la punition que je reçu ni les traitement que jai essuies: premier Consul, il est mal heureux pour moi, denet pasconnus de vous, ci vous mavé connus au fon pendant que jai été à Saint Domingue, vous ceré tranquilsur mon conte et me rendré plus de justice, mon interrieur est Bon.5
And here he faltered. It seemed to him that if only his accuser, judge, could see him face-to-face and know him to the core, then the future would be redeemed. This thought was the very truth, he felt, and at the same time illusion of his fever. The words were squirming on the page like knots of insect larvae, the whole room rocked to the rhythm of the wooden ship that had conveyed him into this cold land. Carefully he laid the pen aside, so as not to blot his paper, leaned back and let the fever take him.
PREFACE
In 1776 the American Revolution began in the guise of a tax revolt, while proclaiming self-evident natural rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In 1789 the French