“He thus continued for some time, letting out by degrees what he was thinking of, so that the whole of his proposal should not take me by surprise, when he explained it to me.
“Well, we reached Martinique in safety, and, after landing the slaves, prepared for another trip across the Atlantic. How Brand Hallton gained the information, I do not know; but, while lying here, he learned that on our return the brig was to be fitted up with cabins, and that the merchant who owned her intended to return in her to France, with his family and all the wealth he had amassed. In the meantime, he was busily employed in working his way into the confidence of the worst disposed of the crew, and was very active in engaging several new hands to supply the place of those who died by fever.
“The second voyage was much like the first. We took on board a still larger number of blacks, and lost many of the whites by sickness. Day after day we lost one or other of our crew, till scarcely any of those who sailed with us from France remained. The first man we lost died raving mad: it was dreadful to listen to him. No sooner did he touch the water than there was Arnold’s ghost, with its fierce staring eyes, surrounded by a pale, blue light, and, seizing the corpse in its grasp, it turned it round and round, gibbering and mowing at it with delight, it seemed, and then plunged with it beneath the waters. I shuddered as I saw it, for I felt that such would be my fate, or, perhaps, a worse one; for I fancied that if I was seized with the fever, I, perhaps, should be thrown overboard while yet alive, and I pictured to myself the horror of feeling myself in his power, carried down—down—down to eternal fire and torment. I could not withdraw my eye from the spot where I had seen the corpse disappear. As I watched, that dreaded figure again rose to the surface without his prey; and, as we sailed along, he kept following in our course, his countenance now assuming a look of eagerness, as if watching for further victims. He was not disappointed: two days afterwards, another Frenchman died, and his fate was like that of the first; and such was the lot of every one who died on board the ship. Though I felt on each occasion that my turn would come next, I lived on, and did not even catch the fever. After landing the blacks in Martinique, we found that Hallton’s information was correct; and the brig, a remarkably fast sailer and a fine vessel in every way, quickly prepared to take the merchant, his money-chests, and his wife and daughters, on board. Once or twice I thought of warning them of what I more than expected their fate would be; but fear of Hallton, and the influence he had gained over me, prevented me from saying anything; and they embarked.
“The old gentleman was in high glee at the thought of returning once more to his belle France. His wife was a Creole, and did not seem much to like the trouble of moving; but his daughters were in raptures with the idea of visiting Paris and all its wonders. There were three of them; all remarkably handsome girls, tall and slight, with clear olive complexions and sparkling eyes. The old man loved his daughters almost as much as his dollars, of which he had many thousands on board, the greater part of the wealth he had accumulated during upwards of thirty years’ banishment from his native land. For some days after sailing all appeared to go on well, and I hoped that Hallton had given up the evil intentions I knew he had entertained; for I began to feel a tender interest in one of the younger daughters of our owner. What is strange, sir, is, that whenever she was on deck at night, where she often came to watch the bright stars glittering in the water, the dreaded ghost of Arnold never appeared. Those few days were the only ones of anything like peace or happiness I have enjoyed since I plunged so deeply into crime. She was indeed to me a ministering angel: and I determined, for her sake, to try and reform. Hallton suspected something and watched me narrowly, keeping his plans entirely from me, so that I was not prepared for the tragedy which was soon to follow. Two of our mates having died from the fever, I was appointed to do duty in the place of the youngest, and, by this means, had opportunities, which I should not otherwise have enjoyed, of paying slight attentions to the young ladies.
“I was not long in discovering that my unfeigned devotion had its due effect on the heart of Mdlle. Julie, the youngest of the three. Though respectful and tender in my manner, I was bolder than under other circumstances I should have been towards one so much my superior in rank and education. She either did not consider how much below her I was placed, or disregarded the circumstance, for in perfect innocence of heart she encouraged my advances; and her old father and mother being generally in their cabin below, had no opportunity of discovering what we were about. At last I ventured to offer my arm to assist her in walking the deck when the ship rolled much. She accepted it with but slight hesitation; and from that day forward I was her constant companion, her sisters being rather amused than otherwise by what they considered merely a sailor’s gallantry towards the youngest and prettiest lady present; the captain, who, in his way, was a very respectable man, taking them under his especial care. They were, however, not so fond of the fresh air as Mdlle. Julie, and thus she was often on deck alone with me. Often would she stay by my side, watching the sun sink with a halo of ruddy flame into the ocean, till the twinkling stars came out, and the pale moon cast its tranquil light upon the sea. She used to recount to me, with artless simplicity, the events of her short life, and all her hopes and prospects for the future. She was not ambitious: she would like to see Paris and all its wonders; but after that, she would be content to settle down in a quiet little country village, with—
”‘One you love,’ I added, as she paused.
”‘Yes,’ she answered, blushing. And I thereon spoke of my love and devotion, but confessed my poverty and the hopelessness of ever gaining sufficient to support her.
“She smiled at my scruples; told me that she had wealth enough for both, and that she valued a true and honest heart more than all the riches of the world.
“Poor girl! she little knew the accursed wretch to whom she was ready to link her fate. Once or twice I thought of telling her the truth; but I dared not: indeed, while I was by her side, I already felt better, and thought I might reform. Dreams—dreams, which were soon to fade away, and leave the frightful reality more glaring before my eyes. Some time had thus passed; the winds were light and baffling, so we had not made much way, when one night, during my watch on deck, I found Brand Hallton standing close by me, just before the mainmast. Besides the man at the wheel, there was only one lookout man forward awake; the rest of the watch were fast asleep, stowed away under the poop-deck.
”‘How fares your love with the old Frenchman’s pretty daughter?’ said Hallton, touching my arm.