Lewis did not speak.
"What is lost is lost," the President began again after a time. "What is broken is broken. But see how clearly I look into your soul. You are not thinking now of what you can do for yourself. You are not thinking of your new rank, your honors. You are asking now, at this moment, what you can do for her! Is it not so?"
The smile that came upon the young man's face was a beautiful, a wonderful thing to see. It made the wise old man sad to see it--but thoughtful, too.
"She is at Richmond, Merne?" said Mr. Jefferson a moment later.
The young man nodded.
"And the greatest boon she could ask would be her father's freedom--the freedom of the man who sought to ruin this country--the man whom I scarcely dare release."
The thin lips compressed for a moment. It was not in implacable, vengeful zeal--it was but in thought.
"Now, then," said Thomas Jefferson sharply, "there comes a veil, a curtain, between you and me and all the world. No record must show that either of us raised a hand against the full action of the law, or planned that Colonel Burr should not suffer the full penalty of the code. Yes, for him that is true--but not for his daughter!"
"Mr. Jefferson!" The face of Meriwether Lewis was strangely moved. "I see the actual greatness of your soul; but I ask nothing."
"Why, in my heart I feel like flinging open every prison door in the world. If you have gained an empire for your country, and paid for it as you have, could not a great and rich country afford to pay to the extent of a woman's happiness? When a king is crowned, he sets free the criminals. And this day I feel as proud and happy as if I were a king--and king of the greatest empire of all the world! I know well who assured that kingdom. Let me be, then"--he raised his long hand--"say nothing, do nothing. And let this end all talk between us of these matters. I know you can keep your own counsel."
Lewis bowed silently.
"Go to Richmond, Merne. You will find there a broken conspirator and his unhappy daughter. Both are ostracized. None is so poor as to do either of them reverence. She has no door opened to her now, though but lately she was daughter of the Vice-President, the rich Mrs. Alston, wife of the Governor of her State. Go to them now. Tell Colonel Burr that the President will not ask mercy for him. John Marshall is on the bench there; but before him is a jury--John Randolph is foreman of that jury. It is there that case will be tried--in the jury room; and politics will try it! Go to Theodosia, Merne, in her desperate need."