Американские боги

           ItwasasifthewholeAmericannationhaddecidedthattheycould,byaneffortofbelief,commandagood-sizedCaribbeanislandtonolongerexistmerelybywillingitso.

           AgenerationofLaverechildrengrewupunderSukey’swatchfuleye.Theyoungest,unabletosay"Sukey"asachild,hadcalledherMamaZouzou,andthenamehadstuck.Nowtheyearwas1821,andSukeywasinhermid-fifties.Shelookedmucholder.

           SheknewmoreofthesecretsthanoldSanitéDédé,whosoldcandiesinfrontoftheCabildo,morethanMarieSaloppé,whocalledherselfthevoodooqueen:bothwerefreewomenofcolor,whileMamaZouzouwasaslave,andwoulddieaslave,orsohermasterhadsaid.

           TheyoungwomanwhocametohertofindwhathadhappenedtoherhusbandstyledherselftheWidowParis.Shewashigh-breastedandyoungandproud.ShehadAfricanbloodinher,andEuropeanblood,andIndianblood.Herskinwasreddish,herhairwasagleamingblack.Hereyeswereblackandhaughty.Herhusband,JacquesParis,was,perhaps,dead.Hewasthree-quarterswhiteasthesethingswerecalculated,andthebastardofaonce-proudfamily,oneofthemanyimmigrantswhohadfledfromSt.Domingo,andasfreebornashisstrikingyoungwife.

           "MyJacques.Ishedead?"askedtheWidowParis.Shewasahair-dresserwhowentfromhometohome,arrangingthecoiffuresoftheelegantladiesofNewOrleansbeforetheirdemandingsocialengagements.