Three porters sat on little benches on the top step of a church porch.
Leighton approached one of them.
"Brother," he said, "give me your stool."
The slave rose, and straightened to a great height. He held up his hands for a blessing. He grinned when Leighton sat down on his bench. Then he looked keenly at Lewis"s face, and promptly dragged the black at his side to his feet.
"Give thy bench to the young master, thou toad."
Leighton nodded his head.
"No fool, the old boy, eh? The son"s the spit of the father." His eyes swept the swarming street. "What men! What men!" He was looking at the blacks. "Boy, did you ever hear of a general uprising among the slaves at home, in the States?"
"No," said Lewis; "there never was one."
"Exactly," said Leighton. "There never was one because in the early days our planters found out what not to buy in the way of black meat. They weren"t looking for the indomitable spirit. They weren"t looking for men, but for slaves, and the black-birders soon learned that if they didn"t want to carry their cargo farther than New Orleans they had to load up with members of the gentlest tribes. Now, there have been terrible uprisings of blacks in the West Indies, in Demerara and here.
Ask this old chap of what race he is."
Lewis turned and asked the question. The tall black straightened, his face grew stern, his eyes moist.
"t.i.to, my name. I am of the tribe of Minas. In the time of thy grandfather I was traded as ransom for a king."
"Hm--m, I can believe it," said Leighton. "Now ask the next one, the copper-colored giant."
"And thou?" said Lewis.
"I? I am a Fulah of the Fulahs. Before blacks were, or whites, we were thus, the color of both."
"You see?" said Leighton. "Pride. He was afraid you"d take him for a mulatto. Now the other fellow, there."
"And thou?" said Lewis.
The third black had remained seated. He turned his eyes slowly to Lewis.
"I am no slave," he began. "I am of the tribe of Houssa. To my master"s wealth. I added fifteen of my sons. In the great rebellion they fell, one and all."
"The great rebellion," said Leighton. "He means the last Houssa uprising. Thirty thousand of "em, and they fought and fell to a man. The Government was glad of the chance to wipe "em out. Ask him how he escaped."
"Escaped?" The black"s eyes gleamed. "Child, I did not escape. My master"s son was a babe in arms. My master bade me bear him to safety.
When I came back, alone I bore my master to the grave. Then it was too late. They would not kill me. Now the babe is grown. He tells me I am a free man. It is written on paper."
While Leighton and Lewis watched the crowd, they themselves did not remain unnoticed. A small group of the leisurely cla.s.s began to block the pavement before them. Father and son were a strange pair. Lewis was still in his leather cow-boy clothes. Alone, he would not have attracted more notice than a man with a beard and a carpet-bag on Broadway; but the juxtaposition of pith helmet, a thing unknown in those parts, and countryman"s flat leather hat, and the fact of their wearers usurping the seats of two black carriers was too much for one native son, dressed in the latest Paris fashion.
"Thou, porter," he called to Leighton, "an errand for thee. Go fetch my father. He would not miss this sight."
"What does he say?" asked Leighton.
Lewis blushed as people stopped and added their sparkling eyes to those of the crowd already gathered.
"He calls you a porter, and bids you fetch his father to see the sight."
"Ask him," said Leighton, calmly, "shall I know him who he thinks is his father by his horns?"
Lewis translated innocently enough. The crowd gasped, and then roared with laughter. The youth in Paris clothes turned purple with rage, shook his little cane at Leighton, and burst into abusive language.
"Why," cried Lewis--"why, what"s the matter with him?"
"I"m sure I don"t know," said Leighton, pensively. "And just now he was so dignified!"
A private sedan-chair, borne by four splendid blacks, swung by at a run.
As it pa.s.sed, one of its silk curtains was drawn aside and the face of a woman, curious to see the reason of the crowd, looked out. The face was clear white, blue-veined, red-lipped; under the black eyes were shadows.
A slight smile curved the red lips as the shadowy eyes fell upon Leighton and Lewis.
Leighton went tense, like a hound in leash.
"Look, boy!" he cried. "A patrician pa.s.ses!"
The lady heard, understood. The smile, that was half-disdain, deepened.
She bowed slightly, but graciously. The curtain fell.
"Come, boy," said Leighton, "we can"t stand that. Let"s go find a tailor."
"Dad," said Lewis, "do you know her? She bowed."
"She did, G.o.d bless her!" said Leighton. "No, I don"t know her; but let"s think kindly of her, for she has added a charming memory to life."
CHAPTER XV
Four days later Lewis sat beside his bed, piled high with all the paraphernalia that go to make up a gentleman"s wardrobe and toilet. He was very nervous--so nervous that he had pa.s.sed an hour striding from one side of the small bedroom to the other, making up his mind to try to carry out his father"s instructions, which were simply to go to his room and dress. Lewis had never in his life put on a collar or knotted a tie.
He answered a knock on the door with a cry of dismay. Leighton strode into the room.
"Well, what"s the matter?"
Lewis looked ruefully from his father"s face to the things on the bed and back again. He felt himself flushing painfully. He opened his mouth to speak and then closed it.
Suddenly Leighton"s face lit up. He laughed.
"Well, well," he cried, "this is splendid! You"ve given me a new sensation." He yanked a bath-robe from the bed. "Here, you savage, shed those leather togs, but don"t lose them. You"ll want to take them out and look at them some stuffy day. Now put this on and run to your bath."
When Lewis came back to the room he found most of his things had been packed away in the big, new trunk. On the bed certain garments were laid out. They were laid out in correct order.
Leighton stood beside the bed in a deferential att.i.tude. His face was a blank. "Will you be wearing the white flannels to-night, sir, or the dinner-jacket? If you will allow me, I would suggest the flannels.
Sultry evening, and Mr. Leighton will be dining on the terrace."
"Yes, I"ll wear the flannels," stammered Lewis.