CHAPTER IV. Pye. And you a figure-caster, a conjurer! Pye. Let me alone, I'll instruct you, and teach you to deceive all eyes but the devil's. THE PURITAN. DEEP and leaden as were the slumbers of our traveller, his mind was not wholly relieved from the cares of this world, for which, sleeping or waking, nature seems by some perversion from her original and benevolent purpose to have formed this our enslaved, if not incarcerated, sensorium: not but that there are dreams of all denominations-visions of bliss, as well as of sorrow; but the first are still dependent on terrestrial objects, human interests and passions, as well as the latter; and where is the mind that would not, at many periods of even a short life, have consented to wipe away from its tablets the very memory of those, to escape the painful remembrances of these? The brains of our weatherbeaten sleeper were not long idle. He fancied himself still contending with the elements, and striving in vain to save his boy Cuffy from the storm, or keep his own seat on his Spanish horse, which succeeded in kicking his master into a river, whose waves were waves of fire. Then again he fancied himself sauntering by moonlight on the banks of another, a clear and crystal stream, whence he descried at a distance the buildings of a sugar estate on fire. He ran towards it. From the great house (as the principal dwelling is called) a female figure, young and beautiful, looked out, imploring help. The passion of the sleeper was awakened; he clambered into the piazza, reconducted the lady to her chamber, assured her of her safety, and in spite of her distress, presumed to talk to her of his love; nay, insensible to all but his own selfish feelings, attempted to pollute her with his caresses. She died in his arms, as he thought, cursing him for his cruelty; and as he shrunk with horror from her inanimate and ghastly corpse, he saw a fiend arise from her bed, fix on him its eyes glaring with a malignant fury, by a threatening action command him into silence, and trace on his forehead, in burning characters, the fearful syllable death. The only sound which escaped the lips of the demon was that of his own name -Roland! Roland!-articulated in a voice of mingled triumph and revenge-Roland ! The traveller started from his dream as if he had been roused by the sting of a scorpion. He sat upright for an instant, and stared wildly around, scarce recollecting his own identity or situation; but what was his amazement, not to say horror, on perceiving before him the very figure of the demon of his dream, or a figure which his fancy so quickly substituted for him, that the idea of the first was as if by magic resolved and condensed into that which he beheld? This figure stood before the lamp, whose rays served to define the outline of his person with the greatest accuracy. Of his features little or nothing could be seen, except the light gleaming from his eyeballs. He stood in an attitude which the dreamer's fears quickly determined to be the menacing posture of the demon from which he had shrunk; the forefinger of his right hand elevated, the left hand leaning on a bamboo staff. "In the name of God or Devil," cried Roland impatiently, "who or what art thou?" The figure relaxed from its position, lowered its right hand, advanced a step forward with a gentle inclination of the head, and replied in a mild and almost musical tone of voice-"Master-what you will." A less experienced person than Roland might have entertained a momentary supposition that the being before him, who had first excited his fears to give him courage, was no other than the evil spirit himself, thus come to tempt him; but our traveller was too much au fait on the affairs of this world to expect a bow from the Enemy of mankind; though scared as he had been from his terrific dream, it was some moments before he could thoroughly collect himself. "What you please,-a Negro," repeated the figure, as if to give the white man time to reassure himself. "What I please, and a Negro"-rejoined Roland, as if unconscious of what he heard." But what may be your business, and what want you here? Is this your cave?" "is "My business," replied the black man, sometimes to go round the lines of my master's estate, sometimes to look after runaway Negroes, to watch the provision grounds, to hunt wild hogs." "Whose cave then is this," said the other, "so well provided with food and necessaries, and-if I mistake not-with evidences of an illicit calling? The owner of the cave, methinks, must be a wizard-is he not?" "The cave, master," replied the Negro, "has harboured, as I have heard for long times past, many runaway Negroes; they have their provisions here." 66 "They have," interrupted the other. "I found a fire, and roasted plantains and rum, all ready for entertainment: though I fancied from what I have seen, that Obeah spells were rather the business of those who frequent this cavern." "You are at least fortunate," answered the Negro, seeming to pay no attention to the remark of Roland about Obeah, "in having found shelter from the storm, and food; and those to whom the cave belongs, were they here, would still respect the laws of hospitality, and make you welcome, be what they may, to all you can require at their hands. But if you have satisfied your hunger, be not offended that I do the same. My presence shall be no annoyance to you. Sleep again, if you feel disposed. I will eat in silence, and at a distance from you." "Sit down, sit down," resumed the white man, as he arose himself; "eat and be happy. I have no farther disposition to sleep my mind is too much harassed with what I have encountered this night; my boy, and my horse, and my baggage, are lost in the storm. And where were you?" added he, looking inquisitively in the face of the Negro; "your dress is untouched by the rain." "I had taken shelter," replied the Negro, "in another part of these caverns, which extend through to the other side of the mountain, before the rain began." "To the other side of the mountain!" interrupted Roland. "Aye! you know by what entrance I arrived here then?" "I know," replied the Negro unmoved, "that |