Manuel Pereira; Or, The Sovereign Rule of South CarolinaAdams, F. Colburn (Francis Colburn)
General
Manuel Pereira; Or, The Sovereign Rule of South Carolina
Adams, F. Colburn (Francis Colburn)
African Americans -- Fiction; Biographical fiction; Pereira, Manuel -- Fiction; South Carolina -- Fiction
The clerk stepped up at this moment. “It's 'imself'll be telling yes all
about it, for yer like a parcel of geese makin' a fuss about a goslin.”
Mr. Dunn had got his Corkonian blood up; and although the matter was
explained, he saw the means at hand, and fixed his feelings for a stiff
compensation. The clerk, after explaining to the captain, turned to John
Paul and addressed him. As soon as he was done, John commenced to pack
up his dunnage and get money from the captain, as if he was bound on
an Arctic Expedition. Dunn's eyes glistened as he saw the money passing
into Paul's hand; but he was not to be troubled with the dunnage, and
after hurrying him a few times, marched him off. He went through the
regular system of grog-shop sponging; but his suavity and willingness to
acquiesce in all Mr. Dunn's demands, saved him some rough usage. There
was this difference between John Paul and Manuel, that the former,
not understanding the English language, mistook Dunn's deception for
friendship, and moved by that extreme French politeness and warmth of
feeling, which he thought doing the gentleman par excellence; while the
latter, with a quicker perception of right and wrong, and understanding
our language, saw the motive and disdained its nefarious object. For
when Paul arrived at the jail he was minus a five-dollar gold-piece,
which his very amiable official companion took particular care of, lest
something should befall it. Poor John Paul! He was as harmless as South
Carolina's secession and chivalry-two of the most harmless things in the
world, not excepting Congressional duelling.
As soon as he entered the jail and found that the jailer could speak
French, he broke out in a perfect tornado of enthusiasm. “Je serai
charm‚ de lier connaissance avec un si amiable compagnon,” said he,
and continued in a strain so swift and unabated that it would have been
impossible for an Englishman to have traced the inflections.
The jailer called Daley, and telling him to take his blanket, the
State's allotment, ordered him shown to his cell. Daley took the blanket
under his arm and the keys in his hand, and Paul soon followed him
upstairs to be introduced to his cell. “There, that's the place for
yees. We takes the shine off all ye dandy niggers whin we gets ye here.
Do ye see the pair of eyes in the head o' me?” said Daley, pointing to
his blackened eyes; “an' he that done that same is in the divil's own
place above. Now, if ye have ever a drap of whiskey, don't be keepin' it
shy, an' it'll be tellin' ye a good many favors.”
“Ah! mon Dieu! Cela fait dresser les cheveux la tete,” said Paul,
shrugging his shoulders.
“Bad luck to the word of that I'd be understandin' at all, at all. Can't
ye spake so a body'd understand what ye'd mane?”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account