coubame'. Ill 



Courame was watching and secretly preparing for her flight. One 

 thing only made her unhappy, this was the grief that her departure 

 might occasion Madame de St. Croix. The poor girl wavered between 

 two conflicting feelings, for nature has not given us unalloyed pleasure 

 in this life — nothing is more painful to the mind than these opposing 

 inclinations, these inward combats, striving for mastery, when the 

 heart is divided by two powerful interests distressing perplexity is ne- 

 cessarily the result. The moon shone in unclouded splendour, and 

 Courame profited by the light to contemplate from her window the 

 tranquil ocean. With what joy did her eyes wander over this azure 

 plain, which was soon to be ploughed by the swift Indian canoe. 

 Cayenne is not very far from the territory of Approuague, but it 

 seemed as if she had infinite regions to traverse before she could ar- 

 rive at the end of her wishes. To an impatient heart it is not space, 

 but longing that constitutes distance. At length the dawn appeared, 

 and Courame summoned up all her courage to quit the house of her 

 benefactress. But how many mournful feelings arose in her heart ! 

 It is possible to return in transport to one's native land, and yet to 

 shed some tears over the hospitable threshold which has heretofore 

 sheltered us. Courame sobbed convulsively when abandoning the 

 house where she had been so generously received, so warmly beloved. 

 She wrote a letter to her benefactress in which feelings of deep sor- 

 row and glowing gratitude were mingled, and she deposited on the 

 table all the gifts which she had received from the hands of Madame 

 de St. Croix, and left in a box all the jewels which adorned her 

 dress. 



Clothed in a simple Indian robe, her long smooth hair was her 

 only ornament. The town was yet wrapped in repose, when she ran 

 with precipitation towards the shore, where the Noragues waited for 

 her. She met few people at this early hour, and the simplicity of her 

 dress prevented her being known. She leapt into the canoe, the hymn 

 of departure was sung, and they rowed in cadence towards the land of 

 Approuague. The Indians took their leave loaded with presents from 

 the governor, the winds were favourable, the voyage speedily at an 

 end, and the canoe which conveyed Courame arrived safely at its des- 

 tination. 



But no words can express the grief of Madame St. Croix when she 

 heard of the flight of this beloved daughter, whom she had loaded with 

 favours and cherished so tenderly. At first she refused to believe 

 that so lamentable a misfortune could have occurred, but her doubts 

 were soon removed when she entered Courame's room and saw the 



