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“There come the children；” said Augustine； rising。 “Look here； Alf！ Did you ever see anything so beautiful？” And； in truth； it was a beautiful sight。 Henrique； with his bold brow； and dark； glossy curls； and glowing cheek； was laughing gayly as he bent towards his fair cousin； as they came on。 She was dressed in a blue riding dress； with a cap of the same color。 Exercise had given a brilliant hue to her cheeks； and heightened the effect of her singularly transparent skin； and golden hair。
“Good heavens！ what perfectly dazzling beauty！” said Alfred。 “I tell you； Auguste； won’t she make some hearts ache； one of these days？”
“She will； too truly；—God knows I’m afraid so！” said St。 Clare； in a tone of sudden bitterness； as he hurried down to take her off her horse。
“Eva darling！ you’re not much tired？” he said； as he clasped her in his arms。
“No； papa；” said the child； but her short； hard breathing alarmed her father。
“How could you ride so fast； dear？—you know it’s bad for you。”
“I felt so well； papa； and liked it so much； I forgot。”
St。 Clare carried her in his arms into the parlor； and laid her on the sofa。
“Henrique； you must be careful of Eva；” said he； “you mustn’t ride fast with her。”
“I’ll take her under my care；” said Henrique； seating himself by the sofa； and taking Eva’s hand。
Eva soon found herself much better。 Her father and uncle resumed their game； and the children were left together。
“Do you know； Eva； I’m sorry papa is only going to stay two days here； and then I shan’t see you again for ever so long！ If I stay with you； I’d try to be good； and not be cross to Dodo； and so on。 I don’t mean to treat Dodo ill； but； you know； I’ve got such a quick temper。 I’m not really bad to him； though。 I give him a picayune； now and then； and you see he dresses well。 I think； on the whole； Dodo ’s pretty well off。”
“Would you think you were well off； if there were not one creature in the world near you to love you？”
“I？—Well； of course not。”
“And you have taken Dodo away from all the friends he ever had； and now he has not a creature to love him；—nobody can be good that way。”
“Well； I can’t help it； as I know of。 I can’t get his mother and I can’t love him myself； nor anybody else； as I know of。”
“Why can’t you？” said Eva。
“Love Dodo！ Why； Eva； you wouldn’t have me！ I may like him well enough； but you don’t love your servants。”
“I do； indeed。”
“How odd！”
“Don’t the Bible say we must love everybody？”
“O； the Bible！ To be sure； it says a great many such things； but； then； nobody ever thinks of doing them；—you know； Eva； nobody does。”
Eva did not speak； her eyes were fixed and thoughtful for a few moments。
“At any rate；” she said； “dear Cousin； do love poor Dodo； and be kind to him； for my sake！”
“I could love anything； for your sake； dear Cousin； for I really think you are the loveliest creature that I ever saw！” And Henrique spoke with an earnestness that flushed his handsome face。 Eva received it with perfect simplicity； without even a change of feature； merely saying； “I’m glad you feel so； dear Henrique！ I hope you will remember。”
The dinner…bell put an end to the interview。
1 In August 1791； as a consequence of the French Revolution； the black slaves and mulattoes on Haiti rose in revolt against the whites； and in the period of turmoil that followed enormous cruelties were practised by both sides。 The “Emperor” Dessalines； come to power in 1804； massacred all the whites on the island。 Haitian bloodshed became an argument to show the barbarous nature of the Negro； a doctrine Wendell Phillips sought to combat in his celebrated lecture on Toussaint L’Ouverture。
Chapter 24
Foreshadowings
Two days after this； Alfred St。 Clare and Augustine parted； and Eva； who had been stimulated； by the society of her young cousin； to exertions beyond her strength； began to fail rapidly。 St。 Clare was at last willing to call in medical advice；—a thing from which he had always shrunk； because it was the admission of an unwelcome truth。
But； for a day or two； Eva was so unwell as to be confined to the house； and the doctor was called。
Marie St。 Clare had taken no notice of the child’s gradually decaying health and strength； because she was completely absorbed in studying out two or three new forms of disease to which she believed she herself was a victim。 It was the first principle of Marie’s belief that nobody ever was or could be so great a sufferer as herself； and； therefore； she always repelled quite indignantly any suggestion that any one around her could be sick。 She was always sure； in such a case； that it was nothing but laziness； or want of energy； and that； if they had had the suffering she had； they would soon know the difference。
Miss Ophelia had several times tried to awaken her maternal fears about Eva； but to no avail。
“I don’t see as anything ails the child；” she would say； “she runs about； and plays。”
“But she has a cough。”
“Cough！ you don’t need to tell me about a cough。 I’ve always been subject to a cough； all my days。 When I was of Eva’s age； they thought I was in a consumption。 Night after night； Mammy used to sit up with me。 O！ Eva’s cough is not anything。”
“But she gets weak； and is short…breathed。”
“Law！ I’ve had that； years and years； it’s only a nervous affection。”
“But she sweats so； nights！”
“Well； I have； these ten years。 Very often； night after night； my clothes will be wringing wet。 There won’t be a dry thread in my night…clothes and the sheets will be so that Mammy has to hang them up to dry！ Eva doesn’t sweat anything like that！”
Miss Ophelia shut her mouth for a season。 But； now that Eva was fairly and visibly prostrated； and a doctor called； Marie； all on a sudden； took a new turn。
“She knew it；” she said； “she always felt it； that she was destined to be the most miserable of mothers。 Here she was； with her wretched health； and her only darling child going down to the grave before her eyes；”—and Marie routed up Mammy nights； and rumpussed and scolded； with more energy than ever； all day； on the strength of this new misery。
“My dear Marie； don’t talk so！” said St。 Clare。 You ought not to give up the case so； at once。”
“You have not a mother’s feelings； St。 Clare！ You never could understand me！—you don’t now。”
“But don’t talk so； as if it were a gone case！”
“I can’t take it as indifferently as you can； St。 Clare。 If you don’t feel when your only child is in this alarming state； I do。 It’s a blow too much for me； with all I was bearing before。”
“It’s true；” said St。 Clare； “that Eva is very delicate； that I always knew； and that she has grown so rapidly as to exhaust her strength； and that her situation is critical。 But just now she is only prostrated by the heat of the weather； and by the excitement of her cousin’s visit； and the exertions she made。 The physician says there is room for hope。”
“Well； of course； if you can look on the bright side； pray do； it’s a mercy if people haven’t sensitive feelings； in this world。 I am sure I wish I didn’t feel as I do； it only makes me completely wretched！ I wish I could be as easy as the rest of you！”
And the “rest of them” had good reason to breathe the same prayer； for Marie paraded her new misery as the reason and apology for all sorts of inflictions on every one about her。 Every word that was spoken by anybody； everything that was done or was not done everywhere； was only a new proof that she was surrounded by hard…hearted； insensible beings； who were unmindful of her peculiar sorrows。 Poor Eva heard some of these speeches； and nearly cried her little eyes out； in pity for her mamma； and in sorrow that she should make her so much distress。
In a week or two； there was a great improvement of symptoms；—one of those deceitful lulls； by which her inexorable disease so often beguiles the anxious heart； even on the verge of the grave。 Eva’s step was again in the garden；—in the balconies； she played and laughed again；—and her father； in a transport； declared that they should soon have her as hearty as anybody。 Miss Ophelia and the physician alone felt no encouragement from this illusive tru