ater rushed over
their knees, filled it full, and became a whirlpool of grasping hands
and choking heads.

The overturned boat, wedged partially under the flooring, lodged against
the eastern wall. Both negro rowers came up from their plunge and
climbed like cats upon this platform, smearing a mire of sodden
plastering over their homespun trousers as they crawled. One of them
reached down and caught the half-breed by the hair, as she rose at the
edge of the flooring. Between them they were able to draw her up.

The shock of a cold flood around Angelique's ears sent life as vivid as
fire through her brain. The exhaustion and stupor of the night were
gone. She felt her body swallowed. It went down to the floor where the
girls had walked when they chanted, "Hempseed, I sow thee." It rose, and
all the rapturous advantage which there was in continuing to inhabit it
took mighty possession of her. She was so healthily, so happily lodged.
It was a sin to say she was longing for the mystery hereafter, when all
the beautiful mysteries here were unknown to her. Then Colonel Menard
was holding her up, and she was dragged to sight and breathing once
more, and to a solid support under her melting life. She lay on the
floor, seeing the open sky above her, conscious that streams of water
poured from her clothes and her hair, ran down her face, and dripped
from her ears. A slow terror which had underlain all these physical
perceptions now burst from her thoughts like flame. Her
great-grand-aunt, the infant of the house, was all this time lying at
the bottom of the old college. It was really not a minute, but minutes
are long to the drowning. Angelique caught her breath, saying,
"Tante-gra'mere!" She heard a plunge, and knew that Colonel Menard had
stood on the platform only long enough to cast aside his coat and shoes
before he dived.

The slaves, supporting themselves on their palms, stretched forward,
open-mouthed. There was the rippling surface, carrying the shadow of the
walls. Nothing came up. A cow could be heard lowing on the bluffs to her
lost calf. The morning twitter of birds became an aggressive and
sickening sound.

"Where is he?" demanded Angelique, creeping also to her trembling knees.
"Where is monsieur the colonel?"

Both men gave her the silent, frightened testimony of their rolling
eyes, but Wachique lay along the floor with hidden face. Not a bubble
broke the yellow sheet smothering and keeping him down.

As t