"I mean that Gerald Leslie has been discovered within these last few days, to have educated in England the child of one of his slaves, a quadroon called Francilia; whom he sold to me some fourteen years ago. The girl has been brought up in England, where she has received the education of a princess, and it is only through her unexpected return to New Orleans that the secret has been discovered."
"Merciful Heaven!" cried Adelaide, hiding her face in her hands; "Cora a slave!"
"There was one spark of feeling, at least," muttered Mortimer, as he watched his cousin's emotion.
"Now," pursued the pitiless usurer, "according to the Louisiana law, it is criminal to teach a slave to read. What, then, must be the offense of Mr. Leslie, in sending this girl to a first-class English boarding school, and having her taught the accomplishments of a lady of the highest birth?"
"A terrible offense, indeed, Mr. Craig," said Mortimer, bitterly; "but this girl is Gerald Leslie's own daughter, is she not?"
"She is; but what of that? Born of a slave mother, she is not the less his slave."
"I understand. As a worthy member of society, then, as a Christian and a gentleman—in the sense in which we regard these things—he may send his daughter to toil sixteen hours a day on his plantation; he may hand her to his overseer to be flogged, if she is too weak (or too lazy, as it will most likely be called) to work; he may sell her, if he will, no matter to what degradation—no matter to what infamy; but let him dare to love her—let him dare to look upon her with one thrill of fatherly affection—let him attempt to elevate her mind by education, to teach her that there is a free heaven above her, where slavery cannot be—let him do this, and he has committed a crime against society and the laws of Louisiana."
"Exactly so," replied Craig, rubbing his oily hands, "I see you understand the law of the land, Mr. Percy. No wonder that Gerald Leslie is a ruined man, he has wasted a princely income on the education of this girl—this slave."
"Poor Cora!" exclaimed Adelaide.
"What, Miss Horton, did you know her?" asked Craig.