XXIX.
April l0th.
MANM-Robert is much annoyed and puzzled because the American
steamer—the bom-mangé, as she calls does not come. It used to
bring regularly so many barrels of potatoes and beans, so much lard
and cheese garlic and dried pease—everything, almost, of which
she keeps a stock. It is now nearly eight weeks since the cannon
of a New York steamer aroused the echoes the harbor. Every morning
Manm-Robert has been sending out her little servant Louis to see if
there is any sign of the American packet:—"Allé ouè Batterie d'
Esnotz si bom-mangé-à pas vini." But Louis always returns with same
rueful answer:—
—"Manm-Robert, pa ni piess bom-mangé" (there is not so much as
a bit of a bom-mangé).
… "No more American steamers for Martinique:" that is the news
received by telegraph! The disease has broken out among the
shipping; the harbors have been delared infected. United States
mail-packets drop their Martinique mails at St. Kitt's or
Dominica, and pass us by. There will be suffering now among the canotiers,
the caboteurs, all those who live by stowing or unloading
cargo;—great warehouses are being closed up, and strong men
discharged, because there will be nothing for them to do.
… They are burying twenty-five verettiers per day in city.
But never was this tropic sky more beautiful;—never was this
circling sea more marvellously blue;—never were the mornes more
richly robed in luminous green, under a more golden day. …
And it seems strange that Nature should remain so lovely. …
… Suddenly it occurs to me that I have not seen Yzore nor her
children for some days; and I wonder if
they have moved away. …
Towards evening, passing by Manm-Robert's, I ask about them.
The old woman answers me very gravely:—
—"Ató, mon chè, c'est Yzore qui ni lavérette!"
The mother has been seized by the plague at last. But Manm-Robert
will look after her; and Manm-Robert has taken charge of the three
little ones, who are not now allowed to leave the house, for fear
some one should tell them what it were best they should not know. … Pauv
ti manmaille!
