CHAPTER XX.. Bass Faithful to His Word--His Arrival on Christmas Eve--the

Bass faithful to his word--His Arrival on Christmas Eve--The Difficulty of Obtaining an Interview--The Meeting in the Cabin--Non-arrival of the Letter--Bass announces his Intention to proceed North--Christmas--Conversation between Epps and Bass--Young Mistress McCoy, the Beauty of Bayou Boeuf--The "Ne plus ultra" of Dinners--Music and Dancing--Presence of the Mistress--Her Exceeding Beauty--The Last Slave Dance--William Pierce--Oversleep myself--The Last Whipping--Despondency--Cold Morning--Epps' Threats--The Passing Carriage--Strangers approaching through the Cotton-Field--Last Hour on Bayou Boeuf, 279