[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
slavery were soft and easy, and would be supported with joy and pleasure while they could be so
happy to possess each other, and be able to make good their vows. Caesar swore he disdained the
empire of the world, while he could behold his Imoinda; and she despised grandeur and pomp,
those vanities of her sex, when she could gaze on Oroonoko. He adored the very cottage where she
resided, and said, that little inch of the world would give him more happiness than all the universe
could do; and she vowed, it was a palace while adorned with the presence of Oroonoko.
Trefry was infinitely pleased with this novel, and found this Clemene was the fair mistress of whom
Caesar had before spoke; and was not a little satisfied that Heaven was so kind to the prince as to
sweeten his misfortunes by so lucky an accident; and leaving the lovers to themselves, was
impatient to come down to Parham-House (which was on the same plantation) to give me an
account of what had happened. I was as impatient to make these lovers a visit, having already made
a friendship with Caesar, and from his own mouth learned what I have related; which was
confirmed by his Frenchman, who was set on shore to seek his fortune, and of whom they could not
make a slave, because a Christian; and he came daily to Parham-Hill to see and pay his respects to
his pupil prince. So that concerning and interesting myself in all that related to Caesar, whom I had
assured of liberty as soon as the Governor arrived, I hasted presently to the place where these lovers
were, and was infinitely glad to find this beautiful young slave (who had already gained all our
esteems, for her modesty and her extraordinary prettiness) to be the same I had heard Caesar speak
so much of. One may imagine then we paid her a treble respect; and though from her being carved
in fine flowers and birds all over her body, we took her to be of quality before, yet when we knew
Clemene was Imoinda, we could not enough admire her.
I had forgot to tell you that those who are nobly born of that country are so delicately cut and raised
all over the fore-part of the trunk of their bodies that it looks as if it were japanned, the works being
raised like high point round the edges of the flowers. Some are only carved with a little flower, or
bird, at the sides of the temples, as was Caesar; and those who are so carved over the body resemble
our ancient Picts that are figured in the chronicles, but these carvings are more delicate.
From that happy day Caesar took Clemene for his wife, to the general joy of all people; and there
was as much magnificence as the country would afford at the celebration of this wedding: and in a
very short time after she conceived with child, which made Caesar even adore her, knowing he was
the last of his great race. This new accident made him more impatient of liberty, and he was every
day treating with Trefry for his and Clemene's liberty, and offered either gold or a vast quantity of
slaves, which should be paid before they let him go, provided he could have any security that he
should go when his ransom was paid. They fed him from day to day with promises, and delayed
him till the Lord-Governor should come; so that he began to suspect them of falsehood, and that
they would delay him till the time of his wife's delivery, and make a slave of that too: for all the
breed is theirs to whom the parents belong. This thought made him very uneasy, and his sullenness
gave them some jealousies of him; so that I was obliged, by some persons who feared a mutiny
(which is very fatal sometimes in those colonies that abound so with slaves, that they exceed the
whites in vast numbers), to discourse with Caesar, and to give him all the satisfaction I possibly
could. They knew he and Clemene were scarce an hour in a day from my lodgings; that they eat
with me, and that I obliged 'em in all things I was capable of. I entertained them with the loves of
the Romans, and great me, which charmed him to my company; and her, with teaching her all the
pretty works that I was mistress of, and telling her stories of nuns, and endeavoring to bring her to
the knowledge of the true God: but of all discourses, Caesar liked that the worst, and would never
be reconciled to our notions of the Trinity, of which he ever made a jest; it was a riddle, he said,
would turn his brain to conceive, and one could not make him understand what faith was. However,
these conversations failed not altogether so well to divert him that he liked the company of us
women much above the men, for he could not drink, and he is but an ill companion in that country
that cannot. So that obliging him to love us very well, we had all the liberty of speech with him,
especially myself, whom he called his Great Mistress; and indeed my word would go a great way
with him. For these reasons I had opportunity to take notice to him that he was not well pleased of
late, as he used to be; was more retired and thoughtful; and told him, I took it ill he should suspect
we would break our words with him, and not permit both him and Clemene to return to his own
kingdom, which was not so long a way but when he was once on his voyage he would quickly
arrive there. He made me some answers that showed a doubt in him, which made me ask what
advantage it would be to doubt. It would but give us a fear of him, and possibly compel us to treat
him so as I should be very loth to behold: that is, it might occasion his confinement. Perhaps this
was not so luckily spoke of me, for I perceived he resented that word, which I strove to soften again
in vain. However, he assured me that, whatsoever resolutions he should take, he would act nothing
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]