“‘Brother Michael,’ he said, glaring at me darkly and menacingly, ’I now know what sinful love prompted you to give Julie, your wife, a double dose of opium; and why, when I came to see her early in the morning, the corpse had already been cold for some hours.’

“As I felt myself turn pale, and answered nothing, he laughed scornfully, turned his horse’s head, and rode off in another direction.  After that the sight of Brother Jonathan became torture to me.  I always read the terrible accusation in his face, although he has never uttered it; and I soon found he was equally obnoxious to my wife.  Indeed, she actually hated him; for, as she told me, he had persecuted her with his love, long before I had ever been to Don Manuel’s.  She shunned him as much as possible, whenever he came to the hacienda; and it was most welcome news to both her and me when he told us his health could not stand the climate any longer, and he only needed money to take him to a colder climate.  I gave him several thousands out of my fortune, so as to get rid of him; and he, with his negro servant Thomas, went to Bethlehem in Pennsylvania.  To my relief, I saw no more of him; he wrote to me some time afterwards, but I did not answer, and never heard from him again.  All this time the worm of self-accusation was gnawing at my heart; but as long as Inez lived, I found happiness in her love, so that not even the voice of conscience could be heard.  But when she was taken from me, then the cry arose in my heart:  ’This is my punishment; she has died for my sin!’ and all peace vanished from my existence.  It was then that I formed the resolution to atone with my life for the crime.  I longed to sacrifice myself; to suffer for the Lord’s sake, and win over souls to the truth.  I parted from you, the one single thing that remained to me of Inez.  I sold my lands in Jamaica, and went wherever I was ordered—­across the seas to India, where the least work had as yet been done, and to various other parts of the world.  The rest you already know.  No one can imagine how gladly I have suffered, although those years of slavery and misery were very grievous.  I hoped thereby to win the favor of Heaven; and when I was at last permitted to return home, I thought I saw in that an assurance that my crime was forgiven.  But it is all a mistake, Carmen, for Brother Jonathan lives, and is here, and he is a perpetual reproach to me.  Every word he utters seems to refer to it, and I never fail to shrink with pain from having him touch the sore point.  He has it in his power to bring my sin to light, at any time; and it is an evidence of his great friendship for me that he has been hitherto silent.  If either you or I anger him, he will not allow our old friendship to influence him any longer.  You have heard his threat, and he will, without fail, carry it out.  I will bear submissively whatever comes; but I am not able, my dear child, to protect you.  If you refuse him for your husband, he will disclose my guilt, and I, a criminal, can do nothing for you, but must quietly bow before the inevitable.”