Part 38 (1/2)

”Forever? what do you mean, you little demon,” returned the filibuster.

Angela arose and seated herself near the mulatto. While talking to him she pa.s.sed her hand through his hair with a cajoling coquetry which put the unhappy Croustillac beside himself.

”Your highness, one word, and my men shall rid you of this scoundrel,”

said De Chemerant, in an undertone, in pity for the Gascon.

”I shall know well how to avenge myself,” said the adventurer sullenly, who no longer desired to prolong the scene; and so, turning to De Chemerant, continued, ”Sir, leave me alone with these two wretches.”

”But, your highness, this man appears strong and robust.”

”Be easy, I will give a good account of him.”

”If you will listen to me, your highness, we will leave at once; you will abandon to her remorse, a woman so unhappy as to thus forget her duty.”

”Leave her? No, my heavens! Willingly or otherwise, she shall follow me--that will be my revenge.”

”If your highness will permit me a remark: After a disclosure so scandalous, the sight of the d.u.c.h.ess can only be forever odious to you.

Let us go; forget such a guilty spouse; glory shall console you.”

”Sir, I desire to speak to my wife,” said Croustillac impatiently.

”But, your highness, this miserable----”

”Once more, am I a man without courage and without force, that such a rascal should intimidate me? Some domestic scenes must be secret. Will you await me in the next room? In a quarter of an hour I will be with you.”

Croustillac said these words with an intonation so imperious, and with such an agonized manner, that De Chemerant bowed without persisting further. He went into a room the door of which the chevalier had opened, and which he immediately closed upon him.

Crossing the drawing room with quick steps, the adventurer entered suddenly into the room where the mulatto and Blue Beard were.

”Madame,” said the Gascon with sorrowful indignation, ”your conduct is abominable.”

The mulatto, who was extended on the divan, arose quickly; he was about to speak; Angela with a glance begged him to do nothing. As much as Monmouth had generously desired to prevent the sacrifice of the chevalier when he believed this sacrifice disinterested, he was as much resolved not to make himself known when he believed the adventurer capable of an unworthy betrayal.

”Sir,” said Angela coldly, to the Gascon, ”the French emissary may still overhear us; let us go into another room.”

She opened the door of Monmouth's own room, and entered, followed by the filibuster and Croustillac. The door once closed, the adventurer cried: ”I repeat that you have shamefully abused my trust in you.”

”I demand an explanation of your disloyal conduct,” said Angela proudly.

”Explain yourself at once.”

During this scene, Monmouth, gravely preoccupied, walked up and down the room with his arms folded, his eyes fixed on the carpet.

”You desire that I explain myself, madame? Oh, that will not take long!

First know that, right or wrong, I love you,” cried Croustillac, in a burst of tenderness and anger.

”That is to say, that you have boasted to your fellow-travelers that you would marry the rich widow of Devil's Cliff?”

”So be it, madame; on board the Unicorn my language was impertinent, my pretensions absurd, madame; covetous, I admit. But when I spoke thus, when I thought thus, I had not seen you.”