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 It is all right, Celia murmured.
 I don t know why I mentioned him. For the past day or two I have thought about Justin several times. I
even saw him in a dream. Lysette shrugged and smiled whimsically.  Noeline says it s a sign from a loa.
 A sign from what?
 You ll have to ask Noeline to explain, Lysette said, and put her hands over Evelina s ears, mouthing
the wordvoodoo.
Being from a Catholic family, Lysette had no belief in the African and Haitian gods that some
slaves immigrants from Santo Domingo and some whites from New Orleans worshipped. She did not
want to encourage superstition in her children. The voodoo cult had taken root in the city. Each year
hundreds of believers gathered on Lake Ponchartrain or the Bayou St. John for a festival to worship their
deities.
Celia hadn t suspected that Noeline placed credence in voodoo. Driven by curiosity, she ventured
outside where the dignified housekeeper was picking up another tray of sun-warmed flour.  Noeline?
The elderly black woman lifted her graying head.  Oui,madame?
 Could you tell me what a loa is,s il te plaît? 
 A loa, Noeline repeated, setting the tray back on a wide tree stump and straightening her lean form.
Her lustrous black eyes twinkled with a smile.  Dere is many diff rent kind, madame. A loa is a voodoo
spirit. Dere is two parts in every loa, good an bad. Now Legba keep watch at every crossroad& Legba
is god of sin, make de blood run hot& comprenez?
Celia nodded, flushing slightly.
 But Legba also good to take pity on man. Wid Legba s help, man can maybe  scape from destiny.
Now Erzulie and Damballa 
 I understand, Celia interrupted, before Noeline went on to describe each and every loa she knew of.
 Tell me& why did you tell Lysette that her dream about Justin may be a sign from a loa?
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 De loas work in dreams, madame. Noeline s eyes sharpened.  You been havin de dream too?
 Not about Justin, Celia replied softly.  About my husband. I keep dreaming he is alive.
 Ah. Noeline tilted her head, regarding her with friendly sympathy.  Dat not from de loa, madame.
When a man is gone, dere is emptiness& in de heart, in de bed,c est vrai? But someday you find a new
man to take away de emptiness, and dere will be no more dreams.
 I don t know, Celia said doubtfully.  I don t think I ll ever marry again.
Noeline smiled.  Ah m an ole woman, madame, an ah know what you say ain gonna happenalways
happen.
That evening the Vallerands hosted a small  at home for some of their family. A few elderly cousins
came to visit, as well as Maximilien s brother Alexandre and his wife Henriette. They congregated in the
parlor and talked uninhibitedly. While the conversation went on, they partook of strong black coffee and
baba a porous cake dipped in rum.
Celia was quiet, preferring to sit near the corner and listen to the lively exchanges of the family. Often her
gaze would linger on Lysette and Maximilien, who sat on the settee. Usually their son would have been
put to bed by now, but tonight Rafe was snuggled high against his father s chest, sleeping peacefully.
Occasionally Maximilien would smooth a large hand over the baby s fuzzy red hair. Celia was touched
by his tenderness with the child.
The guests remained until just past midnight, when the last crumb of cake had been eaten and the last
drop of coffee consumed. After handing the baby to Lysette, Maximilien saw Alexandre and Henriette to
the door. He turned to see if there were any more guests.
 All gone, Lysette said.
 Thank God. Max untied his black cravat and let it hang around his neck. He grinned at his wife, who
was murmuring softly to the baby. Lysette looked up to meet Max s golden eyes, and his expression
changed. The pair shared an intimate glance that warmed the room several degrees.
In a flash of discomfort Celia realized she was intruding on a private moment. She cleared her throat.
 Er& bonne nuit,I will be leaving now, she said, conjuring a yawn and heading toward the back of the
house.  It was a lovely evening.
 Wait, Max said, dragging his attention away from his wife.  I ll have Elias or Arnaud escort you to the
garçonnière. It s too late for you to go alone.
 Merci,but it is not necessary, Celia said.  It is only a short distance from the house. I have walked
there by myself many evenings.
 If you are certain 
 Oh yes, yes, Celia interrupted hastily.  I have no need of company.
 Good night, Lysette said a touch dreamily, turning to carry the baby upstairs.
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Celia left the house with the same restless feeling that had plagued her all day. There was no doubt of
what was going to happen between Maximilien and Lysette when they retired to bed. How wonderful it
would be to have the security of a husband, a family. Guiltily she tried to banish the envious thoughts from
her mind, but she couldn t.
Celia stepped on the path that led to thegarçonnière. She wondered what it would be like to have
Philippe waiting there for her. Her eyes stung. She had never felt so lonely. Even in the years when she
and Philippe had been apart, she had known he would come for her someday. Now there was no such
comfort. She stared down at the ground while she walked, imagining he was still alive, waiting for her at
the cottage door.  I wanted you all evening, he might have said, wrapping his strong arms around her,
brushing his lips over her hair.  I want to take you beneath me& hold you& love you& 
The image vanished abruptly, and she was left with nothing but the darkness. Crickets chirped, and the
breeze rustled through the trees. The night was heavy and black around her. Her heart beat heavily, and
she knew in a moment of panic that the cold fear was about to overtake her again, the fear of being alone
in the dark that had plagued her ever since her escape from Isle au Corneille. It was something she could
not seem to overcome. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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