The fact that Onslow and Kenrick admired her did much to enhance the girl’s value in his eyes; and he could readily see how it would be for Madame Volney’s interests, since she knew he meant to marry again, to have the training, to a certain extent, of his future wife, and put her under a seeming obligation. And so the quadroon’s protestations that she had conquered all jealousy on the subject seemed to him the most natural thing in the world. “Well, Josy,” said he, after a silence of some minutes, “I accept your condition; I give the promise you demand.” “Honor bright?” “Yes; you’ll have me close under your eyes. I commit the girl entirely to your keeping. I will myself go at once and see Esha, and send her to you here. I’ll also see Tremaine, and shut up his mouth with a plug that will be effectual. The fellow owes me money. Then you can take Esha in the carriage, and go and put your plan in execution.” “Good! You’ve decided wisely, Carberry. Shall I order the carriage for you?” “Yes. I’ll send it back to you with Esha, and then myself go on foot to the St. Charles to see Tremaine.” Ratcliff passed out of the breakfast-room, and the quadroon went to the hat-closet in the hall, and removed the straw hat with a _black_ ribbon on it, leaving the one distinguished by a _green_ band. She then rang and ordered the carriage. CHAPTER XXXI. ONE OF THE INSTITUTIONS. “Small service is true service while it lasts; Of friends, however humble, scorn not one.”—_Wordsworth._ On being bought at the auction-block by Ratcliff, and introduced into his household, Josephine Volney, the quadroon, had devoted herself to the health of his wife from purely selfish motives. But in natures not radically perverse, beneficence cannot long be divorced from benevolence. Josephine believed her interests lay in preventing as long as possible a second marriage: hence, at first, her sedulous care of the invalid wife. Those who know anything of society in the Slave States are well aware that concubinage (one of the institutions of _the_ institution) is there, in many conspicuous instances, as patiently acquiesced in by wives as polygamy is in Utah. Mrs. Ratcliff had, at first, almost adored her husband. Very unattractive, personally, she had yet an affectionate nature, and one of her most marked traits was gratitude for kindness. Soon Ratcliff dropped the mask by which he had won her; and she, instead of lamenting over her mistake, accepted as a necessary evil the fact of his relations to the handsome slave. The latter attempted no deception, but conducted herself as discreetly as any woman, so educated, could have done, under such compulsory circumstances.