I care not what
you do with me, if Jerome but escapes."
The smile with which she uttered these words finely illustrated the
poet's meaning, when he says,--
"A fearful gift upon thy heart is laid, Woman--the power to
suffer and to love."
Her sweet simplicity seemed to dare them to lay their rough hands
amid her trembling curls.
Three days did the heroic young woman remain in prison, to be gazed
at by an unfeeling crowd, drawn there out of curiosity. The
intelligence came to her at last that the court had decided to
spare her life, on condition that she should be whipped, sold, and
sent out of the State within twenty-four hours.
This order of the court she would have cared but little for, had
she not been sincerely attached to her young mistress.
"Do try and sell her to some one who will use her well," said
Georgiana to her father, as he was about taking his hat to leave
the house.
"I shall not trouble myself to do any such thing," replied the
hard-hearted parson. "I leave the finding of a master for her with
the slave-dealer."
Bathed in tears, Miss. Wilson paced her room in the absence of her
father. For many months Georgiana had been in a decline, and any
little trouble would lay her on a sick bed for days. She was,
therefore, poorly able to bear the loss of this companion, whom
she so dearly loved.
Mr. Wilson had informed his daughter that Clotelle was to be
flogged; and when Felice came in and informed her mistress that
the poor girl had just received fifty lashes on her bare person,
the young lady fainted and fell on the floor.
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