Counternarratives (17 page)

Wk early not sure wh mlle E returnd sick as always cleand it up
she will not go to infirm cannot fit one pinaf blamd me for shrinkd it she got
ready to strike me and I lookd at her she laid down the drouth in the town
continues made candles with Sr
FRANÇOIS-AGNÈS
kepd 2
fr myself Deo volente saw PH when I went to draw water fr the well she touchd my
face I tell her about Ayiti mlle E family valdore how we escapd gave her 1 dr
hid in hem of my frock mlle E followd me around till she fell aslp v late aft
lights out &1 rosary

No entries for 2 wks mlle E hidden my book threatd to give it
to
MOTHR SUP
she still sick face red cannot fit her
bodice angry at me today v hot at mass like in Ayiti sat in balc as always PH
held my hand afterw group of S told her you will be just like the witch if you
dont stay away do you know she can really talk but only speak the devils tongue
PH laughed and then 1 S named
MARILENE-MARIE
slap her
they nearly fight but I stoppd it they ran off we got a piece of chicken in
tonights soup gave her 1 drwg of
MY
self mlle E went
to bed early night visit did not work & 2 ros

Woke early mlle E crying what have you done to me I didnt do
anything I sd she tried to strike me with a brush stop it you sorciere you bruja
diablesse but I didnt do anything I fight her back take off the spell
SR CHARLES ISABELLE
came in mlle E sd
CARMEL
is being insolent SR did not believe her but she orderd me to
say penance and the ros, I saw PH brief she hugd bef she went back to her mistr
mlle Josephine mlle E fell asleep bef lights out in the corner tryd night visit
did not work no & 1 ros

Woke v early my back sore fr cleaning the inner halls my det
this wk the other S kepd turng over my bucket one took the rags sd make the
water run back into the pail I will I threatd they grew quiet mlle E upset you
wk for me she sd I sd I know but she did not listen PH askd me do you know any
spells from Ayiti I sd no spells but my mother knew how to call upon the other
worlds but I do not have those powers she sd oh I think you do we laughd she
gave me a hand of violet PHlox as we heading indrs 1 S girl sd to her looks
SHADOW
like you finally found your
BLACK
they laughd PH did not answer mlle E v tired made
me lie beside her stroke her hair deum misereatur as I fall slp she sd somethg
is wrong are you doing somethg to me
CARMEL
I answered
I havent done a thing God have mercy on me fin she slp english sent
1
dr
& 1 ros

V hot by early morn like in Jérémie several nuns were sick the
few wh girls left not feeling well mlle E cd not get out of bed pls
CARMEL
she sd use your powers I shake my head what
powers we prepared pamflets to be sent to other Caths in the west several wh men
arrivd w horses wagons mlle E wantd me to descrive them I sd I cdnt remember she
was v angry but fell aslp then I saw pere malesvaux w them he to stay aft they
leave PH & I stand behd wagon she kissd me we hrd something & stayd for
a little while then we left I give 1 dr of us in eveng when I checkd on mlle E
she still sick had a fevr I bathd her head tryd a night visit no luck & 1
ros

V hot today men loadd up wagons we put in preservs sev trunks
of cloaths also got much merchdse from east mlle E up and abt she doesnt eat
look ill but face flush I combd her hair some fall out she big as a calabash v
quiet stared at me but say noth when wagons & men leave PH and I hid und the
stairs so we cd talk I gave her dr hid it in my hair & she sd your power is
in here & touches my brow later mlle E sd where was you dont lie to me then
she wd not talk again tryd a night visit no luck latin sentences & 2
rosaries

Fri woke v early v hot day like mid sum mlle E awake alr made
me take out her slip and pinafore do not let the Srs see I did not see PH all
day mlle E said well you think anyone here cares about you but me even some
other S she laughd I startd crying but she pulled my hair your only concern is
me I fight her back she stopd I overhrd 2 S whisp pere malesvaux leaving heading
west to St Louis after mass Sun like it was a secret where is PH did not see
mlle J tryd night visit but did not work da meliora & 3 ros

Sat woke v early v hot day alr mlle E awake v quiet she was
read the
BIBLE
she never do that did not speak to me I
went downst to beg wkg on the new cloths w Sr
FRANCOIS-AGNES
no
PH
I sewd till dinner 1
S sd to another now you see she made her shadow disappear I lookd at them oh
where is yr shadow
PH
now they laughed anothr S sd I
think her mistr sent her home she was turning into a witch hrself or was it the
witchs mistr who got her send her home they laughg I turnd away cd not finish my
din made sev errors w the stitchg later mlle E silent not sayg anything when she
aslp I did not cry tryd night visit saw my mothers face but thats all & no
ros

Sun v hot wk early mlle E already awake staring at me at mass
pere malesvaux sd it v fast sat alone aft we assembled on the back lawn to say
goodbye to pere malesvaux he wldnt return until the late fall or early winter
MOTHR SUP
sd the wagon to carry him off wd arrive
that aft sev nuns prayd I went downst to sew cloaths did not see mlle E at
dinner we got soup w sweet onions some jerky & sweet bisc I sewed until
nightf Sr
FRANÇOIS-AGNÈS
said go back to your rm when
I got there did not see mlle E her bed empty a circle of ashes ? on the floor
near my cot I waitd until v late no mlle E quiet outsd checkd my books and
papers all there sd rosary tryd night visit but no luck then on a swatch of
paper no larger than my palm & began —

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