C—— ventured timidly to remark—
“Hero of humanity, they are not merchants, but philosophers, philanthropists, lovers of the race of blacks.”
“Then,” said Biassou, with a shake of his head, “if you have nothing that can be plundered, what good are you?”
This question afforded a chance of safety of which C—— eagerly availed himself.
“Illustrious warrior,” exclaimed he, “have you an economist in your army?”
“What is that?” asked the general.
“It is,” replied the prisoner, with as much calmness as his fears would permit him to assume, “a most necessary man, one whom all appreciate, one who follows out and classes in their proper order the respective material resources of an empire, and gives to each its real value, increasing and improving them by combining their sources and results, and pouring them like fertilizing streams into the main river of general utility, which in its turn swells the great sea of public prosperity.”
“Caramba,” observed Biassou, leaning over towards the Obi. “What the deuce does he mean by all these words strung together like the beads on your rosary?”
The Obi shrugged his shoulders in sign of ignorance and disdain as citizen C—— continued—
“If you will permit me to observe, valiant chief of the regenerators of Saint Domingo, I have carefully studied the works of the greatest economists of the world—Turgot, Raynal, and Mirabeau the friend of man. I have put their theories into practice, I thoroughly understand the science indispensable for the government of kingdoms and states——”