He resolved, therefore, to wait until the house should be clear of
company, and the household fallen into their accustomed carelessness
and monotony.
He had to wait much longer than he had reckoned upon--through
October and through November, when he first heard of and laughed
over Cap's "duel" with Craven Le Noir, and congratulated himself
upon the fact that that rival was no longer to be feared. He had
also to wait through two-thirds of the month of December, because a
party had come down to enjoy a short season of fox-hunting. They
went away just before Christmas.
And then at last came Black Donald's opportunity! And a fine
opportunity it was! Had Satan himself engaged to furnish him with
one to order, it could not have been better!
The reader must know that throughout Virginia the Christmas week,
from the day after Christmas until the day after New-year, is the
negroes' saturnalia! There are usually eight days of incessant
dancing, feasting and frolicking from quarter to quarter, and from
barn to barn. Then the banjo, the fiddle and the "bones" are heard
from morning until night, and from night until morning.
And nowhere was this annual octave of festivity held more sacred
than at Hurricane Hall. It was the will of Major Warfield that they
should have their full satisfaction out of their seven days'
carnival.
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