ost favourable for my mind's eye to rest
upon.--It was but a disconsolate survey. Sometimes a dark suspicion,
that I repelled from me as if it were a demon whispering murder in my
ear, would hint to me the possibility that I was entrapped. However,
the lights that came in with Monsieur Manuel dissipated them and
darkness together. He behaved extremely well--gave me an exact account
of all his possessions, and of his ready money, the latter of which was
greatly beyond my expectations, and the former very considerable.

He immediately gave me an undertaking, that he would, if I remained with
him, adopt me as his son, allow me during life a competency fit to
support me and his daughter genteelly, and to make me his sole heir at
his death. This undertaking bound him also to see the proper documents
duly and legally drawn up by a notary, so as to render the conditions of
our agreement binding on both parties. We then spoke, as father and
son, of our future views. We were determined to leave the island,
immediately we could get anything like its value for the plantation and
the large gang of negroes upon it. But where go to then? England--my
desertion. France?--yes, it was there that we were to spend our lives.
And thus we speculated on future events, that the future never owned.

I have said before, that, during the whole time that I was in the navy,
I never was intoxicated--and never once swallowed spirituous liquors.
Both assertions are strictly true. This memorable evening, over our
light supper, I drank, perhaps, two glasses of claret more than was my
wont at Captain Reud's table. I was excessively wearied both in mind
and body. I became so unaccountably, and lethargically drowsy, that, in
spite of every effort of mine to the contrary, I fell fast asleep in the
midst of a most animated harangue of the good Manuel, upon the various
perfections of his lovely daughter--a strange subject for a lover to
sleep upon; but so it was. Had Josephine's nurse and the Obeah woman
anything to do with it? perhaps. They are skilful druggers. If my
life, and the lives of all those dearer to me than life itself; had
depended upon my getting up and walking across the room, I could not
have done it. How I got to bed I know not; but I awoke in the morning
in luxuriant health, with a blushing bride upon my bosom.

And then ensued days of dreamy ecstasy; my happiness seemed too great,
too full, too overflowing, to be real. Eve