Thelast slaves were led off to the barracoons and
the merchantsreturned to their tents and huts.
Itinfuriated him to be going back to dreams like
that again.
Yet the wailing of the flute in Amahs hut atnight
was even worse.
What if his state of feeling shouldprevail over his
will and become his whole state of being?
They went into the stern cabin of the ship and
discussed anexcellent breakfast. Theprocess was as naked to him as the slaves who
stepped onto theblock. It was all he could do even toconceal them outwardly on the
days of slave-barter. Consequently, every one of these sceneswas, for him at least,
a Calvary. It was like floating along in awide, glass house well above the water.
Here and there a deep guttural in some forestdialect disturbed the gloom among the
men.
Each one of them in fact personified it, and the
effect ofthe afternoons procession was cumulative.
Anthony wished he too were going on to Havana and
said so.
Even the Foulahs hesitated to waken thetiger in
them by handling the baby. He was going to fall and he was right on the edge now. He
held a dantica and told them about thehappy lot ahead of them in Cuba. The factor
determinedthat he would some time balance his books and show profit.
La Fortuna could sail soon now,loaded down. He had,
in fact, done not a little toward bringing it about. He was tired of Gallegos, he
toldhimself.
How shall I explain my plan to those who believe in
trading menfor things to call it profitable.
It was not like the face of the Master ofGallegos.
La Fortuna could sail soon now,loaded down. There was nothing to be had by going
there.
The first effect upon coming aboard was to reduce
even the Africantemperament to silence.
Theylaugh to balance the depressed inner scales.
Anthony had had to listen to this talk a number of times before.
Unfortunately, thisarrangement was peculiar to
Gallegos. The red light in the fog flickered as the fires waned andleaped. That was
what he meant bygetting things done. The mercy which hadovertaken them they could
not as yet comprehend.
A wrinkling of the mans paunch in the vicinity of
its earseemed to reply.