_March 10th._
... Yzore and her little ones are all in Manm-Robert's shop;--she is
recounting her troubles,--fresh troubles: forty-seven francs' worth of
work delivered on time, and no money received.... So much I hear as I
enter the little boutique myself, to buy a package of "bouts."
--"_Assise!_" says Manm-Robert, handing me her own chair;--she is always
pleased to see me, pleased to chat with me about creole folk-lore. Then
observing a smile exchanged between myself and Mimi, she tells the
children to bid me good-day:--"_Allé di bonjou' Missié-à!_"
One after another, each holds up a velvety cheek to kiss. And Mimi, who
has been asking her mother the same question over and over again for at
least five minutes without being able to obtain an answer, ventures to
demand of me on the strength of this introduction:--
--"_Missié, oti masque-à?_"
--"_Y ben fou, pouloss!_" the mother cries out;--"Why, the child must
be going out of her senses!... _Mimi pa 'mbêté moune conm ça!--pa ni
piess masque: c'est la-vérette qui ni._" (Don't annoy people like
that!--there are no maskers now; there is nothing but the verette!)
[You are not annoying me at all, little Mimi; but I would not like to
answer your question truthfully. I know where the maskers are,--most of
them, child; and I do not think it would be well for you to know. They
wear no masks now; but if you were to see them for even one moment, by
some extraordinary accident, pretty Mimi, I think you would feel more
frightened than you ever felt before.]...
--"_Toutt la nuite y k'anni rêvé masque-à_," continues Yzore.... I am
curious to know what Mimi's dreams are like;--wonder if I can coax her
to tell me....