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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/44380-0.txt b/44380-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..62513d0 --- /dev/null +++ b/44380-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,14226 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44380 *** + +Note: Images of the original pages are available through + Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford. See + http://purl.ox.ac.uk/uuid/324b5598fbd44321abe105868fb7f75a + + + + + +THE BUCCANEER CHIEF + +A Romance of the Spanish Main + +by + +GUSTAVE AIMARD + +Author of Smuggler Chief, Strong Hand, etc. + + + + + + + +London +Ward and Lock, 158, Fleet Street +MDCCCLXIV + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + I. THE HOSTELRY OF THE COURT OF FRANCE + II. A FAMILY SCENE + III. THE ARREST + IV. THE ISLE OF SAINTE MARGUERITE + V. A BACKWARD GLANCE + VI. LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT + VII. DESPAIR + VIII. THE PRISONER + IX. MAJOR DE L'OURSIÈRE + X. THE SEAGULL LUGGER + XI. FRANCE, FAREWELL! + XII. THE BEGINNING OF THE ADVENTURE + XIII. THE COUNCIL OF THE FILIBUSTERS + XIV. THE SECOND PROPOSAL + XV. THE SPY + XVI. THE SLAVE SALE + XVII. THE ENLISTMENT + XVIII. NEVIS + XIX. THE EXPEDITION + XX. THE HATTO + XXI. THE MAJOR-DOMO'S STORY + XXII. ACROSS COUNTRY + XXIII. COMPLICATIONS + XXIV. PORT MARGOT + XXV. FRAY ARSENIO + XXVI. THE CONSEQUENCES OF A MEETING + XXVII. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COLONY + XXVIII. THE FLIGHT FROM THE HATTO + XXIX. EVENTS ACCUMULATE + XXX. THE EXTERMINATOR + + + + +THE BUCCANEER CHIEF. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE HOSTELRY OF THE COURT OF FRANCE. + + +Although the Seine, from Chanceaux, its fountainhead, to Havre, where +it falls into the sea, is not more than four hundred miles in length, +still, in spite of this comparatively limited course, this river is +one of the most important in the world; for, from the days of Cæsar up +to the present, it has seen all the great social questions which have +agitated modern times decided on its banks. + +Tourists, artists, and travellers, who go a long distance in search of +scenery, could not find anything more picturesque or more capriciously +diversified than the winding banks of this river, which is skirted by +commercial towns and pretty villages, coquettishly arranged on the +sides of verdant valleys, or half disappearing in the midst of dense +clumps of trees. + +It is in one of these villages, situated but a few leagues from Paris, +that our story began, on March 26th, 1641. + +This village, whose origin dates back to the earliest period of the +French Monarchy, was at that time pretty nearly what it is now; +differing in this respect from all the hamlets that surround it, it has +remained stationary; on seeing it you might fancy that centuries have +not passed as far as it is concerned. When the neighbouring hamlets +became villages, and were finally transformed into large towns, it +continually decreased, so that its population at the present day scarce +attains the amount of four hundred inhabitants. + +And yet its situation is most happy: traversed by a stream and bordered +by a river, possessing an historic castle, and forming an important +station on one of the railway lines, it seemed destined to become an +industrial centre, the more so because its inhabitants are industrious +and intelligent. + +But there is a spell upon the place. The great landowners who have +succeeded each other in the country, and who mostly grew rich in the +political commotions, or by risky speculations, have tacitly agreed +to impede in every possible way the industrial aspirations of the +population--have ever egotistically sacrificed public interest to their +private advantage. + +Thus the historic castle to which we alluded has fallen into the hands +of a man who, sprung from nothing, and feeling himself stifled within +its walls, allows them to crumble away before the effects of time, and, +to save the expense of a gardener, sows oats in the majestic alleys +of a park, designed by Le Nôtre, whose grand appearance strikes with +admiration the traveller, who sees it at a distance as he is borne past +in the train. + +The same thing is going on in the whole of this unhappy hamlet, which +is condemned to die of inanition in the midst of the abundance of its +neighbours. + +This village was composed at the period of our narrative of a single +long narrow street, which ran down from the top of a scarped hill, +crossed a small rivulet, and terminated only a few yards from the Seine. + +This street, through its entire length, was bordered by low, ugly +tenements, pressing closely together, as if for mutual support, and +mostly serving as pothouses for the waggoners and other people who at +this period, when the great network of the French royal roads had not +yet been made, continually passed through this village, and sought +shelter there for the night. + +The top of the street was occupied by a very wealthy, religious +community, next to which stood a large building hidden at the end of +a spacious garden, and serving as hostelry for the wealthy personages +whom their business or pleasure brought to this place, which was +surrounded for ten leagues round by sumptuous seigneurial mansions. + +There was nothing externally to cause this building to be recognized as +an inn; a low gateway gave access to the garden, and it was not till +the traveller had gone along the whole of the latter that he found +himself in front of the house. + +It had, however, another entrance, looking out on a road but little +frequented at the time, and which was employed by horses and coaches, +when the traveller had succeeded in obtaining the landlord's leave to +put up there. + +Although this house, as we said, was a hostelry, its owner did not +admit everybody who proposed to lodge there; on the contrary, he was +very difficult in the choice of his guests, asserting, rightly or +wrongly, that a hostelry, which had been honoured on several occasions +by the presence of the King and the Cardinal Minister, must not serve +as an asylum either for vagabonds or nightbirds. + +In order to justify the right he claimed, the landlord had, a few +months previously, had the arms of France daubed on a metal plate by +a strolling painter, and inscribed under it in golden letters--"_The +Court of France._" This sign he put up over his door. + +This inn enjoyed a great reputation, not only in the country, but in +all the surrounding provinces, and even as far as Paris--a reputation, +we are bound to add, well deserved, for if mine host was particular in +the choice of his lodgers, when the latter had succeeded in gaining +admission he treated them, men and beasts, with a peculiar care, that +had something paternal about it. + +Although it was getting on for the end of March, and, according to the +almanac, 'Spring had begun some days previously,' the cold was nipping, +the rime-laden trees stood out sadly against the leaden sky, and a +thick, hardened layer of snow covered the ground for some depth. + +Although it was about ten o'clock at night, it was light, and the moon, +floating in russet clouds, profusely shed her sickly beams, which +rendered it almost as light as day. + +All were asleep in the village, or, at least, seemed to be so; the +_Court of France_ alone emitted a light through its ground floor barred +windows, which proved that somebody was still up there. + +Still, the inn did not offer shelter to any traveller. + +All those who during the day, and since nightfall, had presented +themselves, had been mercilessly turned away by the landlord, a stout +man, with a rubicund face, intelligent features, and a crafty smile, +who was walking at this moment with an air of preoccupation up and +down his immense kitchen, every now and then casting an absent glance +at the preparations for supper, one portion of which was roasting +before a colossal fireplace, whilst the rest was being got ready by a +master cook and several assistants. + +A middle-aged, short, plump woman, suddenly burst into the kitchen, and +addressed the landlord, who had turned round at the noise. + +"Is it true," she asked, "Master Pivois, that you have ordered the dais +room to be got ready, as Mariette declares?" + +Master Pivois drew himself up. + +"What did Mariette tell you?" he enquired, sternly. + +"Well, she told me to prepare the best bedroom." + +"Which is the best bedroom, Dame Tiphaine?" + +"The dais room, master, since it is the one in which His Majesty--" + +"In that case," mine host interrupted her, in a peremptory tone, +"prepare the dais room." + +"Still, master," Dame Tiphaine ventured--who possessed a certain amount +of credit in the house, in the first place, as legitimate spouse of the +landlord himself, and then, again, through sundry very marked traits of +character--"with all the respect I owe you, it seems to me--" + +"With all the respect I owe you," he exclaimed, stamping his foot +passionately, "you're a fool, my good creature, obey my orders, and do +not trouble me further!" + +Dame Tiphaine comprehended that her lord and master was not in a +humour that evening for being contradicted. Like a prudent woman, she +bowed her head and withdrew, reserving to herself the right of taking +a startling revenge at a future date for the sharp reprimand she had +received. + +Doubtless satisfied with his display of authority, Master Pivois, after +taking a triumphant glance at his subordinates, who were surprised at +this unusual act of vigour, though they did not dare show it, walked +toward a door that led into the garden; but at the moment when he laid +his hand on the key, this door, vigorously thrust from the outside, +opened right in the face of the startled landlord, who tottered back to +the middle of the room, and a man entered the kitchen. + +"At last!" the stranger said, joyously, as he threw his plumed hat on +a table and took off his cloak. "By heaven! I almost found myself in a +desert." + +And before mine host, who was growing more and more astounded at +his cool behaviour, had the time to oppose it, he took a chair, and +comfortably installed himself in the chimney corner. + +The newcomer appeared to be not more than twenty-five years of age; +long black curls fell in disorder on his shoulders; his marked features +were noble and intelligent; his black eyes, full of fire, announced +courage, and the habit of commanding; his countenance had a certain +stamp of grandeur, tempered by the cordial smile that played round +his wide mouth, full of brilliantly white teeth; his red, and rather +swollen lips, were adorned, according to the fashion of the day, with +a most carefully waxed moustache, while his square chin, indicative of +obstinacy, was covered by a long royale. + +His dress, while not rich, was, however, becoming--cut with taste, +and affected a certain military air, which was rendered more marked +by the brace of pistols the stranger carried in his belt, and the long +iron-handled sword that hung at his side. + +Altogether, his lofty stature, and muscular, well-developed person, +and the air of audacity spread all over him, rendered him one of those +men, the breed of whom was so common at the period, and who at the +first glance contrived to claim from people with whom accident brought +them in contact that respect to which, whether justly or unjustly, they +believed they had a right. + +In the meanwhile, the landlord, who had slightly recovered from the +emotion and surprise he had experienced at what he almost regarded +as a violation of his domicile, advanced a few steps toward the +stranger, and while bowing lower than he had intended, and doffing his +cotton nightcap before the flashing glance the other bent on him, he +stammered, in anything but a steady voice-- + +"My lord--" + +But the latter interrupted him without ceremony. + +"Are you the landlord?" he asked, sharply. + +"Yes," Master Pivois grunted, as he drew himself up, feeling quite +constrained at answering when he was preparing to question. + +"Very good," the stranger continued; "look after my horse, which I left +I know not where in your garden; have him put in the stable, and tell +the ostler to wash his withers with a little vinegar and water, for I +am afraid he has hurt himself a little." + +These words were uttered so carelessly, that the landlord stood utterly +confounded, unable to utter a syllable. + +"Well," the stranger continued, at the expiration of a moment, with +a slight frown, "what are you doing here, ass, instead of obeying my +orders?" + +Master Pivois, completely subdued, turned on his heels, and left the +room, tottering like a drunken man. + +The stranger looked after him with a smile, and then turned to the +waiting-men, who were whispering together, and taking side-glances at +him. + +"Come and wait on me," he said; "place a table here before me near the +fire, and bring me some supper--make haste, s'death, or I shall die of +hunger!" + +The waiting-men, delighted in their hearts at playing their master +a trick, did not let the order be repeated; in a second a table was +brought up, the cloth laid, and, on re-entering the room, the landlord +found the stranger in the act of carving a magnificent partridge. + +Master Pivois assumed at the sight all the colours of the rainbow--at +first pale, he turned so red that a fit of apoplexy might be +apprehended, so vivid was his emotion. + +"By Heaven," he exclaimed, stamping his foot angrily, "that is too +much." + +"What?" the stranger asked, as he raised his head and wiped his +moustache; "What is the matter with you, my good man?" + +"Matter, indeed!" mine host growled. + +"By the way, is my horse in the stable?" + +"Your horse, your horse," the other grumbled, "as if that is troubling +me." + +"What is it then, if you please, master mine?" the stranger asked, as +he poured out a bumper which he conscientiously drained to the last +drop. "Ah," he said, "it is Jurançon; I recognise it." + +This indifference and this coolness raised the landlord's anger to the +highest pitch, and caused him to forget all prudence. + +"Cogswounds," he said, boldly seizing the bottle, "it is a strange +piece of impudence thus to enter an honest house without the owner's +permission; decamp at once, my fine gentleman, unless you wish harm +to befall you, and seek a lodging elsewhere, for, as far as I am +concerned, I cannot and will not give you one." + +The stranger had not moved a feature during this harangue; he had +listened to Master Pivois without displaying the slightest impatience: +when the landlord at length held his tongue, he threw himself back in +his chair, and looked him fixedly in the face. + +"Listen to me in your turn, master," he said to him, "and engrave these +words deeply on your narrow brain: this house is an inn, is it not? +Hence it must be open without hesitation to every stranger who comes +here for food and lodging with money in his pocket. I am aware that you +claim the right of only receiving such persons as you think proper; if +there are people who put up with that, it is their business, but for my +part, I do not intend to do so. I feel comfortable here, so I remain, +and shall remain as long as I think proper; I do not prevent you from +swindling me, for that is your duty as a landlord, and I have no right +to object; but, if I am not served politely and dexterously--if you do +not give me a proper bedroom to spend the night in--in a word, if you +do not perform the duties of hospitality toward me in the way I expect, +I promise to pull down your signboard, and hang you up in its place, +on the slightest infraction you are guilty of. And now I suppose you +understand me?" he added, squeezing the other's hand so hard that the +poor fellow uttered a yell of agony, and went tottering against the +kitchen wall: "Serve me, then, and let us have no more argument, for +you would not get the best of the quarrel if you picked one with me." + +And without paying further attention to the landlord, the traveller +continued his interrupted supper. + +It was all over with the landlord's attempted resistance; he felt +himself vanquished, and did not attempt a struggle which had now become +impossible. Confused and humiliated, he only thought of satisfying this +strange guest who had installed himself by main force in the house. + +The traveller did not in any way abuse his victory; satisfied with +having obtained the result he desired, he did not take the slightest +liberty. + +The result was that gradually, from one concession to another--the one +offering, the other not refusing--they became on the best possible +terms; and toward the end of the supper, mine host and the traveller +found themselves, without knowing how, the most affectionate friends in +the world. + +They were talking together. First of the rain and fine weather, the +dearness of provisions, the king's illness, and that of his Eminence +the Cardinal; then, growing gradually bolder, Master Pivois poured out +a huge bumper of wine for his improvised guest, and collected all his +courage. + +"Do you know, my good gentleman," he said to him suddenly, shaking his +head with an air of contrition, "that you are fearfully in my way?" + +"Stuff!" the stranger answered, as he tossed off the contents of his +glass, and shrugged his shoulders, "Are we coming back to the old +story of just now? I thought that settled long ago." + +"Alas! I would it were so for everybody as it is for me." + +"What do you mean?" + +"Pray do not get into a passion, sir," the landlord continued timidly; +"I have not the slightest intention of insulting you." + +"In that case explain yourself in the Fiend's name, my master, and come +frankly to the point; I do not understand what others beside yourself +have to do in the matter." + +"That is just the difficulty," said Master Pivois, scratching his head. + +"Speak, zounds! I am not an ogre; what is it that causes you such +anxiety?" + +The landlord saw that he must out with it, and fear giving him courage, +he bravely made up his mind. + +"Monseigneur," he said, honestly, "believe me that I am too much the +man of the world to venture to act with rudeness to a gentleman of your +importance--" + +"Enough of that," the stranger interrupted, with a smile. + +"But--" the host continued. + +"Ah! There is a _but_." + +"Alas! Monseigneur, there always is one, and today a bigger one than +ever." + +"Hang it all, you terrify me, master," the stranger remarked, with a +laugh; "tell me quickly, I beg of you, what this terrible but is." + +"Alas! Monseigneur, it is this: my entire hostelry was engaged a week +ago by a party of gentlemen; I expect them to arrive in an hour--half +an hour, perhaps, and--" + +"And?" the stranger asked, in an enquiring tone, which caused the host +to shudder. + +"Well, Monseigneur," he resumed in a choking voice, "these gentlemen +insist on having the hostelry to themselves, and made me swear not to +receive any other traveller but themselves, and paid me to that effect." + +"Very good," said the stranger, with an air of indifference. + +"What do you say; very good? Monseigneur," Master Pivois exclaimed. + +"Hang it! What else would you have me say? You have strictly fulfilled +your engagement, and no one has the right to reproach you." + +"How so, sir?" + +"Unless you have someone concealed here," the stranger answered, +imperturbably, "which, I confess, would not be at all honourable on +your part." + +"I have nobody." + +"Well, then?" + +"But you, monseigneur?" he hazarded timidly. + +"Oh, I," the stranger replied laughingly, "that is another affair; let +us make a distinction, if you please, master; you did not receive me, +far from it; I pressed my company on you, as I think you will allow." + +"It is only too true." + +"Do you regret it?" + +"Far from it, monseigneur," he exclaimed eagerly, for he was not at all +desirous of re-arousing the slumbering wrath of the irascible stranger; +"I am only stating a fact." + +"Very good, I see with pleasure, Master Pivois, that you are a very +serious man; you are stating a fact, you say?" + +"Alas! yes," the luckless host sighed. + +"Very good; now follow my reasoning closely." + +"I am doing so." + +"When these gentlemen arrive, which according to your statement, will +be soon, you will only have one thing to do." + +"What is it, monseigneur?" + +"Tell them exactly what has passed between us. If I am not greatly +mistaken this honest explanation will satisfy them; if it be +otherwise--" + +"Well, if it be so, what am I to do, sir?" + +"Refer them to me, Master Pivois, and I will undertake in my turn to +convince them; gentlemen of good birth perfectly understand each other." + +"Still, monseigneur--" + +"Not a word more on this subject, I must request; but stay," he added, +and listened, "I believe your company are arriving." + +And he carelessly threw himself back in his chair. + +Outside, the trampling of horses on the hardened snow could be +distinctly heard, and then several blows were dealt on the door. + +"It is they," the host muttered. + +"A further reason not to keep them waiting; go and open the door, +master, for it is very cold outside." + +The landlord hesitated for a moment and then left the room without +replying. + +The stranger carefully folded himself in his mantle, pulled the brim of +his beaver over his eyes, and awaited the entrance of the newcomers, +while affecting an air of indifference. + +The waiting-men, who had sought shelter in the most remote corner of +the room, were trembling in the prevision of a disturbance. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +A FAMILY SCENE. + + +In the meanwhile the new arrivals were making a great noise in the +road, and seemed to be growing impatient at the delay in letting them +into the hostelry. + +Master Pivois at length decided to open to them, though he was +suffering from a secret apprehension as to the consequences which the +presence of a stranger in the house might have for him. + +As soon as a stable-lad had by his orders, drawn back the bolts, +and opened the carriage-gates, several horsemen entered the yard, +accompanied by a coach drawn by four horses. + +By the light of the lanthorn held by his lad the landlord perceived +that the travellers were seven in number; three masters, three +servants, and the coachman on the box. All were wrapped up in thick +cloaks, and armed to the teeth. + +So soon as the coach had entered the yard, the horsemen dismounted; +one of them, who appeared to exercise a certain authority over his +companions, walked up to the landlord, while the others brought the +coach up to the main entrance of the house, and closed the gates. + +"Well, master," said the traveller to whom we allude, with a very +marked foreign accent, although he expressed himself very purely in +French; "have my orders been punctually executed?" + +At this question, which was very embarrassing to him, Master Pivois +scratched his head, and then replied like the cunning peasant he was-- + +"As far as possibly, yes, my lord." + +"What do you mean, scoundrel?" the traveller resumed roughly; "Your +instructions were precise enough." + +"Yes, my lord," the landlord said humbly; "and I will even add that I +was liberally paid beforehand." + +"In that case, what have you to say?" + +"That I have done the best I could," Master Pivois replied in growing +confusion. + +"Ah! I suppose you mean that you have someone in the house?" + +"Alas! yes, my lord," the landlord answered, hanging his head. + +The traveller stamped his foot passionately. + +"S'blood!" he exclaimed; then, at once resuming an apparent calmness, +he continued, "Who are the persons?" + +"There is only one." + +"Ah!" said the traveller, with satisfaction, "If there be only one, +nothing is more easy than to dislodge him." + +"I fear not," the landlord ventured timidly, "for this traveller, who +is a stranger to me, I swear, looks to me like a rude gentleman, and +not at all inclined to surrender his place." + +"Well, well, I will take it on myself," the traveller remarked +carelessly, "where is he?" + +"There, in the kitchen, my lord, warming himself at the fire." + +"That will do; is the room ready?" + +"Yes, my lord." + +"Rejoin those gentlemen, and show them the way yourself; none of your +people must know what takes place here." + +The landlord, delighted at having got off so cheaply, bowed +respectfully, and hastily retired in the direction of the garden; +as for the traveller, after exchanging a few whispered words with a +footman, who remained with him, he pulled his hat over his eyes, opened +the door, and boldly entered the kitchen. + +It was deserted: the stranger had disappeared. + +The traveller looked anxiously around him; the waiting men, probably +in obedience to orders previously received from their master, had +withdrawn to their attics. + +After a few seconds' hesitation, the traveller returned to the garden. + +"Well," the landlord asked, "have you seen him, my lord?" + +"No," he replied, "but it is of no consequence; not a word about him to +the persons who accompany me; he has doubtless left, but if that be not +the case, be careful that he does not approach the apartments you have +reserved for us." + +"Hum," the landlord muttered to himself, "all this is not clear;" and +he withdrew very pensively. + +Truth to tell, the worthy man was frightened. His new customers had +unpleasant faces, and a rough manner, which reassured him but slightly; +and then again he fancied he had seen alarming shadows gliding about +among the trees in his garden, a fact which he had carefully avoided +verifying, but which heightened his secret apprehensions. + +Dame Tiphaine, torch in hand, was waiting at the house door, in +readiness to light the travellers, and conduct them to their +apartments. When the coach had been turned and stopped, one of the +travellers went up to it, opened the door, and assisted a lady in +getting out. + +This lady, who was magnificently dressed, appeared to be suffering, +and she walked with difficulty. Still, in spite of her weakness, she +declined the arm of one of the travellers offered her in support, and +approached Dame Tiphaine, who, compassionate like all women, hastened +to offer her the service she seemed to request of her, and helped her +to ascend the rather steep staircase that led to the dais room. + +The travellers left the driver and a lackey to guard the coach, which +remained horsed, and silently followed the sick lady. + +The dais room, the finest in the inn, was spacious and furnished with +a certain amount of luxury; a large fire crackled on the hearth, and +several candles, placed on the furniture, diffused a rather bright +light. + +A door half hidden by tapestry communicated with a bedroom, that had a +door opening on the passage, for the convenience of the attendants. + +When the lady had entered the room, she sank into a chair, and thanked +the landlady with a bow. + +The latter discreetly withdrew, astonished and almost terrified by the +gloomy faces which surrounded her. + +"Holy Virgin!" she said to Master Pivois, whom she found walking in +great anxiety along the passage, "What's going to happen here? These +men frighten me; that poor lady is all of a tremble, and the little I +saw of her face behind her mask, is as white as a sheet." + +"Alas!" Master Pivois said with a sigh, "I am as frightened as you, my +dear, but we can do nothing; they are too great people for us--friends +of his Eminence. They would crush us without pity; we have only one +thing to do, and that is to retire to our room, as we received orders +to do, and to keep quiet till our services are required; the house is +theirs, at this moment they are the masters." + +The landlord and his wife went into their room, and not satisfied with +double locking their door, barricaded it with everything that came to +hand. + +As Master Pivois had said to his wife, the travellers were certainly +masters of the inn, or at least believed themselves so. + +The stranger, while feigning the deepest indifference, had watched the +landlord's every movement: as soon as the latter left the kitchen to +open the door for the newcomers, he rose, threw a purse of gold to the +scullions, while putting his finger on his lips to recommend silence to +them, and carefully wrapping himself in his mantle, left the kitchen. + +The scullions, with the intelligence characteristic of the class, +comprehended that this action of the stranger concealed some plans in +the execution of which it was to their interest not to interfere; they +divided the money so generously given them, and remembering the orders +they had received from their master, they hastily decamped, and went +off to hide themselves. + +The stranger, while the landlord was receiving the travellers, had +proceeded to the thickest part of the garden. + +On reaching the little gate to which we have referred, he whistled +gently. + +Almost immediately two men seemed to rise from the midst of the +darkness, and came up to him. + +Each of these men had a long rapier at his side, pistols in his girdle, +and a musketoon in his hand. + +"What is there new?" the stranger asked; "Have you seen anything, +Michael?" + +"Captain," the man answered, to whom the question was addressed, "I +have seen nothing, but still I fear a trap." + +"A trap?" the stranger repeated. + +"Yes," Michael continued, "Bowline has taken bearings of several +ill-looking fellows who seem desirous of boarding us." + +"Stuff! You are mad, Michael. You have seen the travellers who have +just arrived at the inn." + +"No, captain; on the contrary, they exactly resemble the fellows who +have been chasing us ever since the day before yesterday, regular +Cardinal's bloodhounds, I'll wager." + +The stranger appeared to reflect. "Are they far off?" he at length +asked. + +"Speak, Bowline, my boy," said Michael, turning to his comrade, "and +don't shiver your sails, the captain is hailing you." + +"Well, then, Captain," said Bowline, a sturdy Breton, with a crafty +look, "I sighted them over the starboard quarter at about four o'clock; +I spread all my canvas to distance them, and I fancy I have left them +four or five cables length in the rear." + +"In that case we have about an hour before us?" + +"Yes, about, Captain," Bowline replied. + +"That is more than we want; listen, my lads, and swear on your honour +as sailors to obey me." + +"You may be quite sure we shan't fail, Captain," they answered. + +"I reckon on you." + +"Shiver my topsails, we know that," Michael replied. + +"Whatever may happen to me," the stranger continued, "leave me to act +alone, unless I give you express orders to come to my assistance. If +the Cardinal's bloodhounds were to arrive while we are up aloft, you +will bolt." + +"We bolt!" the two sailors exclaimed. + +"You must, lads! Who would deliver me if we were all three prisoners?" +the stranger asked. + +"That's true," Michael answered. + +"Well then, that's settled, is it not?" + +"Yes, Captain." + +"Ah! By the way, if I am arrested you will want money to liberate me; +take this." + +He placed in their hands a heavy purse, which the sailors accepted +without any remark. + +"Now follow me, and keep your weather eye open, my lads." + +"All right, Captain," Michael answered, "we are on watch." + +The stranger then proceeded towards the house, closely followed by +the two sailors. He reached the passage, at the end of which the +travellers' room was, at the moment when Master Pivois and his wife +were locking themselves in their bedroom. + +The coach, guarded by the driver and a footman, was still standing in +front of the principal entrance, but the three men passed unnoticed. + +So soon as the landlady had left the room, the traveller who appeared +to have a certain degree of authority over his companions, opened the +bedroom door, doubtless to make certain there was no spy listening; +then he took a chair, sat down by the fire, and made a sign to his +companions to imitate him; the two lackeys alone remained standing near +the door, with their hands resting on the muzzles of their carbines, +butts of which were on the ground. + +For some moments there was a funereal silence in this room, although +six persons were assembled in it. + +At length the traveller made up his mind to speak, and addressed the +young lady, who was reclining in her chair, with her head bent on her +breast and pendant arms. + +"My daughter," he said, in a grave voice, and speaking in Spanish, "the +moment has arrived for a clear and distinct explanation between us, +for we have only four leagues to travel ere we reach the end of our +long journey. I intend to remain twenty-four hours in this hostelry, in +order to give you time to repair your strength, and allow you to appear +in a proper state before the man for whom I destine you." + +The young lady only replied to this dry address by a hollow groan. + +Her father continued, without appearing to notice the utter state of +prostration in which she was-- + +"Remember, my daughter, that if, on the entreaty of your brothers here +present, I consented to pardon the fault you have committed, it is on +the express condition that you will obey my orders without hesitation, +and do all I wish." + +"My child?" she murmured, in a voice choked by grief--"What have you +done with my child?" + +The traveller frowned, and a livid pallor covered his face; but he +immediately recovered himself. + +"That question again, unhappy girl?" he said, in a gloomy voice; +"Do not trifle with my wrath by reminding me of your crime, and the +dishonour of my house." + +At these words the girl drew herself up suddenly, and with a hurried +gesture pulled off the velvet mask that covered her face. + +"I am not guilty," she said, in a haughty voice, and looking her father +in the face; "and you are perfectly aware of it, for it was you who +introduced the Count de Barmont to me. You encouraged our love, and it +was by your orders that we were secretly married. You dare not assert +the contrary." + +"Silence, wretch!" the traveller exclaimed, and rose passionately. + +"Father!" the two gentlemen, who had hitherto remained motionless and +as if strangers to this stormy interview, exclaimed, as they threw +themselves before him. + +"Well," he said, as he resumed his seat, "I will restrain myself: I +will only ask you one further question, Doña Clara--will you obey me?" + +She hesitated for a moment, and then appeared to form a supreme +resolution. + +"Listen to me, my father," she replied, in a hurried though firm voice; +"you told me yourself that the moment for an explanation between us +had arrived; very well, let us have this explanation. I, too, am your +daughter, and jealous of the honour of our house; that is why I insist +on your answering me without equivocation or deception." + +While speaking thus, the young lady, who was only sustained by the +factitious strength sorrow imparted to her, for she was frail and +delicate, was supremely beautiful; with her body bent back, her head +haughtily raised, her long and silky black hair falling in disorder on +her shoulders, and contrasting with the marble pallor of her face; with +her large eyes, inflamed by fever and inundated with tears, that slowly +coursed down her cheeks, and with her bosom heaving from the emotion +that held mastery over her--there was about her whole person something +deathly, which seemed no longer to belong to the earth. + +Her father felt involuntarily affected, in spite of his ferocious +pride; and it was with a less rough voice he replied-- + +"I am listening to you." + +"Father," she resumed, leaning her hand on the back of her chair in +order to support herself, "I told you that I am not guilty, and I +repeat that the Count de Barmont and myself were secretly united in +the church of la Merced at Cadiz, and were so by your orders. As you +know it, I will not dwell further on this point; my child is, therefore +legitimate, and I have a right to be proud of it. How is it, then, that +you, the Duke de Peñaflor, belonging to the highest class in Spain, +not satisfied with tearing me on the very day of marriage from the +husband yourself selected, and depriving me of my infant on the day +of its birth, accused me of committing a horrible crime, and insisted +on enchaining me to another husband, while my first is still living? +Answer me, my father, so that I may know the nature of that honour +about which you so often speak to me, and what is the motive that +renders you so cruel to an unfortunate girl, who owes her life to you, +and who, ever since she has been in this world, has only felt love and +respect for you." + +"This is too much, unnatural daughter!" the Duke shouted, as he rose +wrathfully--"And as you are not afraid of braving me so unworthily--" + +But he suddenly checked himself, and stood motionless, trembling with +fury and horror; the bedroom door had suddenly opened, and a man +appeared in it, upright, haughty, with flashing eye, and hand on his +sword hilt. + +"Ludovic, at last!" the young lady shrieked, as she rushed towards him. + +But her brothers caught her by the arms, and constrained her to sit +down again. + +"The Count de Barmont!" the Duke muttered. + +"Myself, my lord Duke de Peñaflor," the stranger replied, with +exquisite politeness--"you did not expect me, it appears to me?" + +And, walking a few paces into the room, while the two sailors who had +followed him guarded the door, he proudly put his hat on again, and +folded his arms. + +"What is going on here?" he asked, in a haughty voice; "And who dares +to use violence to the Countess de Barmont?" + +"The Countess de Barmont?" the Duke repeated, contemptuously. + +"It is true," the other remarked, ironically; "I forget that you expect +at any moment a dispensation from the Court of Home, which will declare +my marriage null and void, and allow you to give your daughter to the +man whose credit has caused you to be nominated Viceroy of New Spain." + +"Sir!" the Duke exclaimed. + +"What, do you pretend I am in error? No, no, my lord Duke, my spies are +as good as yours--I am well served, believe me: thank heaven I have +arrived in time to prevent it. Make way there!" he said, repulsing by a +gesture the two gentlemen who opposed his passage--"I am your husband, +madam; follow me, I shall be able to protect you." + +The two young men, leaving their sister, who was in a semi-fainting +state, rushed on the Count, and both buffeted him in the face with +their gloves, while drawing their swords. + +The Count turned fearfully pale at this cruel insult; he uttered a wild +beast yell, and unsheathed. + +The valets, held in check by the two sailors, had not made a movement. + +The Duke rushed between the three men, who were ready for the assault. + +"Count," he said, coolly, to the younger of his sons, "leave to your +brother the duty of chastising this man." + +"Thanks, father," the elder answered, as he fell on guard, while his +younger brother lowered the point of his sword, and fell back a pace. + +Doña Clara was lying motionless on the floor. + +At the first attack the two enemies engaged their swords up to their +guard, and then, as if of common accord, each retreated a step. + +There was something sinister in the appearance of this inn room at the +moment. + +This woman, who lay writhing on the floor, suffering from a horrible +nervous crisis, and no one dreaming of succouring her. + +This old man, with frowning brow, and features contracted by pain, +witnessing with apparent stoicism this duel between his elder son and +his son-in-law, while his younger son was biting his lips with fury +because he could not assist his brother; these sailors, with pistols at +the breasts of the lackeys, who were palsied with terror; and in the +centre of the room, scarce lighted by a few smoking candles, these two +men, sword in hand, watching like two tigers the moment to slay each +other. + +The combat was not long; too great a hatred animated the two +adversaries for them to lose time in feeling each other's strength. +The Duke's son, more impatient than the Count, made thrust on thrust, +which the other had great difficulty in parrying; at length, the young +man feeling himself too deeply engaged, tried to make a second backward +step, but his foot slipped on the boards, and he involuntarily raised +his sword; at the same moment the Count liberated his blade by a +movement rapid as thought, and his sword entirely disappeared in his +adversary's chest; then he leaped back to avoid the back thrust, and +fell on guard again. + +But it was all over with the young man; he rolled his haggard eyes +twice or thrice, stretched out his arms, while letting go his sword, +and fell his whole length on the floor, without uttering a word. + +He was dead. + +"Assassin!" his brother screamed, as he rushed sword in hand on the +Count. + +"Traitor!" the latter replied, as he parried the thrust, and sent the +other's sword flying to the ceiling. + +"Stay, stay!" the Duke cried, as he rushed half mad with grief between +the two men, who had seized each other round the waist, and had both +drawn their daggers. + +But this tardy interference was useless; the Count, who was endowed +with a far from common strength, had easily succeeded in freeing +himself from the young man's grasp, and had thrown him on the ground, +where he held him by placing his knee on his chest. + +All at once a mighty rumour of arms and horses was heard in the house, +and the hurried steps of several men hurrying up the stairs became +audible. + +"Ah!" the Duke exclaimed, with a ferocious joy, "I believe my vengeance +is at hand, at last!" + +The Count, not deigning to reply to his enemy, turned to the sailors. + +"Be off, my lads!" he shouted in a voice of thunder. + +They hesitated. + +"He goes if you wish to save me," he added. + +"Boarders away!" Michael yelled, as he dragged away his comrade; and +the two men seizing their musquetoons by the barrel, as if to use them +as clubs in case of need, and to clear the way, rushed into the passage +when they disappeared. + +The Count listened anxiously, he heard oaths and the sound of an +obstinate struggle; then, at the expiration of a moment, a distant cry, +that summons which sailors know so well, reached him. + +Then his face grew calmer, he returned his sword to its sheath and +coolly awaited the newcomers, muttering to himself-- + +"They have escaped, one chance is left me." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE ARREST. + + +Almost at the same moment ten or twelve men burst into the room rather +than entered it, the noise that continued outside let it be guessed +that a great number of others was standing on the stairs and in the +passages, ready, were it required, to come to the assistance of the +others. + +All these men were armed, and it was easy to recognise them at once as +guards of the King, or rather of His Eminence the Cardinal. + +Only two of them, with crafty looks and squinting eyes, dressed in +black like ushers, had no visible weapons; these, in all probability +were more to be feared than the others, for beneath their feline +obsequiousness they doubtless concealed an implacable will to do evil. + +One of these two men held some papers in his right hand, he advanced +two or three paces, cast a suspicious glance around him, and then took +off his cap with a courteous bow. + +"In the King's name! gentleman," he said in a quick sharp voice. + +"What do you want?" the Count de Barmont asked, advancing resolutely +towards him. + +At this movement, which he took for a hostile demonstration, the man +in black recoiled with an ill-disguised start of terror, but feeling +himself backed up by his acolytes, he at once resumed his coolness, and +answered with a smile of evil augury-- + +"Ah! Ah! The Count Ludovic de Barmont, I believe," he remarked with an +ironical bow. + +"Yes, sir," the gentleman replied haughtily, "I am the Count de +Barmont." + +"Captain in the navy," the man in black imperturbably added, "at +present, commanding His Majesty's, frigate The Erigone." + +"As I told you, sir, I am the person you are in search of," the Count +added. + +"It is really with you that I have to deal, my lord," he replied, as he +drew himself up. "S'death, my good gentleman, you are not easy to catch +up; I have been running after you for a week, and was almost despairing +about having the honour of a meeting." + +All this was said with an obsequious air, a honeyed voice, and with a +sweet smile, sufficient to exasperate a saint, and much more the person +whom the strange man was addressing, and who was endowed with anything +but a placable character. + +"By Heaven!" he exclaimed, stamping his foot passionately; "Are we to +have much more of this?" + +"Patience, my good sir," he replied in the same placid tone; "patience, +good Heaven, how quick you are!" then after taking a glance at the +papers he held in his hand, "Since by your own confession you allow +yourself to be really Count Ludovic de Barmont, captain commanding His +Majesty's frigate Erigone, by virtue of the orders I bear, I arrest +you in the King's name, for the crime of desertion; for having without +authorization abandoned your vessel in a foreign country, that is to +say, at the Port of Lisbon, in Portugal." Then raising his head and +fixing his squinting eyes on the gentleman, he added, "Surrender your +sword to me, my lord." + +M. de Barmont shrugged his shoulders disdainfully. + +"The sword of a gentleman of my race shall never be placed in the hands +of a scoundrel of your stamp," he said, with contempt; and drawing +his sword, he coldly broke the blade across his knee, and threw the +fragments through the window panes, which they broke. + +Then he drew his pistols from his belt and cocked them. + +"Sir, sir!" the myrmidon exclaimed, recoiling in terror, "This is +rebellion, remember, rebellion against the express orders of His +Majesty and His Eminence the Cardinal Minister." + +The Count smiled disdainfully, and raising his pistols in the air, +fired them, the bullets being buried in the ceiling; then clasping them +by the barrel he threw them also out of the window; after which he +crossed his hands on his chest, and said coolly-- + +"Now do with me what you please." + +"Have you surrendered, my lord?" the fellow asked with ill-disguised +alarm. + +"Yes, from this moment I am your prisoner." + +The man in black breathed again; although he was unarmed, the haughty +gentleman still made him feel uncomfortable. + +"Still," the latter added, "allow me to say a couple of words to this +lady;" and he pointed to Doña Clara, who, waited upon by Dame Tiphaine, +who had hurried in at the disturbance in spite of her husband's +entreaties and orders, was beginning to regain her senses. + +"No, not a word, not a syllable," the Duke exclaimed, as he threw +himself between his daughter and the Count; "remove the villain, remove +him." + +But the bailiff, pleased with the facility the Count had displayed in +surrendering to him, and not wishing to excite his anger, pleased above +all at being able to show his authority without incurring resistance, +bravely interposed. + +"Pray, sir, allow the gentleman to speak to the lady," he said, "and to +unburden his heart." + +"But this man is an assassin," the Duke shouted violently, "before us +is still lying the corpse of my unhappy son, killed by him." + +"I pity you, sir," the myrmidon said without being at all affected; "I +cannot offer any remedy for that; and you must make application in the +proper quarter. Still, if it can be of any comfort to you, be convinced +that I shall make a careful note of the accusation you bring, and will +recall it to mind at the right time and place. But you must be equally +eager to get rid of us, as we are to get away from here: hence allow +this gentleman to bid farewell to the lady quietly, and I am convinced +it will not take long." + +The Duke darted a ferocious glance at the bailiff; but, not wishing to +compromise himself with such a fellow, he did not answer, and fell back +with a gloomy air. + +The Count had watched this altercation without displaying either +impatience or anger; with pale forehead and frowning brow, he waited, +doubtless ready to break into some terrible extremity if his request +were not granted. + +The bailiff only required to take one look at him to guess what was +passing in his heart; and, not feeling at all anxious for a fresh +contest to begin, he had prudently manoeuvred to avoid it. + +"Come," he said, "speak, my worthy gentleman, no one will oppose it." + +"Thanks," the Count answered hoarsely and approached Doña Clara, who +watched him advance with an ardent gaze fixed on him. + +"Clara," he said to her in a firm and deeply marked voice, "do you love +me?" + +She hesitated for a moment and bowed her head while heaving a profound +sigh. + +"Do you love me?" he repeated. + +"I do love you, Ludovic," she replied in a faint and trembling voice. + +"Do you love me, as your husband before God and man, as the father of +your child?" + +The young lady rose, her black eyes flashed fire, and stretching out +her hands before her, she said in a voice choked by emotion-- + +"In the presence of my father, who is ready to curse me, before the +body of my dead brother and in the face of the men who are listening to +me, I swear, Ludovic, that I love you as the father of my child, and +that I shall remain faithful to you, whatever may happen." + +"Very good, Clara," he answered, "God has received your oath and will +help you to keep it; remember that, whether dead or alive, you belong +to me as I belong to you, and that no person on earth shall break the +ties that unite us. Now farewell, and keep your courage." + +"Farewell!" she muttered, as she fell back in her chair and buried her +face in her hands. + +"Let us go, gentlemen! Do with me what you please," the Count said as +he turned to the exempt and the guards, who were involuntarily affected +by this scene. + +The Duke bounded with a tiger leap on his daughter, and seizing +her right arm with a frenzied gesture, he forced her to raise her +tear-swollen face to his, and fixing on her a glance loaded with all +the rage that swelled his heart, he said in a voice which fury rendered +sibilant-- + +"Daughter, prepare to marry within two days, the man I destine for you. +As for your child, you will never see it again; it no longer exists for +you." + +The young lady uttered a cry of despair and fell back deprived of her +senses in the arms of Dame Tiphaine. + +The Count, who at this moment was leaving the room, stopped short and +turned round to the Duke with his arm stretched out toward him: + +"Hangman," he shouted in a hoarse voice which chilled his auditors +with horror, "I curse you, I swear on my honor as a gentlemen to take +on you and yours so terrible a vengeance, that the memory of it shall +remain eternal; and if I cannot reach you, you and the whole nation +to which you belong shall be buried beneath the implacable weight of +my hatred. Between us henceforth there is a war of savages and wild +beasts, without truce or mercy; farewell." + +And leaving the proud Spaniard horrified by this fearful anathema, the +gentleman quitted the room with a firm step, and taking a last loving +glance at the woman he adored, from whom he was perhaps eternally +separated. + +The passages, stairs, and inn garden were filled with armed men; it was +evidently a miracle that the two sailors had succeeded in escaping and +getting away safe and sound; this gave the Count, hope and he went down +the stairs with an assured step, carefully watched by his escort who +did not let him out of sight. + +The guards had been long before warned that they would have to do +with a naval officer possessing an inordinate violence of character, +prodigious vigour and indomitable courage; hence the resignation of the +prisoner, which they believed to be assumed, only inspired them with +very slight confidence, and they were continually on the defensive. + +When they came out into the garden the chief of the exempts noticed the +coach, which was still standing at the door. + +"Why," he said with a grin and rubbing his hands, "here's the very +thing we want. In our hurry to get here, we forgot to provide ourselves +with a coach; be good enough to get in, my lord," he said as he opened +the door. + +The Count got in without any further hesitation; and the exempts then +addressed the driver who was sitting motionless on his box. + +"Come down, scamp," he said in a tone of authority; "I require the use +of this coach for an affair of state. Give up your place to one of my +men. Wideawake," he added, turning to a tall impudent looking fellow +standing by his side, "get up on the box in that man's place--let us be +off." + +The driver did not attempt to resist this peremptory order; he +descended and his place was immediately taken by Wideawake; the exempt +then entered the carriage, seated himself facing his prisoner, closed +the door, and the steeds, aroused by a vigorous, lash, dashed forward +dragging after them the heavy vehicle round which the twenty odd +soldiers were collected. + +For a considerable period the coach rolled along without a word being +exchanged between the prisoner and his guard. + +The Count was thinking, the exempt sleeping, or, to speak more +correctly, pretending to sleep. + +In the month of March the nights are beginning to shorten; daylight +soon appeared, and broad white stripes were beginning to cross the sky. + +The Count, who up to this moment had remained motionless, gave a slight +start. + +"Are you suffering, my lord?" the exempt inquired. This question was +addressed to him with an intonation so different from that hitherto +employed by the man who had made him prisoner; there was in the sound +of his voice an accent so really gentle and sympathizing, that the +Count involuntarily started, and took a fixed look at his singular +companion: but so far as he could see by the faint light of coming +dawn, the man in front of him still had the same crafty face and the +same ironical smile stereotyped on his lips. The Count found himself +in error, and throwing himself back, merely uttered one word, "No," in +a tone intended to break off any attempt at conversation between his +guardian and himself. + +But the former was probably in a humour for talking, for he would +not be checked; and pretending not to remark the manner in which his +advances had been received, he continued-- + +"The nights are still chill, the breeze enters this coach on all sides, +and I feared lest the cold had struck you." + +"I am habituated to suffer heat and cold," the Count answered; +"besides, it is probable that if I have not yet made my apprenticeship, +I am about to undergo one which will accustom me to endure everything +without complaining." + +"Who knows, my lord?" the exempt said, with a shake of the head. + +"What?" the other objected, "Am I not condemned to a lengthened +captivity in a fortress?" + +"Yes, according to the terms of the order, which it is my duty to carry +out." + +There was a momentary silence. The Count gazed absently at the country +which the first beams of day were beginning to illumine. At length he +turned to the exempt. + +"May I ask whither you are taking me?" he said. + +"I see no objection to your doing so." + +"And you will answer my question?" + +"Why not? There is nothing to prevent it." + +"Then we are going?" + +"To the isles of St. Marguerite, my lord." + +The Count trembled inwardly. The islands of Lerins, or Sainte +Marguerite, enjoyed at that time, even, a reputation almost as terrible +as the one they acquired at a later date, when they served as a prison +to the mysterious iron mask, whom it was forbidden to take even a +glance at under penalty of death. + +The exempt looked at him fixedly without speaking. + +It was the Count who again resumed the conversation. + +"Where are we now?" he asked. + +The exempt bent out of the window, and then resumed his seat. + +"We are just arriving at Corbeil, where we shall change horses." + +"Ah!" said the Count. + +"If you wish to rest, I can give orders for an hour's stay. Perhaps you +feel a want of some refreshment?" + +This singular man was gradually acquiring in the Count's eyes all the +interest of an enigma. + +"Very good," he said. + +Without replying the exempt let down the window. + +"Wideawake!" he shouted. + +"What is the matter?" the latter asked. + +"Pull up at the Golden Lion." + +"All right." + +Ten minutes later the coach halted in the Rue St. Spire, in front of a +door over which creaked a sign representing an enormous gilt cat, with +one of its paws on a ball. They had arrived. + +The exempt got out, followed by the Count, and both entered the inn: +one portion of the escort remained in the saddle in the street, while +the others dismounted and installed themselves in the common room. + +The Count had mechanically followed the exempt, and on reaching the +room, seated himself in a chair by the fire, in a first floor decently +furnished room. He was too busy with his own thoughts to attach any +great attention to what was going on around him. + +When the landlord had left them alone, the exempt bolted the door +inside, and then placed himself in front of his prisoner. + +"Now," he said, "let us speak frankly, my lord." + +The latter, astonished at this sudden address, quickly raised his head. + +"We have no time to lose in coming to an understanding, sir; so please +to listen without interrupting me," the exempt continued. "I am +François Bouillot, the younger brother of your foster father. Do you +recognise me?" + +"No," the Count replied, after examining him attentively for a moment. + +"That does not surprise me, for you were only eight years old the last +time I had the honor of seeing you at Barmont Castle: but that is of no +consequence; I am devoted to you, and wish to save you." + +"What assures me that you are really François Bouillot, the brother of +my foster father, and that you are not attempting to deceive me?" the +Count answered, in a suspicious accent. + +The exempt felt in his pocket, pulled out several papers, which he +unfolded, and presented them open to the Count. + +The latter looked at them mechanically: they consisted of a baptismal +certificate, a commission, and several letters proving his identity. +The Count handed him the letters back. + +"How is it that you should have been the man to arrest me, and arrived +so opportunely to aid me?" he asked. + +"In a very simple way, my lord: your order of arrest was obtained from +the Cardinal Minister by the Dutch Embassy. I was present when M. de +Laffemas, a familiar of his Eminence, who is kind to me, left the +Palais Cardinal order in hand: I was there, and he chose me. Still, as +I was able to decline, I should have done so, had I not seen your name +on the paper, and remembered the kindness your family had shown to me +and my brother. Taking advantage of the opportunity my profession of +exempt offered me, I resolved to repay you what your friends have done +for mine, by attempting to save you." + +"That does not seem to me very easy, my poor friend." + +"More so than you may fancy, my lord: I will leave here one-half our +escort, and then only ten will remain with us." + +"Hum! That is a very decent number," the Count replied, involuntarily +interested. + +"They would be too many if there were not among the ten men seven of +whom I am certain, which reduces the number of those we have to fear +to three. I have been running after you for a long time, my lord," he +added, with a laugh, "and all my precautions are taken: through some +excuse, easy to be found, we will pass through Toulon, and on arriving +there, we will stop for an hour or two at a hostelry I know. You will +disguise yourself as a mendicant monk, and leave the inn unnoticed. I +will take care to get rid of the guards I am not certain of. You will +proceed to the port furnished with papers I will hand you; you will go +on board a charming chasse-marée, called the _Seamew_, which I have +freighted on your account, and which is waiting for you. The master +will recognise you by a password I will tell you, and you will be at +liberty to go whither-soever you please. Is not this plan extremely +simple, my lord?" he asked, rubbing his hands joyously, "And have I not +foreseen everything?" + +"No, my friend," the Count answered with emotion, as he offered him his +hand; "there is one more thing you have not foreseen." + +"What is that, my lord?" he asked, in surprise. + +"That I do not wish to fly," the young man answered, with a melancholy +shake of the head. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE ISLE OF SAINTE MARGUERITE. + + +At this answer, which he was so far from anticipating, the exempt gave +a start of surprise, and looked at the Count as if he had not exactly +understood him. + +The gentleman smiled gently. + +"That surprises you, does it not?" he said. + +"I confess it, my lord," the other stammered, with embarrassment. + +The Count went on: + +"Yes," he said, "I can understand your surprise at my refusal to accept +your generous proposition. It is not often you find a prisoner to whom +liberty is offered, and who insists on remaining a captive. I owe you +an explanation of this extraordinary conduct; this explanation I will +give you at once, so that you may no longer press me, but leave me to +act as I think proper." + +"I am only the most humble, of your servants, my lord Count. You +doubtless know better than I what your conduct should be under the +circumstances, you have therefore no occasion to explain it to me." + +"It is precisely because you are an old servant of my family, François +Bouillot, and because you are giving me at this moment a proof of +unbounded devotion, that I believe myself obliged to tell you the +motives for this refusal, which has so many reasons to surprise you. +Listen to me, then." + +"As you insist, my lord, I obey you." + +"Very good, take a chair, and place yourself here by my side, as it is +unnecessary for others beside yourself to hear what I am going to say." + +The exempt took a stool and seated himself by his master's side, +exactly as the latter had ordered, while still keeping up a respectful +distance between himself and the gentleman. + +"In the first place," the Count resumed, "be thoroughly convinced that +if I refuse your offer, it is not through any motive of a personal +nature as regards yourself. I have full confidence in you, for nearly +200 years your family has been attached to mine, and we have ever had +reason to praise their devotion to our interest. This important point +being settled, I will go on. I will suppose for a moment that the +plan you have formed is successful, a plan which I will not discuss, +although it appears to me very difficult to execute, and the slightest +accident might, at the last moment, compromise its issue. What will +happen? Forced to fly without resources, without friends, I should not +only be unable to take the revenge I meditate upon my enemies, but +surrendered, so to speak, to their mercy, I should speedily fall into +their hands again, and thus become the laughing stock of those whom I +hate. I should be dishonoured; they will despise me, and I shall have +but one way of escape from a life henceforth rendered useless, as all +my plans would be overthrown, and that is blowing out my brains." + +"Oh! my lord!" Bouillot exclaimed, clasping his hands. + +"I do not wish to fall," the Count continued imperturbably, "in the +terrible struggle which has this day begun between my enemies and +myself. I have taken an oath, and that oath I will keep, regardless +of the consequences. I am young, hardly twenty-five years of age; up +to the present, life has only been one long joy for me, and I have +succeeded in everything, plans of ambition, fortune and love. Today +misfortune has come to lay its hand on me, and it is welcome; for the +man who has not suffered is not a perfect man; grief purifies the mind +and tempers the heart. Solitude is a good councillor; it makes a man +comprehend the nothingness of small things, expands the ideas, and +prepares grand conceptions. I require to steel myself through sorrow, +in order to be able one day to repay my enemies a hundredfold all +that I have suffered at their hands. It is by thinking over my broken +career and my ruined future, that I shall find the necessary strength +to accomplish my vengeance. When my heart is dead to every other +feeling but that of the hatred which will entirely occupy it, I shall +be able pitilessly to trample underfoot all those who today laugh at +me and believe they have crushed me, because they have hurled me down; +and then I shall be really a man, and woe to those who try to measure +their strength with mine. You tremble at what I am saying to you at +this moment, my old servant," he added more gently, "what would it be +were you able to read in my heart all the hatred, auger, and rage it +contains against those who have mercilessly ground me beneath their +heel, and who have eternally deprived me of happiness, in order to +satisfy the paltry calculations of a narrow and criminal ambition?" + +"Oh, my lord Count! Permit an old servant of your family, a man who is +entirely devoted to you, to implore you to resign these fearful schemes +of vengeance. Alas! You will be the first victim of your hatred." + +"Have you forgotten, Bouillot," the Count replied ironically, "what is +said in our country, about the members of the family to which I have +the honor of belonging?" + +"Yes, yes, my lord," he said with a melancholy shake of the head; "I +remember it, and will repeat it if you wish." + +"Do so." + +"Well, my lord, the distich is as follows--" + +"'The Counts of Barmont Senectaire, Demon-hate and heart of stone.'" + +The Count smiled. + +"Well do you fancy that I have degenerated from my ancestors?" + +"I suppose nothing, sir, Heaven forbid!" he answered humbly, "I only +see with terror that you are preparing a hideous future for yourself." + +"Be it so! I accept it in all its rigor, if God will permit me to +accomplish my oath." + +"Alas! My lord, you know that man proposes; you are at this moment a +prisoner of the Cardinal; reflect, I implore you, who knows whether +you will ever leave the prison to which I am conducting you? Consent to +be free." + +"No; cease your entreaties! The Cardinal is not immortal. If not +before, my liberty will be restored me on his death, which cannot +be long deferred, I hope. And now carefully bear this in mind, my +resolution is so fixed, that if in spite of my orders you abandon me +here, at the inn where we now are, the first use I should make of the +liberty you have given me back, would be to go at once and surrender +myself into the hands of his Eminence; you understand me thoroughly, I +suppose?" + +The old servant bowed his head without answering, and two tears slowly +ran down his cheeks. + +This dumb grief, so true and so touching, affected the Count more than +he would have supposed; he rose, took the poor fellow's hand and shook +it several times. + +"Let us say no more about this, Bouillot," he remarked to him +affectionately, "although I will not profit by it, your devotion has +deeply affected me, and I will ever feel eternally grateful to you for +it. Come, my old friend, let us not grow foolish; we are men and not +childish poltroons, confound it." + +"Well, no matter, my lord, I do not consider myself beaten," the exempt +replied, as he threw himself into the arms open to receive him; "you +cannot prevent me from watching over you, whether near or afar." + +"That I do not oppose, my friend," the Count replied with a laugh; "do +as you please; besides," he added seriously, "I confess that I shall +not be sorry when I am sequestered from the world to know what is going +on, and to be kept informed, of passing events; some unforeseen fact +might occur which would modify my intentions and make me desire the +recovery of my liberty." + +"Oh, be sure of that, my lord," he exclaimed, pleased at this quasi +victory and conditional promise, "I will arrange so that you shall not +be at a loss for news; I have not served his Eminence for six years +for nothing; the Cardinal is a good master, I have profited by his +teaching, and know several tricks; you shall see me at work." + +"Well, that is agreed, and we understand each other now. I think it +would be wise to breakfast before continuing our journey, for I feel an +appetite that greatly requires appeasing." + +"I will give the landlord orders to serve you at once, my lord." + +"You will breakfast with me, Bouillot," he said as he gave him a +friendly tap on the shoulder; "and I hope it will be always so, until +our arrival at the Isle of St. Marguerite." + +"It is certainly a great honour for me, sir, but--" + +"I expect it; besides are you not almost a member of my family?" + +François Bouillot bowed and left the room; after ordering a copious +breakfast, he commanded one part of the escort back to Paris; then +he returned to the room, followed by the landlord, who, in a second, +covered the table with all that was wanted to make a good meal, and +withdrew discreetly, leaving his guests to attack the dishes placed +before them. + +The journey was continued without any incident worthy of note. + +The prisoner's conversation with his keeper had been decisive; the +latter was too well acquainted with the character of the man with whom +he had to deal to attempt to revert to a subject which had been so +distinctly disposed of on the first occasion. + +At the period when our history takes place, France was not as now +intersected by magnificent roads, and the shortest journey demanded +an enormous expenditure of time; the coaches, heavy vehicles badly +built and worse horsed, had great difficulty in resisting the numerous +joltings and the ruts in which they were for the greater portion of +the time buried up to the axletree, and hence, in spite of the speed +employed, seventeen days elapsed ere the prisoner and his escort +arrived at Toulon. + +This town was even at that early period one of the principal military +ports of France, and the Count felt an indescribable pang at heart when +he entered it. + +It was in this town that his naval career had begun, here for the first +time he had set foot aboard a vessel with the rank of midshipman, and +had undergone the preparatory trials of that rude naval profession, in +which, in spite of his youth, he soon attained a great reputation and +almost celebrity. + +The coach stopped in the Haymarket, in front of the "Cross of Malta," +probably the oldest inn in France, for it is still in existence, +although it has undergone many indispensable changes both internally +and externally. + +So soon as he had installed his prisoner comfortably in the Inn, +François Bouillot went out. + +If he placed a sentry before the Count's door, it was rather in +obedience to his duty, than through any fear of escape, for he had not +even taken the trouble to lock the door, so convinced was he beforehand +that unfortunately his prisoner would not attempt to pass out of it. + +He remained away for about two hours. + +"You have been absent a long time," the Count remarked on his return. + +"I had some important business to settle," he replied. + +The Count, without adding a word, resumed his walk up and down the room +which Bouillot's return had interrupted. + +There was a momentary silence, Bouillot was evidently embarrassed, +he went about the room, pretending to arrange sundry articles of +furniture, and disarranging everything; at last seeing that the Count +obstinately remained silent and would not perceive that he was in the +room, he placed himself in front of him so as to bar his passage, and +looked at him intently as he whispered with a stress on the words. + +"You do not ask where I have been." + +"What is the use?" the Count replied carelessly; "About your own +business, of course." + +"No, my lord, about yours." + +"Ah!" he said. + +"Yes, the _Seamew_ awaits you." + +The Count smiled and slightly shrugged his shoulders. + +"Ah, ah, you are still thinking of that; I believed, my dear Bouillot, +that it was arranged between us that we should not return to this +subject. That was the reason, then, that you lengthened our journey, by +making us pass through Toulon, at which I felt surprised. I could not +account for the strange itinerary you were following." + +"My lord," he muttered, clasping his hands imploringly. + +"Come, you are mad, my dear Bouillot, you ought to know by this time, +though, that when I have formed a resolution, good or bad, I never +alter it; so no more of this, I beg, it would be quite useless. I +pledge you my word as a gentleman." + +The old servant uttered a groan that resembled a death rattle. + +"Your will be done, my lord," he stammered. "When do we start for +Antibes?" + +"At once, if you wish it." + +"Very good, the sooner the better." + +After bowing, the exempt left the room to make all preparations for +departure. + +As we see, the parts were completely introverted, it was the prisoner +who gave orders to his keeper. + +One hour later, in fact, the Count quitted Toulon. All along the road +the two men, constantly companions, and eating and drinking together, +conversed about indifferent matters. Bouillot had at last recognized +the fact that it was useless to make any further effort to induce the +Count to escape; still he had not given up his scheme, but merely +deferred it till a more distant period, reckoning as an ally the +annoyance of a prolonged detention, and an inactive and useless life +upon an organization so impetuous as that of the prisoner. + +So soon as he arrived at Antibes, by the express command of the Count, +who seemed to take a certain pleasure in tormenting him, he set out in +search of some boat to carry them across to Sainte Marguerite. + +His search was neither long nor difficult; as bearer of a Cardinal's +order, he laid an embargo on the first fishing boat he came across, +and embarked aboard it with all his people. + +On leaving the mainland, the Count turned, and a smile of peculiar +meaning played round his lips. + +Bouillot, deceived by this smile, whose secret intention he did not +penetrate, bent down to the Count's ear. + +"If you like, there is still time," he whispered. + +The Count looked at him, shrugged his shoulders, and without replying, +sat down in the stern of the boat. + +"Push off," Bouillot then shouted to the master. + +The latter seized his boathook, and they were soon under weigh. + +The Lerins islands form a group composed of several rocks, and +two islands surrounded by shoals; the first known as Isle Sainte +Marguerite, the second as Saint Honorat. + +At the period of our narration only the first was fortified; the other, +inhabited by a few fishermen, merely contained the still considerable +ruins of the monastery founded by Saint Honorat circa the year 400. + +The Sainte Marguerite island was uninhabited, flat, and only offering +along its entire coast, one very unsafe creek for vessels. Although +it is extremely fertile, and pomegranates, orange and fig trees, grow +there in the open air, no one had thought of taking up his abode there, +and we are not aware whether a change has since taken place. + +A very important fortress, which, at a later date, attained a +melancholy reputation as a state prison, was erected on the island, the +greater portion of which it occupied. + +This fort was composed of three towers, connected together by terraces, +which time had covered with a yellowish moss, while a wide deep moat +surrounded the walls. + +A few years prior to the beginning of our story, in 1635, the Spaniards +had seized it by surprise. + +The Cardinal, in order to prevent the repetition of such a calamity, +had judged it advisable to protect the fort from a _coup de main_, by +placing there a garrison of fifty picked soldiers, commanded by a major +performing the duties of governor. He was an old officer of fortune, +whom this post served as a retreat, and who, far from the cares of the +world, led a perfect canonical life, thanks to a tacit understanding +with the smugglers, who alone cast anchor in these parts. + +The officer who commanded the fort at this moment was an old gentleman, +tall, thin, and wizened, with harsh features, who had had a leg and +arm cut off. His name was Monsieur de l'Oursière; he was constantly +scolding and abusing his subordinates, and the day when he left the +Crown regiment, in which he held the rank of major, was kept as a +holiday by the whole regiment, officers and men; so cordially was the +worthy man detested. + +Cardinal de Richelieu was a good judge of men; in selecting Major de +l'Oursière to make him governor of Sainte Marguerite, and metamorphose +him into a gaoler, he had found the exact post which suited his +quarrelsome temper, and his cruel instincts. + +It was on this amiable personage that the Count de Barmont would +have to be dependant for doubtless a considerable period; for, if +the Cardinal Minister easily shut the gate of a state prison on a +gentleman, to make up for it, he was never in a hurry to open it again, +and a prisoner, unless something extraordinary occurred, was almost +safe to die forgotten in his dungeon, except when his Eminence had a +whim to have his head cut off in broad daylight. + +After a number of countersigns had been exchanged with a profuseness +of caution which bore witness to the good guard and strict discipline +maintained by the governor, the prisoner and his escort were at length +introduced into the fortress, and admitted to the Major's presence. + +The Major was just finishing his breakfast, when a Cardinal's messenger +was announced to him: he buttoned his uniform, put on his sword and +hat, and ordered the messenger to be shown in. + +François Bouillot entered, followed by the Count, bowed, and presented +the order of which he was the bearer. + +The governor took it, and read it through; then he turned to the Count, +who was standing motionless a few paces in the rear, made him a slight +bow, and addressed him in a dry voice, and with a rough accent. + +"Your servant, sir," he said to him: "are you the Count de Barmont, +whose name is written on this paper?" + +"Yes, sir," the Count answered, bowing in his turn. + +"I am sorry, sir, truly sorry," the Major resumed; "but I have strict +orders with reference to you, and a soldier only knows his duty; still, +believe me, sir, hum, hum, that I shall try to reconcile my natural +humanity with the rigour that is recommended to me, hum, hum, I know +how gentlemen ought to behave to each other, sir; be assured of that." + +And the governor, doubtless satisfied at the speech he had just +uttered, smiled, and drew himself gracefully up. + +The Count bowed, but made no answer. + +"You shall be conducted to your apartment at once, sir," the Major went +on; "hum, hum! I wish it was handsomer, but I did not expect you; hum, +hum, and you know how things are--hum, hum, we will manage to lodge +you more comfortably hereafter; la Berloque," he added, turning to a +soldier standing near the door, "conduct this gentleman, hum, hum, to +room No. 8, in the second turret; hum, hum, I believe it is the most +habitable one; your servant, sir, your servant, hum, hum!" + +And after having thus unceremoniously dismissed the Count, the Major +went into another room. + +M. de Barmont, accompanied by Bouillot and the guards, who had brought +him, followed the soldier. + +The latter led them through several passages, and up various stairs, +and then stopped before a door, garnished with formidable bolts. + +"It is here," he said. + +The Count then turned to Bouillot, and affectionately offered him his +hand. + +"Farewell, my old friend," he said to him in a gentle but firm voice, +while a vague smile played round his lips. + +"Farewell, till we meet again," Bouillot said, with a stress on the +words. Then he took leave of him, and withdrew, with his eyes full of +tears. + +The door closed with a mournful sound on the prisoner. + +"Oh!" the old servant muttered, as he pensively went down the turret +stairs, "Woe to those who venture to oppose the Count, if ever he +leaves his prison again! And he shall do so, I swear it, even if I must +risk my life in securing his escape." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +A BACKWARD GLANCE. + + +The family of the Count de Barmont Senectaire was one of the most +ancient and noble in Languedoc; their origin went back to an antiquity +so remote, that we may declare without fear of contradiction that it +was lost in the mist of ages. + +A Barmont Senectaire fought at Bouvines by the side of Philip Augustus. + +The chronicle of Joinville mentions a Barmont Senectaire, knight +banneret, who died of the plague at Tunis, in 1270, during the second +crusade of King Louis IX. + +Francis I. on the evening of the battle of Marignano, gave the rank of +Count on the battlefield itself to Euguerrand de Barmont Senectaire, +captain of one hundred men at arms, to reward him for his grand conduct +and the sturdy blows he had seen him deal during the whole period of +that combat of giants. + +Few noble families have such splendid title deeds among their archives. + +The Counts de Barmont were always military nobles, and they gave France +several celebrated generals. + +But in the course of time, the power and fortune of this family +gradually diminished: during the reign of Henri III. it was reduced to +a condition bordering on poverty. Still, justly proud of a stainless +past, they continued to carry their heads high in the province, and if +the Count de Barmont endured hard privations in order to support his +name worthily, nothing of this was visible externally, and everybody +was ignorant of the fact. + +The Count had attached himself to the fortunes of the King of Navarre +as much through the hope of regaining a position through the war, +as through admiration of this prince, whose genius he had probably +divined. A brave soldier, but young, impetuous, and handsome, the +Count had several affairs of gallantry. One among others with a lady +of the Town of Cahors, affianced to a very rich Spanish noble, whom he +succeeded in carrying off on the very day before that appointed for the +marriage. The Spaniard, who was very strict in matters affecting his +honour, considered this joke in bad taste, and demanded satisfaction +of the Count; the latter gave him two sword thrusts, and left him +dead on the ground. This affair attracted great attention, and gained +the Count much honor among people of refinement; but the Spaniard, +contrary to expectation, recovered from his wounds. The two gentlemen +fought again, and this time the Count so ill treated his adversary +that the latter was constrained to give up all thoughts of a new +meeting. This adventure disgusted the Count with gallantry, not that he +personally feared the results of the hatred which the Duke of Peñaflor +had sworn against him, for he never heard of him again, but because +his conscience reproached him with having, for the satisfaction of a +caprice which passed away so soon as it was satisfied, destroyed the +happiness of an honourable man, and he felt remorse for his conduct in +the affair. + +After bravely fighting by the side of the King during all his wars, +the Count finally retired to his estates, about the year 1610, after +the death of that Prince, disgusted with the Court, and feeling the +necessity of repose after such an amount of fatigue. + +Here, four or five years later, wearied with the solitude in which +he lived, and, perhaps, in the hope of expelling from his mind a +troublesome recollection, which, in spite of the time that had elapsed, +did not cease to torture him, the Count resolved to marry, and selected +for his wife a young lady belonging to one of the best families in +the province--charming and gentle, but as poor as himself; this +circumstance was far from bringing ease into the family, whose position +daily became more difficult. + +The union, however, was a happy one; in 1616 the Countess was delivered +of a son, who at once became the joy of the poor household. + +This son was Count Ludovic, whose story we have undertaken to tell. + +In spite of his fondness for the boy, the Count, however, brought him +up strictly, wishing to make of him a rude, brave, and loyal gentleman, +like himself. + +Young Ludovic felt at an early hour, on discovering what misery was +concealed behind the apparent splendour of his family, the necessity +of creating for himself an independent position, which would allow him +not only to be no longer a burden to parents whom he loved, and who +sacrificed to him the greater portion of their income, but to restore +also the eclipsed lustre of the name he bore. + +Contrary to the custom followed by his ancestors, who had all served +the king or his armies, his tastes led him to the navy. + +Owing to the assiduous care of an old and worthy priest, who had +become his tutor through attachment to his family, he had received a +solid education, by which he had profited; accounts of voyages, which +constituted his principal reading, inflamed his imagination; all his +thoughts were turned to America, where, according to the statements of +sailors, gold abounded, and he had but one desire--to land himself +in this mysterious country, and take his part of the rich crop which +everybody garnered there. + +His father, and his mother even more, for a long time resisted his +entreaties. The old man, who had fought during so many years, could not +understand why his son should not do the same, or prefer the navy to a +commission in the army. The Countess, in her heart, did not wish to see +her son either soldier or sailor, for both professions terrified her; +she feared for her son the unknown perils of distant excursions, and +her tenderness was alarmed by the thought of what might be an eternal +separation. + +Still, something must be done, and as the young man obstinately adhered +to his resolution, his parents were compelled to yield and consent to +what he desired, whatever might be the future consequences of this +determination. + +The Count still had some old friends at Court, among them being the +Duke de Bellegarde, who stood on terms of great intimacy with King +Louis XIII., surnamed the "_Just_" during his lifetime, because he was +born under the sign of Libra. + +Monsieur de Barmont had also been connected at an earlier date with +the Duke d'Epernon, created Admiral of France in 1587; but he had a +repugnance in applying to him, owing to the rumours that were spread +at the time of the assassination of Henri IV. Still, in a case so +urgent as the present one, the Count comprehended that for the sake of +his son he must silence his private feelings, and at the same time as +he addressed a letter to the Duke de Bellegarde, he sent another to +Epernon, who at this period was Governor of Guyenne. + +The double answer the Count expected was not long deferred; M. de +Barmont's two old friends had not forgotten him, and hastened to employ +their credit on his behalf. + +The Duke d'Epernon especially, better situated through his title of +Admiral to be useful to the young man, wrote that he would gladly +undertake the duty of pushing him on in the world. + +This took place at the beginning of 1631, when Ludovic de Barmont had +reached his sixteenth year. + +Being very tall, with a proud and haughty air, and endowed with rare +vigour and great agility, the young man seemed older than he in reality +was. It was with the liveliest joy that he learned how his wishes +had been fulfilled, and that nothing prevented him from embracing a +maritime career. + +The Duke d'Epernon's letter requested the Count de Barmont to send his +son as speedily as possible to Bordeaux, so that he might at once place +him aboard a man-of-war, to commence his apprenticeship. + +Two days after the receipt of this letter the young man tore himself +with difficulty from the embraces of his mother, bade his father a +respectful farewell, and took the road to Bordeaux, mounted on a good +horse, and followed by a confidential valet. + +The navy had for a long time been neglected in France; and left during +the middle ages in the hands of private persons, as the government, +following the example of the other continental powers, did not deign +to try and secure a respectable position on the seas, much less a +supremacy; thus we see during the reign of Francis I., who was, +however, one of the warlike Kings of France, Ango, a ship broker of +Dieppe, from whom the Portuguese had taken a vessel during a profound +peace, authorized by the King, who was unable to procure him justice, +to equip a fleet at his own expense. With this fleet Ango, we may +remark incidentally, blockaded the port of Lisbon, and did not cease +hostilities until he had forced the Portuguese to send to France +ambassadors humbly to ask peace of the King. + +The discovery of the New World, however, and the no less important one +of the Cape of Good Hope, by giving navigation a greater activity and +a more extended sphere, at the same time as they widened the limits of +commerce, caused the necessity to be felt of creating a navy, intended +to protect merchant vessels against the attacks of corsairs. + +It was not till the reign of Louis XIII. that the idea of creating a +navy began to be carried into execution. Cardinal de Richelieu, whose +vast genius embraced everything, and whom the English fleets had +caused several times to tremble during the long and wearying siege of +Rochelle, passed several decrees relating to the navy, and founded a +school of navigation, intended to educate those young gentlemen who +desired to serve the King aboard his vessels. + +It is to this great minister, then, that France is indebted for the +first thought of a navy; this navy was destined to contend against +the Spanish and Dutch fleets, and during the reign of Louis XIV., to +acquire so great an importance, and momentarily hold in check the power +of England. + +It was this school of navigation created by Richelieu that the Viscount +de Barmont entered, thanks to the influence of the Duke d'Epernon. + +The old gentleman strictly kept the pledge he had given his former +comrade in arms; he did not cease to protect the young man, which, +however, was an easy task, for the latter displayed an extraordinary +aptitude, and a talent very rare at that date in the profession he had +embraced. + +Hence, in 1641, he was already a captain in the navy, and had the +command of a twenty-six gun frigate. + +Unfortunately, neither the old Count de Barmont nor his wife was able +to enjoy the success of their son or the new era opening for their +house; they both died a few days apart from each other, leaving the +young man an orphan at the age of two-and-twenty. + +As a pious son, Ludovic, who really loved his parents, lamented and +regretted them, especially his mother, who had always been so kind and +tender to him; but, as he had been accustomed for so many years to live +alone during his long voyages, and only to trust to himself, he did not +feel the loss so painfully as he would have done had he never left the +paternal roof. + +Henceforth the sole representative of his house, he regarded life more +seriously than he had hitherto done, and redoubled his efforts to +restore to his name its almost eclipsed lustre, which, thanks to his +exertions, was beginning to shine again with renewed brilliancy. + +The Duke d'Epernon still lived, but a forgotten relic of an almost +entirely departed generation--a sickly octogenarian, who had quarrelled +long ago with Cardinal de Richelieu, his influence was null, and he +could do nothing for the man he had so warmly protected a few years +previously. + +But the Count did not allow this to prey on his mind; the naval +service was not envied by the nobility, good officers were rare, and +he believed that if he cautiously avoided mixing himself up in any +political intrigue, he might have a brilliant career. + +An accident, impossible to foresee, was fated to destroy all his +ambitious plans, and ruin his career forever. + +This is how the affair occurred:--The Count de Barmont, at the time +commanding the Erigone, twenty-six gun frigate, after a lengthened +cruise in the Algerian waters to protect French merchant vessels +against the Barbary pirates, steered for the states of Gibraltar, in +order to reach the Atlantic, and return to Brest, whither he had orders +to proceed at the end of his cruise; but just as he was about to pass +through the Straits, he was caught by a squall, and after extraordinary +efforts to continue his course, which almost cast him on to the coast +of Africa, owing to the strength of the wind and the rough, chopping +sea, he was obliged to stand off and on for several hours, and finally +take refuge in the port of Algeciras, which was to windward of him, on +the Spanish coast. + +So soon as he had anchored, and made all snug, the commandant, who +knew from experience that two or three days would elapse ere the wind +veered, and allowed him to pass the Straits, ordered his boat, and went +ashore. + +Although the town of Algeciras is very old, it is very small, badly +built, and scantily populated; at this period, more especially, it +only formed, as it were, a poor market town. It was not till after the +English had seized Gibraltar, situated on the other side of the bay, +that the Spaniards comprehended the importance of Algeciras to them, +and have converted it into a regular port. + +The Captain had no other motive for landing at Algeciras, than the +restlessness natural to sailors, which impels them to leave their +vessel as soon as they have cast anchor. + +Commercial relations were not established at that time, as they now +are. The government had not yet fallen into the custom of sending to +foreign ports residents ordered to watch over their countrymen, and +protect their transactions--in a word, consulates had not yet been +created: only those ships of war, which accident might lead to any +port, now and then undertook to procure justice for those of their +countrymen, whose interests had been encroached on. + +After landing, and giving orders to his coxswain to come and fetch +him at sunset, the Captain, merely followed by a sailor, of the name +of Michael, to whom he was greatly attached, and who accompanied him +everywhere, turned into the winding streets of Algeciras, curiously +examining everything that offered itself to view. + +This Michael, to whom we shall have several occasions to refer, was a +tall fellow, with an intelligent face, about thirty years of age, and +who had vowed an eternal devotion to his captain since the day when the +latter had risked his life in saving his, by jumping into a boat during +a terrible storm four years before, to help him when he had fallen into +the sea while going up the shrouds to ease the mainsail. + +Since that day Michael had never left the Count, and had always +contrived to sail with him. Born in the vicinity of Pau, the country of +Henri IV., he was like the king, his fellow countryman, gay, mocking, +and even sceptical. An excellent sailor, endowed with tried bravery, +and far from ordinary vigour, Michael offered in his person the +perfect type of the Béarnaise Basque, a strong and rough, though loyal +and faithful race. + +Only one individual shared in Michael's heart the unbounded friendship +he felt for his chief. This privileged being was a Breton sailor, +gloomy and taciturn, who formed a complete antithesis to him, and whom, +owing to his slowness, the crew had favoured with the characteristic +name of Bowline, which he had accepted, and was so accustomed to answer +to it, that he had almost forgotten the name he previously bore. + +The service the Count had done Michael, the latter had rendered to +Bowline: hence he was attached to the Breton through this very service, +and while mocking and teasing him from morning till night, he had a +sincere friendship for him. + +The Breton understood Michael, and so far as his reserved and slightly +demonstrative nature permitted, he testified on every occasion his +gratitude to the Basque, by letting himself be completely directed and +governed by him in all the actions of his life, without ever attempting +to revolt against the frequent exorbitant demands of his mentor. + +If we have dwelt so long on the character of these two men, it is +because they are destined in the course of this work to play an +important part; and the reader must be acquainted with them, in order +to understand the facts we shall have to record. + +The Count and his sailor continued to advance along the streets, +the one reflecting and amusing himself the other remaining, through +respect, a few paces in the rear, and desperately smoking a pipe, whose +stem was so short that the bowl almost touched his lips. + +While walking thus straight before them, the promenaders soon reached +the end of the town, and turned into a lane bordered by aloes, which +led, with a rather steep incline, to the top of a hill, whence could +be enjoyed the entire panorama of the bay of Algeciras, which, we may +remark in a parenthesis, is the finest in the world. + +It was about two in the afternoon, the hottest moment of the day. The +sun profusely poured down its torrid beams, which made the pebbles in +the road sparkle like diamonds. + +Hence everybody had gone within doors to enjoy the siesta, so that, +since landing, the two sailors had not met a living creature; and if +the Arabian Nights, which were not translated till a century later, +had been known at the time, the Count, without any great effort of the +imagination, might have believed himself transported to that city where +all the inhabitants had been sent to sleep by a wicked impostor, so +complete was the silence around him, while the landscape had the aspect +of a desert. To complete the illusion, the breeze had fallen, there was +not a breath of air, and the vast expanse of water stretched out at +their feet was as motionless as if composed of ice. + +The Count stopped, pensively gazing with an absent eye at his frigate, +which at this distance was scarce as large as a skiff. + +Michael smoked more than ever, and admired the country with straddling +legs, and his arm behind his back, in that position so liked by sailors. + +"Hilloh!" he said suddenly. + +"What is the matter with you?" the Count asked him, as he turned round. + +"Nothing the matter with me, Captain," he replied, "I am only looking +at a lady who is coming up here at a gallop. What a fancy to go at +that pace in such a heat as this." + +"Where is she?" asked the Count. + +"Why, there, Captain," he said, stretching out his hand to larboard. + +The Count turned his eyes in the direction which Michael indicated to +him. + +"Why, that horse has bolted," he exclaimed, a moment later. + +"Do you think so, Captain?" the sailor remarked, calmly. + +"Zounds! I am certain of it. Look, now that she is nearer to us. The +rider is clinging despairingly to the mane. The unhappy girl is lost!" + +"Very possibly," Michael said, philosophically. + +"Quick, quick, my lad!" the Captain shouted, as he rushed to the side +where the horse was coming up. "We must save the lady, even if we +perish!" + +The sailor made no answer; he merely took the precaution of withdrawing +his pipe from his mouth and placing it in his pocket, and then he set +out at a run behind his captain. + +The horse came on like a whirlwind. It was a barb of the purest +Arab race, with a small head, and legs fine as spindles. It bounded +furiously with all four legs on the narrow path it was following, with +eyes full of flashes, and apparently snorting fire through its dilated +nostrils. The lady on its back, half reclining on its neck, had seized +its long mane with both hands, and, half insane with terror, as she +felt herself lost, she uttered stifled cries at intervals. + +Very far in the rear, several horsemen, who formed almost imperceptible +dots on the horizon, were coming up at full speed. + +The track on which the horse was engaged, was narrow and rocky, and led +to a precipice of frightful depth, toward which the animal was dashing +with a headlong speed. + +A man must either be mad, or endowed with a lion's courage, to try and +save this unhappy woman under such conditions, when he had ninety-nine +chances in a hundred of being crushed, without succeeding in rescuing +her from death. + +The two sailors, however, made no reflections of this nature, and +without hesitation resolved to make a supreme effort. They stood facing +each other on either side of the track, and waited without exchanging a +word. They understood one another. + +Two or three minutes elapsed, and then the horse passed like a tornado; +but with the speed of thought the two men dashed forward, seized it by +the bridle, and, hanging their whole weight on it, allowed themselves +to be dragged onward by the furious animal. + +There was for a moment a terrible struggle between intelligence and +brute strength. At length the brute was conquered. The horse stumbled, +and fell panting on the ground. + +At the moment of its fall, the Count removed in his arms, the lady so +miraculously saved, and he bore her to the side of the road, where he +respectfully laid her down. + +Terror had certainly deprived her of consciousness. + +The Count guessing that the horsemen coming up, were relations or +friends of her to whom he had just rendered so great a service, +repaired the disorder in his clothes and awaited their arrival, while +gazing admiringly at the young lady lying at his feet. + +She was a charming young creature, scarce seventeen years of age, with +a delicate waist, and marked and adorably beautiful features; her long +black silky hair had escaped from the comb that confined it and fell in +perfumed curls over her face, on which a slight flush presaged a speedy +return to life. + +The young lady's dress, which was very rich and remarkably elegant, +would have led to the supposition that she was of high rank, had not +the stamp of aristocracy, spread over her entire person, removed all +doubts on that score. + +Michael, with his characteristic coolness which nothing ever upset, +had remained by the side of the horse which, calmed by the fall and +trembling in all its limbs, had allowed itself to be raised without +offering the slightest resistance; the Basque after removing the +saddle, had plucked a wisp of grass, and began rubbing the horse down, +while admiring it, and muttering every now and then. + +"I don't care, it's a noble and beautiful animal! It would have been +a pity had it rolled over that frightful precipice; I am glad it is +saved." + +The worthy sailor did not think the least bit in the world of the young +lady, for his entire interest was concentrated on the horse. + +When he had finished rubbing down, he put the saddle and bridle on +again and led the horse up to the Count. + +"There," he said with an air of satisfaction, "now the horse is calm; +poor creature, a child could guide it with a thread." + +In the meanwhile the horsemen rapidly approached, and soon came up to +the two French sailors. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. + + +These horsemen were four in number. Two of them appeared to be persons +of importance, the other two were domestics. + +On coming within a few steps of the Count, the first two dismounted, +threw their bridles to the footman and advanced, hat in hand, towards +the gentleman, whom they saluted with exquisite politeness. + +The Count courteously returned their greeting, while taking a +side-glance at them. + +The first was a man of about sixty; he was tall, his demeanour was +graceful and his face appeared handsome at the first glance, for the +expression was imposing, although gentle and even kind. Still, on +examining it with greater attention, it was possible to see from the +gloomy fire of his glance, which seemed at times to emit magnetic +flashes, that this gentleness was merely a mask intended to deceive the +vulgar; his projecting cheek bones, his wide retiring forehead, his +nose bent like a bird's beak and his square chin denoted a cold cruelty +blended with a strong dose of obstinacy and pride. + +This man wore a handsome hunting dress covered with lace, and a heavy +gold chain, called a _fanfaronne_, was passed several times round his +ostrich plumed hat. + +This fanfaronne had been brought into fashion by the adventurers who +returned from New Spain; and though very ridiculous, it had been +enthusiastically adopted by the haughty Castilians. + +This gentleman's companion, much younger than he, but dressed quite +as richly, had one of those faces whose features at the first glance +appear so commonplace and insignificant, that you do not take the +trouble of looking at them, and an observer might pass close by without +seeing them, but his small grey eyes sparkling with cleverness, half +hidden under bushy eyebrows, and the curl of his thin sarcastic lip, +would have completely contradicted any physiognomist, who might take +this person for a man of common intellect and ordinary capacity. + +The elder of the two riders bowed a second time. + +"Sir," he said, "I am the Duc de Peñaflor; the person whose life you +have saved by running such a risk of losing your own, is my daughter, +Doña Clara de Peñaflor." + +As the Count came from Languedoc, he spoke Spanish as purely as his +mother tongue. + +"I am delighted, sir," he replied with a graceful bow, "at having +served as the instrument of providence to preserve a child for her +father." + +"I think," the second rider observed, "that it would be as well to +offer Doña Clara some succour; my dear cousin seems to be seriously +indisposed." + +"It is only emotion," the young man replied; "that caused this fainting +fit, which, if I am not mistaken, is beginning to wear off." + +"Yes indeed," said the Duke, "I think I saw her make a slight movement, +it will be better not to trouble her, but let her regain her senses +quietly; in that way, we shall avoid a shock whose results are +sometimes very dangerous to delicate and nervous organisations, like +that of my dear child." + +All this was spoken with a cold, dry, steady voice, very different +to what a father ought to have employed, whose daughter had just +miraculously escaped death. + +The young officer did not know what to think of his real or feigned +indifference. + +It was only Spanish hauteur. The Duke loved his daughter as much as his +proud and ambitious nature allowed him to do, but he would have been +ashamed to let it be seen, especially by a stranger. + +"Sir," the Duke resumed a moment later, as he stepped aside to display +the gentlemen who accompanied him, "I have the honour of presenting to +you my cousin and friend, Count Don Stenio de Bejar y Sousa." + +The two gentlemen bowed to each other. + +The Count had no motive to maintain an incognito, and saw that the +moment had arrived to make himself known. + +"Gentlemen," he said, "I am Count Ludovic de Barmont Senectaire, +Captain in the Navy, and commanding the French frigate the _Erigone_, +now anchored in Algeciras Bay." + +On hearing the Count's name pronounced, the Duke's face turned +frightfully pale; he frowned till his eyebrows joined, and he gave him +a strangely meaning glance. + +But this emotion did not last longer than a flash: by a violent effort +of the will the Spaniard thrust back to the bottom of his heart, the +feelings that agitated him; his previous impassiveness returned to his +face, and he bowed with a smile. + +The ice was broken between the three gentlemen, for they saw they were +equals; their manner at once changed, and they became as affable as +they had at first been stiff and reserved. + +The Duke was the first to renew the conversation in the most friendly +voice. + +"You are doubtless taking advantage of the truce made a short time +back, between our two nations, my lord, to visit our country?" + +"Pardon me, my lord Duke, I was not aware that hostilities had ceased +between our two armies. I have been at sea for a long time, and without +news of France; chance alone brought me to this coast a few hours ago, +and I sought shelter in Algeciras Bay, to await a change of wind to +pass the Straits." + +"I bless the accident, Count, since I owe to it my daughter's safety." + +Doña Clara had opened her eyes, and, though still very weak, she was +beginning to account for the position in which she found herself. + +"Oh," she said, in a soft and humorous voice, and with an inward +shudder, "had it not been for that gentleman, I should be dead!" +and she attempted to smile, while fixing on the young man her large +eyes full of tears, with an expressive gratitude it is impossible to +describe. + +"How do you feel, my daughter?" the Duke asked. "I am quite well, now, +I thank you, papa," she replied; "when I felt that Moreno no longer +obeyed the bit, and was running away, I believed myself lost, and +terror caused me to faint; but where is my poor Moreno?" she added a +moment after, "Has any misfortune happened to him?" + +"Reassure yourself, señorita," the Count replied with a smile, and +pointing to the horse, "here he is, all right, and quite calmed; if you +like you can ride back on him without the slightest apprehension." + +"I certainly will mount my good Moreno," she said, "I bear him no ill +will for his prank, although it nearly cost me dear." + +"My lord," the Duke then said, "I venture to hope that we shall not +part thus, and that you will deign to accept the cordial hospitality +which I offer you at my castle." + +"My time is not my own, unfortunately, my lord Duke, and duty demands +my immediate presence on board. Be assured I deeply regret my inability +to accept your kind offer." + +"Do you then expect to set sail so soon?" + +"No, sir; on the contrary, I hope," he replied, laying a certain stress +on the words, "to remain here some time longer." + +"In that case," the Duke remarked with a smile, "I do not consider +myself beaten. I am certain we shall meet again soon, and become more +intimate acquaintances." + +"That is my most eager desire, sir," the young man said, taking a side +glance at Doña Clara, who hung her head with a blush. + +The Count then took leave, and proceeded in the direction of Algeciras, +while the horsemen slowly retired in exactly the opposite direction. + +The Captain walked on very thoughtfully, reflecting on the singular +adventure of which he had so suddenly been the hero; recalling the +slightest details, and admiring in memory the beauty of the young lady, +whose life he had been so fortunate as to save. + +Being constantly absorbed by the thousand claims of his rude +profession, and nearly always at sea, the Count, though almost +twenty-five years of age, had never yet loved; he had not even thought +about it; the few women he had hitherto met had produced no effect on +his heart, his mind had always remained free in their presence, and no +serious engagement had as yet disturbed its tranquillity. Hence it was +with a certain terror mingled with astonishment, that while reflecting +on the meeting which had suddenly interrupted his quiet walk, he +perceived that the beauty of Doña Clara and her gentle voice had left +a powerful impression on his mind, that her image was ever present, +and that his memory with implacable fidelity ever recalled even its +apparently most indifferent details, the short interview he had had +with her. + +"Come, come," he said, shaking his head several times as if to drive +away a troublesome thought; "I am mad." + +"Well, Captain," said Michael, who took advantage of this exclamation, +to give a free course to the reflections which he burned to express +aloud, "I don't care, but you must confess it was very lucky all the +same for that young lady, that we were there at the very nick of time." + +"Very lucky, indeed, Michael," the Count replied, delighted at this +diversion; "had we not been there the unhappy young lady would have +been lost." + +"That is true, and hopelessly so; poor little thing." + +"What a frightful fate! So young, and so lovely." + +"I allow that she is well built, although I fancy her lines are a +little too fine, and she is a trifle too pale." The Count smiled, but +made no reply to the sailor's rather venturesome opinion. + +The latter, feeling himself encouraged, went on-- + +"Will you allow me to give you a bit of advice, Captain?" + +"What is it, my lad? Speak without fear." + +"As for fear, deuce take me if I feel that, but I should not like to +pain you." + +"Pain me, about what?" + +"Well, all the worse, I must out with it. When you mentioned your name, +Captain, to the old Duke--" + +"Well, what happened?" + +"On hearing it pronounced, he suddenly turned as pale as a corpse; he +frowned upon you so terrible a look that I fancied for a moment that he +wished to assassinate you; don't you consider that funny, Captain?" + +"What you say is impossible; you are mistaken." + +"You did not notice it, because you had your head down, but I was +looking at him without seeming to do so, and am quite certain about +what I say." + +"But reflect, Michael, I do not know this nobleman, I never saw him +before today; how can he possibly feel hatred for me; you are rambling, +my good fellow." + +"Not at all, Captain, I am certain of what I state; whether you know +him or not is no business of mine, but as for him, I will wager that he +knows you, and intimately too; the impression you produced on him was +too strong for it to be otherwise." + +"I will admit, if you like, that he knows me, but one thing I can +certify, that I never offended him." + +"That is a point on which a man can never be sure, Captain; look you, +I am a Basque, and have known the Spaniards for a long time; they are +a strange people--proud as cocks, and rancorous as fiends; believe me, +distrust them always; that can do no harm, and especially that old +gentleman, who has a crafty face I do not like at all." + +"All that has no common sense, Michael, and I am as mad as yourself in +listening to you." + +"Very well," the sailor said with a toss of the head, "we shall see +hereafter whether I am mistaken." + +The conversation ended here; still Michael's remarks occupied the +Captain more than he would have liked to show, and he returned on board +with a very thoughtful air. On the next morning at about ten o'clock an +excellent pleasure yacht hailed the frigate. + +This vessel contained the Duc de Peñaflor, and his silent cousin, Count +de Bejar y Sousa. + +"On my faith, my dear Count," the Duke said, good-humouredly, after the +first compliments, "you are going to find me very unceremonious, for I +have come to carry you off." + +"Carry me off?" the young man replied with a smile. + +"On my word, yes. Just imagine, Count, my daughter insists on seeing +you; she only speaks of you, and as she does pretty well what she +pleases with me--a thing that will not surprise you greatly. She sent +me to you to tell you that you must absolutely accompany me to the +castle." + +"So it is," Don Stenio said with a bow, "the Señorita Doña Clara +insists on seeing you." + +"Still--" the other objected. + +"I will listen to nothing," the Duke remarked quickly, "you must make +up your mind, my dear Count, you can only obey, for you are aware that +ladies cannot be thwarted; so come, reassure yourself, though, I am not +going to take you far, for my castle is scarce two leagues from here." + +The Count, who in his heart, felt a lively desire to see Doña Clara +again, did not allow himself to be pressed one bit more than was +correct: then, after giving the necessary orders to his second in +command, he accompanied the Duc de Peñaflor, followed by Michael, who +seemed to be the Captain's shade. + +This was the way in which began a connection which was soon to +be changed into love, and have, at a later date, such terrible +consequences for the unhappy officer. + +The Duke and his eternal cousin who never quitted him, overwhelmed +the Count with protestations of friendship, granted him the most +perfect liberty at the castle, and appeared not at all to notice the +intelligence which was soon established between Doña Clara and the +young man. + +The latter, completely subjugated by the passion he experienced for the +young lady, yielded to his love with the confident and unreflecting +abandonment of all hearts that love for the first time. + +Doña Clara, a simple girl, brought up with all the rigid strictness of +Spanish manners, but an Andalusian from head to foot, had listened with +a quiver of delight to the confession of this love which she had shared +from the first moment. + +Everybody, therefore, was happy at the castle; Michael alone formed +an exception, with his stolid face, which was never unwrinkled; the +more rapidly he saw matters tending to the conclusion the young people +desired, the more gloomy and anxious he became. + +In the meanwhile the frigate had left Algeciras for Cadiz. + +The Duke, his daughter, and Don Stenio had made the passage on board; +the Duc de Peñaflor wanted to go to Seville, where he had large +estates, hence he accepted with eager demonstrations of joy the +proposal the Count made him, of conveying him on board his frigate to +Cadiz, which is only some twenty leagues from Seville. + +On the day after the frigate's arrival at Cadiz, the Captain put on his +full uniform, went ashore, and proceeded to the Duke's palace. + +The Duke, doubtless warned of his visit, received him with a smile on +his lips, and with a most affectionate air. + +Emboldened by this reception, the Count, overcoming his timidity, +requested leave to marry Doña Clara. + +The Duke received it favourably; said that he had expected this +request, and that it satisfied all his wishes, since it caused the +happiness of a daughter he loved. + +"Still," he remarked to the Count, "although there was a truce between +the two countries, a peace was not yet signed. Though, according to all +appearance it would be soon carried out, for all that, he feared lest +the news of this marriage might injure the Count's future, by rendering +the Cardinal ill disposed toward him." + +This reflection had several times offered itself to the young officer's +mind; hence he hung his head, not daring to reply, because, unluckily, +he had no valid reason to offer, that would remove the Duke's +objections. + +The latter came to his assistance by saying that there was a very +simple way of arranging matters to the general satisfaction, and +removing this apparently insurmountable difficulty. + +The Count quivering with fear and pleasure, asked what this method was. + +The Duke then explained to him that he meant a secret marriage. As +long as the war lasted, silence would be maintained, but once peace +was concluded and an ambassador sent to Paris, the marriage should be +publicly announced to the Cardinal, who then would probably not feel +offended by the union. + +The young man had been too near seeing his dream of bliss eternally +destroyed to raise the slightest objection to this proposition; secret +or not, the marriage would not be the less valid and he cared little +for the rest. Hence he consented to all the conditions imposed on him +by the Duke, who insisted that the marriage might be effected in such +a way as to keep him in ignorance of it, so that in the event of his +Eminence attempting to turn the King against him, he might employ this +pretended ignorance in foiling the ill will of those who might attempt +to ruin him. + +The Count did not exactly understand what the King of Spain had to do +with his marriage; but as the Duke spoke with an air of conviction, and +seemed to be greatly alarmed about the King's displeasure, he consented +to everything. + +Two days later at nightfall, the young couple were married at the +Church of la Merced, by a priest, who consented for a heavy sum to lend +his ministration to this illegal act. + +Michael the Basque and Bowline served as witnesses of the captain, who, +on the pressing recommendation of the Duke, was unwilling to let any of +his officers into his secrets, while he was sure of the silence of the +two sailors. + +Immediately after the ceremony, the new bride was taken off on one side +by her witnesses, while her husband withdrew greatly annoyed on the +other, and went aboard the frigate. + +When the Count on the next morning presented himself at the Duke's +palace, the latter informed him that, in order to remove any pretext +for malevolence, he had thought it advisable to send away his daughter +for a while, and she had gone to stay with a relation residing at +Grenada. + +The Count did not allow his disappointment to be seen; he withdrew, +pretending to accept as gospel the somewhat specious reasoning of the +Duke. + +Still, he was beginning to find the Duke's conduct towards him very +extraordinary, and he resolved to clear up the doubts that arose in his +mind. + +Michael and Bowline were sent into the country to reconnoitre. + +The Count learned from them, not without surprise, at the end of two +days' researches that Doña Clara was not at Grenada, but merely at +Puerto Santa Maria, a charming little town facing Cadiz on the opposite +side of the road. + +The Captain, so soon as he possessed the information for the success +of the plan he meditated, managed by the intervention of Michael, who +spoke Spanish like an Andalusian, to send a note to Doña Clara, and at +nightfall, followed by his two faithful sailors, he landed at Santa +Maria. + +The house inhabited by the young lady was rather isolated; he set the +two sailors on sentry to watch over her safety, and walked straight up +to the house. + +Doña Clara herself opened the door for him. The joy of the couple was +immense, and the Count retired shortly before sunrise; at about ten +o'clock, he went as usual to pay a visit to his father-in-law, in +whose presence he continued to feign the most complete ignorance as to +Doña Clara's abode, and was most kindly welcomed. + +This state of things went on for nearly a month. One day the Count +suddenly received information of the resumption of the hostilities +between Spain and France; he was himself forced to quit Cadiz, but +wished to have a final interview with the Duke, in order to ask him for +a frank explanation of his conduct; in the event of this explanation +not satisfying him, he was resolved to carry his wife off. + +When he arrived at the Duke's palace, a confidential servant informed +him that his master, suddenly summoned by the king, had started an hour +previously to Madrid, without, to his great regret, having had time to +take leave of him. + +On hearing this, the Count had a presentiment of evil; he turned pale, +but succeeded in overcoming his emotion, and calmly asked the valet +whether his master had not left a letter for him; the servant answered +in the affirmative and handed him a sealed note. + +The Count broke the seal with a trembling hand and ran through the +letter, but his emotion was so great on perusing the contents that he +tottered, and had not the valet sprang forward to support him, he would +have fallen to the ground. + +"Ah!" he muttered, "Michael was right," and he crumpled the paper +savagely. + +But suddenly recovering himself, he overcame his grief and, after +giving the valet several louis, hurried away. + +"Poor young man!" the valet muttered with a sorrowful shake of the head +and re-entered the palace, the gates of which he closed after him. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +DESPAIR. + + +A few yards from the palace the Count met Michael, who was coming +towards him. + +"A boat, quick, quick, my good Michael," he shouted, "'tis a matter of +life and death." + +The sailor, terrified at the condition in which he saw his commandant, +wished to ask him what the matter was, but the Count roughly imposed +silence on him by repeating his order to procure a boat at once. + +Michael bowed his head. + +"Woe is me. I foresaw this," he muttered, with mingled grief and anger, +and he ran off towards the port. + +It is not a difficult task to find a boat at Cadiz, and Michael had +only to choose; comprehending that the Count was in a hurry, he +selected one pulled by ten oars. + +The Count arrived at the same moment. + +"Twenty louis for you and your crew if you are at Puerto in twenty +minutes," he shouted, as he leaped into the boat, which was almost +capsized by the violence of the shock. + +The boat started, the sailors bent over their oars, and made her fly +through the water. + +The captain with his eyes obstinately fixed on Santa Maria, and +striking his clenched fist on the boat's gunwale, in spite of the +excessive speed at which it was going, incessantly repeated in a +choking voice-- + +"Quicker, quicker, muchachos." + +He passed like an arrow across the bows of the frigate, whose crew were +preparing to weigh anchor. At length they reached Puerto. + +"No one is to follow me," the captain cried, as he leaped ashore. + +But Michael did not heed this order, and at the risk of what might +happen to him, he set out in pursuit of the Count, whom he would not +abandon in his present frightful condition. + +It was fortunate he did so, for when he reached the house Doña Clara +had inhabited, he saw the young man lying senseless on the ground. + +The house was deserted, and Doña Clara had disappeared. + +The sailor took his captain on his shoulders and conveyed him to the +boat, where he laid him as comfortably as he could in the stem sheets. + +"Where are we going?" the master asked. + +"To the French frigate; and make haste," Michael replied. + +When the boat was alongside the frigate, Michael paid the master the +promised reward, and then aided by several of the crew, conveyed the +captain to his cabin. As it was eminently necessary to keep the Count's +secret, and avoid arousing suspicions, the sailor in his report to +the first commandant, ascribed to a violent fall from a horse, the +condition in which the captain was; then, after making a signal to +Bowline to follow him, he returned to the cabin. + +M. de Barmont was still as motionless as if he were dead; the chief +surgeon of the frigate in vain bestowed the greatest care on him +without succeeding in recalling life, which seemed to have fled forever. + +"Send away your assistants; Bowline and myself will suffice," Michael +said to the doctor, with a meaning glance. + +The surgeon comprehended, and dismissed the mates. When the door had +closed on them the sailor drew the doctor into a gun berth, and said to +him, in so low a voice as to be scarce audible-- + +"Major, the Commandant has just experienced a great sorrow, which +produced the terrible crisis he is suffering from at this moment. I +confide this to you because a surgeon is like a confessor." + +"All right, my lad," the surgeon replied; "the Captain's secret has +been trusted to sure ears." + +"I am convinced of that, Major; the officers and crew must suppose that +the Captain has been thrown from his horse, you understand. I have +already told the lieutenant so in making the report." + +"Very good; I will corroborate your statement, my lad." + +"Thanks, Major; now I have another thing to ask of you." + +"Speak." + +"You must obtain the lieutenant's leave that no one but Bowline and +myself may wait on the Captain. Look you, Major, we are old sailors of +his, he can say what he likes before us; and then, too, he will be glad +to have us near him; will you get this leave from the lieutenant?" + +"Yes, my lad; I know that you are a good fellow, sincerely attached to +the Captain, and that he places entire confidence in you; hence, do not +feel alarmed--I will settle that with the lieutenant, and you and your +companion shall alone come in here with me so long as the Captain is +ill." + +"Thanks, Major; if an opportunity offers itself I will repay you this; +on the faith of a Basque, you are a worthy man." + +The surgeon began laughing. + +"Let us return to our patient," he said, in order to cut short the +conversation. + +In spite of the intelligent care the doctor paid him the Count's +fainting fit lasted the whole day. + +"The shock was frightful," he said--"it was almost a congestion." + +It was not till night, when the frigate had been for a long time at +sea, and had left Cadiz roads far behind it, that a favourable crisis +set in, and the Captain became slightly better. + +"He is about to regain his senses," the doctor said. + +In fact, a few convulsive movements agitated the Count's body, and he +half-opened his eyes; but his glances were wild and absent; he looked +all around him, as if trying to discover where he was, and why he was +thus lying on his bed. + +The three men, with their eyes fixed on him, anxiously watched this +return to life, whose appearance was anything but reassuring to them. + +The surgeon, more especially, seemed restless; big forehead was +wrinkled, and his eyebrows met, through the effort of some internal +emotion. + +All at once the Count hurriedly sat up, and addressed Michael, who was +standing by his side. + +"Lieutenant," he said to him, in a quick, sharp voice, "let her fall +off a point, or else the Spanish vessel will escape--why have you not +beat to quarters, sir?" + +The surgeon gave Michael a sign. + +"Pardon, Commandant," the latter replied, humouring the sick man's +fancy, "we have beaten to quarters, and the tops are all manned." + +"Very good," he answered; then suddenly changing his ideas, he +muttered--"She will come, she promised it me. But no, she will not +come; she is dead to me henceforth--dead! dead!" he repeated, in a +hollow voice, with different intonations; then he uttered a piercing +cry--"Oh, heaven! How I suffer!" he exclaimed, bursting into sobs, +while a torrent of tears inundated his face. + +He buried his head in his hands, and fell back on his bed. + +The two sailors anxiously examined the surgeon's impassive face, trying +to read in his features what they had to hope or fear. + +The latter uttered a deep sigh of relief, passed his hand over his damp +forehead, and turning to Michael, said-- + +"Heaven be praised! He sheds tears--he is saved." + +"Heaven be praised!" the sailors repeated, crossing themselves devoutly. + +"Do you think he is mad, Major?" Michael asked, in a trembling voice. + +"No, it is not madness, but delirium; he will soon fall asleep--do not +leave him; when he awakes he will remember nothing. If he ask for drink +give him the potion I have prepared, and which is on that table." + +"Yes, Major." + +"Now I am going to retire; if any unforeseen accident occur, warn me at +once; but, in any case, I shall look in again tonight." + +The surgeon left the cabin; his previsions were soon realised, M. de +Barmont gradually fell into a calm and peaceful sleep. + +The two sailors stood motionless by his bedside; no nurse could have +watched a patient with greater care and more delicate attention than +did these two men, whose exterior seemed so hard, but whose hearts were +really so kind. + +The whole night passed away thus; the surgeon had come in several +times, but after a few minutes' examination he withdrew with an air of +satisfaction, and laying a finger on his lips. + +About morning, at the first sunbeam that entered the cabin, the Count +made a slight movement, opened his eyes, and slightly turned his head. + +"My good Michael, give me some drink," he said, in a feeble voice. + +The sailor handed him a glass. + +"I feel crushed," he muttered; "have I been ill?" + +"Yes, a little," the sailor replied; "but now it is all over, thank +heaven! You need only have patience." + +"I feel the motion of the frigate--are we under weigh?" + +"Yes, Commandant." + +"And who gave the orders?" + +"Yourself, last night." + +"Ah!" he remarked, as he handed back the glass. His head fell heavily +on the pillow again, and he was silent. + +Still, he did not sleep; his eyes were opened, and gazed anxiously all +around. + +"I remember," he murmured, while two tears welled in his eyes; then he +suddenly addressed Michael. + +"It was you who picked me up and brought me aboard?" + +"Yes, Captain, 'twas." + +"Thanks! and yet it would have perhaps been better to leave me to die." + +The sailor shrugged his shoulders disdainfully. + +"That is a fine idea, strike me!" he grumbled. + +"Oh, if you only knew," he said, sorrowfully. + +"I knew all; did I not warn you of it the first day?" + +"That is true; I ought to have believed you--but, alas! I already loved +her." + +"Zounds! I knew that, and she deserved it." + +"Does she still love me?" + +"Who can doubt it, poor dear creature?" + +"You are a good man, Michael." + +"I am just." + +There was another silence. + +At the expiration of a few minutes the Count renewed the conversation. + +"Did you find the letter?" he asked. "Where is it?" + +"Here," he said, as he handed it to him. + +The Count eagerly clutched it. + +"Have you read it?" he asked. + +"For what purpose?" said Michael. "Zounds, it must be a tissue of lies +and infamies! And I am not curious about reading such things." + +"There, take it," said the Count. + +"To tear it up?" + +"No, to read it." + +"What's the good?" + +"You must know the contents of the letter--I order it." + +"That is different--give it here." + +He took the letter, opened, and ran through it. + +"Read it aloud," said the Count. + +"That is a pretty job you give me, Commandant. Still, as you wish it, I +must obey you." + +"I implore you, Michael." + +"Enough, Captain." + +And he began reading the strange missive aloud. + +It was short and laconic, but on that very account it necessarily +produced a more terrible effect, because every word was carefully +chosen to go straight home. + +The following was its tenor:-- + +MY LORD, + +You have not married my daughter: I defrauded you by a false marriage. +You shall never see her again--she is dead to you. For many years there +has been an implacable hatred between your family and mine. I should +not have gone to seek you, but Heaven itself brought you in my way. I +understood that it was desired I should avenge myself, and I obeyed. +I believe that I have succeeded in breaking your heart forever. The +love you have for my daughter is sincere and deep. All the better, for +you will suffer the more cruelly. Farewell, my lord. Believe me, you +had better not try to find me, for, if you succeed, my vengeance will +be even more terrible. My daughter will marry in a month the man she +loves, and whom alone she has ever loved. + +"Don Estevan de Sylva, Duc de Peñaflor." + +When the sailor had finished reading he turned an enquiring glance to +his chief. The latter shook his head several times, but made no other +reply. + +Michael handed back the letter, which the Captain at once concealed +beneath his pillow. + +"What do you intend to do?" the sailor asked him, a moment after. + +"You shall know hereafter," the Count answered, in a hollow voice. "I +could not form a determination now, for my head is still heavy, and I +require to reflect." + +Michael gave a nod of assent. + +At this moment the doctor came in. He appeared delighted at seeing his +patient in so good a state, and with a joyous rubbing of his hands, +promised that he should leave his bed in a week at the latest. + +In fact, the surgeon was not mistaken, for the Count rapidly recovered; +ere long he was able to rise, and at the end of a few days, were it +not for a cadaverous pallor spread over his face, and which he ever +retained, his strength seemed to have entirely come back to him. + +M. de Barmont steered his frigate up the Tagus, and anchored before +Lisbon. So soon as the vessel was moored the Captain summoned the +second in command to his cabin, and had a long conversation with him, +after which he went ashore with Michael and Bowline. + +The frigate remained under the command of the first lieutenant: the +Count had abandoned it for ever. + +This deed almost constituted a desertion; but M. de Barmont was +resolved on returning to Cadiz at all hazards. + +During the few days that had elapsed since his conference with Michael, +the Count had reflected, as he promised the sailor. + +The result of his reflections was, that Doña Clara had been deceived +by the Duke like himself, and believed herself really married--indeed, +the whole of the young lady's behaviour to him proved the fact. In +desiring to insure his vengeance too thoroughly, the Duke had gone +beyond his object: Doña Clara loved him, he felt certain of that. She +had only obeyed her father under the constraint of force. + +This admitted, only one thing was left the Count to do; to return +to Cadiz, collect information, find the Duke, and have a solemn +explanation with him in his daughter's presence. + +This plan drawn up in his mind, the young man immediately set, about +carrying it out, leaving the command of his vessel to the lieutenant, +at the risk of destroying his career and being pursued as a traitor, as +the war was raging between France and Spain. He freighted a coaster; +and, followed by his two sailors, to whom he had frankly explained his +intention, but who would not leave him, he returned to Cadiz. + +Thanks to the thorough knowledge of Spanish he possessed, the Count did +not arouse any suspicions in that city, where it was easy for him to +obtain the information he desired. + +The Duke had really set out for Madrid. The Count at once proceeded +to that city. A gentleman of the importance of the Duc de Peñaflor, +a grandee of Spain of the first class, a _caballero cubierto_, could +not travel without leaving traces, especially when nothing led him to +suspect that he was followed. Hence the Count had not the slightest +difficulty in discovering the route he had taken, and he arrived +at Madrid, persuaded that he should soon have with the Duke the +explanation he so ardently desired. + +But his hopes were foiled. The Duke, after being honored with a private +audience by the King, had set out for Barcelona. + +Fatality interfered, but the Count would not be baffled: he mounted his +horse, crossed Spain, and arrived at Barcelona. + +The Duke had embarked for Naples on the previous day. + +This pursuit was assuming the proportions of an Odyssey: it seemed as +if the Duke felt that he was being pursued. + +It was not so, however. He was carrying out a mission with which his +sovereign had entrusted him. + +The Count made enquiries, and learnt that the Duc de Peñaflor was +accompanied by his daughter, and two sons. + +Two days later, M. de Barmont was sailing to Naples, on board a +smuggling vessel. + +We will not enter into all the details of this obstinate pursuit, which +lasted for several months. + +We will confine ourselves to saying that the Count missed the Duke +at Naples, as he had missed him at Madrid and Barcelona, and that he +traversed the whole of Italy, and entered France, still in chase of his +intangible enemy, who seemed to fly before him. + +But during the interval, although the Count did not suspect, the parts +had been greatly modified, if not completely changed. + +In this way. + +The Duke had a great interest in knowing what the Count would do. +Though it was certain that the war would compel him to leave Spain, +still he was too well acquainted with the young man's resolute and +determined character to suppose for a moment that he would accept the +insult offered him, without trying to take a startling revenge. + +In consequence, he had left at Cadiz a confidential man with orders to +watch the Count's movements with the greatest care, in the event of his +reappearing, and to warn the Duke of what steps he might take. + +The man had conscientiously and most skilfully discharged the delicate +duty entrusted to him, and while the Count was pursuing the Duke, he +pursued the Count, never letting him out of sight, stopping when he +stopped, and setting out behind him directly he saw him start. + +When at last he felt assured that the Count was really after his +master, he got ahead of him, rejoined the Duke, whom he came up with +in the neighbourhood of Pignerol, and reported to him all that he had +learned. + +The Duke, though internally terrified by the hateful persistency of +his enemy, pretended to attach but very slight importance to this +communication, and smiled contemptuously on listening to his servant's +report. + +But, for all this, he did not neglect to take his precautions; and, as +peace was on the point of being signed, and a Spanish plenipotentiary +was in Paris, he sent off the same valet to him at full speed, with a +pressing letter. + +This letter was a formal denunciation of the Count de Barmont +Senectaire. + +Cardinal de Richelieu raised no difficulty about granting an order +to arrest the Count, and police agents of his Eminence, commanded by +François Bouillot, left Paris in pursuit of the unhappy officer. + +The latter, completely ignorant of what was going on, had continued +his journey, and even gained ground on the Duke, who, persuaded that +henceforth he would have nothing to fear from his enemy, as the latter +would be arrested before he could come up with him, now travelled by +easy stages. + +The Duke's calculations were false, however. He had not reflected that +the Cardinal's guards, not knowing where to find the man whom they had +orders to arrest, and obliged to feel their way, would be compelled to +almost double their journey: and this really occurred. + +Moreover, as, with the exception of Bouillot, not one of them was +personally acquainted with the Count, and he, as we now know, desired +nothing so much as the Count's escape, he passed through the midst +of them unsuspected, which occasioned them a great loss of time, by +compelling them to turn back. + +We have already narrated how, after the stormy explanation which took +place between father-in-law and son-in-law, the latter was arrested, +taken by Bouillot to the Isle St. Marguerite, and delivered over +to Major de l'Oursière. And now that we have fully explained the +respective positions of each of our characters, we will resume our +narrative at the point where we left it. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE PRISONER. + + +We have mentioned that after proof of identity, and perusal of the +order of arrest, Major de l'Oursière, governor of the fortress of St. +Marguerite, had the Count conducted to the room which was to serve as +his prison, until the day when it might please the Cardinal to restore +him to liberty. + +This room, very spacious and lofty, of an octagonal shape, and with +whitewashed walls, fifteen feet thick, was only lighted by two narrow +loopholes, covered with an under and outer iron trelliswork, which +completely prevented any looking out. + +A large chimney, with a wide mantelpiece, occupied one corner of the +room: facing was a bed, composed of a thin palliasse and a narrow +mattress laid on a deal bedstead, formerly painted yellow, though time +had completely removed the colour. + +A rickety table, a stool, a chair, a night commode, and an iron +candlestick, completed the furniture, which was more than modest. + +This room was situated on the highest floor of the tower, the platform +of which, where a sentry tramped day and night, served as the ceiling. + +The soldier drew the bolts that garnished the iron-lined door of this +room. The Count entered, with a firm step. + +After taking a glance at these cold, sad walls, destined henceforward +to serve him as a habitation, he sat down on a chair, crossed his arms +on his breast, hung his head, and began to reflect. + +The soldier, or rather gaoler, who had gone out, returned an hour +later, and found him in the same position. + +He brought with him sheets, blankets, and wood to light a fire. Behind +him two soldiers carried the portmanteau containing the prisoner's +clothes and linen, which they placed in a corner, and retired. + +The gaoler at once set to work making the bed. Then he swept the room +and lit the fire. When these different duties were accomplished, he +approached the prisoner. + +"My lord?" he said to him politely. + +"What do you want with me, my friend?" the Count answered, raising his +head and looking at him gently. + +"The governor of the castle desires the honour of an interview with +you, as he says he has an important communication to make." + +"I am at the governor's orders," the Count said laconically. + +The gaoler bowed and went out. + +"What can the man want with me?" the Count muttered, so soon as he was +alone. + +He had not long to wait, for the door opened again and the governor +made his appearance. + +The prisoner rose to receive him, bowed, and then silently waited for +him to speak. + +The Major made the gaoler a sign to withdraw, and then, after a fresh +bow, he said with cold politeness,-- + +"My lord Count, gentlemen should respect each other. Although +the orders I have received on your account from the Cardinal are +very strict, I still desire to shew you any attention that is not +incompatible with my duty. I have, therefore, come to you frankly in +order to have an understanding on the subject." + +The Count guessed to what this speech tended, but did not let it be +seen, and answered,-- + +"Mr. Governor, I am grateful, as I ought to be, for the steps you +have been kind enough to take; may I ask you, therefore, to have the +goodness to explain to me the nature of your orders, and what the +favours are by which you can alleviate their severity. But, in the +first place, as I am at home here," he added, with a melancholy smile; +"do me the honour of seating yourself." + +The Major bowed, but remained standing. + +"It is unnecessary, my lord," he remarked, "as what I have to say to +you is very short; in the first place, you will observe that I have had +the delicacy to send you the trunk containing your effects unexamined +as I had the right to do." + +"I allow the fact, Major, and feel obliged; to you for it." + +The Major bowed. + +"As you are an officer, my lord," he said, "you are aware that his +Eminence the Cardinal, although he is a great man, is not very liberal +to officers whose infirmity or wounds compel them to quit the service." + +"That is true." + +"The governors of fortresses more especially, although nominated by the +King, being obliged to pay a long price to their predecessors for the +office, are reduced to a perfect state of want, if they have not saved +up some money." + +"I was not aware of that circumstance, sir, and fancied that the +governorship of a fortress was a reward." + +"So it is, my lord, but we have to pay for the command of fortresses +like this, which are employed as state prisons." + +"Ah! Very good." + +"You understand, it is supposed that the governor makes a profit by the +prisoners intrusted to his keeping." + +"Of course, sir; are there at present many unhappy men who have +incurred the displeasure of His Eminence detained in this castle?" + +"Alas, sir, you are the only one, and that is exactly the reason why I +desire to have an amicable settlement with you." + +"For my part, be assured, sir, that I desire nothing more earnestly." + +"I am convinced of that, and hence will discuss the question frankly." + +"Do so, sir, do so; I am listening to you with the most serious +attention." + +"I have orders, sir, not to let you communicate with anyone but your +gaoler, to give you neither books, papers, pens, or ink, and never to +allow you to quit this room; it appears there is great fear of your +escape from here, and his Eminence is anxious to keep you." + +"I am extremely obliged to his Eminence, but luckily for me," the Count +answered with a smile, "instead of having to deal with a gaoler, I am +dependent on a true soldier, who, while strictly obeying his orders, +considers it unnecessary to torture a prisoner already so unhappy as to +have fallen into disgrace with the King and the Cardinal minister." + +"You have judged me correctly, my lord, though the orders are so +strict. I command alone in this castle, where I have no control to +fear. Hence I hope to have it in my power to relax the rigor I am +commanded to show you." + +"Whatever may be your intention in that respect, allow me, sir, in +my turn to speak like a frank and loyal sailor. As prisoner of your +King, doubtless for a very long time, money is perfectly useless to +me; though not rich, I enjoy a certain ease, on which I congratulate +myself, as this ease permits me to requite any polite attentions you +may show me; service for service, sir, I will give you every year +10,000 livres, paid in advance; and, on your side, will you allow me to +procure, at my own charges of course, all the objects susceptible of +alleviating my captivity." + +The Major felt as if about to faint. The old officer of fortune had +never in his whole life possessed so large a sum. + +The Count continued without seeming to notice the effect his words +produced on the governor. + +"Well then, that is quite understood. To the sum the King pays you +for my board, we will add 200 livres a month, or 2,400 per annum, for +papers, pens, ink, &c., suppose we say the round sum of 3,000 livres, +does that suit you?" + +"Ah, Sir, it is too much, a great deal too much." + +"No, Sir, since I assist an honourable man, who will owe me thanks for +it." + +"Ah! I shall be eternally grateful, sir; but, do not be angry with my +frankness, you will oblige me to offer up vows to keep you as long as +possible." + +"Who knows, sir, whether my departure will not some day be more +advantageous than my stay here?" he said with a meaning smile; "be good +enough to lend me your tablets." + +The Major offered them to him. + +The Count tore out a leaf, with a few pencilled words on it, and handed +it back to him. + +"Here," he said, "is a draught for 16,000 livres, which you can receive +at sight from Messrs. Dubois, Loustal, and Co., of Toulon, whenever you +have leisure." + +The governor clutched the paper with a start of joy. + +"But it seems to me that this draft is 800 livres in excess of the sum +agreed on between us?" he said. + +"That is correct, sir, but the 800 livres are for the purchase of +different articles, of which here is the list, and which I must ask you +to procure for me." + +"You shall have them tomorrow, my lord," and after bowing very low the +governor walked backwards out of the room. + +"Come," the Count muttered gaily, when the heavy door had closed on +the Major; "I was not deceived, I judged that man correctly, and his +is really perfect, but his most thoroughly developed vice is decidedly +avarice; I can make something of it, I fancy, when I like, but I must +not go ahead too fast, but act with the greatest prudence." + +Certain of not being disturbed, at least for some hours, the Count +opened the trunk brought in by the two soldiers, in order to convince +himself whether the governor had told him the truth, and the contents +were really intact. + +The trunk had not been examined. + +In the foresight of a probable arrest, the Count when he started in +pursuit of the Duc de Peñaflor, had purchased several objects which he +found again with the most lively satisfaction. + +In addition to a certain quantity of clothes and linen, the trunk +contained a very fine and strong silk cord, nearly one hundred fathoms +in length, two pairs of pistols, a dagger, a sword, powder and bullets, +objects which the governor would have confiscated without any scruple, +had he seen them, and which the Count had laid in at all risks, +trusting to chance. + +There were also several iron and steel tools, and concealed in a double +bottom, a very heavy purse containing the sum of 25,000 livres in +gold, in addition to another almost equally large amount in Spanish +quadruples sewn into a wide leathern belt. + +So soon as the Count was certain that the Major had told him the truth, +he carefully locked the trunk again, hung the key round his neck by a +steel chain, and sat down quietly in the chimney corner. + +His meditations were interrupted by the gaoler. This time the man not +only brought him bed furniture, far superior to what he had given him +before, but he had added a carpet, a mirror, and even toilet utensils. + +A cloth was spread on a table, upon which he placed in a moment a very +appetising dinner. + +"The Major begs me to apologize, sir," he said; "tomorrow he will send +you what you asked for. In the meanwhile he has forwarded you some +books." + +"Very good, my friend," the Count replied. + +"What is your name?" + +"La Grenade, sir." + +"Has the Governor selected you to wait on me?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"My friend, you appear to me a good fellow, here are three louis for +you. I will give you the same amount every month if I am satisfied with +your attention." + +"Had you given me nothing, sir," La Grenade replied, as he took the +money, "it would not have prevented me from serving you with all the +zeal of which I am capable, and if I receive these three louis, it is +only because a poor devil like me has no right to refuse a present from +so generous a gentleman as you. But, I repeat, sir, I am quite at your +service, and you can employ me in whatever way you please." + +"Goodness!" the Count said, in surprise; "and yet I do not know you, +as far as I am aware, La Grenade--whence, may I ask, comes this great +devotion to my person?" + +"I am most willing to tell you, sir, if it interests you. I am a +friend of M. François Bouillot, to whom I am under certain obligations; +he ordered me to serve and obey you in everything." + +"That good Bouillot," said the Count. "Very well, my friend, I shall +not be ungrateful. I do not want you anymore at present." + +The gaoler put some logs on the fire, lit the lamp, and withdrew. + +"Well," said the Count, with a laugh, "Heaven forgive me! I believe +that, though a prisoner in appearance, I am as much master of this +castle as the governor, and that I can leave it without opposition on +any day I like. What would the Cardinal think if he knew how his orders +were executed?" + +He sat down to table, unfolded his napkin, and began dining with a good +appetite. + +Things went on thus, in the way agreed on between the Governor and his +prisoner. + +The arrival of Count de Barmont at the fortress had been a windfall for +the Major, who, since he had received from the royal munificence the +command of this castle as retiring pension, had not once before had an +opportunity to derive any profit from the position that had been given +him. Hence he promised to make a gold mine of his solitary prisoner; +for the Isle of St. Marguerite, as we have already remarked, had not +yet acquired the reputation which it merited at a later date as a State +prison. + +The Count's room was furnished as well as it could be; everything he +demanded in the shape of books was procured him, though he had to pay +dearly for them, and he was even allowed to walk on the towers. + +The Count was happy--so far, at least, as the circumstances in which +he found himself allowed him to be so: no one would have supposed, +on seeing him work so assiduously at mathematics and navigation, for +he applied himself most seriously to the completion of his maritime +education, that this man nourished in his heart a thought of implacable +vengeance, and that this thought was ever present to him. + +At the first blush, the resolution formed by the Count to allow himself +to be incarcerated, while it was easy for him to remain free, may seem +strange: but the Count was one of those men of granite whose thoughts +are immutable, and who, when they have once formed a resolution, after +calculating with the utmost coolness all the chances for and against, +follow the road they have laid down for themselves, ever marching in a +straight line without caring for the obstacles that arise at each step +on their path and surmounting them, because they decided from the first +that they would do so--characters that grow and are perfected in the +struggle, and sooner or later reach the goal they have designed. + +The Count understood that any resistance to the Cardinal would result +in his own utter ruin; and there was no lack of proofs to support this +reasoning: by escaping from the guards who were taking him to prison, +he would remain at liberty, it is true, but he would be exiled, obliged +to quit France, and wander about in foreign parts alone, isolated, +without resources, ever on the watch, forced to hide himself, and +reduced to the impossibility of asking, that is to say, of obtaining +the necessary information he required to avenge himself on the man +who, by robbing him of the wife he loved, had at the same blow not +only destroyed his career and fortune, but also eternally ruined his +happiness. + +He was young, and could wait; vengeance is eaten cold, say the +southerners--and the Count came from Languedoc. Besides, as he had said +to Bouillot, in a moment of expansiveness, he wished to suffer, in +order to kill within him every human feeling that still existed, and to +find himself one day armed _cap-à -pie_ to face his enemy. + +Cardinal Richelieu and Louis XIII. were both seriously ill. Their death +would not fail to produce a change of reign in two, three, or four +years at the most, and that catastrophe would arrive, one of whose +consequences it is to produce a reaction, and consequently, to open to +all the prisoners of the defunct Cardinal the dungeons to which he had +condemned them. + +The Count was twenty-five years of age: hence time was his own, and the +more so because, when restored to liberty, he would enter on all his +rights, and as an enemy of Richelieu, be favourably regarded at Court, +and, through the temporary credit he would enjoy, be in a condition to +regain all the advantage he had lost as concerned his foe. + +Only energetically endowed men, who are sure of themselves, are capable +of making such calculations, and obstinately pursuing a line of +conduct so opposed to all logical combinations; but these men who thus +resolutely enlist chance on their side, and reckon on it as a partner, +always succeed in what they purpose doing, unless death suddenly cuts +them short. + +Through the intercession of La Grenade, and the tacit connivance of the +Governor, who closed his eyes with a charming inattention, the Count +was not only cognizant with all that was going on outside, but also +received letters from his friends, which he answered. + +One day, after reading a letter which la Grenade had given him when +bringing in breakfast, a letter from the Duc de Bellegarde, which had +reached him through Michael, for the worthy sailor had refused to leave +his Commandant, and had turned fisherman at Antibes, with Bowline as +his assistant, the Count sent a message to the Governor, requesting a +few minutes' conversation with him. + +The Major knew that every visit he paid his prisoner was a profit to +him, hence he hastened to his room. + +"Have you heard the news, sir?" the Count said at once on seeing him. + +"What news, my lord?" the Major asked, in amazement, for he knew +nothing. + +In fact, placed as he was at the extreme frontier of the kingdom, news, +no matter its importance, only reached him, so to speak, by accident. + +"The Cardinal Minister is dead, sir. I have just learned it from a sure +hand." + +"Oh!" said the Major, clasping his hands, for this death might cause +him the loss of his place. + +"And," the Count added, coldly, "His Majesty King Louis XIII. is at +death's door." + +"Great heaven, what a misfortune!" exclaimed the Governor. + +"This misfortune may be fortunate for you, sir," the Count resumed. + +"Fortunate! When I am menaced with the loss of my command! Alas, my +lord, what will become of me if I am turned out of here?" + +"That might easily, happen," said the Count. "You have, sir, always +been a great friend of the defunct Cardinal, and known as such." + +"That is, unhappily, too true," the Major muttered, quite out of +countenance, and recognizing the truth of this affirmation. + +"There is, I think, an advantageous mode of arranging matters." + +"What is it, my lord? Speak, I implore you!" + +"It is this: listen to me carefully--what I am going to say is very +serious for you." + +"I am listening, my lord." + +"Here is a letter all ready written for the Duc de Bellegarde. You +will start at once for Paris, passing through Toulon, where you will +cash this draft for 2000 livres, to cover your expenses. The Duke is +sincerely attached to me. For my sake he will receive you kindly: you +will come to an understanding with him, and obey him in everything he +orders." + +"Yes, yes, my lord." + +"And if within a month from this time at the latest--" + +"From this time at the latest--" the Governor repeated, panting with +impatience. + +"You bring me here my full and entire--pardon, signed by H. M. Louis +XIII.--" + +"What?" the Governor exclaimed, with a start of surprise. + +"I will at once pay you," the Count continued, coldly, "the sum of +50,000 livres, to indemnify you for the loss my liberation must entail +on you." + +"Fifty thousand livres!" the Major exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with +greed. + +"Fifty thousand! yes, sir," the Count replied. "And, besides, I pledge +myself, if you wish it, to get you confirmed in your command. Is this +matter settled?" + +"But, my lord, how am I to manage at Paris?" + +"Follow the instructions the Duc de Bellegarde will give you." + +"What you ask of me is very difficult." + +"Not so difficult as you pretend to believe, sir; however, if this +mission does not suit you--" + +"I did not say that, sir." + +"In a word, you can take it or leave it." + +"I take it, my lord--I take it. Great heaven!--fifty thousand livres!" + +"And you start?" + +"Tomorrow." + +"No, tonight." + +"Very good--tonight." + +"All right! Here are the letter and the draft. Oh! by the way, try to +put yourself in communication with a fisherman at Antibes of the name +of Michael." + +"I know him," the Major said, with a smile. + +"Indeed!" said the Count. "There would be no harm, either, in your +trying to find the exempt who brought me here, one François Bouillot." + +"I know where to find him," the Major replied, with the same meaning +smile. + +"Very good! in that case, my dear Governor, I have nothing more to add, +or any recommendations to make to you, beyond wishing you a pleasant +journey." + +"It will be so, my lord, I pledge you my word." + +"It is true that it is a round sum--fifty thousand livres!" + +"I shall not forget the amount." + +After saying this the Major took leave of his prisoner, and retired, +with a profusion of bows. + +"I believe that I am going to be free this time!" the Count exclaimed, +so soon as he was alone--"Ah! my lord Duke, we are now about to fight +with equal weapons!" + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +MAJOR DE L'OURSIÈRE. + + +Had it been possible for Count de Barmont to notice through the thick +oak planks, lined with iron, that formed the door of his prison, the +face of the governor on leaving him, he would not have chanted victory +so loudly, or believed himself so near his deliverance. + +In fact, so soon as the Major had no longer cause to dread his +prisoner's clear-sighted glance, his features immediately assumed an +expression of cynical malice impossible to render; his half-closed eyes +flashed with a gloomy fire beneath his grey eyelids and an ironical +smile raised the corners of his pale thin lips. + +It was twilight; night was beginning to fall, and confound all objects, +by burying them in a dark pall, which momentarily grew denser. + +The Major returned to his apartments, put a heavy cloak on his +shoulders, pulled his hat over his eyes, and sent for his lieutenant. + +The latter presented himself at once. + +He was a man of about forty, with a delicate and intelligent face, +whose features were imprinted with gentleness and even kindness. + +"I am starting this moment, sir," the governor said to him, "for +Antibes, whither important business summons me; my absence will +probably be prolonged for several days. While I remain absent from the +castle, I invest you with the command; watch over its safety, and guard +against any attempted escape on the part of the prisoner, though I +doubt his making it. Such attempts, though they do not succeed, injure +the reputation of a fortress, and the character of its governor." + +"I will watch with the greatest care, sir!" + +"I am certain of that, sir. Is there any fishing boat in the roads? +I should prefer not using the boat belonging to the fortress, as the +garrison is so weak." + +"The fishing boat you generally use, sir, and which is commanded by one +Michael, I think, was alongside the quay hardly an hour ago, but he has +probably started to fish outside the reef, as he usually does." + +"Hum," said the Major, "even were he still there, I should scruple at +making the poor fellow lose so much time in putting me ashore. These +fishermen are not rich, and every minute you take from them makes them +lose a part of the trifling profit of a long and hard night's work." + +The officer bowed, apparently sharing his chief's philanthropic ideas, +although his face evidenced the surprise which the expression of such +sentiments by a man like the Major caused him. + +"Are there no other boats here?" the Major asked, affecting an air of +indifference. + +"I beg your pardon, sir, a smuggling lugger is just about putting out +to sea." + +"Very good; warn the master that I wish him to take me on board. Be +good enough to make haste, sir, for I am in a hurry." + +The officer withdrew to carry out the order given him; the Major took +some papers, doubtless important, from an iron casket, hid them under +his coat, wrapped himself in his cloak, and left the castle, under the +salute of the sentries who presented arms as he passed. + +"Well?" he asked the officer who came to meet him. + +"I have spoken to the master, sir, he awaits you," the other replied. + +"I thank you, sir; now, return to the castle, and watch carefully over +its safety till my return." + +The officer took leave, and the Major proceeded toward a sort of small +quay, where the lugger's yawl was waiting for him. + +So soon as the governor was aboard, the smuggler let go the hawser, and +set sail. + +When the light vessel was well under weigh, the master respectfully +walked up to the Major. + +"Where are we to steer?" he asked, as he doffed his woollen nightcap. + +"Ah, ah! is it you, Master Nicaud?" the governor said; for, accustomed +to have dealings with the smugglers, he knew most of them by their +names. + +"Myself, at your service, if I can do anything, Mr. Governor," the +master answered politely. + +"Tell me," said the Major, "would you like to earn ten louis?" + +The sailor burst into a hearty laugh. + +"You are joking with me, of course, Mr. Governor," he said. + +"Not at all," the Major went on, "and the proof is, here they are," +he added, as he drew from his pocket a handful of gold, which he +carelessly tossed in his hand; "I am therefore awaiting your answer." + +"Hang it, Mr. Governor, you are well aware that ten louis forms a very +fine lump of money for a poor fellow like me; I am most willing to earn +the canaries, what must I do for them?" + +"Well, a very simple thing! take me to St. Honorat, where I feel +inclined for a stroll." + +"At this time of night?" the master remarked in surprise. + +The Major bit his lips on perceiving that he had made a foolish remark. + +"I am very fond of the picturesque, and wish to enjoy the effect of the +convent ruins in the moonlight." + +"That is an idea like any other," the skipper answered; "and as you pay +me, Mr. Governor, I can have no objection." + +"That is true. Then you will take me to Saint Honorat, land me in your +boat, and stand off and on while waiting for me. Is that agreed?" + +"Perfectly." + +"Ah! I have a decided taste for solitude, and hence I must insist on +none of your men landing on the island while I am there." + +"The whole crew shall remain on board, I promise you." + +"All right, I trust to you, here is the money." + +"Thanks," said the skipper, pocketing it; then he said to the steerer, +"down with the helm," and added, "Hilloh, my lads, brace the sheets to +larboard." + +The vessel quickly came up to the wind, and leaped over the waves in +the direction of Saint Honorat, whose black outlines stood out on the +horizon. + +It is but a short passage between Saint Marguerite and Saint Honorat, +especially for such a clipper as the smuggling lugger. + +The vessel was soon off the island. + +The master lay to, and ordered a boat to be let down. + +"Mr. Governor," he said respectfully, doffing his cap, and stopping the +governor, who was walking up and down in the stern; "we are all ready, +and the boat waits for you." + +"Already! All the better," the latter answered. + +At the moment when he was going to get into the boat, the skipper +arrested him. + +"Have you pistols?" he asked him. + +"Pistols?" he said as he turned round, "What for? is not this island +deserted?" + +"Entirely." + +"Hence I can run no risk." + +"Not the slightest; hence that is not the reason why I asked you the +question." + +"What is it then?" + +"Hang it, it is as black as in the fiend's oven; there is no moon, you +cannot distinguish an object ten yards from you. How shall I know when +you want to come on board again, unless you warn me by a signal?" + +"That is true; what had I better do?" + +"Here is a pistol, it is not loaded, but there is powder in the pan, +and you can squib it." + +"Thanks," said the Major, taking the pistol, and thrusting it through +his girdle. + +He got into the boat, which was dancing on the waves, and sat down in +the stern sheets; four vigorous sailors bending over the oars made her +fly through the water. + +"A pleasant trip," the skipper shouted. + +It appeared to the Major as if this wish had been uttered with a very +marked ironical tone by Master Nicaud, but he attached no further +importance to it, and turned his eyes toward land, which was gradually +looming larger. + +Ere long the boat's bows grated on the sand; they had arrived. + +The Major went ashore, and after ordering the sailors to return aboard, +he drew his cloak over his face, went off with long steps, and soon +disappeared in the darkness. + +However, instead of obeying the injunction given them, three of the +sailors landed in their turn, and followed the Major at a distance, +while careful to keep themselves out of sight. The fourth, who remained +to keep the boat, hid the latter behind a point, secured it to a +projecting rock, and leaping ashore, fusil in hand, he remained on the +watch with his eyes fixed on the interior of the island. + +The Major, in the meanwhile, continued to advance hurriedly in the +direction of the ruins, whose imposing outline was already beginning +to present itself to his eyes, borrowing from the surrounding gloom a +still more imposing aspect. + +The Major, convinced that his orders had been punctually carried out, +for he had no motive to distrust Master Nicaud, whom he had ever and +under all circumstances found willing and faithful, walked on without +turning his head, or even taking precautions, which he considered +unnecessary, as he was far from suspecting that several men were +following his footsteps, and watching his movements. + +It was easy to see from the deliberate manner in which he walked, and +the facility with which he evaded obstacles and found his way in the +darkness, that this was not the first time the Major had come to this +spot, though it appeared so solitary and deserted. + +After entering the ruins, M. de l'Oursière passed through a cloister, +encumbered with shapeless fragments, and forcing his way between +stones and brambles, he entered the chapel, a magnificent specimen of +the purest Roman style, whose crumbling roof had fallen in under the +incessant efforts of time, and only the choir and apse still remained +intact amid broken columns and desecrated altars. + +The Major passed through the choir, and reached the apse, where he +halted. + +After carefully examining for a moment the surrounding objects, as if +he expected to find someone or something he did not perceive, he at +length resolved to clap his hands thrice. + +At the same moment a man rose scarce two paces from him. + +This sudden apparition, though he fully expected it, made the Major +start, and he fell back a step, laying his hand on his sword. + +"Ah, ah, my master," the stranger said, in a mocking voice, "pray do +you take me for a spectre, that I cause you such terror?" + +The man was wrapped up in a thick cloak, whose folds concealed his +shape, while a broad leafed plumed hat entirely covered his face and +rendered him completely unrecognizable. Only the end of his cloak +raised by the scabbard of a long rapier, proved that whoever the man +might be, he had not come unarmed to this gloomy rendezvous. + +"I am at your orders, sir," the Major said, raising his hand to his +hat, but without removing it. + +"And ready to serve me, no doubt," the stranger resumed. + +"That depends," the Major remarked roughly, "times are no longer the +same." + +"Ah, ah," the stranger continued still sarcastically, "what news is +there? I shall be delighted to learn it of you." + +"You know it as well as I do, sir." + +"No matter, tell me all the same what the great news is, that thus +produces modifications in our relations which have hitherto been so +amicable?" + +"It is useless to jeer thus, sir; I have served you, you have paid me, +and we are quits." + +"Perhaps so, but go on. I presume you wish to propose a new bargain to +me?" + +"I have nothing to propose; I have merely come because you expressed a +desire to see me, that is all." + +"And your prisoner, are you still satisfied with him?" + +"More than ever. He is a charming gentleman, who does not at all +deserve the melancholy fate thrust on him; I really feel an interest in +him." + +"Confound it, that comes expensive, I did not take that interest into +account, and I was wrong, I see." + +"What do you mean, sir?" the Major protested with an indignant air. + +"Nothing but what I say to you, my dear sir. Hang it, you amuse me with +your scruples, after taking money from all parties during the last +eighteen months; the Cardinal is dead and the King is on the point of +following him, that is what you wished to tell me, is it not? A new +reign is preparing, and it is probable that, if only through a spirit +of contradiction, the new government will upset everything done by +the one that preceded it, and that its first care will be to open the +prison doors; you also wished to tell me that Count de Barmont, who +possesses warm friends at court, who will not fail to employ their +influence on his behalf, cannot fail to be set at liberty ere long. +Confusion, I knew all that as well and even better than you, but what +matter?" + +"How, what matter?" + +"Certainly, if Count de Barmont has devoted friends, he has implacable +enemies; bear that in mind." + +"And the result will be?" + +"That in four days at the latest, you will receive an order signed by +Louis XIII. himself." + +"To what effect?" + +"Oh! Good heaven, no great thing, except that Count de Barmont will +be immediately transferred from St. Marguerite to the Bastille; and +once there," he added in a hollow voice, which made the Major shudder +involuntarily, "a man is eternally erased from the number of the living +or only leaves it a corpse or a maniac. Do you comprehend me now?" + +"Yes, I understand you, sir; but who guarantees that the Count will not +have escaped before the four days to which you refer?" + +"Oh! With a governor like yourself, Major, such an eventuality seems to +me highly improbable." + +"Well, well," the Major observed, "very extraordinary tales are told +about the escape of prisoners." + +"That is true; but another thing reassures me against this escape." + +"And what is that, sir?" + +"Merely that the Count himself declared that he would never consent to +escape, and was not at all anxious about liberty." + +"Well, sir, that is the very thing that deceives you; it seems that +he has now changed his opinion, and is eagerly soliciting through his +friends to obtain his liberty." + +"Ah! Have we come to that point?" the stranger said, fixing on the +Major a glance which flashed through the gloom. + +The governor bowed. + +There was a silence, during which no other sound was audible, save that +of the heavy flight of the nocturnal birds in the ruins. + +"A truce to further chattering," the stranger resumed in a fierce +voice; "how much do you ask to prevent the prisoner escaping until the +king's order reaches you?" + +"Two hundred thousand livres," the Major answered roughly. + +"Was I not right in telling you that it would be expensive?" the +stranger said with a grin. + +"Dear or not, that is my price, and I shall not bate it." + +"Very good, you shall have it." + +"When?" + +"Tomorrow." + +"That will be too late." + +"What?" the stranger asked haughtily. + +"I said it would be too late," the Major repeated imperturbably. + +"In that case, when must you have it?" + +"At once." + +"Do you fancy I carry 200,000 livres about me?" + +"I do not say that, but I can accompany you where you are going, and on +reaching Antibes, we will say, you can pay me the amount." + +"That is a good plan." + +"Is it not?" + +"Yes, only there is an obstacle to its success." + +"I do not see one." + +"But I do." + +"What is it, sir?" + +"That, if I give you a meeting here, and come disguised and alone, I +have probably an object." + +"Of course! You wish to remain incog." + +"You are full of penetration, my dear sir; and yet we can come to an +understanding." + +"I do not see how, unless you consent to what I ask." + +"You are a judge of diamonds, since we have hitherto only bargained in +them." + +"That is true, I am a tolerable judge of them." + +"Here is one that is worth 100,000 crowns, take it." + +And he offered a small case of black shagreen. + +The Major eagerly seized it. + +"But," he objected, "how can I be certain that you are not deceiving +me?" + +"An affecting confession," the stranger observed laughingly. + +"Business is business, I risk my soul in serving you." + +"As for your soul, my dear sir, reassure yourself; in that quarter you +have nothing to risk. But I will give you the satisfaction you desire." + +And taking a dark lanthorn from under his cloak, he let the light play +on the diamond. + +The Major only required one glance to assure himself of the value of +the rich reward offered him. + +"Are you satisfied?" the stranger asked, as he placed the lanthorn +again under his cloak. + +"Here is the proof," the Major answered, as he concealed the box, and +handed him a bundle of papers. + +"What is this?" the stranger inquired. + +"Papers of great importance for you, in the sense that they will tell +you who the Count's friends are, and the means they can employ to +restore him to liberty." + +"Bravo!" the stranger exclaimed, as he eagerly took the bundle of +papers; "I no longer regret having paid so heavy a price for your +assistance. Now we have discussed every point, I think?" + +"I think so too." + +"In that case, farewell! When I want you, I will let you know." + +"Are you going already?" + +"What the deuce would you have me do longer in this owl's nest? It is +time for each of us to rejoin the persons waiting for us." + +And after giving the Major a slight wave of the hand, he turned away +and disappeared behind the ruins of the high altar. + +At the same moment the stranger was suddenly seized by several men, so +that not only was he unable to offer a useless resistance, but found +himself bound and gagged before he had recovered from the surprise this +attack had caused him. + +His silent aggressors then left him rolling on the ground with +convulsive bounds of impotent rage, and disappeared in the darkness +without paying any further attention to him. + +The Major, after a momentary hesitation, also resolved to leave the +place, and slowly proceeded in the direction of the shore. On arriving +within a certain distance, in obedience to skipper Nicaud's hint, he +cocked his pistol and flashed the powder in the pan; then he continued +to advance slowly. + +The boat had doubtless made haste to meet him, for at the same moment +as the Major reached the shore, its bows ran into the sand. + +The governor stepped silently into it; twenty minutes after he +found himself on board the lugger, where master Nicaud received him +respectfully cap in hand. + +The boat was hauled up to the davits, sail was set on the lugger, and +she stood out to sea before a fresh breeze. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE SEAGULL LUGGER. + + +A lugger is a three mast vessel, with narrow lines aft and bulging +bows; it has a foremast, mainmast, and a driver greatly inclined over +the stern; its bowsprit is short; it carries large sails and at times +topsails. + +From this description it is easy to see that luggers have the same rig, +on a larger scale, as chasse-marées. + +Although the draft on water of these vessels is rather great aft, as +they are generally quick and good sea boats, they are largely employed +for smuggling purposes, in spite of the inconvenience of the large +sails which have to be shifted with each tack. + +The Seagull was a vessel of ninety tons, neatly fitted up, and carrying +four small iron guns of eight to the pound, which caused her to bear a +greater resemblance with a corsair than a peaceful coaster. + +Still, in spite of a rather numerous crew, and her rakish appearance, +during about a year since this vessel began frequenting the coast of +Provence and the Lerins islands, not a word of harm had been said +against her. Skipper Nicaud passed for an honest worthy man, although a +little rough and quarrelsome,--faults, by the way, peculiar to nearly +all sailors, and which in no way diminished the excellent reputation +which the master of the Seagull enjoyed. + +So soon as Major de l'Oursière had regained the lugger's deck, and the +vessel had stood off, after taking a parting glance at St. Honorat, +whose outline was gradually disappearing in the mist, he walked aft, +seized the manrope and went down into the cabin. + +But on entering the cabin, which he supposed to be unoccupied, as +the skipper was on deck, the Major with difficulty restrained an +exclamation of surprise. + +There was a man in the cabin, seated at a table, and contently imbibing +rum and water, while smoking an enormous pipe, and forming an aureole +around him of bluish smoke. + +In this man the Major recognised Michael the Basque, the fisherman. + +After a moment's hesitation, the Major walked in, although the presence +of this individual aboard the lugger was rather singular. Still there +was nothing in the thing that should terrify the Major, who had no +reason to suppose that Michael was hostile to him, or that he had +anything to apprehend from him. + +At the noise made by the Major on entering the cabin, the sailor half +turned to him, though without removing the pipe from his lips. After +taking a pull at the glass he held in his right hand, he said in a +bantering tone,-- + +"Why, if I am not mistaken, it is our estimable governor of St. +Marguerite; delighted to see you, I am sure, Major." + +"Why," the Major replied, in the same key, "it's that worthy fellow, +Michael. By what chance do I find you here, when I had a right to +suppose you engaged fishing, at this moment, Lord knows where?" + +"Ah!" said Michael, with a laugh; "There's as good fishing here +as anywhere. Won't you take a seat, Major, or are you afraid of +compromising your dignity by sitting down by the side of a poor fellow +like me?" + +"You do not think that," the Major answered, as he seated himself. + +"Don't you smoke, eh?" Michael asked him. + +"No; that is a sailor's amusement." + +"It is so, Major. But I suppose you drink?" + +The Major held out a glass, which the sailor liberally filled. + +"Here's your health, Major. If I expected to meet anyone, it wasn't +you, I assure you." + +"I thought so." + +"Indeed I didn't." + +"Well, to tell you the truth, I did not expect to meet you, either." + +"I am aware of that. You have come from St. Honorat." + +"Hang it all! You cannot be ignorant of that fact, since I find you +here." + +"It was on your account, then, that we lost two hours in tacking +between the islands, at the risk of running on to a reef, instead of +attending to our business?" + +"What do you mean by business? Are you a smuggler at present?" + +"I am everything," Michael replied, laconically, emptying his glass. + +"But what the deuce are you doing here?" asked the Major. + +"What are you?" the sailor said, answering one question by another. + +"I--I?" the Major began, in embarrassment. + +"You hesitate!" Michael continued, banteringly. "Well, I will tell you, +if you like." + +"You, Michael?" + +"Why not? You went to St. Honorat to admire the beauties of nature," +and he burst into a hearty laugh. "Is it not so?" + +"Yes. I have always passionately admired the picturesque. But that +reminds me. I have forgotten to tell skipper Nicaud where I wish him to +land me." + +And he made a movement, as if to rise. + +"It is unnecessary," the sailor said, obliging him to sit down again. + +"How? Unnecessary! On the contrary, I must do it, without further +delay." + +"Still you have time, Major," the sailor said, peremptorily; "besides, +I must speak with you first." + +"You speak with me?" the Major exclaimed, in stupefaction. + +"So it is, Major," the other replied, sarcastically. "I have very +important matters to tell you. In your devil of a castle that is +impossible, because you have there a number of soldiers and gaolers, +who, at your slightest frown, interrupt the person addressing you, and +throw him without ceremony into some hole, where they unscrupulously +leave him to rot. That is discouraging, on my honour. But here it is +far more agreeable, as I am not afraid that you will have me locked up +--at least, not for the present. Hence, as the opportunity offers, I +wish to take advantage of it to empty my budget, and tell you what I +have on my heart." + +The Major felt internally anxious, without yet knowing positively what +he had to fear, so extraordinary to him seemed this way of speaking +on the part of a sailor, who had hitherto always displayed a servile +politeness toward him. Still, he did not allow anything of this to be +seen, but leaned carelessly over the table. + +"Very good, let us talk, since you feel so great an inclination for +it, my good Michael; for I have time, as I am in no hurry." + +The sailor made his chair turn half round on its hind legs, and finding +himself by this movement right facing M. de l'Oursière, he examined him +cunningly, for an instant, then drained the contents of his glass; and, +after banging the empty glass on the table, he said,-- + +"It is really a charming passion of yours, Major, to go thus at night +to admire the ruins of the convent of St. Honorat in the darkness. It +is, really, a charming passion, and a very profitable one, from what I +have been able to learn." + +"What do you mean?" the Major asked, turning pale. + +"I mean what I say, nothing else! Do you believe in hazard, Major?" + +"Why--" + +"No more, I fancy, in that which makes me meet you here, than in the +chance that makes you find on a desert island diamonds worth three +hundred thousand livres; because the one thing is as impossible as the +other?" + +This time the Major did not attempt to reply, for he felt he was caught +out. + +Michael continued in the same sneering and bantering tone-- + +"It is certainly ingenious to act as you do. A man soon grows rich by +taking with both hands, but like all trades that are too good, this one +is rather risky." + +"You insult me, scoundrel!" the Major stammered. "Take care what you +say. If I call--" + +"Come, come," the sailor interrupted, with a coarse laugh; "I do not +intend to notice the insult you cast in my teeth, for I have something +else to do. As for calling out, just try it, and you will see what +will happen." + +"That--that is treachery!" + +"Hang it! Are we not all more or less traitors? You are one--I am one; +that is allowed: hence, believe me, it is useless to dwell any longer +on this subject, and we had better revert to our business." + +"Speak," the Major muttered in a gloomy voice. + +"But, stay. I wish to give you a proof of frankness, and show you once +for all how wrong you would be in keeping up, I will not say the least +hope, but the slightest illusion as to what is going on here." + +Then, tapping the table smartly with the heel of his glass, he +shouted,-- + +"Come here, Nicaud, I want you." + +A heavy step resounded on the cabin stairs, and almost immediately +Skipper Nicaud's cunning face was framed by the doorway. + +"What do you want, Michael?" he asked, without seeming even to notice +the Major's presence. + +"Only a trifle, my lad," the sailor replied, pointing to the officer, +who had turned pale, through the emotion he felt. "Only a simple +question for the personal satisfaction of this gentleman." + +"Speak." + +"Who is the present commander of the Seagull lugger, in whose cabin we +are now seated?" + +"Why, you, of course." + +"Then everyone aboard, yourself included, must obey me?" + +"Certainly; and without the slightest observation." + +"Very good. Then supposing, Nicaud, I were to order you to take the +Major here present, fasten a couple of round shot to his feet, and +throw him overboard, what would you do, my lad?" + +"What would I do?" + +"Yes." + +"Obey." + +"Without any observation?" + +Skipper Nicaud shrugged his shoulders. + +"Shall I do it?" he asked, stretching out his huge fist towards the +Major, who shuddered. + +"Not yet," Michael answered. "Go back on deck, but do not go far, as I +shall probably want you soon." + +"Very good," said the master, and disappeared. + +"Are you now edified, Major?" Michael asked, turning carelessly to the +horrified governor; "And are you not beginning to understand that I, +poor chap as I am, compared with you, have you, temporarily, at any +rate, completely in my power?" + +"I allow it," the Major stammered, in a faint and choking voice. + +"In that case, I believe we shall come to an understanding." + +"Come to the facts, sir, without further circumlocution." + +"Good!" Michael exclaimed, coarsely; "That's how I like to see you. In +the first place, hand me the diamond which your accomplice gave you in +the ruins." + +"Then you mean robbery. I had hoped better things of you," the Major +answered, disdainfully. + +"Call it what you like, Major," the sailor said imperturbably; "the +name does not alter the thing--give me the diamond." + +"No," the Major answered coldly, "the diamond is my fortune, and you +shall only have it with my life." + +"That condition, illogical though it is, will not check me, I assure +you, for I will kill you, if necessary, and then take the diamond," and +he cocked a pistol. + +There was a silence. + +"Well, then, it is really this diamond you want?" + +"That and something else," said Michael. + +"I do not understand you." + +The sailor rose, placed the pistol to his chest, and said frowningly-- + +"I will make you understand me." + +The Major felt he was lost, and that this man would kill him. + +"Stop!" he said. + +"Have you decided?" + +"Yes," he answered, in a voice choked with rage, and drawing the box +from his bosom, he muttered, "Curse you, take it!" + +Michael returned the pistol to his belt, opened the box, and +attentively examined the diamond. + +"It is the one," he said, as he closed the box again, and stowed it +away. + +The unlucky officer followed all these movements with a lack-lustre eye. + +Michael resumed his seat, poured himself out a glass of rum, swallowed +it at a draught, and then bending forward as he filled his pipe, said-- + +"Now, let us talk." + +"What, talk?" asked the Major; "Have we not finished yet?" + +"Not yet--what a hurry you are in. At present we have said nothing." + +"What more do you want of me?" + +"That is meant for a reproach; but I allow for your ill temper, and +owe you no grudge for it. It is a sad thing for a man who has been +poor all his life to see himself robbed in a moment of a fortune which +he had only just secured. Well, then, listen to me, Major," he said, +assuming a consolatory air, and putting his elbows on the table, "it is +easy for you to regain the fortune you have lost, and it only depends +on yourself." + +The Major opened his eyes widely, not knowing whether to take what the +sailor said to him seriously; but as he risked nothing by permitting an +explanation, he prepared to give him the most earnest attention. + +The other continued-- + +"No matter how I learned the fact--I know for certain, and the affair +of the diamond is an undeniable proof of it--that, while on one hand, +you feigned to feel the greatest interest for Count de Barmont, from +whom you have drawn large sums, though I don't say it in reproach, by +means of this feigned pity; on the other, you betray him without shame +to his enemies, whom you make pay for it heavily. I merely mention this +as a fact, and it is unnecessary to discuss it," Michael said, checking +the Major, who was about to speak. "Now, I have made up my mind that, +against wind and tide, and in spite of all the intrigues of his enemies +to prevent it, the Count shall be free, and free through me. This is my +plan: listen attentively to this, Mr. Governor, for the affair concerns +you' more nearly than you seem to suppose. The Count has learnt the +death of Cardinal de Richelieu, and I sent him the news in a letter +from the Duc de Bellegarde. You see that I know everything, or nearly +so: he at once requested to see you, and you granted his wish. What +took place at your interview? Speak, and before all, be frank: in my +turn, I will listen to you." + +"Of what use is it to repeat our conversation?" the Major asked, +ironically. + +"For my private satisfaction," Michael answered, "and your special +interest: do not be in too great a hurry to rejoice, Major, for you are +not out of my hands yet. Believe me, you had better yield with a good +grace, for your interest demands it." + +"My interest?" he repeated, in amazement. + +"Go on, Major; when the time arrives, be assured, I shall give you the +explanation you desire." + +The old officer reflected for a moment: at last he decided to speak, +resolved, if the opportunity offered itself hereafter, to make the +sailor pay dearly for all his agony and humiliation. + +"The Count," he said, "engaged me to go to Paris, and negotiate with +the Duc de Bellegarde, in order to bring him back his order of release, +which the duke is certain to obtain from the king." + +"That is good. And when do you intend to start for Paris?" + +"I have started." + +"Ah! Ah!" said Michael, with a laugh. "It appears that you have stopped +on the road, but that has nothing to do with the affair. Is that all?" + +"Nearly so." + +"Hum! then there is something else?" + +"Less than nothing." + +"No matter--out with it, for I am very curious. Did not the Count +promise you something?" + +"Yes." + +"How much?" + +"Fifty thousand livres," the Major said, with repugnance. + +"Ah, ah, that is a tidy sum! And you were setting about earning it in +a strange fashion; but I do not wish to refer to that any more. Do +you wish to recover your diamond, and at the same time gain the fifty +thousand livres promised by the Count? Speak, it depends on yourself." + +"You are jesting with me, and not speaking seriously." + +"Never, on the contrary, have I been more serious. On the Count's +arrival at the castle you command, you were only a poor scrub of an +officer of fortune, who, during his whole life, had been struggling +against odds, and perched like an owl on an old wall, you were exposed +on your isle to die as you had lived; that is to say, without a rap. +During the last fifteen or eighteen months, things have completely +changed with you. With what you have extorted from the Count, and what +his enemies have given you, you have succeeded in getting together a +very decent sum. Admitting that you were to receive the Count's fifty +thousand livres, and I were to give you back the diamond, it would +produce you a perfectly independent fortune, enabling you to retire +when you pleased, and end your days in joy and abundance. Is not that +your opinion?" + +"Certainly, but I shall not touch the 50,000 livres, and the diamond +you have taken from me." + +"That is true, but," he added, "it is only dependent on yourself, +Major, to have it again in your possession." + +"What must I do for that?" + +"That is what I was waiting for, Major; you consent then, to enter into +an arrangement?" + +"I must; have I my free will at this moment?" + +"A man always has it when he likes, Major, you know that as well as I +do; the only thing is, that as you are a man endowed with a strong dose +of intelligence, and understand, that when a person has made a fortune +by means more or less honourable, he must keep it at all hazards, you +are beginning to lend a more attentive ear to the propositions which +you guess I am preparing to make you, for you are at length convinced +that it is to your interest to come to an understanding with me." + +"Suppose what you like, I do not care; but tell me your propositions, +so that I may know whether my honour allows me to accept them or forces +me to refuse them." + +Michael began laughing unceremoniously at this outburst, by which the +Major sought to mask his capitulation. + +"Instead of going to Paris," he said, "you will simply return to Sainte +Marguerite. You will go to the Count, tell him he is free, and then +return with him on board the lugger, which will wait for you. When the +Count and yourself are on board, the lugger will stand out to sea. +Then I will restore you your diamond and pay you the amount agreed on; +and as probably you will not care to resume the command of your castle +after such a frolic, I will convey you, and your wealth wherever you +like, in order to enjoy it without fear of being disturbed." + +"But," the Major observed, "what shall I tell the Count to persuade him +that he is free by the King's orders?" + +"That does not concern me, it is your affair; but hang it all, my dear +Major, you are unjust to yourself in raising any doubts as to the power +of your imagination. Now what do you think of my proposition, and do +you accept it?" + +"What security have I that you are not deceiving me, and that when I +have fulfilled the conditions of the bargain you impose on me, you keep +yours as strictly?" + +"The word of a honest man, sir, a word, which though that of a plain +sailor, is worth that of a gentleman." + +"I believe you, sir," the Major answered, lowering his eyes before +Michael's flashing glance. + +"Then, that is settled?" + +"Yes, it is." + +"All right. Hallo! Nicaud!" Michael shouted. + +The skipper arrived with a speed that proved he had not been far from +the two speakers. + +"Here I am, Michael, what do you want?" + +"Where are we at this moment?" the sailor asked. + +"About five leagues to windward of Sainte Marguerite." + +"Very good! Keep on the same course till daybreak; at sunrise we will +stand for the island, and anchor off it." + +"Very good, I understand." + +"Ah! Here is Mr. Governor, who I think, has great want of a little +rest; can't you put him up somewhere where he will be able to sleep for +two or three hours?" + +"Nothing easier, as I shall not turn in tonight, nor you, I suppose, +my cabin is at the Major's service, if he will do me the honour of +accepting it." + +The old officer was really worn out, not only by the fatigue of a long +watch, but also by the emotions he had suffered from during the night. +Certain that he had now no apprehensions about his safety, he heartily +accepted the skipper's offer, and withdrew into the cabin, the door of +which the other politely opened for him. + +The two sailors went up on deck again. + +"This time," said Michael, "I believe that we have manoeuvred cleverly, +and that our plan will succeed." + +"I am beginning to be of your opinion; but I say, wasn't that old +cormorant of a governor tough?" + +"Not very," Michael replied with a laugh, "besides, he had no choice; +he was obliged to give in, whether he liked it or not." + +As had been arranged, the lugger stood off and on from the island +during the whole night, at a distance of from four to five leagues from +the coast. + +At sunrise, they steered directly for St. Marguerite. + +The breeze had lulled nearer shore, so that it occupied some time ere +the light vessel reached the species of port serving as a landing place +in front of the castle. + +The lugger drew too much water for it to be possible to run alongside +the quay; hence it lay to a short distance off; and Nicaud had a boat +lowered, while Michael went down into the cabin to warn the Major. + +The latter was awake; refreshed and rested by sleep, he was no longer +the same man, he now regarded his position in its true light, and +understood that the means offered him to escape from the disagreeable +position in which he was placed by his double treachery, was more +advantageous than otherwise for him. + +It was almost with a smile that he wished Michael good day, and he made +no difficulty about accepting the hand the sailor offered to him. + +"Well," he asked him, "whereabouts are we, Michael?" + +"We have arrived, Major." + +"Already? Are you not afraid it is too early to go ashore?" + +"Not at all; it is nine o'clock." + +"So late? Hang it, it seems that I have slept soundly; in truth, I feel +quite jolly this morning." + +"All the better, Major, that is a good sign; I suppose you remember our +arrangements?" + +"Perfectly." + +"And you will play fairly with us?" + +"In my turn I pledge my honour to it, and I will keep it, whatever may +happen." + +"Come, I am glad to hear you talk like that; I am beginning to alter my +opinion about you." + +"Stuff," the Major remarked laughingly, "you do not know me yet." + +"You are aware that the boat is ready, it is only waiting for you to go +ashore." + +"If that is the case, I will follow you, Michael; I am now as eager as +you are to finish the affair." + +The Major went on deck and got into the boat, which was at once pushed +off, and set out for the landing place. + +Michael's heart beat ready to burst, while he followed with an anxious +eye, the light yawl which was rapidly leaving the lugger, and was +already close in shore. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +FRANCE, FAREWELL! + + +The Major had scarce landed at Sainte Marguerite, ere everything were +in commotion in the fort. + +On leaving the isle on the previous evening, the governor had stated +that he was going on a journey, and would be absent a week, perhaps two. + +The Lieutenant, intrusted with the command of the fort during his +absence, eagerly hastened to meet him, curious to learn the motive for +such a speedy return. + +The Major at first replied evasively, that news he had received on +landing on the mainland, had necessitated the immediate interruption +of his journey; and, while conversing thus, he entered the fort and +proceeded to his apartments, followed by the Lieutenant whom he had +invited to accompany him. + +"Sir," he said to him so soon as they were alone, "you will immediately +choose from the garrison ten resolute men; and proceed with them on +board the fishing vessel I noticed at anchor when I entered the fort. +The missive I entrust to you is most important, and if you carry it out +thoroughly, may have important results for you; it must be managed with +the most profound secrecy, however, for it is a secret of state." + +The Lieutenant bowed gratefully, evidently flattered at the confidence +his chief placed in him. + +The Major continued. + +"You will land on the coast a little below Antibes, and keep the boat, +which you will use for your return; you will manage so as not to enter +the town till nightfall, without attracting any attention, you will +lodge your men as best you can without arousing suspicions, but so as +to have them under hand at any moment. Tomorrow morning at ten o'clock, +you will present yourself to the town commandant, hand him a letter I +shall give you, and place yourself at his disposal. Have you understood +me thoroughly, sir?" + +"Perfectly, Mr. Governor." + +"Before all, I recommend you the most utter discretion; remember that +your fortune probably depends on the success of the mission." + +"I will obey you, Major, and I hope that you will only have compliments +to pay me on my return." + +"I trust so too, sir, but make haste, for you must be gone in half an +hour. During your preparations I will write the letter; it will be +ready when you come to take leave again." + +The lieutenant, after bowing respectfully, retired with a joyous heart, +not having the slightest suspicion of the treachery meditated by his +chief, and went off at full speed to make all the preparations for his +departure. + +The Major had under his orders a garrison of fifty men, commanded by +three officers, a captain and two lieutenants. + +This captain, the next in rank to him, would doubtless have greatly +impeded the success of the bold stroke he meditated, owing to the +pretext he would have been obliged to invent, in order to account for +the want of a release in writing for the Count. + +By sending him away, the Major had only to deal with two subalterns, +ranking too low in the military scale to venture to make observations, +or hesitate to accomplish his orders, the more so, because during +the ten or twelve years M. de l'Oursière had commanded Fort Sainte +Marguerite, nothing in his conduct had led to the slightest painful +suspicions about his honour. + +Forced by circumstances to betray his duty and quit his native land +forever, which he knew he should never see again after this audacious +scheme, the Major wished to leave nothing to chance, but turn his lost +position to the greatest possible advantage. He hoped that the measures +he had taken would protect him from any danger, when his treachery was +eventually discovered. + +But, through a very laudable feeling of justice, especially on the part +of such a man and under such circumstances, the Major desired alone to +bear the burden of his infamous conduct and not to attract suspicion of +complicity on his poor officers, whom duty compelled to obey him, in +what they considered a portion of their military service. + +Hence he wrote to the governor of Antibes a very circumstantial letter, +in which he narrated, without the slightest omission, the treason he +meditated, and which would be carried out at the time when the governor +read the strange missive; he explained the motives that obliged him to +act as he was doing, while taking on himself all the responsibility of +such a deed, and acquitting his officers and soldiers, not only of all +co-operation, but of all cognisance, even indirect, of his project. + +These duties scrupulously accomplished--for it was impossible for the +governor to be deceived as to the frankness of his confession, or +to doubt them for a moment--the Major folded the letter, sealed it +carefully, and laid it on the table while awaiting the return of his +second in command. + +Now, as his vessels were burnt, M. de l'Oursière could no longer +retreat; he must push on and succeed; the certainty of certain ruin if +his scheme were foiled, removed his last doubts, and restored him all +the necessary calmness to act with the coolness demanded by the strange +circumstances in which he found himself placed. + +The Captain entered. + +"Well?" the Major asked him. + +"I am ready to start, Mr. Governor; my soldiers are already on board +the fishing boat, and we shall have left the island in ten minutes." + +"Here is the letter you have to deliver into the hands of the Governor +of Antibes, sir; remember my instructions." + +"I will obey them in every point." + +"In that case, Heaven guard you! and good-bye," the Major said, as he +rose. + +The officer saluted, and left the room. + +The Major watched through the open window of his room; he saw him leave +the fort, go down to the shore, and on board the fishing vessel; the +sail was hoisted, and ere long the boat started, slightly heeling over +under the power of the breeze. + +"Ough!" said the Major, closing the window, with a sigh of +relief--"that's one, now for the other." + +But, before aught else, the old officer shut himself up in his room, +burnt certain papers, pocketed others, put some clothes in a small +valise, as he did not wish to take all belonging to him, through fear +of arousing suspicions, and carefully wrapping up in his cloak a small +and very heavy iron casket, which, doubtless, contained his ready +money, he assured himself by a glance around that everything was in +order, opened the door again, and called. + +A soldier appeared. + +"Beg Mess. de Castaix and de Mircey to come here," he said, "as I wish +to speak to them." + +They speedily arrived, greatly puzzled at this unexpected interview, +for usually the Governor talked but little with his officers. + +"Gentlemen," he said to them, after returning their salute, "an order +from the King caused me to return here in all haste. I have to take our +prisoner, M. de Barmont, to Antibes, where your Captain has preceded +me with a sufficient escort to prevent any attempt at escape on the +part of the prisoner. I have acted thus because it is the King's good +pleasure that this transference of the Count from one prison to another +may have the appearance of a liberation, and I shall explain it in that +sense to the prisoner, in order that he may have no suspicion of the +new orders I have received. Until my return, which will be in two days +at the least, you, Monsieur de Castaix, as senior officer, will assume +the command of the fortress. I am pleased to believe, gentlemen, that I +shall only have to praise the aptitude you will display in performing +your duties during my absence." + +The two officers bowed: accustomed to the Cardinal's tortuous and +mysterious policy, the Major's remarks did not at all surprise them, +for, although His Eminence was dead, the event had not occurred so +long that the King should have in any way modified his sullen mode of +governing. + +"Be kind enough to give orders for the prisoner to be brought into my +presence, while I inform him of his liberation," he added, with a +mocking smile, whose strange meaning the officers did not comprehend. +"You will have all the effects belonging to him placed in the boat of +the smuggling lugger on board which I came back. Go, gentlemen." + +The officers withdrew. + +The Count was greatly surprised when La Grenade opened the door of his +cell, and begged him to follow him, as the Governor wished to speak +with the prisoner. + +He fancied the Major on the road to Paris, as had been arranged between +them on the previous evening, and did not at all understand his +presence at the fort after the solemn promise he had made. + +Another thing also caused him great surprise--ever since he had been a +prisoner at Saint Marguerite the Governor had not once sent for him; on +the contrary, he had always put himself out of the way by visiting his +cell. + +But the thing that completely routed his ideas was La Grenade's +recommendation to him, to place all his belongings in a trunk, and take +the key. + +"Why this most unnecessary precaution?" the Count asked him. + +"No one ever knows what may happen, sir," the gaoler replied, +cunningly; "it is as well to take precautions; and stay, if I were you +I would put on my hat and take my cloak." + +And while speaking thus, the soldier actively helped him to pack his +trunk. + +"There, that's done," he said, with a grin of satisfaction, when the +Count had taken out the key; "here are your hat and cloak." + +"My hat, if you like," the young man remarked, laughingly, "but why +my cloak? I run no risk of catching a pleurisy in my short walk to the +Governor's presence." + +"Will you not take it?" + +"Certainly not." + +"Then I will; you'll see you will want it." + +The young gentleman shrugged his shoulders, without replying, and they +left the room, the door of which the gaoler did not take the trouble to +lock after him. + +The Major was walking up and down his room while awaiting the prisoner. +La Grenade showed him in, laid the cloak on a chair, and withdrew. + +"Ah, ah!" said the Major, with a laugh--"I see that you suspected +something." + +"I, Mr. Governor? What was it, if you please?" + +"Zounds! you appear to be dressed as if for a journey." + +"It is that ass of La Grenade, who, I know not for what reason, obliged +me to put on my hat, and insisted on bringing my cloak here." + +"He was right." + +"How so?" + +"My lord, I have the honour to inform you that you are a free man." + +"I free!" the Count exclaimed, turning pale with joy and emotion. + +"The King has deigned to sign your liberation, and I received the +orders on landing at Antibes." + +"At last!" the Count burst forth, but then immediately recovered +himself. "Can you show me the order, sir?" + +"Excuse me, my lord, that is forbidden." + +"Ah! For what reason?" + +"It is a general precaution, sir." + +"In that case I will not press it: at least, you are permitted to tell +me at whose request my liberty was granted me?" + +"I see no objection to that, sir--it was at the request of the Duc de +Bellegarde." + +"The dear Duke!--a real friend!" the Count cried, in great emotion. + +The Major, with the utmost coolness, handed him a pen, and pointed to a +blank space in the register. + +"Will you be kind enough, sir, to sign this register?" + +The Count hurriedly perused it, and saw that it was a species of +certificate of the honourable way he had been treated during the period +of his detention. He signed. + +"Now, sir, as I am free, for I presume I am so--" "Free as a bird, my +lord." + +"In that case I can retire. I know not why, but during the last instant +these thick, gloomy walls, seem to stifle me, and I shall not breathe +at my ease till I feel myself in the open air." + +"I understand that, sir. I have made every preparation, and we will +embark whenever you please." + +"_We?_" the Count asked, in surprise. + +"Yes, my lord, I shall accompany you." + +"For what reason, may I ask?" + +"To do you honour, sir--for no other reason." + +"Very good," he said, thoughtfully; "let us go, then; but I have some +traps here." + +"They are already on board: come, sir." + +The Major took up his valise and casket, and left the room, followed by +the Count. + +"Did I not tell you you would want your cloak?" + +La Grenade said to M. de Barmont, with a bow, as he passed--"Pleasant +voyage to you, sir, and good luck." + +They went down to the waterside. During the walk, which was not very +long, the Count's brow became more and more clouded; he fancied he +could notice a certain sorrow on the faces of the officers and soldiers +who were watching his departure--they whispered together, and pointed +to the Count in anything but a reassuring way, and it gave him much +cause for anxiety. + +Every now and then he took a side-glance at the Major, but he appeared +calm, and had a smile on his face. + +They at length reached the boat, and the Major stepped aside to let the +Count get into it first. + +As soon as they were both in, the boat was pushed off. During the whole +passage from the shore to the lugger the Count and the Major remained +silent. + +At length they came along side the little vessel, a rope was thrown to +them, and they went up the side. + +The yawl was immediately hauled up, all sail was set, and the lugger +stood out to sea. + +"Ah!" the Count exclaimed on perceiving Michael, "You are here, then I +am saved!" + +"I hope so," the latter replied; "but come, my lord, we have matters to +discuss." + +They went down into the cabin, followed by the Major. + +"There, now we can talk, Captain--the first thing is to settle our +accounts." + +"Our accounts?" M. de Barmont repeated, in surprise. + +"Yes, let us proceed regularly. You promised this gentleman 50,000 +livres?" + +"Yes, I did." + +"And you authorize me to give them to him?" + +"Certainly." + +"Good; in that case he shall have them." Then, turning to the +Major--"You have scrupulously kept your promises, and we will keep ours +as loyally. Here, in the first place, is your diamond, which I give you +back: I will hand you over the money in a moment. I suppose you no more +wish to remain in France than we do--eh?" + +"I do not wish it the least in the world," the Major replied, delighted +at having regained possession of his diamond. + +"Where would you like to be landed? Will England suit you, or do you +prefer Italy?" + +"Well, I do not exactly know." + +"Do you like Spain better? 'Tis all the same to me." + +"Why not Portugal?" + +"Done for Portugal. We will drop you there in passing." + +The Count had listened with growing surprise to this conversation, +which was incomprehensible to him. + +"What is the meaning of all this?" he at length asked. + +"It means, Captain," Michael distinctly answered, "that the King has +not signed the pardon--that you are a prisoner, and would probably have +remained so all your life had not this gentleman, luckily for you, +consented to open the door." + +"Sir!" the Count exclaimed, making a movement toward the Major. + +Michael stopped him. + +"Do not be in a hurry to thank him," he said--"wait till he has told +you what has occurred, and in what way he found himself obliged to set +you at liberty, when he would probably have preferred not to do so." + +"Come, come!" said the Count, stamping his foot passionately--"Explain +yourself! I understand nothing of all this. I wish to know +everything--everything, I tell you!" + +"This man will tell you it, Captain; but he is afraid at present of the +consequences of his confession, and that is why he hesitates to make +it." + +M. de Barmont smiled disdainfully. + +"This man is beneath my contempt," he said; "whatever he may say I will +not take the slightest vengeance on him--he is pardoned beforehand, I +pledge him my word as a gentleman." + +"Now speak, Major," said Michael; "during that time I will go on deck +again with Skipper Nicaud, or, if you prefer it, Bowline, who has +played his part remarkably well throughout the affair." + +Michael left the cabin, and the two men remained alone. + +The Major understood that it was better to make a clean breast of it: +hence he told the Count, without any equivocation, the full details of +his treachery, and in what manner Michael had compelled him to save +him, when, on the contrary, he was paid to ruin him. + +Although the name of the Duc de Peñaflor had not once been mentioned +during the Major's narration, the Count divined that it was he alone +who had dealt him all the blows he had felt so severely during the last +eighteen months; however great his resolution might be, this depth +of hatred, this Machiavellian vengeance terrified him; but in this +extremely detailed narrative one point seemed to him obscure, and that +was, how Michael had discovered the final machinations of his enemies, +and done so opportunely enough to be able to foil them. + +All the questions the Count asked on this head the Major was unable to +answer, for he was ignorant. + +"Well," asked the sailor, suddenly entering the cabin, "are you now +informed, Captain?" + +"Yes," the latter replied, with a certain tinge of sadness, "except on +one point." + +"What is it, Captain?" + +"I should like to know in what manner you detected this cleverly +contrived plot." + +"Very simply, Captain, and I will tell you the whole affair in a couple +of words. Bowline and I, without the Major suspecting it, followed him +carefully into the ruins, while cautiously avoiding being seen; in this +way no part of his conversation with the stranger escaped us. When the +Major handed him the papers, and the stranger retired, I jumped at his +throat, and, with Bowline's help, took the papers from him--" + +"Where are these papers?" the Count interrupted him eagerly. + +"I will give them to you, Captain." + +"Thanks, Michael; now go on." + +"Well, my story's finished; I gagged him to prevent him calling out, +and after tying him up like a plug of tobacco to stop him running after +us, I left him there and went away." + +"What, you went away, Michael, leaving the man thus gagged and bound on +a desert isle?" + +"What would you have had me do with him, Captain?" + +"Oh, perhaps it would have been better to kill him, than leave him +exposed to such a horrible punishment." + +"He had been so precious tender to you, hadn't he, Captain? Stuff! Pity +for such a ferocious brute would be madness on your part; besides, the +fiend always protects his creatures, you may be sure, and I am certain +that he has escaped." + +"How so?" + +"Hang it, he didn't swim off to Saint Honorat; his people were probably +concealed somewhere: tired of not seeing him return, they will have +set out to seek him, and picked him up where I put him to bed; he will +probably have got off with gnawing the bit for two or three hours." + +"Well, that is possible, Michael, and even probable. Where are you +taking us?" + +"Zounds, you are the commander here, Captain; we will go wherever you +please." + +"I will tell you, but first let us land the Major, for I fancy he +wishes to be free of our company as much as we do of his." + +At this moment Bowline's voice was heard. + +"Hilloh, Michael," he shouted, "we have a large vessel to windward." + +"Confusion!" said the sailor, "Has she hoisted her colours?" + +"Yes; she is a Norwegian." + +"That will be a good opportunity for you, Major," said the Count. + +"Eh, helmsman," Michael shouted, without awaiting the Major's answer, +"steer down to the Norwegian." + +The Major considered it useless to protest. + +Two hours later the vessels were within speaking distance: the +stranger was bound for Helsingfors, and the captain consented to take +the passenger offered him. + +The Major was consequently transported on board, with everything +belonging to him. + +"Now, Captain," said Michael, when the boat had returned, "where shall +we steer?" + +"Let us go to the islands," the Count answered sadly, "henceforth we +shall only find a shelter there and taking a last glance at the coast +of France, whose outline was beginning to fade away in the distant +horizon," he muttered, with a sigh, and concealing his face sorrowfully +in his hands, "Farewell, France!" + +In these two words was exhaled the last human feeling that remained at +the bottom of the heart of this man who had been so tried by adversity, +and who, vanquished by despair, was going to ask of the new world the +vengeance which the old world so obstinately refused him. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE BEGINNING OF THE ADVENTURE. + + +The seventeenth century was a period of transition between the middle +ages, that were exhaling their last sigh, and the modern era, which the +great thinkers of the eighteenth century were destined to constitute so +splendidly. + +Under the repeated blows of the implacable Cardinal de Richelieu, +that gloomy filler of the unity of the despotic power of kings, an +immense reaction had been effected in ideas. It was a silent reaction, +that from the outset sapped the minister's work, and he was far from +suspecting its causes or power. It was more especially in the latter +half of the seventeenth century that the world offered a strange +spectacle. + +At that period, the Spaniards, who were possessors, by the right of +force, of the greater part of America, where they had multiplied +colonies, were masters of the sea which the celebrated "broom of +Holland" had not yet swept. The English navy was only beginning to +be formed, and, in spite of the continuous efforts of Richelieu, the +French navy was not in existence. + +Suddenly several adventurers sprang up, no one knew whence, who, alone, +castaways of civilization, men of all classes, from the highest to +the most humble, belonging to all nations, but chiefly to the French, +perched themselves like vultures on an imperceptible islet in the +Atlantic, and undertook to contend against the Spanish power, after +declaring a merciless war on their private authority. Attacking the +Spanish fleet with unheard-of audacity, and, like a gadfly fastened to +a lion's flank, holding in check the Spanish Colossus, they compelled +it to treat with them on equal terms, with no other help but their +courage and their energetic will. + +In a few years their incredible exploits and audacious coups de main +inspired the Spaniards with such terror, and acquired for themselves +such a great and merited reputation, that the disinherited of fortune, +the seekers of adventures, flocked from all parts of the world to the +island that served them as a refuge, and their number was so enormously +augmented, that they almost succeeded in forming themselves into a +nationality by the sole force of their will, and their boldness. Let +us say in a few words, who these men were, and what was the origin of +their strange fortune. + +For this purpose we must return to the Spaniards. + +The latter, after their immense discoveries in the New World, had +obtained from Pope Alexander VI. a bull which conceded to them the +exclusive possession of the two Americas. + +Supported by this bull, and considering themselves the sole owners of +the New World, the Spaniards tried to keep all other nations away from +it, and began to treat as corsairs all the vessels they came across +between the two tropics. + +Their maritime power, and the important part they played at that time +on the American continent did not leave the governments the power of +protesting, as they would have desired, against this odious tyranny. + +Then it happened that English and French outfitters, excited by the +thirst of gain, and paying no heed to the Spanish pretensions, equipped +vessels which they dispatched to the so-coveted rich regions, to cut +off the Spanish transports, plunder the American coast, and fire the +town. + +Treated as pirates, these bold sailors frankly accepted the position +offered them, committed awful excesses wherever they landed, carried +off rich spoil, and despising the law of nations, and not caring +whether the Spaniards were at war or not with the countries to which +they belonged, they attacked them wherever they met them. + +The Spaniards, entirely engaged with rich possessions in Mexico, Peru, +and generally on the Continent, which were mines of inexhaustible +wealth for them, had committed the fault of neglecting the Antilles, +which stretch from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of Maracaibo, and +only established colonies in the four large islands of that archipelago. + +Hidden in bays behind the windings of the coast, the adventurers dashed +suddenly at the Spanish vessels, carried them by boarding, and then +returned ashore to share the plunder. + +The Spaniards, in spite of the great number of their vessels, and the +active watch they kept up, could no longer traverse the Caribbean Sea, +which the adventurers had selected as the scene of their exploits, +without running the risk of obstinate engagements with men, whom the +smallness and lightness of their vessels rendered almost intangible. + +This wandering life possessed such charms for the adventurers, who had +assumed the characteristic name of filibusters or freebooters, that +for a long time the idea did not occur to them of forming a permanent +settlement among the islands, which they employed as a temporary +retreat. + +Things were in this state when, in 1625, a cadet of Normandy, of the +name of d'Esnambuc, to whom the law of entail left no hope of fortune, +except what he could acquire by his industry or courage, fitted out at +Dieppe a brigantine of about seventy tons, on board which he placed +four guns and forty resolute men, and set out to chase the Spaniards +and try to enrich himself by some good prize. + +On arriving at the Caymans, small islands situated between Cuba and +Jamaica, he suddenly came across the track of a Spanish vessel bearing +thirty-five guns and a crew of three hundred and fifty men; it was a +critical situation for the corsair. + +D'Esnambuc, without giving the Spaniards time to look about them, +steered down and attacked them. The action lasted for three hours with +extraordinary obstinacy; the Dieppois defended themselves so well, that +the Spaniards despairing of conquest and having lost one-half their +crew, were the first to decline fighting, and shamefully fled from the +small vessel. + +Still, the latter had suffered severely, and could be hardly kept above +water, ten men had been killed, and the rest of the crew, being covered +with wounds, were not worth much more. + +As the isle of Saint Kitts was no great distance off, d'Esnambuc +reached it with much difficulty, and took refuge there to careen his +vessel, and cure his wounded. Then calculating, that, for the success +of his future expeditions, he required a sure retreat, he resolved to +establish himself on this island. + +St. Kitts, which the Caribs called Liamuiga, is situated in 17 to 18 +degrees N. latitude and 65 W. longitude. It is 23 leagues W.N.W. of +Antigua, and about 3 leagues to the N.W. of Guadeloupe, and is one of +the Caribbean Islands. + +The general aspect of this island is remarkably beautiful, it is +commanded by Mount Misery, an extinct volcano, three thousand five +hundred feet high, which occupies the whole northwest part, and +gradually descends in lower ranges, till it dies away on the South in +the plains of the Basse terre. + +The barrenness of the mountains forms a striking contrast with the +fertility of the plains. + +The valleys display a really extraordinary wealth of vegetation, while +the mountains only offer to the eye a confused chaos of broken rocks, +whose interstices are filled up with a clayey matter that checks all +vegetation. + +Water is rare, and of a bad quality, for the few streams that descend +from Mount Misery are strongly impregnated with saline particles, to +which strangers find a difficulty in growing accustomed. + +But a precious thing for the filibusters, Saint Kitts possesses two +magnificent ports, well sheltered and easy of defence, and its coasts +are serrated with deep bays, where, in case of danger, their light +vessels would easily find a shelter. + +D'Esnambuc, on landing, found several refugee Frenchmen who lived on +good terms with the Caribs, and who not only received him with open +arms, but joined him and selected him as their leader. + +By a singular chance, on the same day that the Dieppois landed at St. +Kitts, English freebooters commanded by Captain Warner, who had also +suffered in an engagement with the Spaniards, took refuge at another +point in it. + +The corsairs of the two nations who could not be separated by any +idea of conquest, agriculture, or commerce, and who pursued the same +object, fighting the Spaniards, and establishing a refuge against the +common enemy, easily came to an understanding; then, after dividing the +island, they settled down side by side, and lived for a long time on +excellent terms, which nothing disturbed. + +On one occasion they even combined their arms against the Caribs, who, +alarmed by the progress of their new settlement, attempted to expel +them. + +The filibusters made a horrible carnage among the Indians, and forced +them to implore for mercy. + +A few months after, Warner and d'Esnambuc put out to sea again; the +latter proceeded to Paris, the former to London, each for the purpose +of soliciting the protection of his government for the rising colony. + +As usual, these men, who at the beginning had only sought a temporary +refuge, now felt a desire to see the development of a settlement +founded by themselves, and which in a short time had assumed a real +importance. + +Cardinal de Richelieu, ever disposed to favour projects tending to +augment the foreign power of France, received the filibuster with the +greatest distinction, entered into his views, and formed a company, +called "The Company of the Islands," in order to promote the interests +of the colony. + +The capital was 45,000 livres, of which Richelieu subscribed for his +part 10,000. + +D'Esnambuc was invested with the supreme command. + +Among the claims stipulated in his commission there is one which we +must quote, owing to its strangeness, for it imposed on white men in +America a temporary slavery harsher even than that of the Negro. + +This is the clause, whose sinister consequences we shall see developed +during the course of this story. + +"No labourer intended for the colony will be allowed to embark, unless +he engages to remain for three years in the service of the company, +which will have the right to employ him on any task it thinks proper, +without granting him the right to complain or break the contract +entered into by him." + +These labourers were called Engagés or "thirty-six monthers," a polite +way of getting rid of the word slave. + +Captain Warner, who had been more highly favoured, returned with a +large body of colonists. Still the good understanding was kept up for +some time between the two nations; but the English took advantage of +the weakness of the French, who could not oppose their usurpations, to +encroach on their rights, and formed a fresh settlement at Nevis, the +next island to St. Kitts. + +Still d'Esnambuc did not despair of the fate of the colony. He +proceeded again to France, and solicited of the Cardinal help in men +and money, to repulse the undertakings of his troublesome neighbours. + +Richelieu granted his request. + +By his orders, Rear Admiral de Cussac arrived at St. Kitts, with six +heavily armed ships; he surprised ten English vessels in the roads, +captured three, sank three others, and put the rest to flight. + +The English made no further attempts to leave their boundaries, and +peace was re-established. + +M. de Cussac, after supplying the colony with rum and provisions, set +sail, and went to found a settlement on St. Eustache, an island four +leagues N. W. of St. Kitts. + +The Spaniards, however, who, since the appearance of the filibusters in +American waters, had suffered so greatly from their depredations, saw +them with great alarm settling permanently on the West India islands. + +They understood of what importance it was to them not to allow fixed +settlements in these regions, unless they wished to see their colonies +destroyed and their commerce ruined. + +They consequently resolved to act vigorously against those fellows whom +they regarded as pirates, and to utterly destroy their lurking places, +which had already acquired formidable proportions. + +In consequence Admiral don Fernando de Toledo, whom the court of +Madrid had placed at the head of a powerful fleet, sent in 1630 to +Brazil to fight the Dutch, received orders to destroy in passing, the +viper's nest formed by the filibusters at St. Kitts. + +The sudden apparition of this immense force off the island filled the +inhabitants with stupor. The united resources of the English and French +adventurers and their desperate courage were not sufficient to avert +the danger that menaced them, and repulse so formidable an attack. + +After a desperate fight, in which a great number of filibusters, +especially Frenchmen, were killed, the others got into their light +canoes and fled to the adjacent isles of St. Bartholomew, Antigua, St. +Martin, and Montserrat, or to any place in short where they hoped to +find a temporary refuge. + +The English, we are unfortunately compelled to state, shamefully +fled at the beginning of the action, and eventually asked leave to +capitulate. + +One half of them were sent to England on board Spanish ships, while the +rest engaged to evacuate the island as soon as possible,--a promise +which was forgotten immediately after the departure of the Spanish +fleet. + +This expedition was the only one that Spain seriously attempted against +the filibusters. + +The French soon left the islands where they had sought refuge, and +returned to St. Kitts, where they re-established themselves, though +not without a quarrel with the English, who had taken advantage of the +opportunity to seize their land, but whom they forced again beyond +their old borders. + +It is a singular fact, which proves that the filibusters were not +bandits and nameless men, as attempts have been made to brand them, +that the inhabitants of St. Kitts were remarkable beyond all the +other colonists for the gentleness and urbanity of their manners; the +traditions of politeness left by the first Frenchmen who settled there, +have been maintained even to the present day; in the eighteenth century +it was called the Gentle Island, and there is a proverb in the Antilles +to the effect, that "the nobility were at St. Kitts, the citizens at +Guadeloupe, the soldiers at Martinique, and the peasants at Grenada." + +Things remained for a long time in the state we have just described; +the filibusters, growing bolder and bolder through the Spanish +cowardice, enlarged the scene of their exploits, and retaining a bitter +memory of the sack of their island, felt a double hatred for the +Spaniards, who had branded them with the name of Ladrones (robbers). +They no longer displayed any moderation, and seated in the light canoes +that composed their entire fleet, they watched for the rich transports +from Mexico, dashed boldly aboard them, carried them, and returned to +St. Kitts loaded with plunder. + +The colony prospered, the land was well cultivated, and the plantations +were carefully made. + +For these men, the majority of whom had no hope left of ever returning +to their native land, had performed their work with the feverish +ardor of people who are creating for themselves a new nationality +and preparing a last asylum, so that only a few years after the +destruction of the colony by the Spaniards, St. Kitts had again become +a flourishing colony, thanks in the first instance to its fertility and +the energy and intelligence of its inhabitants, but above all to the +incessant toil of the engagés of the company. + +We have now to explain what these poor fellows were and the fate they +met with at the hands of the colonists. + +We have already stated that the company sent to the islands, men whom +they had engaged for three years. + +They accepted anybody, workmen belonging to all trades, even surgeons +who, persuading themselves that they were destined to carry on their +own profession in the colonies, allowed themselves to be seduced by the +fair promises which the company did not hesitate to lavish. + +But once their consent was given, that is to say, signed, the company +regarded them as men belonging to it body and soul; and when they +reached the colonies, agents _sold_ then for three years to the +planters, at the rate of thirty or forty crowns a head, and did so in +the broad daylight and in the governor's presence. + +They thus became real slaves, subject to the adventurers of the colony, +and condemned to the rudest tasks. + +Hence, the poor wretches, so unworthily abused, beaten terribly and +worn out by a fatigue under a deadly climate, generally succumbed ere +they had attained the third year, which was to set them at liberty. + +This was carried so far that the masters at last attempted to prolong +the stipulated slavery beyond three years. Toward the end of 1632, the +colony of St. Kitts incurred great dangers, for the engagés whose time +was up and whom their masters refused liberty, took up arms, organized +a resistance, and prepared to attack the colonists with that energy of +desperation which no force can resist. M. d'Esnambuc only succeeded in +making them lay down their arms and arrest bloodshed by conceding their +just demands. + +At a later date, when the sad condition in which the company's agents +placed the engagés, became known in France, it became almost impossible +for the latter to find volunteers; hence they were obliged to go about +the roads and highways to enlist vagabonds whom they intoxicated and +induced to sign, while in that condition, an engagement which it was +impossible to break. + +We will dwell the more earnestly on this point, because during the +course of our narrative, we shall have frequently to revert to the +engagés. We will only add one word about the wretches whom England sent +to the colonies under the same conditions. + +If the fate of the French engagés was frightful, that of the English, +history proves to us, was horrible. + +They were treated with the most atrocious barbarity. They formed an +engagement for seven years, and then, at the end of that time, when +the moment to regain their liberty had at length arrived, they were +intoxicated, and advantage was taken of their condition to make them +sign a second engagement for the same period. + +Cromwell, after the sack of Drogheda, sold more than 30,000 Irish for +Jamaica and Barbados. + +Nearly two thousand of these wretched succeeded in escaping on board a +vessel, which, in their ignorance of navigation, they allowed to drift +and the current cast it ashore at Saint Domingo. The poor fellows, not +knowing where they were, and being without food or resources, all died +of hunger. Their piled-up bones, bleached by time, remained for several +years on Cape Tiburón, at a spot which was called Irish Bay on account +of the terrible catastrophe, and still bears the name. + +The reader will pardon us for having entered into such lengthened +details about the establishment of the filibusters of St. Kitts; but +as it was on this little island that the terrible association of +adventurers, whose history we have undertaken to tell, had its birth, +it is necessary to make the reader fully acquainted with these facts, +so that we might not be obliged to return to them hereafter. Now, we +will resume our narrative to which the preceding chapters serve, so to +speak, as a prologue, and leaping at one bound across the space that +separates Sainte Marguerite from the Caribbean islands, we will proceed +to St. Kitts a few months after the escape, for we dare not say the +liberation, of Count Ludovic de Barmont Senectaire. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE COUNCIL OF THE FILIBUSTERS. + + +Several years elapsed without producing any notable changes in the +colony. + +The adventurers still continued, with the same obstinacy, their +expeditions against the Spaniards; but as their expeditions were +isolated, and had no sort of organization, the losses experienced by +the Spaniards, though very great, were much less considerable than +might be anticipated. + +About this time, a lugger manned by forty resolute men, and armed with +four iron guns, anchored off St. Kitts, proudly displaying the French +flag at its stern. + +This vessel brought to the colony a fresh contingent of brave +adventurers. + +Immediately after their arrival, they landed, formed the acquaintance +of the inhabitants, and testified a desire to settle on the island. + +The chief, to whom his comrades gave the name of Montbarts, and +for whom they appeared to have an unbounded devotion, informed the +colonists, that like them, he professed a profound hatred for the +Spaniards, and that he was followed by two ships of that nation, which +he had captured, and had given the prize masters orders to steer for +St. Kitts. + +These good men were received with shouts of joy by the inhabitants, and +Montbarts had a narrow escape from being carried in triumph. + +As he had announced, three or four days later two Spanish vessels +anchored at St. Kitts. They bore at their stern the Castilian flag +reversed, in sign of humiliation, while above it proudly fluttered the +French ensign. + +There was one horrible circumstance, however, which chilled even the +bravest with horror. These vessels bore at their bowsprit, and at their +cross-jack, as well as at the main and foreyard, groups of corpses. By +Montbarts order, the crews of the two vessels had been hung, without +showing mercy even to a boy. + +The chief of the adventurers generously gave the cargo of the two ships +to the colonists, only asking for sufficient land in return, on which +to build a house. + +This request was at once granted; the newcomers then disarmed their +lugger, came ashore, and began their installation. + +Montbarts was a young man of about seven or eight-and-twenty, with +manly and marked features, and a fixed and piercing eye. The expression +of his face was essentially sad, mocking, and cruel: a dead pallor; +spread over his face, added, were it possible, a strangeness to his +whole person. Tall and powerfully built, though supple and graceful, +his gestures were elegant and noble, while his speech was soft, and +the terms he employed were carefully chosen. He exercised a singular +fascination over those who approached him, or whom accident brought +into relation with him. They felt at once repulsed and attracted by +this singular man, who seemed the only one of his species on the earth, +and who, without appearing to be anxious for it, imposed his will upon +all, gained obedience by a sign or a frown, and who only seemed to live +when he was in the thick of a fight, when fires crossed above his head, +forming him an aureole of flame, when corpses were piled up around him, +when blood flowed beneath his feet, and when bullets whistled in his +ears, and when he rushed drunk with powder and carnage upon the deck of +a Spanish ship. + +Such was what was said of him by his comrades, and by those who had +been struck by his singular countenance, and wished to know him: but +beyond this moral and physical portrait of the man, it was impossible +to obtain the slightest information as to his past life. Not one of the +sailors who came with him knew the slightest episode of it, or, as was +probable, refused to discover anything. + +Hence, when the colonists perceived that all their questions would +remain unanswered, they gave up the useless task of asking them. They +accepted Montbarts for what it pleased him to be, the more so, as his, +former life not only did not concern them, but also interested them +very slightly. + +The adventurer only remained ashore for the period strictly necessary +to establish his household comfortably; then, one day, without warning +anybody, he went on board his lugger with the crew he had brought +with him, only leaving five or six men at St. Kitts to manage his +plantation, and set sail. A month after, he returned, having in tow +a richly laden Spanish vessel, with the crew hanging to the yards as +before. + +Montbarts went on thus for a whole year, never remaining more than two +or three days ashore, then going off, and returning with a prize with +its entire crew suspended from the yards. + +Matters attained such a pitch, the audacity of the daring corsair was +crowned with such success, that the rumour of it reached France. Then, +the Dieppe adventurers, comprehending all the profit they might derive +from this interloping war, fitted out vessels, and went to join the +colonists of St. Kitts, for the purpose of organising a hunt of the +Spaniards, and carrying it out on a grand scale. + +Filibusterism was about to enter on its second phase, and become a +regular association. + +Montbarts had built his hatto, or principal residence, at the spot +where the English afterwards formed Sandy-point battery. + +It was an excellently chosen position, militarily speaking, where, in +case of attack, it was easy not only to act on the defensive, but also +to repulse the enemy with serious loss. + +This hatto, built of trunks of trees, and covered with palm leaves, +stood nearly at the extremity of a cape, whence the greater part of +the island and the sea for a considerable distance on the right and +left could be commanded. This cape, which was nearly precipitous, +and one hundred and fifty feet high seawards, could only be reached +by a narrow, rough path, intersected at regular distances by strong +palisades, and wide, deep ditches, which had to be crossed on planks, +that were easy to remove. Two four-pounder guns, placed in position at +the head of the path guarded the approaches. + +This hatto was divided into four rather large rooms, furnished with a +luxury and comfort rather singular in an out-of-the-way island like St. +Kitts, but which was fully justified by the usual occupation of the +owner, who merely required to take any furniture that suited him out of +his prizes. + +A long pole, serving as a flagstaff, planted in front of the door of +the hatto, displayed in the breeze a white ensign with a red jack in +the right hand top corner. This flag was that of the corsairs, which +Montbarts sometimes changed for one all black, having in its centre a +death's head and crossbones, all white. This was an ill-omened flag, +which, when hoisted at the peak, signified that the conquered had no +hope of mercy to expect. + +It was a warm day towards the end of May, about eighteen months after +Montbarts' arrival at St. Kitts. Several persons, stern looking and +rough mannered, almost armed to the teeth, were conversing together as +they followed the path that led from the plain to the platform on which +Montbarts' hatto stood. + +It was nearly ten o'clock at night, and the sky was transparent and +clear. Thousands of stars sparkled in the heavens, the moon profusely +shed her white light, and the atmosphere was so pellucid, that the +smallest objects were visible at a long distance. There was not a +breath in the air, or a rustle among the leaves; the sea, calm as +a mirror, died away with a soft and mysterious murmur on the sandy +beach; the fireflies buzzed noisily, and at times dashed against the +pedestrians, who contented themselves with driving them away with their +hands, without, on that account, interrupting a conversation which +seemed greatly to interest them. + +These men were five in number, and all in the prime of life. Their +features were energetically marked, and their faces revealed audacity +and resolution carried to the highest pitch. Their slightly curved +shoulders, and the way in which they straddled their legs in walking, +while swaying their arms, would have caused them to be recognised as +sailors at the first glance, had not their dress sufficiently proved +the fact. + +They were talking in English. + +"Stuff!" one of them was saying at the moment when we join in their +conversation; "We must see. All that glistens is not gold, as they say +down there. Besides, I wish for nothing better than to be mistaken, +after all." + +"No matter," another replied; "in accordance with your laudable custom, +you begin by expressing a doubt." + +"Not at all," the first speaker sharply interposed; "a fear, at the +most." + +"Well," a third said; "we shall soon know what we have to expect, for +here we are halfway up the path, thank Heaven!" + +"That demon of a Montbarts," the first went on, "has famously chosen +his position. His hatto is impregnable, on my word as a man." + +"Yes. I do not think that the _gavachos_[1] will ever venture to +attempt an escalade. But, by the way," he added suddenly, and halted; +"suppose we are taking a useless walk, and Montbarts is not at home?" + +"I will answer for your finding him at home, Red Stocking, so set your +mind at rest." + +"How do you know?" asked the man addressed by this singular name. + +"My God! Don't you see his flag hoisted at the masthead?" + +"That is true. I had not noticed it." + +"But now you see it, I suppose?" + +"I should be blind if I didn't." + +"Well," one of the filibusters said, who had hitherto maintained +silence; "all this does not tell us why the meeting is to be held. Do +you know anything about it, brother?" + +"No more than you," Red Stocking replied. "It is probably some daring +project which Montbarts is meditating, and wishes us to take a part in." + +"But you know that he has not only summoned us, but also the principal +French filibusters?" + +"In that case I am quite at sea," Red Stocking remarked. "However, it +is of little consequence at present, as I presume we shall soon know +what is wanted of us." + +"That is true, because we have arrived." + +In fact, they reached at this moment the head of the path, and found +themselves on the platform exactly facing the hatto, whose door was +open as if inviting them to enter. + +A very bright light poured through the doorway, and the sound of loud +talking testified that there was a rather large gathering inside the +hatto. + +The Englishmen continued to advance, and soon found themselves on the +threshold. + +"Come in, brothers," Montbarts' harmonious voice was heard saying from +the interior; "come in, we are waiting for you." + +They entered. + +Six or seven persons were assembled in the room, which they entered: +they were the most renowned chiefs of the filibusters. Among them were +Belle Tête (handsome head), the ferocious native of Dieppe, who had +murdered more than three hundred of his engagés, whom he accused of +dying of indolence; Pierre le Grand, the Breton, who always boarded +the Spanish galleons in the disguise of a female; Alexandre Bras de +fer (iron arm), a young and apparently frail and delicate man, with +effeminate features, but in reality endowed with a prodigious and +herculean vigour, and destined hereafter to become one of the heroes of +the buccaneering trade; Roc, surnamed the Brazilian, although born at +Groningen, a town in East Friesland; and lastly, two old acquaintances +of ours, Bowline and Michael the Basque, who both arrived at St. Kitts +at the same time as Montbarts, and whose reputation as filibusters was +already great. + +As for the English, who had just entered the hatto, five in number; +they were Red Stocking, whose name was mentioned in the preceding +conversation; Morgan, a young man hardly eighteen years of age, with +a haughty face and aristocratic manners; Jean David, a Dutch sailor, +settled in the eastern part of the island; Bartholomew, a Portuguese, +also settled in the English colony; and lastly, William Drake, who had +taken an oath never to attack the Spaniards, unless they were in the +proportion of fifteen to one, so great was the contempt he professed +for the proud nation. + +It was, as we see, a select gathering of all the great filibusters of +the day. + +"You are welcome, brothers," said Montbarts; "I am glad to see you, for +I was awaiting you impatiently. Here are pipes, tobacco, and spirits; +smoke and drink," he added, pointing to a table placed in the centre +of the room. + +The filibusters sat down, lighted pipes, and filled glasses. + +"Brothers," Montbarts resumed a moment later, "I have requested you to +come to my hatto for two reasons of great importance, and of which the +second necessarily depends on the first: are you prepared to listen to +me?" + +"Speak, Montbarts," William Drake answered in the name of all; "you, +whom the gavachos have surnamed the Exterminator, a name I envy you, +brother, for you can only wish the good of filibustering." + +"That is the very subject," Montbarts answered. + +"I was sure of it, brother. Speak, we will listen to you religiously." + +They prepared to listen attentively. All these energetic men, who +recognised no laws but those themselves had made, knew not what envy +was, and were ready to discuss with the most entire good faith the +proposals which they foresaw Montbarts desired to make to them. + +The latter reflected for a moment, and then spoke in a gentle voice, +whose sympathetic accent soon captivated his audience. + +"Brothers," he said, "I will be brief, for you are picked men, with +warm hearts and firm hands, with whom a long speech is not only +useless, but also ridiculous Since my arrival at St. Kitts, I have +been studying filibustering, its life, manners, and aspirations, and +I have recognised with sorrow that the results do not justify its +efforts. What are we doing? Nothing, or almost nothing. In spite of our +indomitable courage, the Spaniards laugh at us; too weak, owing to +our isolation, to inflict serious losses on them, we expend our energy +in vain; we shed our blood, to take from them a few wretched vessels. +It is not thus that matters ought to go on; this is not the vengeance +which each of us dreamed of. What is the cause of our relative weakness +toward our formidable enemy? The isolation, to which I alluded just +now, and which will forever paralyze our efforts." + +"That is true," Red Stocking muttered. + +"But how can we alter it?" David asked. + +"Alas!" William Drake added, "The remedy is unfortunately impossible." + +"We are adventurers merely, and not a power," said Belle Tête. + +Montbarts smiled--that pale, peculiar smile of his, which turned the +heart cold. + +"You are mistaken, brothers," he said, "the remedy is found; if we +like, we shall soon be a power." + +"Speak, speak, brother," all the adventurers exclaimed, springing up. + +"This is my plan, brothers," he continued; "we are here twelve, of all +nations, but with one heart; the flower of filibusterism, I declare +loudly; without fear of contradiction, for each of us has furnished +proofs of it, and what proofs! Well, let us join and form a family; +from our share of the prizes let us set aside a sum intended to form +the common treasury, and while remaining at liberty to organize private +expeditions, let us swear never to injure or thwart one another, to +offer mutual help when needed, to labour with all our power to the +ruin of Spain, and while keeping our association secret from our +comrades and brothers, to combine our forces when the moment arrives to +crush our implacable enemy at one blow. Such, brothers, is the first +proposal I have to make to you. I await your answer." + +There was a momentary silence; the filibusters understood the +importance of their brother's proposal, and the strength it would give +them in the future. They exchanged glances, whispered together, and at +length William Drake replied in the name of all-- + +"Brother," he said, "you have just elucidated in a few words a question +which has hitherto remained in obscurity. You have perfectly defined +the cause of our weakness, by finding at the same time, as you promised +us, not the remedy, but the means to render an association hitherto due +to accident and almost useless, really formidable and useful: but this +is not all. This association, to which you allude, requires a head to +direct it, and ensure the success of its efforts at the right moment. +It is therefore necessary that while our association remains secret, +and, as it were, not in existence at all, in every point that does +not affect its object, one of us should be appointed chief; a chief, +the more powerful, because we shall be devoted to him, and aid him in +working for the general good." + +"Is this really your opinion, brothers?" Montbarts asked. "Do you +accept my proposal such as I made it, and as William Drake has modified +it?" + +"We accept it so," the filibusters replied with one voice. + +"Very good. Still I think that this chief, to whom you refer, should +be unanimously elected by us; that his authority may be taken from him +at a meeting of the assembly by a majority of voices, if he do not +strictly fulfil the conditions he has accepted; that, as guardian of +the treasury, he must always be ready to furnish his accounts, and +that his appointment should not exceed five years, unless renewed." + +"All that is fair," said Red Stocking; "no one can understand the +general good better than you, brother." + +"Hence," David remarked, "we shall be partners; no quarrel, no +dissension can well be possible among us." + +"While ostensibly retaining our free will and most complete +independence," Belle Tête reminded. + +"Yes," Montbarts replied. + +"Now, brothers," said Drake, rising, and doffing his cap, "listen to +me: I, William Drake, swear on my faith and honour, the most complete +devotion to the association of the Twelve, submitting myself beforehand +to undergo the punishment my brothers may please to inflict on me, even +death, if I were to betray the secret of the Association, and break my +oath. Heaven help me!" + +After Drake each filibuster uttered the same oath in a firm voice, and +with a solemn accent. + +They resumed their seats. + +"Brothers," said Montbarts, "what we have hitherto done is nothing; +it is only the dawn of the new era which is about to open, for the +glorious days of filibustering are beginning--twelve men like us, +united by the same thought, must perform miracles." + +"We will do so, be assured, brother," Morgan said, as he carelessly +picked his teeth with a gold pin. + +"Now, brothers, before I submit my second proposal to you, I believe we +had better elect a president." + +"That is true," said David; "as the company is formed, let us elect the +president." + +"One word first," said Michael the Basque, stepping into the centre of +the circle. + +"Speak, brother." + +"I wish to add this: every member of the Association who falls into the +hands of the gavachos shall be delivered by the other members, whatever +perils they may have to incur in doing so." + +"We swear it!" the filibusters shouted enthusiastically. + +"Unless it is impossible," Morgan said. + +"Nothing is impossible for us," William Drake remarked, rudely. + +"That is true, brother. You are right, I was mistaken," Morgan replied, +with a smile. + +"The society will be called that of The Twelve; only the death of +a member will allow another to be admitted, and he must be chosen +unanimously," Michael continued. + +"We swear it!" the filibusters exclaimed once more. + +"Now, brothers," said Bartholomew, "let us proceed to the election, by +ballot, in order to protect the liberty of the vote." + +"There are pens, ink, and paper on that table, brothers," Montbarts +remarked. + +"And here is my cap," Red Stocking said, with a laugh; "throw your +votes into it." + +And, removing his beaver skin cap, the filibuster laid it on the ground +in the middle of the room. + +Then the adventurers, with perfect order, rose one after the other, and +in turn went to write their vote, which they deposited, after rolling +up the paper, in Red Stocking's cap. + +Then all the adventurers returned to their seats: + +"Have we all voted?" David asked. + +"All!" the filibusters replied, in chorus. + +"Now, brother," Drake said to David, "since you hold the cap, proclaim +the result." + +David questioned his comrades with a glance, and they bowed their heads +in affirmation; then he took up the first roll that came to hand, +opened it, and read-- + +"Montbarts, the Exterminator." + +And passed on to a second. + +"Montbarts, the Exterminator," he read again. + +It was the same with the third, fourth, and so on up to the twelfth and +last--all bore the words-- + +"Montbarts, the Exterminator." + +It was a sinister challenge given to the Spanish nation, of whom this +man was the most obstinate enemy. + +Montbarts rose, took off his hat, and bowed gracefully to his comrades. + +"Brothers," he said, "I thank you--the confidence you place in me shall +not be disappointed." + +"Long live Montbarts, the Exterminator!" all the filibusters shouted, +impulsively. + +The terrible company of The Twelve was created. Filibusterism then +really became a formidable power. + + +[Footnote 1: Term of contempt for the Spaniards.] + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE SECOND PROPOSAL. + + +Montbarts allowed the enthusiasm of his comrades time to calm, and then +spoke again. + +There was no change in his appearance; nothing in his face denoted +the joy of triumph or of satisfied ambition; still the vote of his +companions, by nominating him Chief of the filibusters, had rendered +him in a moment a man more powerful than many a prince. His face was +just as impassive, his voice equally firm. + +"Brothers," he said, "do you remember that I had a second proposal to +make to you?" + +"That is true," William Drake replied--"speak, brother, we are +listening to you." + +"The second proposal is as follows: still, I must request you before +answering me to reflect fully on it. Your opinion must not be lightly +expressed, for, I repeat to you, and dwell on it in order that you may +thoroughly understand me, this proposition is most serious and grave. +In a word, it is this:--I propose to you to abandon the island of St. +Kitts, and choose another place of refuge, more convenient, and, above +all, safer for you." + +The filibusters gazed at him in amazement. + +"I will explain," he said, stretching out his arms as if to request +silence; "listen to me carefully, brothers, for what you are going to +hear interests you all. Our refuge is badly chosen, and too remote from +the centre of our expeditions; the difficulties we have to surmount in +returning to it, in consequence of the currents that make our ships +drift, and the contrary winds that oppose their speed, make us lose +precious time. Now, the Caribbean archipelago is composed, of more +than thirty islands, among which it is easy for us, it seems to me, to +choose the one that suits us best. This idea which I bring before you +today I have been revolving in my mind for a long time. I have not +limited my expeditions to the pursuit of the gavachos. I have also made +a voyage of discovery, and believe that I have found the spot suited +for us." + +"Whereabouts is it, brother?" David asked, making himself spokesman for +his companions. + +"I mean the island which the Spaniards call Hispaniola, and you know as +St. Domingo." + +"But, brother," Bartholomew here interposed, "that island, which, I +allow, is immense, and covered with magnificent forests, is inhabited +by the Spaniards; if we went there it would be really placing ourselves +in the wolf's throat." + +"I thought as you do before I had assured myself of the reality of the +fact, but now I am certain of the contrary; not alone is the island +only partially occupied by the gavachos, but we shall also find allies +in the parties they have despised." + +"Allies!" the filibusters exclaimed, in surprise. + +"Yes, brothers, and in this wise.--When Don Fernando de Toledo attacked +St. Kitts, the French who succeeded in escaping from the massacre +took refuge on the adjacent islands, as you are aware; many of them +went further, and reached St. Domingo, where they found a refuge. +That was bold, was it not? But, I repeat to you, the Spaniards occupy +scarce one-half of it. At the period of the discovery they left some +horned cattle on the island; these beasts have propagated, and now +exist in herds. The immense savannahs of St. Domingo are covered with +innumerable herds of wild oxen which graze on all the uninhabited part; +these herds, as you are aware, are a certain resource for revictualling +our ships, and, moreover, the vicinity of the Spanish colonists offers +us the means to satiate our hatred upon them; besides, our companions +who have been established on the island for some years past wage an +incessant and obstinate war upon them." + +"Yes, yes," said Belle Tête, pensively; "I understand what you are +saying to us, brother. You are right up to a certain point; but let us +discuss the matter quietly and coolly, like serious men." + +"Speak," Montbarts replied; "each of us has the right to express his +opinion when the common interest is concerned." + +"Brave though we are, and we may boast of it frankly, for, thank +heaven, our courage is well known, we are not strong enough for all +that--at present at least--to measure ourselves against the Spanish +power on land; there is a difference between capturing a ship and +facing an entire population. You allow that, I suppose, brother?" + +"Certainly I do." + +"Very good, I will go on. It is evident that the Spaniards, who up to +the present have probably not noticed them, or, at any rate, owing +to their small number and slight importance, have disdained the +adventurers established on the desert part of the island; when they see +that this establishment, which they supposed to be temporary, and due +to the caprice of our brothers, is becoming permanent, and assuming the +menacing proportions of a colony, they will refuse to permit it--what +will happen then? This: they will collect all their forces, assail us +suddenly, destroy us after a desperate resistance, and ruin at one +blow, not only our new colony, but also our hopes of vengeance." + +These remarks of Belle Tête, which displayed close logic, produced a +certain effect on the filibusters, who began exchanging meaning looks; +but Montbarts did not allow the spirit of opposition time to spread, +and at once went on to say-- + +"You would be right, brother, if, as you suppose, we were to place our +principal establishment on St. Domingo; it is evident that we should be +crushed by numbers, and forced to retire disgracefully; but a man would +know me badly if he supposed that I, who have an implacable hatred of +these infamous gavachos, could possibly conceive such a plan for a +moment, if I had not previously assured myself about its success, and +the profit we shall derive from it." + +"Come, brother," Drake said, "explain yourself clearly; we are +listening to you with the most earnest attention." + +"To the northwest of St. Domingo, and only separated from it by a +narrow channel, there is an island about eight leagues long, surrounded +by rocks called the iron coast, which render any landing impossible, +except at the south, where there is a fine port, whose bottom is +composed of sand, and where vessels are sheltered from all winds, +which, besides, are not violent in those parts; there are also a few +sandy bays scattered along the coast, but they are only approachable +by canoes. This island is called Tortuga or Tortoise Island, owing +to its shape, which slightly resembles that animal. Here it is, +brothers, I propose that we should form our principal establishment, +or, if you prefer it, our headquarters. The Port of Peace, and Port +Margot, situated facing Tortoise Isle, will enable us to keep up an +easy communication with St. Domingo: sheltered in our island, as in +an impregnable fortress, we shall brave the efforts of the whole +Spanish power. But I do not wish to deceive you, and must tell you +everything; the Spaniards are on their guard; they have foreseen that +if buccaneering goes on, that is to say, if they do not succeed in +destroying us, the excellent position of that island would not escape +our notice, and that we should probably attempt to seize on it: hence +they have had it occupied by twenty-five soldiers, commanded by an +alférez. Do not smile, brothers; although the garrison is small, it +is sufficient, owing to the manner in which it is entrenched, and the +difficulties a landing offers; and then, too, it can easily obtain +reinforcements from the Grande Terre in a very short time. I have often +landed in disguise on Tortoise Isle. I have inspected it with the +greatest care, and hence you can attach the most entire confidence to +the information I am giving you." + +"Montbarts is right," Yoc, the Brazilian, said at this moment; "I know +Tortoise Isle, and, like him, I am persuaded that island will offer us +a far surer and more advantageous shelter than St. Kitts." + +"Now, brothers," Montbarts resumed, "reflect, and answer yes or no. If +you accept my offer I will prepare to realize my plan by seizing the +island; if you refuse, I will never mention it again." + +And, in order by his absence to give more liberty for discussion, the +adventurer left the room, and proceeded to the terrace in front of the +hatto, where he began walking up and down, apparently indifferent to +what was going on, but in his heart very anxious as to the result of +the deliberation. + +He had only been walking up and down for a few minutes, when a slight +whistle was audible a short distance off, so gently modulated, that +it needed all the sharpness of hearing with which the filibuster was +endowed, to catch it. + +He walked rapidly in the direction where this species of signal had +been heard. At the same moment, a man lying on the ground, and so +thoroughly concealed by the gloom that it was impossible to perceive +him unless he was known to be there, raised his head, and displayed +in the white moonbeams the copper face, and delicate and intelligent +features of a Carib. + +"Omopoua?" the filibuster said. + +"I am waiting!" the Indian laconically answered, as he sprang up at one +bound, and stood erect before him. + +Omopoua, that is to say, the leaper, was a young man of twenty-five +years of age at the most, of a tall and admirably proportioned stature, +whose skin had the gilded shade of Florentine bronze. He was naked, +with the exception of thin canvas drawers, fastening round his hips, +and falling nearly to his knees. His long, black hair, parted in the +centre of his head, fell on his shoulders on either side. He had no +other weapons but a long knife, and a bayonet passed through a cowhide +belt. + +"Has the man arrived?" Montbarts asked. + +"He has." + +"Has Omopoua seen him?" + +"Yes." + +"Does he fancy himself recognised?" + +"Only the eye of a determined foe could guess him beneath his disguise." + +"That is well! My brother will conduct me to him?" + +"I will lead the pale chief." + +"Good! Where shall I find Omopoua an hour after sunrise?" + +"Omopoua will be in his hut." + +"I will come there;" and, hearing several voices calling him from the +interior of the hatto, he said, "I reckon on the Indian's promise." + +"Yes, if the chief keeps his." + +"I shall keep it." + +After exchanging a last meaning look with the filibuster, the +Carib glided down the face of the cliff, and disappeared almost +instantaneously. + +Montbarts remained for a moment motionless, plunged in deep thought; +then, giving a sudden start, and passing his hand over his forehead, as +if to efface any sign of emotion, he hastily re-entered the hatto. + +The deliberation was ended. The filibusters had returned to their +seats, and Montbarts went back to his, and waited with affected +indifference, till one of his comrades thought proper to speak. + +"Brother," David then said, "we have thoroughly discussed your +proposal. My comrades authorize me to tell you that they accept it, but +they merely desire to know what means you intend to employ in carrying +out your plan, and insuring its success?" + +"Brothers, I thank you," Montbarts replied, "for giving me your +consent. As to the means I intend to employ in seizing Tortoise Isle, +permit me, for the present, to keep them secret, as the success of the +expedition depends on it. You need only be told that I do not wish to +compromise the interests of anyone, and that I intend to run all the +risk alone." + +"You do not understand me, brother, or else I have explained myself +badly," David replied. "If I asked you in what way you proposed to act, +I was not at all impelled by a puerile curiosity, but because, in so +serious a question, which interests the entire association, we have +resolved to accompany you, and to die or conquer with you. We wish +to share the honour of the triumph, or assume a part of the defeat." +Montbarts felt involuntarily affected by these generous words, so nobly +pronounced; and by a spontaneous movement he held out his hands to the +filibusters, who pressed them energetically, and said,-- + +"You are right, brothers. We must all share in the great work which, I +hope, will at length place us in the position to achieve great things. +We will all go to Tortoise Island. But I will ask you--and believe me +that I am not speaking thus through any ambitious motive--to let me +conduct the expedition." + +"Are you not our chief?" the filibusters exclaimed. + +"We will obey you according to the laws of buccaneering," David added. +"The man who conceives an expedition has alone the right to command. We +will be your soldiers." + +"That is settled, brothers. Tomorrow morning, at eleven, after +attending the sale of the new engagés, who arrived from France the +day before yesterday, I will go to the governor, and tell him I am +preparing a fresh expedition, and enlistment can begin at once." + +"Not one of us will be missing at the rendezvous," said Belle Tête. "I +must buy two engagés to fill the places of two idlers, who have just +died of sheer idleness." + +"That is settled," said Bartholomew. "At eleven o'clock we will all be +at Basse Terre." + +They then rose and prepared to retire: for the whole night had passed +away in these discussions, and the sun, although still beneath the +horizon, was already beginning to tinge it with a purple hue, that +testified it would soon appear. + +"By the way," Montbarts said, with an indifferent air to Morgan, whom +with the rest he accompanied to the head of the path; "if you are not +greatly attached to your Carib--I forget how you call him--" + +"Omopoua?" + +"Ah! yes. Well, I was saying that if you were not indisposed to part +with him, I should feel obliged by your letting me have him." + +"Do you want him?" + +"Yes. I think he will be useful to me." + +"In that case, take him, brother. I yield him to you, although he is a +good workman, and I am satisfied with him." + +"Thanks, brother. What value do you set on him?" + +"Well, I will not bargain with you, brother. I saw a rather handsome +fusil in your house. Give it to me, and take the Indian, and we shall +be quits." + +"Wait a minute, then." + +"Why?" + +"Because I will give you the fusil at once. You will send me the +Indian; or, if I have time, I will call and fetch him during the day." + +The filibuster returned to the hatto, took down the fusil, and carried +it to Morgan, who threw it on his shoulder with a movement of joy. + +"Well, that is settled," he said. "Good-bye, for the present." + +"We shall meet again soon," Montbarts answered, and they separated. + +Montbarts threw a thick cloak over his shoulders, put on a broad +brimmed hat, whose brim fell over his face, and concealed his features, +and then turning to Michael, said: + +"Mate, an important matter obliges me to go to Basse Terre; you will +go to our governor, the Chevalier de Fontenay, and without entering +into any details, and being very careful not to betray our secret, you +will simply warn him that I am preparing a fresh expedition." + +"Very good, mate, I will go," Michael answered. + +"You will then examine the lugger, and occupy yourself with Bowline, in +getting her ready to put to sea." + +After giving these instructions to the two sailors, Montbarts left the +house, and descended the cliff. + +The Chevalier de Fontenay, like M. d'Esnambuc, whom he had succeeded +two years before as governor of St. Kitts, was a cadet of Normandy, who +had come to the isles to try his fortune, and before becoming governor +had joined in many buccaneering expeditions. He was exactly the man +they wanted; he left them at liberty to act as they pleased, never +asked them for any accounts, understood at half a word, and contented +himself with raising a tithe on the prizes--a voluntary tribute which +the adventurers paid him in return for the protection he was supposed +to give them in the king's name by legitimating their position. + +The sun had risen, a fresh sea breeze caused the leaves to rustle, and +the birds were singing on the branches. Montbarts walked on hurriedly, +looking neither to the right nor left, and apparently plunged in deep +thought. + +On reaching the entrance of the village of Basse Terre, instead of +entering it, he skirted it, and going along a narrow path that crossed +a tobacco plantation, he went toward the interior of the island, +proceeding in the direction of Mount Misery, whose rise was already +perceptible beneath his feet. + +After a very long walk, the filibuster at length stopped at the +entrance of a dry gorge, on one of the slopes of which stood a wretched +hut of tree trunks, poorly covered with palm leaves. A man was standing +in the doorway of this cabin: on perceiving Montbarts he uttered a cry +of joy and rushed toward him, running over the rocks with the rapidity +and lightness of a deer. + +This man was Omopoua, the Carib; on coming up to the filibuster, he +fell on his knees. + +"Rise," the adventurer said to him, "what have you to thank me for?" + +"My master told me an hour ago that I no longer belonged to him, but to +you." + +"Well, did I not promise it to you?" + +"That is true, but the white men always promise, and never keep their +word." + +"You see a proof of the contrary; come, get up, your master has sold +you to me, it is true, but I give you your liberty; you have now but +one master, God." + +The Indian rose, laid his hand on his chest, tottered, his features +were contracted, and for a moment he seemed suffering from a violent +internal emotion, which in spite of all the power he had over himself, +he could not succeed in mastering. + +Montbarts, calm and gloomy, examined him attentively, while fixing a +scrutinizing glance upon him. + +At length the Indian succeeded in speaking, though his voice issued +from his throat like a whistle. + +"Omopoua was a renowned chief among his people," he said; "a Spaniard +had degraded him by making him a slave, through treachery, and selling +him like a beast of burden: you restore Omopoua to the rank from which +he ought never to have descended. It is well, you lose a bad slave, +but gain a devoted friend; were it not for you I should be dead--my +life belongs to you." + +Montbarts offered the Carib his hand, which he kissed respectfully. + +"Do you intend to remain at Saint Kitts, or would you like to return to +Haiti?" + +"The family of Omopoua," the Indian replied, "and what remains of his +people, are wandering about the savannahs of Bohis, but where you go, I +will go." + +"Very good, you shall follow me; now lead me to the man, you know whom." + +"At once." + +"Are you certain he is a Spaniard?" + +"I am." + +"You do not know for what motives he has entered the island?" + +"I do not." + +"And at what place has he sought shelter?" + +"With an Englishman." + +"In the English colony there?" + +"No; at Basse Terre." + +"All the better. What is the Englishman's name?" + +"Captain William Drake." + +"Captain Drake!" Montbarts exclaimed with surprise, "It is impossible." + +"It is so." + +"In that case, the Captain does not know him." + +"No; the man entered his house and asked for hospitality, and the +Captain could not refuse it to him." + +"That is true; go up to my hatto, take clothes, a fusil--in short, what +weapons you like, and come to me at Captain Drake's; if I am no longer +there, you will find me on the port; begone." + +Montbarts then turned back, and proceeded toward Basse Terre, while the +Carib went towards the hatto as the bird flies, according to Indian +custom. + +Basse Terre was the entrepôt, or to speak more correctly, the +headquarters of the French colony: at the period when our story is laid +it was only a miserable township, built without order, according to the +caprice or convenience of each owner, an agglomeration of huts, rather +than a town, but producing at a distance a most picturesque effect +through this very chaos of houses of all shapes and sizes, thus grouped +along the seashore, in front of magnificent roads, filled with vessels +swinging at their anchors, and constantly furrowed by an infinite +number of canoes. + +A battery of six guns, built on an advanced point, defended the +entrance of the roads. + +But in this town, apparently so mean, dirty, and wretched, it was +possible to watch the circulation of the life full of sap, vigour, and +violence belonging to the strange inhabitants, unique in the world, who +formed its heterogeneous population. The narrow gloomy streets were +crowded with people of every description and colour, who came and went +with a busy air. + +There were pothouses at the corner of all the streets and squares, +perambulating dealers shouted their goods in a ropy voice, and public +criers, followed by a crowd which was swelled at every step by all the +idlers, announced with a mighty noise of trumpets and drums, the sale +on that very day of the engagés, who had just arrived in a Company's +vessel. + +Montbarts passed unnoticed through the crowd, and reached the door +of Captain Drake's house--a rather handsome looking and cleanly kept +house, which stood on the seashore at no great distance from the +governor's residence. + +The filibuster pushed the door, which, according to the custom of the +country, was not locked, and entered the house. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +THE SPY. + + +Montbarts, as we said, walked into the house. + +There were two persons in the first room, which was contrived a double +debt to pay, as half sitting room, half kitchen. + +These two persons were an engagé of Captain Drake and a stranger. + +As for the Captain, he was absent at the moment. + +The filibuster's eye flashed at the sight of the stranger, and an +ill-omened smile curled his pale lips. + +As for the latter, he was seated at a table in the middle of the room, +and quietly breakfasting on a piece of cold bacon, washed down by a +bottle of Bordeaux,--a wine, let us remark, parenthetically, which, +though unknown in Paris till the reign of Louis XV., when the Duc de +Richelieu brought it into fashion on his return from the government of +Guyenne--had been for a long time appreciated in America. + +The stranger was of rather tall stature, with a pale face, and ascetic +features, thin, bony, and angular; but his noble manners indicated a +high rank in society, which rank his simple and even more than modest +costume tried in vain to conceal. + +On the filibuster's entrance, the stranger, without raising his head, +took a side-glance at him from under his long velvety eyelashes, and +again became absorbed or appeared to be so, in the contemplation of +the capital breakfast set before him. + +Everything was in common among the filibusters, everyone took from +the other, whether he was at home or not, anything he wanted, arms, +gunpowder, clothes or food, and the person from whom it was taken had +no right to protest or make the slightest observation; this was not +merely admitted and tolerated, but was regarded as a right which all +took advantage of without the slightest scruple. + +Montbarts, after looking round the room, took a chair, seated himself +unceremoniously opposite the stranger, and turning to the engagé, said-- + +"Bring me some breakfast--I am hungry." + +The other, without venturing the slightest remark, immediately prepared +to obey. + +In a very short time he had served up an excellent breakfast for the +filibuster, and then took his place behind his chair to wait on him. + +"My friend," the filibuster said, carelessly, "I thank you; but when I +take my meals I do not like to have anybody behind me. Leave the room, +but remain in front of the house door;" and he added, with a singularly +meaning glance, "let no one enter here without my orders: no one--you +understand me?" he said, laying a stress on the words; "Not even your +master, were he to come. Can I depend on you?" + +"Yes, Montbarts," said the engagé, and left the room. + +At the name of Montbarts, uttered by the servant, the stranger gave +an almost imperceptible start, and fixed an anxious glance on the +filibuster; but immediately recovering himself, he began eating again +in the most perfect tranquillity, or at least apparently so. + +For his part, Montbarts went on eating without troubling himself, or +seeming to trouble himself, about the guest seated just opposite to him. + +This performance went on for some minutes; no other sound was heard +in the room, where such violent passions were smouldering, but that +produced by the knives and forks scratching on the platters. + +At length Montbarts raised his head and looked at the stranger. + +"You are very taciturn, sir," he said to him, with the simple air of +a man who is wearied at a lengthened silence, and wishes to get up a +conversation. + +"I, sir?" the stranger replied, as he looked up in his turn with the +calmest air; "Not that I am aware of." + +"Still, sir," the filibuster resumed, "I would remark, that during the +quarter of an hour I have had the honour of passing in your company, +you have not once addressed a syllable to me, not even in greeting." + +"Pray excuse me, sir," the stranger said, with a slight bow; "the +fault is entirely involuntary: besides, as I have not the advantage of +knowing you--? + +"Are you quite sure of that, sir?" the adventurer interrupted, +ironically. + +"At least, I think so; hence, having nothing to say to you, I suppose +that it would be useless to begin a conversation which would have no +object." + +"Who knows, sir?" the filibuster remarked, jeeringly; "Conversations +the most frivolous at the outset, frequently become very interesting at +the expiration of a few minutes." + +"I doubt whether that would be the case with ours, sir. Permit me, +therefore, to break it off at once. Besides, I have finished my +meal," the stranger said, rising; "and some serious business claims +my attention. Pray forgive me, therefore, for parting company so +hurriedly, and believe in the sincerity of my regret." + +The adventurer did not leave his seat, but throwing himself back in it +with a graceful nonchalance, while playing with the knife he held in +his hand, he said in his gentle insinuating voice-- + +"Pardon me, my dear sir; only one word, pray." + +"In that case make haste, sir," the stranger replied, as he stopped, +"for I am greatly pressed for time, I assure you." + +"Oh! You will certainly grant me a few minutes," the adventurer +remarked, with the old sarcasm. + +"As you desire it so eagerly, I will not refuse it you, sir. But I +really am in a hurry." + +"I have no doubt on that point, sir; more especially hurried to leave +this house--is it not so?" + +"What do you mean, sir?" the stranger asked, haughtily. + +"I mean," the adventurer replied, as he rose and placed himself between +the stranger and the door, "that it is useless to feign any longer, and +that you are recognized." + +"I recognized? I do not understand you. What does this language mean?" + +"It means," Montbarts said brutally, "that you are a spy and a traitor, +and that you will be hanged within ten minutes." + +"I?" the stranger replied, with very cleverly assumed surprise; "Why, +you must be mad, sir, or suffering under a strange mistake. Let me +pass, I request." + +"I am not mad or mistaken, Señor Don Antonio de la Ronda." + +The stranger started, a livid pallor covered his face, but he +immediately recovered himself. + +"Why, this is madness!" he said. + +"Sir," Montbarts remarked, still calm, but remaining in front of the +door, "when I affirm, you deny. It is evident that one of us lies, or +is mistaken. Now I declare that it is not I, hence it must be you; and +to remove your last doubts on this point, listen to this, but first be +good enough to resume your seat. We shall have, however much it may +annoy you, to converse for some time and I will remark, that it is a +very bad taste to talk standing face to face like two gamecocks ready +to fly at each other's combs, when it is possible to act otherwise." + +Mastered, in spite of himself, by the adventurer's flashing glance +obstinately fixed on him, and by his sharp, imperative accent, the +stranger returned to his seat, and fell into it rather than sat down. + +"Now, sir," the filibuster continued, in the same calm voice, as he +reseated himself and placed his elbows on the table, "in order at once +to dissipate all the doubts you may have, and to prove to you that I +know more about you than you will doubtless like, let me tell you your +history in a couple of words." + +"Sir!" the stranger interrupted. + +"Oh, fear nothing," he added, with studied sarcasm, "I shall be brief: +I no more like than you do to waste my time in idle discourses; but +just notice, by the bye, that, as I prophesied, our conversation, at +first frivolous, has suddenly grown interesting. Is not this singular, +I ask you?" + +"I am awaiting your explanation, sir," the stranger replied, coolly; +"for, up to the present, whatever you may say, I do not comprehend a +word of all that it pleases you to say to me." + +"By Heavens! You are a man after my heart. I was not mistaken about +you. Brave, cold, and crafty, you are worthy to be a filibuster, and to +lead an adventurous life with us." + +"You do me a great honour, sir; but all this does not tell me--" + +"Zounds! I am coming to it, sir--a little patience. How quick you are! +Take care: in your profession a man must be cool before all else, and +you are not so at this moment." + +"You are very witty, sir," the stranger said, bowing ironically to his +opponent. + +The latter was offended by this sudden attack, and smote the table with +his fist. + +"Here is your history in two words, sir," he said. "You are an +Andalusian, born at Malaga, a younger son, and consequently destined to +take orders. One fine day, not feeling any liking for the tonsure, you +fled from the paternal roof and embarked on a Spanish vessel bound for +Hispaniola. Your name is Don Antonio de la Ronda. You see, sir, that up +to this point I am well informed, am I not?" + +"Pray go on, sir," the stranger replied, with perfect coolness; "your +remarks are most interesting." Montbarts shrugged his shoulders, and +went on. + +"On arriving at Hispaniola, you contrived, in a short time, thanks to +your good looks and polished manners, to secure powerful protectors; +and thus, though you only left Europe three years ago, you have +made such rapid progress, that you are at present one of the most +influential men in the colony. Unluckily--" + +"Do you say unluckily?" the stranger interrupted with a jeering smile. + +"Yes, sir," the adventurer replied imperturbably; "unluckily your +fortune turned your head so thoroughly--" + +"So thoroughly?" + +"That in defiance of your friends, you were arrested and threatened +with a trial for embezzling a sum of nearly two million piastres; a +noble amount, on which I compliment you. Any other man but you, sir, I +feel a pleasure in allowing the fact, would have been ruined, or nearly +so, as the case was very serious; and the Council of the Indies does +not joke on money matters." + +"Permit me to interrupt you, my dear sir," the stranger said with the +most perfect ease; "you are telling this story in a very talented +manner, but if you go on so, it threatens to last indefinitely. If you +permit it, I will finish it in a few words." + +"Ah! Ah! Then you allow its truth now?" + +"Of course," the stranger said with admirable coolness. + +"You acknowledge yourself to be Don Antonio de la Ronda?" + +"Why should I deny it longer, when you are so well informed?" + +"Better still; so that you confess to fraudulently entering the colony +for the object of--" + +"I confess anything you like," the Spaniard said quickly. + +"Well, that being well established, you deserve to be hung, and you +will be so in a few minutes." + +"Well, no," he replied without losing any of his coolness; "that is +where we differ essentially in opinion, sir, your conclusion is not in +the least logical." + +"What?" the adventurer exclaimed, surprised at this sudden change of +humour which he did not expect. + +"I said that your conclusion was not logical." + +"I heard you perfectly." + +"And I am going to prove it," he continued; "grant me in your turn a +few moments' attention." + +"Very good; we must be merciful to those who are about to die." + +"You are very kind; but thank Heaven I am not there yet. There's many a +slip between the cup and the lip, as a very sensible proverb says." + +"Go on," the filibuster said with an ominous smile. + +But the Spaniard was not affected. + +"It is evident to me, sir, that you have some business or bargain to +propose to me." + +"I?" + +"Certainly, and for this reason; having recognized me as a spy, for +I must allow that I am really one (you see that I am frank in my +confession), nothing was easier for you than to have me strung up to +the nearest tree, without any form of trial." + +"Yes, but I am going to do so." + +"No, you will not do it now, and for this reason. You believe for +reasons I am ignorant of, for I will not insult you by supposing that +you had a feeling of pity for me, you who are so justly called by my +countrymen the Exterminator--you believe, I say, that I can serve you, +be useful to you in the success of one of your plans; consequently +instead of having me hanged, as you would have done under any other +circumstances, you came straight to find me here, where I fancied +myself well hidden, in order to converse with me, like one friend with +another. Well, I ask for nothing better, come, speak, I am listening; +what do you want of me?" + +And after uttering these words with the most easy air he could assume, +Don Antonio threw himself back in his chair delicately rolling a +cigarette between his fingers. + +The filibuster gazed for a moment at the Spaniard with a surprise which +he did not attempt to conceal, and then burst into a laugh. + +"That will do," he said, "I prefer that; at least there will be no +misunderstanding between us. Yes, you have guessed correctly, I have a +proposal to make to you." + +"That was not difficult to discover, sir; and pray what is the nature +of the proposal?" + +"Well, it is very simple, I only require you to act exactly in the +opposite way to what you intended, to change sides, in short." + +"Very good, I understand, that is to say, instead of betraying you for +the advantage of Spain, I am to betray Spain for your profit." + +"Yes, you see it is easy." + +"Very easy, in fact, but decidedly shabby; and supposing that I consent +to your request, what advantage shall I derive from it?" + +"In the first place I need hardly say that you will not be hung." + +"Pooh! To die by hanging, drowning, or a musket ball, is always much +the same thing. I should desire a more distinct benefit, with your +leave." + +"Confound it, you are difficult to satisfy, then it is nothing to save +one's neck from a slip knot?" + +"My dear sir, when, as in my case, a man has nothing to lose and +consequently everything to gain by any change in his position, death is +rather a comfort than a calamity." + +"You are a philosopher, so it seems." + +"No, confound it! such absurdity never troubled me, I am merely a +desperate man." + +"That is often the same thing; but let us return to our matter." + +"Yes, that will be better." + +"Well! I offer you my whole share of the first ship I take; does that +suit you?" + +"That is something better; but unluckily the ship to which you refer is +like the bear in the fable, not caught yet; I should prefer something +more substantial." + +"Well, I see I must yield to you; serve me well and I will reward you +so generously that the King of Spain himself could not do more." + +"Well, that is agreed, I'll run the risk; now be kind enough to tell me +the nature of the service you expect from me?" + +"I wish you to help me in taking by surprise Tortoise Island, where +you lived for a long time, and where, if I do not err, you still have +friends." + +"I see no inconvenience in trying that, although I will begin by making +my reservations." + +"What are they?" + +"That I do not pledge myself to insure the success of your hazardous +undertaking." + +"That remark is fair, but do not alarm yourself, if the Island is well +defended, it shall be well attacked." + +"I am convinced; now for the next matter." + +"I will let you know it when the time arrives, señor; for the present, +other business engages our attention." + +"As you please, sir, you will be the best judge of the opportunity." + +"Now, sir, as I had the honour of telling you at the outset, since I +know you to be a very sharp hand, and very capable of slipping through +my fingers like an eel, without the slightest scruple, and as I wish to +avoid that eventuality, and save you any notion of the sort, you will +do me the pleasure of going at once aboard my lugger." + +"A prisoner!" the Spaniard said with a gesture of ill humour. + +"Not as a prisoner, my dear Don Antonio, but regarded as a hostage, and +treated as such, that is to say, with all the attention compatible with +our common security." + +"Still, the word of a gentleman--" + +"Is valued between gentlemen, I allow, but with us _Ladrones_, as you +call us, it has no value in my opinion; you hidalgos of old Spain, +even make it a case of conscience to violate it without the slightest +scruple, when your interest invites you to do so." + +Don Antonio hung his head; recognizing in his heart, though unwilling +to allow it, the exact truth, of the filibuster's words. + +The latter enjoyed for a moment the Spaniard's discomfiture, and then +rapped the table twice or thrice with the handle of his knife. + +The captain's engagé at once entered the room. + +"What do you want of me, Montbarts?" he asked. + +"Tell me, my good fellow," the adventurer asked, "have you not seen a +red Carib prowling round this house?" + +"Pardon me, Montbarts, a Carib asked me only a moment ago, whether you +were here, and I answered in the affirmative, but I did not like to +transgress the orders I had received from you, and allow him to enter +as he desired." + +"Very good. Did not the man mention his name?" + +"On the contrary, that was the very first thing he did; it is Omopoua." + +"The very man I was expecting; tell him to come in, pray, for he is +sure to be hanging about the door; and come with him." + +The engagé went out. + +"What do you want with this man?" the Spaniard asked with a shade of +anxiety, which did not escape the adventurer's sharp eye. + +"This Indian is simply intended to be your guard of honour," he said. + +"Hum! It really seems as if you are anxious to keep me." + +"Extremely so, señor." + +At this moment, the engagé returned followed by the Carib, who had +made no change in his primitive costume; but had taken advantage of +Montbarts' permission to arm himself to the teeth. + +"Omopoua and you, my friend, listen attentively to what I am going to +say to you; you see this man?" he said pointing to the Spaniard who was +still perfectly impassive. + +"We see him," they answered. + +"You will take him on board the lugger and hand him over to my mate, +Michael the Basque, recommending him to watch over his guest most +attentively! If, during the passage from here to the vessel, this man +attempts to take to flight, blow out his brains without mercy. Have you +understood me thoroughly?" + +"Yes," said the engagé, "trust to us, we answer for him with our heads." + +"That is well, I accept your word; and now, sir," he added, addressing +Don Antonio, "be good enough to follow these two men." + +"I yield to force, sir." + +"Very good, that is how I regard the matter, but reassure yourself, +your captivity will be neither harsh nor long, and I shall keep the +promises I have made you, if you keep yours. Now, go and farewell for +the present." + +The Spaniard, without replying, placed himself between his two keepers +voluntarily and left the room. + +Montbarts remained alone. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE SLAVE SALE. + + +A moment after Montbarts rose, put on his cloak, which he had thrown on +a chair when he came in, and prepared to quit the house. + +On the threshold he found himself face to face with Captain Drake. + +"Ah," said the latter, "here you are." + +"Yes! I have been breakfasting at your house." + +"You did well." + +"Will you accompany me to the sale?" + +"I do not want any hired man." + +"Nor I, but you know the enlistment will commence immediately +afterwards." + +"That is true; let me say a word first to my engagé, and I will follow +you." + +"He has gone out." + +"Why! I ordered him not to leave the house." + +"I have given him a commission." + +"Oh! That is different." + +"You do not ask me what the commission is I have given your engagé," +Montbarts remarked a moment later. + +"Why should I? It does not concern me, I suppose." + +"More than you imagine, brother." + +"Nonsense, how so?" + +"You offered hospitality to a stranger, did you not?" + +"Yes, but what of that?" + +"You shall see. This stranger, whom you do not know, for of course you +do not--" + +"No more than Adam; what do I care who he is? hospitality is one of +those things which cannot be refused." + +"That is true, but I recognized the man." + +"Ah, ah, and who is he then?" + +"Nothing less than a Spanish spy, brother." + +"My God!" the captain said, stopping dead short. + +"What is the matter with you now?" + +"Nothing, nothing, except that I will go and blow out his brains, +unless you have done so already." + +"Pray, do nothing of the sort; this man, I feel convinced, brother, +will prove very useful to us." + +"Nonsense, how so?" + +"Leave me to act; if we manage properly, we may draw profit even from a +Spanish spy; in the meanwhile, I have had him taken on board the lugger +by your engagé, and a man of my own, where he will be watched so that +he cannot part company." + +"I trust to you for that, and thank you, brother, for having freed me +from the scoundrel." + +While talking thus, the two men arrived at the spot where the sale of +the engagés to the colonists was to take place. + +On the right of the square was a spacious shed, built of clumsily +planed planks, and open to the wind and rain; in the centre of the shed +was a table for the officials and secretaries of the company, who had +to manage the sale and draw up the contracts; an easy chair had been +set apart for the governor, by the side of a rather lofty platform, +on which each engagé, male or female, mounted in turn, so that the +purchasers might examine them at their ease. + +These wretches, deceived by the company's agents in Europe, had +contracted engagements, whose consequences they did not at all +understand, and were convinced that, on their arrival in America, +with the exception of a certain tax they had to pay the company for a +certain period, they would be completely free to earn their livelihood +as they thought proper. The majority were carpenters, masons and +bricklayers, but there were also among them ruined gentlemen and +libertines who detest work and who imagined that in America, the +country of gold, fortune would visit them while they slept. + +A company's ship had arrived a few days previously and brought one +hundred and fifty engagés, among them were several young and pretty +women, thoroughly vitiated, however, and who, like the Manon Lescault +of the Abbé Prevost, had been picked up by the police in the streets of +Paris, and shipped off without further formality. + +These women were also sold to the colonists, not apparently as slaves, +but as wives. + +These unions contracted in the gipsy fashion, were only intended to +last a settled time which must not exceed seven years, unless with +the mutual consent of the couple, though the clause was hardly ever +appealed to by them; at the end of that time they separated, and each +was set at liberty to form a fresh union. + +The engagés had been landed two days before; these two days had been +granted them, that they might slightly recover from the fatigue of a +long sea voyage, walk about and breathe the reviving land breeze, of +which they had so long been deprived. + +At the moment when the two adventurers arrived, the sale had been going +on for half an hour; the shed was crowded with colonists who desired to +purchase slaves, for we are compelled to use that odious term, for the +poor creatures were nothing else. + +At the sight of Montbarts, however, whose name was justly celebrated, +a passage was opened, and he thus succeeded in reaching the side of +the governor, Chevalier de Fontenay, round whom the most renowned +adventurers were collected, among them being Michael the Basque. + +Monsieur de Fontenay received Montbarts with distinction; he even +rose from his chair and walked two or three steps to meet him, which +the filibusters considered in very good taste, and felt grateful to +him for it; this honour paid to the most celebrated among them cast a +reflection on them all. + +After exchanging a few compliments with the governor, Montbarts bent +down to Michael's ear. + +"Well, mate?" he said to him. + +"The Spaniard is aboard," Michael replied, "and carefully watched by +Bowline." + +"In that case I can be at my ease?" + +"Perfectly." + +During this aside, the sale had been going on. + +All the male engagés had been sold, with the exception of one who was +standing at this moment on the platform, by the side of a company's +agent, who acted as auctioneer, and praised the qualities of the human +merchandise he offered. + +This engagé was a short, stout, powerfully built man, from twenty-five +to twenty-six years of age, with harsh, energetic, but intelligent +features, whose grey eyes sparkled with audacity and good humour. + +"Pierre Nau, native of the sands of Olonne," said the company's agent, +"twenty-five years of age, powerful and in good health, a sailor. +Who'll say forty crowns for the Olonnais, forty crowns for three years, +gentlemen." + +"Come, come," said the engagé, "if the person who buys me is a man, he +will have a good bargain." + +"Going for forty crowns," the company's agent repeated, "forty crowns, +gentlemen." + +Montbarts turned to the engagé. + +"What, you scoundrel," he said to him, "you a sailor and sell yourself +instead of joining us? You have no pluck." + +The Olonnais began laughing. + +"You know nothing about it. I have sold myself, because I must do so," +he answered, "so that my mother may be able to live during my absence." + +"How so?" + +"How does it concern you? You are not my master, and even if you were, +you would have no right to inquire into my private affairs." + +"You seem to me a bold fellow," Montbarts remarked. + +"Indeed, I believe I am; besides, I wish to become an adventurer like +you fellows, and for that purpose I must serve my apprenticeship to the +trade." + +"Going for forty crowns," cried the agent. + +Montbarts examined with the most serious attention the engagé, whose +firm glance he could hardly manage to quell; then, doubtless satisfied +with his triumph, he turned to the agent. + +"That will do," he said, "hold your row: I buy this man." + +"The Olonnais is adjudged to Montbarts the exterminator, for forty +crowns," the agent said. + +"Here they are," the adventurer answered as he threw a handful of +silver on the table; "now come," he ordered the Olonnais, "you are now +my engagé." + +The latter leapt joyously off the platform and ran up to him. + +"So you are Montbarts the exterminator?" he asked him curiously. + +"I think you are questioning me," the adventurer said with a laugh, +"still, as your question appears to me very natural, I will answer it +this time; yes, I am Montbarts." + +"In that case I thank you for buying me, Montbarts; with you I am +certain soon to become a man." + +And at a sign from his new master, he respectfully placed himself +behind him. + +The most curious part of the sale for the adventurers then began, that +is to say, the sale of the women. + +The poor wretches, mostly young and pretty, mounted the platform +trembling, and in spite of their efforts to keep a good countenance, +they blushed with shame, and burning tears ran down their cheeks on +seeing themselves thus exposed before all these men, whose flashing +eyes were fixed upon them. + +The company made its greatest profit by the women, and it was the more +easy to realise, because they were got for nothing, and sold at the +highest possible figure. + +The men were generally knocked down at a price varying from thirty +to forty dollars, but never went beyond that; with the women it was +different, they were put up to auction, and the governor alone had the +right to stop the sale, when the price appeared to him sufficiently +high. These women were always sold amid cries, shouts and coarse jests, +generally addressed to the adventurers who did not fear running the +risk of venturing on the shoal-beset ocean of marriage. + +Belle Tête, that furious adventurer to whom we have already referred, +and whom we saw at the meeting at the hatto, had, as he had resolved, +purchased two engagés to take the place of the two who had died, so he +said, of indolence, but, in reality of the blows he dealt them; then, +instead of returning home he had confided the engagés to his overseer; +for the adventurers, like the slave owners, had overseers, whose duty +it was to make the white slaves toil; and the adventurer remained in +the shed watching the sale of the women with the most lively interest. + +His friends did not fail to cut jokes at his expense, but he contented +himself with shrugging his shoulders disdainfully, and stood with +his hands crossed on the muzzle of his long fusil, and with his eyes +obstinately fixed on the platform. + +A young woman had just taken her place there in her turn; she was a +frail delicate girl, with light curling hair that fell on her white +rather thin chest. Her smooth and pensive forehead, her large blue +eyes full of tears, her fresh cheeks, her little mouth, made her appear +much younger than she in reality was; she was eighteen years of age, +and her delicate waist, her well-turned lips, her decent appearance, +in short everything about her delicious person had a seductive charm, +which formed a complete contrast with the decided air and vulgar +manners of the women who had preceded her on the platform, and those +who would follow her. + +"Louise, born at Montmartre, aged eighteen years; who will marry her +for three years, at the price of fifteen crowns?" the company's agent +asked in his sarcastic voice. + +The poor girl buried her face in her hands and wept bitterly. + +"Twenty crowns for Louise," an adventurer shouted, drawing nearer. + +"Twenty-five," another said immediately. + +"Make her hold her head up so that we can have a look at her," a third +cried brutally. + +"Come, little one," the agent said, as he obliged her to remove her +hands from her face; "be polite and let them look at you, it is for +your own good, hang it all! Twenty-five crowns." + +"Fifty," said Belle Tête, without moving from the spot. + +All eyes were turned to him; up to this moment Belle Tête had professed +a profound hatred for marriage. + +"Sixty," shouted an adventurer who did not desire to buy the girl, but +wished to annoy his comrade. + +"Seventy," said another with the same charitable intention. + +"One hundred," Belle Tête shouted angrily. + +"One hundred crowns, gentlemen, one hundred for Louise for three +years," the stoical agent said. + +"One hundred and fifty." + +"Two hundred." + +"Two hundred and fifty." + +"Three hundred," several adventurers shouted, almost simultaneously, as +they drew nearer to the platform. + +Belle Tête was pale with rage, for he feared lest she might escape him. + +The adventurer had persuaded himself, rightly or wrongly, that he +wanted a wife to manage his household; now he had seen Louise, Louise +pleased him, she was for sale, and he resolved to buy her. + +"Four hundred crowns!" he said with an air of defiance. + +"Four hundred crowns," the company's agent repeated in his monotonous +voice. + +There was a silence. + +Four hundred crowns is a large sum; Belle Tête triumphed. + +"Five hundred!" a sharp shrill voice suddenly shouted. + +The contest was beginning again; the adversaries had only stopped to +regain their strength. + +The company's agent rubbed his hands with a jubilant air, while +repeating,-- + +"Six hundred, seven, eight, nine hundred crowns!" + +A species of frenzy had seized on the spectators, and all bid +furiously; the girl was still weeping. + +Belle Tête was in a state of fury which approached to madness; +clutching his fusil frenziedly in his clinched hand, he felt a +wild temptation to send a bullet into the most determined of his +competitors. Only the presence of M. de Fontenay restrained him. + +"A thousand," he shouted in a hoarse voice. + +"One thousand two hundred!" the most obstinate competitor immediately +yelled. + +Belle Tête stamped savagely, threw his fusil on his shoulder, drew his +cap on to his head with a blow of his fist, and then with a step as +slow and solemn as that of a statue would be, if a statue could walk, +he went to place himself by the side of his unendurable rival, and +letting the butt of his fusil fall heavily on the ground, scarce an +inch from the man's foot, he looked him in the face for a moment with a +defiant air, and shouted in a voice choked by emotion,-- + +"Fifteen hundred!" + +The adventurer regarded him in his turn fiercely, fell back a step, +and, after renewing the powder in the pan of his fusil, said, in a calm +voice-- + +"Two thousand!" + +Before these two obstinate adversaries the other bidders had prudently +withdrawn; the competition was turning into a quarrel, and threatened +to become sanguinary. + +A deadly silence brooded over the shed; the over-excited passions of +these two men had spoiled all the pleasures of the spectators, and +silenced all their jokes. + +The Governor followed with interest the different incidents of this +struggle, ready to interfere at any moment. + +The adventurers had gradually fallen back, and left a large free space +between the two men. + +Belle Tête recoiled a few paces in his turn, suddenly examined the +priming of his fusil, and then, pointing the latter at his adversary, +shouted-- + +"Three thousand!" + +The other raised his fusil at the same moment to his shoulder. + +"Three thousand five hundred crowns!" he shouted, as he pulled the +trigger--the fusil was discharged. + +But the Governor, with a movement rapid as thought, threw up the barrel +with the end of his cane, and the ball lodged in the roof. + +Belle Tête remained motionless, though, on hearing the shot, he lowered +his fusil. + +"Sir," the Governor exclaimed, indignantly, addressing the adventurer +who had fired, "You have acted in a dishonourable way, and almost +committed a murder." + +"Governor," the adventurer coolly replied, "when I fired he had his gun +pointed at me, and hence it is a duel." + +The Governor hesitated, for the answer was specious. + +"No matter, sir," he continued, a moment later, "the laws of duelling +were not respected; to punish you I put you out of the bidding. Sir," +he said, addressing the company's agent, "I order that the woman, who +was the cause of this deplorable aggression, be knocked down to Señor +Belle Tête for three thousand crowns." + +The agent bowed with rather an angry look, for the worthy man had +hoped, from the way things were going on, to reach a much higher +figure; but he dared not make any observations to Chevalier de +Fontenay; he must yield, and so he did. + +"Louise is adjudged for three thousand crowns," he said, with a sigh of +regret--not for the woman, but for the money--"to M. Belle Tête." + +"Very good, Governor," the baffled adventurer said, with an ugly smile, +"I must bow to your final sentence; but Belle Tête and I will meet +again." + +"I hope so, too, Picard," Belle Tête answered, coldly; "there must be +bloodshed between us now." During this time Louise had come down from +the platform, when another woman took her place, and had stationed +herself, still weeping, by the side of Belle Tête, who was henceforth +her lord and master. + +M. de Fontenay gave a commiserating glance at the poor girl, who was +about, in all probability, to endure such a cruel existence with so +harsh a man, and then gently said to her-- + +"Madame, from this day you are for three years the legitimate wife of +M. Belle Tête, and owe him obedience, affection, and fidelity; such are +the laws of the colony: in three years you will be your own mistress, +at liberty to leave him or to continue to live with him, if he desire +it; be good enough to sign this paper." + +The unhappy woman, blinded by her tears, and crushed by despair, +signed, without looking at it, the paper which the Governor offered +her; then she cast a heart-broken glance at this silent and indifferent +crowd, in which she knew that she could not find a friend. + +"Now, sir," she asked, in a gentle and trembling voice, "what must I +do?" + +"You must follow this man, who will be your husband for three years," +M. de Fontenay answered, with a touch of pity, which he could not +overcome. + +At this moment Belle Tête laid his hand on the girl's shoulder; she +shuddered all over, and looked wildly at him. + +"Yes," he said, "my girl, you must follow me; for, as the Governor has +told you, I am your husband for three years, and till the expiration of +that time, you will have no other master but me. Now, listen to this, +my darling, and engrave it carefully on your mind, so as to remember it +at the right moment: what you have done, what you have been, until now, +does not concern me, and I care little about it; but," he added, in a +hollow, ferocious voice, which chilled the poor girl with horror, "from +this day, from this moment, you belong to me--to me alone: I intrust +to you my honour, which becomes yours, and if you compromise that +honour--if you forget your duties," he said, as he dashed the butt end +of his musket on the ground, so harshly, that the hammer rattled with +an ill-omened sound, "this will remind you of them; now, follow me." + +"Be gentle to her, Belle Tête," M. de Fontenay could not help +saying--"she is so young." + +"I shall be just, Governor: now, thanks for your impartiality, it is +time for me to retire. Picard, my old friend, you know where to find +me." + +"I shall not fail to come and see you, but I do not, wish to trouble +your honeymoon," Picard replied, with a growl. + +Belle Tête withdrew, followed by his wife. + +The sale henceforth offered nothing of interest; the few women +remaining were sold at prices far inferior to that which Louise had +fetched, to the great regret, we are bound to add, of the Company's +agent. + +The adventurers were preparing to leave the shed where they imagined +there was nothing more to see; but at this moment Montbarts mounted the +platform, and addressed the crowd in a sonorous voice-- + +"Brothers," he said, "stay, I have an important communication to make +to you." + +The adventurers remained motionless. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE ENLISTMENT. + + +All the adventurers assembled round the platform, anxiously awaiting +what Montbarts had to tell them. + +"Brothers," he said, a moment after, "I am preparing a new expedition, +for which I require three hundred resolute men; who among you will +follow Montbarts the Exterminator?" + +"All, all!" the adventurers shouted, enthusiastically. + +The Governor prepared to withdraw. + +"Pardon me, Chevalier de Fontenay," Montbarts said, "be kind enough to +remain a few minutes longer; the expedition I have projected is most +serious: I am about to dictate a charter party, to which I will ask +you, as Governor of the colony, to append your signature before that of +our companions--moreover, I have a bargain to propose to you." + +"I will remain, since you desire it, Montbarts," the Governor replied, +as he returned to his seat; "now be kind enough to inform me of the +bargain you wish to propose." + +"You are the owner, sir, I think, of two brigantines of eighty tons +each?" + +"I am." + +"These brigantines are useless to you at this moment, as you appear, at +least until fresh orders, to have given up cruising, while they will be +very useful to me." + +"In that case, sir, they are at your service from this moment," the +Governor replied, gallantly. + +"I thank you, as I ought, for your politeness, sir, but that is not +my meaning; in an expedition like the one I meditate, no one can +foresee what may happen, hence I propose to buy your two ships for four +thousand crowns cash." + +"Very good, sir, since you wish it; I am delighted to be of service to +you; the two ships are yours." + +"I shall have the honour of handing you the four thousand crowns within +an hour." + +The two men bowed; and then the filibuster turned to the adventurers, +who were waiting, panting with, impatience, and whose curiosity had +been heightened by the purchase of the two vessels. + +"Brothers," he said, in his sonorous and sympathetic voice, "for two +months past no expedition has been attempted, and no ship has put to +sea; are you not beginning to grow tired of this idle life which you +and I are leading? Are you not beginning to run short of money, and +are not your purses light? Zounds, comrades, come with me, and within +a fortnight your pockets shall be full of Spanish doubloons, and +the pretty girls, who today are so coy, will then lavish their most +charming smiles on you--down with the Spaniards, brothers! Those of +you who are willing to follow me can give their names to Michael the +Basque, my mate. Still, as the shares will be large, the danger will +be great; to obtain them I only want men resolved to conquer or to +die bravely, without asking quarter of the enemy or granting it; I am +Montbarts the Exterminator--I grant no mercy to the Spaniards, nor do I +ask it of them." + +Enthusiastic shouts greeted these words, uttered with that accent which +the celebrated filibuster knew so well how to assume when he wished to +seduce the individuals he was addressing. + +The enlistment began; Michael the Basque had seated himself at the +table previously occupied by the Company's agent, and wrote down the +names of the adventurers, who pressed round him in a crowd, and who +all wished to join in an expedition which they foresaw would be most +lucrative. + +But Michael had received strict instructions from his master: convinced +that he should not want for men, and that more would offer than he +needed, he carefully selected those whose names he took, and pitilessly +rejected those adventurers whose reputation for, we will not say +bravery, for all were brave as lions, but for reckless daring, was not +thoroughly established. + +Still in spite of Michael's intended strictness, the number of three +hundred was soon complete. We need scarce say they were the flower +of the filibusters, all adventurers, the least renowned of whom +had performed deeds of incredible daring, men with whom attempting +impossibilities and achieving them had become but mere child's play. + +The first inserted were, as had been agreed on the preceding night, the +members of the society of the Twelve. + +Hence M. de Fontenay, who, an old filibuster himself, knew all these +men, not only by reputation, but from having seen them at work, could +not recover from his surprise, and incessantly repeated to Montbarts, +who was standing, calm and smiling at his side, "What can you be after? +Do you mean to seize on Hispaniola?" + +"Who knows?" the filibuster replied sportively. + +"Still, I think I have a right to your confidence," the governor said +in an offended tone. + +"The most entire, Sir; still, you are aware that the first condition +of security in an expedition is secrecy." + +"That is true." + +"I cannot tell you anything, but do not prevent you from guessing." + +"Guessing! But how?" + +"Well, perhaps the charter party will set you on the right track." + +"Well, let me hear it." + +"A little patience still; but stay, here is Michael coming toward me. +Well," he asked him, "have you completed our number?" + +"I should think so; I have three hundred and fifty men." + +"Hang it, that is a great number." + +"I could not do otherwise than accept them; when it is a question about +going with Montbarts, it is impossible to keep them back." + +"Well, we will take them, if it must be so," Montbarts said with a +smile, "give me your list." + +Michael handed it to him; the filibuster looked round him, and +perceived an agent of the Company, whom curiosity had kept back, and +who had remained in the shed to witness the enlistment. + +"You are a Company's agent, I think, sir?" he said to him, politely. + +"Yes, sir," the agent replied with a bow, "I have that honour." + +"In that case, may I ask you to do me a service?" + +"Speak, sir, I shall be only too glad to oblige you." + +"My companions and myself are no great clerks, and we can use a hatchet +better than a pen; would it be presuming too much on your kindness to +ask you to be good enough to serve as my secretary for a few minutes, +and write down the charter party I shall dictate to you, and which my +comrades will sign, after having it read to them?" + +"I am only too happy, sir, that you deign to honour me with your +confidence," the agent said with a bow. + +Then he seated himself at the table, selected some paper, mended a pen +and waited. + +"Silence, if you please, gentlemen," said the Chevalier de Fontenay, +who had exchanged a few words in a low voice with Montbarts. + +The private conversations were checked, and a profound silence was +established almost instantaneously. M. de Fontenay continued. + +"A filibustering expedition, composed of three ships, two brigantines +and a lugger, is about to leave St. Kitts, under the command of +Montbarts, whom I appoint, in the name of His most Christian Majesty, +Louis, fourteenth of that name, admiral of the fleet. This expedition, +whose object remains secret, has been joined by 350 men, the flower of +the filibusters. The three captains chosen to command the ships are, +Michael the Basque, William Drake, and John David. They are ordered to +obey in every point the commands they will receive from the admiral, +and each captain will himself appoint his officers." Then, turning to +Montbarts, he added, "Now admiral, dictate the charter party." + +The adventurer bowed, and addressing the Company's agent, who was +watching with head and pen erect, he said to him-- + +"Are you ready, sir?" + +"I await your orders." + +"In that case write as I dictate." + +No expedition ever left port without having previously proclaimed the +charter party: this document, in which the rights of each man were +rigorously stipulated, served as the supreme law for these men, who, +undisciplined though they were ashore, bowed without a murmur to the +strictest decrees of the naval code: so soon as they had set foot on +the vessel for which they were engaged, the captain of yesterday became +a sailor today, accepted without grumbling the eventual inferiority +which the duration of the cruise alone maintained, and which ended on +the return to port, by placing each member of the expedition on the +same level, and on a footing of the most perfect equality. + +We quote literally the charter party our readers are about to peruse, +because from this authentic act they will understand more easily the +range and power of this strange association, and the manner in which +the filibusters treated each other. + +Montbarts dictated what follows in a calm voice amid the religious +silence of his auditors, who only interrupted him at intervals, by +shouts of approbation. + +"Charter party decreed by Admiral Montbarts, Captains Michael the +Basque, William Drake, John David, and the Brethren of the Coast, who +have voluntarily placed themselves under their orders, and which is +fully consented to by them." + +"The admiral will have a right, in addition to his share, to one man +per hundred." + +"Each captain will receive twelve shares." + +"Each brother four shares." + +"These shares will only be counted after the king's part has been +deducted from all the shares." + +"The surgeons will receive, in addition to their share, two hundred +dollars each, as payment for their medicaments." + +"The carpenters, in addition to their share, will each, have a claim +for one hundred dollars, in remuneration of their labours." + +"Any disobedience will be punished by death, whatever be the name or +rank of the culprit." + +"The brothers who distinguish themselves in the expedition will be +rewarded in the following manner--The man who pulls down the enemy's +flag from a fortress, and hoists the French one, will have a claim, in +addition to his share, to fifty piastres." + +"The man who takes a prisoner, when out in search of news of the enemy, +will have, in addition to his share, one hundred piastres." + +"The grenadiers, for each grenade thrown into a fort, five piastres." + +"Any man, who in action captures a high officer of the enemy, will be +rewarded by the admiral, if he has risked his life, in a generous way." + +"Rewards offered, in addition to their share, to the wounded and +mutilated." + +"For the loss of both legs, fifteen hundred crowns, or fifteen slaves, +at the choice of the recipient: if there are enough slaves." + +"For the loss of both arms, eighteen hundred piastres or eighteen +slaves, at choice." + +"For a leg, no distinction between right and left, five hundred +piastres or five slaves." + +"For an eye, one hundred piastres or a slave; for an arm or a hand, +no distinction between right and left, four hundred piastres or four +slaves." + +"For both eyes, two thousand piastres, or twenty slaves." + +"For a finger, one hundred piastres or one slave: if any man be +dangerously wounded in the body he will have five hundred piastres or +five slaves." + +"It is already understood, that, in the same way, as with the king's +part, all these rewards will be raised on the whole of the booty, +before dividing the shares." + +"Any enemy's vessel captured either at sea or at anchor, will be +divided between all the members of the expedition, unless it be +valued at more than ten thousand crowns, in which case one thousand +crowns will be set apart for the first ship's crew that boarded: the +expedition will hoist the royal flag of France, and the admiral bear in +addition the _red, white, and blue_ flag." + +"No officer or sailor of the expedition will be allowed to remain +ashore anywhere unless he has previously obtained the admiral's +permission, under penalty of being declared a maroon, and prosecuted as +such." + +When this last paragraph which, like all that preceded it, had been +listened to in the most profound silence, had been recorded by the +Company's agent, Montbarts took the charter party, and read it through +in a loud clear voice-- + +"Does this charter party suit you, brethren?" he then asked the +filibusters. + +"Yes, yes," they shouted, waving their caps, "long live Montbarts! Long +live Montbarts!" + +"And you swear, as my officers and myself swear, to obey without a +murmur, and strictly carry out all the clauses of this charter party?" + +"We swear it," they repeated. + +"Very good," Montbarts continued; "the embarkation will commence at +sunrise tomorrow, and all the crews must be on board the fleet before +ten o'clock." + +"We will be there." + +"Now, brethren, let me remind you that each of you must be armed with a +fusil, and a cutlass, have a bag of bullets, and at least three pounds +of gunpowder: I repeat that the expedition we are about to undertake +is most serious, so that you may not forget to choose your chums, that +they may aid you in the case of illness or wounds, and make your wills, +as otherwise your shares would lapse to the king. You have understood +me, brothers? Employ as you please the few hours' liberty left you, but +do not forget that I expect you on board at day break tomorrow." + +The filibusters replied by shouts, and left the shed, where there only +remained the governor, Montbarts, his captains, and the new engagé +called the Olonnais, whom the adventurer had bought by auction a few +hours previously, and who, far from being sad, seemed, on the contrary, +extremely pleased at all that was going on in his presence. + +"As for you, gentlemen," Montbarts said, "I have no orders to give +you, for you know as well as I what you have to do. Draw lots for your +commands, then go on board, inspect the masts and rigging, and get +ready to sail at the first signal. These are the only recommendations, +I think, I need make you. Good-bye." + +The three captains bowed, and at once withdrew. + +"Ah!" Chevalier de Fontenay said, with an accent of regret, "My dear +Montbarts, I never see an expedition preparing without having a lively +feeling of sorrow, and almost of envy." + +"Do you regret your adventurous life, sir? I understand that feeling, +although each expedition brings you an augmentation of wealth." + +"What do I care for that? Do not believe that I make an avaricious +calculation. No! My thoughts are of a higher order. But the moment is +badly chosen to chatter with you. Go, sir! And if you succeed, as I do +not doubt--and yet, who knows? On your return we shall perhaps be able +to come to an understanding; and then we will attempt an expedition +together, which I hope will be talked about for a long time." + +"I shall be glad," the filibuster replied, politely, "to have you as a +partner. Your brilliant courage, and far from ordinary merit, are to +me certain guarantees of success. I shall therefore have the honour to +hold myself at your orders, if it please Heaven that I succeed this +time, and return safe and sound from the expedition I meditate." + +"Good luck, sir; and let us hope to meet again soon." + +"Thank you, sir." + +They shook hands; and as, while conversing, they had left the shed, +they went different roads, after a parting bow. + +The filibuster, followed by the engagé, proceeded slowly towards his +house. + +At the moment when he left the town, a man placed himself before him, +and bowed. + +"What do you want with me?" the adventurer asked, giving him a +scrutinizing glance. + +"To say a word to you." + +"Say on." + +"Are you Captain Montbarts?" + +"You must be a stranger, to ask that question." + +"No matter. Answer." + +"I am Captain Montbarts." + +"In that case, this letter is for you." + +"A letter for me!" he exclaimed, in surprise. + +"Here it is," the stranger said, as he presented it. + +"Give it to me." + +And he took it from him. + +"Now my commission is performed, farewell." + +"A word, in your turn." + +"Speak." + +"From whom comes this letter?" + +"I do not know; but you will probably learn by reading the contents." + +"That is true." + +"Then I may retire?" + +"Nothing prevents you." + +The stranger bowed, and went away. + +Montbarts opened the letter, hurriedly perused it, and turned pale. +Then he re-read it; but this time slowly, and as if he wished to dwell +on each sentence. + +A moment later he seemed to form a resolution, and turned to his +engagé, who was standing a few paces from him. + +"Come here," he said to him. + +"Here I am," said the other. + +"You are a sailor?" + +"A 1, I fancy." + +"That is well. Follow me." + +The filibuster turned back, hastily re-entered the town, and proceeded +toward the sea. + +He seemed to be seeking something. A moment later, his gloomy face grew +brighter. + +He had just seen a light canoe pulled up on the beach. + +"Help me to float this canoe," he said to the engagé. + +The latter obeyed. + +So soon as the canoe was afloat, Montbarts leaped in, closely followed +by his engagé; and seizing the paddles, they put off from the shore. + +"Step the mast, so that we may hoist a sail so soon as we are free of +the ships." + +The Olonnais, without answering, did as he was ordered. + +"Good!" Montbarts continued. "Now haul the sheets aft, and hand them to +me, my lad." + +In a second the sail was hoisted, set, and the light canoe bounded like +a petrel over the crest of the waves. + +They ran thus for some time without exchanging a word. They had left +the ships far behind them, and passed out of the roads. + +"Do you speak Spanish?" Montbarts suddenly asked the engagé. + +"Like a native of Old Castile," the other answered. + +"Ah! Ah!" said Montbarts. + +"It is easy to understand," the Olonnais continued. "I went whaling +with the Basques and Bayonnese, and for several years smuggled along +the Spanish coast." + +"And do you like the Spaniards?" + +"No!" the other answered, with a frown. + +"You have a motive, of course?" + +"I have one." + +"Will you tell it me?" + +"Why not?" + +"Out with it, then." + +"I had a boat of my own, in which, as I told you, I smuggled. I worked +six years to save up the money to buy this boat. One day, while seeking +to land prohibited goods in a bay to windward of Portugalete, I was +surprised by a Spanish revenue lugger. My boat was sunk, my brother +killed, myself dangerously wounded, and I fell into the hands of the +Gavachos. The first bandage they placed on my wounds was a bastinado, +which left me for dead on the ground. Believing, doubtless, that +they had killed me, they abandoned me then, and paid no further +attention to me. I succeeded by boldness and cunning, after enduring +indescribable tortures from hunger, cold, fatigue, &c., too lengthy to +enumerate, in at length leaping across the frontier, and finding myself +once again on French soil. I was free, but my brother was dead. I was +ruined, and my old father ran a risk of dying of hunger--thanks to the +Spaniards. Such is my history. It is not long.--How do you like it?" + +"It is a sad one, my good fellow; but it is as much hatred as the +desire of growing rich which has brought you among us?" + +"It is hatred, before everything." + +"Good! Take the helm in my place, while I reflect. We are going to +Nevis. Steer to windward of that point which juts out down there to the +southeast." + +The engagé seized the helm. Montbarts wrapped himself in his cloak, +pulled his hat over his eyes, let his head sink on his chest, and +remained motionless as a statue. The canoe still advanced, vigorously +impelled by the breeze. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +NEVIS. + + +Nevis is only separated from St. Kitts by a channel half a league in +width at the most. + +This charming little island, whose fertility is remarkable, is, +according to all probability, the result of a volcanic explosion; and +this assertion is nearly proved by a crater containing a spring of hot +water strongly impregnated with sulphur. + +Seen from a distance, it offers the appearance of a vast cone; it is, +in fact, only a very lofty mountain, whose base is watered by the sea; +its sides at first offering an easy incline, become, at a certain +height, excessively abrupt; all vegetation ceases, and its snow covered +peak is lost in the clouds. + +During the attack of the Spaniards on St. Kitts, several adventurers +had sought shelter on this isle. Some of them, seduced by attractive +sites, permanently settled there, and commenced forming plantations; +few in number, it is true, and too far apart for the inhabitants to +aid each other in the event of an attack from an external foe, but +which prospered, and promised, ere long, to acquire a certain amount of +importance. + +The filibuster, although his little skiff was impelled by a good +breeze, took some time in reaching the island, because he was obliged +to go along the entire length of the channel ere he reached the spot +where he wished to go. + +The sun was already beginning to decline, when the canoe at length put +into a small sandy creek. + +"Pull up the canoe, hide the paddles among the reeds," said Montbarts, +"and follow me." + +The Olonnais obeyed with the punctuality and intelligent vivacity which +he displayed in everything, and then said to his master-- + +"Shall I take my fusil?" + +"There is no harm in doing so," the latter replied; "an adventurer +should never go unarmed." + +"Very good; I will remember that." + +They proceeded inland, following a scarce-traced path, which ran with +a gentle incline from the beech, wound round a rather steep hill, +and after passing through a leafy mahogany forest, led to a narrow +esplanade, in the centre of which a light canvas tent had been pitched, +not far from a rock. + +A man, seated before the entrance of the tent, was reading a Breviary. +He was dressed in the strict attire of the Franciscans, and seemed +to have passed middle life. He was pale and thin, his features were +ascetic and stern, his countenance was intelligent, and a marked +expression of gentleness was spread over it. At the sound of the +adventurers' footsteps he raised his head quickly, turned towards them, +and a melancholy smile played round his lips. + +Hurriedly closing his book, he rose and walked a few steps toward the +newcomers. + +"Heaven be with you, brothers!" he said in Spanish, "If you come with +pure intentions; if not, may it inspire you with better thoughts." + +"My father," the filibuster said, returning his salutation, "I am the +man whom the adventurers of St. Kitts call Montbarts, and my intentions +are pure, for in coming here I have only yielded to the desire you +expressed to see me, if you are really Fray Arsenio Mendoza, from whom +I received a letter a few hours ago." + +"I am the person who wish to see you, brother; and that is really my +name." + +"In that case speak, I am ready to hear you." + +"Brother," the monk answered, "the things I have to communicate to you +are of the highest importance, and concern you alone. Perhaps it would +be better that you alone should hear them." + +"I do not know what important matters you can have to tell me, father; +but in any case, learn that this man is my engagé, and, as such, it is +his duty to be deaf and dumb when I order him." + +"Very good, I will speak in his presence, since you demand it; still, I +repeat to you, that it would be better for us to be alone." + +"I will act in accordance with your wish. Retire out of hearing, but +keep in sight," he said to his engagé. + +The latter retired about one hundred yards down the path, and leant on +his fusil. + +"Do you fear any treachery on the part of a poor monk like me?" the +Franciscan asked, with a sad smile; "That would be very gratuitously +imputing to me intentions very remote from my thoughts." + +"I suppose nothing, father; still, I am accustomed," the filibuster +coarsely answered, "always to be on my guard when I am in the presence +of a man of your nation, whether he be priest or layman." + +"Yes, yes," he said, in a sorrowful voice, "you profess an implacable +hatred for my unhappy country, and for that reason are called the +Exterminator." + +"Whatever be the feelings I profess for your countrymen and the name +it has pleased them to give me, it is not, I suppose, to discuss this +point with me that you have come here at a serious risk, and requested +me to meet you." + +"Indeed, it was not for that motive, you are right, my son, though, +personally, I might have a good deal to say on that subject." + +"I would observe, father, that the hour is advancing--I have but little +time at your service, and if you do not hasten to explain yourself, I +shall be, to my great regret, constrained to leave you." + +"You would regret it for your whole life, brother, were it as long as a +patriarch's." + +"That is possible, though I greatly doubt it. I can only receive bad +news from Spain." + +"Perhaps so; in any case, these are the news of which I am the bearer." + +"I am listening to you." + +"I am, as my gown shows you, a monk of the order of San Francisco de +AsÃs." + +"At least, you have the look of one," the adventurer remarked, with an +ironical smile. + +"Do you doubt it?" + +"Why not? Would you be the first Spaniard who was not afraid to profane +a sacred dress, in order to spy our movements the more easily?" + +"Unfortunately what you say is true, and it has happened only too +often; but I am merely a monk." + +"I believe you, till I have proof of the contrary; so go on." + +"Very good. I am the spiritual director of several ladies of quality in +the island of Hispaniola: one among them, young and beautiful, who only +arrived in the West Indies a short time ago with her husband, appears +to be devoured by an incurable grief." + +"Indeed! And what can I do to prevent it, father?" + +"I know not: still, this is what took place between this lady and +myself. The lady, who, as I told you, is young and fair, and whose +charity and goodness are inexhaustible, spends the greater part of +her days in her oratory, kneeling before a picture representing our +Lady of Mercy, imploring her with tears and sobs. Interested, in spite +of myself, by this so true and so profound grief, I have on several +occasions employed the right which my sacred office gives me, to try +and penetrate into this ulcerated heart, and obtain from my penitent a +confession, which would permit me to give her some consolation." + +"And I presume that you have not succeeded, father?" + +"Alas! No, I have not." + +"Allow me to repeat to you, that, up to the present I do not see in +this very sad story, which is to some extent, however, that of most +women, anything very interesting to me." + +"Wait, brother, I am coming to that." + +"In that case, proceed." + +"One day, when this lady appeared to me to be more sad than usual, and +I redoubled my efforts to induce her to open her heart to me--doubtless +overcome by my solicitations, she said these words to me, which I +repeat to you exactly:--'My father, I am an unhappy, cowardly, and +infamous creature, and a terrible malediction weighs on me. Only one +man has the right to know the secret which I try, in vain, to stifle in +my heart. Upon this man depends my salvation. He can condemn or acquit +me: but whatever be the sentence he may pronounce, I will bow without a +murmur beneath his will, too happy to expiate at this price the crime +of which I have been guilty.'" + +While the monk was pronouncing these words, the usually pale face of +the adventurer had turned livid, a convulsive trembling agitated his +limbs, and, in spite of his efforts to appear calm, he was constrained +to lean against one of the tent pickets, lest he should fall on the +ground. + +"Go on!" he said, in a hoarse voice. "Did this woman tell you the man's +name?" + +"She did, brother. 'Alas!' she said to me, 'Unfortunately the man on +whom my destiny depends is the most implacable enemy of our nation. He +is one of the principal chiefs of those ferocious adventurers who have +vowed a merciless war against Spain. I shall never meet him, except +in the horrors of a combat, or during the sack of a town fired by his +orders. In a word, the man I am speaking to you about is no other than +the terrible Montbarts the Exterminator.'" + +"Ah!" the adventurer muttered, in a choking voice, as he pressed his +hand forcibly against his chest, "The woman said that?" + +"Yes, brother; such are the words she uttered." + +"And then?" + +"Then, brother, I, a poor monk, promised her to seek you, to find you, +no matter where you were, and repeat her words to you. I had only death +to fear in trying to see you, and I long ago offered God the sacrifice +of my life." + +"You have acted like a noble-hearted man, monk; and I thank you for +having had confidence in me. Have you nothing to add?" + +"Yes, brother, I have. When the lady saw me fully resolved to brave all +perils for the sake of finding you, she added, 'Go, then, my father: +it is doubtless Heaven that takes pity on me, and inspires you at this +moment. If you succeed in reaching Montbarts, tell him that I have a +secret to confide to him, on which the happiness of his whole life +depends; but that he must make haste, if he wish to learn it, for I +feel that my days are numbered, and that I shall soon die.' I promised +her to accomplish her wishes faithfully, and I have come." + +There was a silence for some minutes. Montbarts walked up and down with +hanging head, and arms folded on his chest, stopping every now and then +to stamp his foot savagely: then, resuming his hurried walk, while +muttering unconnected words in a low voice. + +All at once he stopped before the monk, and looked him straight in the +face. + +"You have not told me all," he said to him. + +"Pardon me, brother; everything, word by word." + +"Still there is an important detail, which you have doubtless +forgotten, as you have passed it over in silence?" + +"I do not understand to what you are alluding, brother," the monk +replied, gravely. + +"You have forgotten to reveal to me the name and position of this +woman, father." + +"That is true: but it is not forgetfulness on my part. In acting thus, +I have obeyed the orders I received. The lady implored me to tell you +nothing touching her name or position. She reserves that for herself, +when you are alone together: and I swore to keep her secret." + +"Ah! Ah! Señor monk," the adventurer exclaimed, with a wrath the more +terrible because it was concentrated; "You have taken that oath?" + +"Yes, brother, and will keep it at all risks," he answered firmly. + +The adventurer burst into a hoarse laugh. + +"You are doubtless ignorant," he said, in a hissing voice, "that we +_ladrones_, as your countrymen call us, possess marvellous secrets to +untie the most rebel tongues, and that you are in my power." + +"I am in the hands of God, brother--try it. I am only a poor +defenceless man, incapable of resisting you. Torture me, then, if such +be your good pleasure; but know that I will die, without revealing my +secret." + +Montbarts bent a flashing glance on the monk who stood so calm before +him; and then, a moment after, struck his forehead angrily. + +"I am mad!" he exclaimed: "What do I care for this name--do I not +know it already? Listen, father. Forgive me what I said to you, for +passion blinded me. You came to this island freely, and shall leave it +freely--in my turn I swear it to you; and I am not more accustomed to +break any oaths I take--no matter their nature--than you are." + +"I know it, brother. I have nothing to forgive you. I see that grief +led you astray, and I pity you, for Heaven has chosen me, I feel a +presentiment of it, to bring a great misfortune upon you." + +"Yes, you speak truly. I did not seek this woman--I tried to forget +her, and it is she who voluntarily places herself in my path. It is +well, Heaven will judge between her and me. She demands that I will +go and see her, and I will do so, but she must only blame herself for +the terrible consequences of our interview. Still, I consent to leave +her yet one chance of escape. When you return to her, urge her not to +try to see me again. You see, that I have a little pity for her in my +heart, in spite of all she made me suffer; but if, in spite of your +entreaties, she persists in meeting me, in that case her will be done. +I will go to the place of meeting she may select." + +"I know where it is, brother, and am ordered to point it out to you +today." + +"Ah," the filibuster said, suspiciously, "she has forgotten nothing. +Well, where is it?" + +"The lady, you can understand, cannot quit the island, even if she +wished to do so." + +"That is true. So we are to meet in Hispaniola itself?" + +"Yes, brother." + +"And what spot has she selected?" + +"The great Savannah, that separates Mirebalais from San Juan de Goava." + +"Ah! The spot is famously chosen for an ambuscade," the filibuster +said, with a sneering laugh, "for if I remember rightly, it is on +Spanish territory." + +"It forms the extreme limit, brother. Still, I will try to induce the +lady to choose another spot, if you are afraid about your safety at +this one." + +Montbarts shrugged his shoulders with a contemptuous laugh. + +"I afraid!" he said. "Nonsense, monk, you must be mad! What do I care +for the Spaniards, if five hundred of them were ambushed to surprise +me, I should be able to get away from them! It is settled, then, that +if the lady persist in her intention of having an explanation with me, +I will go to the Savannah, which extends between Mirebalais and San +Juan de Goava, at the confluence of the great river and the Artibonite." + +"I will do what you desire, brother; but if the lady insist, in spite +of my remonstrances and entreaties, on the interview taking place, how +am I to warn you?" + +"As it is possible for you to come here, you will be the better able; +without attracting suspicion, to enter the French part of St. Domingo." + +"I will try, at any rate, brother, since it must absolutely be so." + +"You will light a large fire on the coast in the vicinity of Port +Margot, and I shall know what it means." + +"I will obey you, brother: but when am I to light the fire?" + +"How long do you propose remaining here?" + +"I intend to leave immediately after our interview." + +"This evening, then?" + +"Yes, brother." + +"Ah, ah, then there is a Spanish vessel in the neighbourhood?" + +"Probably so, brother; but if you discover it and capture it, how shall +I succeed in returning to Hispaniola?" + +"That is true; this consideration saves the Gavachos: but believe, +after due reflection, I think it my duty to give you some advice." + +"Whatever it may be, brother, coming from you, I shall receive it with +pleasure." + +"Well, then, carry out your intention. Start at once; tomorrow it will +not be pleasant for you in these waters, and I would not answer for +your safety or that of your vessel. Do you comprehend me?" + +"Perfectly, brother; and for the signal?" + +"Light it fifteen days from today, and I will arrange so as to arrive +at St. Domingo about that time." + +"Very good, brother." + +"And now, monk, farewell till we meet again, as it is probable we shall +do." + +"It is probable, indeed, brother. Farewell, and may the merciful Lord +be with you!" + +"So be it," the filibuster said, with an ironical laugh. + +He gave a parting wave of his hand to the monk, threw his fusil on his +shoulder, and went off, but a few minutes after stopped and went back. + +The Franciscan had remained motionless at the same spot. + +"One last word, father," he said. + +"Speak, brother," he answered, gently. + +"Take my advice, employ all your power over the lady to induce her to +give up this meeting, whose consequences may be terrible." + +"I will try impossibilities to succeed, brother," the monk replied; "I +will pray to Heaven to permit me to persuade my penitent." + +"Yes," Montbarts added, in a gloomy voice, "it would be better for her +and for me, perhaps, if we never met again." + +And roughly turning his back on the monk, he hurried along the track, +where he speedily disappeared. + +When Fray Arsenio felt certain that this time the adventurer had really +gone, he gently raised the curtain of the tent and stepped inside. + +A woman was kneeling there on the bare ground, with her head buried in +her hands, and praying with stifled sobs. + +"Have I punctually accomplished your orders, my daughter?" the monk +said. + +The woman drew herself up and turned her lovely pale and tear-swollen +face toward the monk. + +"Yes, padre," she murmured, in a low and trembling voice. "Bless you +for not abandoning me in my distress." + +"Is this really the man with whom you desire an interview?" + +"Yes, it is he, father." + +"And you still insist on seeing him?" + +She hesitated for a moment, a shudder ran over her whole person, and +then she murmured in a hardly intelligible voice-- + +"I must, father." + +"You will reflect between this and then, I hope," he continued. + +"No, no," she said, with a sorrowful shake of the head; "if that +man were to plunge his dagger into my heart, I must have a final +explanation with him." + +"Your will be done," he said + +At this moment, a slight sound was heard outside. + +The monk went out, but returned almost immediately. + +"Get ready, madam," he said; "our crew have come to fetch you. Remember +the parting advice that _ladrón_ gave me, and let us be gone as soon as +possible." + +Without replying, the lady rose, wrapped herself carefully in her +mantilla, and went out. + +An hour later, she left Nevis, accompanied by Fray Arsenio Mendoza. + +Montbarts had reached St. Kitts long before. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +THE EXPEDITION. + + +During the entire passage from Nevis to St. Kitts Montbarts was in a +strange state of excitement. + +The interview he had held with the monk had rearoused in his heart a +profound sorrow which time had deadened but not cauterized, and at the +first word that fell in this hour's conversation the wound burst open +again, bleeding and livid as on the day of its receipt. + +How had this woman, whom he would not name, of whose presence in +America he was ignorant, whom, in short, he fancied he had escaped by +hiding himself among the filibusters, succeeded in so short a time, not +only in learning his presence in the islands, but also in finding him +again? For what object did she insist on finding him? What interest +could she have in seeing him? + +All these questions, which he asked himself in turn, necessarily +remained unanswered, and for that very reason augmented his anxiety. + +For a moment he thought of laying an ambush in the straits of Nevis +and St. Eustache, the two islands between which St. Kitts is situated, +capturing the Spanish vessel, and obtaining by torture the information +the monk had refused to give him. + +But he gave up this plan almost immediately; he had pledged his word of +honour, and would not break it for anything in the world. + +In the meanwhile, night had set in, and the canoe was still advancing. + +Montbarts steered for the lugger, which was anchored a short distance +from land. + +When the light boat was under the vessel's counter, the filibuster made +his engagé a sign to lay on his oars, and shouted in a loud voice-- + +"Lugger, ahoy!" + +At once, a man whose black outline was designed on the dark blue +horizon, leant over. + +"Boat ahoy!" he shouted. + +"Is that you, Bowline?" Montbarts continued. + +"All right." + +"Is Michael aboard?" + +"Yes, admiral." + +"Ah, you have recognised me, my lad?" + +"Of course," said the Breton. + +"I suppose you are watching over my prisoner?" + +"I answer for him." + +"But do not annoy him unnecessarily." + +"All right, admiral, we will be gentle with him." + +"Is Omopoua aboard at this moment?" + +"Here I am, master," a second voice immediately replied. + +"Ah, ah," the filibuster said with satisfaction, "all the better. I +want you--come ashore." + +"Are you in a hurry, master?" + +"A great hurry." + +"In that case, wait a moment." + +And ere the filibuster could guess the Carib's intention, the noise of +a body falling in the water could be heard, and two or three minutes +later the Indian rested his hands on the gunwale of the canoe. + +"Here I am," he said. + +Montbarts could not refrain from smiling on seeing with what +promptitude the savage obeyed his orders. He held out his hand, and +helped him to get into the boat. + +"Why such a hurry?" he said to him in a tone of friendly reproach. + +The Indian shook himself like a drowned poodle. + +"Nonsense," he said, "I am all right." + +"Have you got the Indian?" Bowline asked. + +"Yes: now good night; you will see me tomorrow." + +"Tomorrow?" + +"Pull," the filibuster said to the engagé. + +The latter dipped his paddles, and the canoe resumed its course. + +Ten minutes later, it ran aground at the very spot where Montbarts had +seized it for the purpose of going to Nevis. The three men landed on +the beach, pulled up the canoe, and went off in the direction of the +hatto. + +They passed through the town and a swarm of filibusters, who were +celebrating by songs, shouts, and libations their last hours of liberty. + +They went on in silence. When the three men reached the hatto, +Montbarts lit a candle, and searched the house with the greatest care, +to make sure that no stranger was present; then he returned to his two +comrades, who were waiting for him in the Esplanade. + +"Come in," he merely said to them. + +They followed him. + +Montbarts sat down in a chair, and then turned to the Carib. + +"I have to talk with you, Omopoua," he said. + +"Good," the Indian remarked, joyously; "in that case you have need of +me." + +"If that were true you would be satisfied, then?" + +"Yes, I should be." + +"For what reason?" + +"Because, since I have found a white man who is good and generous, I +am anxious to prove to you that all the Caribs are not ferocious and +untameable, but know how to be grateful." + +"I promised you, I think, to take you back to your country?" + +"Yes, you made me that promise." + +"Unfortunately, as I am appointed chief of an important expedition, +which will probably last some time, it is impossible for me at this +moment to take you back to Haiti." + +The Indian's face grew dark on hearing this. + +"Do not grieve, but listen to me attentively," the filibuster +continued, who had noticed the change that took place in the Indian's +face. + +"I am listening to you." + +"What I cannot do you are able to effect by yourself, if I supply you +with the means." + +"I do not exactly understand what the white Chief means; I am only a +poor Indian, with limited ideas. I require to have things explained to +me very clearly before I understand them; but it is true, that when I +do understand I never forget." + +"You are a Carib, hence you know how to manage a canoe?" + +"Yes," the Indian answered, with a proud smile. + +"Suppose I gave you a canoe, do you believe that you could fetch Haiti?" + +"The great land is very far away," he said, in a sorrowful voice, "the +voyage very long for a single man, however brave he may be." + +"Agreed; but suppose I placed in the canoe not only provisions, but +cutlasses, axes, daggers, and four fusils, with powder and ball?" + +"The pale Chief would do that!" he said, with an incredulous air. "Thus +armed, who could resist Omopoua?" + +"Suppose I did more?" the adventurer continued, with a smile. + +"The Chief is jesting; he is very gay. He says to himself, the Indians +are credulous; I will have a laugh at the expense of Omopoua." + +"I am not jesting, Chief--on the contrary, I am very serious; I will +give you the things I have enumerated to you, and, in order that you +may reach your country in safety, I will lend you a comrade, a brave +man, who will be your brother, and defend you as you would defend +yourself." + +"And that companion?" + +"Is here," said Montbarts, pointing to his engagé, who was standing +calm and motionless by his side. + +"Then I am not to make the expedition with you, Montbarts?" the latter +said, in a sad voice, and with a reproachful accent. + +"Reassure yourself," said Montbarts, tapping him gently on the +shoulder; "the mission I send you on is most confidential, and even +more perilous than the expedition I am undertaking. I wanted a devoted +man--another self--and I have chosen you." + +"You have done well, in that case; I will prove to you that you are not +mistaken about me." + +"I am convinced of that already, my lad. Do you accept this companion, +Omopoua? He will help you to pass without being insulted through the +filibusters you may meet on your route." + +"Good! The pale Chief really loves Omopoua. What is the Indian to do on +arriving in his country?" + +"Omopoua's brothers have sought shelter, I think, in the neighbourhood +of the Artibonite?" + +"Yes, in the great savannahs to which the French have given the name of +Mirebalais." + +"Good! Omopoua will go and join his friends; he will tell them in what +way the filibusters treat the Caribs: he will present his companion to +them, and wait." + +"I will wait: the pale Chief, then, is coming to Haiti?" + +"Probably," said Montbarts, with a smile of indefinable meaning; "and +the proof is, that my engagé will remain with your tribe till my +arrival." + +"Good! I will await the coming of the pale Chief. When am I start?" + +"This very night. Go down to the beach; go in my name to the owner of +the canoe which brought us ashore--here is money," and he gave him +several piastres; "tell him that I buy his boat exactly as it stands. +You will lay in provisions at the same time, and then wait for your +comrade, to whom I have a few words to say--but he will rejoin you +soon." + +"I will go, then; gratitude is in my heart, and not on my lips. On the +day when you ask for my life I will give it you, because it is yours, +as well as that of all those who love me. Farewell!" + +And he made a movement to leave the room. + +"Where are you going?" Montbarts asked him. + +"I am off; did you not give me leave to go?" + +"Yes, but you are forgetting something." + +"What is it?" + +"The arms I promised you. Take from the rack a fusil for yourself, and +four others, which you can dispose of as you please, six cutlasses, +six daggers, and six hatchets; when you leave port, on passing the +lugger, you will ask Michael the Basque, in my name, for two barrels of +gunpowder and two bags of bullets--he will give them to you. Now go, +and I wish you all good fortune." + +The Carib, overcome by this generosity, so simple and so full of +grandeur, knelt to the adventurer, and seizing his feet, which he +placed on his head, he exclaimed, in a deeply affected voice-- + +"I pay you homage as to the best of men. I and mine are henceforth and +eternally your devoted slaves." He got up, placed on his shoulder the +arms which the engagé handed him, and quitted the hatto. + +For some minutes his footsteps could be heard resounding on the path; +but this sound gradually died away, and a complete silence returned. + +"Now for us two, Olonnais!" Montbarts then said, addressing the engagé. + +The latter drew nearer. + +"I am listening, master," he said. + +"I saw you today for the first time, and yet you pleased me at the very +first glance," the adventurer continued. "I fancy myself a tolerable +physiognomist. Your frank and open face, your bold-looking eyes, and +the expression of audacity and intelligence spread over your features, +disposed me in your favour. That is the reason why I bought you. I +trust that I am not deceived about you; but I wish to make trial of +you. You know that I am at liberty to shorten your engagement, or even, +if I like, restore you your freedom tomorrow, so think of that, and act +accordingly." + +"Whether engaged or free I shall always be devoted to you, Montbarts," +the Olonnais said, "hence do not speak to me of recompense, for it is +useless with me: make your trial, and I hope to emerge from it with +honour." + +"That is speaking like a man and a frank adventurer: listen to me, +then, and do not let a word of what you are about to hear escape your +lips." + +"I shall be dumb." + +"In ten days at the most I shall anchor in Port Margot in St. Domingo; +the expedition I command is intended to take Tortoise Isle by surprise; +but while we are occupied on our side in surprising the Spaniards, they +must not be able to attack us in the rear, and ruin our establishments +at Grande Terre." + +"I understand; Omopoua's Caribs are scattered along the Spanish +frontier, and must be converted into allies of the expedition." + +"The very thing--you have understood me perfectly. Such is your +missive; but you must act with extreme cleverness and considerable +prudence, in order not to give the alarm to the Gavachos on one hand, +or arouse the suspicious of the Caribs on the other; the Indians are +susceptible and mistrustful, especially with white men, against +whom they have so many causes of complaint. The part you have to +play is rather difficult, but I think you will succeed--thanks to +the influence of Omopoua; besides, two days after my arrival at Port +Margot, I will proceed to the savannahs of the Artibonite, in order +to have an understanding, and to make the arrangements I may consider +necessary. You see that I act toward you with perfect frankness, and +rather as with a brother than an engagé." + +"I thank you for it; you shall have no cause to repent it." + +"I am glad to believe it--ah! A final recommendation, of secondary +importance, but, for all that, serious." + +"What is it?" + +"The Spaniards frequently hunt, or make excursions in the savannahs of +the Artibonite; watch them, though without letting them perceive you; +let them not have the slightest suspicion of what we are meditating +against them, for the least imprudence might have excessively grave +consequences for the success of our plans." + +"I will act with prudence, be assured." + +"Now, my lad, I have only to wish you a pleasant trip, and successful +result." + +"Will you allow me, in my turn, to ask you a question before departing?" + +"Speak, I allow it." + +"For what reason have you, who possess so many brave and devoted +friends, instead of applying to one of them, chosen an obscure +engagé, whom you hardly know, to confide to him so difficult and so +confidential a mission?" + +"Are you anxious to know?" the adventurer asked, laughingly. + +"Yes, if you do not consider the question indiscreet." + +"Not the least in the world, and you shall be satisfied in a couple +of words. Apart from the good opinion I have of you, and which is +only personal, I have chosen you, because you are only a poor engagé, +who arrived from France but two days ago--no one knows you, or is +aware that I have purchased you: for this reason no one will dream of +suspecting you, and consequently you will be a more valuable agent to +me, as no one will imagine that you are my plenipotentiary, and acting +under my orders. Now do you understand, my lad?" + +"Perfectly, and I thank you for the explanation you have given me. +Good-bye; within an hour the Carib and I will have left St. Kitts." + +"Allow him to guide you during the voyage, that man is very clever, +though an Indian, and he will conduct you so that you will both reach +port in safety." + +"I shall not fail to do so; besides, the deference I shall show him +will dispose him in my favour, and further advance the success of our +projects." + +"Come, come," the adventurer said, with a laugh, "I see that you are a +sharp lad, and I now have good hopes of the issue of your mission." + +The Olonnais armed himself as the Carib had done, then took leave of +his master, and went away. + +"Come," Montbarts muttered, when he was alone, "I believe that my plans +are beginning to assume consistency, and that I shall soon be able to +deal a grand stroke." + +The next morning at sunrise an unusual agitation prevailed in the +township, which, however, was never very tranquil. + +The filibusters, armed to the teeth, were taking leave of their +friends, and preparing to proceed on board the vessels for which they +had enlisted on the previous day. + +The roads were cut up in all directions by a prodigious number of +canoes which passed to and fro, carrying men and provisions to the +departing ships. + +The Chevalier de Fontenay, surrounded by a numerous staff of renowned +filibusters, and having at his side Montbarts, David Drake, and Michael +the Basque, was standing at the end of the wooden mole that served as a +landing place, and witnessing thence the departure of the adventurers. + +These men with bronzed complexion, energetic and ferocious features, +and vigorous limbs, scarce clad in canvas drawers and old hats or caps, +but armed with long fusils, manufactured at Dieppe expressly for them, +having a heavy sharpened cutlass hanging from their belt, and carrying +their stock of powder and bullets, had a strange and singularly +formidable appearance, rendered even more striking by the expression of +carelessness and indomitable audacity spread over their faces. + +On seeing them it was easy to understand the terror with which they +must inspire the Spaniards, and the incredible exploits they achieved +almost as if in play, reckoning their lives as nothing, and only seeing +the object, that is to say, plunder. + +As they defiled before the governor and the officers elected to command +them, they saluted them respectfully, because discipline demanded it, +but the salute had nothing low or servile about it, it was that of men +fully conscious of their value, and aware that though sailors today, +they might, as they liked, be captains tomorrow. + +Towards midday the crews were complete, and only the Admiral and three +captains were still ashore. + +"Gentlemen," Montbarts said to his officers, "so soon as we are out +to sea, each of you will sail as you like; we have but a small stock +of provisions on board, but the islands we pass will supply us, do +not hesitate to pillage the corales of the Gavachos, for that will be +so much taken from the enemy. Hence it is settled that we will each +proceed separately to the general meeting place, for prudence urges +us not to let the enemy suspect our strength; our meeting place is +the northern island of the Grand Key; the first to arrive will await +the two others, there I will give you my final instructions about the +object of the expedition, of which you already know a part." + +"So then," said M. de Fontenay, "you insist on keeping your secret?" + +"If you absolutely demand, sir," Montbart replied, "I will--" + +"No, no," he interrupted him with a laugh; "keep it, for I do not know +what to do with it; besides, I have pretty nearly guessed your secret." + +"Ah," Montbarts said with an air of incredulity. + +"Confound it, I am greatly mistaken or you mean to make some attempt on +St. Domingo." + +The adventurer only answered by a crafty smile, and took leave of the +governor, who rubbed his hands joyously, for he was persuaded that he +had guessed the secret which it was attempted to conceal from him. An +hour later the three vessels raised their anchors, set sail, and went +off after giving a parting salute to the land, which was immediately +answered by the battery at the point. + +They soon became confounded with the white mist on the horizon, and ere +long disappeared. + +"Well," M. de Fontenay said to his officers as he returned to the +government house, "you will see that I am not mistaken, and that this +demon of a Montbarts really has a design on St. Domingo. Lord help the +Spaniards!" + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +THE HATTO. + + +We will leave the filibustering flotilla steering through the +inextricable labyrinth of the Antilles, and transport ourselves to St. +Domingo, as the French call it, Hispaniola as Columbus christened it, +or Haiti as the Caribs, its first and only true owners, called it. + +And when we speak of the Caribs, we mean the black as well as the red, +for it is a singular fact, of which many persons are ignorant, that +some Caribs were black, and so thoroughly resembled the African race, +that when the French planters settled at St. Vincent, and brought +with them Negro slaves, the black Caribs, indignant at resembling men +degraded by slavery, and fearful too lest at a later date their color +might serve as a pretext to make them endure the same fate, fled into +the wildest recesses of the forest, and in order to create a visible +distinction between their race and the slaves brought to the island, +they compressed the foreheads of their new born infants, so that they +became completely flattened, which in the ensuing generation produced, +as it were, a new race, and afterwards became the symbol of their +independence. + +Before resuming our narrative, we ask the reader's permission to +indulge in a little geography: as many of the incidents of the history +of filibustering will take place at St. Domingo; it is indispensable +that this island should be well known. + +St. Domingo, discovered on December 6, 1492, by Christopher Columbus, +is, by the general verdict, the most lovely of all the Antilles. From +the centre of the island rises a group of mountains, springing one from +the other, from which issue three chains, running in three different +directions. The longest stretches to the west, and passes through +the middle of the island, dividing it into two nearly equal parts. +The second chain runs north, and ends at Cape Fou. The third, less +extensive than the preceding, at first follows the same direction, but +ere long taking a curve to the south, terminates in Cape St. Mark. + +In the interior of the island there are several other mountain ranges, +though much less considerable. The result of this multiplicity of +mountains is that communication, especially at the time when our story +is laid, was excessively difficult between the north and south of the +isle. + +At the foot of all these mountains are immense plains covered with a +luxurious vegetation; the mountains are intersected by ravines, which +keep up a constant and beneficent humidity; they contain different +metals, in addition to rock crystal, coal, sulphur, and quarries of +porphyry, slate and marble, and are covered with forests of bananas, +palms and mimosas of every species. + +Although the rivers are numerous, the largest are unfortunately +scarcely navigable, and cannot be ascended by canoes for more than a +few leagues; the principal ones are the Neyva, the Macoris, the Usaque, +or river of Montecristo, the Ozama, the Juna and the Artibonite, the +most extensive of all. + +Seen from the offing, the appearances of this island is enchanting; it +resembles an immense bouquet of flowers rising from the bosom of the +sea. + +We are not going to write the history of the colony of St. Domingo, but +will merely say that this island so rich and fertile had, through the +carelessness, cruelty and avarice of the Spaniards, fallen, one hundred +and fifty years after its discovery, into such a state of wretchedness +and misery, that the Spanish Government was compelled to send to this +colony, which became not only unproductive but burdensome, funds to pay +the troops and officials. + +While St. Domingo was thus slowly decaying, new colonists, brought by +accident, established themselves on the north west of the island, and +took possession of it, in spite of the resistance and opposition of the +Spaniards. + +These new colonists were French adventurers, most of them expelled from +St. Christopher on the descent of Admiral de Toledo on that colony, and +who were wandering about the Antilles in search of a refuge. + +At the period of the discovery, the first Spaniards had left on the +island some forty head of cattle; these animals, restored to liberty, +rapidly multiplied and traversed the savannahs of the interior in +immense herds; the French adventurers, on their arrival, did not dream +of cultivating the soil, but, seduced by the attractions of a perilous +chase, they occupied themselves exclusively in pursuing the bulls and +the wild boars, which were also very numerous and extremely formidable. + +The sole occupation of these adventurers then was the chase; they +preserved the hides of cattle and dried the meat by smoke in the Indian +fashion. Hence comes the name of buccaneers, for the Caribs gave the +name of _boucans_ to the spot where they smoked the flesh of the +prisoners taken in war, and whom they ate after fattening them. + +We shall soon have occasion to return to this subject and enter into +fuller details about these singular men. + +Still, in spite of their love of independence, these adventurers had +understood the necessity of creating outlets for the sale of their +hides. Hence they established several counters at Port Margot and Port +de la Paix, which they regarded as the capital of their establishments; +but their position was most precarious owing to the proximity of the +Spaniards, who had hitherto been sole masters of the island, and would +not consent to have them as such near neighbours; hence they constantly +waged a savage war, which was the more cruel because quarter was not +granted on either side. + +Such was the situation of St. Domingo at the time when we resume our +narrative, about a fortnight after the departure of the filibustering +fleet from St. Kitts under the command of Montbarts the Exterminator. + +The sun, already low on the horizon, was enormously lengthening the +shadows of the trees, the evening breeze was rising, gently agitating +the leaves and tall grass, when a man mounted on a powerful horse, +and wearing the costume of the Spanish Campesinos, followed a scarce +traced path which wound through the centre of a vast plain covered +with magnificent plantations of sugar cane and coffee, and led to an +elegant hatto, whose pretty mirador commanded the country for a long +distance. + +This man appeared to be five and twenty years of age at the most; +his features were handsome, but imprinted with an expression of +insupportable pride and disdain; his very simple dress was only +relieved by a long rapier, whose hilt of carved silver hung on his left +hip and showed him to be a gentleman, as the nobility alone had the +right to wear a sword. + +Four black slaves, half naked, and whose bodies glistened with +perspiration, ran behind his horse, one carrying a richly damascened +fusil, the second a game bag, and the two others a dead boar, whose +tied feet were resting on a bamboo supported by the shoulders of the +poor fellows. + +But the rider seemed to trouble himself but little about his +companions, or rather his slaves, toward whom he did not deign to turn +his head, even when speaking to them, which he did sometimes to ask +them for directions in a harsh and contemptuous voice. + +He held in his band an embroidered handkerchief, with which he wiped +away every moment the perspiration that inundated his forehead, and +looked savagely around him, while urging his horse with the spur, to +the great sorrow of the slaves who were forced to double their efforts +to follow him. + +"Well," he at length asked in an ill-tempered tone, "shall we never +arrive at this accursed hatto?" + +"In half an hour at the furthest, _mi amo_," a Negro answered +respectfully, "there is the mirador over there." + +"What a deuce of a notion it was of my sister, to come and bury herself +in this frightful hole instead of remaining quietly at her palace in +St. Domingo. Women are mad, on my honour," he grumbled between his +teeth. + +And he spiced this most ungallant observation by furiously digging the +spurs into his horse, which started at a gallop. + +Still, he was rapidly approaching the hatto, all the details of which +it was already easy to distinguish. + +It was a pretty and rather large mansion with a terraced roof, +surmounted by a mirador and with a peristyle in front formed by four +columns supporting a verandah. + +A thick hedge surrounded the house, which could only be reached by +crossing a large garden; behind were the corrals to shut in the beasts, +and the cottages of the Negroes, miserable, low and half ruined huts, +built of clumsily intertwined branches and covered with palm leaves. + +This hatto, tranquil and solitary, in the midst of this plain of +luxuriant vegetation, and half concealed by the trees that formed a +screen of foliage, had a really enchanting aspect, which, however, did +not seem to produce on the traveller's mind any other effect but that +of profound weariness and lively annoyance. + +The arrival of the stranger had doubtless been signalled by the sentry +stationed on the mirador to watch the surrounding country, for a +horseman emerged at a gallop from the hatto, and came toward the small +party composed of the gentleman we have described and the four slaves +who still ran behind him, displaying their white, sharp teeth, and +blowing like grampuses. + +The newcomer was a man of short stature, but his wide shoulders and +solid limbs denoted far from common muscular strength, he was about +forty years of age, his features were harsh and marked, and the +expression of his countenance was sombre and crafty. A broad-brimmed +straw hat nearly concealed his face, a cloak called a poncho, made +of one piece, and with a hole in the middle to pass his head through, +covered his shoulders; the hilt of a long knife peeped out of his right +boot, a sabre hung on his left side, and a long fusil was lying across +the front of his saddle. When he arrived within a few paces of the +gentleman, he stopped his horse short on its hind legs, uncovered, and +bowed respectfully. + +"_Santas tardes_, Señor Don Sancho," he said in an obsequious voice. + +"Ah, ah! It is you, Birbomono," the young man said, as he carelessly +touched his hat; "what the deuce are you doing here? I fancied you were +hung long ago." + +"Your Excellency is jesting," the other replied, with an ill-tempered +grimace, "I am the Señora's Major-domo." + +"I compliment her on it, and you, too." + +"The Señora was very anxious about your Excellency, and I was +preparing, by her orders, to make a battue in the neighbourhood. She +will be delighted to see you arrive without misadventure." + +"What misadventure?" the young man said, as he loosened his rein; "What +do you mean, scamp? And what had I to fear on the roads?" + +"Your Excellency cannot be ignorant that the ladrones infest the +savannahs." + +The young man burst into a laugh. + +"The ladrones! What a pleasant story you are telling me, too; come, run +and announce my arrival to my sister, without further chattering." + +The Major-domo did not let the order be repeated, but bowed, and set +off at a gallop. + +Ten minutes later, Don Sancho dismounted in front of the peristyle of +the hatto, where a young lady of rare beauty, but cadaverous pallor, +and who appeared hardly able to keep up, as she was so weak and ill, +was awaiting his arrival. + +This lady was the sister of Señor Don Sancho, and the owner of the +hatto. + +The two young people embraced each other for a long while without +exchanging a word, and then Don Sancho offered his arm to his sister, +and entered the house with her, leaving the Major-domo to look after +his horse and baggage. + +The young gentleman led his sister to an easy chair, fetched one for +himself, rolled it up to her side, and sat down. + +"At last," she said a moment later, in an affectionate voice, as +she took one of the young man's hands in her own, "I see you again, +brother; you are here, near me--how glad I am to see you." + +"My dear Clara," Don Sancho replied, as he kissed her forehead, "we +have been separated for nearly a year." + +"Alas!" she murmured. + +"And during that year many things have doubtless happened, of which you +will inform me?" + +"Alas! My life during this year may be summed up in two words--I have +suffered." + +"Poor sister, how changed you are in so little time, I could hardly +recognize you; I came to St. Domingo with such joy, and no sooner had I +landed than I went to your palace; your husband, who has not altered, +and whom I found as heavy and silent as usual, with an increased dose +of importance, doubtless the result of his high position, told me that +you were not very well, and that the physicians had ordered you country +air." + +"It is true," she said, with a sad smile. + +"Yes; but I fancied you merely indisposed, and I find you dying." + +"Let us not talk of that, Sancho, I implore you; what matter if I am +ill? Did you receive my letter?" + +"Had I not, should I be here? Two hours after its receipt I set out; +for three days," he continued with a smile, "I have been going uphill +and down dale, along frightful roads, to reach you the sooner." + +"Thanks, oh thanks, Sancho; your presence renders me very happy--you +will remain for a while with me, will you not?" + +"As long as you like, dear sister, for I am a free man." + +"Free!" she repeated, looking at him with an air of amazement. + +"Well, yes; his Excellency, the Duc de Peñaflor, my illustrious father +and yours, the Viceroy of New Spain, has deigned to grant me an +unlimited leave." + +At her father's name a slight shudder ran over the young lady's person, +and her eyes became dimmed with tears. + +"Ah," she said, "my father is well?" + +"Better than ever." + +"And has he spoken about me?" + +The young man bit his lips. + +"He spoke to me about you very little," he said; "but I in revenge, +said a good deal about you, which re-established the balance: I even +believe that he granted me the leave I asked in great measure to free +himself from my chattering." + +Doña Clara hung her head without replying, and her brother fixed upon +her a glance full of tender pity. + +"Let us talk about yourself," he said. + +"No, no, Sancho; we had better talk about _him_." she replied +hesitatingly. + +"Of _him!_" he said in a hollow voice, and with a groan; "Alas, poor +sister, what can I tell you? All my efforts have been vain; I have +discovered nothing." + +"Yes, yes;" she murmured, "his measures were well taken to make him +disappear. Oh, Heaven! Heaven!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands +wildly, "Will you not take pity on me?" + +"Calm yourself, I implore you, sister; I will see, I will seek--I will +redouble my efforts, and perhaps I shall at length succeed--" + +"No," she interrupted him, "never, never shall we be able to effect +anything; he is condemned, condemned by my father; that implacable man +will never restore him to me! Oh! I know my father better than you do; +you are a man, Sancho, you can try to struggle against him, but he has +crushed me, crushed me at a single blow; he broke my heart by a deadly +pressure in making me the innocent accomplice of an infernal vengeance! +Then he coldly reproached me with a dishonour which is his work, and +at the same blow eternally destroyed the happiness of three beings who +would have loved him, and whose future he held in his hands." + +"And you, my dear Clara, do you know nothing--have you discovered +nothing?" + +"Yes," she replied, looking at him fixedly, "I have made a horrible +discovery." + +"You terrify me, Clara; what do you mean? Explain yourself." + +"Not at present, my dear Sancho, not at present, for the time has not +arrived; so be patient. You know that I never had any secrets from you, +for you alone have always loved me. I wrote to you to come that I +might reveal this secret to you: in three days at the latest you shall +know all, and then--" + +"Then?" he said, looking at her intently. + +"Then you shall measure, as I do, the immense depth of the gulf into +which I have fallen; but enough of this subject for the present, I am +suffering terribly, so let us talk of something else." + +"Most willingly, my dear Clara; but what shall we talk about?" + +"Well, whatever you like, dear, the rain, the fine weather, your +journey, or anything of that sort." + +Don Sancho understood that his sister was suffering from extreme +nervous excitement, and that he would aggravate her already very +serious condition by not acceding to her wishes; hence he made no +objection, but readily yielded to her caprice. + +"Well then," he said, "my dear Clara, since that is the case, I +will take advantage of the opportunity to ask you to give me some +information." + +"What is it brother? I live in great seclusion as you see, and doubt +whether I can satisfy you, but speak all the same." + +"You know, little sister, that I am a stranger in Hispaniola, where I +only arrived four days ago, and then for the first time." + +"That is true; you have never visited the island; what do you think of +it?" + +"It is frightful, that is to say admirable; frightful as regards roads, +and admirable for scenery: you see that my proposition is not so +illogical as it at first appeared." + +"In truth the roads are not convenient." + +"Say that there are none, and you will tell the truth."; + +"You are severe." + +"No, I am only just; if you had seen what magnificent roads we possess +in Mexico, you would be of my opinion; but that is not the point at +present." + +"What is it then?" + +"Why, the information I want of you." + +"Ah, that is true, I forgot it; but explain yourself, I am listening." + +"This is it. Just imagine when I embarked at Veracruz to come here, all +the persons to whom I announced my departure invariably answered me +with a desperate agreement:--'Ah! you are going to Hispaniola, Señor +Don Sancho de Peñaflor, hum, hum, take care.' On board the vessel I +constantly heard the officers muttering among themselves 'keep a good +watch, take care.' At last I reached St. Domingo; my first care was, +as I told you, to go to the Count de Bejar, your husband, who received +me as kindly as he is capable of doing; but when I announced my +intention of coming to join you here, he frowned, and his first words +were 'the deuce, Don Sancho, you want to go to the hatto, take care, +take care.' It was enough to drive me mad; this sinister warning which +everywhere and at all hours echoed in my ears infuriated me. I did +not try to obtain any explanation from your husband, as I should not +have succeeded; but I inwardly resolved to get to the bottom of this +ill-omened phrase so soon as the opportunity presented itself. It did +present itself soon, but I am no further advanced than I was before, +and hence apply to you to solve the riddle." + +"But I am waiting for your explanation, for I confess that up to the +present I have not understood a word you have been saying." + +"Very good, let me finish. I had scarce set out with the slaves your +husband lent me, when I saw the scamps constantly turn their heads +to the right and left, with a look of terror. At first I attached no +great importance to this; but they ran away on seeing a magnificent +wild boar. I felt a fancy to shoot it, which I did by the way, and have +brought it here. When these unlucky Negroes saw me cock my fusil they +fell at my knees, clasping their hands with terror, and exclaiming in +a most lamentable voice,--'Take care, Excellency, take care!' 'What +must I take care of, you scoundrels?' I exclaimed in exasperation. +'The _ladrones_, Excellency, the _ladrones_!' I could obtain no other +explanation from them but this; but I hope, little sister, that you +will be kind enough to tell me who these formidable ladrones are." + +He bent over her; but Doña Clara, with her eyes widely dilated, her +arms stretched out and her features distorted, fixed upon him such an +extraordinary look, that he recoiled in horror. + +"The ladrones, the ladrones!" she twice repeated in a shrill voice; +"Oh! have pity, brother." + +She rose to her full height, advanced a few paces mechanically, and +fell fainting on the floor. + +"What is the meaning of this?" the young man asked himself, as he +rushed forward to raise her. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE MAJOR-DOMO'S STORY. + + +Don Sancho, feeling very anxious about the state in which he saw his +sister, hastily summoned her women who at once flocked around her. He +confided her to their care, and retired to the apartment prepared for +him, while ordering that he should be immediately warned so soon as +Doña Clara displayed any signs of recovery. + +Don Sancho de Peñaflor was a charming cavalier, gay, merry, enjoying +life and repulsing with the egotism of his age and rank, every grief +and even every annoyance. + +Belonging to one of the first families of the Spanish aristocracy, +destined to be one day immensely rich, and through his name to hold +the highest offices and make one of those magnificent marriages of +convenience, which render diplomatists so happy, by leaving their minds +perfectly free for grand political combinations,--he strove, as far +as lay in his power, to check the beating of his heart, and not to +trouble by any unusual passion, the bright serenity of his existence. +Captain in the army, while awaiting something better, and to have the +air of doing something, he had followed his father as aide-de-camp to +Mexico, when the latter was appointed viceroy of New Spain. But, being +yet too young to regard life seriously and be ambitious, he had turned +his attention to gambling and flirtations since his arrival in America, +which greatly annoyed the Duke, for as the latter had passed the age of +love, he had no mercy for young men sacrificing to the idol which he +had himself worshipped for so long. + +Don Sancho was generally an excellent hearted fellow and good +companion, but affected, like all the Spaniards of that period, and +perhaps of the present, by caste prejudices, regarding the Negroes and +Indians as beasts of burden, created for his use, and disdaining to +conceal the contempt and disgust he felt for these disinherited races. + +In a word, Don Sancho, in accordance with the precept of his family, +always looked above him and never below; he endured his equals, but +established an impassable barrier of pride and disdain between himself +and his inferiors. + +Still, perhaps unconsciously,--for we will not give him the merit of +it,--a tender feeling had glided into the cold atmosphere in which +he was condemned to live, had penetrated to his heart, and at times +threatened to overthrow all his transcendental theories about egotism. + +This feeling was nothing else than the affection he felt for his +sister,--an affection which might pass for adoration, for it was so +truly devoted, respectful and disinterested; to please his sister he +would have attempted impossibilities; a simple word that fell from +her lips rendered him pliant and obedient as a slave; a desire she +manifested became at once an order for him as serious, and perhaps more +so, than if it had emanated from the King of Spain and the Indies, +although that magnificent potentate haughtily flattered himself that +the sun never set on his dominions. + +The first words the Count uttered so soon as he found himself alone in +his apartment, will show his character better than anything we can add. + +"Well," he exclaimed as he sank despairingly into an easy chair, +"instead of passing a few days agreeably here as I expected, I shall +be obliged to listen to Clara's complaints and console her; the deuce +take unhappy people, it really seems as if they had made agreement to +trouble my tranquillity." + +At the expiration of about three-quarters of an hour, a black slave +came to inform him that Doña Clara had regained her senses, but still +felt so weak and faint, that she begged him to refrain from seeing her +that evening. + +The young man was in his heart well pleased at the liberty granted him +by his sister, and which dispensed him from recurring to a conversation +which possessed no charm for him. + +"Very good," he said to the slave, "give my respects to my sister, and +order my supper to be served here; you will at the same time request +the Major-domo to come to me as I want to speak to him. Begone!" + +The slave went out and left him alone. + +The young Count then threw himself back in his chair, stretched out +his legs and plunged, not into any reverie, but into that state of +somnolency which is neither waking or sleeping, during which the mind +seems to wander in unknown regions, and which the Spaniards call a +siesta. + +While he was in this state, the slaves laid the table, being careful +not to disturb him, and covered it with exquisite dishes. + +But soon the steam of the dishes placed before him recalled the young +man to the reality, he drew himself up and seated himself at the table. + +"Why has not the Major-domo come," he asked, "have you neglected to +tell him?" + +"Pardon, Excellency, but the Major-domo is absent at this moment," a +slave respectfully answered. + +"Absent--for what motive?" + +"He is paying his usual evening visit to the grounds, but will soon +return; if your Excellency will be good enough to have a little +patience, you will soon see him." + +"Very good, although I do not understand the urgency of this visit. +There are no wild beasts here, I suppose?" + +"No, Excellency, thank heaven!" + +"Then, what is the meaning of these precautions?" + +"They are meant to guard the house from the attacks of the ladrones, +Excellency." + +"The ladrones again," he exclaimed, bounding from his seat, "why, it +must be a wager! Everybody seems to have agreed to mystify me, heaven +forgive me." + +At this moment spurs could be heard clattering outside the room. + +"Here is the Major-domo, Excellency," one of the Negroes said. + +"That is lucky, let him come in." + +Birbomono appeared, took off his hat, bowed respectfully to the Count, +and waited to be addressed. + +"Confound it," the young man said to him, "I asked for you an hour or +more ago." + +"I am in despair at it, Excellency, but I was only told of it this very +instant." + +"I know, I know. Have you dined?" + +"Not yet, Excellency." + +"Well then, seat yourself there, opposite to me." + +The Major-domo who knew the Count's haughty character, hesitated; he +did not at all understand the condescension on his part. + +"Sit down, I say," the young man replied; "we are in the country, so it +is of no consequence; besides, I want to talk with you." + +The Major-domo then took the place pointed out to him, without further +pressing. + +The meal was short--for the Count ate without uttering a single word; +when it was ended, he thrust away his plate, drank a glass of water +after the Spanish fashion, lit an excellent cigar and gave another to +the Major-domo. + +"Smoke, I permit it," he said. + +Birbomono gratefully accepted; but feeling more and more astonished, he +could not refrain from asking himself mentally, what important motive +his young master could have for treating him so condescendingly. +When the table was cleared and the slaves had withdrawn, the two +men remained alone. The night was magnificent and the atmosphere +marvellously clear; a multitude of stars floated in æther, a sweet warm +breeze penetrated through the windows, left expressly open, a profound +silence lay over the landscape, and from the spot where the two men +were seated, they perceived the dark mass of forest trees that closed +the horizon. + +"Now," said the Count, as he puffed out a cloud of bluish smoke, "let +us talk." + +"Very good, Excellency," the Major-domo replied. + +"I have several things to ask you, Birbomono; you know me, I think, and +that whether I threaten or promise, I always carry out what I say?" + +"I am aware of it, Excellency!" + +"Very good, that being settled, I will come to the fact without +further preamble. I have certain very important information to ask of +you; answering my questions is not betraying your mistress, who is my +sister, and whom I love before all else; on the contrary, it is perhaps +rendering her a service indirectly. Besides, if you refused to tell +me what I want to know, I should learn it from another quarter, and +you would forfeit any advantage to be derived from your frankness; you +understand me, I suppose?" + +"Perfectly, Excellency." + +"Well then, what do you intend doing." + +"My lord, I am devoted body and soul to your family, hence, I shall +consider it a duty to answer, as best I can, all the questions you may +deign to ask me, for I feel convinced that in questioning me, you have +no other motive but that of being agreeable to my mistress." + +"It is impossible to argue more correctly, Birbomono, I have always +said that you were an intelligent man; and this answer proves to +me that I was not mistaken. Now, I will begin, but let us proceed +regularly, so inform me of what occurred between my sister and her +husband, up to her arrival here; and the motives for her quitting St. +Domingo." + +"You know, Excellency, my lord Count de Bejar of Sousa, the husband of +your lady sister and my master, is a gentleman not naturally given to +speaking, but kind and sincerely attached to his wife, whose every wish +he strives to satisfy, without even venturing a remark. At St. Domingo +the Countess lived in the most absolute retirement, constantly shut +up in her remotest apartments, to which only her women, her confessor +and her physician had access. The Count visited her every morning and +evening, remained about a quarter of an hour with her, conversing on +indifferent subjects, and then withdrew." + +"Hum! This mode of life of my dear sister appears to me rather +monotonous; did it last long?" + +"For several months, Excellency, and it would doubtless still be going +on, had it not been for an event which no one but myself knows, and +which induced her to come here." + +"Ah, ah, and what was the event, if you please?" + +"I will tell you, Excellency; one day a ship of our nation arrived +at St. Domingo; during its passage through the islands, it had been +attacked by the ladrones, from whom it had escaped by a miracle, +capturing several of them." + +"Ah! I must stop you here," the Count exclaimed suddenly sitting up; +"before going further, one word about these ladrones, of whom persons +are incessantly talking, and no one knows. Do you know what they are?" + +"Certainly I do, Excellency." + +"At last," the Count added joyously, "I have at length found what I +wanted. As you know, I suppose you will tell me?" + +"Most willingly, Excellency." + +"Go on." + +"Oh! It will not be long, Excellency." + +"All the worse." + +"But I believe that it will be interesting." + +"All the better then, make haste." + +"These ladrones are English and French adventurers, whose courage +exceeds all belief; lying in ambush among the rocks in the straits +through which our vessels must pass, for they have vowed a war of +extermination against our nation, they dart out in wretched canoes half +full of water, leap on board the ship they have surprised, capture +it and carry it off. The injury done our marine by these ladrones is +immense; any ship attacked by them, with but few exceptions, may be +regarded as lost." + +"Confusion! That is very serious; has nothing been done to clear the +seas from these daring pirates?" + +"Pardon me, Excellency; Don Fernando de Toledo, admiral of the fleet, +sacked, by the king's orders, the island of St. Christopher, the refuge +of the ladrones, carried off all he could seize, and did not leave one +stone on the other in the colony they had founded." + +"Ah, ah!" said the Count, rubbing his hands, "That was well done, it +appears to me." + +"No, Excellency, and for this reason. These ladrones, scattered but not +destroyed, spread over the other islands; some of them, it is true, +returned to St. Christopher, but the greater part of them had the +audacity to seek a refuge in Hispaniola itself." + +"Yes, but they have been expelled, I hope." + +"It has been tried, at any rate, Excellency, but without success; since +that period they have managed to maintain themselves in the part of +the island they invaded, and have resisted all the forces sent against +them. Instead of being assailed they have become assailants, and pushed +on to the Spanish frontier, burning, plundering and sacking everything +they met on their passage; they did this the more easily, because they +inspire our soldiers with extreme terror, who as soon as they see them +or even hear them, take to flight without looking behind them. This +has reached such a pitch, Excellency, that the Count de Bejar, our +governor, has been compelled to take their fusils from the detachments +called the Fifties, ordered to protect the frontiers, and arm them with +lances." + +"What! Take away their fusils! And for what motive? Great heaven! this +seems to me almost too incredible." + +"Still, it can be easy understood, Excellency--the soldiers feel so +great a terror of the ladrones, that when they found themselves in +regions frequented by them, and were consequently afraid of meeting +them, they discharged their fusils, expressly to warn them of their +presence, and thus invite them to retire, which the ladrones never +failed to do; and knowing in this way the position of the soldiers, +they went off to plunder in another direction, certain of not being +disturbed." + +"It is almost incredible. Do you fear their visit here?" + +"They have not yet come on this side; still, it is as well to be on +one's guard." + +"I believe so--that is excessively prudent, and I approve of it; but +now let us return to the story you were telling me when I interrupted +you to give me this valuable information; you were saying that a +Spanish man-o'-war had arrived at Saint Domingo, having on board +several ladrones as prisoners." + +"Yes, Excellency. Now, you must know that the ladrones are hung so soon +as they are caught." + +"That measure is very wise." + +"These were reserved to make an example of on the island itself, and +terrify their accomplices; they were, therefore, landed, and placed +in Capilla, while awaiting their execution. It was Fray Arsenio who +undertook to reconcile the wretches with Heaven if it were possible." + +"A rude task; but who is Fray Arsenio?" + +"The confessor of my lady Countess." + +"Very good; proceed." + +"Just imagine, Excellency, that these ladrones are very pious men; +they never attack a vessel without offering up prayers to Heaven, +and sing the Magnificat and other church hymns while boarding; hence +Fray Arsenio had no difficulty in making them perform their religious +duties. The Governor had decided that, in order that the example +should benefit the rest, these ladrones should be hung on the Spanish +frontier; they were, therefore, taken out of prison, securely bound, +and traversed the town in carts, guarded by a numerous escort, and +passing through the crowds, who overwhelmed them with maledictions +and cries of anger and threatening. But the ladrones seemed to pay +no attention to this manifestation of the public hatred; they were +five in number, young, and apparently very powerful. All at once, at +the moment when the carts, which were going very slowly, owing to the +crowd, arrived in front of the Governor's palace, the ladrones rose +altogether, uttered a loud cry, and, leaping into the street, took +refuge in the palace, whose guard they disarmed, and closed the gates +after them; they had succeeded in cutting their bonds, no one knew +how. There was at first a moment of profound stupor among the crowd on +seeing such a desperate deed, but ere long the soldiers regained their +courage, and marched boldly on the palace, where the ladrones received +them with musket shots. The fight was bravely carried on on both sides, +but all the disadvantage was on the side of our men, who were exposed +to the shots of invisible enemies, and renowned marksmen, every shot +from whom brought down a victim. Some twenty dead, and as many wounded, +were already lying on the square; the soldiers hesitated to continue +this deadly contest, when the Governor, warned of what was going on, +came up at full speed, followed by his officers. Fortunately for him, +the Count was not at home when the ladrones seized his palace; but the +Countess was there, and the Count trembled lest she should fall into +the hands of these villains. He summoned them to surrender; they only +replied by a discharge, which killed several persons by the Governor's +side, and slightly wounded himself." + +"The daring villains!" the Count muttered--"I hope they were hung." + +"No, Excellency; after holding all the forces of the town in check for +two hours, they proposed a capitulation, which was accepted." + +"What!" the Count exclaimed, "Accepted! Oh! This is too much." + +"It is the exact truth, however, Excellency; they threatened, unless +they were allowed to retire in peace, to blow themselves up with the +palace, which would have entailed the general ruin of the town, and to +cut the throats of the prisoners in their power--that of the Countess +first of all; the Governor tore out his hair with rage, but they only +laughed." + +"Why they are not men!" the Count exclaimed, stamping his foot +passionately. + +"No, Excellency, I told you, they are demons. The Count's officers +persuaded him to accept the capitulation; the bandits insisted that the +streets should be cleared for their passage; they had horses brought +for them, and two for the Countess and one of her servants, whom they +retained as hostages till they were in safety; and they went out well +armed, leading in their midst my poor mistress, trembling with terror, +and more dead, than alive. The ladrones did not hurry, they went at +a foot pace, laughing and talking together, turning round, and even +stopping now and then to stare at the crowd, which followed them at a +respectful distance. They left the town in this way, but religiously +kept their promise; two hours later, my lady the Countess, to whom they +had behaved with great courtesy, returned to Saint Domingo, accompanied +to the palace by the acclamations and glad shouts of the populace, +who fancied her lost. The next day the Count ordered me to accompany +the Countess here, where the physicians recommended her to live for a +while, in order to rest from the terrible emotions she had doubtless +experienced while she was in the power of the bandits." + +"And since your installation at the hatto I presume nothing +extraordinary has occurred?" + +"Yes, Excellency, something has happened, and that is why I told +you at the beginning that I alone knew the event which had modified +my mistress's mode of living. One of the ladrones had a very long +interview with her before they left her, an interview I saw, too far +off to hear what was said, it is true, but near enough to judge of the +interest she felt in it, and the impression it produced on her, for I +had followed my mistress, resolved not to abandon her, and help her, +were it necessary, at the risk of my life." + +"That is the behaviour of a good servant, Birbomono, and I thank you +for it." + +"I only did my duty, Excellency; so soon as the ladrones left her +alone I approached my mistress, and escorted her back to the town. A +few days after our arrival here my mistress dressed herself in man's +clothes, left the hatto unseen, only followed by myself and Fray +Arsenio, who had refused to leave her, and led us to a secluded bay +on the coast, where one of the ladrones was awaiting us. This man had +another long conversation with my mistress, then, bidding us get into +a canoe, he took us to a Spanish brigantine, tacking in sight of the +coast. I afterwards learnt that this brigantine had been freighted by +Fray Arsenio by my mistress's orders. So soon as we were on board this +vessel, sail was set, and we put out to sea; the _ladrón_ had returned +ashore in the canoe." + +"Nonsense!" the young man violently interjected; "What fables are you +telling me, Birbomono?" + +"Excellency, I am only telling you the truth you asked of me, without +adding or omitting anything." + +"Well, I am willing to believe you, incredible though the whole affair +appears." + +"Shall I break off here, Excellency, or continue my narration?" + +"Go on, in the Fiend's name! Perhaps some light will eventually issue +from all this chaos." + +"Our brigantine began tacking between the islands, at a great risk +of being snapped up as it passed by the ladrones; but, through some +incomprehensible miracle, it succeeded in passing unseen, so that in +eight days it reached an island in the form of a mountain, called +Nevis, I believe, and only separated by a narrow channel from St. +Kitts." + +"But, from what you told me yourself, St, Christopher is the den of the +ladrones." + +"Yes, Excellency, and so it is; the brigantine did not anchor, it +merely backed sails, and lowered a boat. My mistress, the monk, and +I, got into it, and we were landed on the island; but, as she put her +little foot on land, the Countess turned to me, and fixing on me a +glance which nailed me to the boat I was on the point of leaving, she +said--'Here is a letter, which you will carry to St. Christopher, there +you will inquire for a celebrated Chief of the ladrones, whose name +is Montbarts: you will have him pointed out to you; follow him, and +place this letter in his own hands. Go, I count on your fidelity.' What +could I do? Only obey: you will agree with me, Excellency. The sailors +in the boat, as if warned beforehand, conveyed me to St. Christopher, +where I landed unseen: I was lucky enough to meet this Montbarts, and +hand him the letter, and then I slipped away; the boat which had been +waiting for me took me back to Nevis, and the Señora thanked me. At +sunset Montbarts arrived at Nevis; he talked for nearly an hour with +the monk, while Doña Clara was concealed in a tent, and then went away: +a few minutes later, the Countess and Fray Arsenio returned aboard the +brigantine, which conveyed us back to Hispaniola with the same good +fortune. The monk remained in the French part of the island, for some +reason I do not know, while my mistress and I, as soon as we landed, +returned to the hatto, where we arrived just ten days ago." + +"And then?" the Count asked, seeing that the Major-domo was silent. + +"That is all, Excellency," he answered; "since then Doña Clara has +remained shut up in her apartments, and nothing has happened to trouble +the monotony of our existence." + +The Count rose without replying, walked up and down the room in +considerable agitation, and then turned to Birbomono. + +"Very good, Major-domo," he said to him--"I thank you; keep your mouth +shut about this, and now you can retire. Remember, that no one in the +household must suspect the importance of the conversation we have had +together." + +"I shall be dumb, Excellency," the Major-domo answered, and retired +with a respectful bow. + +"It is evident," the young man muttered, so soon as he was alone, "that +there is at the bottom of this affair a frightful secret, of which my +sister in all probability will condemn me to take my share. I am afraid +that I have fallen into a trap. Hang it all! Why could not Clara let me +live at my ease in Saint Domingo?" + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +ACROSS COUNTRY. + + +On the morrow, Doña Clara appeared, if not completely recovered from +her previous emotion, at least in a far more satisfactory state of +health than her brother had dared to hope after the fainting fit of +which he had been witness. + +No allusion was made, however, by one or the other to the previous +evening's conversation. Doña Clara, although very pale, and excessively +weak, affected gaiety and even merriment; she carried matters so far as +even to take a short walk in the garden, leaning on her brother's arm. + +But the latter was not deceived by this conduct; he understood that +his sister, vexed at having talked to him too frankly, was trying +to lead him astray as to her condition, by affecting a gaiety far +from her heart. Still, he did not let anything be seen, and when the +great heat of the day had passed, he pretended a desire to visit the +surrounding country, in order to give his sister a little liberty: +taking his fusil, he mounted his horse, and rode out, accompanied by +the Major-domo, who offered to act as his guide during his excursion. + +Doña Clara made but a faint effort to keep him at home; in her heart +she was pleased to be alone for a few hours. + +The young man galloped across country with a feverish impatience. +He was in a state of excitement, for which he could not account to +himself; in spite of his egotism, he felt himself interested in his +sister's misfortune; so much humble resignation involuntarily affected +him, and he would have been happy to infuse a little joy into this +heart crushed by grief; on the other hand, the Major-domo's singular +story incessantly returned to his mind, and aroused his curiosity +in the highest degree. Still he would not for anything in the world +have questioned his sister about the obscure parts of this narrative, +or merely let her know that he was aware of her relations with the +filibusters of St. Kitts. + +The two men had entered the savannah territory, and talking of +indifferent topics; but as the Count could not get rid of the +recollection of what the Major-domo had told him, he turned sharply +toward him at a certain moment. + +"By the way," he asked him sharply, "I have not yet seen my sister's +confessor. How do you call him?" + +"Fray Arsenio, Excellency; he is a Franciscan monk." + +"Yes, that's it, Fray Arsenio. Well, why does he persist in remaining +invisible?" + +"For an excellent reason, Excellency; the reason I had the honour of +explaining to you last evening." + +"That is possible--I do not say you did not; but everything is so +confused in my mind," he said, with feigned indifference, "that I no +longer remember what you told me on the subject; you will therefore +oblige me by repeating it." + +"That is easy, Excellency. Fray Arsenio left us at the moment when we +landed, and has not reappeared at the hatto since." + +"That is singular: and does not Doña Clara appear alarmed and vexed at +so long an absence?" + +"Not at all, Excellency; the señora never speaks of Fray Arsenio, and +does not inquire whether he has returned or not." + +"It is strange," the young man muttered to himself; "what is the +meaning of this mysterious absence?" + +After this aside, the Count suddenly broke off the conversation and +resumed the chase. They had been absent from the hatto for some hours, +and had insensibly gone a very considerable distance; the sun was +nearing the horizon, and the Count was preparing to turn back, when +suddenly a great noise of breaking branches was heard at the skirt of +the forest, from which they were only separated by a few shrubs, and +several wild oxen dashed on to the savannah, pursued, or, to speak more +correctly, hunted, by a dozen hounds, which barked furiously while +snapping at them. + +The oxen, seven or eight in number, passed like a tornado two horse +lengths from the Count, to whom this unexpected apparition caused such +a surprise, that he remained for a moment motionless, not knowing what +to do. + +The savage animals, still harassed by the hounds, which did not leave +them, made a sudden wheel, and turning back, seemed trying to enter the +forest at the spot where they had left it; but they had hardly resumed +their flight in that direction, when a fusil was discharged, and a +bull, struck in the head, fell dead on the ground. + +At the same instant a man emerged in his turn from the forest, and +walked up to the animal, which was lying motionless and nearly hidden +in the tall grass, without appearing to notice the two Spaniards, and +reloading as he walked along the long fusil he had, in all probability, +just employed so adroitly. + +This hunting episode was accomplished more quickly than it has taken +us to describe it, so that Don Sancho had not quite recovered from his +surprise, when the Major-domo bent down to his side and said in a low +voice, half choked with terror-- + +"Excellency, you wanted to see a _ladrón_. Well, look carefully at that +man, he is one." + +Don Sancho was endowed with undaunted courage. When his first surprise +had passed, he became again completely master of himself, and regained +all his coolness. + +After securing his seat on the saddle, he advanced slowly toward the +stranger, while examining him curiously. He was a man still young, of +middle height, but well and powerfully built; his regular, majestic, +and rather handsome features displayed boldness and intelligence. Cold, +heat, rain, and sunshine to which he had doubtless for a long time been +exposed, had given his face a decided bistre hue; and although he wore +his full beard, it was cut rather short. + +His dress, of almost primitive simplicity, so to speak, was composed of +two shirts, breeches, and jacket, all of canvas, but so covered with +spots of blood and grease, that it was impossible to recognise its +original colour. He wore a leathern belt, from which hung on one side +a case of crocodile skin, containing four knives and a bayonet; on the +other, a large calabash, stopped with wax, and a hide bag containing +bullets. He wore across his shoulders a small coat of fine canvas, +rolled up and reduced to its smallest compass; and in lieu of shoes, +boots made of untanned oxhide. His long hair, fastened with a _vÃbora_ +skin, escaped from under a fur cap which covered his head, and was +protected by a peak in front. + +His fusil, whose barrel was four and a half feet in length, could be +easily recognized through the strange form of its stock, as turned out +by Brachie, of Dieppe, who with Gélin, of Nantes, had the monopoly of +manufacturing arms for the adventurers. This fusil was of the calibre +of sixteen to the pound. + +The appearance of this man, thus armed and accoutred, had really +something imposing and formidable about it. + +You instinctively felt yourself in face of a powerful nature, of a +chosen organization, accustomed only to reckon on oneself, and which no +danger was great enough to astound or even affect. + +While continuing to advance toward the bull, he took a side glance at +the two horsemen; then, without paying any further attention to them, +he whistled to his dogs, which at once gave up their pursuit of the +herd, and after drawing a knife from his sheath, he began skinning the +animal lying at his feet. + +At this moment the Count came up to his side. + +"Eh," he said to him in a sharp voice, "who are you, and what do you +here?" + +The buccaneer, for he was one, raised his head, looked sarcastically +at the man who addressed him so peremptorily, and then shrugged his +shoulders with disdain. + +"Who I am?" he replied, mockingly; "You see that I am a buccaneer, and +what I am doing. I am flaying a bull I have slain. What next?" + +"I want to know by what right you hunt on my land?" + +"Ah! This land is yours? I am very glad to hear it. Well, I am hunting +here because I think proper. If that does not suit you, I feel sorry +for it, my pretty gentleman." + +"What do you mean?" the Count continued, haughtily; "And how do you +dare to assume such a tone with me?" + +"Probably, because it is the one that suits me best," the buccaneer +replied, drawing himself up quickly; "go your road, my fine sir, and +take some good advice; if you do not wish your handsome jerkin to be +filled with broken bones within five minutes, do not trouble yourself +about me more than I do about you, and leave me to attend to my +business." + +"I will not allow it," the young man answered, violently; "the land you +are trespassing on so impertinently belongs to my sister, Doña Clara de +Bejar; I will not suffer it to be invaded with impunity by vagabonds +of your description. _¡Viva Dios!_ You will decamp at once, my master, +or, if not--" + +"If not?" the buccaneer asked, with eyes flashing fire, while the +Major-domo, foreseeing a catastrophe, prudently glided behind his +master. + +As for the latter, he stood cool and impassive before the buccaneer, +resolved to take the offensive vigorously, if he saw him make the +slightest suspicious gesture. But, contrary to all expectation, the +adventurer's menacing look became almost suddenly calm, his features +resumed their usual expression of nonchalance; and it was in an almost +friendly tone, in spite of its roughness, that he said-- + +"Halloh! What name was that you mentioned, if you please?" + +"That of the owner of this savannah." + +"I suppose so," the adventurer replied, laughing; "but may I ask you to +repeat the name?" + +"That is of no consequence, my master," the young man said +disdainfully, for he fancied that his adversary was backing out of the +quarrel; "the name I uttered is that of Doña Clara de Bejar of Sousa." + +"Et cetera," the buccaneer said, with a laugh, "these devils of +gavachos have names for every day in the year. Come, don't be angry, +my young cock," he added, remarking the flush which the expression he +had employed spread over the Count's face; "we are, perhaps, nearer an +understanding than you imagine--what would you gain by a fight with me? +Nothing; and you might, on the contrary, lose a great deal." + +"I do not understand your words," the young man answered drily, "but I +hope you are about to explain them." + +"It will not take long, as you shall see," the other said tauntingly, +and, turning to the forest, he raised his hands to his mouth in the +shape of a speaking trumpet. + +"Eh! L'Olonnais!" he shouted. + +"Hola!" a man immediately answered, whom the denseness of the forest in +which he was hidden rendered invisible. + +"Come here, my son," the buccaneer continued, "I believe we have found +your little matter." + +"Ah, ah!" L'Olonnais, still invisible, replied, "I must have a look at +it." + +The young Count did not know what to think of this new incident which +seemed about to change the state of affairs; he feared a coarse jest +on the part of these half-savage men. He hesitated between giving way +to the passion that was boiling within him, or patiently awaiting the +result of the buccaneer's summons; but a secret foreboding urged him to +restrain himself and act prudently with these men, who did not appear +animated by an evil design against him, and whose manners, though quick +and rough, were still friendly. + +At this moment L'Olonnais appeared; he wore the same dress as the +buccaneer: he advanced hurriedly toward the latter, and without +troubling himself about the two Spaniards, asked him what he wanted, +while throwing on the ground a wild bull's hide, which he was carrying +on his shoulders. + +"Did you not tell me something about a letter which Bowline sent you +this morning by the hands of Omopoua?" + +"It is true, Lepoletais. I spoke to you about it," he said, "and it was +settled between us that as you know the country, you were to lead me to +the person to whom I have to deliver this accursed slip of paper." + +"Well, then, my son, if you like, your commission is performed," +Lepoletais continued, as he pointed to Don Sancho, "he is the brother, +or at least calls himself so, of the person in question." + +"Stuff," L'Olonnais replied, fixing alight glance on the young man, +"that gay springald?" + +"Yes, he says so; for as you know, the Spaniards are such liars, that +it is not possible even to trust to their word." + +Don Sancho blushed with indignation. + +"Who gave you the right to doubt mine?" he exclaimed. + +"Nothing has done so up to the present, hence I am not addressing +myself to you, but speaking generally." + +"So," L'Olonnais asked him, "you are the brother of Doña Clara de +Bejar, the mistress of the hatto del Rincón?" + +"Once again, yes, I am her brother." + +"Good! And how will you prove it to me?" + +The young man shrugged his shoulders. + +"What do I care whether you believe me or not?" he said. + +"That is possible, but it is of great consequence to me to be certain +of the fact; I am entrusted with a letter for that lady, and wish to +perform my commission properly." + +"In that case hand me the letter, and I will deliver it myself." + +"You found that out all by yourself," the engagé said mockingly, "a +likely notion that I should give you the note on your demand," and he +burst into a hearty laugh, in which Lepoletais joined. + +"These Spaniards doubt nothing," the buccaneer said. + +"In that case go to the deuce, you and your letter," the young man +exclaimed passionately, "it does not make any difference to me if you +keep it." + +"Come, come, don't be savage, hang it all," L'Olonnais continued in a +conciliatory tone; "there is possibly a means of arranging matters to +the general satisfaction; I am not so black as I look, and I have good +intentions, but I do not wish to be duped, that is all." + +The young man, in spite of the visible repugnance with which the +adventurers inspired him did not dare to break suddenly with them; the +letter might be very important, and his sister, doubtless would not +pardon him if he acted petulantly in this matter. + +"Come," he said, "speak, but make haste; it is late--I am far from the +hatto, where I wish to return before sunset, so as not to alarm my +sister unnecessarily." + +"That is the conduct of a good brother," the engagé answered with an +ironical smile; "this is what I propose to you: tell the little lady in +question that Montbart's engagé has orders to deliver a letter to her, +and that if she wishes to have it, she need only come and fetch it." + +"What! Fetch it, where?" + +"Here; zounds! Lepoletais and I will set up a boucan at this spot; we +will wait for the lady all tomorrow here: it seems to me that what I +propose is simple and easy." + +"And do you believe," he answered ironically, "that my sister will +consent to accept such an appointment made by a wretched adventurer? +why, you must be mad!" + +"I do not believe anything, I make you a proposal, which you are free +to accept or refuse, that is all: as for the letter, she shall only +have it by coming to fetch it herself." + +"Why not accompany me to the hatto, that would be more simple, I fancy?" + +"It is possible, and that was my intention at first, but I have changed +my mind; so settle what you will do." + +"My sister respects herself too much to take such a step, I am certain +beforehand that she will indignantly refuse." + +"Well, you may be mistaken, my friend," the engagé said, with a knowing +smile, "who ever knows what women think!" + +"Well, to cut short an interview which has already lasted too long, I +will inform her of what you have said to me; still, I do not conceal +from you that I shall make every effort to prevent her coming." + +"You can do as you please, it does not concern me; but be assured that +if it be her wish to come, as I believe, your arguments will be of no +use." + +"We shall see." + +"Mind not to forget to tell her that the letter is from Montbarts." + +During this conversation, which possessed no interest for him, +Lepoletais, with the characteristic coolness and carelessness of +buccaneers, was engaged in cutting down branches, and planting stakes +to make the _ajoupa_ under which they would camp for the night. + +"You see," the engagé added, "that my comrade has already set to work; +so good-bye till tomorrow, as I have no time for further talk, I must +help to prepare the boucan." + +"Do as you please, but I am persuaded that you are wrong in reckoning +on the success of the commission I have undertaken." + +"Well, you will see; at any rate mention it to the Señora. Ah! By the +way, one word more, mind, no treachery." + +The young man did not condescend a reply: he shrugged his shoulders +disdainfully, leaped on his horse, and galloped off in the direction of +the hatto, closely followed by the Major-domo. + +On getting some distance away, he looked back: the ajoupa was already +finished, and, as L'Olonnais had said, the two buccaneers were busily +engaged in establishing their boucan, without paying any more attention +to the Spaniards, who were doubtless prowling about the neighbourhood, +than if they had been five hundred leagues from any habitation. + +Then he continued to advance thoughtfully in the direction of the hatto. + +"Well, Excellency," the Major-domo said presently, "you have seen the +ladrones, what do you think of them now?" + +"They are rough men," he said, shaking his head sadly, "possessing +brutal and indomitable natures, but relatively frank and honest, at +least from their point of view." + +"Yes, yes, you are right, Excellency; and thus they gain more ground +every day, and if they were left alone, I am afraid that the whole +island would soon belong to them." + +"Oh, we have not reached that point yet," he said with a smile. + +"Pardon me, Excellency, for asking you the question, but do you intend +to inform the Señora of this meeting?" + +"I should like not to do so; unfortunately, after what you had told me +of the things that have taken place between my sister and these men, +my silence might have very serious consequences for her. Hence it is +better, I believe, to tell her frankly all about it, and she will be a +better judge than I of the line of conduct she should pursue." + +"I believe you are right, Excellency. The Señora has perhaps a great +interest in knowing the contents of that letter." + +"Well, let us trust in Heaven!" + +It was an hour past nightfall when they reached the hatto. + +They noticed with surprise an unusual movement round the house. Several +fires lighted on the plain illumined the darkness. On approaching, +the Count perceived that these fires were lit by soldiers, who had +established their bivouac there. + +A confidential servant was watching for the Count's arrival. So soon as +he saw him, he handed him several letters that had arrived for him, and +begged him to go at once to the Señora, who was impatiently expecting +him. + +"What is there new here?" he asked. + +"Two fifties arrived at sunset, Excellency," the servant answered. + +"Ah!" he remarked, with a slight frown. "Very good. Inform my sister +that I shall be with her in an instant." + +The domestic bowed and retired. The young gentleman dismounted, and +went to the apartments of Doña Clara, considerably puzzled by the +unforeseen arrival of these troops at a spot which apparently enjoyed +great tranquillity, and where their presence was unnecessary. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +COMPLICATIONS. + + +We must now return to one of our characters, who up to the present has +played but a secondary part in this story; but, as frequently happens, +is now called on by the exigencies of our narrative to take his place +in the foreground. + +We refer to Count Don Stenio de Bejar y Sousa, grandee of Spain of the +first class, _caballero cubierto_, governor for His Majesty Philip II. +of Spain and the Indies, of the island of Hispaniola, and husband of +Doña Clara de Peñaflor. + +Count Don Stenio de Bejar was a true Spaniard of the age of Charles V., +dry, stiff, full of pride and self-sufficiency, always with his hand +on his hip, and his head thrown back when he deigned to speak, which, +happened to him as rarely as possible, not through any want of sense, +as he was far from being a fool; but through indolence and contempt of +other men, whom he never looked at without half closing his eyes, and +raising the corners of his lips disdainfully. + +Tall, well built, possessed of noble manners, and a very handsome face, +the Count, apart from his determined silence, was one of the most +accomplished cavaliers of the Spanish court, which, however, at that +period, possessed a great number of them. + +His marriage with Doña Clara had been at the outset an affair of +convenience and ambition, but gradually, through admiring the charming +face of the woman he had married, seeing her gentle eyes fixed on +him, and hearing her melodious voice resound in his ear, he had grown +to love her--love her madly. Like all men accustomed to shut up and +concentrate in their hearts the feelings that possessed them, the +passion he experienced for Doña Clara had acquired proportions the more +formidable, because the unhappy man had the desperate conviction that +it would never be shared by the woman who was the object of it. All Don +Stenio's advances had been so peremptorily rejected by his wife, that +he at last made up his mind to abstain from them. + +But, like all disappointed lovers, this gentleman, who was at the same +time the husband--a very aggravating fact in the species, was naturally +too infatuated with his own merit, to attribute his defeat to himself, +and hence had looked around to discover the fortunate rival who had +robbed him of his wife's heart. + +Naturally the Count had not succeeded in finding this fancied rival, +who only existed in his own imagination, and this had grown into a +jealousy, the more ferocious because, as it did not know whom to settle +on, it attacked everybody. + +The Count was jealous, then, not like a Spaniard, for the Spaniards +generally, whatever may be said to the contrary, are not affected by +that stupid malady, but like an Italian; and this jealousy made him +suffer the more, because, like his love, he was unable to show it; +through fear of ridicule, he was compelled to lock it up carefully in +his heart. + +When, owing to his protection--as had been arranged on his marriage +with Doña Clara, of whose previous union with the Count de Barmont +he was ignorant--his father-in-law, the Duc de Peñaflor, was +appointed viceroy of New Spain, and himself obtained the government +of Hispaniola, the Count experienced a feeling of indescribable joy, +and an immense comfort inundated his mind. He was persuaded that in +America, his wife, separated from her friends and relatives, forced, +to live alone, and consequently to undergo his influence, would be +driven through weariness and want of something better to do, to share +his love, or at least accept it: and then again, on the islands there +was no rivalry to fear among a half savage population entirely absorbed +by a passion far more powerful than love--a passion for money. + +Alas! This time too, he was deceived. Doña Clara, it is true, gave him +no more pretext for jealousy than she had done in Spain, but he did not +any the more succeed in winning her affections. From the first day of +her arrival at Saint Domingo, she manifested the desire to live alone +and in retirement, engaged in religious practices; and the Count was +constrained, in spite of his fury, to bow before a resolution which he +recognised as irrevocable. + +He resigned himself; his jealousy however was not extinct, it was +smouldering beneath the ashes, and a spark would suffice to make it +burst into a more terrible flame than before. + +Still, in spite of this slight annoyance, the life the Count led at +Saint Domingo was most agreeable; in the first place he ruled there in +his quality of governor, saw everybody bend beneath his will, always +excepting his wife, the only one perhaps he would have cared to reduce. +He had his flatterers, and played the master and suzerain over all +who surrounded him; moreover, a thing not to be at all despised, his +position as governor secured certain imposts that rapidly augmented his +fortune, which various youthful follies had considerably reduced, and +he now worked hard, not only to repair the breaches, but to render them +as if they had never been. + +By degrees, however, the Count succeeded in lulling, if not subduing, +his love; he employed one passion to uproot the other; the care +of augmenting his fortune made him endure patiently the calculated +indifference of the Countess. He had almost come himself to believe +that he only felt for her a frank and sincere friendship; the more +so because Doña Clara for her part, was charming in everything that +did not touch on her husband's passion for her; she took an interest, +or at least pretended to do so, in the commercial speculations which +the Count did not hesitate to engage in under suppositious names, and +at times she would give him, with that clear judgment so eminently +possessed by women whose heart is free, excellent advice on very +difficult points, by which the Count profited, and naturally took all +the glory. + +Things were in this state when the episode with the filibusters +occurred, which the Major-domo described to Don Sancho de Peñaflor. + +This mad struggle of five men against an entire town, a struggle from +which they emerged victorious, had caused the Count a rage all the +greater, because the filibusters, on leaving the town, had taken the +Countess off with them as a hostage. He had then understood how greatly +he erred, in supposing that his love and jealousy were extinguished. +During the two hours that the Countess remained absent, the Count +suffered a horrible torture, the more horrible because the rage he felt +was impotent, and vengeance impossible, at least for the present. + +Hence, from this moment, the Count vowed an implacable hatred against +the adventurers, and swore to carry on a merciless war against them. + +The return of the Countess safe and sound, and treated with the +greatest respect by the adventurers, during the time she remained in +their power, calmed the Count's wrath from a marital point of view, +but the insult he had received in his quality as governor, was too +grave for him to renounce his vengeance. + +From this moment the most formal orders were sent to the leaders of +corps to redouble their surveillance, and chase the adventurers, +wherever they met them; fresh Fifties, formed of resolute men, were +organized, and the few adventurers they contrived to catch, were +mercilessly hung. Tranquillity was re-established in the colonies, the +confidence of the colonists, momentarily disturbed, reappeared, and +everything apparently returned to its accustomed state. + +The Countess had expressed a desire to restore her health by a stay +of several weeks at the hatto del Rincón, and the Count, to whom her +physician had expressed this wish, found it only very natural; he had +seen his wife go away with an easy mind, for he was convinced that at +the spot whither she was going, she would have no danger to fear, and +felt persuaded in his heart that this condescension on his part, would +be appreciated by the Countess, and that she would feel thankful to him +for it. + +She had left therefore, only accompanied by a few servants and +confidential slaves, delighted to escape for some time from the +restraint she was obliged to impose on herself at Saint Domingo, +and fostering the bold scheme which we have seen her carry out so +successfully. + +It was about an hour after the departure of Don Sancho de Peñaflor, +to go and join his sister at the hatto; the Count was finishing his +breakfast, and preparing to retire to the inner boudoir to enjoy his +siesta, when an usher came into the dining room, and after apologizing +for disturbing His Excellency at this moment, informed him that a man +who refused to give his name, but declared that he was well known to +the governor, insisted on being introduced into his presence, as he had +most important communications to make to him. + +The moment was badly chosen to ask for an audience, as the Count felt +inclined to sleep; he answered the usher that, however important the +stranger's communications might be, he did not believe them of such +importance that he should sacrifice his siesta for them; he therefore +Sent a message to the effect that the governor would not be at liberty +till four in the afternoon, and if the stranger liked to return then he +would be received. + +The Count dismissed the usher, and rose, muttering to himself as he +walked towards the boudoir,-- + +"_Dios me salve_, if I were to believe all these scamps, I should not +have a moment's rest." + +Whereupon he stretched himself in a large hammock, hung right across +the room, closed his eyes and fell asleep. + +The Count's siesta lasted three hours, and this delay was the cause of +serious complications. + +On waking, Don Stenio quite forgot all about the stranger; it so often +happened that he was disturbed for nothing by people who declared they +had urgent matters to discuss with him, that he did not attach the +slightest importance to their requests for an audience, and the usher's +words had completely slipped his memory. + +At the time when he entered the room where he usually granted his +audiences, and which at this moment was quite empty, the usher +presented himself again. + +"What do you want?" he asked him. + +"Excellency," the usher replied with a respectful bow, "the man has +returned." + +"What man?" + +"The man who came this morning." + +"Oh yes, well, what does he want?" the Count continued, who did not +know what all this was about. + +"He desires, my lord, that you will do him the honour of receiving him, +as he states that he has matters of the utmost gravity to tell you." + +"Ah, very good, I remember now; it is the same man you announced this +morning." + +"Yes, Excellency, the same." + +"And what is his name?" + +"He will only tell it to your Excellency." + +"Hum! I do not like such precautions, for they never forbode anything +good; listen, José! When he arrives, tell him I never receive people +who insist on keeping their incognito." + +"But he is here, my lord." + +"Ah! well then, it will be all the more easy, tell him so at once." + +And he turned his back. The usher bowed and left the room, but returned +almost immediately. + +"Well! Have you sent him away?" the Count asked. + +"No, my lord, he gave me this card requesting me to hand it your +Excellency. He declares that, in default of his name, it will be +sufficient to secure his admission to your presence." + +"Oh! Oh!" said the Count, "That is curious, let me see this famous +talisman." + +He took the card from the usher's hand and looked at it absently; but +all at once he started, frowned and said to the usher, + +"Show the man into the yellow room, let him wait for me there, I will +be with him in a moment. The deuce," he muttered to himself when he was +alone, "it is a long time since this scoundrel let me hear anything of +him, I fancied him hung or drowned; he is a clever scamp, can he really +have any important information to give me? We shall see." + +Then, leaving the room in which he was, he hastened to the yellow +saloon where the man with the card already was. + +On seeing the governor, the latter hastily rose, and made him a +respectful bow. + +The Count turned to the valet who had followed him to open the doors. + +"I am not at home to anybody," he said; "you can go." + +The valet left the room, and shut the door after him. + +"Now for us two," the Count said, as he sank into his chair, and +pointed to another. + +"I am awaiting your lordship's orders," the stranger said respectfully. + +Don Stenio remained for a moment silent, and scratching his forehead. + +"You have been away for a very long time," he said at last, "well, what +has become of you during the last two months?" + +"I have been executing your Excellency's orders," the man answered. + +"My orders? I do not remember having given you any." + +"Pardon me, my lord, if I venture to remind you of certain facts, which +appear to have escaped your memory." + +"Do so, my good fellow, I shall be delighted at it; still, I would +remark that my time is valuable, and that others besides yourself are +awaiting an audience." + +"I will be brief, Excellency." + +"That is what I wish. Go on," + +"A few days after the affair of the ladrones, does not your Excellency +remember saying to me in a moment of anger or impatience, that you +would give ten thousand piastres to obtain positive information about +the adventurers, their strength, plans, &c.?" + +"Yes, I remember saying that; what then?" + +"Well, Excellency, I was present when you made that promise. Your +Excellency had deigned to employ me several times before; as you looked +at me while speaking, I supposed that you were addressing me, and I +have acted accordingly." + +"That is to say?" + +"In my devotion to your Excellency, in spite of the numberless dangers +I should have to incur, I resolved to go and seek the information you +appeared to desire so ardently, and--" + +"And you went to seek it," the Count exclaimed with an eager start, +though hitherto he had paid but very slight attention to the stranger's +remarks. + +"Well, yes, Excellency." + +"Ah, ah," he said, stroking his chin; "and have you learnt anything?" + +"An infinity of things, my lord." + +"Well, let me hear some of them. But mind," he added, checking himself, +"no hearsays or suppositions, for I have my ears stuffed with them." + +"The information I shall have the honour of giving your Excellency, is +derived from a good source, since I went to seek it in the very den of +the ladrones." + +The Count gazed with admiration at this man who had not feared to +expose himself to so great a danger. + +"If such is the case, pray continue, señor." + +"My lord," the spy resumed, for we may henceforth give him that name; +"I come from St. Christopher." + +"Ah! Is not that the Island where the bandits take shelter?" + +"Yes, my lord, and more than that, I returned in one of their vessels." + +"Oh, oh," said the governor, "pray tell me all about it, my dear Don +Antonio: that is your name, I believe?" + +"Yes, my lord; Don Antonio de la Ronda." + +"You see," the Count added with a smile; "that I have a good memory +sometimes," and he laid a stress on these words, which made the spy's +heart bound with joy. + +The latter told him in what way he had entered the island, how he had +been discovered and made prisoner by Montbarts, who put him on board +one of his vessels; how a great expedition had been decided on by the +adventurers against the island of Saint Domingo, in the first place, +and then against Tortuga, which the ladrones had a plan for surprising, +and on which they intend to establish themselves; and in what way, on +reaching Port Margot, he had succeeded in escaping, and had hastened to +bear the news to his Excellency the governor. + +The Count listened with the most serious attention to Don Antonio's +narrative, and in proportion as it progressed, the governor's brow +became more anxious; in fact, the spy had not deceived him. The news +was of the utmost gravity. + +"Hum!" he answered; "And is it long since the ladrones arrived at Port +Margot?" + +"Eight days, Excellency." + +"_¡Sangre de Cristo!_ so long as that, and I had not been informed of +it?" + +"In spite of the utmost diligence, as I was constrained to take the +greatest precaution lest I should fall again into the hands of the +ladrones, who doubtless started in pursuit of me. I only arrived this +morning, and came straight to the palace." + +The Count bit his lips, several hours had been lost through his fault; +still he did not notice the indirect reproach addressed to him by the +spy, for he comprehended all its justice. + +"You have fairly earned the ten thousand piastres promised, Don +Antonio," he said. + +The spy gave a start of pleasure. + +"Ah, that is not all," he answered, with a meaning smile. + +"What else is there?" the Count remarked; "I believed that you had +nothing further to tell me." + +"That depends, Excellency. I have made my official report to the +Governor-General of Hispaniola, it is true--a very detailed report +indeed--in which I have forgotten nothing that might help him to defend +the island entrusted to his care." + +"Well?" + +"Well, my lord, I have now to give the Count de Bejar, of course, if he +desire it, certain information which I believe will interest him." + +The Count fixed on the man an investigating glance, as if he wished to +read his very soul. + +"The Count de Bejar?" he said with studied coldness; "What can you have +to say that interests him privately, as a simple gentleman? I have not, +as far as I am aware, anything to settle with the ladrones." + +"Perhaps so, my lord; however, I will only speak, if your Excellency +orders me, and before doing so, will beg you to forgive anything that +may seem offensive to your honour in what I may say to you." + +The Count turned pale and frowned portentously. + +"Take care," he said to him in a threatening voice, "take care lest +you go beyond your object, and in trying to prove too much, fall into +the contrary excess. The honour of my name is not to be played with, +and I will never allow the slightest stain to be imprinted on it." + +"I have not the slightest intention to insult your Excellency; my zeal +on your behalf has alone urged me to speak as I have done." + +"Very good--I am willing to believe it; still, as the honour of my name +regards myself alone, I do not allow any person the right to assail it, +not even in a good intention." + +"I ask your Excellency's pardon, but I have doubtless explained myself +badly. What I have to tell you relates to a plot, formed, doubtless, +without her knowledge, against the Countess." + +"A plot formed against the Countess!" Don Stenio exclaimed, violently; +"What do you mean, señor? Explain at once--I insist on it." + +"My lord, since it is your wish, I will speak. Is not her ladyship, the +Countess, at this moment in the vicinity of the small town of San Juan?" + +"She is; but how do you know it, since, as you told me you have only +been back to Saint Domingo for a few hours?" + +"I presumed so, because on board the vessel in which I returned to +Hispaniola, I heard something about an interview which the chief of +the adventurers was to have in a few days in the neighbourhood of the +Artibonite." + +"Oh!" the Count exclaimed; "You lie, scoundrel!" + +"For what object, my lord?" the spy answered, coolly. + +"How do I know? through hatred, envy, perhaps." + +"I," he said, with a shrug of his shoulders. "Nonsense, my lord. Men +like me--spies, if things must be called by their proper name--are only +led away by one passion--that of money." + +"But what you tell me is impossible," the Count observed, with +agitation. + +"What prevents you from assuring yourself that I speak the truth, my +lord?" + +"I will do so, _¡Viva Dios!_" he exclaimed, stamping his foot furiously. + +Then he walked up to the spy, who was standing calm and motionless in +the centre of the room, and fixed on him a glance full of rage, but +impossible to describe. + +"Listen, villain!" he said in a hollow voice, half choked with passion; +"If you have lied, you shall die!" + +"Agreed, my lord," the spy replied, coldly; "but if I have spoken the +truth?" + +"If you have spoken the truth," he exclaimed, but suddenly broke off, +"but no, it is impossible, I repeat!" and seeing a fugitive smile +playing round the lips of his companion, he added, "well, be it so; if +you have spoken the truth, you shall fix your own reward, and whatever +it may be, on my word as a gentleman, you shall have it." + +"Thanks, my lord," he replied, with a bow; "I hold you to your word." + +The Count walked several times up and down the saloon, suffering from +intense agitation, appearing to have completely forgotten the presence +of the spy, muttering unconnected words, breaking out into passionate +gestures, and in all probability revolving in his head sinister +projects of vengeance. At length he stopped and addressed the spy again. + +"Withdraw," he said to him, "but do not leave the palace; or, stay, +wait a moment." + +Seizing a bell on the table, he rang it violently. + +A valet appeared. + +"A corporal and four men," he said. + +The spy shrugged his shoulders. + +"Why all these precautions, my lord?" he asked; "is it not contrary to +my interest to go away?" + +The Count examined him for a moment attentively, and then made the +valet a sign to withdraw. + +"Very good," he then said, "I trust to you, Don Antonio de la Ronda. +Await my orders, I shall soon have need of you." + +"I shall not go away far, my lord." + +And after bowing respectfully, he took his leave, and withdrew. + +The Count, when left alone, gave way for some minutes to all the +violence of a rage so long restrained, but he gradually regained his +coolness and the power of reflection. + +"Oh! I will avenge myself!" he exclaimed. + +Then he gave, with feverish activity, the necessary orders that +numerous bodies of troops should be sent off to different points, so as +to completely invest the hatto del Rincón, to which spot two Fifties +were sent, commanded by experienced and resolute officers. + +These measures taken, the Count, wrapped in a large cloak, mounted his +horse an hour after sunset, and followed by Don Antonio de la Ronda, +who had not the slightest desire to leave him, and a few confidential +officers, he left his palace incognito, rode through the town +unrecognized, and reached the open country. + +"Now, caballeros," he said in a hollow voice, "gallop your hardest, +and do not be afraid of foundering your horses. Relays are prepared at +regular distances along the road." + +He dug his spurs into the flanks of his horse, which snorted with pain, +and the party set out with the headlong speed of a whirlwind. + +"Ah, Santiago! Santiago;" the Count exclaimed at times while urging on +his steed, whose efforts were superhuman, "shall I arrive in time?" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +PORT MARGOT. + + +We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing +freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, +owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island +of the Tortoise. + +According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the +adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of +ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they +intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must +pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them. This was +exactly what happened. The filibusters left behind them a long train of +fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who +were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing +their houses after they had plundered them. + +The first vessel to anchor off the Great Key was the lugger with +Montbarts on board, and commanded by Michael le Basque; on the next day +the two brigantines arrived, a few hours after one another. + +They came to anchor on the right and left of the admiral, about two +cables' length from the coast. + +At this period the Great Key was inhabited by red Caribs, expelled from +St. Domingo by the cruelty of the Spaniards, and who had taken refuge +on this island, where they lived rather comfortably, owing to the +fertility of the soil, and the alliance they had contracted with the +filibusters. + +The three vessels had scarce cast anchor, ere they were surrounded by a +great number of canoes, manned by Caribs, who brought them refreshments +of every description. + +The same evening the admiral went ashore with the greater part of his +crew: the other captains imitated him, and only left behind the men +absolutely necessary to guard the ships. + +At a signal from the admiral, the crews arranged themselves in a +semicircle round him; the captains standing in front of the first line. + +Behind them were the Caribs, alarmed in their hearts at this formidable +landing, whose motive they could not divine, anxiously awaiting what +was going to happen, and not at all comprehending this display of +strength. + +Montbarts, holding in one hand the staff of a white flag, whose folds +floated on the breeze above his head, and his long sword in the other, +looked round at the men gathered before him. + +Most of them were scarce clad, but all were well armed. They had +weather-beaten complexions, vigorous limbs, huge muscles, energetic +features, and a defiant glance. The adventurers thus collected +around this man, who stood haughtily in front of them, with his head +thrown back, quivering lips, and a flashing eye, offered a striking +spectacle; their savage grandeur and rough gestures were not deficient +in a certain majesty, which was rendered still more imposing by the +primitive landscape that formed the background of the picture, and the +picturesque group of Indians, whose anxious faces and characteristic +poses added to the effect of the scene. + +For some time the rustling of the crowd was audible, like the sound of +the sea breaking on a beach, but gradually the noise died away, and a +profound silence fell on all. + +Montbarts then advanced a step, and in a firm and sonorous voice, whose +manly accents soon captivated all these men who listened eagerly to his +words, he revealed to them the purpose of the expedition, which up to +this time was unknown to them. + +"Brothers of the coast," he said; "messmates and friends, the moment +has arrived to reveal to you what I await from your courage and your +devotion to the common cause. You are not mercenaries, who, for scanty +pay, let themselves be killed like brutes, ignorant for what or from +whom they are fighting. No! You are picked men, who wish to know to +what object you are advancing, and what profit you will derive from +your efforts. Several of our most renowned comrades and myself have +resolved to attack in the heart of their richest possessions these +cowardly Spaniards, who believed they dishonoured us by branding us +with the name of _ladrones_, and whom the merest sight of our smallest +canoes puts to flight like a flock of startled seagulls. But in order +that our vengeance may be certain, and that we succeed in seizing the +wealth of our enemies, we must possess a point sufficiently near the +centre of our operations, to enable us to rush upon them unawares, and +so strong that the whole power of Castile may be broken against it in +impotent efforts. St. Christopher is too remote. Moreover, the descent +of Admiral Don Fernando of Toledo is a proof to us, that however brave +we may be, we shall never succeed in fortifying ourselves strongly +enough there to defy the rage of our enemies. It was, therefore, +absolutely necessary to find a spot more favourable to our projects, +a point which could easily be rendered impregnable. Our friends, and +myself set to work. For a long time we sought with the perseverance +of men resolved to succeed. Heaven has at length deigned to bless our +efforts. We have found this refuge under the most fortunate conditions." + +Here Montbarts made a pause for several seconds. + +An electric quiver ran along the ranks of the adventurers; their eyes +flashed fire, they grasped their fusils in their powerful hands, as if +they were impatient to commence the struggle promised them. + +A smile of satisfaction illumined for a moment the adventurer's pale +face. Then, waving his hand to command attention, he resumed;-- + +"Brethren, before us is Saint Domingo;" and he stretched out his +hand towards the sea. "Saint Domingo, the loveliest and wealthiest +of all the isles possessed by Spain. On this island several of our +brothers, who escaped the massacre of St. Christopher, have established +themselves, and are contending energetically against the Spaniards, to +hold the ground wrested from them. Unfortunately too few in number, in +spite of their bravery, to resist for any length of time the enemy's +troops, they would soon be forced to quit the island, if we did not +go to their assistance. They have summoned us. We have responded to +this appeal of our brothers, whom honour ordered us to succour in +the hour of danger. While doing a good deed, we are carrying out the +plan so long resolved by ourselves, and at last we have found the +impregnable spot we have so long desired. You all know the island +of Tortuga, brethren? Separated only by a narrow channel from Saint +Domingo, it rises like an advanced sentry in the middle of the sea. It +is the eagle's nest, whence we will laughingly brave the fury of the +Spaniards. To Tortuga, brethren!" + +"To the island of the Tortoise!" the adventurers shouted, brandishing +their weapons enthusiastically. + +"Good!" Montbarts continued. "I knew that you were men who would +understand me, and that I could reckon upon you. Before seizing on +Tortuga, however, which is only defended by an insignificant garrison +of twenty soldiers, who will fly at the first blow, we must, by +protecting our brethren at Saint Domingo, and securing them the +territory they occupy, obtain for ourselves useful ports, advantageous +outlets, and, before all, the means of easily injuring the Spaniards, +and, if it be possible, expelling them entirely from the island, of +which they have already lost a portion. Tomorrow, we will proceed to +Port Margot, come to an understanding there with our brethren, and +arrange our plans, so as to derive both honour and profit from our +expedition. And now, brethren, let each crew go aboard. Tomorrow, at +sunrise, we will set sail for Port Margot, and in a few days I promise +you glorious fights, and a rich booty to divide among you all. Long +live France, and death to Spain!" + +"Long live France! Death to Spain! Long live Montbarts!" the +adventurers exclaimed. + +"Let us embark, brethren," Montbarts added. "Do not forget that the +poor Indians of this island are our friends, and must be treated as +such by you." + +The adventurers then followed their officers, and embarked in the most +perfect order. + +At sunrise, the squadron raised anchor. We need not say that all the +refreshments purchased of the Indians were scrupulously paid for, and +that no one had reason to complain of their stay at the Great Key. +A few hours later the flotilla entered the channel separating Saint +Domingo from Tortuga, and anchored off Port Margot. + +The Spanish island lay before them with its large mounds, tall cliffs, +and its mountains, whose peaks seemed hidden in the clouds, while on +the starboard, Tortuga, with its dense, verdant forests, seemed a +basket of flowers rising from the bottom of the sea. + +They had scarce landed ere a canoe, manned by four men, hailed the +lugger. These four men were Lepoletais, whom we have already caught a +glimpse of; one of his apprentices, L'Olonnais, and Omopoua, the Carib +chief. + +The Indian had nearly got rid of the European dress, and resumed that +of his nation. + +Montbarts went to meet his visitors, saluted them, and led them down to +the cabin. + +"You are welcome," he said to them. "In a few minutes the other +leaders of the expedition will be here, and then we will talk. In the +meanwhile, take some refreshment." + +And he gave an engagé orders to bring in spirits. + +Lepoletais and Omopoua sat down without pressing, but L'Olonnais +remained modestly standing. In his quality of apprentice he dared not +place himself on a footing of equality with the adventurers. At this +moment Michael the Basque entered the cabin. + +"Messmate," he said to Montbarts, "Captain Drake and David have just +come aboard. They are waiting on deck." + +"Tell them to come below. I want to talk with them.". + +Michael went out. A few minutes after, he returned, accompanied by the +two captains. + +After the first compliments, the two officers drank a bumper, then +took their seats, and awaited the communication which their chief was +evidently about to make to them. + +Montbarts knew the value of time, hence he did not put their patience +to a long trial. + +"Brothers," he said, "I present to you Lepoletais, whom you doubtless +know already by reputation." + +The adventurers bowed smilingly, and spontaneously offered their hand +to the buccaneer. + +The latter cordially returned the pressure, delighted in his heart at +so frank a reception. + +"Lepoletais," Montbarts continued, "is sent to me as a delegate by our +brethren, the buccaneers of Port Margot and Port de Paix; I prefer to +let him himself explain what he expects from us--in this manner we +shall more easily arrive at an understanding. Speak, then, I pray, +brother, we are listening." + +Lepoletais first poured out a glass of rum, which he swallowed at a +draught, no doubt for the purpose of clearing his ideas; then, after +two or three sonorous "hums!" he resolved to speak. + +"Brethren," he said, "whatever be the name given us--filibusters, +buccaneers, or habitants--our origin is the same, is it not? And we are +all adventurers. Hence, we are bound to assist and protect one another, +like the free companions we are; but, in order that this protection may +be efficient--that nothing may weaken in the future the alliance we +contract today--we must, like yourselves, find some real profit in the +alliance. Is not this the case?" + +"Certainly," Michael said, to encourage him. + +"This, then, is what is happening," Lepoletais continued; "we +buccaneers and habitants are here something like the bird on the +tree, continually pursued by the gavachos, who track us like wild +beasts, wherever they surprise us, sustaining an unequal contest, in +which we must eventually succumb, not knowing today if we shall be +alive tomorrow, and gradually losing all the ground which we gained +at the outset. This deplorable state of things could not go on much +longer without entailing a catastrophe, which, with your aid, we hope +not only to avert, but to prevent definitively; by seizing Tortuga, +which is badly guarded, and will be badly defended, you procure us +a sure shelter in case of danger, an ever open refuge in the event +of a crisis. But this is not all; we must secure frontiers, so that +tranquillity may prevail in our country, that merchant vessels may +not fear to enter our ports, and that we may find an outlet for our +hides, our boucaned meat, and our tallow. These frontiers can be easily +secured; the only thing wanting is to seize on two points, one in the +interior, which the Spaniards call the Great Savannah of San Juan, and +which we have christened the Grand Fond. The town of San Juan is but +poorly fortified, and merely inhabited by mulattos, or men of mixed +blood, whom we could easily conquer." + +"Is not the Grand Fond, as you call it, traversed by the Artibonite?" +Montbarts asked, while exchanging a meaning glance with L'Olonnais, who +was standing by his side. + +"Yes," Lepoletais replied; "and in the centre is a hatto called the +Rincón, belonging, I believe, to the Spanish Governor." + +"It would be a master stroke to seize that man," Michael the Basque +observed. + +"Yes, but there is little probability of succeeding in capturing him, +for he is at Saint Domingo," Lepoletais replied. + +"It is possible; but go on." + +"The other point is a port called Leogane, or, as the Spaniards term +it, _la Iguana_, or the Lizard, from the shape of the tongue of land on +which it is built; the possession of this port would render us masters +of the whole western part of the island, and allow us to establish +ourselves there securely." + +"Is Leogane defended?" David inquired. + +"No," Lepoletais answered, "the Spaniards let it fall into ruins, as +they do, indeed, with nearly all the points they occupy; through the +want of labourers, since the almost utter extinction of the Indian +race of the island, they gradually abandon the old establishments, and +retire to the East." + +"Very good," said Montbarts; "is that all you desire?" + +"Yes, all," Lepoletais answered. + +"Now, what do you propose, brother?" + +"This: we buccaneers will hunt for you wild oxen and boars, and +provision your ships at a price agreed on between us, but which must +never be higher than one-half the price we ask of foreign vessels that +come to trade with us; in addition, we will defend you if attacked, and +in great expeditions you will have the right to claim one man in five +to accompany you, when you require it. The habitants will cultivate +the land, and supply you with vegetables, tobacco, and wood to repair +your vessels, on the same conditions as the provisions. This is what +I am ordered to propose to you, brothers, in the name of the French +habitants and buccaneers of Saint Domingo; if these conditions please +you, and I consider them just and equitable, accept them, and you will +have no cause to repent having negotiated with us." + +These propositions the filibusters were already acquainted with, +and had discussed their advantages; hence they did not take long +to deliberate, for they had made up their mind beforehand, as their +presence at Port Margot proved. + +"We accept your propositions, brother," Montbarts answered--"here is my +hand, in the name of the filibusters I represent." + +"And here is mine," Lepoletais said, "in the name of the habitants and +buccaneers." + +There was no other treaty but this honest shake of the hand between +the adventurers; thus was concluded an alliance, which remained up to +the dying day of buccaneering, as fresh and lively as when first made +between the adventurers. + +"Now," Montbarts continued, "let us proceed orderly. How many brothers +have you capable of fighting?" + +"Seventy," Lepoletais answered. + +"Very good; we will add to these one hundred and thirty more from the +fleet, which will give us an effective strength of two hundred good +fusils. And you, Chief, what can you do for us?" + +Up to this moment Omopoua had remained silent, listening to what was +said with Indian gravity and decorum, and patiently waiting till his +turn to speak arrived. + +"Omopoua will add two hundred Carib warriors, with long fusils, to the +palefaces," he replied; "his sons are warned; they await the order of +the Chief--L'Olonnais has seen them." + +"Good! These four hundred men will be commanded by myself; as this +expedition is the most difficult and dangerous, I will undertake it. +Michel le Basque will accompany me. I have aboard a guide, who will +conduct us to Grand Fond. You, Drake, and you, David, will attack +Leogane with your ships, while Bowline, with only fifteen men, will +seize on Tortuga. Let us combine our movements, brothers, so that our +three attacks may be simultaneous, and the Spaniards, surprised on +three points at once, may not be able to assist one another. Tomorrow +you will sail, gentlemen, taking with you one hundred and eighty-five +men, more than sufficient, I believe, to capture Leogane. As for you, +Bowline, you will keep the lugger with the fifteen men left you, and +remain here, while watching Tortuga closely. This is the fifth of the +month, brothers; on the fifteenth we will attack, as ten days will be +sufficient for all of us to reach our posts, and take all the necessary +measures. Now, gentlemen, return aboard your vessels, and send ashore, +under orders of their officers, the contingents I intend to take with +me." + +The two Captains bowed to the Admiral, left the cabin, and returned to +their ships. + +"As for you," Montbarts added, turning to Lepoletais, "this is what +you will do, brother. You will go with Omopoua to the Grand Fond, as +if hunting, but you will carefully watch the town of San Juan, and the +hatto del Rincón; we must, if possible, make sure of the inhabitants +of that hatto; they are rich and influential, and their capture may be +of considerable importance to us. You will arrange with Omopoua on the +subject of the allies he promises to bring us; perhaps it will be as +well for the Chief to try and lead the Spaniards on to his track, and +force them to quit their positions: by managing cleverly we might then +be able to defeat them in detail. Have you understood me, brother?" + +"Zounds!" Lepoletais answered, "I should be an ass if I did not. All +right! I will manoeuvre as you wish." + +Montbarts then turned to the engagé, and made him a sign. + +L'Olonnais drew nearer. + +"Go ashore with the Carib and Lepoletais," the Admiral whispered in his +ear--"look at everything, hear everything, watch everything; in an hour +you will receive through Bowline a letter, which you must deliver into +the hands of Doña Clara de Bejar, who resides in the hatto on the Grand +Fond." + +"That is easy," L'Olonnais answered, "if it must be, I will hand it to +her in the midst of all her servants, in the hatto itself." + +"Do nothing of the sort; arrange it so that she must come and fetch the +letter." + +"Hang it! That is more difficult! Still, I will try to succeed." + +"You must succeed!" + +"Ah! In that case, on the word of a man, you may reckon on it--though, +hang me if I know how I shall manage it!" + +Lepoletais had risen. + +"Farewell, brother," he said; "when you land tomorrow I shall be on my +way to the Grand Fond; I shall, therefore, not see you again till we +meet there; but do not be alarmed--you shall find everything in order +when you arrive. Ah! By the way, shall I take my body of buccaneers +with me?" + +"Certainly; they will be of the greatest use to you in watching the +enemy; but hide them carefully." + +"All right," he said. + +At this moment Michael the Basque rushed suddenly into the cabin, with +his features distorted by passion. + +"What is the matter, messmate? Come, recover yourself," Montbarts said +coolly to him. + +"A great misfortune has happened to us," Michael exclaimed, as he +passionately pulled out a handful of hair. + +"What is it? Come, speak like a man, messmate." + +"That villain, Antonio de la Ronda--" + +"Well?" Montbarts interrupted, with a nervous tremor. + +"He has escaped!" + +"Malediction!" + +"Ten men have set out in pursuit." + +"Stuff! It is all up now; they will not catch him. What is to be done?" + +"What has happened?" Lepoletais asked. + +"Our guide has escaped." + +"Is it only that? I promise to find you another." + +"Yes, but this one is probably the cleverest spy the Spaniards possess; +he knows enough of our secrets to make our expedition fail." + +"Heaven preserve us from it! Stuff!" the buccaneer added, +carelessly--"Think no more about it, brother; what is done is done--let +us go ahead all the same." + +And he left the cabin, apparently quite unaffected by the news. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +FRAY ARSENIO. + + +Let us now tell the reader who these buccaneers were of whom we have +several times spoken, and what was the origin of the name given them, +and which they gave themselves. + +The red Caribs of the Antilles were accustomed, when they made +prisoners in the obstinate contests they waged with each other, or +which they carried on against the whites, to cut their prisoners into +small pieces, and lay them upon a species of small hurdles, under which +they lit a fire. + +These hurdles were called _barbacoas_, the spot where they were set up +_boucans_, and the operation _boucaning_, to signify at the same time +roasting and smoking. + +It was from this that the French boucaniers (anglicised into +buccaneers) derived their name, with this difference, that they did to +animals what the others did to men. + +The first buccaneers were Spanish settlers on the Caribbean islands, +who lived on intimate terms with the Indians; hence when they turned +their attention to the chase, they accustomed themselves without +reflection to employ these Indian terms, which were certainly +characteristic, and for which it would have been difficult to +substitute any others. + +The buccaneers carried on no other trade but hunting; they were divided +into two classes, the first only hunting oxen to get their hides, the +second killing boars, whose flesh they salted and sold to the planters. + +These two varieties of buccaneers were accoutred nearly in the same +way, and had the same mode of life. + +The real buccaneers were those who pursued oxen, and they never called +the others by any name but hunters. + +Their equipage consisted of a pack of twenty-four dogs, among which +were two bloodhounds, whose duty it was to discover the animal; the +price of these dogs, settled among themselves, was thirty livres. + +As we have said, their weapon was a long fusil, manufactured at Dieppe +or Nantes; they always hunted together, two at the least, but sometimes +more, and then everything was in common between them. As we advance in +the history of these singular men, we shall enter into fuller details +about their mode of life and strange habits. + +When Don Sancho and the Major-domo left them, Lepoletais and L'Olonnais +had for a long time looked with a mocking glance after the two +Spaniards, and then went on building their ajoupa and preparing their +boucan, as if nothing had happened. So soon as the boucan was arranged, +the fire lit, and the meat laid on the barbacoas, L'Olonnais set about +curing the hide he had brought with him, while Lepoletais did the same +to that of the bull which he had killed an hour previously. + +He stretched the hide out on the ground, with the hairy side up, +fastened it down by sixty-four pegs, driven into the earth, and then +rubbed it vigorously with a mixture of ashes and salt, to make it dry +more quickly. + +This duly accomplished, he turned his attention to supper, the +preparations for which were neither long nor complicated. A piece of +meat had been placed in a small cauldron, with water and salt, and soon +boiled; L'Olonnais drew it out by means of a long pointed stick, and +laid it on a palm leaf in lieu of a dish; then he collected the grease +with a wooden spoon, and threw it into a calabash. Into this grease +he squeezed the juice of a lemon, added a little pimento, stirred +it all up, and the sauce, the famous _pimentado_, so liked by the +buccaneers, was ready. Placing the meat in a pleasant spot in front +of the ajoupa, with the calabash by its side, he called Lepoletais, +and the men sitting down facing each other, armed themselves with +their knife and a wooden spit instead of a fork, and began eating +with a good appetite, carefully dipping each mouthful of meat in the +pimentado, and surrounded by their dogs, which, though not daring to +ask for anything, fixed greedy glances on the provisions spread out +before them, and followed with eager eyes every morsel swallowed by the +adventurers. + +They had been eating this in silence for some time, when the +bloodhounds raised their heads, inhaling the air restlessly, and then +gave several hoarse growls; almost immediately the whole pack began +barking furiously. + +"Eh, eh!" Lepoletais said, after drinking a mouthful of brandy and +water, and handing the gourd to the engagé, "What is the meaning of +this?" + +"Some traveller, no doubt," L'Olonnais answered carelessly. + +"At this hour," the buccaneer went on, as he raised his eyes to the +sky, and consulted the stars, "why hang it all, it is past eight +o'clock at night." + +"Zounds! I do not know what it is. But stay, I do not know whether I am +mistaken, for I fancy I can hear a horse galloping." + +"It is really true, my son, you are not mistaken," the buccaneer +continued, "it is indeed a horse; come, quiet, you devils," he shouted, +addressing the dogs, which had redoubled their barking, and seemed +ready to rush forward, "quiet, lie down, you ruffians." + +The dogs, doubtless accustomed for a long time to obey the imperious +accents of this voice, immediately resumed their places, and ceased +their deafening clamour, although they still continued to growl dully. + +In the meanwhile the galloping horses which the dogs had heard a great +distance off, rapidly drew nearer; it soon became perfectly distinct, +and at the end of a few minutes a horseman emerged from the forest, and +became visible, although owing to the darkness it was not yet possible +to see who this man might be. + +On turning into the savannah, he stopped his horse, seemed to look +around him, with an air of indecision, for some minutes, then, +loosening the rein again, he came up toward the boucan at a sharp trot. + +On reaching the two men, who continued their supper quietly, while +keeping an eye on him, he bowed, and addressed them in Spanish-- + +"Worthy friends," he said to them, "whoever you may be, I ask you, +in the name of the Lord, to grant a traveller, who has lost his way, +hospitality for this night." + +"Here is fire, and here is meat," the buccaneer replied, laconically, +in the same language the traveller had employed; "rest yourself, and +eat." + +"I thank you," he said. + +He dismounted: in the movement he made to leave the saddle, his cloak +flew open, and the buccaneers perceived that the man was dressed in +a religious garb. This discovery surprised them, though they did not +allow it to be seen. + +On his side the stranger gave a start of terror, which was immediately +suppressed, on perceiving that in his precipitation to seek a shelter +for the night, he had come upon a boucan of French adventurers. + +The latter, however, had made him a place by their side, and while he +was hobbling his horse, and removing its bridle, so that it might graze +on the tall close grass of the savannah, they had placed for him, on a +palm leaf, a lump of meat sufficient to still the appetite of a man who +had been fasting for four and twenty hours. + +Somewhat reassured by the cordial manner of the adventurers, and, in +his impossibility to do otherwise, bravely resolving to accept the +awkward situation in which his awkwardness had placed him, the stranger +sat down between his two hosts, and began to eat, while reflecting on +the means of escaping from the difficult position in which he found +himself. + +The adventurers, who had almost completed their meal before his +arrival, left off eating long before him; they gave their dogs the food +they had been expecting with so much impatience, then lit their pipes, +and began smoking, paying no further attention to their guest beyond +handing him the things he required. + +At length the stranger wiped his mouth, and, in order to prove to his +hosts that he was quite as much at his ease as they, he produced a leaf +of paper and tobacco, delicately rolled a cigarette, lit it, and smoked +apparently as calmly as themselves. + +"I thank you for your generous hospitality, señores," he said, +presently, understanding that along silence might be interpreted to his +disadvantage, "I had a great necessity to recruit my strength, for I +have been fasting since the morning." + +"That is very imprudent, señor," Lepoletais answered, "to embark thus +without any biscuit, as we sailors say; the savannah is somewhat like +the sea, you know when you start on it, but you never know when you +will leave it again." + +"What you say is perfectly true, señor; had it not been for you, I am +afraid I should have passed a very bad night." + +"Pray say no more about that, señor; we have only done for you what we +should wish to be done for us under similar circumstances. Hospitality +is a sacred duty, which no one has a right to avoid: besides, you are a +palpable proof of it." + +"How so?" + +"Why, you are a Spaniard, if I am not mistaken, while we, on the +contrary, are French. Well, we forget for the moment our hatred of your +nation, to welcome you at our fireside, as every guest sent by Heaven +has the right to be received." + +"That is true, señor, and I thank you doubly, be assured." + +"Good Heavens!" the buccaneer replied, "I assure you that you act +wrongly in dwelling so much on this subject. What we are doing at this +moment is as much for you as in behalf of our honour, hence I beg you, +señor, not to say any more about it, for it is really not worth the +trouble." + +"Bless me, señor," L'Olonnais said with a laugh, "why, we are old +acquaintances, though you little suspect it, I fancy." + +"Old acquaintances!" the stranger exclaimed, in surprise; "I do not +understand you, señor." + +"And yet what I am saying is very clear." + +"If you would deign to explain," the stranger replied, completely +thrown on his beam ends, as Lepoletais would have said, "perhaps I +shall understand, which, I assure you, will cause me great pleasure." + +"I wish for nothing better than to explain myself, señor," L'Olonnais +said, with a bantering air; "and in the first place, permit me to +observe, that, though your cloak is so carefully buttoned, it is not +sufficiently so to conceal the Franciscan garb you wear under it." + +"I am indeed a monk of that order," the stranger answered, rather +disconcerted; "but that does not prove that you know me." + +"Granted, but I am certain that I shall bring back your recollection by +a single word." + +"I fancy you are mistaken, my dear señor, and that we never saw each +other before." + +"Are you quite sure of that?" + +"Man, as you are aware, can never be sure of anything; still, it seems +to me--" + +"And yet, it is so long since we met; it is true that you possibly did +not pay any great attention to me." + +"On my honour, I know not what you mean," the monk remarked after +attentively examining him for a minute or two. + +"Come," the engagé said with a laugh, "I will take pity on your +embarrassment; and, as I promised you, dissipate all your doubts by a +single word; we saw each other on the island of Nevis. Do you remember +me?" + +At this revelation, the monk turned pale; he lost countenance, and for +some minutes remained as if petrified; still the thought of denying the +truth did not come to him for a second. + +"Where," L'Olonnais added, "you had a long conversation with Montbarts." + +"Still," the monk said with a hesitation that was not exempt from +terror, "I do not understand--" + +"How I knew everything," L'Olonnais interrupted him laughingly, "then, +you have not got to the end of your astonishment." + +"What, I am not at the end?" + +"Bah, Señor Padre, do you fancy that I should have taken the trouble to +bother you about such a trifle? I know a good deal more." + +"What do you say?" the monk exclaimed, recoiling instinctively from +this man whom he was not indisposed to regard as a sorcerer, the more +so because he was a Frenchman, and a buccaneer to boot, two peremptory +reasons why Satan should nearly be master of his soul, if by chance he +possessed one, which the worthy monk greatly doubted. + +"Zounds!" the engagé resumed, "You suppose, I think, that I do not know +the motive of your journey, the spot where you have come from, where +you are going, and more than that, the person you are about to see." + +"Oh, come, that is impossible," the monk said with a startled look. + +Lepoletais laughed inwardly at the ill-disguised terror of the Spaniard. + +"Take care, father," he whispered mysteriously in Fray Arsenio's ear, +"that man knows everything; between ourselves, I believe him to be +possessed by the demon." + +"Oh!" he exclaimed, rising hastily and crossing himself repeatedly, +which caused the adventurers a still heartier laugh. + +"Come, resume your seat and listen to me," L'Olonnais continued as he +seized him by the arm, and obliged him to sit down again, "my friend +and I are only joking." + +"Excuse me, noble caballeros," the monk stammered, "I am in an +extraordinary hurry, and must leave you at once, though most +reluctantly." + +"Nonsense! Where could you go alone at this hour? Fall into a bog. Eh?" + +This far from pleasant prospect caused the monk to reflect; still, the +terror he felt was the stronger. + +"No matter," he said, "I must be gone." + +"Nonsense, you will never find your road to the hatto del Rincón in +this darkness." + +This time the monk was fairly conquered, this new revelation literally +benumbed him, he fancied himself suffering from a terrible nightmare, +and did not attempt to continue an impossible struggle. + +"There," the engagé resumed, "now, you are reasonable; rest yourself, +I will not torment you any more, and in order to prove to you that I am +not so wicked as you suppose me, I undertake to find you a guide." + +"A guide," Fray Arsenio stammered, "Heaven guard me from accepting one +at your hand." + +"Reassure yourself, señor Padre, it will not be a demon, though he may +possibly have some moral and physical resemblance with the evil spirit; +the guide I refer to is very simply a Carib." + +"Ah!" said the monk drawing a deep breath, as if a heavy weight had +been removed from his chest, "If he is really a Carib." + +"Zounds! Who the deuce would you have it be?" Fray Arsenio crossed +himself devoutly. + +"Excuse me," he said, "I did not wish to insult you." + +"Come, come, have patience, I will go myself and fetch the promised +guide, for I see that you are really in a hurry to part company." + +L'Olonnais rose, took his fusil, whistled to a bloodhound, and went off +at a rapid pace. + +"You will now be able," said Lepoletais, "to continue your journey +without fear of going astray." + +"Has that worthy caballero really gone to fetch me a guide, as +he promised?" Fray Arsenio asked, who did not dare to place full +confidence in the engagé's word. + +"Hang it! I know no other reason why he should leave the boucan." + +"Then you are really a buccaneer, señor?" + +"At your service, padre." + +"Ah, ah! And do you often come to these parts?" + +"Deuce take me if I do not believe you are questioning me, monk," +Lepoletais said with a frown, and looking him in the face; "how does +it concern you whether I come here or not?" + +"Me? Not at all." + +"That is true, but it may concern others, may it not? And you would not +be sorry to know the truth." + +"Oh? can you suppose such a thing?" Fray Arsenio hastily said. + +"I do not suppose, by Heaven, I know exactly what I am saying, +but, believe me, señor monk, you had better give up this habit of +questioning, especially with buccaneers, people who through their +character, do not like questions, or else you might some day run the +risk of being played an ugly trick. It is only a simple piece of advice +I venture to give you." + +"Thank you, señor, I will bear it in mind, though in saying what I did, +I had not the intention you suppose." + +"All the better, but still profit by my hint." + +Thus rebuffed, the monk shut himself up in a timid silence; and in +order to give a turn to his thoughts which, we are bound to say, were +anything but rosy colored at this moment, he took up the rosary hanging +from his girdle, and began muttering prayers in a low voice. + +Nearly an hour passed then without a word being exchanged between the +two men; Lepoletais cut up tobacco, while humming a tune, and the monk +prayed, or seemed to be doing so. + +At length a slight noise was heard a short distance off, and a few +minutes later the engagé appeared, followed by an Indian, who was no +other than Omopoua, the Carib chief. + +"Quick, quick, señor monk," L'Olonnais said gaily; "here is your guide, +I answer for his fidelity; he will lead you in safety within two gun +shots of the hatto." + +The monk did not let the invitation be repeated, for anything seemed +to him preferable to remaining any longer in the company of these two +reprobates; besides, he thought that he had nothing to fear from an +Indian. + +He rose at one bound, and bridled his horse again, which had made an +excellent supper, and had had all the time necessary to rest. + +"Señores," he said, so soon as he was in the saddle, "I thank you for +your generous hospitality, may the blessing of the Lord be upon you!" + +"Thanks," the engagé replied with a laugh, "but one last hint before +parting; on arriving at the hatto, do not forget to tell Doña Clara +from me, that I shall expect her here tomorrow; do you hear?" + +The monk uttered a cry of terror; without replying, he dug his spurs +into his horse's flanks, and set off at a gallop, in the direction +where the Carib was already going, with that quick, elastic step, with +which a horse has a difficulty in keeping up. + +The two buccaneers watched his flight with a hearty laugh, then, +stretching out their feet to the fire, and laying their weapons within +reach, they prepared to sleep, guarded by their dogs, vigilant sentries +that would not let them be surprised. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +THE CONSEQUENCES OF A MEETING. + + +Fray Arsenio followed his silent guide delightedly, although he was +surrendered into the hands of an Indian, who must instinctively hate +the Spaniards, those ferocious oppressors of his decimated and almost +destroyed race. Still, the monk was glad at having escaped safe and +sound from the clutches of the adventurers, whom he feared not only as +ladrones, that is to say, men without faith and steeped in vice, but +also as demons, or at the least sorcerers in regular connection with +Satan, for such were the erroneous ideas which the most enlightened of +the Spaniards entertained about the filibusters and buccaneers. + +It had needed all the devotion which the monk professed for Doña Clara, +and all the ascendancy that charming woman possessed over those who +approached her, to make him consent to execute a plan so mad in his +opinion, as that of entering into direct relation with one of the most +renowned chiefs of the filibusters, and it was with a great tremor that +he had accompanied his penitent to Nevis. + +When we met him, he was proceeding to the hatto, to inform Doña Clara, +as had been arranged between them, of the arrival of the filibustering +squadron at Port Margot, and consequently of Montbart's presence in the +island of Saint Domingo. + +Unfortunately the monk, but little used to night journeys, across +untrodden roads which he must guess at every step, lost himself on the +savannah; overcome with terror, almost dead with hunger, and worn out +by fatigue, the monk had seen the light of a fire flashing a short +distance off; the sight of this had restored him hope, if not courage, +and he had consequently ridden as fast as he could toward the fire, and +tumbled headlong into a boucan of French adventurers. + +In doing this, he unconsciously followed the example of the silly moth, +which feels itself irresistibly attracted to the candle in which it +singes its wings. + +More fortunate than these insects, the monk had burned nothing at +all; he had rested, eaten and drunk well, and, apart from a very +honest terror at finding himself so unexpectedly in such company, he +had escaped pretty well, or at least he supposed so, from this great +danger, and had even succeeded in obtaining a guide. Everything, then, +was for the best, the Lord had not ceased to watch over His servant, +and the latter only needed to let himself be guarded by Him. Moreover +the monk's confidence was augmented by the taciturn carelessness of his +guide who, without uttering a syllable, or even appearing to trouble +himself about him the least in the world, walked in front of his +horse, crossing the savannah obliquely, making a way through the tall +grass, and seemed to direct himself as surely amid the darkness that +surrounded him, as if he had been lit by the dazzling sunbeams. + +They went on thus for a long time following each other without the +interchange of a word; like all the Spaniards, Fray Arsenio professed +a profound contempt for the Indians, and it was much against his will +that he ever entered into relations with them. For his part, the Carib +was not at all anxious to carry on with this man, whom he regarded as a +born foe of his race, a conversation which could only be an unimportant +gossip. + +They had reached the top of a small hill, from which could be seen +gleaming in the distance, like so many luminous dots, the watch fires +of the soldiers encamped round the hatto, when all at once, instead +of descending the hill and continuing his advance, Omopoua stopped, +and looked round him anxiously, while strongly inhaling the air, and +ordering the Spaniard by a wave of his hand to halt. + +The latter obeyed and remained motionless as an equestrian statue, +while observing with a curiosity blended with a certain amount of +discomfort, the manoeuvres of his guide. + +The Carib had laid himself down and was listening with his ear to the +ground. + +At the end of a few minutes he rose again, though he did not cease +listening. + +"What is the matter?" the monk, whom this conduct was beginning +seriously to alarm, asked. + +"Horsemen are coming towards us at full speed." + +"Horsemen at this hour of night on the savannah?" Fray Arsenio remarked +incredulously; "It is impossible." + +"Why, you are here?" the Indian said with a jeering smile. + +"Hum! That is true," the monk muttered, struck by the logic of the +answer; "who can they be!" + +"I do not know, but I will soon tell you," the Carib answered. + +And before the monk had the time to ask him what his scheme was, +Omopoua glided through the tall grass and disappeared, leaving Fray +Arsenio greatly disconcerted at this sudden flight, and extremely +annoyed at finding himself thus left alone in the middle of the desert. + +A few minutes elapsed, during which the monk tried, though in vain, to +hear the sound which the Indian's sharp sense of hearing had caused him +to catch long before, amid the confused rumours of the savannah. + +The monk, believing himself decidedly deserted by his guide, was +preparing to continue his journey, leaving to Providence the care of +bringing him safely into port, when he heard a slight rustling in the +bushes close to him, and the Indian reappeared. + +"I have seen them," he said. + +"Ah!" the monk replied; "And who are they?" + +"White men like you." + +"Spaniards in that case?" + +"Yes, Spaniards." + +"All the better," Fray Arsenio continued, whom the good news completely +reassured; "are they numerous?" + +"Five or six at least; they are proceeding like yourself, towards the +hatto, where, as far as I could understand, they are very eager to +arrive." + +"That is famous; where are they at this moment?" + +"Two stones' throw at the most. According to the direction they are +following, they will pass the spot where you are now standing." + +"Better still. In that case we have only to wait." + +"You can do so, if you think proper; but I have no wish to meet them." + +"That is true, my friend," the monk remarked, with a paternal air. "And +possibly such a meeting would not be agreeable to you; so pray accept +my thanks for the manner in which you have guided me hitherto." + +"You are quite resolved on waiting for them, then? If you like, I can +enable you to avoid them." + +"I have no motive for concealing myself from men of my own colour. +Whoever they may be, I feel sure that I shall find friends in them." + +"Very good. Your affairs concern yourself, and I have nothing to do +with them. But the sound is drawing nearer, and as they will speedily +arrive, I will leave you, for it is unnecessary for them to find me +here." + +"Farewell." + +"One last recommendation: if by chance they had a fancy to ask who +served as your guide, do not tell them." + +"It is not at all probable they will ask this." + +"No matter. Promise me, if they do, to keep my secret." + +"Very good. I will be silent, since you wish it; although I do not +understand the motive for such a recommendation." + +The monk had not finished the sentence, ere the Indian disappeared. + +The horsemen were rapidly approaching. The galloping of their steeds +echoed on the ground like the rolling of thunder. Suddenly several +shadows, scarcely distinguishable in the obscurity, rose as it were in +the midst of the darkness, and a sharp voice shouted-- + +"Who goes there?" + +"A friend!" the monk answered. + +"Tell your name, _¡sangre de Dios!_" the voice repeated, passionately, +while the dry snap of a pistol being cocked, sounded disagreeably in +the monk's ears. "At night there are friends in the desert!" + +"I am a poor Franciscan monk, proceeding to the hatto del Rincón; and +my name is Fray Arsenio Mendoza." + +A hoarse cry replied to the monk's words--a cry whose meaning he had +not the time to conjecture; that is to say, whether it was the result +of pleasure or anger; for the horsemen came up with him like lightning, +and surrounded him even before he could understand the reason of such a +headlong speed to reach him. + +"Why, señores," he exclaimed, in a voice trembling with emotion, "what +is the meaning of this? Have I to do with the _ladrones?_" + +"Good! Good! Calm yourself, Señor Padre," a rough voice answered, which +he fancied he recognised. "We are not _ladrones_, but Spaniards like +yourself; and nothing could cause us more pleasure than meeting you at +this moment." + +"I am delighted at what you say to me, caballero. I confess that +at first the suddenness of your movements alarmed me; but now I am +completely reassured." + +"All the better," the stranger replied, ironically; "for I want to talk +with you." + +"Talk with me, señor?" he said, with surprise. + +"The spot and the hour are badly chosen for an interview, I fancy. If +you will wait till we reach the hatto, I will place myself at your +disposal." + +"Enough talking. Get off your horse," the stranger observed, roughly; +"unless you wish me to drag you off." + +The monk took a startled glance around him, but the horsemen looked at +him savagely, and did not appear disposed to come to his help. + +Fray Arsenio, through profession and temperament, was quite the +opposite of a brave man. The way in which the adventure began was +commencing seriously to alarm him. He did not yet know into what +hands he had fallen, but everything led him to suppose that these +individuals, whoever they might be, were not actuated by kindly +feelings towards him. Still any resistance was impossible, and he +resigned himself to obey; but it was not without a sigh of regret, +intended for the Carib, whose judicious advice he had spurned, that he +at length got off his horse, and placed himself in front of his stern +questioner. + +"Light a torch!" the strange horseman said. "I wish this man to +recognise me, so that, knowing who I am, he may be aware that he cannot +employ any subterfuge with me, and that frankness alone will save him +from the fate that menaces him." + +The monk understood less and less. He really believed himself suffering +from an atrocious nightmare. + +By the horseman's orders, however, one of his suite had lighted a torch +of ocote wood. + +So soon as the flame played over the stranger's feature, and illumined +his face, the monk gave a start of surprise, and clasped his hands at +the same time as his countenance suddenly reassumed its serenity. + +"Heaven be praised!" he said, with an accent of beatitude impossible +to render. "Is it possible that it can be you, Don. Stenio de Bejar? I +was so far from believing that I should have the felicity of meeting +you this night, Señor Conde, that, on my faith, I did not recognise +you, and felt almost frightened." + +The Count, for it was really he whom the monk had so unfortunately met, +did not answer for the moment, but contented himself with smiling. + +Don Stenio de Bejar, who had left Saint Domingo at full speed, for the +purpose of going to the hatto del Rincón, in order to convince himself +of the truth of the information given him by Don Antonio de la Ronda, +thus found himself, by the greatest accident, just as he was reaching +his destination, and when he least expected it, face to face with Fray +Arsenio Mendoza; that is to say, with the only man capable of proving +to him peremptorily the truth or falsehood of the assertions of the +spy, who had denounced Doña Clara to her husband. + +Fray Arsenio's reputation for poltroonery had long been current among +his countrymen, and hence nothing seemed more easy than to obtain from +him the truth in its fullest details. + +The Count believed himself almost certain, by employing intimidation, +to make Fray Arsenio confess what he knew: hence, so soon as the latter +had mentioned his name, Don Stenio, warned by the spy, who rode at his +side, resolved to terrify the monk, and thus render it impossible for +him to resist the orders he might intimate to him. + +We take pleasure in believing that in acting thus, the Count had not +the slightest intention of treating the monk with a violence, which +in any case would be deplorable, but dishonourable on the part of +a man in his position. Unfortunately, through the unforeseen and +incomprehensible resistance which, contrary to all probability, the +monk offered him, the Count was led away by his passion, and gave +orders against his better judgment, when harshness and even cruelty +could in no case be justified. + +After a silence of some seconds, Don Stenio fixed a piercing glance on +the monk, as if he wished to read his very soul, and then seized him +brutally by the arm. + +"Where have you come from?" he asked him, in a rough voice. "Is it the +custom for monks of your order to ramble about the country at this hour +of the night?" + +"My lord!" Fray Arsenio stammered, thrown off his guard by this +question, which he was far from expecting. + +"Come, come!" the Count continued; "Answer at once, and let us have no +subterfuge or tergiversation." + +"But, my lord, I do not at all understand this great anger which you +appear to have with me. I am innocent, I vow!" + +"Ah! ah!" he said, with an ironical laugh; "You are innocent! _¡Viva +Dios!_ you make haste to defend yourself before you are accused; hence +you feel yourself guilty." + +Fray Arsenio was aware of the Count's jealousy, which he concealed so +poorly, that, in spite of all his efforts, it was visible to everybody. +Hence he understood that Doña Clara's secret had been revealed to her +husband; and he foresaw the peril that menaced him for having acted as +her accomplice. Still, he hoped that the Count had only learnt certain +facts, while remaining ignorant of the details of the Countess' voyage; +and hence, though he trembled at heart at the thought of the dangers to +which he was doubtless exposed, alone and defenceless, in the hands of +a man blinded by passion and the desire of avenging what he regarded +as a stain on his honour, he resolved, whatever might happen, not to +betray the confidence which a woman had unhappily placed in him. + +He raised his head and replied with a firm voice, and with an accent at +which he was himself astonished-- + +"My lord, you are governor of Saint Domingo; you have a right to +exercise justice over those placed under your rule. You possess almost +sovereign power, but you have no right, as far as I know, to ill treat +me, either by word or deed, or to make me undergo an examination at +your caprice. I have superiors on whom I am dependant; have me taken +before them; hand me over to their justice, if I have committed any +fault they will punish me, for they alone have the right of condemning +or acquitting me." + +The Count had listened to the monk's long answer, while biting his lips +savagely and stamping his foot with passion. He had not thought to find +such resistance in this man. + +"So, then," he exclaimed, when Fray Arsenio at length ceased speaking, +"you refuse to answer me?" + +"I refuse, my lord," he coldly replied, "because you have no right to +question me." + +"You forget, however, Señor Padre, that if I have not the right, I have +the might, at least, at this moment." + +"You are at liberty, my lord, to abuse that might, by applying it to an +unhappy and defenceless man. I am no soldier, and physical suffering +frightens me. I do not know how I shall endure the tortures you will +perhaps inflict on me, but there is one thing of which I am certain." + +"What is it, may I ask, Señor Padre?" + +"That I will die, my lord, before answering any of your questions." + +"We shall see that," he said, sarcastically, "if you compel me to have +recourse to violence." + +"You will see," he replied, in a gentle but firm voice, which denoted +an irrevocable determination. + +"For the last time, I deign to warn you: take care--reflect." + +"All my reflections are made, my lord; I am in your power. Abuse my +weakness as you may think proper, I shall not even attempt a useless +defence. I shall not be the first monk of my order who has fallen a +martyr to duty: others have preceded me, and others will doubtless +follow me in this painful track." + +The Count stamped his foot savagely; the spectators, dumb and +motionless, exchanged terrified glances, for they foresaw that this +scene would soon have a terrible denouement, between two men, neither +of whom would make concessions; while the first of them, blinded by +rage, would soon not be in a condition to listen to the salutary +counsels of reason. + +"My lord," Don Antonio de la Ronda murmured, "the stars are beginning +to turn pale, and the day will soon dawn; we are still far from the +hatto, would it not be better to set out without further delay?" + +"Silence!" the Count answered, with a smile of contempt. "Pedro," he +added, addressing one of his domestics, "a match." + +The valet dismounted and advanced with a long sulphured match in his +hand. + +"The two thumbs," the Count said, laconically. + +The domestic approached the monk; the latter offered his hands without +hesitation, although his face was fearfully pale, and his whole body +trembled. + +Pedro coolly rolled the match between his two thumbs, passing it +several times under his nails, and then turned to the Count. + +"For the last time, monk," the latter said, "will you speak?" + +"I have nothing to say to you, my lord," Fray Arsenio replied, in a +soft voice. + +"Light it," the Count commanded, biting his lips till they bled. + +The valet, with the passive obedience distinguishing men of this class, +set fire to the match. + +The monk fell on his knees and raised his eyes to Heaven. His face had +assumed an earthy tint, a cold perspiration beaded on his temples, and +his hair stood on end. The suffering he experienced must be horrible, +for his chest heaved violently, although his parched lips remained dumb. + +The Count watched him anxiously. + +"Will you speak now, monk?" he said to him in a hollow voice. + +Fray Arsenio turned toward him a face whose features were distorted by +pain, and gave him a look full of ineffable gentleness. + +"I thank you, my lord," he said, "for having taught me that pain does +not exist for a man whose faith is lively." + +"My curses on you, wretch!" the Count exclaimed, as he hurled him down +with a blow on the chest. "To horse, señores, to horse, so that we may +reach the hatto before sunrise." + +The cavaliers remounted, and went off at full speed, leaving, without +a glance of compassion, the poor monk, who, vanquished by pain, had +rolled fainting on the ground. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COLONY. + + +A triple expedition, so serious as that conceived by Montbarts, +demanded, for its success, extreme care and precautions. + +The few points occupied by the buccaneers on the Spanish isles, did not +at all resemble towns; they were agglomerations of houses built without +order, according to the liking or caprice of the owner, and occupying a +space twenty-fold larger than they should have taken in accordance with +the population. Hence, these points were spots almost impossible to +defend against a well-combined attack of the Spaniards, if the thought +occurred to the latter of finishing once for all with their formidable +neighbours. + +Port Margot, for instance, the most important point in the French +possessions as a strategic position, was only a miserable hamlet, open +to all comers, without police or organization, where every language +was spoken, and which Spanish spies entered with the greatest facility +without incurring a risk of discovery, and thus scented the plans of +the filibusters. + +Montbarts, before advancing and attacking the Spaniards, whom he +correctly suspected of being already acquainted with the motive of +his presence on the island, either through Don Antonio de la Ronda, +or other spies, and not wishing, when he was preparing to surprise +the enemy, to be himself surprised and see his retreat cut off by an +unforeseen attack, resolved to shelter Port Margot from a _coup de +main._ + +The grand council of the filibusters was convened on board the +admiral's lugger. In this way the resolutions formed by the council +would not transpire outside, and not reach hostile ears, ever open to +hear them. + +Two days after the departure of Lepoletais, the council therefore +assembled on the deck of the vessel, which had been prepared for the +purpose, as the admiral's cabin had been judged too small to contain +all those whom their wealth or their reputation authorized in being +present at the meeting. + +At ten in the morning, numerous skiffs left the shore and pulled +alongside the lugger, boarding it on all sides simultaneously. + +Montbarts received the delegates as they presented themselves, and led +them beneath the awning prepared for them. + +Ere long, all the delegates were assembled on board: they were forty +in number; filibusters, buccaneers, and habitants, all adventurers who +had lived for several years on the isles, and desperate enemies of +the Spaniards. Their complexion, bronzed by the tropical sun, their +energetic features, and flashing glances, made them resemble bandits +rather than peaceful colonists; but their frank and decided manners +allowed a guess at the prodigies of incredible daring which they had +already accomplished, and were ready to accomplish again, when the +moment for action arrived. + +When all the members of the council were on board, Michael the Basque +gave the skiffs orders to return ashore, and to come alongside again +when they saw a large black and red flag hoisted at the mainmast of the +lugger. A splendid lunch preceded the council, which, was held at table +and during the dessert, so as to foil any indiscreet glances, which +were doubtless watching what was going on aboard from the top of the +cliffs. + +When the repast was ended, and spirits, pipes, and tobacco had +been laid on the table by the engagés, an order was given to remove +the awning; the whole of the lugger's crew retired to the bows, and +Montbarts, without leaving his seat, struck the table with his knife to +request silence. + +The delegates vaguely knew that grave interests were about to be +discussed, hence they had only eaten and drunk for form's sake, and +though the table offered all the appearances of a true filibustering +orgy, their brains were perfectly clear, and their heads cool. + +The road of Port Margot offered at this moment a strange spectacle, +which was not deficient, however, in a certain picturesque and wild +grandeur. + +Thousands of canoes were lying on their oars, forming an immense +circle, of which the filibustering squadron was the centre. + +On shore, the cliffs and rocks were literally hidden by the confused +and dense mass of spectators who had flocked from all the houses to +watch, at a distance, this gigantic and Homeric feast, whose serious +motive they were far from suspecting, beneath its frivolous appearance. + +Montbarts, after calling his friends' attention in a few words, to +the enormous crowd of spectators who surrounded them, and showing how +correct he had been in taking his precautions in consequence, filled +his glass, and rose, shouting in a sonorous voice-- + +"Brethren, the health of the king!" + +"The health of the king!" the filibusters responded, as they rose, and +clinked their glasses together. + +At the same moment, all the guns of the lugger were discharged with a +formidable noise; a loud clamour that rose from the beach proved that +the spectators heartily joined in this patriotic toast. + +"Now," the admiral continued, as he sat down, which movement was +imitated by his companions, "let us talk of our business, and be +careful in doing so, that our gestures may not allow a suspicion of +what is occupying us, since our words cannot be overheard." + +The council commenced its session. Montbarts, with the lofty views and +clearness of expression he possessed, explained, in a few words, the +critical position in which the colony would find it, unless energetic +measures were taken, not only to place it in a position to defend +itself, but also to hold out during the absence of the expedition. + +"I can understand," he said in conclusion, "that so long as we merely +purposed to hunt wild bulls, such precautions were unnecessary, for our +breasts were a sure rampart for our habitations; but from today the +position is changed, we wish to create for ourselves an impregnable +refuge; we are going to attack the Spaniards in their homes, and must +consequently expect terrible reprisals from enemies, who, from the way +in which we act towards them, will soon comprehend that we wish to +remain the sole possessors of this land, which they have accustomed +themselves to regard as belonging to them legitimately; we must, +therefore, be in a position, not alone to resist them, but to inflict +on them such a chastisement for their audacity, that they will be for +ever disgusted with any fresh attempts to regain the territory we have +conquered. To effect this, we must build a real town, in the place of +the temporary camp which has, up to the present, sufficed us; and, with +the exception of the members of our association, no stranger must be +allowed to introduce himself among us, for the sake of spying us, and +repeating to our enemies our secrets, whatever their nature may be." + +The filibusters warmly applauded these remarks, whose truth they +recognized. They at length saw the necessity of setting order in their +disorder, and entering the great human family, by themselves accepting +some of those laws, from which they fancied they had enfranchised +themselves for ever, and which are the sole condition of the vitality +of society. + +Under the omnipotent influence of Montbarts and the members of the +association of the Twelve, who were scattered about the meeting, the +urgent measures were immediately discussed and settled; but when +everything was arranged, the council suddenly found itself stopped +short by a difficulty of which it had not thought at all--who was to be +entrusted with the duty of carrying out the measures, as no buccaneer +had a recognized authority over the rest? + +The difficulty was great; almost insurmountable. Still it was Montbarts +who again smoothed down the difficulty to the general satisfaction. + +"Nothing is more easy," he said, "than to find the man we want; this +is an exceptional case, and we must act according to circumstances. +Let us elect a chief, as for a dangerous expedition, let us choose +one who is energetic and intelligent, which will be a trifle, as the +only difficulty will be the choice among so many equally good. This +chief will be elected by us, the first for a year, his successor for +only six months, in order to guard against any abuse of power they +might eventually be attempted to try. This chief will assume the +title of governor, and in reality govern all civil matters, assisted +by a council of seven members, chosen by the habitants, as well as +by subaltern agents, nominated by himself. The laws he will employ +exist, for they are those of our association; it is understood that the +governor will watch, like a captain aboard his ship, over the safety +of the colony, and, in the event of treachery, will be punishable with +death. This proposition is, I believe, the only one that we can take +into consideration; does it suit you, brothers? Do you accept it?" + +The delegates replied by a universal affirmation, + +"In that case let us at once proceed to the election." + +"Pardon me, brothers," Belle Tête said, "with your permission, I have a +few remarks to submit to the council." + +"Speak, brother, we will hear you," Montbarts answered him. + +"I offer myself," Belle Tête said frankly, "as governor, not through +ambition, for that would be absurd, but because I believe that I am at +this moment the best man for the place; you all know me, and hence I +will not put forward my qualifications. Certain reasons urge me to try, +if possible, to withdraw my promise, and not follow the expedition; to +which, however, I feel convinced that I shall render great services, if +you choose me as governor." + +"You have heard, brethren," Montbarts said, "consult together, but fill +your glasses first, you have ten minutes to reflect; at the end of that +time all the glasses that have not been emptied will be considered as +adverse votes." + +"Ah, traitor," Michael the Basque said, leaning over to Belle Tête's +ear, by whose side he was seated, "I know why you want to stop at Port +Margot." + +"You? Stuff," he answered with embarrassment. + +"Zounds, it is not difficult to guess, you are caught, mate." + +"Well, it is true, and you are right, that little devil of a woman I +bought at St. Kitts has turned my head; she turns me round her little +finger." + +"Ah! love!" Michael said ironically. + +"The deuce take love, and the woman too; a girl no bigger than that, +whom I could smash with one blow." + +"She is very pretty, you showed good taste; her name is Louise, is it +not?" + +"Yes, Louise; it was a bad bargain I made." + +"Nonsense!" Michael said, with the utmost seriousness, "well, there is +a way of arranging the matter." + +"Do you think so?" + +"Zounds, I am sure of it." + +"I should like to know it, for I confess to you that she has completely +upset my ideas; the confounded girl, with her bird's voice, and sly +smile, turns me about like a whirligig: by Heaven, I am the most +unfortunate of men--tell me your plan, brother." + +"Why, sell her to me." + +Belle Tête suddenly turned pale at this blunt offer, which, indeed, +settled everything; but which, though he did not suspect it, Michael +only made in a joke, and to try him; he frowned, and angrily replied in +a voice trembling with emotion, and striking the table with his fist-- + +"Zounds, mate, that is a magnificent way you have found, but the fiend +take me if I accept it; no, no, whatever sorrow the little witch causes +me--have I not told you that she has bewitched me?--I love her! Blood +and thunder, do you understand that?" + +"Of course I understand it; but come, reassure yourself, I have not +the slightest intention of depriving you of your Louise; what should I +do with a wife? Besides, what I have seen of other men's love affairs, +does not offer me the slightest inducement to try it on my own account." + +"All right," Belle Tête replied, reassured by this frank declaration, +"that is speaking like a man; and, after all, you are right, brother; +although I would not consent for anything in the world to part with my +Louise, still, after the experience I have of her, if the bargain was +to be made again, hang me if I would purchase her." + +"Stuff!" said Michael, with a shrug of his shoulders, "Men always say +that, and when the moment arrives, they never fail to begin the same +folly over again." + +Belle Tête reflected for a moment, and then tapped Michael amicably on +the shoulder, at the same time saying with a laugh-- + +"On my word that is true, brother; you are right, I believe that I +should really behave as you say." + +"I am certain of it," Michael replied, with another shrug of his +shoulders. + +During this aside, between the two adventurers, the ten minutes had +elapsed. + +"Brethren," said Montbarts, "we are about to proceed to an examination +of the votes." + +He looked: all the glasses were empty. + +"You are unanimous," he said, "and that is well. Brother Belle Tête, +you are elected governor of Port Margot." + +"Brethren," the latter said, bowing all round, "I thank you for having +given me your votes. I shall not deceive your expectations; our colony, +even though I was obliged to bury myself beneath its ruins, shall never +fall into the hands of the Spaniards, and you know me well enough not +to doubt my oath. I intend to set to work this very day; for, as our +admiral has very justly said, we have not a moment to lose. Confide the +duty of guarding your interests to me." + +"Before we separate," said Montbarts, "it would be as well, I fancy, to +agree to keep our deliberations secret for a few days." + +"You may divulge them tomorrow without danger," Belle Tête continued; +"but allow me, brethren, to choose from among you the few assistants I +shall require." + +"Do so," the filibusters answered. + +Belle Tête named eight adventurers, whose blind bravery he knew, and +then addressed the delegates for the last time, who were already rising +and preparing to leave the ship. + +"You remember, I trust that I am considered by you the leader of an +expedition." + +"Yes," they replied. + +"Consequently you owe me the most perfect obedience to all the orders I +shall give you in the common interest." + +"Yes," they repeated. + +"You swear, then, to obey me without any hesitation or murmuring?" + +"We do." + +"Very good; now farewell for the present, brothers." + +The boats had been recalled by a flag hoisted at the main yard, and a +few minutes after all the delegates had left the ship, except Belle +Tête and the eight officers chosen by him. + +Montbarts and Belle Tête remained shut up for some hours, doubtless +settling the measures which must be adopted in order to obtain the +desired result as soon as possible; then, a little before sunset, +the new Governor took leave of the Admiral, entered a boat prepared +expressly for him, and returned ashore, followed by his officers. + +About eleven o'clock in the evening, when the town appeared completely +asleep, when all doors were shut, and lights extinguished, an observer +in a position to see what was going on, would have noticed a strange +spectacle. + +Armed men glided gently out of the houses, casting inquiring glances +to the right and left, that seemed trying to pierce the profound +darkness by which they were surrounded. They proceeded separately on +tiptoe to the principal square, where they joined other men armed like +themselves, who, having arrived first, were waiting. + +Ere long the number of these men, which was augmented every moment, +became considerable; at an order, given in a low voice, they broke up +into several parties, left the square by different outlets, went out of +the town, and formed a wide circle all round it. + +One last band of about forty men had remained in the square, however; +this party was broken up in its turn, but, instead of also leaving the +town, platoons, composed of ten men each, went from the square in four +different directions, and entered the streets. + +The latter were proceeding to pay domiciliary visits; no house escaped +their vigilance, they entered all, searching them with the most +scrupulous exactness, sounding the walls and flooring, and even opening +cupboards and chests. + +Such minute researches necessarily occupied a long time, and did not +terminate till sunrise. + +Eight Spanish spies had been discovered in the houses, and three +arrested by the sentries at the moment when they attempted flight, or +eleven in all. + +The Governor had them temporarily put in irons aboard the lugger, so +that they could not escape. + +At sunrise, buccaneers, habitants, engagés, and filibusters, all armed +with spades, pickaxes, and hatchets, set about digging a trench round +the town. + +This job, which was performed with extraordinary ardor, lasted three +days; the trench was twelve feet wide, by fifteen deep, and the earth +was thrown up on the side of the town; on this _talus_ stakes were +planted, bound together with strong iron bands, embrasures being left +to place guns, and for loopholes. + +While the entire population thus laboured with the feverish ardor that +accomplishes prodigies, large clearings had been effected in the woods +surrounding the port; then the forest was fired, care being taken that +the fire should not extend beyond a demi-league in all directions. + +These gigantic works, which, in ordinary times, would demand a +lengthened period, were finished at the end of ten days, which would +seem incredible were not the fact stated in several records worthy of +belief. + +Port Margot was thus, thanks to the energy of its Governor, and the +passive obedience with which the filibusters executed his orders, +not only protected against a _coup de main_, but also rendered +capable of resisting a regular siege. And this had been effected with +such secrecy, that nothing had transpired abroad; and owing to the +precautions taken at the outset, the Spaniards had no suspicion of the +change so menacing to them, and which presaged an internecine war. + +When the fortifications were finished, the Governor had eleven gallows +erected, at a certain distance from each other, on the glacis. The +unhappy Spanish spies were suspended from them, and their bodies were +fastened to the gallows by iron chains, so that, as Belle Tête said, +with an ill-omened smile, the sight of the corpses might terrify those +of their compatriots, who might be tempted to follow their example, +and introduce themselves into the town. + +All the habitants were then convoked in the chief square, and Belle +Tête mounted a platform erected for the purpose, and announced to them +the determinations formed aboard the lugger, his nomination to the post +of Governor, the measures he had thought it his duty to take for the +general welfare, and ended by asking their approbation. + +This approbation the inhabitants most willingly granted, because they +found themselves in presence of accomplished facts, which did not in +any way injure them. + +The Governor, thus finding his undertakings sanctioned, invited the +inhabitants to nominate a council of seven members chosen from among +themselves; and this proposition they joyfully accepted, because they +justly anticipated that these councillors would defend their interests. + +The seven municipal councillors were therefore elected at once, and, by +the Governor's invitation, took their seat by his side on the platform. + +Then the Governor informed his audience that nothing was changed in the +colony, which would continue to be governed by the laws in force among +the filibusters, that everyone would live in the same liberty as in the +past, and that the measures taken were solely intended to protect the +interests of all, and in no way to annoy the colonists, or subject them +to a humiliating yoke. + +This final assurance produced the best effect on the crowd, and the +Governor retired, amid shouts and the warmest protestations of devotion. + +Although Montbarts had chosen to remain obstinately in the background, +all these ameliorations were solely due to him; Belle Tête had merely +been a passive and submissive agent in his hands. + +When the Admiral, saw matters in the state he desired, he resolved +to depart, and after a final interview with the Governor, he placed +himself at the head of his filibusters, and left the town. + +Michael the Basque had departed several hours previously, entrusted +with a secret mission, and accompanied by ninety resolute men. + +From this moment the expedition commenced; but what its result would be +no one could as yet foretell. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +THE FLIGHT FROM THE HATTO. + + +Without taking the time to peruse the letters that were handed him, +Don Sancho concealed them in his doublet, and proceeded hastily to his +sister's apartment. + +She was anxiously awaiting him. + +"Here you are at last, brother," she exclaimed on perceiving him. + +"What," the young man replied, as he kissed her hand, "were you +expecting me?" + +"Oh, yes, that I was; but you are very late--what has kept you so +long?" she asked, in agitation. + +"Where have I been? Why, s'death! I have been hunting, the only +pleasure allowed a gentleman in this horrible country." + +"What, at this hour?" + +"Zounds, my dear Clara, a man gets home when he can, especially in this +country, where we ought to feel very happy at reaching home again at +all." + +"You are speaking in enigmas, brother, and I do not at all understand +you; be kind enough, therefore, to explain yourself clearly--have you +fallen into bad company?" + +"Yes, and very bad, too; but forgive me, my dear Clara, if you have no +objection, let us proceed regularly. You desired to see me immediately +on my return, and here I am at your orders; be kind enough, therefore, +to tell me how I can possibly be of service to you, and then I will +narrate the series of singular events with which my today's sport +has been diversified. I will not hide from you that I have certain +questions to ask of you, and certain explanations, which I feel sure +you will not refuse to give me." + +"What do you mean, Sancho?" + +"Nothing at present; do you speak first, sister." + +"Well, if you insist on it--" + +"I do not insist at all, sister--I only request it." + +"Very good, I yield to your request; I have received several letters." + +"So I have; but I confess that I have not read them yet, and do not +think they are of any great importance." + +"I have read mine, and do you know what they tell me beside other news?" + +"Indeed, no, unless it be my appointment to the post of Alcade Mayor +of Hispaniola, which, I allow, would greatly surprise me," he said, +laughingly. + +"Do not jest so, Sancho; the matter is very serious." + +"Really? In that case speak, little sister. You see I have as solemn a +face as your dear husband." + +"It is exactly to him I refer." + +"Stuff! My brother-in-law? Has any accident happened to him in the +performance of his noble and wearisome duties?" + +"No, on the contrary, he is in better health than usual." + +"In that case, all the better for him; I wish him no harm, though he is +the most fastidious gentleman of my acquaintance." + +"Will you listen to me--yes or no?" she asked, impatiently. + +"Why, I am doing so, dear sister." + +"You are really insupportable." + +"Come, do not be angry--I have done; I will not laugh anymore." + +"Have you seen the two Fifties encamped in front of the hatto?" + +"Yes, and I must allow that I was greatly surprised to see them." + +"You will be much more surprised on hearing that my husband is coming +here." + +"He? Impossible, sister! He did not say a word to me about the journey." + +"Because it is secret." + +"Ah, ah!" the young man remarked, with a frown; "And are you sure that +he is coming?" + +"Certain. The person who writes me so was present at his departure, +which no one suspects; the courier who brought me the news, and to whom +the greatest diligence was recommended, is only a few hours ahead of +him." + +"This is, indeed, serious," the young man muttered. + +"What is to be done?" + +"S'death!" the young man replied, carelessly, but gazing fixedly at +Doña Clara--"Welcome him." + +"Oh!" the lady exclaimed, twisting her hands despairingly, "I have been +betrayed--he is coming to avenge himself!" + +"Avenge himself? For what, sister?" + +She gave him a look of strange significance, and then bent over him. + +"I am ruined, brother," she said, in a hollow voice, "for this man +knows everything, and will kill me." + +Don Sancho, in spite of himself, was affected by this sorrow; he adored +his sister, and felt ashamed of the part he was playing at this moment +before her. + +"And I, too, Clara," he said to her, "know everything." + +"You! Oh, you are jesting, brother." + +"No, I am not; I love you, and wish to save you, even if I gave my life +to do so: hence, reassure yourself, and do not fix upon me eyes haggard +with grief." + +"What do you know, in heaven's name?" + +"I know that which probably a traitor, as you called him, has sold to +your husband, that is to say, that you left the hatto, went aboard a +vessel, which conveyed you to Nevis, and there--" + +"Oh! Not a word more, brother," she exclaimed as she fell into his +arms; "you are really well informed, but I swear to you, brother, +in the name of what is most sacred in the world, that, although +appearances condemn me, I am innocent." + +"I know it, sister, and never doubted it; what is your intention, will +you await your husband here?" + +"Never, never! Did I not tell you he would kill me?" + +"What is to be done then?" + +"Fly, fly without delay; at once." + +"But where shall we go?" + +"How do I know? To the cliff or the forest, live among the wild beasts +sooner than remain any longer here." + +"Very good, we will go, I know where to take you." + +"You?" + +"Yes, did I not tell you that sundry accidents happened to me today +while hunting?" + +"So you did; but what has that to do with it?" + +"A great deal," he interrupted; "the Major-domo, who accompanied me, +and I tumbled over an encampment of filibusters." + +"Ah," she said, turning paler than she had been before. + +"Yes, and I intend to conduct you to that encampment; besides, one of +the buccaneers entrusted me with a message for you." + +"What do you mean?" + +"Exactly what I am saying, sister." + +She appeared to reflect for an instant, and then turned resolutely to +the young man. + +"Well, be it so, brother, let us go to those men, though they are +represented as so cruel; perhaps every human feeling has not been +extinguished in their hearts, and they will take pity on me." + +"When shall we go?" + +"As speedily as possible." + +"That is true, but the hatto is probably watched and the soldiers have +doubtless secret orders, you may be a prisoner without suspecting it, +my poor sister; for what other reason would the two Fifties be here?" + +"Oh! In that case I am lost." + +"Perhaps there is one way, and the orders given doubtless only affect +you; but unfortunately the journey will be long, fatiguing, and beset +with numberless perils." + +"What matter, brother? I am strong, do not be anxious about me." + +"Very good, we will try; you are absolutely determined on flight?" + +"Yes, whatever may befall me." + +"Well then, we will put our trust in heaven, wait for me a moment." + +The young man left the room and returned a few minutes later, bearing a +rather large bundle under his arm. + +"Here are my page's clothes, I do not know how they happen to be in +my possession, but my valet probably placed them in my portmanteau by +mistake, for they are new, and I remember that the tailor brought them +home a few minutes before my departure from Saint Domingo, but I thank +accident for causing it to be so. Dress yourself, wrap yourself up +in a cloak, put this hat on your head, I will answer for everything. +Besides, this costume is preferable to your woman's clothes for +crossing the savannah; mind and not forget to place these pistols and +this dagger in your belt, for there is no knowing what may happen." + +"Thanks brother! I shall be ready in a quarter of an hour." + +"Good; during that time I will go and reconnoitre; do not open the door +to anyone but me." + +"You may depend upon me." + +The young man lit a cigarette and left the apartment with the most +careless air he could assume. + +On entering the zaguán, the Count found himself face to face with the +Major-domo. Señor Birbomono had such an anxious look that it did not +escape Don Sancho; still he continued to advance, pretending not to +notice it. + +But the Major-domo came straight up to him. + +"I am glad to meet you, Excellency," he said, "if you had not come +within ten minutes, I should have knocked at the door of your +apartment." + +"Ah!" Don Sancho observed, "What pressing motive was there to urge you +to such a step?" + +"Is your Excellency aware of what is taking place?" the Major-domo +continued, without appearing to notice the young man's ironical tone. + +"What! Is there really anything happening?" + +"Does not your Excellency know it?" + +"Probably not, as I ask you; after all, as the news, I am sure, +interests me but very slightly, you are quite at liberty not to tell it +to me." + +"On the contrary, Excellency, it interests you as well as all the +inhabitants of the hatto." + +"Oh! oh! What is it then?" + +"It appears that the commander of the two Fifties, has placed sentries +all round the hatto." + +"Very good, in that case, we need not fear being attacked by the +buccaneers, of whom you are so afraid, and I will thank the commandant +for it." + +"You are at liberty to do so, Excellency, but I fancy you will find it +difficult." + +"Why so?" + +"Because orders are given to let anyone enter the hatto but nobody +leave it." + +A shudder ran through the young man's veins on hearing this; he turned +frightfully pale, but recovering himself almost immediately, remarked +carelessly, + +"Stuff! that order cannot affect me." + +"Pardon me, Excellency, it is general." + +"In that case, you think that, if I tried to go out--" + +"You would be stopped." + +"Confound it, that is very annoying, not that I have any intention of +going out, but as by my character, I am very fond of doing things which +are prohibited--" + +"You would like to take a walk, I suppose, Excellency?" + +Don Sancho looked at Birbomono, as if trying to read his thoughts. + +"And suppose such were my intention?" he resumed presently. + +"I would undertake to get you out." + +"You?" + +"Yes, I; am I not the Major-domo of the hatto?" + +"That is true; thus, the prohibition does not extend to you?" + +"To me, as to the rest, Excellency; but the soldiers do not know the +hatto as I know; I could Slip between their fingers, whenever I liked." + +"I have strong inclination to try it." + +"Do so, Excellency; I have three horses at a spot where no one but +myself could find them." + +"Why, three horses?" the young man asked, pricking up his ears. + +"Because, doubtless, you do not wish to ride with me only, but will +take someone with you." + +Don Sancho, understanding that the Major-domo had penetrated his +thoughts, made up his mind at once. + +"Let us play fairly," he said, "can you be faithful." + +"I am so, and devoted too, Excellency, as you have a proof." + +"What assures me that you are not laying a trap for me?" + +"With what object?" + +"That of obtaining a reward from the Count." + +"No, Excellency, no reward would induce me to betray my mistress; I may +be anything you please, but I love Doña Clara, who has always been kind +to me, and has often protected me." + +"I am willing to believe you, and indeed have no time to discuss the +point, but here are my conditions: a bullet through the head if you +betray me, a thousand piastres if you are faithful; do you accept them?" + +"I do, Excellency, the thousand piastres are gained." + +"You know that I do not threaten in vain." + +"I know you." + +"Very good, what must we do?" + +"Follow me, that is all; our flight will be most easy, for I prepared +everything on my return; I had my suspicions on seeing those demons +of soldiers, suspicions which were soon changed into certainty, after +some skilful inquiries here and there; my devotion to my mistress +rendered me clear sighted, and you see that I acted wisely in taking my +precautions." + +The accent with which the Major-domo pronounced these words, had such a +stamp of truth, his face was so frank and open, that the young Count's +last suspicions were dissipated. + +"Wait for me," he said, "I will go and fetch my sister." + +And he hurried away. + +"Oh!" said Birbomono, with a grin, so soon as he was alone, "I do not +know whether Señor don Stenio de Bejar will be pleased at seeing his +wife escape in this way, when he felt so certain of holding her; poor +señora! She is so good to us all, that it would be infamous to betray +her, and then, after all, this is a good deed which brings me one +thousand piastres," he added, rubbing his hands, "that is a very decent +amount." + +It was about eleven o'clock at night, all the lights in the hatto +were extinguished by orders of the Major-domo, who had provided for +everything; the slaves had been dismissed to their huts, and a solemn +silence brooded over the landscape, a silence solely interrupted at +regular intervals, by the sentries who challenged each other in a +monotonous voice. + +Don Sancho soon returned, accompanied by his sister, wrapped up like +himself, in a long mantle. + +Doña Clara did not speak, but on joining the Major-domo, she +gracefully held out her right hand to him, on which he respectfully +impressed his lips. + +Although the officers had told the soldiers to keep a good guard, and +watch carefully, not only the hatto, but its environs, the latter, +slightly reassured by the darkness on one hand, and on the other, +by the gloomy and mysterious depths of the forests that surrounded +them, stood motionless behind the trees, contenting themselves with +responding to the challenge, every half hour, but not venturing to go +even a few yards from the shelter they had chosen. + +The reasons for this apparent cowardice, were simple, and although we +have explained them, we will repeat them here, for the sake of greater +clearness. + +In the early times of the buccaneers landing on Saint Domingo, the +Fifties sent by the governor in pursuit of them, were armed with +muskets; but after several encounters with the French, in which the +latter gave them an awful thrashing, their terror of the adventurers +became so great that, whenever they were sent on an expedition against +these men, whom they almost regarded as demons, no sooner did they +enter the forests, or the mountain gorges, or even the savannahs, where +they might suppose the buccaneers to be ambushed, than they began +to fire their pieces right and left, for the purpose of warning the +enemies, and inducing them to withdraw. + +The result of this clever manoeuvre was that the adventurers, thus +warned, decamped in reality, and thus became intangible; the governor +noticing this result, eventually guessed its cause, and hence, in order +to avoid such a thing in future, he took the muskets away from the +soldiers and substituted lances. This change, let us hasten to add, was +not at all to the liking of these brave soldiers, who thus saw their +ingenious scheme foiled, and were even more exposed to the blows of +their formidable enemies. + +It was almost without being obliged to take any other precaution than +that of walking noiselessly and not speaking, that the Major-domo and +the two persons he served as guide, succeeded in quitting the hatto on +the opposite side to that on which the Fifties had established their +bivouac. + +Once the line of sentries was passed, the fugitives hurried on more +rapidly, and soon reached a thicket in the midst of which three fully +accoutred horses were so thoroughly hidden that unless known to be +there, it would have been impossible to find them; for a greater +precaution, and to prevent them from neighing, the Major-domo had +fastened a cord round their nostrils. + +So soon as the three were mounted, and before starting, Birbomono +turned to Don Sancho,-- + +"Where are we going, Excellency?" he asked. + +"Do you know the spot where the buccaneers we met today are +bivouacked?" the young man replied. + +"Yes, Excellency." + +"Do you think you could succeed in finding the bivouac in the midst of +the darkness?" + +The Major-domo smiled. + +"Nothing is more easy," he said. + +"In that case lead us to those men." + +"Very good; but, Excellency, be good enough not press your horse on at +present, for we are still near the house, and the slightest imprudence +would be sufficient to give an alarm." + +"Do you think, then, that they would venture to pursue us?" + +"Separately, certainly not; but as they are so numerous, they would +not hesitate; the less so, because from what I heard them say, they +feel certain that the buccaneers have never come into these parts. This +redoubles their bravery, and they would perhaps not be sorry to furnish +a proof of it at our expense." + +"Excellent reasoning; regulate our pace, therefore, as you think +proper, and we will only act in accordance with your judgment." + +They set out; with the exception of the precautions they were obliged +to take not to be discovered, the journey had nothing disagreeable +about it, on a bright and perfumed night, beneath a sky studded with +brilliant stars, and in the midst of a most delightful scenery, whose +slightest diversities the transparency of the atmosphere allowed to be +seen. + +After an hour spent in a moderate trot, their pace became insensibly +more rapid, and the horses growing gradually more excited, eventually +broke into a gallop, at which their riders kept them for a considerable +period. + +Doña Clara bent over her horse's neck, and with her eyes eagerly fixed +ahead, seemed to upbraid the slowness of this ride, which, however, had +assumed the headlong speed of a pursuit: at times she leant over to her +brother, who constantly kept by her side, and asked him in a choking +voice-- + +"Shall we soon arrive?" + +"Yes, have patience, sister," the young man said, suppressing a sigh of +pity for the agony which preyed on his sister's heart. + +And their pace grew more rapid than ever. + +The stars were already expiring in the heavens, the atmosphere was +growing refreshed, the horizon was striped by long mother-o'-pearl +coloured bands, a light sea breeze brought up to the travellers its +alkaline odours, and the night had passed. Suddenly, at the moment +when the three riders were about to emerge from a thick wood, in which +they had been following a track made by the wild cattle for nearly an +hour, the Major-domo, who was a few yards ahead, pulled up his horse +and leant back. + +"Stop, in Heaven's name!" he exclaimed, in a low voice. + +The young couple obeyed, though they did not comprehend this order. + +The Major-domo went up to them. + +"Look!" he muttered, and stretched out his arm toward the savannah. + +A rapid gallop, that drew nearer every second, but which the noise of +their own march had prevented them from hearing, now smote their ears, +and almost at the same moment they saw through the screen of foliage +which hid them from sight, several horsemen pass as if borne along by a +hurricane. + +A branch struck off the hat of one of the riders as he passed. + +"Don Stenio!" Doña Clara exclaimed in horror. + +"Zounds!" Don Sancho said, "We were just in time." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +EVENTS ACCUMULATE. + + +The horsemen had continued their wild course without perceiving the +fugitives: one of them, indeed, at the cry uttered by Doña Clara, had +made a gesture as if to stop his steed, but doubtless supposing that +he had been mistaken, he followed his companions after a moment's +hesitation, which was very fortunate for him, as Don Sancho had already +drawn a pistol, with the resolution of blowing out his brains. + +For some minutes the fugitives remained motionless, anxiously listening +to the galloping of the horses, whose sound rapidly retired, and was +soon lost in the distance, when it became confounded with the other +noises of the night. + +Then they breathed again, and Don Sancho put back in his holster the +pistol which he had held in his hand up to this moment. + +"Hum!" he muttered; "Only the thickness of a bush saved us from being +discovered." + +"Heaven be thanked!" Doña Clara said; "We are saved!" + +"That is to say, my little sister, we are not caught," the young man +replied, incapable of maintaining his seriousness for five minutes, +however grave circumstances might be. + +"They are going at a tremendous pace," the Major-domo now remarked; "we +have nothing more to fear from them." + +"In that case, let us be off," Don Sancho replied. + +"Yes, yes, let us go," Doña Clara murmured. + +They dashed out of the thicket which had offered them so sure a +protection, and entered the plain. + +The sky became lighter every moment; and although the sun was still +beneath the horizon, its influence was beginning to be felt. Nature +appeared to shake off her nocturnal sleep; some birds were already +awake under the soft leaves, and preluding, by soft twittering, their +matin chant; the dark outlines of savage animals bounded through the +tall dew-laden grass; and the birds of prey, expanding their mighty +wings, rose high in æther, as if they wished to go and meet the sun, +and salute its advent: in a word, it was no longer night, without being +fully day. + +"Ah! What I do see at the foot of that mound?" Don Sancho suddenly said. + +"Where?" Birbomono asked. + +"There, straight in front of us." + +The Major-domo placed his hands over his eyes, and looked attentively. + +"_¡Viva Dios!_" he exclaimed, at the end of a moment, "It is a man!" + +"A man?" + +"On my word, yes, Excellency; and, as far as I can distinguish at this +distance, a Carib savage." + +"Zounds! What is he doing on that mound?" + +"We shall be able to assure ourselves of that more easily directly, +unless he thinks proper to keep out of our way." + +"Well, let us go to him, in Heaven's name." + +"Brother," Doña Clara objected, "what is the use of lengthening our +journey, when we are so hurried?" + +"That is true," the young man said. + +"Reassure yourself, señora," the Major-domo observed; "that hillock is +exactly on the road we must follow, and we cannot help passing it." + +Doña Clara said no more, and the trio set out again. + +They soon reached the mound, which they ascended at a gallop. + +The Carib had not quitted the spot, but the riders stopped in stupor on +perceiving that he was not alone. + +The Indian, kneeling on the ground, appearing to be attending to a man +stretched out before him, and who was beginning to regain his senses. + +"Fray Arsenio!" Doña Clara exclaimed at the sight of this man. "Great +Heavens! He is dead!" + +"No," the Indian answered in a gentle voice, as he turned to her, "but +he has been most horribly tortured." + +"He! Tortured?" his hearers exclaimed, unanimously. + +"Look at his hands," the Carib continued. + +The Spaniards uttered a cry of horror and pity at the sight of the poor +monk's bleeding and swollen thumbs. + +"Oh, it is frightful!" they murmured, sadly. + +"Wretch," Don Sancho said in his indignation, "you have brought him to +this state!" + +The Carib shrugged his shoulders disdainfully. + +"The paleface is mad!" he replied; "My brothers do not torture the +chiefs of prayer--they respect them. White men, like himself, have +inflicted this atrocious punishment upon him." + +"Explain yourself, in Heaven's name," Doña Clara continued; "how is it +that we find this worthy monk here in such a pitiable state?" + +"It will be better to let him explain himself when he has regained his +senses. Omopoua knows but little." + +"That is true," Doña Clara said, as she dismounted and knelt by the +side of the wounded man. "Poor fellow! What frightful suffering he must +be enduring." + +"Can you not tell us anything, then?" Don Sancho asked. + +"Almost nothing," the chief replied, "this is all that I know." + +And he narrated in what way the monk had been confided to him, and how +he had served as his guide, till they met the white men, when the monk +discharged him for the purpose of joining them. + +"But," he added, "I know not why, some secret foreboding seemed to +warn me not to leave him: hence, instead of going away I hid myself in +the shrubs, and witnessed, unseen, the tortures they had him undergo, +while insisting on his revealing to them a secret, which he refused to +divulge. Conquered by his constancy, they at length abandoned him half +dead. Then I rushed from my hiding place, and flew to his help. That is +all I know; I am a chief, I have no forked tongue, and a falsehood has +never sullied the lips of Omopoua." + +"Forgive me, Chief, the improper language I used at the first moment; I +was blinded by anger and sorrow," said Don Sancho, holding out his hand. + +"The paleface is young," the chief replied with a smile; "his tongue +moves more quickly than his heart;" then he took the hand so frankly +offered him, and pressed it cordially. + +"Oh, oh!" the Major-domo said, with a shake of his head, and leaning +over to Don Sancho's ear, "If I am not greatly mistaken, Don Stenio is +mixed up in this affair." + +"It is not possible," Don Sancho replied, with horror. + +"You do not know your brother-in-law, Excellency; his is a weak nature, +and all such are cruel; believe me, I am certain of what I state." + +"No, no, it would be too frightful." + +"Good Heaven," Doña Clara said, at this moment, "we cannot remain here +any longer, and yet I should not like to abandon the poor man." + +"Let us take him with us," Don Sancho quickly remarked. + +"But will his wounds permit him to endure the fatigue of a long ride?" + +"We are almost at our journey's end," the Major-domo said, and then, +turning to the Carib, added-- + +"We are going to the bivouac of the two buccaneers, who were hunting on +the savannah yesterday." + +"Very good;" said the chief, "I will lead the palefaces by a narrow +road, and they will arrive ere the sun reaches the edges of the +horizon." + +Doña Clara and her brother remounted. The monk was cautiously placed in +front of the Major-domo, and the small party set out again at a foot +pace, under the guidance of the Carib chief. + +Poor Fray Arsenio gave no other signs of existence but deep sighs, +which at intervals heaved his chest, and stifled groans torn from him +by suffering. + +At the end of three quarters of an hour they reached the boucan, by the +near cut, which Omopoua indicated to them. + +It was empty, but not deserted, as was proved by the bull hides, still +stretched out on the ground, and held down by pegs, and the boucaned +meat suspended from the forks of the branches. + +The adventurers were probably away, hunting. + +The travellers were considerably annoyed by this contretemps, but +Omopoua relieved them of their embarrassment. + +"The palefaces need not be anxious," he said, "the chief will warn his +friends, the white _franiis_--in their absence the paler faces can use, +without fear, everything they find here." + +And, joining example to precept, the Carib prepared a bed of dry +leaves, which he covered with skins, and, with the Major-domo's aid, +carefully laid the wounded man upon it; then he lit a fire, and after, +for the last time repeating to the fugitives the assurance that they +had nothing to fear, he went off, gliding like a snake through the tall +grass. + +The Major-domo, who was tolerably well acquainted with the manners of +the adventurers, with whom he had had some relations, though always +against his will, for, brave though he was, or boasted of being, +they inspired him with a superstitious terror--reassured the others +as to their position, by declaring to them, that hospitality was so +sacred with the buccaneers, that, if they were their most inveterate +foes instead of quasi guests, as they had only come on their formal +invitation, they would have nothing to apprehend from them. + +In the meanwhile, thanks to the attention which Doña Clara had not +ceased to bestow on him, the poor monk had returned to his senses. +Although very weak at first, he gradually regained sufficient +strength to impart to Doña Clara all that happened to him since their +separation. This narration, whose conclusion coincided in the minutest +details with that previously made by the Carib, plunged Doña Clara +into a state of stupefaction, which soon changed into horror, when she +reflected on the terrible dangers that menaced her. + +In truth, what help could she expect? Who would dare to protect +her against her husband, whose high position and omnipotence would +annihilate every effort she might make to escape from his vengeance. + +"Courage," the monk murmured, with a tender commiseration, "courage, +my daughter, above man there is God. Have confidence in Him; He will +not abandon you: and if everything fail you, He will come to your +assistance, and interfere in your favour." + +Doña Clara, in spite of her perfect faith in the power of Providence, +only replied to this consolation by tears and sobs; she felt herself +condemned. + +Don Sancho was hurriedly walking up and down in the front of the +ajoupa, twisting his moustache, stamping his foot passionately, and +revolving in his head the maddest projects. + +"Bah," he muttered, at last, "if that demon will not listen to reason, +I will blow out his brains, and that will settle everything." + +And highly pleased at having, after so many vain researches, discovered +this expeditious mode of saving his sister from the violence, which the +desire of vengeance would probably suggest to Don Stenio, the young man +lit a cigarette, and patiently awaited the return of the buccaneers, +feeling now quite calm and perfectly reassured about the future. + +The Major-domo, who was almost indifferent as to what was going on +around him, and delighted with the hope of the promised thousand +piastres, had turned the time to a good use. Reflecting that on their +return, the buccaneers, doubtless, would not be sorry to find their +breakfast ready, he had placed in front of the fire an iron pot, in +which he placed an enormous lump of meat, to boil, with a reasonable +quantity of water; in lieu of bread, he had thrust several ignamas +under the ashes, and then busied himself with preparing the pimentado, +that absolutely necessary sauce for every buccaneer meal. + +The fugitives had held possession of the boucan for nearly an hour and +a half, when they heard furious barking, and some twenty dogs rushed +howling toward them: but a sharp, though still distant whistle recalled +them, and they went off again as quickly as they had come. + +A few minutes later, the Spaniards perceived the two buccaneers; they +were running up with a surprising speed, although both bore a load +weighing upwards of a hundredweight, and were in addition embarrassed +by their weapons and hunting equipment. + +Their first care, on arriving at the boucan, was to throw on the ground +the eight or ten fresh bull hides, till reeking with blood and grease, +which they brought, and they then advanced toward the strangers, who, +on their side, had risen to receive them. + +The dogs, as if they had understood that they must maintain a strict +neutrality, were lying on the grass, but kept their flashing eyes fixed +on the Spaniards, probably ready to spring at their throat upon the +first signal. + +"You are welcome at the ajoupa," Lepoletais said, doffing his hat with +a politeness that could hardly have been expected on seeing his rough +appearance. "So long as you like to remain here, you will be regarded +as our brothers; whatever we possess is yours, dispose of it as you +think proper, as well as of our arms, should an occasion offer for you +to demand our help." + +"I thank you in the name of my companions, caballero, and accept your +kind proposal," Doña Clara answered. + +"A woman!" Lepoletais exclaimed, in surprise, "Pardon me, Madam, for +not recognizing you at once." + +"I am, caballero, Doña Clara de Bejar, to whom, as I was informed, you +have a letter to deliver." + +"In that case doubly welcome, madam; as for the note in question, I +have not the charge of it, but my comrade." + +"Zounds," L'Olonnais exclaimed, who had gone up to the wounded man, +"Omopoua certainly told us that this poor devil of a monk had been +almost dismasted, but I did not expect to find him in so pitiable a +state." + +"Well," Lepoletais remarked with a frown, "I am not a very religious +man, but hang me if I should not hesitate to treat a monk in this way; +only a pagan is capable of committing such a crime." + +Then, with a truly filial attention, which the Spaniards admired, the +rude adventurer set to work, offering some relief to the wounded man's +intolerable sufferings, in which he entirely succeeded, owing to a long +practice in treating wounds of every description, and Fray Arsenio soon +fell into an invigorating sleep. + +During this time L'Olonnais had handed to Doña Clara the letter +which Montbarts had entrusted to him for her, and the young lady had +withdrawn a little for the purpose of reading it. + +"Come, come," L'Olonnais said gaily, as he tapped the Major-domo's +shoulder, "that is what I call a sensible lad, he has thought of the +substantials; breakfast is ready." + +"If that be the case," Lepoletais said, with a significant wink to his +comrade; "we will eat double tides, for we shall have work before long." + +"Shall we not wait the return of the Indian chief?" Don Sancho asked. + +"For what purpose?" L'Olonnais said, with a laugh. "Do not trouble +yourself about him, my gentleman: he is a long way off if he is still +running. Each of us has his work cut out for him." + +"I don't care!" Lepoletais remarked. "You had a deuced fine scent, +Señor, in responding to our invitation so quickly!" + +"Why so?" + +"You will soon know. But now take my advice--recruit your strength by +eating." + +At this moment Doña Clara rejoined the party. Her demeanour was firmer, +and her face almost gay. + +The table was soon laid--leaves serving for plates. They sat down to +it, that is to say, they formed a circle on the ground, and bravely +assailed the provisions. + +Don Sancho had resumed all his gaiety. This life appeared to him +delightful, and he laughed heartily, while eating with a good appetite. +Doña Clara herself, in spite of her inward preoccupation, did honour +to this improvised banquet. + +"Up! my darlings," Lepoletais had said to his dogs. "Tally ho! No +idleness, but go and watch the approaches while we are breakfasting. +Your share shall be kept." + +The dogs had risen with admirable obedience, and turning their backs on +the boucans, scattered in all directions, and speedily disappeared. + +"Yours are first-rate dogs," said Don Sancho. + +"You Spaniards are good judges of that," the buccaneer replied, +mockingly. + +The gentleman felt the sting, and did not deem it advisable to dwell +on the subject. In fact, it was at Saint Domingo that the Spaniards +inaugurated the frightful custom of training bloodhounds to hunt the +Indians, and employing them as auxiliaries in their wars. + +The breakfast was concluded without any fresh incident worthy of +remark, and the most perfect cordiality prevailed during the repast. + +When the masters had finished, it was the turn of the servants; that +is to say, L'Olonnais whistled up the dogs, which in an instant were +collected round him, and gave them their share in equal portions. + +The buccaneers, leaving their guests, and at liberty to employ their +time as they thought proper, were soon actively busied in preparing +their hides. + +Several hours passed in this way. About three in the afternoon a dog +barked, and then held its tongue. + +We have forgotten to state that, after their meal, the dogs returned to +their posts at a signal from the engagé. + +The two buccaneers exchanged a glance. + +"One!" said L'Olonnais. + +"Two!" Lepoletais almost immediately answered on a second bark, which +broke out in a different direction. + +Ere long, like an electric current, the challenges of the hounds +succeeded each other with extreme rapidity, raised in all directions. + +Still, nothing seemed to justify these warnings given by the sentries. +No suspicious sound could be heard, and the savannah seemed to be +plunged into the most perfect solitude. + +"I beg your pardon, caballero," Don Sancho said to Lepoletais, who +continued his task with the same ardor, while laughing merrily with his +comrade; "but will you permit me to ask you a question?" + +"Do so, do so, my good gentleman. It is at times well to ask questions: +besides, if the question does not suit me, I shall be at liberty not to +answer it, I suppose?" + +"Oh! Of course." + +"In that case, speak without fear." + +"For some minutes past your dogs seem to have been giving you +signals--or, at least, I suppose so?" + +"You suppose right, caballero. They are really signals." + +"And would there be any indiscretion in asking you the meaning of the +signals?" + +"Not the least in the world, señor, especially as they interest you +quite as much as us." + +"I do not understand you." + +"You will soon do so. These signals signify that the savannah is at +this moment invaded by several Fifties, which are manoeuvring to +surround us." + +"_¡Diablos!_" the young man exclaimed, with a start of surprise: "And +you do not feel more affected than that?" + +"Why anticipate anxiety? My comrade and I had a pressing job which we +were obliged to finish. Now that it is done, we are going to turn our +attention to the señores." + +"But we cannot possibly resist so many enemies?" + +"Ah! Ah! Do you really feel inclined for a brush?" + +"S'death! My sister and I are incurring quite as much danger as you, +and we have not a minute to lose in attempting flight." + +"Flight?" the buccaneer said, with a grin; "Nonsense! You must be +laughing, my gentleman: we are enclosed in an impassable circle--or +what looks so." + +"In that case, we are lost." + +"How you go on! On the contrary, they are lost." + +"They? Why, we are only four against a hundred." + +"You are mistaken. There are two hundred; and that makes fifty for each +of us. Call in the dogs, L'Olonnais; they are now useless. Stay! Look +there; can you see them?" + +And he stretched his arm out straight ahead. + +In fact, the long lances of the Spanish soldiers appeared above the +tall grass. Lepoletais had told the truth. These lances formed a +circle, which was being more and more contracted round the boucan. + +"Come! That is rather neat," the buccaneer added, as he affectionately +tapped the butt of his long fusil. + +"Señora," he added, "keep by the side of the wounded man." + +"Oh! Let me give myself up," she exclaimed, frantically. "It is on my +account that this terrible danger menaces you." + +"Señora," the buccaneer replied, as he struck his chest with a gesture +of supreme majesty; "you are under the safeguard of my honour, and I +swear by Heaven, that no one, so long as I live, shall dare to lay a +finger upon you! Go to the wounded man." + +Involuntarily subdued by the accent with which the buccaneer uttered +these words, Doña Clara bowed without replying, and pensively seated +herself inside the ajoupa, by the side of Fray Arsenio, who was still +asleep. + +"Now, caballero," Lepoletais said to Don Sancho, "if you have never +been present at a buccaneering expedition, I promise you you are going +to see some fun, and enjoy yourself." + +"Well," the young man replied, recklessly; "I will fight, if I must. It +is a glorious death for a gentleman, to die sword in hand!" + +"Come," said the buccaneer, as he gave him a friendly tap on the +shoulder; "you are a fine lad. Something can be made of you." + +The Fifties still approached, and the circle grew more and more +contracted. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +THE EXTERMINATOR. + + +For some minutes a mournful silence--a complete calm, which, however, +was loaded with menace, hung heavily over the savannah. + +At a whistle from the engagé, the dogs ranged themselves behind their +masters, with heads down, lips drawn back to display their sharp teeth, +and flashing eyes, they awaited the order to rush forward, though +without giving the slightest bark or growl. + +L'Olonnais, leaning on his long fusil, was smoking his pipe quietly, +while casting sarcastic glances around. + +Lepoletais occupied himself with the utmost order in arranging various +articles which had been deranged during his morning's operations. + +The Major-domo, though in his heart he felt very anxious as to the +result of this apparently so disproportionate combat, was obliged to +grin and bear it--to use a familiar expression; for he was aware that +if he fell into the hands of his master, he had no mercy to expect +from him, after the manner in which he had thwarted his projects, by +favouring the flight of the Countess. + +Don Sancho de Peñaflor, in spite of his natural levity and warlike +character, was not without anxiety either, for, as an officer of the +Spanish army, his place was not in the ranks of the buccaneers, but +with the soldiers who were preparing to attack them. + +Doña Clara, kneeling by the side of the monk, with clasped hands, +eyes raised to heaven, and face inundated with tears, was fervently +imploring the protection of the Almighty. + +As for Fray Arsenio, he was quietly sleeping. + +Such was the picturesque aspect, imposing in its simplicity, offered +at this moment by the camp of the adventurers. Four men were preparing +coolly, and as if for the mere fun of the thing, to contend against +upwards of two hundred regular troops, from whom they knew that they +had no quarter to expect, but whom their insane resistance would +probably exasperate, and urge to measures of cruel violence. + +In the meanwhile the circle was more and more contracted, and the heads +of the soldiers were already beginning to appear above the tall grass. + +"Ah, ah!" said Lepoletais, rubbing his horney hands together with an +air of triumph--"I fancy it is time to open the ball; what do you say, +my boy?" + +"Yes, this is the right moment," the engagé replied, as he went to +fetch a log from the fire. + +"Mind not to stir from the spot where you are," Lepoletais recommended +the two Spaniards: "zounds! pay attention to this, or you will run a +risk of having your goose cooked," and he laid a stress on the last +words, with an evidently sarcastic meaning. + +The buccaneers, before establishing their bivouac, had pulled up the +grass for a distance of about thirty paces all around the ajoupa; this +grass, dried and calcined by the heat of the sun, had been piled up at +the border of the cleared ground. + +The engagé laid down his fusil, walked straight to this grass, set it +on fire, and then slowly returned to rejoin his companions. + +The effect of this manoeuvre was instantaneous, a jet of flame suddenly +burst out, spread in all directions, and soon a large portion of the +savannah presented the appearance of a vast furnace. + +The buccaneers laughed heartily at what they considered an excellent +joke. + +The Spaniards, taken unawares, uttered cries of terror, and rapidly +recoiled, pursued by the flame, which constantly spread, and +continually advanced toward them. + +Still, it was evident that the adventurers had no intention of +burning the unfortunate Spaniards alive; the fire lit by them had not +sufficient consistency for that; the grass burned and went out again +with extreme rapidity. Doubtless the sole result that the buccaneers +had wished to obtain, was to cause a panic terror to their enemies, +and cast disorder among them; and in this they had been perfectly +successful. + +The soldiers, half roasted by the flames, fled, uttering cries of +terror before this sea of fire, which seemed incessantly to pursue +them, without thinking of looking back, or obeying their officers, and +having but one thought, escaping the terrible danger that menaced them. + +While this was going on Lepoletais coolly explained to Don Sancho the +probable results of the expedient he had employed. + +"You see, Señor," he said, "this blaze is nothing; it is an almost +inoffensive straw fire; in a few minutes, or half an hour at the +latest, it will be extinguished. If these men are cowards we shall have +got rid of them, if not, they will return, and then the affair will be +serious." + +"But, as you recognize the inefficiency of this means, why did you +employ it? In my opinion it is more injurious than usual to our +defence." + +The buccaneer shook his head several times. + +"You do not understand," he said; "I had several motives for acting +thus. In the first place, however brave you may suppose your countrymen +to be, they are now demoralised, and it will be very difficult to +restore them the courage they no longer possess; on the other hand, +I was not sorry to see clearly around me, and sweep the savannah a +little, and lastly," he added, with a cunning look, "who told you that +the fire I lighted was not a signal?" + +"A signal?" Don Sancho exclaimed; "Then you have friends near here?" + +"Who knows? Señor, my companions are very active, and are frequently +met with when least expected." + +"I confess that I do not understand a word of what you are saying to +me." + +"Patience, Señor, patience! You will soon understand, I assure you, +and will not require any great effort of the intellect to do so. +L'Olonnais," he added, turning to his comrade, "I think you had better +go down there now." + +"That is true," L'Olonnais replied, as he carelessly threw his fusil +over his shoulder, "he will be expecting me." + +"Take some of the dogs with you." + +"What for?" + +"To guide you, my lad; it is not easy now to find one's way through the +ashes, for all the trails are covered." + +The engagé called several dogs by their name, and went off without +replying, followed by a portion of the pack. + +"There," Lepoletais continued, pointing to the engagé, who seemed to be +running, as he went at such a pace, "just look at that fellow, he is a +fine chap, eh? And how he behaves, though he has not been more than two +months in America; in three years from this time I predict to you that +he will be one of our most celebrated adventurers." + +"Did you buy him?" Don Sancho asked, though but little interested in +details which had no importance for him. + +"Unluckily, no, he has only been lent to me for a few days; he is +the engagé of Montbarts the Exterminator: I offered him two hundred +piastres for him, but he refused to sell him." + +"What?" the young man exclaimed--"Montbarts, the celebrated filibuster?" + +"The very man; he is a friend of mine." + +"In that case he is close at hand?" + +"That, Señor, is one of the things which you will learn shortly." + +As the buccaneer had foreseen, the fire went out almost as quickly as +it blazed up, for want of aliment on this savannah, where only grass +and a few insignificant shrubs grew. + +The Spaniards had sought shelter on the banks of the stream, whose +barren sand preserved them from contact with the fire. The forests, +too remote from the scene of the fire, had not caught, although a few +tongues of flame had played round their edge. + +From the boucan it was easy to perceive the Spanish officers striving +to restore some degree of order among their troops, doubtless for the +purpose of attempting a new attack, although Lepoletais did not appear +at all alarmed. Among the officers one was especially remarkable; he +was on horseback, and was taking immense trouble to form the ranks, and +the other officers came up in turn to receive his orders. + +This officer Don Sancho recognized at the first glance. + +"This is what I feared," he muttered; "the Count has placed himself at +the head of the expedition, and we are lost." + +In truth, it was Don Stenio de Bejar, who, on arriving at the hatto at +daybreak, and learning the flight of the Countess, resolved to command +the expedition. + +The position of the adventurers was critical, reduced as they were +to three, encamped in the middle of a bare plain, and without +entrenchments of any description. Still, the confidence of the +buccaneer did not seem diminished, and it was with an ironical air that +he examined the preparations the enemy was making against him. + +The Spaniards, formed again with great difficulty by the energy of +their officers, at last started, and proceeded once more toward the +boucan, while taking the same precautions as before, that is to say, +being careful to extend their front, so as to form a complete circle, +and entirely surround the encampment. + +But the march of the Fifties was slow and measured; it was only with +extreme caution that the soldiers ventured on this scarcely cooled +ground, which might conceal fresh snares. + +The Count, pointing to the boucan with his sword, in vain excited his +troops to press on, and finish with this handful of scoundrels who +dared to oppose His Majesty's troops; the soldiers would not listen, +and only advanced with greater caution, for the calmness and apparent +negligence of their enemies frightened them more than a hostile +demonstration, and must, in their opinion, be owing to some terrible +trap laid for them. + +At this moment the situation was complicated by a strange episode; a +canoe crossed the stream, and ran ashore exactly at the spot which the +Spaniards had quitted only a few minutes previously. + +This canoe contained five persons, three adventurers, and two Spaniards. + +The adventurers stepped ashore as calmly as if they; were quite alone, +and pushing the two Spaniards before them, advanced resolutely toward +the soldiers. + +The latter, astonished, confounded at such audacity, watched them +coming without daring to make a movement to oppose them. + +These three adventurers were Montbarts, Michael the Basque, and +L'Olonnais, and seven or eight dogs followed them. The two Spaniards +walked unarmed in front of them, being alarmed about their fate, as was +proved by the pallor of their faces, and the startled glances which +they threw around them. + +The Count, on perceiving the adventurers, uttered a cry of rage, and +bounded with uplifted sword to meet them. + +"Down with the ladrones!" he cried. + +The soldiers, ashamed of being held in check by three men, wheeled +round, and boldly advanced. + +The adventurers were surrounded in an instant; but, without displaying +the slightest surprise at this manoeuvre, they also halted, and +standing shoulder to shoulder, faced all sides at once. + +The soldiers instinctively stopped. + +"Death!" the Count cried; "No mercy for the ladrones!" + +"Silence," Montbarts replied; "before menacing, listen to the news +these two couriers bring you." + +"Seize these villains!" the Count yelled again. "Kill them like dogs!" + +"Nonsense," Montbarts remarked, ironically; "you are mad, my worthy +sir. Seize us! Why, I defy you to do it." + +The three adventurers then emptied their powder flasks into their caps, +and placed their bullets on the top of it; then, holding in one hand +their caps thus converted into grenades, and in the other their lighted +pipes, they waited for the signal. + +"Attention, brothers," Montbarts said; "and you scoundrels, make way, +there, unless you wish us to blow you all up." + +And with a firm and measured step the three adventurers advanced toward +the Spaniards, who were struck with terror, and really opened their +ranks to make a passage for them. + +"Oh!" Montbarts added, with a laugh, "Do not fear that we shall attempt +to fly; we only want to join our comrades." + +Then was witnessed the extraordinary scene of two hundred men timidly +following at a respectful distance three filibusters, who, while +walking and smoking to keep their pipes from going out, did not cease +from jeering them for their cowardice. + +Lepoletais was quite wild with delight: as for Don Sancho, he did +not know whether to feel most astonished at the mad temerity of the +French, or the cowardice of his countrymen. + +The three adventurers thus most easily effected their junction with +their companions without having been once disturbed by the Spaniards +during a rather long walk. In spite of the prayers and exhortations of +the Count to his soldiers, the only thing he obtained from them was, +that they continued to advance instead of retreating, as they had a +manifest intention of doing. + +But, while the adventurers thus drew the soldiers after them, and +concentrated their entire attention, a thing was happening which the +Count perceived when too late, and which began to cause him serious +alarm as to the result of his expedition. + +In the rear of the centre formed by the Spanish soldiers, another +circle had been drawn up as if by enchantment, but the latter was +composed of buccaneers and red Caribs, at whose head Omopoua made +himself remarkable. + +The adventurers and Indians had manoeuvred with so much intelligence, +vivacity, and silence, that the Spaniards were enveloped in a network +of steel, even before they had suspected the danger that menaced them. + +The Count uttered an exclamation of rage, to which the soldiers +responded by a cry of terror. + +The situation was, in fact, extremely critical for the unhappy +Spaniards, and unless a miracle occurred, it was literally impossible +for them to escape death. + +In fact they had no longer to contend against a few men, resolute, it +is true, but whom numbers must eventually conquer, even at a sacrifice; +the filibusters were at least two hundred, and with their allies the +Caribs, formed an effective strength of five hundred men, all as brave +lions, and three hundred more than the Spaniards; the latter understood +that they were lost. + +On arriving at the boucan, directly that he had squeezed Lepoletais' +hand and complimented him on the way in which he had contrived to +gain time, Montbarts gravely occupied himself with his comrades, in +restoring the powder and bullets to their respective receptacles, as he +probably judged that their caps might now be used for their legitimate +purpose. + +While the filibuster was engaged in this occupation, Doña Clara, pale +as a corpse, fixed on him burning glances, though she did not venture +to approach him. At length she took courage, advanced a few paces and +murmured with an effort in a trembling voice and with clasped hands,-- + +"I am here, sir." + +Montbarts trembled at the sound of this voice, and turned pale; but he +made an effort over himself and softened the rather hard expression of +his eye. + +"I have come solely on your account, Madam," he replied with a polite +bow; "I shall have the honour of placing myself at your orders in +a moment; permit me first to make sure that our interview will be +uninterrupted." + +Doña Clara hung her head and returned to her seat by the wounded man. + +The adventurers had continued to advance and were soon scarce ten paces +from the Spaniards, whose terror was augmented by this disagreeable +vicinity. + +"Hola, brothers!" Montbarts shouted in a powerful voice; "Halt, if you +please." + +The filibusters instantaneously became motionless. + +"And now, you fellows," the Admiral continued, addressing the soldiers; +"throw down your arms, unless you wish to be immediately shot." + +All the lances and swords fell on the ground with a unanimity which +proved the desire of the soldiers not to have the menace carried into +effect. + +"Surrender your sword, sir," Montbarts said to the Count. + +"Never!" the latter exclaimed, as he made his horse curvet, and +advanced with upraised blade on the adventurer, from whom he was only +three paces distant. + +At the same instant a fusil was discharged and the sword blade, struck +within an inch of the guard, was shivered; the Count found himself +disarmed. With a sudden movement Montbarts seized the horse's bridle +with one hand, and with the other hurled the Count from the saddle and +laid him prostrate on the ground. + +"Patatras!" Lepoletais said laughingly, while reloading his fusil; +"What a deuced funny idea to try alone to resist five hundred men." + +The Count rose quite confused by his fall; a livid pallor covered his +face, and his features were contracted by anger; all at once his eyes +fell upon the Countess. + +"Ah!" He yelled with the cry of a tiger, as he darted towards her, "At +least I shall avenge myself." + +But Montbarts seized him by the arm and rendered him motionless. + +"One word, one gesture, and I blow out your brains like the wild beast +you are," he said to him. + +There was such an accent of menace in the filibuster's words; his +interference had been so rapid that the Count, involuntarily cowed, +fell back with his arms folded on his chest and remained apparently +calm, although a volcano was at work in his heart, and his eyes were +obstinately fixed on the Countess. + +Montbarts gazed for a moment at his enemy with an expression of pity +and contempt. + +"You have desired, sir," he at length said to him ironically; "to try +your strength with the filibusters and will soon learn the cost; while +impelled by a mad desire of vengeance and inspired by an imaginary +jealousy, you were virulently pursuing a lady whose noble heart and +brilliant virtues you are incapable of appreciating, one half of the +island of which you are the governor has been torn forever from the +power of your sovereign, by my companions and myself; Tortuga, Leogane, +San Juan de Goava, and your hatto del Rincón, suddenly surprised, have +fallen without a blow." + +The Count drew himself up, a feverish flush covered his face, he +advanced a step and cried in a voice choking with passion,-- + +"You lie, villain; however great your audacity may be, it is impossible +that you have succeeded in seizing the places you mention." + +Montbarts shrugged his shoulders. + +"An insult coming from lips like yours has no effect," he said, "you +shall soon have the confirmation of what I assert; but enough of this +subject; I wished to have you in my power in order that you may be +witness of what I have to say to this lady. Come," he added, addressing +Doña Clara; "come, madam, and forgive me for not wishing to see you +except in the presence of the man you call your husband." + +On hearing the appeal, Doña Clara rose trembling, and tottered forward. + +There was a momentary silence; Montbarts, with his head hanging on his +chest, seemed plunged in bitter thoughts; at length he drew himself up, +passed his hand over his forehead as if to drive away the mist that +obscured his reason, turned to Doña Clara, and said to her in a gentle +voice,-- + +"You desired to see me, madam, in order to remind me of a time forever +past, and to confide a secret to me. This secret I have no right to +know; the Count de Barmont is dead, dead to everybody, to you before +all, who did not blush to renounce him, and though you belonged to him +by legitimate ties, and before all by the more legitimate one of a +powerful love, cowardly permitted yourself to be chained to another; +this is a crime, madam, which no forgiveness can efface, either in the +present or past." + +"Pity me, sir," the unhappy lady said, as she writhed beneath this +curse and burst into tears; "pity me, in the name of my remorse and my +sufferings!" + +"What are you doing, madam?" the Count exclaimed, "Rise at once." + +"Silence," Montbarts said in a harsh voice, "Allow this culprit to be +bowed beneath the weight of her repentance; you, who have been her +executioner, have less right than anyone else to protect her." + +Don Sancho had rushed toward his sister and, roughly repulsing the +Count, raised her in his arms. Montbarts continued. + +"I will only add one word, madam; the Count de Barmont had a child; on +the day when that child comes to ask his mother's pardon of me, I will +grant it--perhaps," he added in a faint voice. + +"Oh!" the young lady exclaimed with a feverish energy, as she seized +the hand which the filibuster had not the courage to withdraw from her, +"Oh sir! You are great and noble, this promise restores me all my hope +and courage; oh! I swear to you, sir, I will find my child again." + +"Enough, madam," Montbarts continued with ill suppressed emotion; "this +interview has lasted too long; here is your brother, he loves you, and +will be able to protect you; there is another person whom I regret +not to see here, for he would have advised and sustained you, in your +affliction." + +"To whom do you allude?" Don Sancho asked. + +"To the confessor of your sister." + +The young man turned away without answering. + +"Why, brother," Lepoletais here observed, "here he is half dead, look +at his burnt hands." + +"Oh!" Montbarts exclaimed, "It is really he, who is the monster that +has dared--" + +"Here he is!" the buccaneer replied, as he tapped the shoulder of the +Count, who was dumb with stupor and horror, for only at this moment did +he notice his victim. + +Two flashes of flame started from Montbart's eyes. + +"Villain," he exclaimed, "what, torture an inoffensive man! Oh, +Spaniards, race of vipers! What sufficiently horrible punishment could +I inflict on you!" + +All his hearers trembled at this passion so long restrained, which had +at length burst its bonds and now overflowed with irresistible violence. + +"By Heaven!" the filibuster exclaimed in a terrible voice, "It is +the worse for you, butcher, that you remind me I am Montbarts the +exterminator. L'Olonnais, prepare the fire under the barbacoas of the +boucan." + +An indescribable terror seized on all the hearers of this order, +which clearly expressed to what a horrible punishment the Count was +condemned; Don Stenio himself, in spite of his indomitable pride, felt +a chill at his heart. + +But at this moment, the monk, who had hitherto remained motionless on +his couch, and apparently insensible to what was going on, rose with +a painful effort, and leaning on the shoulders of Doña Clara and her +brother, tottered forward, and knelt with them to the filibuster. + +"Pity," he exclaimed, "pity, in Heaven's name!" + +"No," Montbarts replied harshly, "This man is condemned." + +"I implore you, brother, be merciful," the monk went on to urge him. + +All at once the Count drew two pistols from his doublet, and pointed +one at Doña Clara, while he placed the other against his own forehead. + +"Of what use is it to implore a tiger," he said, "I die, but by my own +hands, and I die avenged," and he pulled the trigger. + +The double detonation was blended in one. + +The Count fell dead on the ground; the second shot badly aimed did not +strike Doña Clara, but Fray Arsenio, and laid him dying at the foot of +his assassin. The last word of the poor monk was, "pity!" + +And he expired with his eyes fixed on heaven, as if with a last prayer +addressed in favour of his murderer. + + * * * * * + +At sunset the savannah had returned to its habitual solitude; +Montbarts, after having the victim and the assassin interred in the +same grave, doubtless that the just man might protect the culprit in +the presence of the Most High, set out for Port Margot, at the head of +the filibusters and Caribs. + +Doña Clara and her brother returned to the hatto del Rincón, +accompanied by the Spanish soldiers, to whom Montbarts had consented to +restore their liberty, through consideration for the two young people. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44380 *** diff --git a/44380-h/44380-h.htm b/44380-h/44380-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ef9f71a --- /dev/null +++ b/44380-h/44380-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,14334 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Buccaneer Chief, by Gustave Aimard</title> + <style type="text/css"> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} + + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; +} + +hr.tb {width: 45%;} +hr.chap {width: 65%} +hr.full {width: 95%;} + +hr.r5 {width: 5%; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;} +hr.r65 {width: 65%; margin-top: 3em; margin-bottom: 3em;} + +table { + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; +} + + .tdl {text-align: left;} + .tdr {text-align: right;} + .tdc {text-align: center;} + + +.blockquot { + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +a:link {color: #800000; text-decoration: none; } + +v:link {color: #800000; text-decoration: none; } + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.right {text-align: right;} + + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + + hr.pg { width: 100%; + margin-top: 3em; + margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + height: 4px; + border-width: 4px 0 0 0; /* remove all borders except the top one */ + border-style: solid; + border-color: #000000; + clear: both; } + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44380 ***</div> +<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Buccaneer Chief, by Gustave Aimard, +Translated by Lascelles Wraxall</h1> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;margin: 0 auto;" cellpadding="10"> + <tr> + <td valign="top"> + Note: + </td> + <td> + Images of the original pages are available through + Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford. See + <a href="http://purl.ox.ac.uk/uuid/324b5598fbd44321abe105868fb7f75a"> + http://purl.ox.ac.uk/uuid/324b5598fbd44321abe105868fb7f75a</a> + </td> + </tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<hr class="pg" /> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h1>THE BUCCANEER CHIEF</h1> + +<h3>A Romance of the Spanish Main</h3> + +<h3>BY</h3> + +<h2>GUSTAVE AIMARD</h2> + +<h4>AUTHOR OF SMUGGLER CHIEF, STRONG HAND, ETC.</h4> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h5>LONDON</h5> + +<h5>WARD AND LOCK, 158, FLEET STREET</h5> + +<h5>MDCCCLXIV</h5> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h5>CONTENTS.</h5> + +<div class="center" style="font-size: 0.8em;"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">I.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">THE HOSTELRY OF THE COURT OF FRANCE</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">II.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">A FAMILY SCENE</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">III.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">THE ARREST</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">IV.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">THE ISLE OF SAINTE MARGUERITE</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">V.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">A BACKWARD GLANCE</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">VI.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">VII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">DESPAIR</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">VIII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">THE PRISONER</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">IX.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">MAJOR DE L'OURSIÈRE</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">X.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">THE SEAGULL LUGGER</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XI.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">FRANCE, FAREWELL!</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">THE BEGINNING OF THE ADVENTURE</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XIII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">THE COUNCIL OF THE FILIBUSTERS</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XIV.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">THE SECOND PROPOSAL</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XV.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">THE SPY</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XVI.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">THE SLAVE SALE</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XVII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">THE ENLISTMENT</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XVIII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">NEVIS</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XIX.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">THE EXPEDITION</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XX.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XX">THE HATTO</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXI.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXI">THE MAJOR-DOMO'S STORY</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXII">ACROSS COUNTRY</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXIII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIII">COMPLICATIONS</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXIV.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIV">PORT MARGOT</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXV.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXV">FRAY ARSENIO</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXVI.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVI">THE CONSEQUENCES OF A MEETING</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXVII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVII">THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COLONY</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXVIII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVIII">THE FLIGHT FROM THE HATTO</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXIX.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIX">EVENTS ACCUMULATE</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXX.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXX">THE EXTERMINATOR</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE HOSTELRY OF THE COURT OF FRANCE.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Although the Seine, from Chanceaux, its fountainhead, to Havre, where +it falls into the sea, is not more than four hundred miles in length, +still, in spite of this comparatively limited course, this river is +one of the most important in the world; for, from the days of Cæsar up +to the present, it has seen all the great social questions which have +agitated modern times decided on its banks.</p> + +<p>Tourists, artists, and travellers, who go a long distance in search of +scenery, could not find anything more picturesque or more capriciously +diversified than the winding banks of this river, which is skirted by +commercial towns and pretty villages, coquettishly arranged on the +sides of verdant valleys, or half disappearing in the midst of dense +clumps of trees.</p> + +<p>It is in one of these villages, situated but a few leagues from Paris, +that our story began, on March 26th, 1641.</p> + +<p>This village, whose origin dates back to the earliest period of the +French Monarchy, was at that time pretty nearly what it is now; +differing in this respect from all the hamlets that surround it, it has +remained stationary; on seeing it you might fancy that centuries have +not passed as far as it is concerned. When the neighbouring hamlets +became villages, and were finally transformed into large towns, it +continually decreased, so that its population at the present day scarce +attains the amount of four hundred inhabitants.</p> + +<p>And yet its situation is most happy: traversed by a stream and bordered +by a river, possessing an historic castle, and forming an important +station on one of the railway lines, it seemed destined to become an +industrial centre, the more so because its inhabitants are industrious +and intelligent.</p> + +<p>But there is a spell upon the place. The great landowners who have +succeeded each other in the country, and who mostly grew rich in the +political commotions, or by risky speculations, have tacitly agreed +to impede in every possible way the industrial aspirations of the +population—have ever egotistically sacrificed public interest to their +private advantage.</p> + +<p>Thus the historic castle to which we alluded has fallen into the hands +of a man who, sprung from nothing, and feeling himself stifled within +its walls, allows them to crumble away before the effects of time, and, +to save the expense of a gardener, sows oats in the majestic alleys +of a park, designed by Le Nôtre, whose grand appearance strikes with +admiration the traveller, who sees it at a distance as he is borne past +in the train.</p> + +<p>The same thing is going on in the whole of this unhappy hamlet, which +is condemned to die of inanition in the midst of the abundance of its +neighbours.</p> + +<p>This village was composed at the period of our narrative of a single +long narrow street, which ran down from the top of a scarped hill, +crossed a small rivulet, and terminated only a few yards from the Seine.</p> + +<p>This street, through its entire length, was bordered by low, ugly +tenements, pressing closely together, as if for mutual support, and +mostly serving as pothouses for the waggoners and other people who at +this period, when the great network of the French royal roads had not +yet been made, continually passed through this village, and sought +shelter there for the night.</p> + +<p>The top of the street was occupied by a very wealthy, religious +community, next to which stood a large building hidden at the end of +a spacious garden, and serving as hostelry for the wealthy personages +whom their business or pleasure brought to this place, which was +surrounded for ten leagues round by sumptuous seigneurial mansions.</p> + +<p>There was nothing externally to cause this building to be recognized as +an inn; a low gateway gave access to the garden, and it was not till +the traveller had gone along the whole of the latter that he found +himself in front of the house.</p> + +<p>It had, however, another entrance, looking out on a road but little +frequented at the time, and which was employed by horses and coaches, +when the traveller had succeeded in obtaining the landlord's leave to +put up there.</p> + +<p>Although this house, as we said, was a hostelry, its owner did not +admit everybody who proposed to lodge there; on the contrary, he was +very difficult in the choice of his guests, asserting, rightly or +wrongly, that a hostelry, which had been honoured on several occasions +by the presence of the King and the Cardinal Minister, must not serve +as an asylum either for vagabonds or nightbirds.</p> + +<p>In order to justify the right he claimed, the landlord had, a few +months previously, had the arms of France daubed on a metal plate by +a strolling painter, and inscribed under it in golden letters—"<i>The +Court of France.</i>" This sign he put up over his door.</p> + +<p>This inn enjoyed a great reputation, not only in the country, but in +all the surrounding provinces, and even as far as Paris—a reputation, +we are bound to add, well deserved, for if mine host was particular in +the choice of his lodgers, when the latter had succeeded in gaining +admission he treated them, men and beasts, with a peculiar care, that +had something paternal about it.</p> + +<p>Although it was getting on for the end of March, and, according to the +almanac, 'Spring had begun some days previously,' the cold was nipping, +the rime-laden trees stood out sadly against the leaden sky, and a +thick, hardened layer of snow covered the ground for some depth.</p> + +<p>Although it was about ten o'clock at night, it was light, and the moon, +floating in russet clouds, profusely shed her sickly beams, which +rendered it almost as light as day.</p> + +<p>All were asleep in the village, or, at least, seemed to be so; the +<i>Court of France</i> alone emitted a light through its ground floor barred +windows, which proved that somebody was still up there.</p> + +<p>Still, the inn did not offer shelter to any traveller.</p> + +<p>All those who during the day, and since nightfall, had presented +themselves, had been mercilessly turned away by the landlord, a stout +man, with a rubicund face, intelligent features, and a crafty smile, +who was walking at this moment with an air of preoccupation up and +down his immense kitchen, every now and then casting an absent glance +at the preparations for supper, one portion of which was roasting +before a colossal fireplace, whilst the rest was being got ready by a +master cook and several assistants.</p> + +<p>A middle-aged, short, plump woman, suddenly burst into the kitchen, and +addressed the landlord, who had turned round at the noise.</p> + +<p>"Is it true," she asked, "Master Pivois, that you have ordered the dais +room to be got ready, as Mariette declares?"</p> + +<p>Master Pivois drew himself up.</p> + +<p>"What did Mariette tell you?" he enquired, sternly.</p> + +<p>"Well, she told me to prepare the best bedroom."</p> + +<p>"Which is the best bedroom, Dame Tiphaine?"</p> + +<p>"The dais room, master, since it is the one in which His Majesty—"</p> + +<p>"In that case," mine host interrupted her, in a peremptory tone, +"prepare the dais room."</p> + +<p>"Still, master," Dame Tiphaine ventured—who possessed a certain amount +of credit in the house, in the first place, as legitimate spouse of the +landlord himself, and then, again, through sundry very marked traits of +character—"with all the respect I owe you, it seems to me—"</p> + +<p>"With all the respect I owe you," he exclaimed, stamping his foot +passionately, "you're a fool, my good creature, obey my orders, and do +not trouble me further!"</p> + +<p>Dame Tiphaine comprehended that her lord and master was not in a +humour that evening for being contradicted. Like a prudent woman, she +bowed her head and withdrew, reserving to herself the right of taking +a startling revenge at a future date for the sharp reprimand she had +received.</p> + +<p>Doubtless satisfied with his display of authority, Master Pivois, after +taking a triumphant glance at his subordinates, who were surprised at +this unusual act of vigour, though they did not dare show it, walked +toward a door that led into the garden; but at the moment when he laid +his hand on the key, this door, vigorously thrust from the outside, +opened right in the face of the startled landlord, who tottered back to +the middle of the room, and a man entered the kitchen.</p> + +<p>"At last!" the stranger said, joyously, as he threw his plumed hat on +a table and took off his cloak. "By heaven! I almost found myself in a +desert."</p> + +<p>And before mine host, who was growing more and more astounded at +his cool behaviour, had the time to oppose it, he took a chair, and +comfortably installed himself in the chimney corner.</p> + +<p>The newcomer appeared to be not more than twenty-five years of age; +long black curls fell in disorder on his shoulders; his marked features +were noble and intelligent; his black eyes, full of fire, announced +courage, and the habit of commanding; his countenance had a certain +stamp of grandeur, tempered by the cordial smile that played round +his wide mouth, full of brilliantly white teeth; his red, and rather +swollen lips, were adorned, according to the fashion of the day, with +a most carefully waxed moustache, while his square chin, indicative of +obstinacy, was covered by a long royale.</p> + +<p>His dress, while not rich, was, however, becoming—cut with taste, +and affected a certain military air, which was rendered more marked +by the brace of pistols the stranger carried in his belt, and the long +iron-handled sword that hung at his side.</p> + +<p>Altogether, his lofty stature, and muscular, well-developed person, +and the air of audacity spread all over him, rendered him one of those +men, the breed of whom was so common at the period, and who at the +first glance contrived to claim from people with whom accident brought +them in contact that respect to which, whether justly or unjustly, they +believed they had a right.</p> + +<p>In the meanwhile, the landlord, who had slightly recovered from the +emotion and surprise he had experienced at what he almost regarded +as a violation of his domicile, advanced a few steps toward the +stranger, and while bowing lower than he had intended, and doffing his +cotton nightcap before the flashing glance the other bent on him, he +stammered, in anything but a steady voice—</p> + +<p>"My lord—"</p> + +<p>But the latter interrupted him without ceremony.</p> + +<p>"Are you the landlord?" he asked, sharply.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Master Pivois grunted, as he drew himself up, feeling quite +constrained at answering when he was preparing to question.</p> + +<p>"Very good," the stranger continued; "look after my horse, which I left +I know not where in your garden; have him put in the stable, and tell +the ostler to wash his withers with a little vinegar and water, for I +am afraid he has hurt himself a little."</p> + +<p>These words were uttered so carelessly, that the landlord stood utterly +confounded, unable to utter a syllable.</p> + +<p>"Well," the stranger continued, at the expiration of a moment, with +a slight frown, "what are you doing here, ass, instead of obeying my +orders?"</p> + +<p>Master Pivois, completely subdued, turned on his heels, and left the +room, tottering like a drunken man.</p> + +<p>The stranger looked after him with a smile, and then turned to the +waiting-men, who were whispering together, and taking side-glances at +him.</p> + +<p>"Come and wait on me," he said; "place a table here before me near the +fire, and bring me some supper—make haste, s'death, or I shall die of +hunger!"</p> + +<p>The waiting-men, delighted in their hearts at playing their master +a trick, did not let the order be repeated; in a second a table was +brought up, the cloth laid, and, on re-entering the room, the landlord +found the stranger in the act of carving a magnificent partridge.</p> + +<p>Master Pivois assumed at the sight all the colours of the rainbow—at +first pale, he turned so red that a fit of apoplexy might be +apprehended, so vivid was his emotion.</p> + +<p>"By Heaven," he exclaimed, stamping his foot angrily, "that is too +much."</p> + +<p>"What?" the stranger asked, as he raised his head and wiped his +moustache; "What is the matter with you, my good man?"</p> + +<p>"Matter, indeed!" mine host growled.</p> + +<p>"By the way, is my horse in the stable?"</p> + +<p>"Your horse, your horse," the other grumbled, "as if that is troubling +me."</p> + +<p>"What is it then, if you please, master mine?" the stranger asked, as +he poured out a bumper which he conscientiously drained to the last +drop. "Ah," he said, "it is Jurançon; I recognise it."</p> + +<p>This indifference and this coolness raised the landlord's anger to the +highest pitch, and caused him to forget all prudence.</p> + +<p>"Cogswounds," he said, boldly seizing the bottle, "it is a strange +piece of impudence thus to enter an honest house without the owner's +permission; decamp at once, my fine gentleman, unless you wish harm +to befall you, and seek a lodging elsewhere, for, as far as I am +concerned, I cannot and will not give you one."</p> + +<p>The stranger had not moved a feature during this harangue; he had +listened to Master Pivois without displaying the slightest impatience: +when the landlord at length held his tongue, he threw himself back in +his chair, and looked him fixedly in the face.</p> + +<p>"Listen to me in your turn, master," he said to him, "and engrave these +words deeply on your narrow brain: this house is an inn, is it not? +Hence it must be open without hesitation to every stranger who comes +here for food and lodging with money in his pocket. I am aware that you +claim the right of only receiving such persons as you think proper; if +there are people who put up with that, it is their business, but for my +part, I do not intend to do so. I feel comfortable here, so I remain, +and shall remain as long as I think proper; I do not prevent you from +swindling me, for that is your duty as a landlord, and I have no right +to object; but, if I am not served politely and dexterously—if you do +not give me a proper bedroom to spend the night in—in a word, if you +do not perform the duties of hospitality toward me in the way I expect, +I promise to pull down your signboard, and hang you up in its place, +on the slightest infraction you are guilty of. And now I suppose you +understand me?" he added, squeezing the other's hand so hard that the +poor fellow uttered a yell of agony, and went tottering against the +kitchen wall: "Serve me, then, and let us have no more argument, for +you would not get the best of the quarrel if you picked one with me."</p> + +<p>And without paying further attention to the landlord, the traveller +continued his interrupted supper.</p> + +<p>It was all over with the landlord's attempted resistance; he felt +himself vanquished, and did not attempt a struggle which had now become +impossible. Confused and humiliated, he only thought of satisfying this +strange guest who had installed himself by main force in the house.</p> + +<p>The traveller did not in any way abuse his victory; satisfied with +having obtained the result he desired, he did not take the slightest +liberty.</p> + +<p>The result was that gradually, from one concession to another—the one +offering, the other not refusing—they became on the best possible +terms; and toward the end of the supper, mine host and the traveller +found themselves, without knowing how, the most affectionate friends in +the world.</p> + +<p>They were talking together. First of the rain and fine weather, the +dearness of provisions, the king's illness, and that of his Eminence +the Cardinal; then, growing gradually bolder, Master Pivois poured out +a huge bumper of wine for his improvised guest, and collected all his +courage.</p> + +<p>"Do you know, my good gentleman," he said to him suddenly, shaking his +head with an air of contrition, "that you are fearfully in my way?"</p> + +<p>"Stuff!" the stranger answered, as he tossed off the contents of his +glass, and shrugged his shoulders, "Are we coming back to the old +story of just now? I thought that settled long ago."</p> + +<p>"Alas! I would it were so for everybody as it is for me."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"Pray do not get into a passion, sir," the landlord continued timidly; +"I have not the slightest intention of insulting you."</p> + +<p>"In that case explain yourself in the Fiend's name, my master, and come +frankly to the point; I do not understand what others beside yourself +have to do in the matter."</p> + +<p>"That is just the difficulty," said Master Pivois, scratching his head.</p> + +<p>"Speak, zounds! I am not an ogre; what is it that causes you such +anxiety?"</p> + +<p>The landlord saw that he must out with it, and fear giving him courage, +he bravely made up his mind.</p> + +<p>"Monseigneur," he said, honestly, "believe me that I am too much the +man of the world to venture to act with rudeness to a gentleman of your +importance—"</p> + +<p>"Enough of that," the stranger interrupted, with a smile.</p> + +<p>"But—" the host continued.</p> + +<p>"Ah! There is a <i>but</i>."</p> + +<p>"Alas! Monseigneur, there always is one, and today a bigger one than +ever."</p> + +<p>"Hang it all, you terrify me, master," the stranger remarked, with a +laugh; "tell me quickly, I beg of you, what this terrible but is."</p> + +<p>"Alas! Monseigneur, it is this: my entire hostelry was engaged a week +ago by a party of gentlemen; I expect them to arrive in an hour—half +an hour, perhaps, and—"</p> + +<p>"And?" the stranger asked, in an enquiring tone, which caused the host +to shudder.</p> + +<p>"Well, Monseigneur," he resumed in a choking voice, "these gentlemen +insist on having the hostelry to themselves, and made me swear not to +receive any other traveller but themselves, and paid me to that effect."</p> + +<p>"Very good," said the stranger, with an air of indifference.</p> + +<p>"What do you say; very good? Monseigneur," Master Pivois exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"Hang it! What else would you have me say? You have strictly fulfilled +your engagement, and no one has the right to reproach you."</p> + +<p>"How so, sir?"</p> + +<p>"Unless you have someone concealed here," the stranger answered, +imperturbably, "which, I confess, would not be at all honourable on +your part."</p> + +<p>"I have nobody."</p> + +<p>"Well, then?"</p> + +<p>"But you, monseigneur?" he hazarded timidly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I," the stranger replied laughingly, "that is another affair; let +us make a distinction, if you please, master; you did not receive me, +far from it; I pressed my company on you, as I think you will allow."</p> + +<p>"It is only too true."</p> + +<p>"Do you regret it?"</p> + +<p>"Far from it, monseigneur," he exclaimed eagerly, for he was not at all +desirous of re-arousing the slumbering wrath of the irascible stranger; +"I am only stating a fact."</p> + +<p>"Very good, I see with pleasure, Master Pivois, that you are a very +serious man; you are stating a fact, you say?"</p> + +<p>"Alas! yes," the luckless host sighed.</p> + +<p>"Very good; now follow my reasoning closely."</p> + +<p>"I am doing so."</p> + +<p>"When these gentlemen arrive, which according to your statement, will +be soon, you will only have one thing to do."</p> + +<p>"What is it, monseigneur?"</p> + +<p>"Tell them exactly what has passed between us. If I am not greatly +mistaken this honest explanation will satisfy them; if it be +otherwise—"</p> + +<p>"Well, if it be so, what am I to do, sir?"</p> + +<p>"Refer them to me, Master Pivois, and I will undertake in my turn to +convince them; gentlemen of good birth perfectly understand each other."</p> + +<p>"Still, monseigneur—"</p> + +<p>"Not a word more on this subject, I must request; but stay," he added, +and listened, "I believe your company are arriving."</p> + +<p>And he carelessly threw himself back in his chair.</p> + +<p>Outside, the trampling of horses on the hardened snow could be +distinctly heard, and then several blows were dealt on the door.</p> + +<p>"It is they," the host muttered.</p> + +<p>"A further reason not to keep them waiting; go and open the door, +master, for it is very cold outside."</p> + +<p>The landlord hesitated for a moment and then left the room without +replying.</p> + +<p>The stranger carefully folded himself in his mantle, pulled the brim of +his beaver over his eyes, and awaited the entrance of the newcomers, +while affecting an air of indifference.</p> + +<p>The waiting-men, who had sought shelter in the most remote corner of +the room, were trembling in the prevision of a disturbance.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a></h4> + +<h3>A FAMILY SCENE.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>In the meanwhile the new arrivals were making a great noise in the +road, and seemed to be growing impatient at the delay in letting them +into the hostelry.</p> + +<p>Master Pivois at length decided to open to them, though he was +suffering from a secret apprehension as to the consequences which the +presence of a stranger in the house might have for him.</p> + +<p>As soon as a stable-lad had by his orders, drawn back the bolts, +and opened the carriage-gates, several horsemen entered the yard, +accompanied by a coach drawn by four horses.</p> + +<p>By the light of the lanthorn held by his lad the landlord perceived +that the travellers were seven in number; three masters, three +servants, and the coachman on the box. All were wrapped up in thick +cloaks, and armed to the teeth.</p> + +<p>So soon as the coach had entered the yard, the horsemen dismounted; +one of them, who appeared to exercise a certain authority over his +companions, walked up to the landlord, while the others brought the +coach up to the main entrance of the house, and closed the gates.</p> + +<p>"Well, master," said the traveller to whom we allude, with a very +marked foreign accent, although he expressed himself very purely in +French; "have my orders been punctually executed?"</p> + +<p>At this question, which was very embarrassing to him, Master Pivois +scratched his head, and then replied like the cunning peasant he was—</p> + +<p>"As far as possibly, yes, my lord."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean, scoundrel?" the traveller resumed roughly; "Your +instructions were precise enough."</p> + +<p>"Yes, my lord," the landlord said humbly; "and I will even add that I +was liberally paid beforehand."</p> + +<p>"In that case, what have you to say?"</p> + +<p>"That I have done the best I could," Master Pivois replied in growing +confusion.</p> + +<p>"Ah! I suppose you mean that you have someone in the house?"</p> + +<p>"Alas! yes, my lord," the landlord answered, hanging his head.</p> + +<p>The traveller stamped his foot passionately.</p> + +<p>"S'blood!" he exclaimed; then, at once resuming an apparent calmness, +he continued, "Who are the persons?"</p> + +<p>"There is only one."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said the traveller, with satisfaction, "If there be only one, +nothing is more easy than to dislodge him."</p> + +<p>"I fear not," the landlord ventured timidly, "for this traveller, who +is a stranger to me, I swear, looks to me like a rude gentleman, and +not at all inclined to surrender his place."</p> + +<p>"Well, well, I will take it on myself," the traveller remarked +carelessly, "where is he?"</p> + +<p>"There, in the kitchen, my lord, warming himself at the fire."</p> + +<p>"That will do; is the room ready?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, my lord."</p> + +<p>"Rejoin those gentlemen, and show them the way yourself; none of your +people must know what takes place here."</p> + +<p>The landlord, delighted at having got off so cheaply, bowed +respectfully, and hastily retired in the direction of the garden; +as for the traveller, after exchanging a few whispered words with a +footman, who remained with him, he pulled his hat over his eyes, opened +the door, and boldly entered the kitchen.</p> + +<p>It was deserted: the stranger had disappeared.</p> + +<p>The traveller looked anxiously around him; the waiting men, probably +in obedience to orders previously received from their master, had +withdrawn to their attics.</p> + +<p>After a few seconds' hesitation, the traveller returned to the garden.</p> + +<p>"Well," the landlord asked, "have you seen him, my lord?"</p> + +<p>"No," he replied, "but it is of no consequence; not a word about him to +the persons who accompany me; he has doubtless left, but if that be not +the case, be careful that he does not approach the apartments you have +reserved for us."</p> + +<p>"Hum," the landlord muttered to himself, "all this is not clear;" and +he withdrew very pensively.</p> + +<p>Truth to tell, the worthy man was frightened. His new customers had +unpleasant faces, and a rough manner, which reassured him but slightly; +and then again he fancied he had seen alarming shadows gliding about +among the trees in his garden, a fact which he had carefully avoided +verifying, but which heightened his secret apprehensions.</p> + +<p>Dame Tiphaine, torch in hand, was waiting at the house door, in +readiness to light the travellers, and conduct them to their +apartments. When the coach had been turned and stopped, one of the +travellers went up to it, opened the door, and assisted a lady in +getting out.</p> + +<p>This lady, who was magnificently dressed, appeared to be suffering, +and she walked with difficulty. Still, in spite of her weakness, she +declined the arm of one of the travellers offered her in support, and +approached Dame Tiphaine, who, compassionate like all women, hastened +to offer her the service she seemed to request of her, and helped her +to ascend the rather steep staircase that led to the dais room.</p> + +<p>The travellers left the driver and a lackey to guard the coach, which +remained horsed, and silently followed the sick lady.</p> + +<p>The dais room, the finest in the inn, was spacious and furnished with +a certain amount of luxury; a large fire crackled on the hearth, and +several candles, placed on the furniture, diffused a rather bright +light.</p> + +<p>A door half hidden by tapestry communicated with a bedroom, that had a +door opening on the passage, for the convenience of the attendants.</p> + +<p>When the lady had entered the room, she sank into a chair, and thanked +the landlady with a bow.</p> + +<p>The latter discreetly withdrew, astonished and almost terrified by the +gloomy faces which surrounded her.</p> + +<p>"Holy Virgin!" she said to Master Pivois, whom she found walking in +great anxiety along the passage, "What's going to happen here? These +men frighten me; that poor lady is all of a tremble, and the little I +saw of her face behind her mask, is as white as a sheet."</p> + +<p>"Alas!" Master Pivois said with a sigh, "I am as frightened as you, my +dear, but we can do nothing; they are too great people for us—friends +of his Eminence. They would crush us without pity; we have only one +thing to do, and that is to retire to our room, as we received orders +to do, and to keep quiet till our services are required; the house is +theirs, at this moment they are the masters."</p> + +<p>The landlord and his wife went into their room, and not satisfied with +double locking their door, barricaded it with everything that came to +hand.</p> + +<p>As Master Pivois had said to his wife, the travellers were certainly +masters of the inn, or at least believed themselves so.</p> + +<p>The stranger, while feigning the deepest indifference, had watched the +landlord's every movement: as soon as the latter left the kitchen to +open the door for the newcomers, he rose, threw a purse of gold to the +scullions, while putting his finger on his lips to recommend silence to +them, and carefully wrapping himself in his mantle, left the kitchen.</p> + +<p>The scullions, with the intelligence characteristic of the class, +comprehended that this action of the stranger concealed some plans in +the execution of which it was to their interest not to interfere; they +divided the money so generously given them, and remembering the orders +they had received from their master, they hastily decamped, and went +off to hide themselves.</p> + +<p>The stranger, while the landlord was receiving the travellers, had +proceeded to the thickest part of the garden.</p> + +<p>On reaching the little gate to which we have referred, he whistled +gently.</p> + +<p>Almost immediately two men seemed to rise from the midst of the +darkness, and came up to him.</p> + +<p>Each of these men had a long rapier at his side, pistols in his girdle, +and a musketoon in his hand.</p> + +<p>"What is there new?" the stranger asked; "Have you seen anything, +Michael?"</p> + +<p>"Captain," the man answered, to whom the question was addressed, "I +have seen nothing, but still I fear a trap."</p> + +<p>"A trap?" the stranger repeated.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Michael continued, "Bowline has taken bearings of several +ill-looking fellows who seem desirous of boarding us."</p> + +<p>"Stuff! You are mad, Michael. You have seen the travellers who have +just arrived at the inn."</p> + +<p>"No, captain; on the contrary, they exactly resemble the fellows who +have been chasing us ever since the day before yesterday, regular +Cardinal's bloodhounds, I'll wager."</p> + +<p>The stranger appeared to reflect. "Are they far off?" he at length +asked.</p> + +<p>"Speak, Bowline, my boy," said Michael, turning to his comrade, "and +don't shiver your sails, the captain is hailing you."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, Captain," said Bowline, a sturdy Breton, with a crafty +look, "I sighted them over the starboard quarter at about four o'clock; +I spread all my canvas to distance them, and I fancy I have left them +four or five cables length in the rear."</p> + +<p>"In that case we have about an hour before us?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, about, Captain," Bowline replied.</p> + +<p>"That is more than we want; listen, my lads, and swear on your honour +as sailors to obey me."</p> + +<p>"You may be quite sure we shan't fail, Captain," they answered.</p> + +<p>"I reckon on you."</p> + +<p>"Shiver my topsails, we know that," Michael replied.</p> + +<p>"Whatever may happen to me," the stranger continued, "leave me to act +alone, unless I give you express orders to come to my assistance. If +the Cardinal's bloodhounds were to arrive while we are up aloft, you +will bolt."</p> + +<p>"We bolt!" the two sailors exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"You must, lads! Who would deliver me if we were all three prisoners?" +the stranger asked.</p> + +<p>"That's true," Michael answered.</p> + +<p>"Well then, that's settled, is it not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Captain."</p> + +<p>"Ah! By the way, if I am arrested you will want money to liberate me; +take this."</p> + +<p>He placed in their hands a heavy purse, which the sailors accepted +without any remark.</p> + +<p>"Now follow me, and keep your weather eye open, my lads."</p> + +<p>"All right, Captain," Michael answered, "we are on watch."</p> + +<p>The stranger then proceeded towards the house, closely followed by +the two sailors. He reached the passage, at the end of which the +travellers' room was, at the moment when Master Pivois and his wife +were locking themselves in their bedroom.</p> + +<p>The coach, guarded by the driver and a footman, was still standing in +front of the principal entrance, but the three men passed unnoticed.</p> + +<p>So soon as the landlady had left the room, the traveller who appeared +to have a certain degree of authority over his companions, opened the +bedroom door, doubtless to make certain there was no spy listening; +then he took a chair, sat down by the fire, and made a sign to his +companions to imitate him; the two lackeys alone remained standing near +the door, with their hands resting on the muzzles of their carbines, +butts of which were on the ground.</p> + +<p>For some moments there was a funereal silence in this room, although +six persons were assembled in it.</p> + +<p>At length the traveller made up his mind to speak, and addressed the +young lady, who was reclining in her chair, with her head bent on her +breast and pendant arms.</p> + +<p>"My daughter," he said, in a grave voice, and speaking in Spanish, "the +moment has arrived for a clear and distinct explanation between us, +for we have only four leagues to travel ere we reach the end of our +long journey. I intend to remain twenty-four hours in this hostelry, in +order to give you time to repair your strength, and allow you to appear +in a proper state before the man for whom I destine you."</p> + +<p>The young lady only replied to this dry address by a hollow groan.</p> + +<p>Her father continued, without appearing to notice the utter state of +prostration in which she was—</p> + +<p>"Remember, my daughter, that if, on the entreaty of your brothers here +present, I consented to pardon the fault you have committed, it is on +the express condition that you will obey my orders without hesitation, +and do all I wish."</p> + +<p>"My child?" she murmured, in a voice choked by grief—"What have you +done with my child?"</p> + +<p>The traveller frowned, and a livid pallor covered his face; but he +immediately recovered himself.</p> + +<p>"That question again, unhappy girl?" he said, in a gloomy voice; +"Do not trifle with my wrath by reminding me of your crime, and the +dishonour of my house."</p> + +<p>At these words the girl drew herself up suddenly, and with a hurried +gesture pulled off the velvet mask that covered her face.</p> + +<p>"I am not guilty," she said, in a haughty voice, and looking her father +in the face; "and you are perfectly aware of it, for it was you who +introduced the Count de Barmont to me. You encouraged our love, and it +was by your orders that we were secretly married. You dare not assert +the contrary."</p> + +<p>"Silence, wretch!" the traveller exclaimed, and rose passionately.</p> + +<p>"Father!" the two gentlemen, who had hitherto remained motionless and +as if strangers to this stormy interview, exclaimed, as they threw +themselves before him.</p> + +<p>"Well," he said, as he resumed his seat, "I will restrain myself: I +will only ask you one further question, Doña Clara—will you obey me?"</p> + +<p>She hesitated for a moment, and then appeared to form a supreme +resolution.</p> + +<p>"Listen to me, my father," she replied, in a hurried though firm voice; +"you told me yourself that the moment for an explanation between us +had arrived; very well, let us have this explanation. I, too, am your +daughter, and jealous of the honour of our house; that is why I insist +on your answering me without equivocation or deception."</p> + +<p>While speaking thus, the young lady, who was only sustained by the +factitious strength sorrow imparted to her, for she was frail and +delicate, was supremely beautiful; with her body bent back, her head +haughtily raised, her long and silky black hair falling in disorder on +her shoulders, and contrasting with the marble pallor of her face; with +her large eyes, inflamed by fever and inundated with tears, that slowly +coursed down her cheeks, and with her bosom heaving from the emotion +that held mastery over her—there was about her whole person something +deathly, which seemed no longer to belong to the earth.</p> + +<p>Her father felt involuntarily affected, in spite of his ferocious +pride; and it was with a less rough voice he replied—</p> + +<p>"I am listening to you."</p> + +<p>"Father," she resumed, leaning her hand on the back of her chair in +order to support herself, "I told you that I am not guilty, and I +repeat that the Count de Barmont and myself were secretly united in +the church of la Merced at Cadiz, and were so by your orders. As you +know it, I will not dwell further on this point; my child is, therefore +legitimate, and I have a right to be proud of it. How is it, then, that +you, the Duke de Peñaflor, belonging to the highest class in Spain, +not satisfied with tearing me on the very day of marriage from the +husband yourself selected, and depriving me of my infant on the day +of its birth, accused me of committing a horrible crime, and insisted +on enchaining me to another husband, while my first is still living? +Answer me, my father, so that I may know the nature of that honour +about which you so often speak to me, and what is the motive that +renders you so cruel to an unfortunate girl, who owes her life to you, +and who, ever since she has been in this world, has only felt love and +respect for you."</p> + +<p>"This is too much, unnatural daughter!" the Duke shouted, as he rose +wrathfully—"And as you are not afraid of braving me so unworthily—"</p> + +<p>But he suddenly checked himself, and stood motionless, trembling with +fury and horror; the bedroom door had suddenly opened, and a man +appeared in it, upright, haughty, with flashing eye, and hand on his +sword hilt.</p> + +<p>"Ludovic, at last!" the young lady shrieked, as she rushed towards him.</p> + +<p>But her brothers caught her by the arms, and constrained her to sit +down again.</p> + +<p>"The Count de Barmont!" the Duke muttered.</p> + +<p>"Myself, my lord Duke de Peñaflor," the stranger replied, with +exquisite politeness—"you did not expect me, it appears to me?"</p> + +<p>And, walking a few paces into the room, while the two sailors who had +followed him guarded the door, he proudly put his hat on again, and +folded his arms.</p> + +<p>"What is going on here?" he asked, in a haughty voice; "And who dares +to use violence to the Countess de Barmont?"</p> + +<p>"The Countess de Barmont?" the Duke repeated, contemptuously.</p> + +<p>"It is true," the other remarked, ironically; "I forget that you expect +at any moment a dispensation from the Court of Home, which will declare +my marriage null and void, and allow you to give your daughter to the +man whose credit has caused you to be nominated Viceroy of New Spain."</p> + +<p>"Sir!" the Duke exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"What, do you pretend I am in error? No, no, my lord Duke, my spies are +as good as yours—I am well served, believe me: thank heaven I have +arrived in time to prevent it. Make way there!" he said, repulsing by a +gesture the two gentlemen who opposed his passage—"I am your husband, +madam; follow me, I shall be able to protect you."</p> + +<p>The two young men, leaving their sister, who was in a semi-fainting +state, rushed on the Count, and both buffeted him in the face with +their gloves, while drawing their swords.</p> + +<p>The Count turned fearfully pale at this cruel insult; he uttered a wild +beast yell, and unsheathed.</p> + +<p>The valets, held in check by the two sailors, had not made a movement.</p> + +<p>The Duke rushed between the three men, who were ready for the assault.</p> + +<p>"Count," he said, coolly, to the younger of his sons, "leave to your +brother the duty of chastising this man."</p> + +<p>"Thanks, father," the elder answered, as he fell on guard, while his +younger brother lowered the point of his sword, and fell back a pace.</p> + +<p>Doña Clara was lying motionless on the floor.</p> + +<p>At the first attack the two enemies engaged their swords up to their +guard, and then, as if of common accord, each retreated a step.</p> + +<p>There was something sinister in the appearance of this inn room at the +moment.</p> + +<p>This woman, who lay writhing on the floor, suffering from a horrible +nervous crisis, and no one dreaming of succouring her.</p> + +<p>This old man, with frowning brow, and features contracted by pain, +witnessing with apparent stoicism this duel between his elder son and +his son-in-law, while his younger son was biting his lips with fury +because he could not assist his brother; these sailors, with pistols at +the breasts of the lackeys, who were palsied with terror; and in the +centre of the room, scarce lighted by a few smoking candles, these two +men, sword in hand, watching like two tigers the moment to slay each +other.</p> + +<p>The combat was not long; too great a hatred animated the two +adversaries for them to lose time in feeling each other's strength. +The Duke's son, more impatient than the Count, made thrust on thrust, +which the other had great difficulty in parrying; at length, the young +man feeling himself too deeply engaged, tried to make a second backward +step, but his foot slipped on the boards, and he involuntarily raised +his sword; at the same moment the Count liberated his blade by a +movement rapid as thought, and his sword entirely disappeared in his +adversary's chest; then he leaped back to avoid the back thrust, and +fell on guard again.</p> + +<p>But it was all over with the young man; he rolled his haggard eyes +twice or thrice, stretched out his arms, while letting go his sword, +and fell his whole length on the floor, without uttering a word.</p> + +<p>He was dead.</p> + +<p>"Assassin!" his brother screamed, as he rushed sword in hand on the +Count.</p> + +<p>"Traitor!" the latter replied, as he parried the thrust, and sent the +other's sword flying to the ceiling.</p> + +<p>"Stay, stay!" the Duke cried, as he rushed half mad with grief between +the two men, who had seized each other round the waist, and had both +drawn their daggers.</p> + +<p>But this tardy interference was useless; the Count, who was endowed +with a far from common strength, had easily succeeded in freeing +himself from the young man's grasp, and had thrown him on the ground, +where he held him by placing his knee on his chest.</p> + +<p>All at once a mighty rumour of arms and horses was heard in the house, +and the hurried steps of several men hurrying up the stairs became +audible.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" the Duke exclaimed, with a ferocious joy, "I believe my vengeance +is at hand, at last!"</p> + +<p>The Count, not deigning to reply to his enemy, turned to the sailors.</p> + +<p>"Be off, my lads!" he shouted in a voice of thunder.</p> + +<p>They hesitated.</p> + +<p>"He goes if you wish to save me," he added.</p> + +<p>"Boarders away!" Michael yelled, as he dragged away his comrade; and +the two men seizing their musquetoons by the barrel, as if to use them +as clubs in case of need, and to clear the way, rushed into the passage +when they disappeared.</p> + +<p>The Count listened anxiously, he heard oaths and the sound of an +obstinate struggle; then, at the expiration of a moment, a distant cry, +that summons which sailors know so well, reached him.</p> + +<p>Then his face grew calmer, he returned his sword to its sheath and +coolly awaited the newcomers, muttering to himself—</p> + +<p>"They have escaped, one chance is left me."</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE ARREST.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Almost at the same moment ten or twelve men burst into the room rather +than entered it, the noise that continued outside let it be guessed +that a great number of others was standing on the stairs and in the +passages, ready, were it required, to come to the assistance of the +others.</p> + +<p>All these men were armed, and it was easy to recognise them at once as +guards of the King, or rather of His Eminence the Cardinal.</p> + +<p>Only two of them, with crafty looks and squinting eyes, dressed in +black like ushers, had no visible weapons; these, in all probability +were more to be feared than the others, for beneath their feline +obsequiousness they doubtless concealed an implacable will to do evil.</p> + +<p>One of these two men held some papers in his right hand, he advanced +two or three paces, cast a suspicious glance around him, and then took +off his cap with a courteous bow.</p> + +<p>"In the King's name! gentleman," he said in a quick sharp voice.</p> + +<p>"What do you want?" the Count de Barmont asked, advancing resolutely +towards him.</p> + +<p>At this movement, which he took for a hostile demonstration, the man +in black recoiled with an ill-disguised start of terror, but feeling +himself backed up by his acolytes, he at once resumed his coolness, and +answered with a smile of evil augury—</p> + +<p>"Ah! Ah! The Count Ludovic de Barmont, I believe," he remarked with an +ironical bow.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," the gentleman replied haughtily, "I am the Count de +Barmont."</p> + +<p>"Captain in the navy," the man in black imperturbably added, "at +present, commanding His Majesty's, frigate The Erigone."</p> + +<p>"As I told you, sir, I am the person you are in search of," the Count +added.</p> + +<p>"It is really with you that I have to deal, my lord," he replied, as he +drew himself up. "S'death, my good gentleman, you are not easy to catch +up; I have been running after you for a week, and was almost despairing +about having the honour of a meeting."</p> + +<p>All this was said with an obsequious air, a honeyed voice, and with a +sweet smile, sufficient to exasperate a saint, and much more the person +whom the strange man was addressing, and who was endowed with anything +but a placable character.</p> + +<p>"By Heaven!" he exclaimed, stamping his foot passionately; "Are we to +have much more of this?"</p> + +<p>"Patience, my good sir," he replied in the same placid tone; "patience, +good Heaven, how quick you are!" then after taking a glance at the +papers he held in his hand, "Since by your own confession you allow +yourself to be really Count Ludovic de Barmont, captain commanding His +Majesty's frigate Erigone, by virtue of the orders I bear, I arrest +you in the King's name, for the crime of desertion; for having without +authorization abandoned your vessel in a foreign country, that is to +say, at the Port of Lisbon, in Portugal." Then raising his head and +fixing his squinting eyes on the gentleman, he added, "Surrender your +sword to me, my lord."</p> + +<p>M. de Barmont shrugged his shoulders disdainfully.</p> + +<p>"The sword of a gentleman of my race shall never be placed in the hands +of a scoundrel of your stamp," he said, with contempt; and drawing +his sword, he coldly broke the blade across his knee, and threw the +fragments through the window panes, which they broke.</p> + +<p>Then he drew his pistols from his belt and cocked them.</p> + +<p>"Sir, sir!" the myrmidon exclaimed, recoiling in terror, "This is +rebellion, remember, rebellion against the express orders of His +Majesty and His Eminence the Cardinal Minister."</p> + +<p>The Count smiled disdainfully, and raising his pistols in the air, +fired them, the bullets being buried in the ceiling; then clasping them +by the barrel he threw them also out of the window; after which he +crossed his hands on his chest, and said coolly—</p> + +<p>"Now do with me what you please."</p> + +<p>"Have you surrendered, my lord?" the fellow asked with ill-disguised +alarm.</p> + +<p>"Yes, from this moment I am your prisoner."</p> + +<p>The man in black breathed again; although he was unarmed, the haughty +gentleman still made him feel uncomfortable.</p> + +<p>"Still," the latter added, "allow me to say a couple of words to this +lady;" and he pointed to Doña Clara, who, waited upon by Dame Tiphaine, +who had hurried in at the disturbance in spite of her husband's +entreaties and orders, was beginning to regain her senses.</p> + +<p>"No, not a word, not a syllable," the Duke exclaimed, as he threw +himself between his daughter and the Count; "remove the villain, remove +him."</p> + +<p>But the bailiff, pleased with the facility the Count had displayed in +surrendering to him, and not wishing to excite his anger, pleased above +all at being able to show his authority without incurring resistance, +bravely interposed.</p> + +<p>"Pray, sir, allow the gentleman to speak to the lady," he said, "and to +unburden his heart."</p> + +<p>"But this man is an assassin," the Duke shouted violently, "before us +is still lying the corpse of my unhappy son, killed by him."</p> + +<p>"I pity you, sir," the myrmidon said without being at all affected; "I +cannot offer any remedy for that; and you must make application in the +proper quarter. Still, if it can be of any comfort to you, be convinced +that I shall make a careful note of the accusation you bring, and will +recall it to mind at the right time and place. But you must be equally +eager to get rid of us, as we are to get away from here: hence allow +this gentleman to bid farewell to the lady quietly, and I am convinced +it will not take long."</p> + +<p>The Duke darted a ferocious glance at the bailiff; but, not wishing to +compromise himself with such a fellow, he did not answer, and fell back +with a gloomy air.</p> + +<p>The Count had watched this altercation without displaying either +impatience or anger; with pale forehead and frowning brow, he waited, +doubtless ready to break into some terrible extremity if his request +were not granted.</p> + +<p>The bailiff only required to take one look at him to guess what was +passing in his heart; and, not feeling at all anxious for a fresh +contest to begin, he had prudently manoeuvred to avoid it.</p> + +<p>"Come," he said, "speak, my worthy gentleman, no one will oppose it."</p> + +<p>"Thanks," the Count answered hoarsely and approached Doña Clara, who +watched him advance with an ardent gaze fixed on him.</p> + +<p>"Clara," he said to her in a firm and deeply marked voice, "do you love +me?"</p> + +<p>She hesitated for a moment and bowed her head while heaving a profound +sigh.</p> + +<p>"Do you love me?" he repeated.</p> + +<p>"I do love you, Ludovic," she replied in a faint and trembling voice.</p> + +<p>"Do you love me, as your husband before God and man, as the father of +your child?"</p> + +<p>The young lady rose, her black eyes flashed fire, and stretching out +her hands before her, she said in a voice choked by emotion—</p> + +<p>"In the presence of my father, who is ready to curse me, before the +body of my dead brother and in the face of the men who are listening to +me, I swear, Ludovic, that I love you as the father of my child, and +that I shall remain faithful to you, whatever may happen."</p> + +<p>"Very good, Clara," he answered, "God has received your oath and will +help you to keep it; remember that, whether dead or alive, you belong +to me as I belong to you, and that no person on earth shall break the +ties that unite us. Now farewell, and keep your courage."</p> + +<p>"Farewell!" she muttered, as she fell back in her chair and buried her +face in her hands.</p> + +<p>"Let us go, gentlemen! Do with me what you please," the Count said as +he turned to the exempt and the guards, who were involuntarily affected +by this scene.</p> + +<p>The Duke bounded with a tiger leap on his daughter, and seizing +her right arm with a frenzied gesture, he forced her to raise her +tear-swollen face to his, and fixing on her a glance loaded with all +the rage that swelled his heart, he said in a voice which fury rendered +sibilant—</p> + +<p>"Daughter, prepare to marry within two days, the man I destine for you. +As for your child, you will never see it again; it no longer exists for +you."</p> + +<p>The young lady uttered a cry of despair and fell back deprived of her +senses in the arms of Dame Tiphaine.</p> + +<p>The Count, who at this moment was leaving the room, stopped short and +turned round to the Duke with his arm stretched out toward him:</p> + +<p>"Hangman," he shouted in a hoarse voice which chilled his auditors +with horror, "I curse you, I swear on my honor as a gentlemen to take +on you and yours so terrible a vengeance, that the memory of it shall +remain eternal; and if I cannot reach you, you and the whole nation +to which you belong shall be buried beneath the implacable weight of +my hatred. Between us henceforth there is a war of savages and wild +beasts, without truce or mercy; farewell."</p> + +<p>And leaving the proud Spaniard horrified by this fearful anathema, the +gentleman quitted the room with a firm step, and taking a last loving +glance at the woman he adored, from whom he was perhaps eternally +separated.</p> + +<p>The passages, stairs, and inn garden were filled with armed men; it was +evidently a miracle that the two sailors had succeeded in escaping and +getting away safe and sound; this gave the Count, hope and he went down +the stairs with an assured step, carefully watched by his escort who +did not let him out of sight.</p> + +<p>The guards had been long before warned that they would have to do +with a naval officer possessing an inordinate violence of character, +prodigious vigour and indomitable courage; hence the resignation of the +prisoner, which they believed to be assumed, only inspired them with +very slight confidence, and they were continually on the defensive.</p> + +<p>When they came out into the garden the chief of the exempts noticed the +coach, which was still standing at the door.</p> + +<p>"Why," he said with a grin and rubbing his hands, "here's the very +thing we want. In our hurry to get here, we forgot to provide ourselves +with a coach; be good enough to get in, my lord," he said as he opened +the door.</p> + +<p>The Count got in without any further hesitation; and the exempts then +addressed the driver who was sitting motionless on his box.</p> + +<p>"Come down, scamp," he said in a tone of authority; "I require the use +of this coach for an affair of state. Give up your place to one of my +men. Wideawake," he added, turning to a tall impudent looking fellow +standing by his side, "get up on the box in that man's place—let us be +off."</p> + +<p>The driver did not attempt to resist this peremptory order; he +descended and his place was immediately taken by Wideawake; the exempt +then entered the carriage, seated himself facing his prisoner, closed +the door, and the steeds, aroused by a vigorous, lash, dashed forward +dragging after them the heavy vehicle round which the twenty odd +soldiers were collected.</p> + +<p>For a considerable period the coach rolled along without a word being +exchanged between the prisoner and his guard.</p> + +<p>The Count was thinking, the exempt sleeping, or, to speak more +correctly, pretending to sleep.</p> + +<p>In the month of March the nights are beginning to shorten; daylight +soon appeared, and broad white stripes were beginning to cross the sky.</p> + +<p>The Count, who up to this moment had remained motionless, gave a slight +start.</p> + +<p>"Are you suffering, my lord?" the exempt inquired. This question was +addressed to him with an intonation so different from that hitherto +employed by the man who had made him prisoner; there was in the sound +of his voice an accent so really gentle and sympathizing, that the +Count involuntarily started, and took a fixed look at his singular +companion: but so far as he could see by the faint light of coming +dawn, the man in front of him still had the same crafty face and the +same ironical smile stereotyped on his lips. The Count found himself +in error, and throwing himself back, merely uttered one word, "No," in +a tone intended to break off any attempt at conversation between his +guardian and himself.</p> + +<p>But the former was probably in a humour for talking, for he would +not be checked; and pretending not to remark the manner in which his +advances had been received, he continued—</p> + +<p>"The nights are still chill, the breeze enters this coach on all sides, +and I feared lest the cold had struck you."</p> + +<p>"I am habituated to suffer heat and cold," the Count answered; +"besides, it is probable that if I have not yet made my apprenticeship, +I am about to undergo one which will accustom me to endure everything +without complaining."</p> + +<p>"Who knows, my lord?" the exempt said, with a shake of the head.</p> + +<p>"What?" the other objected, "Am I not condemned to a lengthened +captivity in a fortress?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, according to the terms of the order, which it is my duty to carry +out."</p> + +<p>There was a momentary silence. The Count gazed absently at the country +which the first beams of day were beginning to illumine. At length he +turned to the exempt.</p> + +<p>"May I ask whither you are taking me?" he said.</p> + +<p>"I see no objection to your doing so."</p> + +<p>"And you will answer my question?"</p> + +<p>"Why not? There is nothing to prevent it."</p> + +<p>"Then we are going?"</p> + +<p>"To the isles of St. Marguerite, my lord."</p> + +<p>The Count trembled inwardly. The islands of Lerins, or Sainte +Marguerite, enjoyed at that time, even, a reputation almost as terrible +as the one they acquired at a later date, when they served as a prison +to the mysterious iron mask, whom it was forbidden to take even a +glance at under penalty of death.</p> + +<p>The exempt looked at him fixedly without speaking.</p> + +<p>It was the Count who again resumed the conversation.</p> + +<p>"Where are we now?" he asked.</p> + +<p>The exempt bent out of the window, and then resumed his seat.</p> + +<p>"We are just arriving at Corbeil, where we shall change horses."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said the Count.</p> + +<p>"If you wish to rest, I can give orders for an hour's stay. Perhaps you +feel a want of some refreshment?"</p> + +<p>This singular man was gradually acquiring in the Count's eyes all the +interest of an enigma.</p> + +<p>"Very good," he said.</p> + +<p>Without replying the exempt let down the window.</p> + +<p>"Wideawake!" he shouted.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter?" the latter asked.</p> + +<p>"Pull up at the Golden Lion."</p> + +<p>"All right."</p> + +<p>Ten minutes later the coach halted in the Rue St. Spire, in front of a +door over which creaked a sign representing an enormous gilt cat, with +one of its paws on a ball. They had arrived.</p> + +<p>The exempt got out, followed by the Count, and both entered the inn: +one portion of the escort remained in the saddle in the street, while +the others dismounted and installed themselves in the common room.</p> + +<p>The Count had mechanically followed the exempt, and on reaching the +room, seated himself in a chair by the fire, in a first floor decently +furnished room. He was too busy with his own thoughts to attach any +great attention to what was going on around him.</p> + +<p>When the landlord had left them alone, the exempt bolted the door +inside, and then placed himself in front of his prisoner.</p> + +<p>"Now," he said, "let us speak frankly, my lord."</p> + +<p>The latter, astonished at this sudden address, quickly raised his head.</p> + +<p>"We have no time to lose in coming to an understanding, sir; so please +to listen without interrupting me," the exempt continued. "I am +François Bouillot, the younger brother of your foster father. Do you +recognise me?"</p> + +<p>"No," the Count replied, after examining him attentively for a moment.</p> + +<p>"That does not surprise me, for you were only eight years old the last +time I had the honor of seeing you at Barmont Castle: but that is of no +consequence; I am devoted to you, and wish to save you."</p> + +<p>"What assures me that you are really François Bouillot, the brother of +my foster father, and that you are not attempting to deceive me?" the +Count answered, in a suspicious accent.</p> + +<p>The exempt felt in his pocket, pulled out several papers, which he +unfolded, and presented them open to the Count.</p> + +<p>The latter looked at them mechanically: they consisted of a baptismal +certificate, a commission, and several letters proving his identity. +The Count handed him the letters back.</p> + +<p>"How is it that you should have been the man to arrest me, and arrived +so opportunely to aid me?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"In a very simple way, my lord: your order of arrest was obtained from +the Cardinal Minister by the Dutch Embassy. I was present when M. de +Laffemas, a familiar of his Eminence, who is kind to me, left the +Palais Cardinal order in hand: I was there, and he chose me. Still, as +I was able to decline, I should have done so, had I not seen your name +on the paper, and remembered the kindness your family had shown to me +and my brother. Taking advantage of the opportunity my profession of +exempt offered me, I resolved to repay you what your friends have done +for mine, by attempting to save you."</p> + +<p>"That does not seem to me very easy, my poor friend."</p> + +<p>"More so than you may fancy, my lord: I will leave here one-half our +escort, and then only ten will remain with us."</p> + +<p>"Hum! That is a very decent number," the Count replied, involuntarily +interested.</p> + +<p>"They would be too many if there were not among the ten men seven of +whom I am certain, which reduces the number of those we have to fear +to three. I have been running after you for a long time, my lord," he +added, with a laugh, "and all my precautions are taken: through some +excuse, easy to be found, we will pass through Toulon, and on arriving +there, we will stop for an hour or two at a hostelry I know. You will +disguise yourself as a mendicant monk, and leave the inn unnoticed. I +will take care to get rid of the guards I am not certain of. You will +proceed to the port furnished with papers I will hand you; you will go +on board a charming chasse-marée, called the <i>Seamew</i>, which I have +freighted on your account, and which is waiting for you. The master +will recognise you by a password I will tell you, and you will be at +liberty to go whither-soever you please. Is not this plan extremely +simple, my lord?" he asked, rubbing his hands joyously, "And have I not +foreseen everything?"</p> + +<p>"No, my friend," the Count answered with emotion, as he offered him his +hand; "there is one more thing you have not foreseen."</p> + +<p>"What is that, my lord?" he asked, in surprise.</p> + +<p>"That I do not wish to fly," the young man answered, with a melancholy +shake of the head.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE ISLE OF SAINTE MARGUERITE.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>At this answer, which he was so far from anticipating, the exempt gave +a start of surprise, and looked at the Count as if he had not exactly +understood him.</p> + +<p>The gentleman smiled gently.</p> + +<p>"That surprises you, does it not?" he said.</p> + +<p>"I confess it, my lord," the other stammered, with embarrassment.</p> + +<p>The Count went on:</p> + +<p>"Yes," he said, "I can understand your surprise at my refusal to accept +your generous proposition. It is not often you find a prisoner to whom +liberty is offered, and who insists on remaining a captive. I owe you +an explanation of this extraordinary conduct; this explanation I will +give you at once, so that you may no longer press me, but leave me to +act as I think proper."</p> + +<p>"I am only the most humble, of your servants, my lord Count. You +doubtless know better than I what your conduct should be under the +circumstances, you have therefore no occasion to explain it to me."</p> + +<p>"It is precisely because you are an old servant of my family, François +Bouillot, and because you are giving me at this moment a proof of +unbounded devotion, that I believe myself obliged to tell you the +motives for this refusal, which has so many reasons to surprise you. +Listen to me, then."</p> + +<p>"As you insist, my lord, I obey you."</p> + +<p>"Very good, take a chair, and place yourself here by my side, as it is +unnecessary for others beside yourself to hear what I am going to say."</p> + +<p>The exempt took a stool and seated himself by his master's side, +exactly as the latter had ordered, while still keeping up a respectful +distance between himself and the gentleman.</p> + +<p>"In the first place," the Count resumed, "be thoroughly convinced that +if I refuse your offer, it is not through any motive of a personal +nature as regards yourself. I have full confidence in you, for nearly +200 years your family has been attached to mine, and we have ever had +reason to praise their devotion to our interest. This important point +being settled, I will go on. I will suppose for a moment that the +plan you have formed is successful, a plan which I will not discuss, +although it appears to me very difficult to execute, and the slightest +accident might, at the last moment, compromise its issue. What will +happen? Forced to fly without resources, without friends, I should not +only be unable to take the revenge I meditate upon my enemies, but +surrendered, so to speak, to their mercy, I should speedily fall into +their hands again, and thus become the laughing stock of those whom I +hate. I should be dishonoured; they will despise me, and I shall have +but one way of escape from a life henceforth rendered useless, as all +my plans would be overthrown, and that is blowing out my brains."</p> + +<p>"Oh! my lord!" Bouillot exclaimed, clasping his hands.</p> + +<p>"I do not wish to fall," the Count continued imperturbably, "in the +terrible struggle which has this day begun between my enemies and +myself. I have taken an oath, and that oath I will keep, regardless +of the consequences. I am young, hardly twenty-five years of age; up +to the present, life has only been one long joy for me, and I have +succeeded in everything, plans of ambition, fortune and love. Today +misfortune has come to lay its hand on me, and it is welcome; for the +man who has not suffered is not a perfect man; grief purifies the mind +and tempers the heart. Solitude is a good councillor; it makes a man +comprehend the nothingness of small things, expands the ideas, and +prepares grand conceptions. I require to steel myself through sorrow, +in order to be able one day to repay my enemies a hundredfold all +that I have suffered at their hands. It is by thinking over my broken +career and my ruined future, that I shall find the necessary strength +to accomplish my vengeance. When my heart is dead to every other +feeling but that of the hatred which will entirely occupy it, I shall +be able pitilessly to trample underfoot all those who today laugh at +me and believe they have crushed me, because they have hurled me down; +and then I shall be really a man, and woe to those who try to measure +their strength with mine. You tremble at what I am saying to you at +this moment, my old servant," he added more gently, "what would it be +were you able to read in my heart all the hatred, auger, and rage it +contains against those who have mercilessly ground me beneath their +heel, and who have eternally deprived me of happiness, in order to +satisfy the paltry calculations of a narrow and criminal ambition?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, my lord Count! Permit an old servant of your family, a man who is +entirely devoted to you, to implore you to resign these fearful schemes +of vengeance. Alas! You will be the first victim of your hatred."</p> + +<p>"Have you forgotten, Bouillot," the Count replied ironically, "what is +said in our country, about the members of the family to which I have +the honor of belonging?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, my lord," he said with a melancholy shake of the head; "I +remember it, and will repeat it if you wish."</p> + +<p>"Do so."</p> + +<p>"Well, my lord, the distich is as follows—"</p> + +<p>"'The Counts of Barmont Senectaire, Demon-hate and heart of stone.'"</p> + +<p>The Count smiled.</p> + +<p>"Well do you fancy that I have degenerated from my ancestors?"</p> + +<p>"I suppose nothing, sir, Heaven forbid!" he answered humbly, "I only +see with terror that you are preparing a hideous future for yourself."</p> + +<p>"Be it so! I accept it in all its rigor, if God will permit me to +accomplish my oath."</p> + +<p>"Alas! My lord, you know that man proposes; you are at this moment a +prisoner of the Cardinal; reflect, I implore you, who knows whether +you will ever leave the prison to which I am conducting you? Consent to +be free."</p> + +<p>"No; cease your entreaties! The Cardinal is not immortal. If not +before, my liberty will be restored me on his death, which cannot +be long deferred, I hope. And now carefully bear this in mind, my +resolution is so fixed, that if in spite of my orders you abandon me +here, at the inn where we now are, the first use I should make of the +liberty you have given me back, would be to go at once and surrender +myself into the hands of his Eminence; you understand me thoroughly, I +suppose?"</p> + +<p>The old servant bowed his head without answering, and two tears slowly +ran down his cheeks.</p> + +<p>This dumb grief, so true and so touching, affected the Count more than +he would have supposed; he rose, took the poor fellow's hand and shook +it several times.</p> + +<p>"Let us say no more about this, Bouillot," he remarked to him +affectionately, "although I will not profit by it, your devotion has +deeply affected me, and I will ever feel eternally grateful to you for +it. Come, my old friend, let us not grow foolish; we are men and not +childish poltroons, confound it."</p> + +<p>"Well, no matter, my lord, I do not consider myself beaten," the exempt +replied, as he threw himself into the arms open to receive him; "you +cannot prevent me from watching over you, whether near or afar."</p> + +<p>"That I do not oppose, my friend," the Count replied with a laugh; "do +as you please; besides," he added seriously, "I confess that I shall +not be sorry when I am sequestered from the world to know what is going +on, and to be kept informed, of passing events; some unforeseen fact +might occur which would modify my intentions and make me desire the +recovery of my liberty."</p> + +<p>"Oh, be sure of that, my lord," he exclaimed, pleased at this quasi +victory and conditional promise, "I will arrange so that you shall not +be at a loss for news; I have not served his Eminence for six years +for nothing; the Cardinal is a good master, I have profited by his +teaching, and know several tricks; you shall see me at work."</p> + +<p>"Well, that is agreed, and we understand each other now. I think it +would be wise to breakfast before continuing our journey, for I feel an +appetite that greatly requires appeasing."</p> + +<p>"I will give the landlord orders to serve you at once, my lord."</p> + +<p>"You will breakfast with me, Bouillot," he said as he gave him a +friendly tap on the shoulder; "and I hope it will be always so, until +our arrival at the Isle of St. Marguerite."</p> + +<p>"It is certainly a great honour for me, sir, but—"</p> + +<p>"I expect it; besides are you not almost a member of my family?"</p> + +<p>François Bouillot bowed and left the room; after ordering a copious +breakfast, he commanded one part of the escort back to Paris; then +he returned to the room, followed by the landlord, who, in a second, +covered the table with all that was wanted to make a good meal, and +withdrew discreetly, leaving his guests to attack the dishes placed +before them.</p> + +<p>The journey was continued without any incident worthy of note.</p> + +<p>The prisoner's conversation with his keeper had been decisive; the +latter was too well acquainted with the character of the man with whom +he had to deal to attempt to revert to a subject which had been so +distinctly disposed of on the first occasion.</p> + +<p>At the period when our history takes place, France was not as now +intersected by magnificent roads, and the shortest journey demanded +an enormous expenditure of time; the coaches, heavy vehicles badly +built and worse horsed, had great difficulty in resisting the numerous +joltings and the ruts in which they were for the greater portion of +the time buried up to the axletree, and hence, in spite of the speed +employed, seventeen days elapsed ere the prisoner and his escort +arrived at Toulon.</p> + +<p>This town was even at that early period one of the principal military +ports of France, and the Count felt an indescribable pang at heart when +he entered it.</p> + +<p>It was in this town that his naval career had begun, here for the first +time he had set foot aboard a vessel with the rank of midshipman, and +had undergone the preparatory trials of that rude naval profession, in +which, in spite of his youth, he soon attained a great reputation and +almost celebrity.</p> + +<p>The coach stopped in the Haymarket, in front of the "Cross of Malta," +probably the oldest inn in France, for it is still in existence, +although it has undergone many indispensable changes both internally +and externally.</p> + +<p>So soon as he had installed his prisoner comfortably in the Inn, +François Bouillot went out.</p> + +<p>If he placed a sentry before the Count's door, it was rather in +obedience to his duty, than through any fear of escape, for he had not +even taken the trouble to lock the door, so convinced was he beforehand +that unfortunately his prisoner would not attempt to pass out of it.</p> + +<p>He remained away for about two hours.</p> + +<p>"You have been absent a long time," the Count remarked on his return.</p> + +<p>"I had some important business to settle," he replied.</p> + +<p>The Count, without adding a word, resumed his walk up and down the room +which Bouillot's return had interrupted.</p> + +<p>There was a momentary silence, Bouillot was evidently embarrassed, +he went about the room, pretending to arrange sundry articles of +furniture, and disarranging everything; at last seeing that the Count +obstinately remained silent and would not perceive that he was in the +room, he placed himself in front of him so as to bar his passage, and +looked at him intently as he whispered with a stress on the words.</p> + +<p>"You do not ask where I have been."</p> + +<p>"What is the use?" the Count replied carelessly; "About your own +business, of course."</p> + +<p>"No, my lord, about yours."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" he said.</p> + +<p>"Yes, the <i>Seamew</i> awaits you."</p> + +<p>The Count smiled and slightly shrugged his shoulders.</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah, you are still thinking of that; I believed, my dear Bouillot, +that it was arranged between us that we should not return to this +subject. That was the reason, then, that you lengthened our journey, by +making us pass through Toulon, at which I felt surprised. I could not +account for the strange itinerary you were following."</p> + +<p>"My lord," he muttered, clasping his hands imploringly.</p> + +<p>"Come, you are mad, my dear Bouillot, you ought to know by this time, +though, that when I have formed a resolution, good or bad, I never +alter it; so no more of this, I beg, it would be quite useless. I +pledge you my word as a gentleman."</p> + +<p>The old servant uttered a groan that resembled a death rattle.</p> + +<p>"Your will be done, my lord," he stammered. "When do we start for +Antibes?"</p> + +<p>"At once, if you wish it."</p> + +<p>"Very good, the sooner the better."</p> + +<p>After bowing, the exempt left the room to make all preparations for +departure.</p> + +<p>As we see, the parts were completely introverted, it was the prisoner +who gave orders to his keeper.</p> + +<p>One hour later, in fact, the Count quitted Toulon. All along the road +the two men, constantly companions, and eating and drinking together, +conversed about indifferent matters. Bouillot had at last recognized +the fact that it was useless to make any further effort to induce the +Count to escape; still he had not given up his scheme, but merely +deferred it till a more distant period, reckoning as an ally the +annoyance of a prolonged detention, and an inactive and useless life +upon an organization so impetuous as that of the prisoner.</p> + +<p>So soon as he arrived at Antibes, by the express command of the Count, +who seemed to take a certain pleasure in tormenting him, he set out in +search of some boat to carry them across to Sainte Marguerite.</p> + +<p>His search was neither long nor difficult; as bearer of a Cardinal's +order, he laid an embargo on the first fishing boat he came across, +and embarked aboard it with all his people.</p> + +<p>On leaving the mainland, the Count turned, and a smile of peculiar +meaning played round his lips.</p> + +<p>Bouillot, deceived by this smile, whose secret intention he did not +penetrate, bent down to the Count's ear.</p> + +<p>"If you like, there is still time," he whispered.</p> + +<p>The Count looked at him, shrugged his shoulders, and without replying, +sat down in the stern of the boat.</p> + +<p>"Push off," Bouillot then shouted to the master.</p> + +<p>The latter seized his boathook, and they were soon under weigh.</p> + +<p>The Lerins islands form a group composed of several rocks, and +two islands surrounded by shoals; the first known as Isle Sainte +Marguerite, the second as Saint Honorat.</p> + +<p>At the period of our narration only the first was fortified; the other, +inhabited by a few fishermen, merely contained the still considerable +ruins of the monastery founded by Saint Honorat circa the year 400.</p> + +<p>The Sainte Marguerite island was uninhabited, flat, and only offering +along its entire coast, one very unsafe creek for vessels. Although +it is extremely fertile, and pomegranates, orange and fig trees, grow +there in the open air, no one had thought of taking up his abode there, +and we are not aware whether a change has since taken place.</p> + +<p>A very important fortress, which, at a later date, attained a +melancholy reputation as a state prison, was erected on the island, the +greater portion of which it occupied.</p> + +<p>This fort was composed of three towers, connected together by terraces, +which time had covered with a yellowish moss, while a wide deep moat +surrounded the walls.</p> + +<p>A few years prior to the beginning of our story, in 1635, the Spaniards +had seized it by surprise.</p> + +<p>The Cardinal, in order to prevent the repetition of such a calamity, +had judged it advisable to protect the fort from a <i>coup de main</i>, by +placing there a garrison of fifty picked soldiers, commanded by a major +performing the duties of governor. He was an old officer of fortune, +whom this post served as a retreat, and who, far from the cares of the +world, led a perfect canonical life, thanks to a tacit understanding +with the smugglers, who alone cast anchor in these parts.</p> + +<p>The officer who commanded the fort at this moment was an old gentleman, +tall, thin, and wizened, with harsh features, who had had a leg and +arm cut off. His name was Monsieur de l'Oursière; he was constantly +scolding and abusing his subordinates, and the day when he left the +Crown regiment, in which he held the rank of major, was kept as a +holiday by the whole regiment, officers and men; so cordially was the +worthy man detested.</p> + +<p>Cardinal de Richelieu was a good judge of men; in selecting Major de +l'Oursière to make him governor of Sainte Marguerite, and metamorphose +him into a gaoler, he had found the exact post which suited his +quarrelsome temper, and his cruel instincts.</p> + +<p>It was on this amiable personage that the Count de Barmont would +have to be dependant for doubtless a considerable period; for, if +the Cardinal Minister easily shut the gate of a state prison on a +gentleman, to make up for it, he was never in a hurry to open it again, +and a prisoner, unless something extraordinary occurred, was almost +safe to die forgotten in his dungeon, except when his Eminence had a +whim to have his head cut off in broad daylight.</p> + +<p>After a number of countersigns had been exchanged with a profuseness +of caution which bore witness to the good guard and strict discipline +maintained by the governor, the prisoner and his escort were at length +introduced into the fortress, and admitted to the Major's presence.</p> + +<p>The Major was just finishing his breakfast, when a Cardinal's messenger +was announced to him: he buttoned his uniform, put on his sword and +hat, and ordered the messenger to be shown in.</p> + +<p>François Bouillot entered, followed by the Count, bowed, and presented +the order of which he was the bearer.</p> + +<p>The governor took it, and read it through; then he turned to the Count, +who was standing motionless a few paces in the rear, made him a slight +bow, and addressed him in a dry voice, and with a rough accent.</p> + +<p>"Your servant, sir," he said to him: "are you the Count de Barmont, +whose name is written on this paper?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," the Count answered, bowing in his turn.</p> + +<p>"I am sorry, sir, truly sorry," the Major resumed; "but I have strict +orders with reference to you, and a soldier only knows his duty; still, +believe me, sir, hum, hum, that I shall try to reconcile my natural +humanity with the rigour that is recommended to me, hum, hum, I know +how gentlemen ought to behave to each other, sir; be assured of that."</p> + +<p>And the governor, doubtless satisfied at the speech he had just +uttered, smiled, and drew himself gracefully up.</p> + +<p>The Count bowed, but made no answer.</p> + +<p>"You shall be conducted to your apartment at once, sir," the Major went +on; "hum, hum! I wish it was handsomer, but I did not expect you; hum, +hum, and you know how things are—hum, hum, we will manage to lodge +you more comfortably hereafter; la Berloque," he added, turning to a +soldier standing near the door, "conduct this gentleman, hum, hum, to +room No. 8, in the second turret; hum, hum, I believe it is the most +habitable one; your servant, sir, your servant, hum, hum!"</p> + +<p>And after having thus unceremoniously dismissed the Count, the Major +went into another room.</p> + +<p>M. de Barmont, accompanied by Bouillot and the guards, who had brought +him, followed the soldier.</p> + +<p>The latter led them through several passages, and up various stairs, +and then stopped before a door, garnished with formidable bolts.</p> + +<p>"It is here," he said.</p> + +<p>The Count then turned to Bouillot, and affectionately offered him his +hand.</p> + +<p>"Farewell, my old friend," he said to him in a gentle but firm voice, +while a vague smile played round his lips.</p> + +<p>"Farewell, till we meet again," Bouillot said, with a stress on the +words. Then he took leave of him, and withdrew, with his eyes full of +tears.</p> + +<p>The door closed with a mournful sound on the prisoner.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" the old servant muttered, as he pensively went down the turret +stairs, "Woe to those who venture to oppose the Count, if ever he +leaves his prison again! And he shall do so, I swear it, even if I must +risk my life in securing his escape."</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a></h4> + +<h3>A BACKWARD GLANCE.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>The family of the Count de Barmont Senectaire was one of the most +ancient and noble in Languedoc; their origin went back to an antiquity +so remote, that we may declare without fear of contradiction that it +was lost in the mist of ages.</p> + +<p>A Barmont Senectaire fought at Bouvines by the side of Philip Augustus.</p> + +<p>The chronicle of Joinville mentions a Barmont Senectaire, knight +banneret, who died of the plague at Tunis, in 1270, during the second +crusade of King Louis IX.</p> + +<p>Francis I. on the evening of the battle of Marignano, gave the rank of +Count on the battlefield itself to Euguerrand de Barmont Senectaire, +captain of one hundred men at arms, to reward him for his grand conduct +and the sturdy blows he had seen him deal during the whole period of +that combat of giants.</p> + +<p>Few noble families have such splendid title deeds among their archives.</p> + +<p>The Counts de Barmont were always military nobles, and they gave France +several celebrated generals.</p> + +<p>But in the course of time, the power and fortune of this family +gradually diminished: during the reign of Henri III. it was reduced to +a condition bordering on poverty. Still, justly proud of a stainless +past, they continued to carry their heads high in the province, and if +the Count de Barmont endured hard privations in order to support his +name worthily, nothing of this was visible externally, and everybody +was ignorant of the fact.</p> + +<p>The Count had attached himself to the fortunes of the King of Navarre +as much through the hope of regaining a position through the war, +as through admiration of this prince, whose genius he had probably +divined. A brave soldier, but young, impetuous, and handsome, the +Count had several affairs of gallantry. One among others with a lady +of the Town of Cahors, affianced to a very rich Spanish noble, whom he +succeeded in carrying off on the very day before that appointed for the +marriage. The Spaniard, who was very strict in matters affecting his +honour, considered this joke in bad taste, and demanded satisfaction +of the Count; the latter gave him two sword thrusts, and left him +dead on the ground. This affair attracted great attention, and gained +the Count much honor among people of refinement; but the Spaniard, +contrary to expectation, recovered from his wounds. The two gentlemen +fought again, and this time the Count so ill treated his adversary +that the latter was constrained to give up all thoughts of a new +meeting. This adventure disgusted the Count with gallantry, not that he +personally feared the results of the hatred which the Duke of Peñaflor +had sworn against him, for he never heard of him again, but because +his conscience reproached him with having, for the satisfaction of a +caprice which passed away so soon as it was satisfied, destroyed the +happiness of an honourable man, and he felt remorse for his conduct in +the affair.</p> + +<p>After bravely fighting by the side of the King during all his wars, +the Count finally retired to his estates, about the year 1610, after +the death of that Prince, disgusted with the Court, and feeling the +necessity of repose after such an amount of fatigue.</p> + +<p>Here, four or five years later, wearied with the solitude in which +he lived, and, perhaps, in the hope of expelling from his mind a +troublesome recollection, which, in spite of the time that had elapsed, +did not cease to torture him, the Count resolved to marry, and selected +for his wife a young lady belonging to one of the best families in +the province—charming and gentle, but as poor as himself; this +circumstance was far from bringing ease into the family, whose position +daily became more difficult.</p> + +<p>The union, however, was a happy one; in 1616 the Countess was delivered +of a son, who at once became the joy of the poor household.</p> + +<p>This son was Count Ludovic, whose story we have undertaken to tell.</p> + +<p>In spite of his fondness for the boy, the Count, however, brought him +up strictly, wishing to make of him a rude, brave, and loyal gentleman, +like himself.</p> + +<p>Young Ludovic felt at an early hour, on discovering what misery was +concealed behind the apparent splendour of his family, the necessity +of creating for himself an independent position, which would allow him +not only to be no longer a burden to parents whom he loved, and who +sacrificed to him the greater portion of their income, but to restore +also the eclipsed lustre of the name he bore.</p> + +<p>Contrary to the custom followed by his ancestors, who had all served +the king or his armies, his tastes led him to the navy.</p> + +<p>Owing to the assiduous care of an old and worthy priest, who had +become his tutor through attachment to his family, he had received a +solid education, by which he had profited; accounts of voyages, which +constituted his principal reading, inflamed his imagination; all his +thoughts were turned to America, where, according to the statements of +sailors, gold abounded, and he had but one desire—to land himself +in this mysterious country, and take his part of the rich crop which +everybody garnered there.</p> + +<p>His father, and his mother even more, for a long time resisted his +entreaties. The old man, who had fought during so many years, could not +understand why his son should not do the same, or prefer the navy to a +commission in the army. The Countess, in her heart, did not wish to see +her son either soldier or sailor, for both professions terrified her; +she feared for her son the unknown perils of distant excursions, and +her tenderness was alarmed by the thought of what might be an eternal +separation.</p> + +<p>Still, something must be done, and as the young man obstinately adhered +to his resolution, his parents were compelled to yield and consent to +what he desired, whatever might be the future consequences of this +determination.</p> + +<p>The Count still had some old friends at Court, among them being the +Duke de Bellegarde, who stood on terms of great intimacy with King +Louis XIII., surnamed the "<i>Just</i>" during his lifetime, because he was +born under the sign of Libra.</p> + +<p>Monsieur de Barmont had also been connected at an earlier date with +the Duke d'Epernon, created Admiral of France in 1587; but he had a +repugnance in applying to him, owing to the rumours that were spread +at the time of the assassination of Henri IV. Still, in a case so +urgent as the present one, the Count comprehended that for the sake of +his son he must silence his private feelings, and at the same time as +he addressed a letter to the Duke de Bellegarde, he sent another to +Epernon, who at this period was Governor of Guyenne.</p> + +<p>The double answer the Count expected was not long deferred; M. de +Barmont's two old friends had not forgotten him, and hastened to employ +their credit on his behalf.</p> + +<p>The Duke d'Epernon especially, better situated through his title of +Admiral to be useful to the young man, wrote that he would gladly +undertake the duty of pushing him on in the world.</p> + +<p>This took place at the beginning of 1631, when Ludovic de Barmont had +reached his sixteenth year.</p> + +<p>Being very tall, with a proud and haughty air, and endowed with rare +vigour and great agility, the young man seemed older than he in reality +was. It was with the liveliest joy that he learned how his wishes +had been fulfilled, and that nothing prevented him from embracing a +maritime career.</p> + +<p>The Duke d'Epernon's letter requested the Count de Barmont to send his +son as speedily as possible to Bordeaux, so that he might at once place +him aboard a man-of-war, to commence his apprenticeship.</p> + +<p>Two days after the receipt of this letter the young man tore himself +with difficulty from the embraces of his mother, bade his father a +respectful farewell, and took the road to Bordeaux, mounted on a good +horse, and followed by a confidential valet.</p> + +<p>The navy had for a long time been neglected in France; and left during +the middle ages in the hands of private persons, as the government, +following the example of the other continental powers, did not deign +to try and secure a respectable position on the seas, much less a +supremacy; thus we see during the reign of Francis I., who was, +however, one of the warlike Kings of France, Ango, a ship broker of +Dieppe, from whom the Portuguese had taken a vessel during a profound +peace, authorized by the King, who was unable to procure him justice, +to equip a fleet at his own expense. With this fleet Ango, we may +remark incidentally, blockaded the port of Lisbon, and did not cease +hostilities until he had forced the Portuguese to send to France +ambassadors humbly to ask peace of the King.</p> + +<p>The discovery of the New World, however, and the no less important one +of the Cape of Good Hope, by giving navigation a greater activity and +a more extended sphere, at the same time as they widened the limits of +commerce, caused the necessity to be felt of creating a navy, intended +to protect merchant vessels against the attacks of corsairs.</p> + +<p>It was not till the reign of Louis XIII. that the idea of creating a +navy began to be carried into execution. Cardinal de Richelieu, whose +vast genius embraced everything, and whom the English fleets had +caused several times to tremble during the long and wearying siege of +Rochelle, passed several decrees relating to the navy, and founded a +school of navigation, intended to educate those young gentlemen who +desired to serve the King aboard his vessels.</p> + +<p>It is to this great minister, then, that France is indebted for the +first thought of a navy; this navy was destined to contend against +the Spanish and Dutch fleets, and during the reign of Louis XIV., to +acquire so great an importance, and momentarily hold in check the power +of England.</p> + +<p>It was this school of navigation created by Richelieu that the Viscount +de Barmont entered, thanks to the influence of the Duke d'Epernon.</p> + +<p>The old gentleman strictly kept the pledge he had given his former +comrade in arms; he did not cease to protect the young man, which, +however, was an easy task, for the latter displayed an extraordinary +aptitude, and a talent very rare at that date in the profession he had +embraced.</p> + +<p>Hence, in 1641, he was already a captain in the navy, and had the +command of a twenty-six gun frigate.</p> + +<p>Unfortunately, neither the old Count de Barmont nor his wife was able +to enjoy the success of their son or the new era opening for their +house; they both died a few days apart from each other, leaving the +young man an orphan at the age of two-and-twenty.</p> + +<p>As a pious son, Ludovic, who really loved his parents, lamented and +regretted them, especially his mother, who had always been so kind and +tender to him; but, as he had been accustomed for so many years to live +alone during his long voyages, and only to trust to himself, he did not +feel the loss so painfully as he would have done had he never left the +paternal roof.</p> + +<p>Henceforth the sole representative of his house, he regarded life more +seriously than he had hitherto done, and redoubled his efforts to +restore to his name its almost eclipsed lustre, which, thanks to his +exertions, was beginning to shine again with renewed brilliancy.</p> + +<p>The Duke d'Epernon still lived, but a forgotten relic of an almost +entirely departed generation—a sickly octogenarian, who had quarrelled +long ago with Cardinal de Richelieu, his influence was null, and he +could do nothing for the man he had so warmly protected a few years +previously.</p> + +<p>But the Count did not allow this to prey on his mind; the naval +service was not envied by the nobility, good officers were rare, and +he believed that if he cautiously avoided mixing himself up in any +political intrigue, he might have a brilliant career.</p> + +<p>An accident, impossible to foresee, was fated to destroy all his +ambitious plans, and ruin his career forever.</p> + +<p>This is how the affair occurred:—The Count de Barmont, at the time +commanding the Erigone, twenty-six gun frigate, after a lengthened +cruise in the Algerian waters to protect French merchant vessels +against the Barbary pirates, steered for the states of Gibraltar, in +order to reach the Atlantic, and return to Brest, whither he had orders +to proceed at the end of his cruise; but just as he was about to pass +through the Straits, he was caught by a squall, and after extraordinary +efforts to continue his course, which almost cast him on to the coast +of Africa, owing to the strength of the wind and the rough, chopping +sea, he was obliged to stand off and on for several hours, and finally +take refuge in the port of Algeciras, which was to windward of him, on +the Spanish coast.</p> + +<p>So soon as he had anchored, and made all snug, the commandant, who +knew from experience that two or three days would elapse ere the wind +veered, and allowed him to pass the Straits, ordered his boat, and went +ashore.</p> + +<p>Although the town of Algeciras is very old, it is very small, badly +built, and scantily populated; at this period, more especially, it +only formed, as it were, a poor market town. It was not till after the +English had seized Gibraltar, situated on the other side of the bay, +that the Spaniards comprehended the importance of Algeciras to them, +and have converted it into a regular port.</p> + +<p>The Captain had no other motive for landing at Algeciras, than the +restlessness natural to sailors, which impels them to leave their +vessel as soon as they have cast anchor.</p> + +<p>Commercial relations were not established at that time, as they now +are. The government had not yet fallen into the custom of sending to +foreign ports residents ordered to watch over their countrymen, and +protect their transactions—in a word, consulates had not yet been +created: only those ships of war, which accident might lead to any +port, now and then undertook to procure justice for those of their +countrymen, whose interests had been encroached on.</p> + +<p>After landing, and giving orders to his coxswain to come and fetch +him at sunset, the Captain, merely followed by a sailor, of the name +of Michael, to whom he was greatly attached, and who accompanied him +everywhere, turned into the winding streets of Algeciras, curiously +examining everything that offered itself to view.</p> + +<p>This Michael, to whom we shall have several occasions to refer, was a +tall fellow, with an intelligent face, about thirty years of age, and +who had vowed an eternal devotion to his captain since the day when the +latter had risked his life in saving his, by jumping into a boat during +a terrible storm four years before, to help him when he had fallen into +the sea while going up the shrouds to ease the mainsail.</p> + +<p>Since that day Michael had never left the Count, and had always +contrived to sail with him. Born in the vicinity of Pau, the country of +Henri IV., he was like the king, his fellow countryman, gay, mocking, +and even sceptical. An excellent sailor, endowed with tried bravery, +and far from ordinary vigour, Michael offered in his person the +perfect type of the Béarnaise Basque, a strong and rough, though loyal +and faithful race.</p> + +<p>Only one individual shared in Michael's heart the unbounded friendship +he felt for his chief. This privileged being was a Breton sailor, +gloomy and taciturn, who formed a complete antithesis to him, and whom, +owing to his slowness, the crew had favoured with the characteristic +name of Bowline, which he had accepted, and was so accustomed to answer +to it, that he had almost forgotten the name he previously bore.</p> + +<p>The service the Count had done Michael, the latter had rendered to +Bowline: hence he was attached to the Breton through this very service, +and while mocking and teasing him from morning till night, he had a +sincere friendship for him.</p> + +<p>The Breton understood Michael, and so far as his reserved and slightly +demonstrative nature permitted, he testified on every occasion his +gratitude to the Basque, by letting himself be completely directed and +governed by him in all the actions of his life, without ever attempting +to revolt against the frequent exorbitant demands of his mentor.</p> + +<p>If we have dwelt so long on the character of these two men, it is +because they are destined in the course of this work to play an +important part; and the reader must be acquainted with them, in order +to understand the facts we shall have to record.</p> + +<p>The Count and his sailor continued to advance along the streets, +the one reflecting and amusing himself the other remaining, through +respect, a few paces in the rear, and desperately smoking a pipe, whose +stem was so short that the bowl almost touched his lips.</p> + +<p>While walking thus straight before them, the promenaders soon reached +the end of the town, and turned into a lane bordered by aloes, which +led, with a rather steep incline, to the top of a hill, whence could +be enjoyed the entire panorama of the bay of Algeciras, which, we may +remark in a parenthesis, is the finest in the world.</p> + +<p>It was about two in the afternoon, the hottest moment of the day. The +sun profusely poured down its torrid beams, which made the pebbles in +the road sparkle like diamonds.</p> + +<p>Hence everybody had gone within doors to enjoy the siesta, so that, +since landing, the two sailors had not met a living creature; and if +the Arabian Nights, which were not translated till a century later, +had been known at the time, the Count, without any great effort of the +imagination, might have believed himself transported to that city where +all the inhabitants had been sent to sleep by a wicked impostor, so +complete was the silence around him, while the landscape had the aspect +of a desert. To complete the illusion, the breeze had fallen, there was +not a breath of air, and the vast expanse of water stretched out at +their feet was as motionless as if composed of ice.</p> + +<p>The Count stopped, pensively gazing with an absent eye at his frigate, +which at this distance was scarce as large as a skiff.</p> + +<p>Michael smoked more than ever, and admired the country with straddling +legs, and his arm behind his back, in that position so liked by sailors.</p> + +<p>"Hilloh!" he said suddenly.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter with you?" the Count asked him, as he turned round.</p> + +<p>"Nothing the matter with me, Captain," he replied, "I am only looking +at a lady who is coming up here at a gallop. What a fancy to go at +that pace in such a heat as this."</p> + +<p>"Where is she?" asked the Count.</p> + +<p>"Why, there, Captain," he said, stretching out his hand to larboard.</p> + +<p>The Count turned his eyes in the direction which Michael indicated to +him.</p> + +<p>"Why, that horse has bolted," he exclaimed, a moment later.</p> + +<p>"Do you think so, Captain?" the sailor remarked, calmly.</p> + +<p>"Zounds! I am certain of it. Look, now that she is nearer to us. The +rider is clinging despairingly to the mane. The unhappy girl is lost!"</p> + +<p>"Very possibly," Michael said, philosophically.</p> + +<p>"Quick, quick, my lad!" the Captain shouted, as he rushed to the side +where the horse was coming up. "We must save the lady, even if we +perish!"</p> + +<p>The sailor made no answer; he merely took the precaution of withdrawing +his pipe from his mouth and placing it in his pocket, and then he set +out at a run behind his captain.</p> + +<p>The horse came on like a whirlwind. It was a barb of the purest +Arab race, with a small head, and legs fine as spindles. It bounded +furiously with all four legs on the narrow path it was following, with +eyes full of flashes, and apparently snorting fire through its dilated +nostrils. The lady on its back, half reclining on its neck, had seized +its long mane with both hands, and, half insane with terror, as she +felt herself lost, she uttered stifled cries at intervals.</p> + +<p>Very far in the rear, several horsemen, who formed almost imperceptible +dots on the horizon, were coming up at full speed.</p> + +<p>The track on which the horse was engaged, was narrow and rocky, and led +to a precipice of frightful depth, toward which the animal was dashing +with a headlong speed.</p> + +<p>A man must either be mad, or endowed with a lion's courage, to try and +save this unhappy woman under such conditions, when he had ninety-nine +chances in a hundred of being crushed, without succeeding in rescuing +her from death.</p> + +<p>The two sailors, however, made no reflections of this nature, and +without hesitation resolved to make a supreme effort. They stood facing +each other on either side of the track, and waited without exchanging a +word. They understood one another.</p> + +<p>Two or three minutes elapsed, and then the horse passed like a tornado; +but with the speed of thought the two men dashed forward, seized it by +the bridle, and, hanging their whole weight on it, allowed themselves +to be dragged onward by the furious animal.</p> + +<p>There was for a moment a terrible struggle between intelligence and +brute strength. At length the brute was conquered. The horse stumbled, +and fell panting on the ground.</p> + +<p>At the moment of its fall, the Count removed in his arms, the lady so +miraculously saved, and he bore her to the side of the road, where he +respectfully laid her down.</p> + +<p>Terror had certainly deprived her of consciousness.</p> + +<p>The Count guessing that the horsemen coming up, were relations or +friends of her to whom he had just rendered so great a service, +repaired the disorder in his clothes and awaited their arrival, while +gazing admiringly at the young lady lying at his feet.</p> + +<p>She was a charming young creature, scarce seventeen years of age, with +a delicate waist, and marked and adorably beautiful features; her long +black silky hair had escaped from the comb that confined it and fell in +perfumed curls over her face, on which a slight flush presaged a speedy +return to life.</p> + +<p>The young lady's dress, which was very rich and remarkably elegant, +would have led to the supposition that she was of high rank, had not +the stamp of aristocracy, spread over her entire person, removed all +doubts on that score.</p> + +<p>Michael, with his characteristic coolness which nothing ever upset, +had remained by the side of the horse which, calmed by the fall and +trembling in all its limbs, had allowed itself to be raised without +offering the slightest resistance; the Basque after removing the +saddle, had plucked a wisp of grass, and began rubbing the horse down, +while admiring it, and muttering every now and then.</p> + +<p>"I don't care, it's a noble and beautiful animal! It would have been +a pity had it rolled over that frightful precipice; I am glad it is +saved."</p> + +<p>The worthy sailor did not think the least bit in the world of the young +lady, for his entire interest was concentrated on the horse.</p> + +<p>When he had finished rubbing down, he put the saddle and bridle on +again and led the horse up to the Count.</p> + +<p>"There," he said with an air of satisfaction, "now the horse is calm; +poor creature, a child could guide it with a thread."</p> + +<p>In the meanwhile the horsemen rapidly approached, and soon came up to +the two French sailors.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></h4> + +<h3>LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>These horsemen were four in number. Two of them appeared to be persons +of importance, the other two were domestics.</p> + +<p>On coming within a few steps of the Count, the first two dismounted, +threw their bridles to the footman and advanced, hat in hand, towards +the gentleman, whom they saluted with exquisite politeness.</p> + +<p>The Count courteously returned their greeting, while taking a +side-glance at them.</p> + +<p>The first was a man of about sixty; he was tall, his demeanour was +graceful and his face appeared handsome at the first glance, for the +expression was imposing, although gentle and even kind. Still, on +examining it with greater attention, it was possible to see from the +gloomy fire of his glance, which seemed at times to emit magnetic +flashes, that this gentleness was merely a mask intended to deceive the +vulgar; his projecting cheek bones, his wide retiring forehead, his +nose bent like a bird's beak and his square chin denoted a cold cruelty +blended with a strong dose of obstinacy and pride.</p> + +<p>This man wore a handsome hunting dress covered with lace, and a heavy +gold chain, called a <i>fanfaronne</i>, was passed several times round his +ostrich plumed hat.</p> + +<p>This fanfaronne had been brought into fashion by the adventurers who +returned from New Spain; and though very ridiculous, it had been +enthusiastically adopted by the haughty Castilians.</p> + +<p>This gentleman's companion, much younger than he, but dressed quite +as richly, had one of those faces whose features at the first glance +appear so commonplace and insignificant, that you do not take the +trouble of looking at them, and an observer might pass close by without +seeing them, but his small grey eyes sparkling with cleverness, half +hidden under bushy eyebrows, and the curl of his thin sarcastic lip, +would have completely contradicted any physiognomist, who might take +this person for a man of common intellect and ordinary capacity.</p> + +<p>The elder of the two riders bowed a second time.</p> + +<p>"Sir," he said, "I am the Duc de Peñaflor; the person whose life you +have saved by running such a risk of losing your own, is my daughter, +Doña Clara de Peñaflor."</p> + +<p>As the Count came from Languedoc, he spoke Spanish as purely as his +mother tongue.</p> + +<p>"I am delighted, sir," he replied with a graceful bow, "at having +served as the instrument of providence to preserve a child for her +father."</p> + +<p>"I think," the second rider observed, "that it would be as well to +offer Doña Clara some succour; my dear cousin seems to be seriously +indisposed."</p> + +<p>"It is only emotion," the young man replied; "that caused this fainting +fit, which, if I am not mistaken, is beginning to wear off."</p> + +<p>"Yes indeed," said the Duke, "I think I saw her make a slight movement, +it will be better not to trouble her, but let her regain her senses +quietly; in that way, we shall avoid a shock whose results are +sometimes very dangerous to delicate and nervous organisations, like +that of my dear child."</p> + +<p>All this was spoken with a cold, dry, steady voice, very different +to what a father ought to have employed, whose daughter had just +miraculously escaped death.</p> + +<p>The young officer did not know what to think of his real or feigned +indifference.</p> + +<p>It was only Spanish hauteur. The Duke loved his daughter as much as his +proud and ambitious nature allowed him to do, but he would have been +ashamed to let it be seen, especially by a stranger.</p> + +<p>"Sir," the Duke resumed a moment later, as he stepped aside to display +the gentlemen who accompanied him, "I have the honour of presenting to +you my cousin and friend, Count Don Stenio de Bejar y Sousa."</p> + +<p>The two gentlemen bowed to each other.</p> + +<p>The Count had no motive to maintain an incognito, and saw that the +moment had arrived to make himself known.</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen," he said, "I am Count Ludovic de Barmont Senectaire, +Captain in the Navy, and commanding the French frigate the <i>Erigone</i>, +now anchored in Algeciras Bay."</p> + +<p>On hearing the Count's name pronounced, the Duke's face turned +frightfully pale; he frowned till his eyebrows joined, and he gave him +a strangely meaning glance.</p> + +<p>But this emotion did not last longer than a flash: by a violent effort +of the will the Spaniard thrust back to the bottom of his heart, the +feelings that agitated him; his previous impassiveness returned to his +face, and he bowed with a smile.</p> + +<p>The ice was broken between the three gentlemen, for they saw they were +equals; their manner at once changed, and they became as affable as +they had at first been stiff and reserved.</p> + +<p>The Duke was the first to renew the conversation in the most friendly +voice.</p> + +<p>"You are doubtless taking advantage of the truce made a short time +back, between our two nations, my lord, to visit our country?"</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, my lord Duke, I was not aware that hostilities had ceased +between our two armies. I have been at sea for a long time, and without +news of France; chance alone brought me to this coast a few hours ago, +and I sought shelter in Algeciras Bay, to await a change of wind to +pass the Straits."</p> + +<p>"I bless the accident, Count, since I owe to it my daughter's safety."</p> + +<p>Doña Clara had opened her eyes, and, though still very weak, she was +beginning to account for the position in which she found herself.</p> + +<p>"Oh," she said, in a soft and humorous voice, and with an inward +shudder, "had it not been for that gentleman, I should be dead!" +and she attempted to smile, while fixing on the young man her large +eyes full of tears, with an expressive gratitude it is impossible to +describe.</p> + +<p>"How do you feel, my daughter?" the Duke asked. "I am quite well, now, +I thank you, papa," she replied; "when I felt that Moreno no longer +obeyed the bit, and was running away, I believed myself lost, and +terror caused me to faint; but where is my poor Moreno?" she added a +moment after, "Has any misfortune happened to him?"</p> + +<p>"Reassure yourself, señorita," the Count replied with a smile, and +pointing to the horse, "here he is, all right, and quite calmed; if you +like you can ride back on him without the slightest apprehension."</p> + +<p>"I certainly will mount my good Moreno," she said, "I bear him no ill +will for his prank, although it nearly cost me dear."</p> + +<p>"My lord," the Duke then said, "I venture to hope that we shall not +part thus, and that you will deign to accept the cordial hospitality +which I offer you at my castle."</p> + +<p>"My time is not my own, unfortunately, my lord Duke, and duty demands +my immediate presence on board. Be assured I deeply regret my inability +to accept your kind offer."</p> + +<p>"Do you then expect to set sail so soon?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir; on the contrary, I hope," he replied, laying a certain stress +on the words, "to remain here some time longer."</p> + +<p>"In that case," the Duke remarked with a smile, "I do not consider +myself beaten. I am certain we shall meet again soon, and become more +intimate acquaintances."</p> + +<p>"That is my most eager desire, sir," the young man said, taking a side +glance at Doña Clara, who hung her head with a blush.</p> + +<p>The Count then took leave, and proceeded in the direction of Algeciras, +while the horsemen slowly retired in exactly the opposite direction.</p> + +<p>The Captain walked on very thoughtfully, reflecting on the singular +adventure of which he had so suddenly been the hero; recalling the +slightest details, and admiring in memory the beauty of the young lady, +whose life he had been so fortunate as to save.</p> + +<p>Being constantly absorbed by the thousand claims of his rude +profession, and nearly always at sea, the Count, though almost +twenty-five years of age, had never yet loved; he had not even thought +about it; the few women he had hitherto met had produced no effect on +his heart, his mind had always remained free in their presence, and no +serious engagement had as yet disturbed its tranquillity. Hence it was +with a certain terror mingled with astonishment, that while reflecting +on the meeting which had suddenly interrupted his quiet walk, he +perceived that the beauty of Doña Clara and her gentle voice had left +a powerful impression on his mind, that her image was ever present, +and that his memory with implacable fidelity ever recalled even its +apparently most indifferent details, the short interview he had had +with her.</p> + +<p>"Come, come," he said, shaking his head several times as if to drive +away a troublesome thought; "I am mad."</p> + +<p>"Well, Captain," said Michael, who took advantage of this exclamation, +to give a free course to the reflections which he burned to express +aloud, "I don't care, but you must confess it was very lucky all the +same for that young lady, that we were there at the very nick of time."</p> + +<p>"Very lucky, indeed, Michael," the Count replied, delighted at this +diversion; "had we not been there the unhappy young lady would have +been lost."</p> + +<p>"That is true, and hopelessly so; poor little thing."</p> + +<p>"What a frightful fate! So young, and so lovely."</p> + +<p>"I allow that she is well built, although I fancy her lines are a +little too fine, and she is a trifle too pale." The Count smiled, but +made no reply to the sailor's rather venturesome opinion.</p> + +<p>The latter, feeling himself encouraged, went on—</p> + +<p>"Will you allow me to give you a bit of advice, Captain?"</p> + +<p>"What is it, my lad? Speak without fear."</p> + +<p>"As for fear, deuce take me if I feel that, but I should not like to +pain you."</p> + +<p>"Pain me, about what?"</p> + +<p>"Well, all the worse, I must out with it. When you mentioned your name, +Captain, to the old Duke—"</p> + +<p>"Well, what happened?"</p> + +<p>"On hearing it pronounced, he suddenly turned as pale as a corpse; he +frowned upon you so terrible a look that I fancied for a moment that he +wished to assassinate you; don't you consider that funny, Captain?"</p> + +<p>"What you say is impossible; you are mistaken."</p> + +<p>"You did not notice it, because you had your head down, but I was +looking at him without seeming to do so, and am quite certain about +what I say."</p> + +<p>"But reflect, Michael, I do not know this nobleman, I never saw him +before today; how can he possibly feel hatred for me; you are rambling, +my good fellow."</p> + +<p>"Not at all, Captain, I am certain of what I state; whether you know +him or not is no business of mine, but as for him, I will wager that he +knows you, and intimately too; the impression you produced on him was +too strong for it to be otherwise."</p> + +<p>"I will admit, if you like, that he knows me, but one thing I can +certify, that I never offended him."</p> + +<p>"That is a point on which a man can never be sure, Captain; look you, +I am a Basque, and have known the Spaniards for a long time; they are +a strange people—proud as cocks, and rancorous as fiends; believe me, +distrust them always; that can do no harm, and especially that old +gentleman, who has a crafty face I do not like at all."</p> + +<p>"All that has no common sense, Michael, and I am as mad as yourself in +listening to you."</p> + +<p>"Very well," the sailor said with a toss of the head, "we shall see +hereafter whether I am mistaken."</p> + +<p>The conversation ended here; still Michael's remarks occupied the +Captain more than he would have liked to show, and he returned on board +with a very thoughtful air. On the next morning at about ten o'clock an +excellent pleasure yacht hailed the frigate.</p> + +<p>This vessel contained the Duc de Peñaflor, and his silent cousin, Count +de Bejar y Sousa.</p> + +<p>"On my faith, my dear Count," the Duke said, good-humouredly, after the +first compliments, "you are going to find me very unceremonious, for I +have come to carry you off."</p> + +<p>"Carry me off?" the young man replied with a smile.</p> + +<p>"On my word, yes. Just imagine, Count, my daughter insists on seeing +you; she only speaks of you, and as she does pretty well what she +pleases with me—a thing that will not surprise you greatly. She sent +me to you to tell you that you must absolutely accompany me to the +castle."</p> + +<p>"So it is," Don Stenio said with a bow, "the Señorita Doña Clara +insists on seeing you."</p> + +<p>"Still—" the other objected.</p> + +<p>"I will listen to nothing," the Duke remarked quickly, "you must make +up your mind, my dear Count, you can only obey, for you are aware that +ladies cannot be thwarted; so come, reassure yourself, though, I am not +going to take you far, for my castle is scarce two leagues from here."</p> + +<p>The Count, who in his heart, felt a lively desire to see Doña Clara +again, did not allow himself to be pressed one bit more than was +correct: then, after giving the necessary orders to his second in +command, he accompanied the Duc de Peñaflor, followed by Michael, who +seemed to be the Captain's shade.</p> + +<p>This was the way in which began a connection which was soon to +be changed into love, and have, at a later date, such terrible +consequences for the unhappy officer.</p> + +<p>The Duke and his eternal cousin who never quitted him, overwhelmed +the Count with protestations of friendship, granted him the most +perfect liberty at the castle, and appeared not at all to notice the +intelligence which was soon established between Doña Clara and the +young man.</p> + +<p>The latter, completely subjugated by the passion he experienced for the +young lady, yielded to his love with the confident and unreflecting +abandonment of all hearts that love for the first time.</p> + +<p>Doña Clara, a simple girl, brought up with all the rigid strictness of +Spanish manners, but an Andalusian from head to foot, had listened with +a quiver of delight to the confession of this love which she had shared +from the first moment.</p> + +<p>Everybody, therefore, was happy at the castle; Michael alone formed +an exception, with his stolid face, which was never unwrinkled; the +more rapidly he saw matters tending to the conclusion the young people +desired, the more gloomy and anxious he became.</p> + +<p>In the meanwhile the frigate had left Algeciras for Cadiz.</p> + +<p>The Duke, his daughter, and Don Stenio had made the passage on board; +the Duc de Peñaflor wanted to go to Seville, where he had large +estates, hence he accepted with eager demonstrations of joy the +proposal the Count made him, of conveying him on board his frigate to +Cadiz, which is only some twenty leagues from Seville.</p> + +<p>On the day after the frigate's arrival at Cadiz, the Captain put on his +full uniform, went ashore, and proceeded to the Duke's palace.</p> + +<p>The Duke, doubtless warned of his visit, received him with a smile on +his lips, and with a most affectionate air.</p> + +<p>Emboldened by this reception, the Count, overcoming his timidity, +requested leave to marry Doña Clara.</p> + +<p>The Duke received it favourably; said that he had expected this +request, and that it satisfied all his wishes, since it caused the +happiness of a daughter he loved.</p> + +<p>"Still," he remarked to the Count, "although there was a truce between +the two countries, a peace was not yet signed. Though, according to all +appearance it would be soon carried out, for all that, he feared lest +the news of this marriage might injure the Count's future, by rendering +the Cardinal ill disposed toward him."</p> + +<p>This reflection had several times offered itself to the young officer's +mind; hence he hung his head, not daring to reply, because, unluckily, +he had no valid reason to offer, that would remove the Duke's +objections.</p> + +<p>The latter came to his assistance by saying that there was a very +simple way of arranging matters to the general satisfaction, and +removing this apparently insurmountable difficulty.</p> + +<p>The Count quivering with fear and pleasure, asked what this method was.</p> + +<p>The Duke then explained to him that he meant a secret marriage. As +long as the war lasted, silence would be maintained, but once peace +was concluded and an ambassador sent to Paris, the marriage should be +publicly announced to the Cardinal, who then would probably not feel +offended by the union.</p> + +<p>The young man had been too near seeing his dream of bliss eternally +destroyed to raise the slightest objection to this proposition; secret +or not, the marriage would not be the less valid and he cared little +for the rest. Hence he consented to all the conditions imposed on him +by the Duke, who insisted that the marriage might be effected in such +a way as to keep him in ignorance of it, so that in the event of his +Eminence attempting to turn the King against him, he might employ this +pretended ignorance in foiling the ill will of those who might attempt +to ruin him.</p> + +<p>The Count did not exactly understand what the King of Spain had to do +with his marriage; but as the Duke spoke with an air of conviction, and +seemed to be greatly alarmed about the King's displeasure, he consented +to everything.</p> + +<p>Two days later at nightfall, the young couple were married at the +Church of la Merced, by a priest, who consented for a heavy sum to lend +his ministration to this illegal act.</p> + +<p>Michael the Basque and Bowline served as witnesses of the captain, who, +on the pressing recommendation of the Duke, was unwilling to let any of +his officers into his secrets, while he was sure of the silence of the +two sailors.</p> + +<p>Immediately after the ceremony, the new bride was taken off on one side +by her witnesses, while her husband withdrew greatly annoyed on the +other, and went aboard the frigate.</p> + +<p>When the Count on the next morning presented himself at the Duke's +palace, the latter informed him that, in order to remove any pretext +for malevolence, he had thought it advisable to send away his daughter +for a while, and she had gone to stay with a relation residing at +Grenada.</p> + +<p>The Count did not allow his disappointment to be seen; he withdrew, +pretending to accept as gospel the somewhat specious reasoning of the +Duke.</p> + +<p>Still, he was beginning to find the Duke's conduct towards him very +extraordinary, and he resolved to clear up the doubts that arose in his +mind.</p> + +<p>Michael and Bowline were sent into the country to reconnoitre.</p> + +<p>The Count learned from them, not without surprise, at the end of two +days' researches that Doña Clara was not at Grenada, but merely at +Puerto Santa Maria, a charming little town facing Cadiz on the opposite +side of the road.</p> + +<p>The Captain, so soon as he possessed the information for the success +of the plan he meditated, managed by the intervention of Michael, who +spoke Spanish like an Andalusian, to send a note to Doña Clara, and at +nightfall, followed by his two faithful sailors, he landed at Santa +Maria.</p> + +<p>The house inhabited by the young lady was rather isolated; he set the +two sailors on sentry to watch over her safety, and walked straight up +to the house.</p> + +<p>Doña Clara herself opened the door for him. The joy of the couple was +immense, and the Count retired shortly before sunrise; at about ten +o'clock, he went as usual to pay a visit to his father-in-law, in +whose presence he continued to feign the most complete ignorance as to +Doña Clara's abode, and was most kindly welcomed.</p> + +<p>This state of things went on for nearly a month. One day the Count +suddenly received information of the resumption of the hostilities +between Spain and France; he was himself forced to quit Cadiz, but +wished to have a final interview with the Duke, in order to ask him for +a frank explanation of his conduct; in the event of this explanation +not satisfying him, he was resolved to carry his wife off.</p> + +<p>When he arrived at the Duke's palace, a confidential servant informed +him that his master, suddenly summoned by the king, had started an hour +previously to Madrid, without, to his great regret, having had time to +take leave of him.</p> + +<p>On hearing this, the Count had a presentiment of evil; he turned pale, +but succeeded in overcoming his emotion, and calmly asked the valet +whether his master had not left a letter for him; the servant answered +in the affirmative and handed him a sealed note.</p> + +<p>The Count broke the seal with a trembling hand and ran through the +letter, but his emotion was so great on perusing the contents that he +tottered, and had not the valet sprang forward to support him, he would +have fallen to the ground.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" he muttered, "Michael was right," and he crumpled the paper +savagely.</p> + +<p>But suddenly recovering himself, he overcame his grief and, after +giving the valet several louis, hurried away.</p> + +<p>"Poor young man!" the valet muttered with a sorrowful shake of the head +and re-entered the palace, the gates of which he closed after him.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></h4> + +<h3>DESPAIR.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>A few yards from the palace the Count met Michael, who was coming +towards him.</p> + +<p>"A boat, quick, quick, my good Michael," he shouted, "'tis a matter of +life and death."</p> + +<p>The sailor, terrified at the condition in which he saw his commandant, +wished to ask him what the matter was, but the Count roughly imposed +silence on him by repeating his order to procure a boat at once.</p> + +<p>Michael bowed his head.</p> + +<p>"Woe is me. I foresaw this," he muttered, with mingled grief and anger, +and he ran off towards the port.</p> + +<p>It is not a difficult task to find a boat at Cadiz, and Michael had +only to choose; comprehending that the Count was in a hurry, he +selected one pulled by ten oars.</p> + +<p>The Count arrived at the same moment.</p> + +<p>"Twenty louis for you and your crew if you are at Puerto in twenty +minutes," he shouted, as he leaped into the boat, which was almost +capsized by the violence of the shock.</p> + +<p>The boat started, the sailors bent over their oars, and made her fly +through the water.</p> + +<p>The captain with his eyes obstinately fixed on Santa Maria, and +striking his clenched fist on the boat's gunwale, in spite of the +excessive speed at which it was going, incessantly repeated in a +choking voice—</p> + +<p>"Quicker, quicker, muchachos."</p> + +<p>He passed like an arrow across the bows of the frigate, whose crew were +preparing to weigh anchor. At length they reached Puerto.</p> + +<p>"No one is to follow me," the captain cried, as he leaped ashore.</p> + +<p>But Michael did not heed this order, and at the risk of what might +happen to him, he set out in pursuit of the Count, whom he would not +abandon in his present frightful condition.</p> + +<p>It was fortunate he did so, for when he reached the house Doña Clara +had inhabited, he saw the young man lying senseless on the ground.</p> + +<p>The house was deserted, and Doña Clara had disappeared.</p> + +<p>The sailor took his captain on his shoulders and conveyed him to the +boat, where he laid him as comfortably as he could in the stem sheets.</p> + +<p>"Where are we going?" the master asked.</p> + +<p>"To the French frigate; and make haste," Michael replied.</p> + +<p>When the boat was alongside the frigate, Michael paid the master the +promised reward, and then aided by several of the crew, conveyed the +captain to his cabin. As it was eminently necessary to keep the Count's +secret, and avoid arousing suspicions, the sailor in his report to +the first commandant, ascribed to a violent fall from a horse, the +condition in which the captain was; then, after making a signal to +Bowline to follow him, he returned to the cabin.</p> + +<p>M. de Barmont was still as motionless as if he were dead; the chief +surgeon of the frigate in vain bestowed the greatest care on him +without succeeding in recalling life, which seemed to have fled forever.</p> + +<p>"Send away your assistants; Bowline and myself will suffice," Michael +said to the doctor, with a meaning glance.</p> + +<p>The surgeon comprehended, and dismissed the mates. When the door had +closed on them the sailor drew the doctor into a gun berth, and said to +him, in so low a voice as to be scarce audible—</p> + +<p>"Major, the Commandant has just experienced a great sorrow, which +produced the terrible crisis he is suffering from at this moment. I +confide this to you because a surgeon is like a confessor."</p> + +<p>"All right, my lad," the surgeon replied; "the Captain's secret has +been trusted to sure ears."</p> + +<p>"I am convinced of that, Major; the officers and crew must suppose that +the Captain has been thrown from his horse, you understand. I have +already told the lieutenant so in making the report."</p> + +<p>"Very good; I will corroborate your statement, my lad."</p> + +<p>"Thanks, Major; now I have another thing to ask of you."</p> + +<p>"Speak."</p> + +<p>"You must obtain the lieutenant's leave that no one but Bowline and +myself may wait on the Captain. Look you, Major, we are old sailors of +his, he can say what he likes before us; and then, too, he will be glad +to have us near him; will you get this leave from the lieutenant?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, my lad; I know that you are a good fellow, sincerely attached to +the Captain, and that he places entire confidence in you; hence, do not +feel alarmed—I will settle that with the lieutenant, and you and your +companion shall alone come in here with me so long as the Captain is +ill."</p> + +<p>"Thanks, Major; if an opportunity offers itself I will repay you this; +on the faith of a Basque, you are a worthy man."</p> + +<p>The surgeon began laughing.</p> + +<p>"Let us return to our patient," he said, in order to cut short the +conversation.</p> + +<p>In spite of the intelligent care the doctor paid him the Count's +fainting fit lasted the whole day.</p> + +<p>"The shock was frightful," he said—"it was almost a congestion."</p> + +<p>It was not till night, when the frigate had been for a long time at +sea, and had left Cadiz roads far behind it, that a favourable crisis +set in, and the Captain became slightly better.</p> + +<p>"He is about to regain his senses," the doctor said.</p> + +<p>In fact, a few convulsive movements agitated the Count's body, and he +half-opened his eyes; but his glances were wild and absent; he looked +all around him, as if trying to discover where he was, and why he was +thus lying on his bed.</p> + +<p>The three men, with their eyes fixed on him, anxiously watched this +return to life, whose appearance was anything but reassuring to them.</p> + +<p>The surgeon, more especially, seemed restless; big forehead was +wrinkled, and his eyebrows met, through the effort of some internal +emotion.</p> + +<p>All at once the Count hurriedly sat up, and addressed Michael, who was +standing by his side.</p> + +<p>"Lieutenant," he said to him, in a quick, sharp voice, "let her fall +off a point, or else the Spanish vessel will escape—why have you not +beat to quarters, sir?"</p> + +<p>The surgeon gave Michael a sign.</p> + +<p>"Pardon, Commandant," the latter replied, humouring the sick man's +fancy, "we have beaten to quarters, and the tops are all manned."</p> + +<p>"Very good," he answered; then suddenly changing his ideas, he +muttered—"She will come, she promised it me. But no, she will not +come; she is dead to me henceforth—dead! dead!" he repeated, in a +hollow voice, with different intonations; then he uttered a piercing +cry—"Oh, heaven! How I suffer!" he exclaimed, bursting into sobs, +while a torrent of tears inundated his face.</p> + +<p>He buried his head in his hands, and fell back on his bed.</p> + +<p>The two sailors anxiously examined the surgeon's impassive face, trying +to read in his features what they had to hope or fear.</p> + +<p>The latter uttered a deep sigh of relief, passed his hand over his damp +forehead, and turning to Michael, said—</p> + +<p>"Heaven be praised! He sheds tears—he is saved."</p> + +<p>"Heaven be praised!" the sailors repeated, crossing themselves devoutly.</p> + +<p>"Do you think he is mad, Major?" Michael asked, in a trembling voice.</p> + +<p>"No, it is not madness, but delirium; he will soon fall asleep—do not +leave him; when he awakes he will remember nothing. If he ask for drink +give him the potion I have prepared, and which is on that table."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Major."</p> + +<p>"Now I am going to retire; if any unforeseen accident occur, warn me at +once; but, in any case, I shall look in again tonight."</p> + +<p>The surgeon left the cabin; his previsions were soon realised, M. de +Barmont gradually fell into a calm and peaceful sleep.</p> + +<p>The two sailors stood motionless by his bedside; no nurse could have +watched a patient with greater care and more delicate attention than +did these two men, whose exterior seemed so hard, but whose hearts were +really so kind.</p> + +<p>The whole night passed away thus; the surgeon had come in several +times, but after a few minutes' examination he withdrew with an air of +satisfaction, and laying a finger on his lips.</p> + +<p>About morning, at the first sunbeam that entered the cabin, the Count +made a slight movement, opened his eyes, and slightly turned his head.</p> + +<p>"My good Michael, give me some drink," he said, in a feeble voice.</p> + +<p>The sailor handed him a glass.</p> + +<p>"I feel crushed," he muttered; "have I been ill?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, a little," the sailor replied; "but now it is all over, thank +heaven! You need only have patience."</p> + +<p>"I feel the motion of the frigate—are we under weigh?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Commandant."</p> + +<p>"And who gave the orders?"</p> + +<p>"Yourself, last night."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" he remarked, as he handed back the glass. His head fell heavily +on the pillow again, and he was silent.</p> + +<p>Still, he did not sleep; his eyes were opened, and gazed anxiously all +around.</p> + +<p>"I remember," he murmured, while two tears welled in his eyes; then he +suddenly addressed Michael.</p> + +<p>"It was you who picked me up and brought me aboard?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Captain, 'twas."</p> + +<p>"Thanks! and yet it would have perhaps been better to leave me to die."</p> + +<p>The sailor shrugged his shoulders disdainfully.</p> + +<p>"That is a fine idea, strike me!" he grumbled.</p> + +<p>"Oh, if you only knew," he said, sorrowfully.</p> + +<p>"I knew all; did I not warn you of it the first day?"</p> + +<p>"That is true; I ought to have believed you—but, alas! I already loved +her."</p> + +<p>"Zounds! I knew that, and she deserved it."</p> + +<p>"Does she still love me?"</p> + +<p>"Who can doubt it, poor dear creature?"</p> + +<p>"You are a good man, Michael."</p> + +<p>"I am just."</p> + +<p>There was another silence.</p> + +<p>At the expiration of a few minutes the Count renewed the conversation.</p> + +<p>"Did you find the letter?" he asked. "Where is it?"</p> + +<p>"Here," he said, as he handed it to him.</p> + +<p>The Count eagerly clutched it.</p> + +<p>"Have you read it?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"For what purpose?" said Michael. "Zounds, it must be a tissue of lies +and infamies! And I am not curious about reading such things."</p> + +<p>"There, take it," said the Count.</p> + +<p>"To tear it up?"</p> + +<p>"No, to read it."</p> + +<p>"What's the good?"</p> + +<p>"You must know the contents of the letter—I order it."</p> + +<p>"That is different—give it here."</p> + +<p>He took the letter, opened, and ran through it.</p> + +<p>"Read it aloud," said the Count.</p> + +<p>"That is a pretty job you give me, Commandant. Still, as you wish it, I +must obey you."</p> + +<p>"I implore you, Michael."</p> + +<p>"Enough, Captain."</p> + +<p>And he began reading the strange missive aloud.</p> + +<p>It was short and laconic, but on that very account it necessarily +produced a more terrible effect, because every word was carefully +chosen to go straight home.</p> + +<p>The following was its tenor:—</p> + +<p>MY LORD,</p> + +<p>You have not married my daughter: I defrauded you by a false marriage. +You shall never see her again—she is dead to you. For many years there +has been an implacable hatred between your family and mine. I should +not have gone to seek you, but Heaven itself brought you in my way. I +understood that it was desired I should avenge myself, and I obeyed. +I believe that I have succeeded in breaking your heart forever. The +love you have for my daughter is sincere and deep. All the better, for +you will suffer the more cruelly. Farewell, my lord. Believe me, you +had better not try to find me, for, if you succeed, my vengeance will +be even more terrible. My daughter will marry in a month the man she +loves, and whom alone she has ever loved.</p> + +<p>"Don Estevan de Sylva, Duc de Peñaflor."</p> + +<p>When the sailor had finished reading he turned an enquiring glance to +his chief. The latter shook his head several times, but made no other +reply.</p> + +<p>Michael handed back the letter, which the Captain at once concealed +beneath his pillow.</p> + +<p>"What do you intend to do?" the sailor asked him, a moment after.</p> + +<p>"You shall know hereafter," the Count answered, in a hollow voice. "I +could not form a determination now, for my head is still heavy, and I +require to reflect."</p> + +<p>Michael gave a nod of assent.</p> + +<p>At this moment the doctor came in. He appeared delighted at seeing his +patient in so good a state, and with a joyous rubbing of his hands, +promised that he should leave his bed in a week at the latest.</p> + +<p>In fact, the surgeon was not mistaken, for the Count rapidly recovered; +ere long he was able to rise, and at the end of a few days, were it +not for a cadaverous pallor spread over his face, and which he ever +retained, his strength seemed to have entirely come back to him.</p> + +<p>M. de Barmont steered his frigate up the Tagus, and anchored before +Lisbon. So soon as the vessel was moored the Captain summoned the +second in command to his cabin, and had a long conversation with him, +after which he went ashore with Michael and Bowline.</p> + +<p>The frigate remained under the command of the first lieutenant: the +Count had abandoned it for ever.</p> + +<p>This deed almost constituted a desertion; but M. de Barmont was +resolved on returning to Cadiz at all hazards.</p> + +<p>During the few days that had elapsed since his conference with Michael, +the Count had reflected, as he promised the sailor.</p> + +<p>The result of his reflections was, that Doña Clara had been deceived +by the Duke like himself, and believed herself really married—indeed, +the whole of the young lady's behaviour to him proved the fact. In +desiring to insure his vengeance too thoroughly, the Duke had gone +beyond his object: Doña Clara loved him, he felt certain of that. She +had only obeyed her father under the constraint of force.</p> + +<p>This admitted, only one thing was left the Count to do; to return +to Cadiz, collect information, find the Duke, and have a solemn +explanation with him in his daughter's presence.</p> + +<p>This plan drawn up in his mind, the young man immediately set, about +carrying it out, leaving the command of his vessel to the lieutenant, +at the risk of destroying his career and being pursued as a traitor, as +the war was raging between France and Spain. He freighted a coaster; +and, followed by his two sailors, to whom he had frankly explained his +intention, but who would not leave him, he returned to Cadiz.</p> + +<p>Thanks to the thorough knowledge of Spanish he possessed, the Count did +not arouse any suspicions in that city, where it was easy for him to +obtain the information he desired.</p> + +<p>The Duke had really set out for Madrid. The Count at once proceeded +to that city. A gentleman of the importance of the Duc de Peñaflor, +a grandee of Spain of the first class, a <i>caballero cubierto</i>, could +not travel without leaving traces, especially when nothing led him to +suspect that he was followed. Hence the Count had not the slightest +difficulty in discovering the route he had taken, and he arrived +at Madrid, persuaded that he should soon have with the Duke the +explanation he so ardently desired.</p> + +<p>But his hopes were foiled. The Duke, after being honored with a private +audience by the King, had set out for Barcelona.</p> + +<p>Fatality interfered, but the Count would not be baffled: he mounted his +horse, crossed Spain, and arrived at Barcelona.</p> + +<p>The Duke had embarked for Naples on the previous day.</p> + +<p>This pursuit was assuming the proportions of an Odyssey: it seemed as +if the Duke felt that he was being pursued.</p> + +<p>It was not so, however. He was carrying out a mission with which his +sovereign had entrusted him.</p> + +<p>The Count made enquiries, and learnt that the Duc de Peñaflor was +accompanied by his daughter, and two sons.</p> + +<p>Two days later, M. de Barmont was sailing to Naples, on board a +smuggling vessel.</p> + +<p>We will not enter into all the details of this obstinate pursuit, which +lasted for several months.</p> + +<p>We will confine ourselves to saying that the Count missed the Duke +at Naples, as he had missed him at Madrid and Barcelona, and that he +traversed the whole of Italy, and entered France, still in chase of his +intangible enemy, who seemed to fly before him.</p> + +<p>But during the interval, although the Count did not suspect, the parts +had been greatly modified, if not completely changed.</p> + +<p>In this way.</p> + +<p>The Duke had a great interest in knowing what the Count would do. +Though it was certain that the war would compel him to leave Spain, +still he was too well acquainted with the young man's resolute and +determined character to suppose for a moment that he would accept the +insult offered him, without trying to take a startling revenge.</p> + +<p>In consequence, he had left at Cadiz a confidential man with orders to +watch the Count's movements with the greatest care, in the event of his +reappearing, and to warn the Duke of what steps he might take.</p> + +<p>The man had conscientiously and most skilfully discharged the delicate +duty entrusted to him, and while the Count was pursuing the Duke, he +pursued the Count, never letting him out of sight, stopping when he +stopped, and setting out behind him directly he saw him start.</p> + +<p>When at last he felt assured that the Count was really after his +master, he got ahead of him, rejoined the Duke, whom he came up with +in the neighbourhood of Pignerol, and reported to him all that he had +learned.</p> + +<p>The Duke, though internally terrified by the hateful persistency of +his enemy, pretended to attach but very slight importance to this +communication, and smiled contemptuously on listening to his servant's +report.</p> + +<p>But, for all this, he did not neglect to take his precautions; and, as +peace was on the point of being signed, and a Spanish plenipotentiary +was in Paris, he sent off the same valet to him at full speed, with a +pressing letter.</p> + +<p>This letter was a formal denunciation of the Count de Barmont +Senectaire.</p> + +<p>Cardinal de Richelieu raised no difficulty about granting an order +to arrest the Count, and police agents of his Eminence, commanded by +François Bouillot, left Paris in pursuit of the unhappy officer.</p> + +<p>The latter, completely ignorant of what was going on, had continued +his journey, and even gained ground on the Duke, who, persuaded that +henceforth he would have nothing to fear from his enemy, as the latter +would be arrested before he could come up with him, now travelled by +easy stages.</p> + +<p>The Duke's calculations were false, however. He had not reflected that +the Cardinal's guards, not knowing where to find the man whom they had +orders to arrest, and obliged to feel their way, would be compelled to +almost double their journey: and this really occurred.</p> + +<p>Moreover, as, with the exception of Bouillot, not one of them was +personally acquainted with the Count, and he, as we now know, desired +nothing so much as the Count's escape, he passed through the midst +of them unsuspected, which occasioned them a great loss of time, by +compelling them to turn back.</p> + +<p>We have already narrated how, after the stormy explanation which took +place between father-in-law and son-in-law, the latter was arrested, +taken by Bouillot to the Isle St. Marguerite, and delivered over +to Major de l'Oursière. And now that we have fully explained the +respective positions of each of our characters, we will resume our +narrative at the point where we left it.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE PRISONER.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>We have mentioned that after proof of identity, and perusal of the +order of arrest, Major de l'Oursière, governor of the fortress of St. +Marguerite, had the Count conducted to the room which was to serve as +his prison, until the day when it might please the Cardinal to restore +him to liberty.</p> + +<p>This room, very spacious and lofty, of an octagonal shape, and with +whitewashed walls, fifteen feet thick, was only lighted by two narrow +loopholes, covered with an under and outer iron trelliswork, which +completely prevented any looking out.</p> + +<p>A large chimney, with a wide mantelpiece, occupied one corner of the +room: facing was a bed, composed of a thin palliasse and a narrow +mattress laid on a deal bedstead, formerly painted yellow, though time +had completely removed the colour.</p> + +<p>A rickety table, a stool, a chair, a night commode, and an iron +candlestick, completed the furniture, which was more than modest.</p> + +<p>This room was situated on the highest floor of the tower, the platform +of which, where a sentry tramped day and night, served as the ceiling.</p> + +<p>The soldier drew the bolts that garnished the iron-lined door of this +room. The Count entered, with a firm step.</p> + +<p>After taking a glance at these cold, sad walls, destined henceforward +to serve him as a habitation, he sat down on a chair, crossed his arms +on his breast, hung his head, and began to reflect.</p> + +<p>The soldier, or rather gaoler, who had gone out, returned an hour +later, and found him in the same position.</p> + +<p>He brought with him sheets, blankets, and wood to light a fire. Behind +him two soldiers carried the portmanteau containing the prisoner's +clothes and linen, which they placed in a corner, and retired.</p> + +<p>The gaoler at once set to work making the bed. Then he swept the room +and lit the fire. When these different duties were accomplished, he +approached the prisoner.</p> + +<p>"My lord?" he said to him politely.</p> + +<p>"What do you want with me, my friend?" the Count answered, raising his +head and looking at him gently.</p> + +<p>"The governor of the castle desires the honour of an interview with +you, as he says he has an important communication to make."</p> + +<p>"I am at the governor's orders," the Count said laconically.</p> + +<p>The gaoler bowed and went out.</p> + +<p>"What can the man want with me?" the Count muttered, so soon as he was +alone.</p> + +<p>He had not long to wait, for the door opened again and the governor +made his appearance.</p> + +<p>The prisoner rose to receive him, bowed, and then silently waited for +him to speak.</p> + +<p>The Major made the gaoler a sign to withdraw, and then, after a fresh +bow, he said with cold politeness,—</p> + +<p>"My lord Count, gentlemen should respect each other. Although +the orders I have received on your account from the Cardinal are +very strict, I still desire to shew you any attention that is not +incompatible with my duty. I have, therefore, come to you frankly in +order to have an understanding on the subject."</p> + +<p>The Count guessed to what this speech tended, but did not let it be +seen, and answered,—</p> + +<p>"Mr. Governor, I am grateful, as I ought to be, for the steps you +have been kind enough to take; may I ask you, therefore, to have the +goodness to explain to me the nature of your orders, and what the +favours are by which you can alleviate their severity. But, in the +first place, as I am at home here," he added, with a melancholy smile; +"do me the honour of seating yourself."</p> + +<p>The Major bowed, but remained standing.</p> + +<p>"It is unnecessary, my lord," he remarked, "as what I have to say to +you is very short; in the first place, you will observe that I have had +the delicacy to send you the trunk containing your effects unexamined +as I had the right to do."</p> + +<p>"I allow the fact, Major, and feel obliged; to you for it."</p> + +<p>The Major bowed.</p> + +<p>"As you are an officer, my lord," he said, "you are aware that his +Eminence the Cardinal, although he is a great man, is not very liberal +to officers whose infirmity or wounds compel them to quit the service."</p> + +<p>"That is true."</p> + +<p>"The governors of fortresses more especially, although nominated by the +King, being obliged to pay a long price to their predecessors for the +office, are reduced to a perfect state of want, if they have not saved +up some money."</p> + +<p>"I was not aware of that circumstance, sir, and fancied that the +governorship of a fortress was a reward."</p> + +<p>"So it is, my lord, but we have to pay for the command of fortresses +like this, which are employed as state prisons."</p> + +<p>"Ah! Very good."</p> + +<p>"You understand, it is supposed that the governor makes a profit by the +prisoners intrusted to his keeping."</p> + +<p>"Of course, sir; are there at present many unhappy men who have +incurred the displeasure of His Eminence detained in this castle?"</p> + +<p>"Alas, sir, you are the only one, and that is exactly the reason why I +desire to have an amicable settlement with you."</p> + +<p>"For my part, be assured, sir, that I desire nothing more earnestly."</p> + +<p>"I am convinced of that, and hence will discuss the question frankly."</p> + +<p>"Do so, sir, do so; I am listening to you with the most serious +attention."</p> + +<p>"I have orders, sir, not to let you communicate with anyone but your +gaoler, to give you neither books, papers, pens, or ink, and never to +allow you to quit this room; it appears there is great fear of your +escape from here, and his Eminence is anxious to keep you."</p> + +<p>"I am extremely obliged to his Eminence, but luckily for me," the Count +answered with a smile, "instead of having to deal with a gaoler, I am +dependent on a true soldier, who, while strictly obeying his orders, +considers it unnecessary to torture a prisoner already so unhappy as to +have fallen into disgrace with the King and the Cardinal minister."</p> + +<p>"You have judged me correctly, my lord, though the orders are so +strict. I command alone in this castle, where I have no control to +fear. Hence I hope to have it in my power to relax the rigor I am +commanded to show you."</p> + +<p>"Whatever may be your intention in that respect, allow me, sir, in +my turn to speak like a frank and loyal sailor. As prisoner of your +King, doubtless for a very long time, money is perfectly useless to +me; though not rich, I enjoy a certain ease, on which I congratulate +myself, as this ease permits me to requite any polite attentions you +may show me; service for service, sir, I will give you every year +10,000 livres, paid in advance; and, on your side, will you allow me to +procure, at my own charges of course, all the objects susceptible of +alleviating my captivity."</p> + +<p>The Major felt as if about to faint. The old officer of fortune had +never in his whole life possessed so large a sum.</p> + +<p>The Count continued without seeming to notice the effect his words +produced on the governor.</p> + +<p>"Well then, that is quite understood. To the sum the King pays you +for my board, we will add 200 livres a month, or 2,400 per annum, for +papers, pens, ink, &c., suppose we say the round sum of 3,000 livres, +does that suit you?"</p> + +<p>"Ah, Sir, it is too much, a great deal too much."</p> + +<p>"No, Sir, since I assist an honourable man, who will owe me thanks for +it."</p> + +<p>"Ah! I shall be eternally grateful, sir; but, do not be angry with my +frankness, you will oblige me to offer up vows to keep you as long as +possible."</p> + +<p>"Who knows, sir, whether my departure will not some day be more +advantageous than my stay here?" he said with a meaning smile; "be good +enough to lend me your tablets."</p> + +<p>The Major offered them to him.</p> + +<p>The Count tore out a leaf, with a few pencilled words on it, and handed +it back to him.</p> + +<p>"Here," he said, "is a draught for 16,000 livres, which you can receive +at sight from Messrs. Dubois, Loustal, and Co., of Toulon, whenever you +have leisure."</p> + +<p>The governor clutched the paper with a start of joy.</p> + +<p>"But it seems to me that this draft is 800 livres in excess of the sum +agreed on between us?" he said.</p> + +<p>"That is correct, sir, but the 800 livres are for the purchase of +different articles, of which here is the list, and which I must ask you +to procure for me."</p> + +<p>"You shall have them tomorrow, my lord," and after bowing very low the +governor walked backwards out of the room.</p> + +<p>"Come," the Count muttered gaily, when the heavy door had closed on +the Major; "I was not deceived, I judged that man correctly, and his +is really perfect, but his most thoroughly developed vice is decidedly +avarice; I can make something of it, I fancy, when I like, but I must +not go ahead too fast, but act with the greatest prudence."</p> + +<p>Certain of not being disturbed, at least for some hours, the Count +opened the trunk brought in by the two soldiers, in order to convince +himself whether the governor had told him the truth, and the contents +were really intact.</p> + +<p>The trunk had not been examined.</p> + +<p>In the foresight of a probable arrest, the Count when he started in +pursuit of the Duc de Peñaflor, had purchased several objects which he +found again with the most lively satisfaction.</p> + +<p>In addition to a certain quantity of clothes and linen, the trunk +contained a very fine and strong silk cord, nearly one hundred fathoms +in length, two pairs of pistols, a dagger, a sword, powder and bullets, +objects which the governor would have confiscated without any scruple, +had he seen them, and which the Count had laid in at all risks, +trusting to chance.</p> + +<p>There were also several iron and steel tools, and concealed in a double +bottom, a very heavy purse containing the sum of 25,000 livres in +gold, in addition to another almost equally large amount in Spanish +quadruples sewn into a wide leathern belt.</p> + +<p>So soon as the Count was certain that the Major had told him the truth, +he carefully locked the trunk again, hung the key round his neck by a +steel chain, and sat down quietly in the chimney corner.</p> + +<p>His meditations were interrupted by the gaoler. This time the man not +only brought him bed furniture, far superior to what he had given him +before, but he had added a carpet, a mirror, and even toilet utensils.</p> + +<p>A cloth was spread on a table, upon which he placed in a moment a very +appetising dinner.</p> + +<p>"The Major begs me to apologize, sir," he said; "tomorrow he will send +you what you asked for. In the meanwhile he has forwarded you some +books."</p> + +<p>"Very good, my friend," the Count replied.</p> + +<p>"What is your name?"</p> + +<p>"La Grenade, sir."</p> + +<p>"Has the Governor selected you to wait on me?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"My friend, you appear to me a good fellow, here are three louis for +you. I will give you the same amount every month if I am satisfied with +your attention."</p> + +<p>"Had you given me nothing, sir," La Grenade replied, as he took the +money, "it would not have prevented me from serving you with all the +zeal of which I am capable, and if I receive these three louis, it is +only because a poor devil like me has no right to refuse a present from +so generous a gentleman as you. But, I repeat, sir, I am quite at your +service, and you can employ me in whatever way you please."</p> + +<p>"Goodness!" the Count said, in surprise; "and yet I do not know you, +as far as I am aware, La Grenade—whence, may I ask, comes this great +devotion to my person?"</p> + +<p>"I am most willing to tell you, sir, if it interests you. I am a +friend of M. François Bouillot, to whom I am under certain obligations; +he ordered me to serve and obey you in everything."</p> + +<p>"That good Bouillot," said the Count. "Very well, my friend, I shall +not be ungrateful. I do not want you anymore at present."</p> + +<p>The gaoler put some logs on the fire, lit the lamp, and withdrew.</p> + +<p>"Well," said the Count, with a laugh, "Heaven forgive me! I believe +that, though a prisoner in appearance, I am as much master of this +castle as the governor, and that I can leave it without opposition on +any day I like. What would the Cardinal think if he knew how his orders +were executed?"</p> + +<p>He sat down to table, unfolded his napkin, and began dining with a good +appetite.</p> + +<p>Things went on thus, in the way agreed on between the Governor and his +prisoner.</p> + +<p>The arrival of Count de Barmont at the fortress had been a windfall for +the Major, who, since he had received from the royal munificence the +command of this castle as retiring pension, had not once before had an +opportunity to derive any profit from the position that had been given +him. Hence he promised to make a gold mine of his solitary prisoner; +for the Isle of St. Marguerite, as we have already remarked, had not +yet acquired the reputation which it merited at a later date as a State +prison.</p> + +<p>The Count's room was furnished as well as it could be; everything he +demanded in the shape of books was procured him, though he had to pay +dearly for them, and he was even allowed to walk on the towers.</p> + +<p>The Count was happy—so far, at least, as the circumstances in which +he found himself allowed him to be so: no one would have supposed, +on seeing him work so assiduously at mathematics and navigation, for +he applied himself most seriously to the completion of his maritime +education, that this man nourished in his heart a thought of implacable +vengeance, and that this thought was ever present to him.</p> + +<p>At the first blush, the resolution formed by the Count to allow himself +to be incarcerated, while it was easy for him to remain free, may seem +strange: but the Count was one of those men of granite whose thoughts +are immutable, and who, when they have once formed a resolution, after +calculating with the utmost coolness all the chances for and against, +follow the road they have laid down for themselves, ever marching in a +straight line without caring for the obstacles that arise at each step +on their path and surmounting them, because they decided from the first +that they would do so—characters that grow and are perfected in the +struggle, and sooner or later reach the goal they have designed.</p> + +<p>The Count understood that any resistance to the Cardinal would result +in his own utter ruin; and there was no lack of proofs to support this +reasoning: by escaping from the guards who were taking him to prison, +he would remain at liberty, it is true, but he would be exiled, obliged +to quit France, and wander about in foreign parts alone, isolated, +without resources, ever on the watch, forced to hide himself, and +reduced to the impossibility of asking, that is to say, of obtaining +the necessary information he required to avenge himself on the man +who, by robbing him of the wife he loved, had at the same blow not +only destroyed his career and fortune, but also eternally ruined his +happiness.</p> + +<p>He was young, and could wait; vengeance is eaten cold, say the +southerners—and the Count came from Languedoc. Besides, as he had said +to Bouillot, in a moment of expansiveness, he wished to suffer, in +order to kill within him every human feeling that still existed, and to +find himself one day armed <i>cap-à -pie</i> to face his enemy.</p> + +<p>Cardinal Richelieu and Louis XIII. were both seriously ill. Their death +would not fail to produce a change of reign in two, three, or four +years at the most, and that catastrophe would arrive, one of whose +consequences it is to produce a reaction, and consequently, to open to +all the prisoners of the defunct Cardinal the dungeons to which he had +condemned them.</p> + +<p>The Count was twenty-five years of age: hence time was his own, and the +more so because, when restored to liberty, he would enter on all his +rights, and as an enemy of Richelieu, be favourably regarded at Court, +and, through the temporary credit he would enjoy, be in a condition to +regain all the advantage he had lost as concerned his foe.</p> + +<p>Only energetically endowed men, who are sure of themselves, are capable +of making such calculations, and obstinately pursuing a line of +conduct so opposed to all logical combinations; but these men who thus +resolutely enlist chance on their side, and reckon on it as a partner, +always succeed in what they purpose doing, unless death suddenly cuts +them short.</p> + +<p>Through the intercession of La Grenade, and the tacit connivance of the +Governor, who closed his eyes with a charming inattention, the Count +was not only cognizant with all that was going on outside, but also +received letters from his friends, which he answered.</p> + +<p>One day, after reading a letter which la Grenade had given him when +bringing in breakfast, a letter from the Duc de Bellegarde, which had +reached him through Michael, for the worthy sailor had refused to leave +his Commandant, and had turned fisherman at Antibes, with Bowline as +his assistant, the Count sent a message to the Governor, requesting a +few minutes' conversation with him.</p> + +<p>The Major knew that every visit he paid his prisoner was a profit to +him, hence he hastened to his room.</p> + +<p>"Have you heard the news, sir?" the Count said at once on seeing him.</p> + +<p>"What news, my lord?" the Major asked, in amazement, for he knew +nothing.</p> + +<p>In fact, placed as he was at the extreme frontier of the kingdom, news, +no matter its importance, only reached him, so to speak, by accident.</p> + +<p>"The Cardinal Minister is dead, sir. I have just learned it from a sure +hand."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said the Major, clasping his hands, for this death might cause +him the loss of his place.</p> + +<p>"And," the Count added, coldly, "His Majesty King Louis XIII. is at +death's door."</p> + +<p>"Great heaven, what a misfortune!" exclaimed the Governor.</p> + +<p>"This misfortune may be fortunate for you, sir," the Count resumed.</p> + +<p>"Fortunate! When I am menaced with the loss of my command! Alas, my +lord, what will become of me if I am turned out of here?"</p> + +<p>"That might easily, happen," said the Count. "You have, sir, always +been a great friend of the defunct Cardinal, and known as such."</p> + +<p>"That is, unhappily, too true," the Major muttered, quite out of +countenance, and recognizing the truth of this affirmation.</p> + +<p>"There is, I think, an advantageous mode of arranging matters."</p> + +<p>"What is it, my lord? Speak, I implore you!"</p> + +<p>"It is this: listen to me carefully—what I am going to say is very +serious for you."</p> + +<p>"I am listening, my lord."</p> + +<p>"Here is a letter all ready written for the Duc de Bellegarde. You +will start at once for Paris, passing through Toulon, where you will +cash this draft for 2000 livres, to cover your expenses. The Duke is +sincerely attached to me. For my sake he will receive you kindly: you +will come to an understanding with him, and obey him in everything he +orders."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, my lord."</p> + +<p>"And if within a month from this time at the latest—"</p> + +<p>"From this time at the latest—" the Governor repeated, panting with +impatience.</p> + +<p>"You bring me here my full and entire—pardon, signed by H. M. Louis +XIII.—"</p> + +<p>"What?" the Governor exclaimed, with a start of surprise.</p> + +<p>"I will at once pay you," the Count continued, coldly, "the sum of +50,000 livres, to indemnify you for the loss my liberation must entail +on you."</p> + +<p>"Fifty thousand livres!" the Major exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with +greed.</p> + +<p>"Fifty thousand! yes, sir," the Count replied. "And, besides, I pledge +myself, if you wish it, to get you confirmed in your command. Is this +matter settled?"</p> + +<p>"But, my lord, how am I to manage at Paris?"</p> + +<p>"Follow the instructions the Duc de Bellegarde will give you."</p> + +<p>"What you ask of me is very difficult."</p> + +<p>"Not so difficult as you pretend to believe, sir; however, if this +mission does not suit you—"</p> + +<p>"I did not say that, sir."</p> + +<p>"In a word, you can take it or leave it."</p> + +<p>"I take it, my lord—I take it. Great heaven!—fifty thousand livres!"</p> + +<p>"And you start?"</p> + +<p>"Tomorrow."</p> + +<p>"No, tonight."</p> + +<p>"Very good—tonight."</p> + +<p>"All right! Here are the letter and the draft. Oh! by the way, try to +put yourself in communication with a fisherman at Antibes of the name +of Michael."</p> + +<p>"I know him," the Major said, with a smile.</p> + +<p>"Indeed!" said the Count. "There would be no harm, either, in your +trying to find the exempt who brought me here, one François Bouillot."</p> + +<p>"I know where to find him," the Major replied, with the same meaning +smile.</p> + +<p>"Very good! in that case, my dear Governor, I have nothing more to add, +or any recommendations to make to you, beyond wishing you a pleasant +journey."</p> + +<p>"It will be so, my lord, I pledge you my word."</p> + +<p>"It is true that it is a round sum—fifty thousand livres!"</p> + +<p>"I shall not forget the amount."</p> + +<p>After saying this the Major took leave of his prisoner, and retired, +with a profusion of bows.</p> + +<p>"I believe that I am going to be free this time!" the Count exclaimed, +so soon as he was alone—"Ah! my lord Duke, we are now about to fight +with equal weapons!"</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a></h4> + +<h3>MAJOR DE L'OURSIÈRE.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Had it been possible for Count de Barmont to notice through the thick +oak planks, lined with iron, that formed the door of his prison, the +face of the governor on leaving him, he would not have chanted victory +so loudly, or believed himself so near his deliverance.</p> + +<p>In fact, so soon as the Major had no longer cause to dread his +prisoner's clear-sighted glance, his features immediately assumed an +expression of cynical malice impossible to render; his half-closed eyes +flashed with a gloomy fire beneath his grey eyelids and an ironical +smile raised the corners of his pale thin lips.</p> + +<p>It was twilight; night was beginning to fall, and confound all objects, +by burying them in a dark pall, which momentarily grew denser.</p> + +<p>The Major returned to his apartments, put a heavy cloak on his +shoulders, pulled his hat over his eyes, and sent for his lieutenant.</p> + +<p>The latter presented himself at once.</p> + +<p>He was a man of about forty, with a delicate and intelligent face, +whose features were imprinted with gentleness and even kindness.</p> + +<p>"I am starting this moment, sir," the governor said to him, "for +Antibes, whither important business summons me; my absence will +probably be prolonged for several days. While I remain absent from the +castle, I invest you with the command; watch over its safety, and guard +against any attempted escape on the part of the prisoner, though I +doubt his making it. Such attempts, though they do not succeed, injure +the reputation of a fortress, and the character of its governor."</p> + +<p>"I will watch with the greatest care, sir!"</p> + +<p>"I am certain of that, sir. Is there any fishing boat in the roads? +I should prefer not using the boat belonging to the fortress, as the +garrison is so weak."</p> + +<p>"The fishing boat you generally use, sir, and which is commanded by one +Michael, I think, was alongside the quay hardly an hour ago, but he has +probably started to fish outside the reef, as he usually does."</p> + +<p>"Hum," said the Major, "even were he still there, I should scruple at +making the poor fellow lose so much time in putting me ashore. These +fishermen are not rich, and every minute you take from them makes them +lose a part of the trifling profit of a long and hard night's work."</p> + +<p>The officer bowed, apparently sharing his chief's philanthropic ideas, +although his face evidenced the surprise which the expression of such +sentiments by a man like the Major caused him.</p> + +<p>"Are there no other boats here?" the Major asked, affecting an air of +indifference.</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon, sir, a smuggling lugger is just about putting out +to sea."</p> + +<p>"Very good; warn the master that I wish him to take me on board. Be +good enough to make haste, sir, for I am in a hurry."</p> + +<p>The officer withdrew to carry out the order given him; the Major took +some papers, doubtless important, from an iron casket, hid them under +his coat, wrapped himself in his cloak, and left the castle, under the +salute of the sentries who presented arms as he passed.</p> + +<p>"Well?" he asked the officer who came to meet him.</p> + +<p>"I have spoken to the master, sir, he awaits you," the other replied.</p> + +<p>"I thank you, sir; now, return to the castle, and watch carefully over +its safety till my return."</p> + +<p>The officer took leave, and the Major proceeded toward a sort of small +quay, where the lugger's yawl was waiting for him.</p> + +<p>So soon as the governor was aboard, the smuggler let go the hawser, and +set sail.</p> + +<p>When the light vessel was well under weigh, the master respectfully +walked up to the Major.</p> + +<p>"Where are we to steer?" he asked, as he doffed his woollen nightcap.</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah! is it you, Master Nicaud?" the governor said; for, accustomed +to have dealings with the smugglers, he knew most of them by their +names.</p> + +<p>"Myself, at your service, if I can do anything, Mr. Governor," the +master answered politely.</p> + +<p>"Tell me," said the Major, "would you like to earn ten louis?"</p> + +<p>The sailor burst into a hearty laugh.</p> + +<p>"You are joking with me, of course, Mr. Governor," he said.</p> + +<p>"Not at all," the Major went on, "and the proof is, here they are," +he added, as he drew from his pocket a handful of gold, which he +carelessly tossed in his hand; "I am therefore awaiting your answer."</p> + +<p>"Hang it, Mr. Governor, you are well aware that ten louis forms a very +fine lump of money for a poor fellow like me; I am most willing to earn +the canaries, what must I do for them?"</p> + +<p>"Well, a very simple thing! take me to St. Honorat, where I feel +inclined for a stroll."</p> + +<p>"At this time of night?" the master remarked in surprise.</p> + +<p>The Major bit his lips on perceiving that he had made a foolish remark.</p> + +<p>"I am very fond of the picturesque, and wish to enjoy the effect of the +convent ruins in the moonlight."</p> + +<p>"That is an idea like any other," the skipper answered; "and as you pay +me, Mr. Governor, I can have no objection."</p> + +<p>"That is true. Then you will take me to Saint Honorat, land me in your +boat, and stand off and on while waiting for me. Is that agreed?"</p> + +<p>"Perfectly."</p> + +<p>"Ah! I have a decided taste for solitude, and hence I must insist on +none of your men landing on the island while I am there."</p> + +<p>"The whole crew shall remain on board, I promise you."</p> + +<p>"All right, I trust to you, here is the money."</p> + +<p>"Thanks," said the skipper, pocketing it; then he said to the steerer, +"down with the helm," and added, "Hilloh, my lads, brace the sheets to +larboard."</p> + +<p>The vessel quickly came up to the wind, and leaped over the waves in +the direction of Saint Honorat, whose black outlines stood out on the +horizon.</p> + +<p>It is but a short passage between Saint Marguerite and Saint Honorat, +especially for such a clipper as the smuggling lugger.</p> + +<p>The vessel was soon off the island.</p> + +<p>The master lay to, and ordered a boat to be let down.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Governor," he said respectfully, doffing his cap, and stopping the +governor, who was walking up and down in the stern; "we are all ready, +and the boat waits for you."</p> + +<p>"Already! All the better," the latter answered.</p> + +<p>At the moment when he was going to get into the boat, the skipper +arrested him.</p> + +<p>"Have you pistols?" he asked him.</p> + +<p>"Pistols?" he said as he turned round, "What for? is not this island +deserted?"</p> + +<p>"Entirely."</p> + +<p>"Hence I can run no risk."</p> + +<p>"Not the slightest; hence that is not the reason why I asked you the +question."</p> + +<p>"What is it then?"</p> + +<p>"Hang it, it is as black as in the fiend's oven; there is no moon, you +cannot distinguish an object ten yards from you. How shall I know when +you want to come on board again, unless you warn me by a signal?"</p> + +<p>"That is true; what had I better do?"</p> + +<p>"Here is a pistol, it is not loaded, but there is powder in the pan, +and you can squib it."</p> + +<p>"Thanks," said the Major, taking the pistol, and thrusting it through +his girdle.</p> + +<p>He got into the boat, which was dancing on the waves, and sat down in +the stern sheets; four vigorous sailors bending over the oars made her +fly through the water.</p> + +<p>"A pleasant trip," the skipper shouted.</p> + +<p>It appeared to the Major as if this wish had been uttered with a very +marked ironical tone by Master Nicaud, but he attached no further +importance to it, and turned his eyes toward land, which was gradually +looming larger.</p> + +<p>Ere long the boat's bows grated on the sand; they had arrived.</p> + +<p>The Major went ashore, and after ordering the sailors to return aboard, +he drew his cloak over his face, went off with long steps, and soon +disappeared in the darkness.</p> + +<p>However, instead of obeying the injunction given them, three of the +sailors landed in their turn, and followed the Major at a distance, +while careful to keep themselves out of sight. The fourth, who remained +to keep the boat, hid the latter behind a point, secured it to a +projecting rock, and leaping ashore, fusil in hand, he remained on the +watch with his eyes fixed on the interior of the island.</p> + +<p>The Major, in the meanwhile, continued to advance hurriedly in the +direction of the ruins, whose imposing outline was already beginning +to present itself to his eyes, borrowing from the surrounding gloom a +still more imposing aspect.</p> + +<p>The Major, convinced that his orders had been punctually carried out, +for he had no motive to distrust Master Nicaud, whom he had ever and +under all circumstances found willing and faithful, walked on without +turning his head, or even taking precautions, which he considered +unnecessary, as he was far from suspecting that several men were +following his footsteps, and watching his movements.</p> + +<p>It was easy to see from the deliberate manner in which he walked, and +the facility with which he evaded obstacles and found his way in the +darkness, that this was not the first time the Major had come to this +spot, though it appeared so solitary and deserted.</p> + +<p>After entering the ruins, M. de l'Oursière passed through a cloister, +encumbered with shapeless fragments, and forcing his way between +stones and brambles, he entered the chapel, a magnificent specimen of +the purest Roman style, whose crumbling roof had fallen in under the +incessant efforts of time, and only the choir and apse still remained +intact amid broken columns and desecrated altars.</p> + +<p>The Major passed through the choir, and reached the apse, where he +halted.</p> + +<p>After carefully examining for a moment the surrounding objects, as if +he expected to find someone or something he did not perceive, he at +length resolved to clap his hands thrice.</p> + +<p>At the same moment a man rose scarce two paces from him.</p> + +<p>This sudden apparition, though he fully expected it, made the Major +start, and he fell back a step, laying his hand on his sword.</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah, my master," the stranger said, in a mocking voice, "pray do +you take me for a spectre, that I cause you such terror?"</p> + +<p>The man was wrapped up in a thick cloak, whose folds concealed his +shape, while a broad leafed plumed hat entirely covered his face and +rendered him completely unrecognizable. Only the end of his cloak +raised by the scabbard of a long rapier, proved that whoever the man +might be, he had not come unarmed to this gloomy rendezvous.</p> + +<p>"I am at your orders, sir," the Major said, raising his hand to his +hat, but without removing it.</p> + +<p>"And ready to serve me, no doubt," the stranger resumed.</p> + +<p>"That depends," the Major remarked roughly, "times are no longer the +same."</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah," the stranger continued still sarcastically, "what news is +there? I shall be delighted to learn it of you."</p> + +<p>"You know it as well as I do, sir."</p> + +<p>"No matter, tell me all the same what the great news is, that thus +produces modifications in our relations which have hitherto been so +amicable?"</p> + +<p>"It is useless to jeer thus, sir; I have served you, you have paid me, +and we are quits."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps so, but go on. I presume you wish to propose a new bargain to +me?"</p> + +<p>"I have nothing to propose; I have merely come because you expressed a +desire to see me, that is all."</p> + +<p>"And your prisoner, are you still satisfied with him?"</p> + +<p>"More than ever. He is a charming gentleman, who does not at all +deserve the melancholy fate thrust on him; I really feel an interest in +him."</p> + +<p>"Confound it, that comes expensive, I did not take that interest into +account, and I was wrong, I see."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean, sir?" the Major protested with an indignant air.</p> + +<p>"Nothing but what I say to you, my dear sir. Hang it, you amuse me with +your scruples, after taking money from all parties during the last +eighteen months; the Cardinal is dead and the King is on the point of +following him, that is what you wished to tell me, is it not? A new +reign is preparing, and it is probable that, if only through a spirit +of contradiction, the new government will upset everything done by +the one that preceded it, and that its first care will be to open the +prison doors; you also wished to tell me that Count de Barmont, who +possesses warm friends at court, who will not fail to employ their +influence on his behalf, cannot fail to be set at liberty ere long. +Confusion, I knew all that as well and even better than you, but what +matter?"</p> + +<p>"How, what matter?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly, if Count de Barmont has devoted friends, he has implacable +enemies; bear that in mind."</p> + +<p>"And the result will be?"</p> + +<p>"That in four days at the latest, you will receive an order signed by +Louis XIII. himself."</p> + +<p>"To what effect?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! Good heaven, no great thing, except that Count de Barmont will +be immediately transferred from St. Marguerite to the Bastille; and +once there," he added in a hollow voice, which made the Major shudder +involuntarily, "a man is eternally erased from the number of the living +or only leaves it a corpse or a maniac. Do you comprehend me now?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I understand you, sir; but who guarantees that the Count will not +have escaped before the four days to which you refer?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! With a governor like yourself, Major, such an eventuality seems to +me highly improbable."</p> + +<p>"Well, well," the Major observed, "very extraordinary tales are told +about the escape of prisoners."</p> + +<p>"That is true; but another thing reassures me against this escape."</p> + +<p>"And what is that, sir?"</p> + +<p>"Merely that the Count himself declared that he would never consent to +escape, and was not at all anxious about liberty."</p> + +<p>"Well, sir, that is the very thing that deceives you; it seems that +he has now changed his opinion, and is eagerly soliciting through his +friends to obtain his liberty."</p> + +<p>"Ah! Have we come to that point?" the stranger said, fixing on the +Major a glance which flashed through the gloom.</p> + +<p>The governor bowed.</p> + +<p>There was a silence, during which no other sound was audible, save that +of the heavy flight of the nocturnal birds in the ruins.</p> + +<p>"A truce to further chattering," the stranger resumed in a fierce +voice; "how much do you ask to prevent the prisoner escaping until the +king's order reaches you?"</p> + +<p>"Two hundred thousand livres," the Major answered roughly.</p> + +<p>"Was I not right in telling you that it would be expensive?" the +stranger said with a grin.</p> + +<p>"Dear or not, that is my price, and I shall not bate it."</p> + +<p>"Very good, you shall have it."</p> + +<p>"When?"</p> + +<p>"Tomorrow."</p> + +<p>"That will be too late."</p> + +<p>"What?" the stranger asked haughtily.</p> + +<p>"I said it would be too late," the Major repeated imperturbably.</p> + +<p>"In that case, when must you have it?"</p> + +<p>"At once."</p> + +<p>"Do you fancy I carry 200,000 livres about me?"</p> + +<p>"I do not say that, but I can accompany you where you are going, and on +reaching Antibes, we will say, you can pay me the amount."</p> + +<p>"That is a good plan."</p> + +<p>"Is it not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, only there is an obstacle to its success."</p> + +<p>"I do not see one."</p> + +<p>"But I do."</p> + +<p>"What is it, sir?"</p> + +<p>"That, if I give you a meeting here, and come disguised and alone, I +have probably an object."</p> + +<p>"Of course! You wish to remain incog."</p> + +<p>"You are full of penetration, my dear sir; and yet we can come to an +understanding."</p> + +<p>"I do not see how, unless you consent to what I ask."</p> + +<p>"You are a judge of diamonds, since we have hitherto only bargained in +them."</p> + +<p>"That is true, I am a tolerable judge of them."</p> + +<p>"Here is one that is worth 100,000 crowns, take it."</p> + +<p>And he offered a small case of black shagreen.</p> + +<p>The Major eagerly seized it.</p> + +<p>"But," he objected, "how can I be certain that you are not deceiving +me?"</p> + +<p>"An affecting confession," the stranger observed laughingly.</p> + +<p>"Business is business, I risk my soul in serving you."</p> + +<p>"As for your soul, my dear sir, reassure yourself; in that quarter you +have nothing to risk. But I will give you the satisfaction you desire."</p> + +<p>And taking a dark lanthorn from under his cloak, he let the light play +on the diamond.</p> + +<p>The Major only required one glance to assure himself of the value of +the rich reward offered him.</p> + +<p>"Are you satisfied?" the stranger asked, as he placed the lanthorn +again under his cloak.</p> + +<p>"Here is the proof," the Major answered, as he concealed the box, and +handed him a bundle of papers.</p> + +<p>"What is this?" the stranger inquired.</p> + +<p>"Papers of great importance for you, in the sense that they will tell +you who the Count's friends are, and the means they can employ to +restore him to liberty."</p> + +<p>"Bravo!" the stranger exclaimed, as he eagerly took the bundle of +papers; "I no longer regret having paid so heavy a price for your +assistance. Now we have discussed every point, I think?"</p> + +<p>"I think so too."</p> + +<p>"In that case, farewell! When I want you, I will let you know."</p> + +<p>"Are you going already?"</p> + +<p>"What the deuce would you have me do longer in this owl's nest? It is +time for each of us to rejoin the persons waiting for us."</p> + +<p>And after giving the Major a slight wave of the hand, he turned away +and disappeared behind the ruins of the high altar.</p> + +<p>At the same moment the stranger was suddenly seized by several men, so +that not only was he unable to offer a useless resistance, but found +himself bound and gagged before he had recovered from the surprise this +attack had caused him.</p> + +<p>His silent aggressors then left him rolling on the ground with +convulsive bounds of impotent rage, and disappeared in the darkness +without paying any further attention to him.</p> + +<p>The Major, after a momentary hesitation, also resolved to leave the +place, and slowly proceeded in the direction of the shore. On arriving +within a certain distance, in obedience to skipper Nicaud's hint, he +cocked his pistol and flashed the powder in the pan; then he continued +to advance slowly.</p> + +<p>The boat had doubtless made haste to meet him, for at the same moment +as the Major reached the shore, its bows ran into the sand.</p> + +<p>The governor stepped silently into it; twenty minutes after he +found himself on board the lugger, where master Nicaud received him +respectfully cap in hand.</p> + +<p>The boat was hauled up to the davits, sail was set on the lugger, and +she stood out to sea before a fresh breeze.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE SEAGULL LUGGER.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>A lugger is a three mast vessel, with narrow lines aft and bulging +bows; it has a foremast, mainmast, and a driver greatly inclined over +the stern; its bowsprit is short; it carries large sails and at times +topsails.</p> + +<p>From this description it is easy to see that luggers have the same rig, +on a larger scale, as chasse-marées.</p> + +<p>Although the draft on water of these vessels is rather great aft, as +they are generally quick and good sea boats, they are largely employed +for smuggling purposes, in spite of the inconvenience of the large +sails which have to be shifted with each tack.</p> + +<p>The Seagull was a vessel of ninety tons, neatly fitted up, and carrying +four small iron guns of eight to the pound, which caused her to bear a +greater resemblance with a corsair than a peaceful coaster.</p> + +<p>Still, in spite of a rather numerous crew, and her rakish appearance, +during about a year since this vessel began frequenting the coast of +Provence and the Lerins islands, not a word of harm had been said +against her. Skipper Nicaud passed for an honest worthy man, although a +little rough and quarrelsome,—faults, by the way, peculiar to nearly +all sailors, and which in no way diminished the excellent reputation +which the master of the Seagull enjoyed.</p> + +<p>So soon as Major de l'Oursière had regained the lugger's deck, and the +vessel had stood off, after taking a parting glance at St. Honorat, +whose outline was gradually disappearing in the mist, he walked aft, +seized the manrope and went down into the cabin.</p> + +<p>But on entering the cabin, which he supposed to be unoccupied, as +the skipper was on deck, the Major with difficulty restrained an +exclamation of surprise.</p> + +<p>There was a man in the cabin, seated at a table, and contently imbibing +rum and water, while smoking an enormous pipe, and forming an aureole +around him of bluish smoke.</p> + +<p>In this man the Major recognised Michael the Basque, the fisherman.</p> + +<p>After a moment's hesitation, the Major walked in, although the presence +of this individual aboard the lugger was rather singular. Still there +was nothing in the thing that should terrify the Major, who had no +reason to suppose that Michael was hostile to him, or that he had +anything to apprehend from him.</p> + +<p>At the noise made by the Major on entering the cabin, the sailor half +turned to him, though without removing the pipe from his lips. After +taking a pull at the glass he held in his right hand, he said in a +bantering tone,—</p> + +<p>"Why, if I am not mistaken, it is our estimable governor of St. +Marguerite; delighted to see you, I am sure, Major."</p> + +<p>"Why," the Major replied, in the same key, "it's that worthy fellow, +Michael. By what chance do I find you here, when I had a right to +suppose you engaged fishing, at this moment, Lord knows where?"</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said Michael, with a laugh; "There's as good fishing here +as anywhere. Won't you take a seat, Major, or are you afraid of +compromising your dignity by sitting down by the side of a poor fellow +like me?"</p> + +<p>"You do not think that," the Major answered, as he seated himself.</p> + +<p>"Don't you smoke, eh?" Michael asked him.</p> + +<p>"No; that is a sailor's amusement."</p> + +<p>"It is so, Major. But I suppose you drink?"</p> + +<p>The Major held out a glass, which the sailor liberally filled.</p> + +<p>"Here's your health, Major. If I expected to meet anyone, it wasn't +you, I assure you."</p> + +<p>"I thought so."</p> + +<p>"Indeed I didn't."</p> + +<p>"Well, to tell you the truth, I did not expect to meet you, either."</p> + +<p>"I am aware of that. You have come from St. Honorat."</p> + +<p>"Hang it all! You cannot be ignorant of that fact, since I find you +here."</p> + +<p>"It was on your account, then, that we lost two hours in tacking +between the islands, at the risk of running on to a reef, instead of +attending to our business?"</p> + +<p>"What do you mean by business? Are you a smuggler at present?"</p> + +<p>"I am everything," Michael replied, laconically, emptying his glass.</p> + +<p>"But what the deuce are you doing here?" asked the Major.</p> + +<p>"What are you?" the sailor said, answering one question by another.</p> + +<p>"I—I?" the Major began, in embarrassment.</p> + +<p>"You hesitate!" Michael continued, banteringly. "Well, I will tell you, +if you like."</p> + +<p>"You, Michael?"</p> + +<p>"Why not? You went to St. Honorat to admire the beauties of nature," +and he burst into a hearty laugh. "Is it not so?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. I have always passionately admired the picturesque. But that +reminds me. I have forgotten to tell skipper Nicaud where I wish him to +land me."</p> + +<p>And he made a movement, as if to rise.</p> + +<p>"It is unnecessary," the sailor said, obliging him to sit down again.</p> + +<p>"How? Unnecessary! On the contrary, I must do it, without further +delay."</p> + +<p>"Still you have time, Major," the sailor said, peremptorily; "besides, +I must speak with you first."</p> + +<p>"You speak with me?" the Major exclaimed, in stupefaction.</p> + +<p>"So it is, Major," the other replied, sarcastically. "I have very +important matters to tell you. In your devil of a castle that is +impossible, because you have there a number of soldiers and gaolers, +who, at your slightest frown, interrupt the person addressing you, and +throw him without ceremony into some hole, where they unscrupulously +leave him to rot. That is discouraging, on my honour. But here it is +far more agreeable, as I am not afraid that you will have me locked up +—at least, not for the present. Hence, as the opportunity offers, I +wish to take advantage of it to empty my budget, and tell you what I +have on my heart."</p> + +<p>The Major felt internally anxious, without yet knowing positively what +he had to fear, so extraordinary to him seemed this way of speaking +on the part of a sailor, who had hitherto always displayed a servile +politeness toward him. Still, he did not allow anything of this to be +seen, but leaned carelessly over the table.</p> + +<p>"Very good, let us talk, since you feel so great an inclination for +it, my good Michael; for I have time, as I am in no hurry."</p> + +<p>The sailor made his chair turn half round on its hind legs, and finding +himself by this movement right facing M. de l'Oursière, he examined him +cunningly, for an instant, then drained the contents of his glass; and, +after banging the empty glass on the table, he said,—</p> + +<p>"It is really a charming passion of yours, Major, to go thus at night +to admire the ruins of the convent of St. Honorat in the darkness. It +is, really, a charming passion, and a very profitable one, from what I +have been able to learn."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?" the Major asked, turning pale.</p> + +<p>"I mean what I say, nothing else! Do you believe in hazard, Major?"</p> + +<p>"Why—"</p> + +<p>"No more, I fancy, in that which makes me meet you here, than in the +chance that makes you find on a desert island diamonds worth three +hundred thousand livres; because the one thing is as impossible as the +other?"</p> + +<p>This time the Major did not attempt to reply, for he felt he was caught +out.</p> + +<p>Michael continued in the same sneering and bantering tone—</p> + +<p>"It is certainly ingenious to act as you do. A man soon grows rich by +taking with both hands, but like all trades that are too good, this one +is rather risky."</p> + +<p>"You insult me, scoundrel!" the Major stammered. "Take care what you +say. If I call—"</p> + +<p>"Come, come," the sailor interrupted, with a coarse laugh; "I do not +intend to notice the insult you cast in my teeth, for I have something +else to do. As for calling out, just try it, and you will see what +will happen."</p> + +<p>"That—that is treachery!"</p> + +<p>"Hang it! Are we not all more or less traitors? You are one—I am one; +that is allowed: hence, believe me, it is useless to dwell any longer +on this subject, and we had better revert to our business."</p> + +<p>"Speak," the Major muttered in a gloomy voice.</p> + +<p>"But, stay. I wish to give you a proof of frankness, and show you once +for all how wrong you would be in keeping up, I will not say the least +hope, but the slightest illusion as to what is going on here."</p> + +<p>Then, tapping the table smartly with the heel of his glass, he +shouted,—</p> + +<p>"Come here, Nicaud, I want you."</p> + +<p>A heavy step resounded on the cabin stairs, and almost immediately +Skipper Nicaud's cunning face was framed by the doorway.</p> + +<p>"What do you want, Michael?" he asked, without seeming even to notice +the Major's presence.</p> + +<p>"Only a trifle, my lad," the sailor replied, pointing to the officer, +who had turned pale, through the emotion he felt. "Only a simple +question for the personal satisfaction of this gentleman."</p> + +<p>"Speak."</p> + +<p>"Who is the present commander of the Seagull lugger, in whose cabin we +are now seated?"</p> + +<p>"Why, you, of course."</p> + +<p>"Then everyone aboard, yourself included, must obey me?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly; and without the slightest observation."</p> + +<p>"Very good. Then supposing, Nicaud, I were to order you to take the +Major here present, fasten a couple of round shot to his feet, and +throw him overboard, what would you do, my lad?"</p> + +<p>"What would I do?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Obey."</p> + +<p>"Without any observation?"</p> + +<p>Skipper Nicaud shrugged his shoulders.</p> + +<p>"Shall I do it?" he asked, stretching out his huge fist towards the +Major, who shuddered.</p> + +<p>"Not yet," Michael answered. "Go back on deck, but do not go far, as I +shall probably want you soon."</p> + +<p>"Very good," said the master, and disappeared.</p> + +<p>"Are you now edified, Major?" Michael asked, turning carelessly to the +horrified governor; "And are you not beginning to understand that I, +poor chap as I am, compared with you, have you, temporarily, at any +rate, completely in my power?"</p> + +<p>"I allow it," the Major stammered, in a faint and choking voice.</p> + +<p>"In that case, I believe we shall come to an understanding."</p> + +<p>"Come to the facts, sir, without further circumlocution."</p> + +<p>"Good!" Michael exclaimed, coarsely; "That's how I like to see you. In +the first place, hand me the diamond which your accomplice gave you in +the ruins."</p> + +<p>"Then you mean robbery. I had hoped better things of you," the Major +answered, disdainfully.</p> + +<p>"Call it what you like, Major," the sailor said imperturbably; "the +name does not alter the thing—give me the diamond."</p> + +<p>"No," the Major answered coldly, "the diamond is my fortune, and you +shall only have it with my life."</p> + +<p>"That condition, illogical though it is, will not check me, I assure +you, for I will kill you, if necessary, and then take the diamond," and +he cocked a pistol.</p> + +<p>There was a silence.</p> + +<p>"Well, then, it is really this diamond you want?"</p> + +<p>"That and something else," said Michael.</p> + +<p>"I do not understand you."</p> + +<p>The sailor rose, placed the pistol to his chest, and said frowningly—</p> + +<p>"I will make you understand me."</p> + +<p>The Major felt he was lost, and that this man would kill him.</p> + +<p>"Stop!" he said.</p> + +<p>"Have you decided?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," he answered, in a voice choked with rage, and drawing the box +from his bosom, he muttered, "Curse you, take it!"</p> + +<p>Michael returned the pistol to his belt, opened the box, and +attentively examined the diamond.</p> + +<p>"It is the one," he said, as he closed the box again, and stowed it +away.</p> + +<p>The unlucky officer followed all these movements with a lack-lustre eye.</p> + +<p>Michael resumed his seat, poured himself out a glass of rum, swallowed +it at a draught, and then bending forward as he filled his pipe, said—</p> + +<p>"Now, let us talk."</p> + +<p>"What, talk?" asked the Major; "Have we not finished yet?"</p> + +<p>"Not yet—what a hurry you are in. At present we have said nothing."</p> + +<p>"What more do you want of me?"</p> + +<p>"That is meant for a reproach; but I allow for your ill temper, and +owe you no grudge for it. It is a sad thing for a man who has been +poor all his life to see himself robbed in a moment of a fortune which +he had only just secured. Well, then, listen to me, Major," he said, +assuming a consolatory air, and putting his elbows on the table, "it is +easy for you to regain the fortune you have lost, and it only depends +on yourself."</p> + +<p>The Major opened his eyes widely, not knowing whether to take what the +sailor said to him seriously; but as he risked nothing by permitting an +explanation, he prepared to give him the most earnest attention.</p> + +<p>The other continued—</p> + +<p>"No matter how I learned the fact—I know for certain, and the affair +of the diamond is an undeniable proof of it—that, while on one hand, +you feigned to feel the greatest interest for Count de Barmont, from +whom you have drawn large sums, though I don't say it in reproach, by +means of this feigned pity; on the other, you betray him without shame +to his enemies, whom you make pay for it heavily. I merely mention this +as a fact, and it is unnecessary to discuss it," Michael said, checking +the Major, who was about to speak. "Now, I have made up my mind that, +against wind and tide, and in spite of all the intrigues of his enemies +to prevent it, the Count shall be free, and free through me. This is my +plan: listen attentively to this, Mr. Governor, for the affair concerns +you' more nearly than you seem to suppose. The Count has learnt the +death of Cardinal de Richelieu, and I sent him the news in a letter +from the Duc de Bellegarde. You see that I know everything, or nearly +so: he at once requested to see you, and you granted his wish. What +took place at your interview? Speak, and before all, be frank: in my +turn, I will listen to you."</p> + +<p>"Of what use is it to repeat our conversation?" the Major asked, +ironically.</p> + +<p>"For my private satisfaction," Michael answered, "and your special +interest: do not be in too great a hurry to rejoice, Major, for you are +not out of my hands yet. Believe me, you had better yield with a good +grace, for your interest demands it."</p> + +<p>"My interest?" he repeated, in amazement.</p> + +<p>"Go on, Major; when the time arrives, be assured, I shall give you the +explanation you desire."</p> + +<p>The old officer reflected for a moment: at last he decided to speak, +resolved, if the opportunity offered itself hereafter, to make the +sailor pay dearly for all his agony and humiliation.</p> + +<p>"The Count," he said, "engaged me to go to Paris, and negotiate with +the Duc de Bellegarde, in order to bring him back his order of release, +which the duke is certain to obtain from the king."</p> + +<p>"That is good. And when do you intend to start for Paris?"</p> + +<p>"I have started."</p> + +<p>"Ah! Ah!" said Michael, with a laugh. "It appears that you have stopped +on the road, but that has nothing to do with the affair. Is that all?"</p> + +<p>"Nearly so."</p> + +<p>"Hum! then there is something else?"</p> + +<p>"Less than nothing."</p> + +<p>"No matter—out with it, for I am very curious. Did not the Count +promise you something?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"How much?"</p> + +<p>"Fifty thousand livres," the Major said, with repugnance.</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah, that is a tidy sum! And you were setting about earning it in +a strange fashion; but I do not wish to refer to that any more. Do +you wish to recover your diamond, and at the same time gain the fifty +thousand livres promised by the Count? Speak, it depends on yourself."</p> + +<p>"You are jesting with me, and not speaking seriously."</p> + +<p>"Never, on the contrary, have I been more serious. On the Count's +arrival at the castle you command, you were only a poor scrub of an +officer of fortune, who, during his whole life, had been struggling +against odds, and perched like an owl on an old wall, you were exposed +on your isle to die as you had lived; that is to say, without a rap. +During the last fifteen or eighteen months, things have completely +changed with you. With what you have extorted from the Count, and what +his enemies have given you, you have succeeded in getting together a +very decent sum. Admitting that you were to receive the Count's fifty +thousand livres, and I were to give you back the diamond, it would +produce you a perfectly independent fortune, enabling you to retire +when you pleased, and end your days in joy and abundance. Is not that +your opinion?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly, but I shall not touch the 50,000 livres, and the diamond +you have taken from me."</p> + +<p>"That is true, but," he added, "it is only dependent on yourself, +Major, to have it again in your possession."</p> + +<p>"What must I do for that?"</p> + +<p>"That is what I was waiting for, Major; you consent then, to enter into +an arrangement?"</p> + +<p>"I must; have I my free will at this moment?"</p> + +<p>"A man always has it when he likes, Major, you know that as well as I +do; the only thing is, that as you are a man endowed with a strong dose +of intelligence, and understand, that when a person has made a fortune +by means more or less honourable, he must keep it at all hazards, you +are beginning to lend a more attentive ear to the propositions which +you guess I am preparing to make you, for you are at length convinced +that it is to your interest to come to an understanding with me."</p> + +<p>"Suppose what you like, I do not care; but tell me your propositions, +so that I may know whether my honour allows me to accept them or forces +me to refuse them."</p> + +<p>Michael began laughing unceremoniously at this outburst, by which the +Major sought to mask his capitulation.</p> + +<p>"Instead of going to Paris," he said, "you will simply return to Sainte +Marguerite. You will go to the Count, tell him he is free, and then +return with him on board the lugger, which will wait for you. When the +Count and yourself are on board, the lugger will stand out to sea. +Then I will restore you your diamond and pay you the amount agreed on; +and as probably you will not care to resume the command of your castle +after such a frolic, I will convey you, and your wealth wherever you +like, in order to enjoy it without fear of being disturbed."</p> + +<p>"But," the Major observed, "what shall I tell the Count to persuade him +that he is free by the King's orders?"</p> + +<p>"That does not concern me, it is your affair; but hang it all, my dear +Major, you are unjust to yourself in raising any doubts as to the power +of your imagination. Now what do you think of my proposition, and do +you accept it?"</p> + +<p>"What security have I that you are not deceiving me, and that when I +have fulfilled the conditions of the bargain you impose on me, you keep +yours as strictly?"</p> + +<p>"The word of a honest man, sir, a word, which though that of a plain +sailor, is worth that of a gentleman."</p> + +<p>"I believe you, sir," the Major answered, lowering his eyes before +Michael's flashing glance.</p> + +<p>"Then, that is settled?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, it is."</p> + +<p>"All right. Hallo! Nicaud!" Michael shouted.</p> + +<p>The skipper arrived with a speed that proved he had not been far from +the two speakers.</p> + +<p>"Here I am, Michael, what do you want?"</p> + +<p>"Where are we at this moment?" the sailor asked.</p> + +<p>"About five leagues to windward of Sainte Marguerite."</p> + +<p>"Very good! Keep on the same course till daybreak; at sunrise we will +stand for the island, and anchor off it."</p> + +<p>"Very good, I understand."</p> + +<p>"Ah! Here is Mr. Governor, who I think, has great want of a little +rest; can't you put him up somewhere where he will be able to sleep for +two or three hours?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing easier, as I shall not turn in tonight, nor you, I suppose, +my cabin is at the Major's service, if he will do me the honour of +accepting it."</p> + +<p>The old officer was really worn out, not only by the fatigue of a long +watch, but also by the emotions he had suffered from during the night. +Certain that he had now no apprehensions about his safety, he heartily +accepted the skipper's offer, and withdrew into the cabin, the door of +which the other politely opened for him.</p> + +<p>The two sailors went up on deck again.</p> + +<p>"This time," said Michael, "I believe that we have manoeuvred cleverly, +and that our plan will succeed."</p> + +<p>"I am beginning to be of your opinion; but I say, wasn't that old +cormorant of a governor tough?"</p> + +<p>"Not very," Michael replied with a laugh, "besides, he had no choice; +he was obliged to give in, whether he liked it or not."</p> + +<p>As had been arranged, the lugger stood off and on from the island +during the whole night, at a distance of from four to five leagues from +the coast.</p> + +<p>At sunrise, they steered directly for St. Marguerite.</p> + +<p>The breeze had lulled nearer shore, so that it occupied some time ere +the light vessel reached the species of port serving as a landing place +in front of the castle.</p> + +<p>The lugger drew too much water for it to be possible to run alongside +the quay; hence it lay to a short distance off; and Nicaud had a boat +lowered, while Michael went down into the cabin to warn the Major.</p> + +<p>The latter was awake; refreshed and rested by sleep, he was no longer +the same man, he now regarded his position in its true light, and +understood that the means offered him to escape from the disagreeable +position in which he was placed by his double treachery, was more +advantageous than otherwise for him.</p> + +<p>It was almost with a smile that he wished Michael good day, and he made +no difficulty about accepting the hand the sailor offered to him.</p> + +<p>"Well," he asked him, "whereabouts are we, Michael?"</p> + +<p>"We have arrived, Major."</p> + +<p>"Already? Are you not afraid it is too early to go ashore?"</p> + +<p>"Not at all; it is nine o'clock."</p> + +<p>"So late? Hang it, it seems that I have slept soundly; in truth, I feel +quite jolly this morning."</p> + +<p>"All the better, Major, that is a good sign; I suppose you remember our +arrangements?"</p> + +<p>"Perfectly."</p> + +<p>"And you will play fairly with us?"</p> + +<p>"In my turn I pledge my honour to it, and I will keep it, whatever may +happen."</p> + +<p>"Come, I am glad to hear you talk like that; I am beginning to alter my +opinion about you."</p> + +<p>"Stuff," the Major remarked laughingly, "you do not know me yet."</p> + +<p>"You are aware that the boat is ready, it is only waiting for you to go +ashore."</p> + +<p>"If that is the case, I will follow you, Michael; I am now as eager as +you are to finish the affair."</p> + +<p>The Major went on deck and got into the boat, which was at once pushed +off, and set out for the landing place.</p> + +<p>Michael's heart beat ready to burst, while he followed with an anxious +eye, the light yawl which was rapidly leaving the lugger, and was +already close in shore.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a></h4> + +<h3>FRANCE, FAREWELL!</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>The Major had scarce landed at Sainte Marguerite, ere everything were +in commotion in the fort.</p> + +<p>On leaving the isle on the previous evening, the governor had stated +that he was going on a journey, and would be absent a week, perhaps two.</p> + +<p>The Lieutenant, intrusted with the command of the fort during his +absence, eagerly hastened to meet him, curious to learn the motive for +such a speedy return.</p> + +<p>The Major at first replied evasively, that news he had received on +landing on the mainland, had necessitated the immediate interruption +of his journey; and, while conversing thus, he entered the fort and +proceeded to his apartments, followed by the Lieutenant whom he had +invited to accompany him.</p> + +<p>"Sir," he said to him so soon as they were alone, "you will immediately +choose from the garrison ten resolute men; and proceed with them on +board the fishing vessel I noticed at anchor when I entered the fort. +The missive I entrust to you is most important, and if you carry it out +thoroughly, may have important results for you; it must be managed with +the most profound secrecy, however, for it is a secret of state."</p> + +<p>The Lieutenant bowed gratefully, evidently flattered at the confidence +his chief placed in him.</p> + +<p>The Major continued.</p> + +<p>"You will land on the coast a little below Antibes, and keep the boat, +which you will use for your return; you will manage so as not to enter +the town till nightfall, without attracting any attention, you will +lodge your men as best you can without arousing suspicions, but so as +to have them under hand at any moment. Tomorrow morning at ten o'clock, +you will present yourself to the town commandant, hand him a letter I +shall give you, and place yourself at his disposal. Have you understood +me thoroughly, sir?"</p> + +<p>"Perfectly, Mr. Governor."</p> + +<p>"Before all, I recommend you the most utter discretion; remember that +your fortune probably depends on the success of the mission."</p> + +<p>"I will obey you, Major, and I hope that you will only have compliments +to pay me on my return."</p> + +<p>"I trust so too, sir, but make haste, for you must be gone in half an +hour. During your preparations I will write the letter; it will be +ready when you come to take leave again."</p> + +<p>The lieutenant, after bowing respectfully, retired with a joyous heart, +not having the slightest suspicion of the treachery meditated by his +chief, and went off at full speed to make all the preparations for his +departure.</p> + +<p>The Major had under his orders a garrison of fifty men, commanded by +three officers, a captain and two lieutenants.</p> + +<p>This captain, the next in rank to him, would doubtless have greatly +impeded the success of the bold stroke he meditated, owing to the +pretext he would have been obliged to invent, in order to account for +the want of a release in writing for the Count.</p> + +<p>By sending him away, the Major had only to deal with two subalterns, +ranking too low in the military scale to venture to make observations, +or hesitate to accomplish his orders, the more so, because during +the ten or twelve years M. de l'Oursière had commanded Fort Sainte +Marguerite, nothing in his conduct had led to the slightest painful +suspicions about his honour.</p> + +<p>Forced by circumstances to betray his duty and quit his native land +forever, which he knew he should never see again after this audacious +scheme, the Major wished to leave nothing to chance, but turn his lost +position to the greatest possible advantage. He hoped that the measures +he had taken would protect him from any danger, when his treachery was +eventually discovered.</p> + +<p>But, through a very laudable feeling of justice, especially on the part +of such a man and under such circumstances, the Major desired alone to +bear the burden of his infamous conduct and not to attract suspicion of +complicity on his poor officers, whom duty compelled to obey him, in +what they considered a portion of their military service.</p> + +<p>Hence he wrote to the governor of Antibes a very circumstantial letter, +in which he narrated, without the slightest omission, the treason he +meditated, and which would be carried out at the time when the governor +read the strange missive; he explained the motives that obliged him to +act as he was doing, while taking on himself all the responsibility of +such a deed, and acquitting his officers and soldiers, not only of all +co-operation, but of all cognisance, even indirect, of his project.</p> + +<p>These duties scrupulously accomplished—for it was impossible for the +governor to be deceived as to the frankness of his confession, or +to doubt them for a moment—the Major folded the letter, sealed it +carefully, and laid it on the table while awaiting the return of his +second in command.</p> + +<p>Now, as his vessels were burnt, M. de l'Oursière could no longer +retreat; he must push on and succeed; the certainty of certain ruin if +his scheme were foiled, removed his last doubts, and restored him all +the necessary calmness to act with the coolness demanded by the strange +circumstances in which he found himself placed.</p> + +<p>The Captain entered.</p> + +<p>"Well?" the Major asked him.</p> + +<p>"I am ready to start, Mr. Governor; my soldiers are already on board +the fishing boat, and we shall have left the island in ten minutes."</p> + +<p>"Here is the letter you have to deliver into the hands of the Governor +of Antibes, sir; remember my instructions."</p> + +<p>"I will obey them in every point."</p> + +<p>"In that case, Heaven guard you! and good-bye," the Major said, as he +rose.</p> + +<p>The officer saluted, and left the room.</p> + +<p>The Major watched through the open window of his room; he saw him leave +the fort, go down to the shore, and on board the fishing vessel; the +sail was hoisted, and ere long the boat started, slightly heeling over +under the power of the breeze.</p> + +<p>"Ough!" said the Major, closing the window, with a sigh of +relief—"that's one, now for the other."</p> + +<p>But, before aught else, the old officer shut himself up in his room, +burnt certain papers, pocketed others, put some clothes in a small +valise, as he did not wish to take all belonging to him, through fear +of arousing suspicions, and carefully wrapping up in his cloak a small +and very heavy iron casket, which, doubtless, contained his ready +money, he assured himself by a glance around that everything was in +order, opened the door again, and called.</p> + +<p>A soldier appeared.</p> + +<p>"Beg Mess. de Castaix and de Mircey to come here," he said, "as I wish +to speak to them."</p> + +<p>They speedily arrived, greatly puzzled at this unexpected interview, +for usually the Governor talked but little with his officers.</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen," he said to them, after returning their salute, "an order +from the King caused me to return here in all haste. I have to take our +prisoner, M. de Barmont, to Antibes, where your Captain has preceded +me with a sufficient escort to prevent any attempt at escape on the +part of the prisoner. I have acted thus because it is the King's good +pleasure that this transference of the Count from one prison to another +may have the appearance of a liberation, and I shall explain it in that +sense to the prisoner, in order that he may have no suspicion of the +new orders I have received. Until my return, which will be in two days +at the least, you, Monsieur de Castaix, as senior officer, will assume +the command of the fortress. I am pleased to believe, gentlemen, that I +shall only have to praise the aptitude you will display in performing +your duties during my absence."</p> + +<p>The two officers bowed: accustomed to the Cardinal's tortuous and +mysterious policy, the Major's remarks did not at all surprise them, +for, although His Eminence was dead, the event had not occurred so +long that the King should have in any way modified his sullen mode of +governing.</p> + +<p>"Be kind enough to give orders for the prisoner to be brought into my +presence, while I inform him of his liberation," he added, with a +mocking smile, whose strange meaning the officers did not comprehend. +"You will have all the effects belonging to him placed in the boat of +the smuggling lugger on board which I came back. Go, gentlemen."</p> + +<p>The officers withdrew.</p> + +<p>The Count was greatly surprised when La Grenade opened the door of his +cell, and begged him to follow him, as the Governor wished to speak +with the prisoner.</p> + +<p>He fancied the Major on the road to Paris, as had been arranged between +them on the previous evening, and did not at all understand his +presence at the fort after the solemn promise he had made.</p> + +<p>Another thing also caused him great surprise—ever since he had been a +prisoner at Saint Marguerite the Governor had not once sent for him; on +the contrary, he had always put himself out of the way by visiting his +cell.</p> + +<p>But the thing that completely routed his ideas was La Grenade's +recommendation to him, to place all his belongings in a trunk, and take +the key.</p> + +<p>"Why this most unnecessary precaution?" the Count asked him.</p> + +<p>"No one ever knows what may happen, sir," the gaoler replied, +cunningly; "it is as well to take precautions; and stay, if I were you +I would put on my hat and take my cloak."</p> + +<p>And while speaking thus, the soldier actively helped him to pack his +trunk.</p> + +<p>"There, that's done," he said, with a grin of satisfaction, when the +Count had taken out the key; "here are your hat and cloak."</p> + +<p>"My hat, if you like," the young man remarked, laughingly, "but why +my cloak? I run no risk of catching a pleurisy in my short walk to the +Governor's presence."</p> + +<p>"Will you not take it?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly not."</p> + +<p>"Then I will; you'll see you will want it."</p> + +<p>The young gentleman shrugged his shoulders, without replying, and they +left the room, the door of which the gaoler did not take the trouble to +lock after him.</p> + +<p>The Major was walking up and down his room while awaiting the prisoner. +La Grenade showed him in, laid the cloak on a chair, and withdrew.</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah!" said the Major, with a laugh—"I see that you suspected +something."</p> + +<p>"I, Mr. Governor? What was it, if you please?"</p> + +<p>"Zounds! you appear to be dressed as if for a journey."</p> + +<p>"It is that ass of La Grenade, who, I know not for what reason, obliged +me to put on my hat, and insisted on bringing my cloak here."</p> + +<p>"He was right."</p> + +<p>"How so?"</p> + +<p>"My lord, I have the honour to inform you that you are a free man."</p> + +<p>"I free!" the Count exclaimed, turning pale with joy and emotion.</p> + +<p>"The King has deigned to sign your liberation, and I received the +orders on landing at Antibes."</p> + +<p>"At last!" the Count burst forth, but then immediately recovered +himself. "Can you show me the order, sir?"</p> + +<p>"Excuse me, my lord, that is forbidden."</p> + +<p>"Ah! For what reason?"</p> + +<p>"It is a general precaution, sir."</p> + +<p>"In that case I will not press it: at least, you are permitted to tell +me at whose request my liberty was granted me?"</p> + +<p>"I see no objection to that, sir—it was at the request of the Duc de +Bellegarde."</p> + +<p>"The dear Duke!—a real friend!" the Count cried, in great emotion.</p> + +<p>The Major, with the utmost coolness, handed him a pen, and pointed to a +blank space in the register.</p> + +<p>"Will you be kind enough, sir, to sign this register?"</p> + +<p>The Count hurriedly perused it, and saw that it was a species of +certificate of the honourable way he had been treated during the period +of his detention. He signed.</p> + +<p>"Now, sir, as I am free, for I presume I am so—" "Free as a bird, my +lord."</p> + +<p>"In that case I can retire. I know not why, but during the last instant +these thick, gloomy walls, seem to stifle me, and I shall not breathe +at my ease till I feel myself in the open air."</p> + +<p>"I understand that, sir. I have made every preparation, and we will +embark whenever you please."</p> + +<p>"<i>We?</i>" the Count asked, in surprise.</p> + +<p>"Yes, my lord, I shall accompany you."</p> + +<p>"For what reason, may I ask?"</p> + +<p>"To do you honour, sir—for no other reason."</p> + +<p>"Very good," he said, thoughtfully; "let us go, then; but I have some +traps here."</p> + +<p>"They are already on board: come, sir."</p> + +<p>The Major took up his valise and casket, and left the room, followed by +the Count.</p> + +<p>"Did I not tell you you would want your cloak?"</p> + +<p>La Grenade said to M. de Barmont, with a bow, as he passed—"Pleasant +voyage to you, sir, and good luck."</p> + +<p>They went down to the waterside. During the walk, which was not very +long, the Count's brow became more and more clouded; he fancied he +could notice a certain sorrow on the faces of the officers and soldiers +who were watching his departure—they whispered together, and pointed +to the Count in anything but a reassuring way, and it gave him much +cause for anxiety.</p> + +<p>Every now and then he took a side-glance at the Major, but he appeared +calm, and had a smile on his face.</p> + +<p>They at length reached the boat, and the Major stepped aside to let the +Count get into it first.</p> + +<p>As soon as they were both in, the boat was pushed off. During the whole +passage from the shore to the lugger the Count and the Major remained +silent.</p> + +<p>At length they came along side the little vessel, a rope was thrown to +them, and they went up the side.</p> + +<p>The yawl was immediately hauled up, all sail was set, and the lugger +stood out to sea.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" the Count exclaimed on perceiving Michael, "You are here, then I +am saved!"</p> + +<p>"I hope so," the latter replied; "but come, my lord, we have matters to +discuss."</p> + +<p>They went down into the cabin, followed by the Major.</p> + +<p>"There, now we can talk, Captain—the first thing is to settle our +accounts."</p> + +<p>"Our accounts?" M. de Barmont repeated, in surprise.</p> + +<p>"Yes, let us proceed regularly. You promised this gentleman 50,000 +livres?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I did."</p> + +<p>"And you authorize me to give them to him?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly."</p> + +<p>"Good; in that case he shall have them." Then, turning to the +Major—"You have scrupulously kept your promises, and we will keep ours +as loyally. Here, in the first place, is your diamond, which I give you +back: I will hand you over the money in a moment. I suppose you no more +wish to remain in France than we do—eh?"</p> + +<p>"I do not wish it the least in the world," the Major replied, delighted +at having regained possession of his diamond.</p> + +<p>"Where would you like to be landed? Will England suit you, or do you +prefer Italy?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I do not exactly know."</p> + +<p>"Do you like Spain better? 'Tis all the same to me."</p> + +<p>"Why not Portugal?"</p> + +<p>"Done for Portugal. We will drop you there in passing."</p> + +<p>The Count had listened with growing surprise to this conversation, +which was incomprehensible to him.</p> + +<p>"What is the meaning of all this?" he at length asked.</p> + +<p>"It means, Captain," Michael distinctly answered, "that the King has +not signed the pardon—that you are a prisoner, and would probably have +remained so all your life had not this gentleman, luckily for you, +consented to open the door."</p> + +<p>"Sir!" the Count exclaimed, making a movement toward the Major.</p> + +<p>Michael stopped him.</p> + +<p>"Do not be in a hurry to thank him," he said—"wait till he has told +you what has occurred, and in what way he found himself obliged to set +you at liberty, when he would probably have preferred not to do so."</p> + +<p>"Come, come!" said the Count, stamping his foot passionately—"Explain +yourself! I understand nothing of all this. I wish to know +everything—everything, I tell you!"</p> + +<p>"This man will tell you it, Captain; but he is afraid at present of the +consequences of his confession, and that is why he hesitates to make +it."</p> + +<p>M. de Barmont smiled disdainfully.</p> + +<p>"This man is beneath my contempt," he said; "whatever he may say I will +not take the slightest vengeance on him—he is pardoned beforehand, I +pledge him my word as a gentleman."</p> + +<p>"Now speak, Major," said Michael; "during that time I will go on deck +again with Skipper Nicaud, or, if you prefer it, Bowline, who has +played his part remarkably well throughout the affair."</p> + +<p>Michael left the cabin, and the two men remained alone.</p> + +<p>The Major understood that it was better to make a clean breast of it: +hence he told the Count, without any equivocation, the full details of +his treachery, and in what manner Michael had compelled him to save +him, when, on the contrary, he was paid to ruin him.</p> + +<p>Although the name of the Duc de Peñaflor had not once been mentioned +during the Major's narration, the Count divined that it was he alone +who had dealt him all the blows he had felt so severely during the last +eighteen months; however great his resolution might be, this depth +of hatred, this Machiavellian vengeance terrified him; but in this +extremely detailed narrative one point seemed to him obscure, and that +was, how Michael had discovered the final machinations of his enemies, +and done so opportunely enough to be able to foil them.</p> + +<p>All the questions the Count asked on this head the Major was unable to +answer, for he was ignorant.</p> + +<p>"Well," asked the sailor, suddenly entering the cabin, "are you now +informed, Captain?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," the latter replied, with a certain tinge of sadness, "except on +one point."</p> + +<p>"What is it, Captain?"</p> + +<p>"I should like to know in what manner you detected this cleverly +contrived plot."</p> + +<p>"Very simply, Captain, and I will tell you the whole affair in a couple +of words. Bowline and I, without the Major suspecting it, followed him +carefully into the ruins, while cautiously avoiding being seen; in this +way no part of his conversation with the stranger escaped us. When the +Major handed him the papers, and the stranger retired, I jumped at his +throat, and, with Bowline's help, took the papers from him—"</p> + +<p>"Where are these papers?" the Count interrupted him eagerly.</p> + +<p>"I will give them to you, Captain."</p> + +<p>"Thanks, Michael; now go on."</p> + +<p>"Well, my story's finished; I gagged him to prevent him calling out, +and after tying him up like a plug of tobacco to stop him running after +us, I left him there and went away."</p> + +<p>"What, you went away, Michael, leaving the man thus gagged and bound on +a desert isle?"</p> + +<p>"What would you have had me do with him, Captain?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, perhaps it would have been better to kill him, than leave him +exposed to such a horrible punishment."</p> + +<p>"He had been so precious tender to you, hadn't he, Captain? Stuff! Pity +for such a ferocious brute would be madness on your part; besides, the +fiend always protects his creatures, you may be sure, and I am certain +that he has escaped."</p> + +<p>"How so?"</p> + +<p>"Hang it, he didn't swim off to Saint Honorat; his people were probably +concealed somewhere: tired of not seeing him return, they will have +set out to seek him, and picked him up where I put him to bed; he will +probably have got off with gnawing the bit for two or three hours."</p> + +<p>"Well, that is possible, Michael, and even probable. Where are you +taking us?"</p> + +<p>"Zounds, you are the commander here, Captain; we will go wherever you +please."</p> + +<p>"I will tell you, but first let us land the Major, for I fancy he +wishes to be free of our company as much as we do of his."</p> + +<p>At this moment Bowline's voice was heard.</p> + +<p>"Hilloh, Michael," he shouted, "we have a large vessel to windward."</p> + +<p>"Confusion!" said the sailor, "Has she hoisted her colours?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; she is a Norwegian."</p> + +<p>"That will be a good opportunity for you, Major," said the Count.</p> + +<p>"Eh, helmsman," Michael shouted, without awaiting the Major's answer, +"steer down to the Norwegian."</p> + +<p>The Major considered it useless to protest.</p> + +<p>Two hours later the vessels were within speaking distance: the +stranger was bound for Helsingfors, and the captain consented to take +the passenger offered him.</p> + +<p>The Major was consequently transported on board, with everything +belonging to him.</p> + +<p>"Now, Captain," said Michael, when the boat had returned, "where shall +we steer?"</p> + +<p>"Let us go to the islands," the Count answered sadly, "henceforth we +shall only find a shelter there and taking a last glance at the coast +of France, whose outline was beginning to fade away in the distant +horizon," he muttered, with a sigh, and concealing his face sorrowfully +in his hands, "Farewell, France!"</p> + +<p>In these two words was exhaled the last human feeling that remained at +the bottom of the heart of this man who had been so tried by adversity, +and who, vanquished by despair, was going to ask of the new world the +vengeance which the old world so obstinately refused him.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE BEGINNING OF THE ADVENTURE.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>The seventeenth century was a period of transition between the middle +ages, that were exhaling their last sigh, and the modern era, which the +great thinkers of the eighteenth century were destined to constitute so +splendidly.</p> + +<p>Under the repeated blows of the implacable Cardinal de Richelieu, +that gloomy filler of the unity of the despotic power of kings, an +immense reaction had been effected in ideas. It was a silent reaction, +that from the outset sapped the minister's work, and he was far from +suspecting its causes or power. It was more especially in the latter +half of the seventeenth century that the world offered a strange +spectacle.</p> + +<p>At that period, the Spaniards, who were possessors, by the right of +force, of the greater part of America, where they had multiplied +colonies, were masters of the sea which the celebrated "broom of +Holland" had not yet swept. The English navy was only beginning to +be formed, and, in spite of the continuous efforts of Richelieu, the +French navy was not in existence.</p> + +<p>Suddenly several adventurers sprang up, no one knew whence, who, alone, +castaways of civilization, men of all classes, from the highest to +the most humble, belonging to all nations, but chiefly to the French, +perched themselves like vultures on an imperceptible islet in the +Atlantic, and undertook to contend against the Spanish power, after +declaring a merciless war on their private authority. Attacking the +Spanish fleet with unheard-of audacity, and, like a gadfly fastened to +a lion's flank, holding in check the Spanish Colossus, they compelled +it to treat with them on equal terms, with no other help but their +courage and their energetic will.</p> + +<p>In a few years their incredible exploits and audacious coups de main +inspired the Spaniards with such terror, and acquired for themselves +such a great and merited reputation, that the disinherited of fortune, +the seekers of adventures, flocked from all parts of the world to the +island that served them as a refuge, and their number was so enormously +augmented, that they almost succeeded in forming themselves into a +nationality by the sole force of their will, and their boldness. Let +us say in a few words, who these men were, and what was the origin of +their strange fortune.</p> + +<p>For this purpose we must return to the Spaniards.</p> + +<p>The latter, after their immense discoveries in the New World, had +obtained from Pope Alexander VI. a bull which conceded to them the +exclusive possession of the two Americas.</p> + +<p>Supported by this bull, and considering themselves the sole owners of +the New World, the Spaniards tried to keep all other nations away from +it, and began to treat as corsairs all the vessels they came across +between the two tropics.</p> + +<p>Their maritime power, and the important part they played at that time +on the American continent did not leave the governments the power of +protesting, as they would have desired, against this odious tyranny.</p> + +<p>Then it happened that English and French outfitters, excited by the +thirst of gain, and paying no heed to the Spanish pretensions, equipped +vessels which they dispatched to the so-coveted rich regions, to cut +off the Spanish transports, plunder the American coast, and fire the +town.</p> + +<p>Treated as pirates, these bold sailors frankly accepted the position +offered them, committed awful excesses wherever they landed, carried +off rich spoil, and despising the law of nations, and not caring +whether the Spaniards were at war or not with the countries to which +they belonged, they attacked them wherever they met them.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards, entirely engaged with rich possessions in Mexico, Peru, +and generally on the Continent, which were mines of inexhaustible +wealth for them, had committed the fault of neglecting the Antilles, +which stretch from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of Maracaibo, and +only established colonies in the four large islands of that archipelago.</p> + +<p>Hidden in bays behind the windings of the coast, the adventurers dashed +suddenly at the Spanish vessels, carried them by boarding, and then +returned ashore to share the plunder.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards, in spite of the great number of their vessels, and the +active watch they kept up, could no longer traverse the Caribbean Sea, +which the adventurers had selected as the scene of their exploits, +without running the risk of obstinate engagements with men, whom the +smallness and lightness of their vessels rendered almost intangible.</p> + +<p>This wandering life possessed such charms for the adventurers, who had +assumed the characteristic name of filibusters or freebooters, that +for a long time the idea did not occur to them of forming a permanent +settlement among the islands, which they employed as a temporary +retreat.</p> + +<p>Things were in this state when, in 1625, a cadet of Normandy, of the +name of d'Esnambuc, to whom the law of entail left no hope of fortune, +except what he could acquire by his industry or courage, fitted out at +Dieppe a brigantine of about seventy tons, on board which he placed +four guns and forty resolute men, and set out to chase the Spaniards +and try to enrich himself by some good prize.</p> + +<p>On arriving at the Caymans, small islands situated between Cuba and +Jamaica, he suddenly came across the track of a Spanish vessel bearing +thirty-five guns and a crew of three hundred and fifty men; it was a +critical situation for the corsair.</p> + +<p>D'Esnambuc, without giving the Spaniards time to look about them, +steered down and attacked them. The action lasted for three hours with +extraordinary obstinacy; the Dieppois defended themselves so well, that +the Spaniards despairing of conquest and having lost one-half their +crew, were the first to decline fighting, and shamefully fled from the +small vessel.</p> + +<p>Still, the latter had suffered severely, and could be hardly kept above +water, ten men had been killed, and the rest of the crew, being covered +with wounds, were not worth much more.</p> + +<p>As the isle of Saint Kitts was no great distance off, d'Esnambuc +reached it with much difficulty, and took refuge there to careen his +vessel, and cure his wounded. Then calculating, that, for the success +of his future expeditions, he required a sure retreat, he resolved to +establish himself on this island.</p> + +<p>St. Kitts, which the Caribs called Liamuiga, is situated in 17 to 18 +degrees N. latitude and 65 W. longitude. It is 23 leagues W.N.W. of +Antigua, and about 3 leagues to the N.W. of Guadeloupe, and is one of +the Caribbean Islands.</p> + +<p>The general aspect of this island is remarkably beautiful, it is +commanded by Mount Misery, an extinct volcano, three thousand five +hundred feet high, which occupies the whole northwest part, and +gradually descends in lower ranges, till it dies away on the South in +the plains of the Basse terre.</p> + +<p>The barrenness of the mountains forms a striking contrast with the +fertility of the plains.</p> + +<p>The valleys display a really extraordinary wealth of vegetation, while +the mountains only offer to the eye a confused chaos of broken rocks, +whose interstices are filled up with a clayey matter that checks all +vegetation.</p> + +<p>Water is rare, and of a bad quality, for the few streams that descend +from Mount Misery are strongly impregnated with saline particles, to +which strangers find a difficulty in growing accustomed.</p> + +<p>But a precious thing for the filibusters, Saint Kitts possesses two +magnificent ports, well sheltered and easy of defence, and its coasts +are serrated with deep bays, where, in case of danger, their light +vessels would easily find a shelter.</p> + +<p>D'Esnambuc, on landing, found several refugee Frenchmen who lived on +good terms with the Caribs, and who not only received him with open +arms, but joined him and selected him as their leader.</p> + +<p>By a singular chance, on the same day that the Dieppois landed at St. +Kitts, English freebooters commanded by Captain Warner, who had also +suffered in an engagement with the Spaniards, took refuge at another +point in it.</p> + +<p>The corsairs of the two nations who could not be separated by any +idea of conquest, agriculture, or commerce, and who pursued the same +object, fighting the Spaniards, and establishing a refuge against the +common enemy, easily came to an understanding; then, after dividing the +island, they settled down side by side, and lived for a long time on +excellent terms, which nothing disturbed.</p> + +<p>On one occasion they even combined their arms against the Caribs, who, +alarmed by the progress of their new settlement, attempted to expel +them.</p> + +<p>The filibusters made a horrible carnage among the Indians, and forced +them to implore for mercy.</p> + +<p>A few months after, Warner and d'Esnambuc put out to sea again; the +latter proceeded to Paris, the former to London, each for the purpose +of soliciting the protection of his government for the rising colony.</p> + +<p>As usual, these men, who at the beginning had only sought a temporary +refuge, now felt a desire to see the development of a settlement +founded by themselves, and which in a short time had assumed a real +importance.</p> + +<p>Cardinal de Richelieu, ever disposed to favour projects tending to +augment the foreign power of France, received the filibuster with the +greatest distinction, entered into his views, and formed a company, +called "The Company of the Islands," in order to promote the interests +of the colony.</p> + +<p>The capital was 45,000 livres, of which Richelieu subscribed for his +part 10,000.</p> + +<p>D'Esnambuc was invested with the supreme command.</p> + +<p>Among the claims stipulated in his commission there is one which we +must quote, owing to its strangeness, for it imposed on white men in +America a temporary slavery harsher even than that of the Negro.</p> + +<p>This is the clause, whose sinister consequences we shall see developed +during the course of this story.</p> + +<p>"No labourer intended for the colony will be allowed to embark, unless +he engages to remain for three years in the service of the company, +which will have the right to employ him on any task it thinks proper, +without granting him the right to complain or break the contract +entered into by him."</p> + +<p>These labourers were called Engagés or "thirty-six monthers," a polite +way of getting rid of the word slave.</p> + +<p>Captain Warner, who had been more highly favoured, returned with a +large body of colonists. Still the good understanding was kept up for +some time between the two nations; but the English took advantage of +the weakness of the French, who could not oppose their usurpations, to +encroach on their rights, and formed a fresh settlement at Nevis, the +next island to St. Kitts.</p> + +<p>Still d'Esnambuc did not despair of the fate of the colony. He +proceeded again to France, and solicited of the Cardinal help in men +and money, to repulse the undertakings of his troublesome neighbours.</p> + +<p>Richelieu granted his request.</p> + +<p>By his orders, Rear Admiral de Cussac arrived at St. Kitts, with six +heavily armed ships; he surprised ten English vessels in the roads, +captured three, sank three others, and put the rest to flight.</p> + +<p>The English made no further attempts to leave their boundaries, and +peace was re-established.</p> + +<p>M. de Cussac, after supplying the colony with rum and provisions, set +sail, and went to found a settlement on St. Eustache, an island four +leagues N. W. of St. Kitts.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards, however, who, since the appearance of the filibusters in +American waters, had suffered so greatly from their depredations, saw +them with great alarm settling permanently on the West India islands.</p> + +<p>They understood of what importance it was to them not to allow fixed +settlements in these regions, unless they wished to see their colonies +destroyed and their commerce ruined.</p> + +<p>They consequently resolved to act vigorously against those fellows whom +they regarded as pirates, and to utterly destroy their lurking places, +which had already acquired formidable proportions.</p> + +<p>In consequence Admiral don Fernando de Toledo, whom the court of +Madrid had placed at the head of a powerful fleet, sent in 1630 to +Brazil to fight the Dutch, received orders to destroy in passing, the +viper's nest formed by the filibusters at St. Kitts.</p> + +<p>The sudden apparition of this immense force off the island filled the +inhabitants with stupor. The united resources of the English and French +adventurers and their desperate courage were not sufficient to avert +the danger that menaced them, and repulse so formidable an attack.</p> + +<p>After a desperate fight, in which a great number of filibusters, +especially Frenchmen, were killed, the others got into their light +canoes and fled to the adjacent isles of St. Bartholomew, Antigua, St. +Martin, and Montserrat, or to any place in short where they hoped to +find a temporary refuge.</p> + +<p>The English, we are unfortunately compelled to state, shamefully +fled at the beginning of the action, and eventually asked leave to +capitulate.</p> + +<p>One half of them were sent to England on board Spanish ships, while the +rest engaged to evacuate the island as soon as possible,—a promise +which was forgotten immediately after the departure of the Spanish +fleet.</p> + +<p>This expedition was the only one that Spain seriously attempted against +the filibusters.</p> + +<p>The French soon left the islands where they had sought refuge, and +returned to St. Kitts, where they re-established themselves, though +not without a quarrel with the English, who had taken advantage of the +opportunity to seize their land, but whom they forced again beyond +their old borders.</p> + +<p>It is a singular fact, which proves that the filibusters were not +bandits and nameless men, as attempts have been made to brand them, +that the inhabitants of St. Kitts were remarkable beyond all the +other colonists for the gentleness and urbanity of their manners; the +traditions of politeness left by the first Frenchmen who settled there, +have been maintained even to the present day; in the eighteenth century +it was called the Gentle Island, and there is a proverb in the Antilles +to the effect, that "the nobility were at St. Kitts, the citizens at +Guadeloupe, the soldiers at Martinique, and the peasants at Grenada."</p> + +<p>Things remained for a long time in the state we have just described; +the filibusters, growing bolder and bolder through the Spanish +cowardice, enlarged the scene of their exploits, and retaining a bitter +memory of the sack of their island, felt a double hatred for the +Spaniards, who had branded them with the name of Ladrones (robbers). +They no longer displayed any moderation, and seated in the light canoes +that composed their entire fleet, they watched for the rich transports +from Mexico, dashed boldly aboard them, carried them, and returned to +St. Kitts loaded with plunder.</p> + +<p>The colony prospered, the land was well cultivated, and the plantations +were carefully made.</p> + +<p>For these men, the majority of whom had no hope left of ever returning +to their native land, had performed their work with the feverish +ardor of people who are creating for themselves a new nationality +and preparing a last asylum, so that only a few years after the +destruction of the colony by the Spaniards, St. Kitts had again become +a flourishing colony, thanks in the first instance to its fertility and +the energy and intelligence of its inhabitants, but above all to the +incessant toil of the engagés of the company.</p> + +<p>We have now to explain what these poor fellows were and the fate they +met with at the hands of the colonists.</p> + +<p>We have already stated that the company sent to the islands, men whom +they had engaged for three years.</p> + +<p>They accepted anybody, workmen belonging to all trades, even surgeons +who, persuading themselves that they were destined to carry on their +own profession in the colonies, allowed themselves to be seduced by the +fair promises which the company did not hesitate to lavish.</p> + +<p>But once their consent was given, that is to say, signed, the company +regarded them as men belonging to it body and soul; and when they +reached the colonies, agents <i>sold</i> then for three years to the +planters, at the rate of thirty or forty crowns a head, and did so in +the broad daylight and in the governor's presence.</p> + +<p>They thus became real slaves, subject to the adventurers of the colony, +and condemned to the rudest tasks.</p> + +<p>Hence, the poor wretches, so unworthily abused, beaten terribly and +worn out by a fatigue under a deadly climate, generally succumbed ere +they had attained the third year, which was to set them at liberty.</p> + +<p>This was carried so far that the masters at last attempted to prolong +the stipulated slavery beyond three years. Toward the end of 1632, the +colony of St. Kitts incurred great dangers, for the engagés whose time +was up and whom their masters refused liberty, took up arms, organized +a resistance, and prepared to attack the colonists with that energy of +desperation which no force can resist. M. d'Esnambuc only succeeded in +making them lay down their arms and arrest bloodshed by conceding their +just demands.</p> + +<p>At a later date, when the sad condition in which the company's agents +placed the engagés, became known in France, it became almost impossible +for the latter to find volunteers; hence they were obliged to go about +the roads and highways to enlist vagabonds whom they intoxicated and +induced to sign, while in that condition, an engagement which it was +impossible to break.</p> + +<p>We will dwell the more earnestly on this point, because during the +course of our narrative, we shall have frequently to revert to the +engagés. We will only add one word about the wretches whom England sent +to the colonies under the same conditions.</p> + +<p>If the fate of the French engagés was frightful, that of the English, +history proves to us, was horrible.</p> + +<p>They were treated with the most atrocious barbarity. They formed an +engagement for seven years, and then, at the end of that time, when +the moment to regain their liberty had at length arrived, they were +intoxicated, and advantage was taken of their condition to make them +sign a second engagement for the same period.</p> + +<p>Cromwell, after the sack of Drogheda, sold more than 30,000 Irish for +Jamaica and Barbados.</p> + +<p>Nearly two thousand of these wretched succeeded in escaping on board a +vessel, which, in their ignorance of navigation, they allowed to drift +and the current cast it ashore at Saint Domingo. The poor fellows, not +knowing where they were, and being without food or resources, all died +of hunger. Their piled-up bones, bleached by time, remained for several +years on Cape Tiburón, at a spot which was called Irish Bay on account +of the terrible catastrophe, and still bears the name.</p> + +<p>The reader will pardon us for having entered into such lengthened +details about the establishment of the filibusters of St. Kitts; but +as it was on this little island that the terrible association of +adventurers, whose history we have undertaken to tell, had its birth, +it is necessary to make the reader fully acquainted with these facts, +so that we might not be obliged to return to them hereafter. Now, we +will resume our narrative to which the preceding chapters serve, so to +speak, as a prologue, and leaping at one bound across the space that +separates Sainte Marguerite from the Caribbean islands, we will proceed +to St. Kitts a few months after the escape, for we dare not say the +liberation, of Count Ludovic de Barmont Senectaire.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE COUNCIL OF THE FILIBUSTERS.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Several years elapsed without producing any notable changes in the +colony.</p> + +<p>The adventurers still continued, with the same obstinacy, their +expeditions against the Spaniards; but as their expeditions were +isolated, and had no sort of organization, the losses experienced by +the Spaniards, though very great, were much less considerable than +might be anticipated.</p> + +<p>About this time, a lugger manned by forty resolute men, and armed with +four iron guns, anchored off St. Kitts, proudly displaying the French +flag at its stern.</p> + +<p>This vessel brought to the colony a fresh contingent of brave +adventurers.</p> + +<p>Immediately after their arrival, they landed, formed the acquaintance +of the inhabitants, and testified a desire to settle on the island.</p> + +<p>The chief, to whom his comrades gave the name of Montbarts, and +for whom they appeared to have an unbounded devotion, informed the +colonists, that like them, he professed a profound hatred for the +Spaniards, and that he was followed by two ships of that nation, which +he had captured, and had given the prize masters orders to steer for +St. Kitts.</p> + +<p>These good men were received with shouts of joy by the inhabitants, and +Montbarts had a narrow escape from being carried in triumph.</p> + +<p>As he had announced, three or four days later two Spanish vessels +anchored at St. Kitts. They bore at their stern the Castilian flag +reversed, in sign of humiliation, while above it proudly fluttered the +French ensign.</p> + +<p>There was one horrible circumstance, however, which chilled even the +bravest with horror. These vessels bore at their bowsprit, and at their +cross-jack, as well as at the main and foreyard, groups of corpses. By +Montbarts order, the crews of the two vessels had been hung, without +showing mercy even to a boy.</p> + +<p>The chief of the adventurers generously gave the cargo of the two ships +to the colonists, only asking for sufficient land in return, on which +to build a house.</p> + +<p>This request was at once granted; the newcomers then disarmed their +lugger, came ashore, and began their installation.</p> + +<p>Montbarts was a young man of about seven or eight-and-twenty, with +manly and marked features, and a fixed and piercing eye. The expression +of his face was essentially sad, mocking, and cruel: a dead pallor; +spread over his face, added, were it possible, a strangeness to his +whole person. Tall and powerfully built, though supple and graceful, +his gestures were elegant and noble, while his speech was soft, and +the terms he employed were carefully chosen. He exercised a singular +fascination over those who approached him, or whom accident brought +into relation with him. They felt at once repulsed and attracted by +this singular man, who seemed the only one of his species on the earth, +and who, without appearing to be anxious for it, imposed his will upon +all, gained obedience by a sign or a frown, and who only seemed to live +when he was in the thick of a fight, when fires crossed above his head, +forming him an aureole of flame, when corpses were piled up around him, +when blood flowed beneath his feet, and when bullets whistled in his +ears, and when he rushed drunk with powder and carnage upon the deck of +a Spanish ship.</p> + +<p>Such was what was said of him by his comrades, and by those who had +been struck by his singular countenance, and wished to know him: but +beyond this moral and physical portrait of the man, it was impossible +to obtain the slightest information as to his past life. Not one of the +sailors who came with him knew the slightest episode of it, or, as was +probable, refused to discover anything.</p> + +<p>Hence, when the colonists perceived that all their questions would +remain unanswered, they gave up the useless task of asking them. They +accepted Montbarts for what it pleased him to be, the more so, as his, +former life not only did not concern them, but also interested them +very slightly.</p> + +<p>The adventurer only remained ashore for the period strictly necessary +to establish his household comfortably; then, one day, without warning +anybody, he went on board his lugger with the crew he had brought +with him, only leaving five or six men at St. Kitts to manage his +plantation, and set sail. A month after, he returned, having in tow +a richly laden Spanish vessel, with the crew hanging to the yards as +before.</p> + +<p>Montbarts went on thus for a whole year, never remaining more than two +or three days ashore, then going off, and returning with a prize with +its entire crew suspended from the yards.</p> + +<p>Matters attained such a pitch, the audacity of the daring corsair was +crowned with such success, that the rumour of it reached France. Then, +the Dieppe adventurers, comprehending all the profit they might derive +from this interloping war, fitted out vessels, and went to join the +colonists of St. Kitts, for the purpose of organising a hunt of the +Spaniards, and carrying it out on a grand scale.</p> + +<p>Filibusterism was about to enter on its second phase, and become a +regular association.</p> + +<p>Montbarts had built his hatto, or principal residence, at the spot +where the English afterwards formed Sandy-point battery.</p> + +<p>It was an excellently chosen position, militarily speaking, where, in +case of attack, it was easy not only to act on the defensive, but also +to repulse the enemy with serious loss.</p> + +<p>This hatto, built of trunks of trees, and covered with palm leaves, +stood nearly at the extremity of a cape, whence the greater part of +the island and the sea for a considerable distance on the right and +left could be commanded. This cape, which was nearly precipitous, +and one hundred and fifty feet high seawards, could only be reached +by a narrow, rough path, intersected at regular distances by strong +palisades, and wide, deep ditches, which had to be crossed on planks, +that were easy to remove. Two four-pounder guns, placed in position at +the head of the path guarded the approaches.</p> + +<p>This hatto was divided into four rather large rooms, furnished with a +luxury and comfort rather singular in an out-of-the-way island like St. +Kitts, but which was fully justified by the usual occupation of the +owner, who merely required to take any furniture that suited him out of +his prizes.</p> + +<p>A long pole, serving as a flagstaff, planted in front of the door of +the hatto, displayed in the breeze a white ensign with a red jack in +the right hand top corner. This flag was that of the corsairs, which +Montbarts sometimes changed for one all black, having in its centre a +death's head and crossbones, all white. This was an ill-omened flag, +which, when hoisted at the peak, signified that the conquered had no +hope of mercy to expect.</p> + +<p>It was a warm day towards the end of May, about eighteen months after +Montbarts' arrival at St. Kitts. Several persons, stern looking and +rough mannered, almost armed to the teeth, were conversing together as +they followed the path that led from the plain to the platform on which +Montbarts' hatto stood.</p> + +<p>It was nearly ten o'clock at night, and the sky was transparent and +clear. Thousands of stars sparkled in the heavens, the moon profusely +shed her white light, and the atmosphere was so pellucid, that the +smallest objects were visible at a long distance. There was not a +breath in the air, or a rustle among the leaves; the sea, calm as +a mirror, died away with a soft and mysterious murmur on the sandy +beach; the fireflies buzzed noisily, and at times dashed against the +pedestrians, who contented themselves with driving them away with their +hands, without, on that account, interrupting a conversation which +seemed greatly to interest them.</p> + +<p>These men were five in number, and all in the prime of life. Their +features were energetically marked, and their faces revealed audacity +and resolution carried to the highest pitch. Their slightly curved +shoulders, and the way in which they straddled their legs in walking, +while swaying their arms, would have caused them to be recognised as +sailors at the first glance, had not their dress sufficiently proved +the fact.</p> + +<p>They were talking in English.</p> + +<p>"Stuff!" one of them was saying at the moment when we join in their +conversation; "We must see. All that glistens is not gold, as they say +down there. Besides, I wish for nothing better than to be mistaken, +after all."</p> + +<p>"No matter," another replied; "in accordance with your laudable custom, +you begin by expressing a doubt."</p> + +<p>"Not at all," the first speaker sharply interposed; "a fear, at the +most."</p> + +<p>"Well," a third said; "we shall soon know what we have to expect, for +here we are halfway up the path, thank Heaven!"</p> + +<p>"That demon of a Montbarts," the first went on, "has famously chosen +his position. His hatto is impregnable, on my word as a man."</p> + +<p>"Yes. I do not think that the <i>gavachos</i><a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> will ever venture to +attempt an escalade. But, by the way," he added suddenly, and halted; +"suppose we are taking a useless walk, and Montbarts is not at home?"</p> + +<p>"I will answer for your finding him at home, Red Stocking, so set your +mind at rest."</p> + +<p>"How do you know?" asked the man addressed by this singular name.</p> + +<p>"My God! Don't you see his flag hoisted at the masthead?"</p> + +<p>"That is true. I had not noticed it."</p> + +<p>"But now you see it, I suppose?"</p> + +<p>"I should be blind if I didn't."</p> + +<p>"Well," one of the filibusters said, who had hitherto maintained +silence; "all this does not tell us why the meeting is to be held. Do +you know anything about it, brother?"</p> + +<p>"No more than you," Red Stocking replied. "It is probably some daring +project which Montbarts is meditating, and wishes us to take a part in."</p> + +<p>"But you know that he has not only summoned us, but also the principal +French filibusters?"</p> + +<p>"In that case I am quite at sea," Red Stocking remarked. "However, it +is of little consequence at present, as I presume we shall soon know +what is wanted of us."</p> + +<p>"That is true, because we have arrived."</p> + +<p>In fact, they reached at this moment the head of the path, and found +themselves on the platform exactly facing the hatto, whose door was +open as if inviting them to enter.</p> + +<p>A very bright light poured through the doorway, and the sound of loud +talking testified that there was a rather large gathering inside the +hatto.</p> + +<p>The Englishmen continued to advance, and soon found themselves on the +threshold.</p> + +<p>"Come in, brothers," Montbarts' harmonious voice was heard saying from +the interior; "come in, we are waiting for you."</p> + +<p>They entered.</p> + +<p>Six or seven persons were assembled in the room, which they entered: +they were the most renowned chiefs of the filibusters. Among them were +Belle Tête (handsome head), the ferocious native of Dieppe, who had +murdered more than three hundred of his engagés, whom he accused of +dying of indolence; Pierre le Grand, the Breton, who always boarded +the Spanish galleons in the disguise of a female; Alexandre Bras de +fer (iron arm), a young and apparently frail and delicate man, with +effeminate features, but in reality endowed with a prodigious and +herculean vigour, and destined hereafter to become one of the heroes of +the buccaneering trade; Roc, surnamed the Brazilian, although born at +Groningen, a town in East Friesland; and lastly, two old acquaintances +of ours, Bowline and Michael the Basque, who both arrived at St. Kitts +at the same time as Montbarts, and whose reputation as filibusters was +already great.</p> + +<p>As for the English, who had just entered the hatto, five in number; +they were Red Stocking, whose name was mentioned in the preceding +conversation; Morgan, a young man hardly eighteen years of age, with +a haughty face and aristocratic manners; Jean David, a Dutch sailor, +settled in the eastern part of the island; Bartholomew, a Portuguese, +also settled in the English colony; and lastly, William Drake, who had +taken an oath never to attack the Spaniards, unless they were in the +proportion of fifteen to one, so great was the contempt he professed +for the proud nation.</p> + +<p>It was, as we see, a select gathering of all the great filibusters of +the day.</p> + +<p>"You are welcome, brothers," said Montbarts; "I am glad to see you, for +I was awaiting you impatiently. Here are pipes, tobacco, and spirits; +smoke and drink," he added, pointing to a table placed in the centre +of the room.</p> + +<p>The filibusters sat down, lighted pipes, and filled glasses.</p> + +<p>"Brothers," Montbarts resumed a moment later, "I have requested you to +come to my hatto for two reasons of great importance, and of which the +second necessarily depends on the first: are you prepared to listen to +me?"</p> + +<p>"Speak, Montbarts," William Drake answered in the name of all; "you, +whom the gavachos have surnamed the Exterminator, a name I envy you, +brother, for you can only wish the good of filibustering."</p> + +<p>"That is the very subject," Montbarts answered.</p> + +<p>"I was sure of it, brother. Speak, we will listen to you religiously."</p> + +<p>They prepared to listen attentively. All these energetic men, who +recognised no laws but those themselves had made, knew not what envy +was, and were ready to discuss with the most entire good faith the +proposals which they foresaw Montbarts desired to make to them.</p> + +<p>The latter reflected for a moment, and then spoke in a gentle voice, +whose sympathetic accent soon captivated his audience.</p> + +<p>"Brothers," he said, "I will be brief, for you are picked men, with +warm hearts and firm hands, with whom a long speech is not only +useless, but also ridiculous Since my arrival at St. Kitts, I have +been studying filibustering, its life, manners, and aspirations, and +I have recognised with sorrow that the results do not justify its +efforts. What are we doing? Nothing, or almost nothing. In spite of our +indomitable courage, the Spaniards laugh at us; too weak, owing to +our isolation, to inflict serious losses on them, we expend our energy +in vain; we shed our blood, to take from them a few wretched vessels. +It is not thus that matters ought to go on; this is not the vengeance +which each of us dreamed of. What is the cause of our relative weakness +toward our formidable enemy? The isolation, to which I alluded just +now, and which will forever paralyze our efforts."</p> + +<p>"That is true," Red Stocking muttered.</p> + +<p>"But how can we alter it?" David asked.</p> + +<p>"Alas!" William Drake added, "The remedy is unfortunately impossible."</p> + +<p>"We are adventurers merely, and not a power," said Belle Tête.</p> + +<p>Montbarts smiled—that pale, peculiar smile of his, which turned the +heart cold.</p> + +<p>"You are mistaken, brothers," he said, "the remedy is found; if we +like, we shall soon be a power."</p> + +<p>"Speak, speak, brother," all the adventurers exclaimed, springing up.</p> + +<p>"This is my plan, brothers," he continued; "we are here twelve, of all +nations, but with one heart; the flower of filibusterism, I declare +loudly; without fear of contradiction, for each of us has furnished +proofs of it, and what proofs! Well, let us join and form a family; +from our share of the prizes let us set aside a sum intended to form +the common treasury, and while remaining at liberty to organize private +expeditions, let us swear never to injure or thwart one another, to +offer mutual help when needed, to labour with all our power to the +ruin of Spain, and while keeping our association secret from our +comrades and brothers, to combine our forces when the moment arrives to +crush our implacable enemy at one blow. Such, brothers, is the first +proposal I have to make to you. I await your answer."</p> + +<p>There was a momentary silence; the filibusters understood the +importance of their brother's proposal, and the strength it would give +them in the future. They exchanged glances, whispered together, and at +length William Drake replied in the name of all—</p> + +<p>"Brother," he said, "you have just elucidated in a few words a question +which has hitherto remained in obscurity. You have perfectly defined +the cause of our weakness, by finding at the same time, as you promised +us, not the remedy, but the means to render an association hitherto due +to accident and almost useless, really formidable and useful: but this +is not all. This association, to which you allude, requires a head to +direct it, and ensure the success of its efforts at the right moment. +It is therefore necessary that while our association remains secret, +and, as it were, not in existence at all, in every point that does +not affect its object, one of us should be appointed chief; a chief, +the more powerful, because we shall be devoted to him, and aid him in +working for the general good."</p> + +<p>"Is this really your opinion, brothers?" Montbarts asked. "Do you +accept my proposal such as I made it, and as William Drake has modified +it?"</p> + +<p>"We accept it so," the filibusters replied with one voice.</p> + +<p>"Very good. Still I think that this chief, to whom you refer, should +be unanimously elected by us; that his authority may be taken from him +at a meeting of the assembly by a majority of voices, if he do not +strictly fulfil the conditions he has accepted; that, as guardian of +the treasury, he must always be ready to furnish his accounts, and +that his appointment should not exceed five years, unless renewed."</p> + +<p>"All that is fair," said Red Stocking; "no one can understand the +general good better than you, brother."</p> + +<p>"Hence," David remarked, "we shall be partners; no quarrel, no +dissension can well be possible among us."</p> + +<p>"While ostensibly retaining our free will and most complete +independence," Belle Tête reminded.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Montbarts replied.</p> + +<p>"Now, brothers," said Drake, rising, and doffing his cap, "listen to +me: I, William Drake, swear on my faith and honour, the most complete +devotion to the association of the Twelve, submitting myself beforehand +to undergo the punishment my brothers may please to inflict on me, even +death, if I were to betray the secret of the Association, and break my +oath. Heaven help me!"</p> + +<p>After Drake each filibuster uttered the same oath in a firm voice, and +with a solemn accent.</p> + +<p>They resumed their seats.</p> + +<p>"Brothers," said Montbarts, "what we have hitherto done is nothing; +it is only the dawn of the new era which is about to open, for the +glorious days of filibustering are beginning—twelve men like us, +united by the same thought, must perform miracles."</p> + +<p>"We will do so, be assured, brother," Morgan said, as he carelessly +picked his teeth with a gold pin.</p> + +<p>"Now, brothers, before I submit my second proposal to you, I believe we +had better elect a president."</p> + +<p>"That is true," said David; "as the company is formed, let us elect the +president."</p> + +<p>"One word first," said Michael the Basque, stepping into the centre of +the circle.</p> + +<p>"Speak, brother."</p> + +<p>"I wish to add this: every member of the Association who falls into the +hands of the gavachos shall be delivered by the other members, whatever +perils they may have to incur in doing so."</p> + +<p>"We swear it!" the filibusters shouted enthusiastically.</p> + +<p>"Unless it is impossible," Morgan said.</p> + +<p>"Nothing is impossible for us," William Drake remarked, rudely.</p> + +<p>"That is true, brother. You are right, I was mistaken," Morgan replied, +with a smile.</p> + +<p>"The society will be called that of The Twelve; only the death of +a member will allow another to be admitted, and he must be chosen +unanimously," Michael continued.</p> + +<p>"We swear it!" the filibusters exclaimed once more.</p> + +<p>"Now, brothers," said Bartholomew, "let us proceed to the election, by +ballot, in order to protect the liberty of the vote."</p> + +<p>"There are pens, ink, and paper on that table, brothers," Montbarts +remarked.</p> + +<p>"And here is my cap," Red Stocking said, with a laugh; "throw your +votes into it."</p> + +<p>And, removing his beaver skin cap, the filibuster laid it on the ground +in the middle of the room.</p> + +<p>Then the adventurers, with perfect order, rose one after the other, and +in turn went to write their vote, which they deposited, after rolling +up the paper, in Red Stocking's cap.</p> + +<p>Then all the adventurers returned to their seats:</p> + +<p>"Have we all voted?" David asked.</p> + +<p>"All!" the filibusters replied, in chorus.</p> + +<p>"Now, brother," Drake said to David, "since you hold the cap, proclaim +the result."</p> + +<p>David questioned his comrades with a glance, and they bowed their heads +in affirmation; then he took up the first roll that came to hand, +opened it, and read—</p> + +<p>"Montbarts, the Exterminator."</p> + +<p>And passed on to a second.</p> + +<p>"Montbarts, the Exterminator," he read again.</p> + +<p>It was the same with the third, fourth, and so on up to the twelfth and +last—all bore the words—</p> + +<p>"Montbarts, the Exterminator."</p> + +<p>It was a sinister challenge given to the Spanish nation, of whom this +man was the most obstinate enemy.</p> + +<p>Montbarts rose, took off his hat, and bowed gracefully to his comrades.</p> + +<p>"Brothers," he said, "I thank you—the confidence you place in me shall +not be disappointed."</p> + +<p>"Long live Montbarts, the Exterminator!" all the filibusters shouted, +impulsively.</p> + +<p>The terrible company of The Twelve was created. Filibusterism then +really became a formidable power.</p> + + +<div class="footnote"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Term of contempt for the Spaniards.</p></div> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE SECOND PROPOSAL.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Montbarts allowed the enthusiasm of his comrades time to calm, and then +spoke again.</p> + +<p>There was no change in his appearance; nothing in his face denoted +the joy of triumph or of satisfied ambition; still the vote of his +companions, by nominating him Chief of the filibusters, had rendered +him in a moment a man more powerful than many a prince. His face was +just as impassive, his voice equally firm.</p> + +<p>"Brothers," he said, "do you remember that I had a second proposal to +make to you?"</p> + +<p>"That is true," William Drake replied—"speak, brother, we are +listening to you."</p> + +<p>"The second proposal is as follows: still, I must request you before +answering me to reflect fully on it. Your opinion must not be lightly +expressed, for, I repeat to you, and dwell on it in order that you may +thoroughly understand me, this proposition is most serious and grave. +In a word, it is this:—I propose to you to abandon the island of St. +Kitts, and choose another place of refuge, more convenient, and, above +all, safer for you."</p> + +<p>The filibusters gazed at him in amazement.</p> + +<p>"I will explain," he said, stretching out his arms as if to request +silence; "listen to me carefully, brothers, for what you are going to +hear interests you all. Our refuge is badly chosen, and too remote from +the centre of our expeditions; the difficulties we have to surmount in +returning to it, in consequence of the currents that make our ships +drift, and the contrary winds that oppose their speed, make us lose +precious time. Now, the Caribbean archipelago is composed, of more +than thirty islands, among which it is easy for us, it seems to me, to +choose the one that suits us best. This idea which I bring before you +today I have been revolving in my mind for a long time. I have not +limited my expeditions to the pursuit of the gavachos. I have also made +a voyage of discovery, and believe that I have found the spot suited +for us."</p> + +<p>"Whereabouts is it, brother?" David asked, making himself spokesman for +his companions.</p> + +<p>"I mean the island which the Spaniards call Hispaniola, and you know as +St. Domingo."</p> + +<p>"But, brother," Bartholomew here interposed, "that island, which, I +allow, is immense, and covered with magnificent forests, is inhabited +by the Spaniards; if we went there it would be really placing ourselves +in the wolf's throat."</p> + +<p>"I thought as you do before I had assured myself of the reality of the +fact, but now I am certain of the contrary; not alone is the island +only partially occupied by the gavachos, but we shall also find allies +in the parties they have despised."</p> + +<p>"Allies!" the filibusters exclaimed, in surprise.</p> + +<p>"Yes, brothers, and in this wise.—When Don Fernando de Toledo attacked +St. Kitts, the French who succeeded in escaping from the massacre +took refuge on the adjacent islands, as you are aware; many of them +went further, and reached St. Domingo, where they found a refuge. +That was bold, was it not? But, I repeat to you, the Spaniards occupy +scarce one-half of it. At the period of the discovery they left some +horned cattle on the island; these beasts have propagated, and now +exist in herds. The immense savannahs of St. Domingo are covered with +innumerable herds of wild oxen which graze on all the uninhabited part; +these herds, as you are aware, are a certain resource for revictualling +our ships, and, moreover, the vicinity of the Spanish colonists offers +us the means to satiate our hatred upon them; besides, our companions +who have been established on the island for some years past wage an +incessant and obstinate war upon them."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," said Belle Tête, pensively; "I understand what you are +saying to us, brother. You are right up to a certain point; but let us +discuss the matter quietly and coolly, like serious men."</p> + +<p>"Speak," Montbarts replied; "each of us has the right to express his +opinion when the common interest is concerned."</p> + +<p>"Brave though we are, and we may boast of it frankly, for, thank +heaven, our courage is well known, we are not strong enough for all +that—at present at least—to measure ourselves against the Spanish +power on land; there is a difference between capturing a ship and +facing an entire population. You allow that, I suppose, brother?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly I do."</p> + +<p>"Very good, I will go on. It is evident that the Spaniards, who up to +the present have probably not noticed them, or, at any rate, owing +to their small number and slight importance, have disdained the +adventurers established on the desert part of the island; when they see +that this establishment, which they supposed to be temporary, and due +to the caprice of our brothers, is becoming permanent, and assuming the +menacing proportions of a colony, they will refuse to permit it—what +will happen then? This: they will collect all their forces, assail us +suddenly, destroy us after a desperate resistance, and ruin at one +blow, not only our new colony, but also our hopes of vengeance."</p> + +<p>These remarks of Belle Tête, which displayed close logic, produced a +certain effect on the filibusters, who began exchanging meaning looks; +but Montbarts did not allow the spirit of opposition time to spread, +and at once went on to say—</p> + +<p>"You would be right, brother, if, as you suppose, we were to place our +principal establishment on St. Domingo; it is evident that we should be +crushed by numbers, and forced to retire disgracefully; but a man would +know me badly if he supposed that I, who have an implacable hatred of +these infamous gavachos, could possibly conceive such a plan for a +moment, if I had not previously assured myself about its success, and +the profit we shall derive from it."</p> + +<p>"Come, brother," Drake said, "explain yourself clearly; we are +listening to you with the most earnest attention."</p> + +<p>"To the northwest of St. Domingo, and only separated from it by a +narrow channel, there is an island about eight leagues long, surrounded +by rocks called the iron coast, which render any landing impossible, +except at the south, where there is a fine port, whose bottom is +composed of sand, and where vessels are sheltered from all winds, +which, besides, are not violent in those parts; there are also a few +sandy bays scattered along the coast, but they are only approachable +by canoes. This island is called Tortuga or Tortoise Island, owing +to its shape, which slightly resembles that animal. Here it is, +brothers, I propose that we should form our principal establishment, +or, if you prefer it, our headquarters. The Port of Peace, and Port +Margot, situated facing Tortoise Isle, will enable us to keep up an +easy communication with St. Domingo: sheltered in our island, as in +an impregnable fortress, we shall brave the efforts of the whole +Spanish power. But I do not wish to deceive you, and must tell you +everything; the Spaniards are on their guard; they have foreseen that +if buccaneering goes on, that is to say, if they do not succeed in +destroying us, the excellent position of that island would not escape +our notice, and that we should probably attempt to seize on it: hence +they have had it occupied by twenty-five soldiers, commanded by an +alférez. Do not smile, brothers; although the garrison is small, it +is sufficient, owing to the manner in which it is entrenched, and the +difficulties a landing offers; and then, too, it can easily obtain +reinforcements from the Grande Terre in a very short time. I have often +landed in disguise on Tortoise Isle. I have inspected it with the +greatest care, and hence you can attach the most entire confidence to +the information I am giving you."</p> + +<p>"Montbarts is right," Yoc, the Brazilian, said at this moment; "I know +Tortoise Isle, and, like him, I am persuaded that island will offer us +a far surer and more advantageous shelter than St. Kitts."</p> + +<p>"Now, brothers," Montbarts resumed, "reflect, and answer yes or no. If +you accept my offer I will prepare to realize my plan by seizing the +island; if you refuse, I will never mention it again."</p> + +<p>And, in order by his absence to give more liberty for discussion, the +adventurer left the room, and proceeded to the terrace in front of the +hatto, where he began walking up and down, apparently indifferent to +what was going on, but in his heart very anxious as to the result of +the deliberation.</p> + +<p>He had only been walking up and down for a few minutes, when a slight +whistle was audible a short distance off, so gently modulated, that +it needed all the sharpness of hearing with which the filibuster was +endowed, to catch it.</p> + +<p>He walked rapidly in the direction where this species of signal had +been heard. At the same moment, a man lying on the ground, and so +thoroughly concealed by the gloom that it was impossible to perceive +him unless he was known to be there, raised his head, and displayed +in the white moonbeams the copper face, and delicate and intelligent +features of a Carib.</p> + +<p>"Omopoua?" the filibuster said.</p> + +<p>"I am waiting!" the Indian laconically answered, as he sprang up at one +bound, and stood erect before him.</p> + +<p>Omopoua, that is to say, the leaper, was a young man of twenty-five +years of age at the most, of a tall and admirably proportioned stature, +whose skin had the gilded shade of Florentine bronze. He was naked, +with the exception of thin canvas drawers, fastening round his hips, +and falling nearly to his knees. His long, black hair, parted in the +centre of his head, fell on his shoulders on either side. He had no +other weapons but a long knife, and a bayonet passed through a cowhide +belt.</p> + +<p>"Has the man arrived?" Montbarts asked.</p> + +<p>"He has."</p> + +<p>"Has Omopoua seen him?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Does he fancy himself recognised?"</p> + +<p>"Only the eye of a determined foe could guess him beneath his disguise."</p> + +<p>"That is well! My brother will conduct me to him?"</p> + +<p>"I will lead the pale chief."</p> + +<p>"Good! Where shall I find Omopoua an hour after sunrise?"</p> + +<p>"Omopoua will be in his hut."</p> + +<p>"I will come there;" and, hearing several voices calling him from the +interior of the hatto, he said, "I reckon on the Indian's promise."</p> + +<p>"Yes, if the chief keeps his."</p> + +<p>"I shall keep it."</p> + +<p>After exchanging a last meaning look with the filibuster, the +Carib glided down the face of the cliff, and disappeared almost +instantaneously.</p> + +<p>Montbarts remained for a moment motionless, plunged in deep thought; +then, giving a sudden start, and passing his hand over his forehead, as +if to efface any sign of emotion, he hastily re-entered the hatto.</p> + +<p>The deliberation was ended. The filibusters had returned to their +seats, and Montbarts went back to his, and waited with affected +indifference, till one of his comrades thought proper to speak.</p> + +<p>"Brother," David then said, "we have thoroughly discussed your +proposal. My comrades authorize me to tell you that they accept it, but +they merely desire to know what means you intend to employ in carrying +out your plan, and insuring its success?"</p> + +<p>"Brothers, I thank you," Montbarts replied, "for giving me your +consent. As to the means I intend to employ in seizing Tortoise Isle, +permit me, for the present, to keep them secret, as the success of the +expedition depends on it. You need only be told that I do not wish to +compromise the interests of anyone, and that I intend to run all the +risk alone."</p> + +<p>"You do not understand me, brother, or else I have explained myself +badly," David replied. "If I asked you in what way you proposed to act, +I was not at all impelled by a puerile curiosity, but because, in so +serious a question, which interests the entire association, we have +resolved to accompany you, and to die or conquer with you. We wish +to share the honour of the triumph, or assume a part of the defeat." +Montbarts felt involuntarily affected by these generous words, so nobly +pronounced; and by a spontaneous movement he held out his hands to the +filibusters, who pressed them energetically, and said,—</p> + +<p>"You are right, brothers. We must all share in the great work which, I +hope, will at length place us in the position to achieve great things. +We will all go to Tortoise Island. But I will ask you—and believe me +that I am not speaking thus through any ambitious motive—to let me +conduct the expedition."</p> + +<p>"Are you not our chief?" the filibusters exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"We will obey you according to the laws of buccaneering," David added. +"The man who conceives an expedition has alone the right to command. We +will be your soldiers."</p> + +<p>"That is settled, brothers. Tomorrow morning, at eleven, after +attending the sale of the new engagés, who arrived from France the +day before yesterday, I will go to the governor, and tell him I am +preparing a fresh expedition, and enlistment can begin at once."</p> + +<p>"Not one of us will be missing at the rendezvous," said Belle Tête. "I +must buy two engagés to fill the places of two idlers, who have just +died of sheer idleness."</p> + +<p>"That is settled," said Bartholomew. "At eleven o'clock we will all be +at Basse Terre."</p> + +<p>They then rose and prepared to retire: for the whole night had passed +away in these discussions, and the sun, although still beneath the +horizon, was already beginning to tinge it with a purple hue, that +testified it would soon appear.</p> + +<p>"By the way," Montbarts said, with an indifferent air to Morgan, whom +with the rest he accompanied to the head of the path; "if you are not +greatly attached to your Carib—I forget how you call him—"</p> + +<p>"Omopoua?"</p> + +<p>"Ah! yes. Well, I was saying that if you were not indisposed to part +with him, I should feel obliged by your letting me have him."</p> + +<p>"Do you want him?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. I think he will be useful to me."</p> + +<p>"In that case, take him, brother. I yield him to you, although he is a +good workman, and I am satisfied with him."</p> + +<p>"Thanks, brother. What value do you set on him?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I will not bargain with you, brother. I saw a rather handsome +fusil in your house. Give it to me, and take the Indian, and we shall +be quits."</p> + +<p>"Wait a minute, then."</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"Because I will give you the fusil at once. You will send me the +Indian; or, if I have time, I will call and fetch him during the day."</p> + +<p>The filibuster returned to the hatto, took down the fusil, and carried +it to Morgan, who threw it on his shoulder with a movement of joy.</p> + +<p>"Well, that is settled," he said. "Good-bye, for the present."</p> + +<p>"We shall meet again soon," Montbarts answered, and they separated.</p> + +<p>Montbarts threw a thick cloak over his shoulders, put on a broad +brimmed hat, whose brim fell over his face, and concealed his features, +and then turning to Michael, said:</p> + +<p>"Mate, an important matter obliges me to go to Basse Terre; you will +go to our governor, the Chevalier de Fontenay, and without entering +into any details, and being very careful not to betray our secret, you +will simply warn him that I am preparing a fresh expedition."</p> + +<p>"Very good, mate, I will go," Michael answered.</p> + +<p>"You will then examine the lugger, and occupy yourself with Bowline, in +getting her ready to put to sea."</p> + +<p>After giving these instructions to the two sailors, Montbarts left the +house, and descended the cliff.</p> + +<p>The Chevalier de Fontenay, like M. d'Esnambuc, whom he had succeeded +two years before as governor of St. Kitts, was a cadet of Normandy, who +had come to the isles to try his fortune, and before becoming governor +had joined in many buccaneering expeditions. He was exactly the man +they wanted; he left them at liberty to act as they pleased, never +asked them for any accounts, understood at half a word, and contented +himself with raising a tithe on the prizes—a voluntary tribute which +the adventurers paid him in return for the protection he was supposed +to give them in the king's name by legitimating their position.</p> + +<p>The sun had risen, a fresh sea breeze caused the leaves to rustle, and +the birds were singing on the branches. Montbarts walked on hurriedly, +looking neither to the right nor left, and apparently plunged in deep +thought.</p> + +<p>On reaching the entrance of the village of Basse Terre, instead of +entering it, he skirted it, and going along a narrow path that crossed +a tobacco plantation, he went toward the interior of the island, +proceeding in the direction of Mount Misery, whose rise was already +perceptible beneath his feet.</p> + +<p>After a very long walk, the filibuster at length stopped at the +entrance of a dry gorge, on one of the slopes of which stood a wretched +hut of tree trunks, poorly covered with palm leaves. A man was standing +in the doorway of this cabin: on perceiving Montbarts he uttered a cry +of joy and rushed toward him, running over the rocks with the rapidity +and lightness of a deer.</p> + +<p>This man was Omopoua, the Carib; on coming up to the filibuster, he +fell on his knees.</p> + +<p>"Rise," the adventurer said to him, "what have you to thank me for?"</p> + +<p>"My master told me an hour ago that I no longer belonged to him, but to +you."</p> + +<p>"Well, did I not promise it to you?"</p> + +<p>"That is true, but the white men always promise, and never keep their +word."</p> + +<p>"You see a proof of the contrary; come, get up, your master has sold +you to me, it is true, but I give you your liberty; you have now but +one master, God."</p> + +<p>The Indian rose, laid his hand on his chest, tottered, his features +were contracted, and for a moment he seemed suffering from a violent +internal emotion, which in spite of all the power he had over himself, +he could not succeed in mastering.</p> + +<p>Montbarts, calm and gloomy, examined him attentively, while fixing a +scrutinizing glance upon him.</p> + +<p>At length the Indian succeeded in speaking, though his voice issued +from his throat like a whistle.</p> + +<p>"Omopoua was a renowned chief among his people," he said; "a Spaniard +had degraded him by making him a slave, through treachery, and selling +him like a beast of burden: you restore Omopoua to the rank from which +he ought never to have descended. It is well, you lose a bad slave, +but gain a devoted friend; were it not for you I should be dead—my +life belongs to you."</p> + +<p>Montbarts offered the Carib his hand, which he kissed respectfully.</p> + +<p>"Do you intend to remain at Saint Kitts, or would you like to return to +Haiti?"</p> + +<p>"The family of Omopoua," the Indian replied, "and what remains of his +people, are wandering about the savannahs of Bohis, but where you go, I +will go."</p> + +<p>"Very good, you shall follow me; now lead me to the man, you know whom."</p> + +<p>"At once."</p> + +<p>"Are you certain he is a Spaniard?"</p> + +<p>"I am."</p> + +<p>"You do not know for what motives he has entered the island?"</p> + +<p>"I do not."</p> + +<p>"And at what place has he sought shelter?"</p> + +<p>"With an Englishman."</p> + +<p>"In the English colony there?"</p> + +<p>"No; at Basse Terre."</p> + +<p>"All the better. What is the Englishman's name?"</p> + +<p>"Captain William Drake."</p> + +<p>"Captain Drake!" Montbarts exclaimed with surprise, "It is impossible."</p> + +<p>"It is so."</p> + +<p>"In that case, the Captain does not know him."</p> + +<p>"No; the man entered his house and asked for hospitality, and the +Captain could not refuse it to him."</p> + +<p>"That is true; go up to my hatto, take clothes, a fusil—in short, what +weapons you like, and come to me at Captain Drake's; if I am no longer +there, you will find me on the port; begone."</p> + +<p>Montbarts then turned back, and proceeded toward Basse Terre, while the +Carib went towards the hatto as the bird flies, according to Indian +custom.</p> + +<p>Basse Terre was the entrepôt, or to speak more correctly, the +headquarters of the French colony: at the period when our story is laid +it was only a miserable township, built without order, according to the +caprice or convenience of each owner, an agglomeration of huts, rather +than a town, but producing at a distance a most picturesque effect +through this very chaos of houses of all shapes and sizes, thus grouped +along the seashore, in front of magnificent roads, filled with vessels +swinging at their anchors, and constantly furrowed by an infinite +number of canoes.</p> + +<p>A battery of six guns, built on an advanced point, defended the +entrance of the roads.</p> + +<p>But in this town, apparently so mean, dirty, and wretched, it was +possible to watch the circulation of the life full of sap, vigour, and +violence belonging to the strange inhabitants, unique in the world, who +formed its heterogeneous population. The narrow gloomy streets were +crowded with people of every description and colour, who came and went +with a busy air.</p> + +<p>There were pothouses at the corner of all the streets and squares, +perambulating dealers shouted their goods in a ropy voice, and public +criers, followed by a crowd which was swelled at every step by all the +idlers, announced with a mighty noise of trumpets and drums, the sale +on that very day of the engagés, who had just arrived in a Company's +vessel.</p> + +<p>Montbarts passed unnoticed through the crowd, and reached the door +of Captain Drake's house—a rather handsome looking and cleanly kept +house, which stood on the seashore at no great distance from the +governor's residence.</p> + +<p>The filibuster pushed the door, which, according to the custom of the +country, was not locked, and entered the house.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE SPY.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Montbarts, as we said, walked into the house.</p> + +<p>There were two persons in the first room, which was contrived a double +debt to pay, as half sitting room, half kitchen.</p> + +<p>These two persons were an engagé of Captain Drake and a stranger.</p> + +<p>As for the Captain, he was absent at the moment.</p> + +<p>The filibuster's eye flashed at the sight of the stranger, and an +ill-omened smile curled his pale lips.</p> + +<p>As for the latter, he was seated at a table in the middle of the room, +and quietly breakfasting on a piece of cold bacon, washed down by a +bottle of Bordeaux,—a wine, let us remark, parenthetically, which, +though unknown in Paris till the reign of Louis XV., when the Duc de +Richelieu brought it into fashion on his return from the government of +Guyenne—had been for a long time appreciated in America.</p> + +<p>The stranger was of rather tall stature, with a pale face, and ascetic +features, thin, bony, and angular; but his noble manners indicated a +high rank in society, which rank his simple and even more than modest +costume tried in vain to conceal.</p> + +<p>On the filibuster's entrance, the stranger, without raising his head, +took a side-glance at him from under his long velvety eyelashes, and +again became absorbed or appeared to be so, in the contemplation of +the capital breakfast set before him.</p> + +<p>Everything was in common among the filibusters, everyone took from +the other, whether he was at home or not, anything he wanted, arms, +gunpowder, clothes or food, and the person from whom it was taken had +no right to protest or make the slightest observation; this was not +merely admitted and tolerated, but was regarded as a right which all +took advantage of without the slightest scruple.</p> + +<p>Montbarts, after looking round the room, took a chair, seated himself +unceremoniously opposite the stranger, and turning to the engagé, said—</p> + +<p>"Bring me some breakfast—I am hungry."</p> + +<p>The other, without venturing the slightest remark, immediately prepared +to obey.</p> + +<p>In a very short time he had served up an excellent breakfast for the +filibuster, and then took his place behind his chair to wait on him.</p> + +<p>"My friend," the filibuster said, carelessly, "I thank you; but when I +take my meals I do not like to have anybody behind me. Leave the room, +but remain in front of the house door;" and he added, with a singularly +meaning glance, "let no one enter here without my orders: no one—you +understand me?" he said, laying a stress on the words; "Not even your +master, were he to come. Can I depend on you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Montbarts," said the engagé, and left the room.</p> + +<p>At the name of Montbarts, uttered by the servant, the stranger gave +an almost imperceptible start, and fixed an anxious glance on the +filibuster; but immediately recovering himself, he began eating again +in the most perfect tranquillity, or at least apparently so.</p> + +<p>For his part, Montbarts went on eating without troubling himself, or +seeming to trouble himself, about the guest seated just opposite to him.</p> + +<p>This performance went on for some minutes; no other sound was heard +in the room, where such violent passions were smouldering, but that +produced by the knives and forks scratching on the platters.</p> + +<p>At length Montbarts raised his head and looked at the stranger.</p> + +<p>"You are very taciturn, sir," he said to him, with the simple air of +a man who is wearied at a lengthened silence, and wishes to get up a +conversation.</p> + +<p>"I, sir?" the stranger replied, as he looked up in his turn with the +calmest air; "Not that I am aware of."</p> + +<p>"Still, sir," the filibuster resumed, "I would remark, that during the +quarter of an hour I have had the honour of passing in your company, +you have not once addressed a syllable to me, not even in greeting."</p> + +<p>"Pray excuse me, sir," the stranger said, with a slight bow; "the +fault is entirely involuntary: besides, as I have not the advantage of +knowing you—?</p> + +<p>"Are you quite sure of that, sir?" the adventurer interrupted, +ironically.</p> + +<p>"At least, I think so; hence, having nothing to say to you, I suppose +that it would be useless to begin a conversation which would have no +object."</p> + +<p>"Who knows, sir?" the filibuster remarked, jeeringly; "Conversations +the most frivolous at the outset, frequently become very interesting at +the expiration of a few minutes."</p> + +<p>"I doubt whether that would be the case with ours, sir. Permit me, +therefore, to break it off at once. Besides, I have finished my +meal," the stranger said, rising; "and some serious business claims +my attention. Pray forgive me, therefore, for parting company so +hurriedly, and believe in the sincerity of my regret."</p> + +<p>The adventurer did not leave his seat, but throwing himself back in it +with a graceful nonchalance, while playing with the knife he held in +his hand, he said in his gentle insinuating voice—</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, my dear sir; only one word, pray."</p> + +<p>"In that case make haste, sir," the stranger replied, as he stopped, +"for I am greatly pressed for time, I assure you."</p> + +<p>"Oh! You will certainly grant me a few minutes," the adventurer +remarked, with the old sarcasm.</p> + +<p>"As you desire it so eagerly, I will not refuse it you, sir. But I +really am in a hurry."</p> + +<p>"I have no doubt on that point, sir; more especially hurried to leave +this house—is it not so?"</p> + +<p>"What do you mean, sir?" the stranger asked, haughtily.</p> + +<p>"I mean," the adventurer replied, as he rose and placed himself between +the stranger and the door, "that it is useless to feign any longer, and +that you are recognized."</p> + +<p>"I recognized? I do not understand you. What does this language mean?"</p> + +<p>"It means," Montbarts said brutally, "that you are a spy and a traitor, +and that you will be hanged within ten minutes."</p> + +<p>"I?" the stranger replied, with very cleverly assumed surprise; "Why, +you must be mad, sir, or suffering under a strange mistake. Let me +pass, I request."</p> + +<p>"I am not mad or mistaken, Señor Don Antonio de la Ronda."</p> + +<p>The stranger started, a livid pallor covered his face, but he +immediately recovered himself.</p> + +<p>"Why, this is madness!" he said.</p> + +<p>"Sir," Montbarts remarked, still calm, but remaining in front of the +door, "when I affirm, you deny. It is evident that one of us lies, or +is mistaken. Now I declare that it is not I, hence it must be you; and +to remove your last doubts on this point, listen to this, but first be +good enough to resume your seat. We shall have, however much it may +annoy you, to converse for some time and I will remark, that it is a +very bad taste to talk standing face to face like two gamecocks ready +to fly at each other's combs, when it is possible to act otherwise."</p> + +<p>Mastered, in spite of himself, by the adventurer's flashing glance +obstinately fixed on him, and by his sharp, imperative accent, the +stranger returned to his seat, and fell into it rather than sat down.</p> + +<p>"Now, sir," the filibuster continued, in the same calm voice, as he +reseated himself and placed his elbows on the table, "in order at once +to dissipate all the doubts you may have, and to prove to you that I +know more about you than you will doubtless like, let me tell you your +history in a couple of words."</p> + +<p>"Sir!" the stranger interrupted.</p> + +<p>"Oh, fear nothing," he added, with studied sarcasm, "I shall be brief: +I no more like than you do to waste my time in idle discourses; but +just notice, by the bye, that, as I prophesied, our conversation, at +first frivolous, has suddenly grown interesting. Is not this singular, +I ask you?"</p> + +<p>"I am awaiting your explanation, sir," the stranger replied, coolly; +"for, up to the present, whatever you may say, I do not comprehend a +word of all that it pleases you to say to me."</p> + +<p>"By Heavens! You are a man after my heart. I was not mistaken about +you. Brave, cold, and crafty, you are worthy to be a filibuster, and to +lead an adventurous life with us."</p> + +<p>"You do me a great honour, sir; but all this does not tell me—"</p> + +<p>"Zounds! I am coming to it, sir—a little patience. How quick you are! +Take care: in your profession a man must be cool before all else, and +you are not so at this moment."</p> + +<p>"You are very witty, sir," the stranger said, bowing ironically to his +opponent.</p> + +<p>The latter was offended by this sudden attack, and smote the table with +his fist.</p> + +<p>"Here is your history in two words, sir," he said. "You are an +Andalusian, born at Malaga, a younger son, and consequently destined to +take orders. One fine day, not feeling any liking for the tonsure, you +fled from the paternal roof and embarked on a Spanish vessel bound for +Hispaniola. Your name is Don Antonio de la Ronda. You see, sir, that up +to this point I am well informed, am I not?"</p> + +<p>"Pray go on, sir," the stranger replied, with perfect coolness; "your +remarks are most interesting." Montbarts shrugged his shoulders, and +went on.</p> + +<p>"On arriving at Hispaniola, you contrived, in a short time, thanks to +your good looks and polished manners, to secure powerful protectors; +and thus, though you only left Europe three years ago, you have +made such rapid progress, that you are at present one of the most +influential men in the colony. Unluckily—"</p> + +<p>"Do you say unluckily?" the stranger interrupted with a jeering smile.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," the adventurer replied imperturbably; "unluckily your +fortune turned your head so thoroughly—"</p> + +<p>"So thoroughly?"</p> + +<p>"That in defiance of your friends, you were arrested and threatened +with a trial for embezzling a sum of nearly two million piastres; a +noble amount, on which I compliment you. Any other man but you, sir, I +feel a pleasure in allowing the fact, would have been ruined, or nearly +so, as the case was very serious; and the Council of the Indies does +not joke on money matters."</p> + +<p>"Permit me to interrupt you, my dear sir," the stranger said with the +most perfect ease; "you are telling this story in a very talented +manner, but if you go on so, it threatens to last indefinitely. If you +permit it, I will finish it in a few words."</p> + +<p>"Ah! Ah! Then you allow its truth now?"</p> + +<p>"Of course," the stranger said with admirable coolness.</p> + +<p>"You acknowledge yourself to be Don Antonio de la Ronda?"</p> + +<p>"Why should I deny it longer, when you are so well informed?"</p> + +<p>"Better still; so that you confess to fraudulently entering the colony +for the object of—"</p> + +<p>"I confess anything you like," the Spaniard said quickly.</p> + +<p>"Well, that being well established, you deserve to be hung, and you +will be so in a few minutes."</p> + +<p>"Well, no," he replied without losing any of his coolness; "that is +where we differ essentially in opinion, sir, your conclusion is not in +the least logical."</p> + +<p>"What?" the adventurer exclaimed, surprised at this sudden change of +humour which he did not expect.</p> + +<p>"I said that your conclusion was not logical."</p> + +<p>"I heard you perfectly."</p> + +<p>"And I am going to prove it," he continued; "grant me in your turn a +few moments' attention."</p> + +<p>"Very good; we must be merciful to those who are about to die."</p> + +<p>"You are very kind; but thank Heaven I am not there yet. There's many a +slip between the cup and the lip, as a very sensible proverb says."</p> + +<p>"Go on," the filibuster said with an ominous smile.</p> + +<p>But the Spaniard was not affected.</p> + +<p>"It is evident to me, sir, that you have some business or bargain to +propose to me."</p> + +<p>"I?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly, and for this reason; having recognized me as a spy, for +I must allow that I am really one (you see that I am frank in my +confession), nothing was easier for you than to have me strung up to +the nearest tree, without any form of trial."</p> + +<p>"Yes, but I am going to do so."</p> + +<p>"No, you will not do it now, and for this reason. You believe for +reasons I am ignorant of, for I will not insult you by supposing that +you had a feeling of pity for me, you who are so justly called by my +countrymen the Exterminator—you believe, I say, that I can serve you, +be useful to you in the success of one of your plans; consequently +instead of having me hanged, as you would have done under any other +circumstances, you came straight to find me here, where I fancied +myself well hidden, in order to converse with me, like one friend with +another. Well, I ask for nothing better, come, speak, I am listening; +what do you want of me?"</p> + +<p>And after uttering these words with the most easy air he could assume, +Don Antonio threw himself back in his chair delicately rolling a +cigarette between his fingers.</p> + +<p>The filibuster gazed for a moment at the Spaniard with a surprise which +he did not attempt to conceal, and then burst into a laugh.</p> + +<p>"That will do," he said, "I prefer that; at least there will be no +misunderstanding between us. Yes, you have guessed correctly, I have a +proposal to make to you."</p> + +<p>"That was not difficult to discover, sir; and pray what is the nature +of the proposal?"</p> + +<p>"Well, it is very simple, I only require you to act exactly in the +opposite way to what you intended, to change sides, in short."</p> + +<p>"Very good, I understand, that is to say, instead of betraying you for +the advantage of Spain, I am to betray Spain for your profit."</p> + +<p>"Yes, you see it is easy."</p> + +<p>"Very easy, in fact, but decidedly shabby; and supposing that I consent +to your request, what advantage shall I derive from it?"</p> + +<p>"In the first place I need hardly say that you will not be hung."</p> + +<p>"Pooh! To die by hanging, drowning, or a musket ball, is always much +the same thing. I should desire a more distinct benefit, with your +leave."</p> + +<p>"Confound it, you are difficult to satisfy, then it is nothing to save +one's neck from a slip knot?"</p> + +<p>"My dear sir, when, as in my case, a man has nothing to lose and +consequently everything to gain by any change in his position, death is +rather a comfort than a calamity."</p> + +<p>"You are a philosopher, so it seems."</p> + +<p>"No, confound it! such absurdity never troubled me, I am merely a +desperate man."</p> + +<p>"That is often the same thing; but let us return to our matter."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that will be better."</p> + +<p>"Well! I offer you my whole share of the first ship I take; does that +suit you?"</p> + +<p>"That is something better; but unluckily the ship to which you refer is +like the bear in the fable, not caught yet; I should prefer something +more substantial."</p> + +<p>"Well, I see I must yield to you; serve me well and I will reward you +so generously that the King of Spain himself could not do more."</p> + +<p>"Well, that is agreed, I'll run the risk; now be kind enough to tell me +the nature of the service you expect from me?"</p> + +<p>"I wish you to help me in taking by surprise Tortoise Island, where +you lived for a long time, and where, if I do not err, you still have +friends."</p> + +<p>"I see no inconvenience in trying that, although I will begin by making +my reservations."</p> + +<p>"What are they?"</p> + +<p>"That I do not pledge myself to insure the success of your hazardous +undertaking."</p> + +<p>"That remark is fair, but do not alarm yourself, if the Island is well +defended, it shall be well attacked."</p> + +<p>"I am convinced; now for the next matter."</p> + +<p>"I will let you know it when the time arrives, señor; for the present, +other business engages our attention."</p> + +<p>"As you please, sir, you will be the best judge of the opportunity."</p> + +<p>"Now, sir, as I had the honour of telling you at the outset, since I +know you to be a very sharp hand, and very capable of slipping through +my fingers like an eel, without the slightest scruple, and as I wish to +avoid that eventuality, and save you any notion of the sort, you will +do me the pleasure of going at once aboard my lugger."</p> + +<p>"A prisoner!" the Spaniard said with a gesture of ill humour.</p> + +<p>"Not as a prisoner, my dear Don Antonio, but regarded as a hostage, and +treated as such, that is to say, with all the attention compatible with +our common security."</p> + +<p>"Still, the word of a gentleman—"</p> + +<p>"Is valued between gentlemen, I allow, but with us <i>Ladrones</i>, as you +call us, it has no value in my opinion; you hidalgos of old Spain, +even make it a case of conscience to violate it without the slightest +scruple, when your interest invites you to do so."</p> + +<p>Don Antonio hung his head; recognizing in his heart, though unwilling +to allow it, the exact truth, of the filibuster's words.</p> + +<p>The latter enjoyed for a moment the Spaniard's discomfiture, and then +rapped the table twice or thrice with the handle of his knife.</p> + +<p>The captain's engagé at once entered the room.</p> + +<p>"What do you want of me, Montbarts?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Tell me, my good fellow," the adventurer asked, "have you not seen a +red Carib prowling round this house?"</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, Montbarts, a Carib asked me only a moment ago, whether you +were here, and I answered in the affirmative, but I did not like to +transgress the orders I had received from you, and allow him to enter +as he desired."</p> + +<p>"Very good. Did not the man mention his name?"</p> + +<p>"On the contrary, that was the very first thing he did; it is Omopoua."</p> + +<p>"The very man I was expecting; tell him to come in, pray, for he is +sure to be hanging about the door; and come with him."</p> + +<p>The engagé went out.</p> + +<p>"What do you want with this man?" the Spaniard asked with a shade of +anxiety, which did not escape the adventurer's sharp eye.</p> + +<p>"This Indian is simply intended to be your guard of honour," he said.</p> + +<p>"Hum! It really seems as if you are anxious to keep me."</p> + +<p>"Extremely so, señor."</p> + +<p>At this moment, the engagé returned followed by the Carib, who had +made no change in his primitive costume; but had taken advantage of +Montbarts' permission to arm himself to the teeth.</p> + +<p>"Omopoua and you, my friend, listen attentively to what I am going to +say to you; you see this man?" he said pointing to the Spaniard who was +still perfectly impassive.</p> + +<p>"We see him," they answered.</p> + +<p>"You will take him on board the lugger and hand him over to my mate, +Michael the Basque, recommending him to watch over his guest most +attentively! If, during the passage from here to the vessel, this man +attempts to take to flight, blow out his brains without mercy. Have you +understood me thoroughly?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the engagé, "trust to us, we answer for him with our heads."</p> + +<p>"That is well, I accept your word; and now, sir," he added, addressing +Don Antonio, "be good enough to follow these two men."</p> + +<p>"I yield to force, sir."</p> + +<p>"Very good, that is how I regard the matter, but reassure yourself, +your captivity will be neither harsh nor long, and I shall keep the +promises I have made you, if you keep yours. Now, go and farewell for +the present."</p> + +<p>The Spaniard, without replying, placed himself between his two keepers +voluntarily and left the room.</p> + +<p>Montbarts remained alone.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE SLAVE SALE.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>A moment after Montbarts rose, put on his cloak, which he had thrown on +a chair when he came in, and prepared to quit the house.</p> + +<p>On the threshold he found himself face to face with Captain Drake.</p> + +<p>"Ah," said the latter, "here you are."</p> + +<p>"Yes! I have been breakfasting at your house."</p> + +<p>"You did well."</p> + +<p>"Will you accompany me to the sale?"</p> + +<p>"I do not want any hired man."</p> + +<p>"Nor I, but you know the enlistment will commence immediately +afterwards."</p> + +<p>"That is true; let me say a word first to my engagé, and I will follow +you."</p> + +<p>"He has gone out."</p> + +<p>"Why! I ordered him not to leave the house."</p> + +<p>"I have given him a commission."</p> + +<p>"Oh! That is different."</p> + +<p>"You do not ask me what the commission is I have given your engagé," +Montbarts remarked a moment later.</p> + +<p>"Why should I? It does not concern me, I suppose."</p> + +<p>"More than you imagine, brother."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense, how so?"</p> + +<p>"You offered hospitality to a stranger, did you not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but what of that?"</p> + +<p>"You shall see. This stranger, whom you do not know, for of course you +do not—"</p> + +<p>"No more than Adam; what do I care who he is? hospitality is one of +those things which cannot be refused."</p> + +<p>"That is true, but I recognized the man."</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah, and who is he then?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing less than a Spanish spy, brother."</p> + +<p>"My God!" the captain said, stopping dead short.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter with you now?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing, nothing, except that I will go and blow out his brains, +unless you have done so already."</p> + +<p>"Pray, do nothing of the sort; this man, I feel convinced, brother, +will prove very useful to us."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense, how so?"</p> + +<p>"Leave me to act; if we manage properly, we may draw profit even from a +Spanish spy; in the meanwhile, I have had him taken on board the lugger +by your engagé, and a man of my own, where he will be watched so that +he cannot part company."</p> + +<p>"I trust to you for that, and thank you, brother, for having freed me +from the scoundrel."</p> + +<p>While talking thus, the two men arrived at the spot where the sale of +the engagés to the colonists was to take place.</p> + +<p>On the right of the square was a spacious shed, built of clumsily +planed planks, and open to the wind and rain; in the centre of the shed +was a table for the officials and secretaries of the company, who had +to manage the sale and draw up the contracts; an easy chair had been +set apart for the governor, by the side of a rather lofty platform, +on which each engagé, male or female, mounted in turn, so that the +purchasers might examine them at their ease.</p> + +<p>These wretches, deceived by the company's agents in Europe, had +contracted engagements, whose consequences they did not at all +understand, and were convinced that, on their arrival in America, +with the exception of a certain tax they had to pay the company for a +certain period, they would be completely free to earn their livelihood +as they thought proper. The majority were carpenters, masons and +bricklayers, but there were also among them ruined gentlemen and +libertines who detest work and who imagined that in America, the +country of gold, fortune would visit them while they slept.</p> + +<p>A company's ship had arrived a few days previously and brought one +hundred and fifty engagés, among them were several young and pretty +women, thoroughly vitiated, however, and who, like the Manon Lescault +of the Abbé Prevost, had been picked up by the police in the streets of +Paris, and shipped off without further formality.</p> + +<p>These women were also sold to the colonists, not apparently as slaves, +but as wives.</p> + +<p>These unions contracted in the gipsy fashion, were only intended to +last a settled time which must not exceed seven years, unless with +the mutual consent of the couple, though the clause was hardly ever +appealed to by them; at the end of that time they separated, and each +was set at liberty to form a fresh union.</p> + +<p>The engagés had been landed two days before; these two days had been +granted them, that they might slightly recover from the fatigue of a +long sea voyage, walk about and breathe the reviving land breeze, of +which they had so long been deprived.</p> + +<p>At the moment when the two adventurers arrived, the sale had been going +on for half an hour; the shed was crowded with colonists who desired to +purchase slaves, for we are compelled to use that odious term, for the +poor creatures were nothing else.</p> + +<p>At the sight of Montbarts, however, whose name was justly celebrated, +a passage was opened, and he thus succeeded in reaching the side of +the governor, Chevalier de Fontenay, round whom the most renowned +adventurers were collected, among them being Michael the Basque.</p> + +<p>Monsieur de Fontenay received Montbarts with distinction; he even +rose from his chair and walked two or three steps to meet him, which +the filibusters considered in very good taste, and felt grateful to +him for it; this honour paid to the most celebrated among them cast a +reflection on them all.</p> + +<p>After exchanging a few compliments with the governor, Montbarts bent +down to Michael's ear.</p> + +<p>"Well, mate?" he said to him.</p> + +<p>"The Spaniard is aboard," Michael replied, "and carefully watched by +Bowline."</p> + +<p>"In that case I can be at my ease?"</p> + +<p>"Perfectly."</p> + +<p>During this aside, the sale had been going on.</p> + +<p>All the male engagés had been sold, with the exception of one who was +standing at this moment on the platform, by the side of a company's +agent, who acted as auctioneer, and praised the qualities of the human +merchandise he offered.</p> + +<p>This engagé was a short, stout, powerfully built man, from twenty-five +to twenty-six years of age, with harsh, energetic, but intelligent +features, whose grey eyes sparkled with audacity and good humour.</p> + +<p>"Pierre Nau, native of the sands of Olonne," said the company's agent, +"twenty-five years of age, powerful and in good health, a sailor. +Who'll say forty crowns for the Olonnais, forty crowns for three years, +gentlemen."</p> + +<p>"Come, come," said the engagé, "if the person who buys me is a man, he +will have a good bargain."</p> + +<p>"Going for forty crowns," the company's agent repeated, "forty crowns, +gentlemen."</p> + +<p>Montbarts turned to the engagé.</p> + +<p>"What, you scoundrel," he said to him, "you a sailor and sell yourself +instead of joining us? You have no pluck."</p> + +<p>The Olonnais began laughing.</p> + +<p>"You know nothing about it. I have sold myself, because I must do so," +he answered, "so that my mother may be able to live during my absence."</p> + +<p>"How so?"</p> + +<p>"How does it concern you? You are not my master, and even if you were, +you would have no right to inquire into my private affairs."</p> + +<p>"You seem to me a bold fellow," Montbarts remarked.</p> + +<p>"Indeed, I believe I am; besides, I wish to become an adventurer like +you fellows, and for that purpose I must serve my apprenticeship to the +trade."</p> + +<p>"Going for forty crowns," cried the agent.</p> + +<p>Montbarts examined with the most serious attention the engagé, whose +firm glance he could hardly manage to quell; then, doubtless satisfied +with his triumph, he turned to the agent.</p> + +<p>"That will do," he said, "hold your row: I buy this man."</p> + +<p>"The Olonnais is adjudged to Montbarts the exterminator, for forty +crowns," the agent said.</p> + +<p>"Here they are," the adventurer answered as he threw a handful of +silver on the table; "now come," he ordered the Olonnais, "you are now +my engagé."</p> + +<p>The latter leapt joyously off the platform and ran up to him.</p> + +<p>"So you are Montbarts the exterminator?" he asked him curiously.</p> + +<p>"I think you are questioning me," the adventurer said with a laugh, +"still, as your question appears to me very natural, I will answer it +this time; yes, I am Montbarts."</p> + +<p>"In that case I thank you for buying me, Montbarts; with you I am +certain soon to become a man."</p> + +<p>And at a sign from his new master, he respectfully placed himself +behind him.</p> + +<p>The most curious part of the sale for the adventurers then began, that +is to say, the sale of the women.</p> + +<p>The poor wretches, mostly young and pretty, mounted the platform +trembling, and in spite of their efforts to keep a good countenance, +they blushed with shame, and burning tears ran down their cheeks on +seeing themselves thus exposed before all these men, whose flashing +eyes were fixed upon them.</p> + +<p>The company made its greatest profit by the women, and it was the more +easy to realise, because they were got for nothing, and sold at the +highest possible figure.</p> + +<p>The men were generally knocked down at a price varying from thirty +to forty dollars, but never went beyond that; with the women it was +different, they were put up to auction, and the governor alone had the +right to stop the sale, when the price appeared to him sufficiently +high. These women were always sold amid cries, shouts and coarse jests, +generally addressed to the adventurers who did not fear running the +risk of venturing on the shoal-beset ocean of marriage.</p> + +<p>Belle Tête, that furious adventurer to whom we have already referred, +and whom we saw at the meeting at the hatto, had, as he had resolved, +purchased two engagés to take the place of the two who had died, so he +said, of indolence, but, in reality of the blows he dealt them; then, +instead of returning home he had confided the engagés to his overseer; +for the adventurers, like the slave owners, had overseers, whose duty +it was to make the white slaves toil; and the adventurer remained in +the shed watching the sale of the women with the most lively interest.</p> + +<p>His friends did not fail to cut jokes at his expense, but he contented +himself with shrugging his shoulders disdainfully, and stood with +his hands crossed on the muzzle of his long fusil, and with his eyes +obstinately fixed on the platform.</p> + +<p>A young woman had just taken her place there in her turn; she was a +frail delicate girl, with light curling hair that fell on her white +rather thin chest. Her smooth and pensive forehead, her large blue +eyes full of tears, her fresh cheeks, her little mouth, made her appear +much younger than she in reality was; she was eighteen years of age, +and her delicate waist, her well-turned lips, her decent appearance, +in short everything about her delicious person had a seductive charm, +which formed a complete contrast with the decided air and vulgar +manners of the women who had preceded her on the platform, and those +who would follow her.</p> + +<p>"Louise, born at Montmartre, aged eighteen years; who will marry her +for three years, at the price of fifteen crowns?" the company's agent +asked in his sarcastic voice.</p> + +<p>The poor girl buried her face in her hands and wept bitterly.</p> + +<p>"Twenty crowns for Louise," an adventurer shouted, drawing nearer.</p> + +<p>"Twenty-five," another said immediately.</p> + +<p>"Make her hold her head up so that we can have a look at her," a third +cried brutally.</p> + +<p>"Come, little one," the agent said, as he obliged her to remove her +hands from her face; "be polite and let them look at you, it is for +your own good, hang it all! Twenty-five crowns."</p> + +<p>"Fifty," said Belle Tête, without moving from the spot.</p> + +<p>All eyes were turned to him; up to this moment Belle Tête had professed +a profound hatred for marriage.</p> + +<p>"Sixty," shouted an adventurer who did not desire to buy the girl, but +wished to annoy his comrade.</p> + +<p>"Seventy," said another with the same charitable intention.</p> + +<p>"One hundred," Belle Tête shouted angrily.</p> + +<p>"One hundred crowns, gentlemen, one hundred for Louise for three +years," the stoical agent said.</p> + +<p>"One hundred and fifty."</p> + +<p>"Two hundred."</p> + +<p>"Two hundred and fifty."</p> + +<p>"Three hundred," several adventurers shouted, almost simultaneously, as +they drew nearer to the platform.</p> + +<p>Belle Tête was pale with rage, for he feared lest she might escape him.</p> + +<p>The adventurer had persuaded himself, rightly or wrongly, that he +wanted a wife to manage his household; now he had seen Louise, Louise +pleased him, she was for sale, and he resolved to buy her.</p> + +<p>"Four hundred crowns!" he said with an air of defiance.</p> + +<p>"Four hundred crowns," the company's agent repeated in his monotonous +voice.</p> + +<p>There was a silence.</p> + +<p>Four hundred crowns is a large sum; Belle Tête triumphed.</p> + +<p>"Five hundred!" a sharp shrill voice suddenly shouted.</p> + +<p>The contest was beginning again; the adversaries had only stopped to +regain their strength.</p> + +<p>The company's agent rubbed his hands with a jubilant air, while +repeating,—</p> + +<p>"Six hundred, seven, eight, nine hundred crowns!"</p> + +<p>A species of frenzy had seized on the spectators, and all bid +furiously; the girl was still weeping.</p> + +<p>Belle Tête was in a state of fury which approached to madness; +clutching his fusil frenziedly in his clinched hand, he felt a +wild temptation to send a bullet into the most determined of his +competitors. Only the presence of M. de Fontenay restrained him.</p> + +<p>"A thousand," he shouted in a hoarse voice.</p> + +<p>"One thousand two hundred!" the most obstinate competitor immediately +yelled.</p> + +<p>Belle Tête stamped savagely, threw his fusil on his shoulder, drew his +cap on to his head with a blow of his fist, and then with a step as +slow and solemn as that of a statue would be, if a statue could walk, +he went to place himself by the side of his unendurable rival, and +letting the butt of his fusil fall heavily on the ground, scarce an +inch from the man's foot, he looked him in the face for a moment with a +defiant air, and shouted in a voice choked by emotion,—</p> + +<p>"Fifteen hundred!"</p> + +<p>The adventurer regarded him in his turn fiercely, fell back a step, +and, after renewing the powder in the pan of his fusil, said, in a calm +voice—</p> + +<p>"Two thousand!"</p> + +<p>Before these two obstinate adversaries the other bidders had prudently +withdrawn; the competition was turning into a quarrel, and threatened +to become sanguinary.</p> + +<p>A deadly silence brooded over the shed; the over-excited passions of +these two men had spoiled all the pleasures of the spectators, and +silenced all their jokes.</p> + +<p>The Governor followed with interest the different incidents of this +struggle, ready to interfere at any moment.</p> + +<p>The adventurers had gradually fallen back, and left a large free space +between the two men.</p> + +<p>Belle Tête recoiled a few paces in his turn, suddenly examined the +priming of his fusil, and then, pointing the latter at his adversary, +shouted—</p> + +<p>"Three thousand!"</p> + +<p>The other raised his fusil at the same moment to his shoulder.</p> + +<p>"Three thousand five hundred crowns!" he shouted, as he pulled the +trigger—the fusil was discharged.</p> + +<p>But the Governor, with a movement rapid as thought, threw up the barrel +with the end of his cane, and the ball lodged in the roof.</p> + +<p>Belle Tête remained motionless, though, on hearing the shot, he lowered +his fusil.</p> + +<p>"Sir," the Governor exclaimed, indignantly, addressing the adventurer +who had fired, "You have acted in a dishonourable way, and almost +committed a murder."</p> + +<p>"Governor," the adventurer coolly replied, "when I fired he had his gun +pointed at me, and hence it is a duel."</p> + +<p>The Governor hesitated, for the answer was specious.</p> + +<p>"No matter, sir," he continued, a moment later, "the laws of duelling +were not respected; to punish you I put you out of the bidding. Sir," +he said, addressing the company's agent, "I order that the woman, who +was the cause of this deplorable aggression, be knocked down to Señor +Belle Tête for three thousand crowns."</p> + +<p>The agent bowed with rather an angry look, for the worthy man had +hoped, from the way things were going on, to reach a much higher +figure; but he dared not make any observations to Chevalier de +Fontenay; he must yield, and so he did.</p> + +<p>"Louise is adjudged for three thousand crowns," he said, with a sigh of +regret—not for the woman, but for the money—"to M. Belle Tête."</p> + +<p>"Very good, Governor," the baffled adventurer said, with an ugly smile, +"I must bow to your final sentence; but Belle Tête and I will meet +again."</p> + +<p>"I hope so, too, Picard," Belle Tête answered, coldly; "there must be +bloodshed between us now." During this time Louise had come down from +the platform, when another woman took her place, and had stationed +herself, still weeping, by the side of Belle Tête, who was henceforth +her lord and master.</p> + +<p>M. de Fontenay gave a commiserating glance at the poor girl, who was +about, in all probability, to endure such a cruel existence with so +harsh a man, and then gently said to her—</p> + +<p>"Madame, from this day you are for three years the legitimate wife of +M. Belle Tête, and owe him obedience, affection, and fidelity; such are +the laws of the colony: in three years you will be your own mistress, +at liberty to leave him or to continue to live with him, if he desire +it; be good enough to sign this paper."</p> + +<p>The unhappy woman, blinded by her tears, and crushed by despair, +signed, without looking at it, the paper which the Governor offered +her; then she cast a heart-broken glance at this silent and indifferent +crowd, in which she knew that she could not find a friend.</p> + +<p>"Now, sir," she asked, in a gentle and trembling voice, "what must I +do?"</p> + +<p>"You must follow this man, who will be your husband for three years," +M. de Fontenay answered, with a touch of pity, which he could not +overcome.</p> + +<p>At this moment Belle Tête laid his hand on the girl's shoulder; she +shuddered all over, and looked wildly at him.</p> + +<p>"Yes," he said, "my girl, you must follow me; for, as the Governor has +told you, I am your husband for three years, and till the expiration of +that time, you will have no other master but me. Now, listen to this, +my darling, and engrave it carefully on your mind, so as to remember it +at the right moment: what you have done, what you have been, until now, +does not concern me, and I care little about it; but," he added, in a +hollow, ferocious voice, which chilled the poor girl with horror, "from +this day, from this moment, you belong to me—to me alone: I intrust +to you my honour, which becomes yours, and if you compromise that +honour—if you forget your duties," he said, as he dashed the butt end +of his musket on the ground, so harshly, that the hammer rattled with +an ill-omened sound, "this will remind you of them; now, follow me."</p> + +<p>"Be gentle to her, Belle Tête," M. de Fontenay could not help +saying—"she is so young."</p> + +<p>"I shall be just, Governor: now, thanks for your impartiality, it is +time for me to retire. Picard, my old friend, you know where to find +me."</p> + +<p>"I shall not fail to come and see you, but I do not, wish to trouble +your honeymoon," Picard replied, with a growl.</p> + +<p>Belle Tête withdrew, followed by his wife.</p> + +<p>The sale henceforth offered nothing of interest; the few women +remaining were sold at prices far inferior to that which Louise had +fetched, to the great regret, we are bound to add, of the Company's +agent.</p> + +<p>The adventurers were preparing to leave the shed where they imagined +there was nothing more to see; but at this moment Montbarts mounted the +platform, and addressed the crowd in a sonorous voice—</p> + +<p>"Brothers," he said, "stay, I have an important communication to make +to you."</p> + +<p>The adventurers remained motionless.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE ENLISTMENT.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>All the adventurers assembled round the platform, anxiously awaiting +what Montbarts had to tell them.</p> + +<p>"Brothers," he said, a moment after, "I am preparing a new expedition, +for which I require three hundred resolute men; who among you will +follow Montbarts the Exterminator?"</p> + +<p>"All, all!" the adventurers shouted, enthusiastically.</p> + +<p>The Governor prepared to withdraw.</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, Chevalier de Fontenay," Montbarts said, "be kind enough to +remain a few minutes longer; the expedition I have projected is most +serious: I am about to dictate a charter party, to which I will ask +you, as Governor of the colony, to append your signature before that of +our companions—moreover, I have a bargain to propose to you."</p> + +<p>"I will remain, since you desire it, Montbarts," the Governor replied, +as he returned to his seat; "now be kind enough to inform me of the +bargain you wish to propose."</p> + +<p>"You are the owner, sir, I think, of two brigantines of eighty tons +each?"</p> + +<p>"I am."</p> + +<p>"These brigantines are useless to you at this moment, as you appear, at +least until fresh orders, to have given up cruising, while they will be +very useful to me."</p> + +<p>"In that case, sir, they are at your service from this moment," the +Governor replied, gallantly.</p> + +<p>"I thank you, as I ought, for your politeness, sir, but that is not +my meaning; in an expedition like the one I meditate, no one can +foresee what may happen, hence I propose to buy your two ships for four +thousand crowns cash."</p> + +<p>"Very good, sir, since you wish it; I am delighted to be of service to +you; the two ships are yours."</p> + +<p>"I shall have the honour of handing you the four thousand crowns within +an hour."</p> + +<p>The two men bowed; and then the filibuster turned to the adventurers, +who were waiting, panting with, impatience, and whose curiosity had +been heightened by the purchase of the two vessels.</p> + +<p>"Brothers," he said, in his sonorous and sympathetic voice, "for two +months past no expedition has been attempted, and no ship has put to +sea; are you not beginning to grow tired of this idle life which you +and I are leading? Are you not beginning to run short of money, and +are not your purses light? Zounds, comrades, come with me, and within +a fortnight your pockets shall be full of Spanish doubloons, and +the pretty girls, who today are so coy, will then lavish their most +charming smiles on you—down with the Spaniards, brothers! Those of +you who are willing to follow me can give their names to Michael the +Basque, my mate. Still, as the shares will be large, the danger will +be great; to obtain them I only want men resolved to conquer or to +die bravely, without asking quarter of the enemy or granting it; I am +Montbarts the Exterminator—I grant no mercy to the Spaniards, nor do I +ask it of them."</p> + +<p>Enthusiastic shouts greeted these words, uttered with that accent which +the celebrated filibuster knew so well how to assume when he wished to +seduce the individuals he was addressing.</p> + +<p>The enlistment began; Michael the Basque had seated himself at the +table previously occupied by the Company's agent, and wrote down the +names of the adventurers, who pressed round him in a crowd, and who +all wished to join in an expedition which they foresaw would be most +lucrative.</p> + +<p>But Michael had received strict instructions from his master: convinced +that he should not want for men, and that more would offer than he +needed, he carefully selected those whose names he took, and pitilessly +rejected those adventurers whose reputation for, we will not say +bravery, for all were brave as lions, but for reckless daring, was not +thoroughly established.</p> + +<p>Still in spite of Michael's intended strictness, the number of three +hundred was soon complete. We need scarce say they were the flower +of the filibusters, all adventurers, the least renowned of whom +had performed deeds of incredible daring, men with whom attempting +impossibilities and achieving them had become but mere child's play.</p> + +<p>The first inserted were, as had been agreed on the preceding night, the +members of the society of the Twelve.</p> + +<p>Hence M. de Fontenay, who, an old filibuster himself, knew all these +men, not only by reputation, but from having seen them at work, could +not recover from his surprise, and incessantly repeated to Montbarts, +who was standing, calm and smiling at his side, "What can you be after? +Do you mean to seize on Hispaniola?"</p> + +<p>"Who knows?" the filibuster replied sportively.</p> + +<p>"Still, I think I have a right to your confidence," the governor said +in an offended tone.</p> + +<p>"The most entire, Sir; still, you are aware that the first condition +of security in an expedition is secrecy."</p> + +<p>"That is true."</p> + +<p>"I cannot tell you anything, but do not prevent you from guessing."</p> + +<p>"Guessing! But how?"</p> + +<p>"Well, perhaps the charter party will set you on the right track."</p> + +<p>"Well, let me hear it."</p> + +<p>"A little patience still; but stay, here is Michael coming toward me. +Well," he asked him, "have you completed our number?"</p> + +<p>"I should think so; I have three hundred and fifty men."</p> + +<p>"Hang it, that is a great number."</p> + +<p>"I could not do otherwise than accept them; when it is a question about +going with Montbarts, it is impossible to keep them back."</p> + +<p>"Well, we will take them, if it must be so," Montbarts said with a +smile, "give me your list."</p> + +<p>Michael handed it to him; the filibuster looked round him, and +perceived an agent of the Company, whom curiosity had kept back, and +who had remained in the shed to witness the enlistment.</p> + +<p>"You are a Company's agent, I think, sir?" he said to him, politely.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," the agent replied with a bow, "I have that honour."</p> + +<p>"In that case, may I ask you to do me a service?"</p> + +<p>"Speak, sir, I shall be only too glad to oblige you."</p> + +<p>"My companions and myself are no great clerks, and we can use a hatchet +better than a pen; would it be presuming too much on your kindness to +ask you to be good enough to serve as my secretary for a few minutes, +and write down the charter party I shall dictate to you, and which my +comrades will sign, after having it read to them?"</p> + +<p>"I am only too happy, sir, that you deign to honour me with your +confidence," the agent said with a bow.</p> + +<p>Then he seated himself at the table, selected some paper, mended a pen +and waited.</p> + +<p>"Silence, if you please, gentlemen," said the Chevalier de Fontenay, +who had exchanged a few words in a low voice with Montbarts.</p> + +<p>The private conversations were checked, and a profound silence was +established almost instantaneously. M. de Fontenay continued.</p> + +<p>"A filibustering expedition, composed of three ships, two brigantines +and a lugger, is about to leave St. Kitts, under the command of +Montbarts, whom I appoint, in the name of His most Christian Majesty, +Louis, fourteenth of that name, admiral of the fleet. This expedition, +whose object remains secret, has been joined by 350 men, the flower of +the filibusters. The three captains chosen to command the ships are, +Michael the Basque, William Drake, and John David. They are ordered to +obey in every point the commands they will receive from the admiral, +and each captain will himself appoint his officers." Then, turning to +Montbarts, he added, "Now admiral, dictate the charter party."</p> + +<p>The adventurer bowed, and addressing the Company's agent, who was +watching with head and pen erect, he said to him—</p> + +<p>"Are you ready, sir?"</p> + +<p>"I await your orders."</p> + +<p>"In that case write as I dictate."</p> + +<p>No expedition ever left port without having previously proclaimed the +charter party: this document, in which the rights of each man were +rigorously stipulated, served as the supreme law for these men, who, +undisciplined though they were ashore, bowed without a murmur to the +strictest decrees of the naval code: so soon as they had set foot on +the vessel for which they were engaged, the captain of yesterday became +a sailor today, accepted without grumbling the eventual inferiority +which the duration of the cruise alone maintained, and which ended on +the return to port, by placing each member of the expedition on the +same level, and on a footing of the most perfect equality.</p> + +<p>We quote literally the charter party our readers are about to peruse, +because from this authentic act they will understand more easily the +range and power of this strange association, and the manner in which +the filibusters treated each other.</p> + +<p>Montbarts dictated what follows in a calm voice amid the religious +silence of his auditors, who only interrupted him at intervals, by +shouts of approbation.</p> + +<p>"Charter party decreed by Admiral Montbarts, Captains Michael the +Basque, William Drake, John David, and the Brethren of the Coast, who +have voluntarily placed themselves under their orders, and which is +fully consented to by them."</p> + +<p>"The admiral will have a right, in addition to his share, to one man +per hundred."</p> + +<p>"Each captain will receive twelve shares."</p> + +<p>"Each brother four shares."</p> + +<p>"These shares will only be counted after the king's part has been +deducted from all the shares."</p> + +<p>"The surgeons will receive, in addition to their share, two hundred +dollars each, as payment for their medicaments."</p> + +<p>"The carpenters, in addition to their share, will each, have a claim +for one hundred dollars, in remuneration of their labours."</p> + +<p>"Any disobedience will be punished by death, whatever be the name or +rank of the culprit."</p> + +<p>"The brothers who distinguish themselves in the expedition will be +rewarded in the following manner—The man who pulls down the enemy's +flag from a fortress, and hoists the French one, will have a claim, in +addition to his share, to fifty piastres."</p> + +<p>"The man who takes a prisoner, when out in search of news of the enemy, +will have, in addition to his share, one hundred piastres."</p> + +<p>"The grenadiers, for each grenade thrown into a fort, five piastres."</p> + +<p>"Any man, who in action captures a high officer of the enemy, will be +rewarded by the admiral, if he has risked his life, in a generous way."</p> + +<p>"Rewards offered, in addition to their share, to the wounded and +mutilated."</p> + +<p>"For the loss of both legs, fifteen hundred crowns, or fifteen slaves, +at the choice of the recipient: if there are enough slaves."</p> + +<p>"For the loss of both arms, eighteen hundred piastres or eighteen +slaves, at choice."</p> + +<p>"For a leg, no distinction between right and left, five hundred +piastres or five slaves."</p> + +<p>"For an eye, one hundred piastres or a slave; for an arm or a hand, +no distinction between right and left, four hundred piastres or four +slaves."</p> + +<p>"For both eyes, two thousand piastres, or twenty slaves."</p> + +<p>"For a finger, one hundred piastres or one slave: if any man be +dangerously wounded in the body he will have five hundred piastres or +five slaves."</p> + +<p>"It is already understood, that, in the same way, as with the king's +part, all these rewards will be raised on the whole of the booty, +before dividing the shares."</p> + +<p>"Any enemy's vessel captured either at sea or at anchor, will be +divided between all the members of the expedition, unless it be +valued at more than ten thousand crowns, in which case one thousand +crowns will be set apart for the first ship's crew that boarded: the +expedition will hoist the royal flag of France, and the admiral bear in +addition the <i>red, white, and blue</i> flag."</p> + +<p>"No officer or sailor of the expedition will be allowed to remain +ashore anywhere unless he has previously obtained the admiral's +permission, under penalty of being declared a maroon, and prosecuted as +such."</p> + +<p>When this last paragraph which, like all that preceded it, had been +listened to in the most profound silence, had been recorded by the +Company's agent, Montbarts took the charter party, and read it through +in a loud clear voice—</p> + +<p>"Does this charter party suit you, brethren?" he then asked the +filibusters.</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," they shouted, waving their caps, "long live Montbarts! Long +live Montbarts!"</p> + +<p>"And you swear, as my officers and myself swear, to obey without a +murmur, and strictly carry out all the clauses of this charter party?"</p> + +<p>"We swear it," they repeated.</p> + +<p>"Very good," Montbarts continued; "the embarkation will commence at +sunrise tomorrow, and all the crews must be on board the fleet before +ten o'clock."</p> + +<p>"We will be there."</p> + +<p>"Now, brethren, let me remind you that each of you must be armed with a +fusil, and a cutlass, have a bag of bullets, and at least three pounds +of gunpowder: I repeat that the expedition we are about to undertake +is most serious, so that you may not forget to choose your chums, that +they may aid you in the case of illness or wounds, and make your wills, +as otherwise your shares would lapse to the king. You have understood +me, brothers? Employ as you please the few hours' liberty left you, but +do not forget that I expect you on board at day break tomorrow."</p> + +<p>The filibusters replied by shouts, and left the shed, where there only +remained the governor, Montbarts, his captains, and the new engagé +called the Olonnais, whom the adventurer had bought by auction a few +hours previously, and who, far from being sad, seemed, on the contrary, +extremely pleased at all that was going on in his presence.</p> + +<p>"As for you, gentlemen," Montbarts said, "I have no orders to give +you, for you know as well as I what you have to do. Draw lots for your +commands, then go on board, inspect the masts and rigging, and get +ready to sail at the first signal. These are the only recommendations, +I think, I need make you. Good-bye."</p> + +<p>The three captains bowed, and at once withdrew.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" Chevalier de Fontenay said, with an accent of regret, "My dear +Montbarts, I never see an expedition preparing without having a lively +feeling of sorrow, and almost of envy."</p> + +<p>"Do you regret your adventurous life, sir? I understand that feeling, +although each expedition brings you an augmentation of wealth."</p> + +<p>"What do I care for that? Do not believe that I make an avaricious +calculation. No! My thoughts are of a higher order. But the moment is +badly chosen to chatter with you. Go, sir! And if you succeed, as I do +not doubt—and yet, who knows? On your return we shall perhaps be able +to come to an understanding; and then we will attempt an expedition +together, which I hope will be talked about for a long time."</p> + +<p>"I shall be glad," the filibuster replied, politely, "to have you as a +partner. Your brilliant courage, and far from ordinary merit, are to +me certain guarantees of success. I shall therefore have the honour to +hold myself at your orders, if it please Heaven that I succeed this +time, and return safe and sound from the expedition I meditate."</p> + +<p>"Good luck, sir; and let us hope to meet again soon."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, sir."</p> + +<p>They shook hands; and as, while conversing, they had left the shed, +they went different roads, after a parting bow.</p> + +<p>The filibuster, followed by the engagé, proceeded slowly towards his +house.</p> + +<p>At the moment when he left the town, a man placed himself before him, +and bowed.</p> + +<p>"What do you want with me?" the adventurer asked, giving him a +scrutinizing glance.</p> + +<p>"To say a word to you."</p> + +<p>"Say on."</p> + +<p>"Are you Captain Montbarts?"</p> + +<p>"You must be a stranger, to ask that question."</p> + +<p>"No matter. Answer."</p> + +<p>"I am Captain Montbarts."</p> + +<p>"In that case, this letter is for you."</p> + +<p>"A letter for me!" he exclaimed, in surprise.</p> + +<p>"Here it is," the stranger said, as he presented it.</p> + +<p>"Give it to me."</p> + +<p>And he took it from him.</p> + +<p>"Now my commission is performed, farewell."</p> + +<p>"A word, in your turn."</p> + +<p>"Speak."</p> + +<p>"From whom comes this letter?"</p> + +<p>"I do not know; but you will probably learn by reading the contents."</p> + +<p>"That is true."</p> + +<p>"Then I may retire?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing prevents you."</p> + +<p>The stranger bowed, and went away.</p> + +<p>Montbarts opened the letter, hurriedly perused it, and turned pale. +Then he re-read it; but this time slowly, and as if he wished to dwell +on each sentence.</p> + +<p>A moment later he seemed to form a resolution, and turned to his +engagé, who was standing a few paces from him.</p> + +<p>"Come here," he said to him.</p> + +<p>"Here I am," said the other.</p> + +<p>"You are a sailor?"</p> + +<p>"A 1, I fancy."</p> + +<p>"That is well. Follow me."</p> + +<p>The filibuster turned back, hastily re-entered the town, and proceeded +toward the sea.</p> + +<p>He seemed to be seeking something. A moment later, his gloomy face grew +brighter.</p> + +<p>He had just seen a light canoe pulled up on the beach.</p> + +<p>"Help me to float this canoe," he said to the engagé.</p> + +<p>The latter obeyed.</p> + +<p>So soon as the canoe was afloat, Montbarts leaped in, closely followed +by his engagé; and seizing the paddles, they put off from the shore.</p> + +<p>"Step the mast, so that we may hoist a sail so soon as we are free of +the ships."</p> + +<p>The Olonnais, without answering, did as he was ordered.</p> + +<p>"Good!" Montbarts continued. "Now haul the sheets aft, and hand them to +me, my lad."</p> + +<p>In a second the sail was hoisted, set, and the light canoe bounded like +a petrel over the crest of the waves.</p> + +<p>They ran thus for some time without exchanging a word. They had left +the ships far behind them, and passed out of the roads.</p> + +<p>"Do you speak Spanish?" Montbarts suddenly asked the engagé.</p> + +<p>"Like a native of Old Castile," the other answered.</p> + +<p>"Ah! Ah!" said Montbarts.</p> + +<p>"It is easy to understand," the Olonnais continued. "I went whaling +with the Basques and Bayonnese, and for several years smuggled along +the Spanish coast."</p> + +<p>"And do you like the Spaniards?"</p> + +<p>"No!" the other answered, with a frown.</p> + +<p>"You have a motive, of course?"</p> + +<p>"I have one."</p> + +<p>"Will you tell it me?"</p> + +<p>"Why not?"</p> + +<p>"Out with it, then."</p> + +<p>"I had a boat of my own, in which, as I told you, I smuggled. I worked +six years to save up the money to buy this boat. One day, while seeking +to land prohibited goods in a bay to windward of Portugalete, I was +surprised by a Spanish revenue lugger. My boat was sunk, my brother +killed, myself dangerously wounded, and I fell into the hands of the +Gavachos. The first bandage they placed on my wounds was a bastinado, +which left me for dead on the ground. Believing, doubtless, that +they had killed me, they abandoned me then, and paid no further +attention to me. I succeeded by boldness and cunning, after enduring +indescribable tortures from hunger, cold, fatigue, &c., too lengthy to +enumerate, in at length leaping across the frontier, and finding myself +once again on French soil. I was free, but my brother was dead. I was +ruined, and my old father ran a risk of dying of hunger—thanks to the +Spaniards. Such is my history. It is not long.—How do you like it?"</p> + +<p>"It is a sad one, my good fellow; but it is as much hatred as the +desire of growing rich which has brought you among us?"</p> + +<p>"It is hatred, before everything."</p> + +<p>"Good! Take the helm in my place, while I reflect. We are going to +Nevis. Steer to windward of that point which juts out down there to the +southeast."</p> + +<p>The engagé seized the helm. Montbarts wrapped himself in his cloak, +pulled his hat over his eyes, let his head sink on his chest, and +remained motionless as a statue. The canoe still advanced, vigorously +impelled by the breeze.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII.</a></h4> + +<h3>NEVIS.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Nevis is only separated from St. Kitts by a channel half a league in +width at the most.</p> + +<p>This charming little island, whose fertility is remarkable, is, +according to all probability, the result of a volcanic explosion; and +this assertion is nearly proved by a crater containing a spring of hot +water strongly impregnated with sulphur.</p> + +<p>Seen from a distance, it offers the appearance of a vast cone; it is, +in fact, only a very lofty mountain, whose base is watered by the sea; +its sides at first offering an easy incline, become, at a certain +height, excessively abrupt; all vegetation ceases, and its snow covered +peak is lost in the clouds.</p> + +<p>During the attack of the Spaniards on St. Kitts, several adventurers +had sought shelter on this isle. Some of them, seduced by attractive +sites, permanently settled there, and commenced forming plantations; +few in number, it is true, and too far apart for the inhabitants to +aid each other in the event of an attack from an external foe, but +which prospered, and promised, ere long, to acquire a certain amount of +importance.</p> + +<p>The filibuster, although his little skiff was impelled by a good +breeze, took some time in reaching the island, because he was obliged +to go along the entire length of the channel ere he reached the spot +where he wished to go.</p> + +<p>The sun was already beginning to decline, when the canoe at length put +into a small sandy creek.</p> + +<p>"Pull up the canoe, hide the paddles among the reeds," said Montbarts, +"and follow me."</p> + +<p>The Olonnais obeyed with the punctuality and intelligent vivacity which +he displayed in everything, and then said to his master—</p> + +<p>"Shall I take my fusil?"</p> + +<p>"There is no harm in doing so," the latter replied; "an adventurer +should never go unarmed."</p> + +<p>"Very good; I will remember that."</p> + +<p>They proceeded inland, following a scarce-traced path, which ran with +a gentle incline from the beech, wound round a rather steep hill, +and after passing through a leafy mahogany forest, led to a narrow +esplanade, in the centre of which a light canvas tent had been pitched, +not far from a rock.</p> + +<p>A man, seated before the entrance of the tent, was reading a Breviary. +He was dressed in the strict attire of the Franciscans, and seemed +to have passed middle life. He was pale and thin, his features were +ascetic and stern, his countenance was intelligent, and a marked +expression of gentleness was spread over it. At the sound of the +adventurers' footsteps he raised his head quickly, turned towards them, +and a melancholy smile played round his lips.</p> + +<p>Hurriedly closing his book, he rose and walked a few steps toward the +newcomers.</p> + +<p>"Heaven be with you, brothers!" he said in Spanish, "If you come with +pure intentions; if not, may it inspire you with better thoughts."</p> + +<p>"My father," the filibuster said, returning his salutation, "I am the +man whom the adventurers of St. Kitts call Montbarts, and my intentions +are pure, for in coming here I have only yielded to the desire you +expressed to see me, if you are really Fray Arsenio Mendoza, from whom +I received a letter a few hours ago."</p> + +<p>"I am the person who wish to see you, brother; and that is really my +name."</p> + +<p>"In that case speak, I am ready to hear you."</p> + +<p>"Brother," the monk answered, "the things I have to communicate to you +are of the highest importance, and concern you alone. Perhaps it would +be better that you alone should hear them."</p> + +<p>"I do not know what important matters you can have to tell me, father; +but in any case, learn that this man is my engagé, and, as such, it is +his duty to be deaf and dumb when I order him."</p> + +<p>"Very good, I will speak in his presence, since you demand it; still, I +repeat to you, that it would be better for us to be alone."</p> + +<p>"I will act in accordance with your wish. Retire out of hearing, but +keep in sight," he said to his engagé.</p> + +<p>The latter retired about one hundred yards down the path, and leant on +his fusil.</p> + +<p>"Do you fear any treachery on the part of a poor monk like me?" the +Franciscan asked, with a sad smile; "That would be very gratuitously +imputing to me intentions very remote from my thoughts."</p> + +<p>"I suppose nothing, father; still, I am accustomed," the filibuster +coarsely answered, "always to be on my guard when I am in the presence +of a man of your nation, whether he be priest or layman."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," he said, in a sorrowful voice, "you profess an implacable +hatred for my unhappy country, and for that reason are called the +Exterminator."</p> + +<p>"Whatever be the feelings I profess for your countrymen and the name +it has pleased them to give me, it is not, I suppose, to discuss this +point with me that you have come here at a serious risk, and requested +me to meet you."</p> + +<p>"Indeed, it was not for that motive, you are right, my son, though, +personally, I might have a good deal to say on that subject."</p> + +<p>"I would observe, father, that the hour is advancing—I have but little +time at your service, and if you do not hasten to explain yourself, I +shall be, to my great regret, constrained to leave you."</p> + +<p>"You would regret it for your whole life, brother, were it as long as a +patriarch's."</p> + +<p>"That is possible, though I greatly doubt it. I can only receive bad +news from Spain."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps so; in any case, these are the news of which I am the bearer."</p> + +<p>"I am listening to you."</p> + +<p>"I am, as my gown shows you, a monk of the order of San Francisco de +AsÃs."</p> + +<p>"At least, you have the look of one," the adventurer remarked, with an +ironical smile.</p> + +<p>"Do you doubt it?"</p> + +<p>"Why not? Would you be the first Spaniard who was not afraid to profane +a sacred dress, in order to spy our movements the more easily?"</p> + +<p>"Unfortunately what you say is true, and it has happened only too +often; but I am merely a monk."</p> + +<p>"I believe you, till I have proof of the contrary; so go on."</p> + +<p>"Very good. I am the spiritual director of several ladies of quality in +the island of Hispaniola: one among them, young and beautiful, who only +arrived in the West Indies a short time ago with her husband, appears +to be devoured by an incurable grief."</p> + +<p>"Indeed! And what can I do to prevent it, father?"</p> + +<p>"I know not: still, this is what took place between this lady and +myself. The lady, who, as I told you, is young and fair, and whose +charity and goodness are inexhaustible, spends the greater part of +her days in her oratory, kneeling before a picture representing our +Lady of Mercy, imploring her with tears and sobs. Interested, in spite +of myself, by this so true and so profound grief, I have on several +occasions employed the right which my sacred office gives me, to try +and penetrate into this ulcerated heart, and obtain from my penitent a +confession, which would permit me to give her some consolation."</p> + +<p>"And I presume that you have not succeeded, father?"</p> + +<p>"Alas! No, I have not."</p> + +<p>"Allow me to repeat to you, that, up to the present I do not see in +this very sad story, which is to some extent, however, that of most +women, anything very interesting to me."</p> + +<p>"Wait, brother, I am coming to that."</p> + +<p>"In that case, proceed."</p> + +<p>"One day, when this lady appeared to me to be more sad than usual, and +I redoubled my efforts to induce her to open her heart to me—doubtless +overcome by my solicitations, she said these words to me, which I +repeat to you exactly:—'My father, I am an unhappy, cowardly, and +infamous creature, and a terrible malediction weighs on me. Only one +man has the right to know the secret which I try, in vain, to stifle in +my heart. Upon this man depends my salvation. He can condemn or acquit +me: but whatever be the sentence he may pronounce, I will bow without a +murmur beneath his will, too happy to expiate at this price the crime +of which I have been guilty.'"</p> + +<p>While the monk was pronouncing these words, the usually pale face of +the adventurer had turned livid, a convulsive trembling agitated his +limbs, and, in spite of his efforts to appear calm, he was constrained +to lean against one of the tent pickets, lest he should fall on the +ground.</p> + +<p>"Go on!" he said, in a hoarse voice. "Did this woman tell you the man's +name?"</p> + +<p>"She did, brother. 'Alas!' she said to me, 'Unfortunately the man on +whom my destiny depends is the most implacable enemy of our nation. He +is one of the principal chiefs of those ferocious adventurers who have +vowed a merciless war against Spain. I shall never meet him, except +in the horrors of a combat, or during the sack of a town fired by his +orders. In a word, the man I am speaking to you about is no other than +the terrible Montbarts the Exterminator.'"</p> + +<p>"Ah!" the adventurer muttered, in a choking voice, as he pressed his +hand forcibly against his chest, "The woman said that?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, brother; such are the words she uttered."</p> + +<p>"And then?"</p> + +<p>"Then, brother, I, a poor monk, promised her to seek you, to find you, +no matter where you were, and repeat her words to you. I had only death +to fear in trying to see you, and I long ago offered God the sacrifice +of my life."</p> + +<p>"You have acted like a noble-hearted man, monk; and I thank you for +having had confidence in me. Have you nothing to add?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, brother, I have. When the lady saw me fully resolved to brave all +perils for the sake of finding you, she added, 'Go, then, my father: +it is doubtless Heaven that takes pity on me, and inspires you at this +moment. If you succeed in reaching Montbarts, tell him that I have a +secret to confide to him, on which the happiness of his whole life +depends; but that he must make haste, if he wish to learn it, for I +feel that my days are numbered, and that I shall soon die.' I promised +her to accomplish her wishes faithfully, and I have come."</p> + +<p>There was a silence for some minutes. Montbarts walked up and down with +hanging head, and arms folded on his chest, stopping every now and then +to stamp his foot savagely: then, resuming his hurried walk, while +muttering unconnected words in a low voice.</p> + +<p>All at once he stopped before the monk, and looked him straight in the +face.</p> + +<p>"You have not told me all," he said to him.</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, brother; everything, word by word."</p> + +<p>"Still there is an important detail, which you have doubtless +forgotten, as you have passed it over in silence?"</p> + +<p>"I do not understand to what you are alluding, brother," the monk +replied, gravely.</p> + +<p>"You have forgotten to reveal to me the name and position of this +woman, father."</p> + +<p>"That is true: but it is not forgetfulness on my part. In acting thus, +I have obeyed the orders I received. The lady implored me to tell you +nothing touching her name or position. She reserves that for herself, +when you are alone together: and I swore to keep her secret."</p> + +<p>"Ah! Ah! Señor monk," the adventurer exclaimed, with a wrath the more +terrible because it was concentrated; "You have taken that oath?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, brother, and will keep it at all risks," he answered firmly.</p> + +<p>The adventurer burst into a hoarse laugh.</p> + +<p>"You are doubtless ignorant," he said, in a hissing voice, "that we +<i>ladrones</i>, as your countrymen call us, possess marvellous secrets to +untie the most rebel tongues, and that you are in my power."</p> + +<p>"I am in the hands of God, brother—try it. I am only a poor +defenceless man, incapable of resisting you. Torture me, then, if such +be your good pleasure; but know that I will die, without revealing my +secret."</p> + +<p>Montbarts bent a flashing glance on the monk who stood so calm before +him; and then, a moment after, struck his forehead angrily.</p> + +<p>"I am mad!" he exclaimed: "What do I care for this name—do I not +know it already? Listen, father. Forgive me what I said to you, for +passion blinded me. You came to this island freely, and shall leave it +freely—in my turn I swear it to you; and I am not more accustomed to +break any oaths I take—no matter their nature—than you are."</p> + +<p>"I know it, brother. I have nothing to forgive you. I see that grief +led you astray, and I pity you, for Heaven has chosen me, I feel a +presentiment of it, to bring a great misfortune upon you."</p> + +<p>"Yes, you speak truly. I did not seek this woman—I tried to forget +her, and it is she who voluntarily places herself in my path. It is +well, Heaven will judge between her and me. She demands that I will +go and see her, and I will do so, but she must only blame herself for +the terrible consequences of our interview. Still, I consent to leave +her yet one chance of escape. When you return to her, urge her not to +try to see me again. You see, that I have a little pity for her in my +heart, in spite of all she made me suffer; but if, in spite of your +entreaties, she persists in meeting me, in that case her will be done. +I will go to the place of meeting she may select."</p> + +<p>"I know where it is, brother, and am ordered to point it out to you +today."</p> + +<p>"Ah," the filibuster said, suspiciously, "she has forgotten nothing. +Well, where is it?"</p> + +<p>"The lady, you can understand, cannot quit the island, even if she +wished to do so."</p> + +<p>"That is true. So we are to meet in Hispaniola itself?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, brother."</p> + +<p>"And what spot has she selected?"</p> + +<p>"The great Savannah, that separates Mirebalais from San Juan de Goava."</p> + +<p>"Ah! The spot is famously chosen for an ambuscade," the filibuster +said, with a sneering laugh, "for if I remember rightly, it is on +Spanish territory."</p> + +<p>"It forms the extreme limit, brother. Still, I will try to induce the +lady to choose another spot, if you are afraid about your safety at +this one."</p> + +<p>Montbarts shrugged his shoulders with a contemptuous laugh.</p> + +<p>"I afraid!" he said. "Nonsense, monk, you must be mad! What do I care +for the Spaniards, if five hundred of them were ambushed to surprise +me, I should be able to get away from them! It is settled, then, that +if the lady persist in her intention of having an explanation with me, +I will go to the Savannah, which extends between Mirebalais and San +Juan de Goava, at the confluence of the great river and the Artibonite."</p> + +<p>"I will do what you desire, brother; but if the lady insist, in spite +of my remonstrances and entreaties, on the interview taking place, how +am I to warn you?"</p> + +<p>"As it is possible for you to come here, you will be the better able; +without attracting suspicion, to enter the French part of St. Domingo."</p> + +<p>"I will try, at any rate, brother, since it must absolutely be so."</p> + +<p>"You will light a large fire on the coast in the vicinity of Port +Margot, and I shall know what it means."</p> + +<p>"I will obey you, brother: but when am I to light the fire?"</p> + +<p>"How long do you propose remaining here?"</p> + +<p>"I intend to leave immediately after our interview."</p> + +<p>"This evening, then?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, brother."</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah, then there is a Spanish vessel in the neighbourhood?"</p> + +<p>"Probably so, brother; but if you discover it and capture it, how shall +I succeed in returning to Hispaniola?"</p> + +<p>"That is true; this consideration saves the Gavachos: but believe, +after due reflection, I think it my duty to give you some advice."</p> + +<p>"Whatever it may be, brother, coming from you, I shall receive it with +pleasure."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, carry out your intention. Start at once; tomorrow it will +not be pleasant for you in these waters, and I would not answer for +your safety or that of your vessel. Do you comprehend me?"</p> + +<p>"Perfectly, brother; and for the signal?"</p> + +<p>"Light it fifteen days from today, and I will arrange so as to arrive +at St. Domingo about that time."</p> + +<p>"Very good, brother."</p> + +<p>"And now, monk, farewell till we meet again, as it is probable we shall +do."</p> + +<p>"It is probable, indeed, brother. Farewell, and may the merciful Lord +be with you!"</p> + +<p>"So be it," the filibuster said, with an ironical laugh.</p> + +<p>He gave a parting wave of his hand to the monk, threw his fusil on his +shoulder, and went off, but a few minutes after stopped and went back.</p> + +<p>The Franciscan had remained motionless at the same spot.</p> + +<p>"One last word, father," he said.</p> + +<p>"Speak, brother," he answered, gently.</p> + +<p>"Take my advice, employ all your power over the lady to induce her to +give up this meeting, whose consequences may be terrible."</p> + +<p>"I will try impossibilities to succeed, brother," the monk replied; "I +will pray to Heaven to permit me to persuade my penitent."</p> + +<p>"Yes," Montbarts added, in a gloomy voice, "it would be better for her +and for me, perhaps, if we never met again."</p> + +<p>And roughly turning his back on the monk, he hurried along the track, +where he speedily disappeared.</p> + +<p>When Fray Arsenio felt certain that this time the adventurer had really +gone, he gently raised the curtain of the tent and stepped inside.</p> + +<p>A woman was kneeling there on the bare ground, with her head buried in +her hands, and praying with stifled sobs.</p> + +<p>"Have I punctually accomplished your orders, my daughter?" the monk +said.</p> + +<p>The woman drew herself up and turned her lovely pale and tear-swollen +face toward the monk.</p> + +<p>"Yes, padre," she murmured, in a low and trembling voice. "Bless you +for not abandoning me in my distress."</p> + +<p>"Is this really the man with whom you desire an interview?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, it is he, father."</p> + +<p>"And you still insist on seeing him?"</p> + +<p>She hesitated for a moment, a shudder ran over her whole person, and +then she murmured in a hardly intelligible voice—</p> + +<p>"I must, father."</p> + +<p>"You will reflect between this and then, I hope," he continued.</p> + +<p>"No, no," she said, with a sorrowful shake of the head; "if that +man were to plunge his dagger into my heart, I must have a final +explanation with him."</p> + +<p>"Your will be done," he said</p> + +<p>At this moment, a slight sound was heard outside.</p> + +<p>The monk went out, but returned almost immediately.</p> + +<p>"Get ready, madam," he said; "our crew have come to fetch you. Remember +the parting advice that <i>ladrón</i> gave me, and let us be gone as soon as +possible."</p> + +<p>Without replying, the lady rose, wrapped herself carefully in her +mantilla, and went out.</p> + +<p>An hour later, she left Nevis, accompanied by Fray Arsenio Mendoza.</p> + +<p>Montbarts had reached St. Kitts long before.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE EXPEDITION.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>During the entire passage from Nevis to St. Kitts Montbarts was in a +strange state of excitement.</p> + +<p>The interview he had held with the monk had rearoused in his heart a +profound sorrow which time had deadened but not cauterized, and at the +first word that fell in this hour's conversation the wound burst open +again, bleeding and livid as on the day of its receipt.</p> + +<p>How had this woman, whom he would not name, of whose presence in +America he was ignorant, whom, in short, he fancied he had escaped by +hiding himself among the filibusters, succeeded in so short a time, not +only in learning his presence in the islands, but also in finding him +again? For what object did she insist on finding him? What interest +could she have in seeing him?</p> + +<p>All these questions, which he asked himself in turn, necessarily +remained unanswered, and for that very reason augmented his anxiety.</p> + +<p>For a moment he thought of laying an ambush in the straits of Nevis +and St. Eustache, the two islands between which St. Kitts is situated, +capturing the Spanish vessel, and obtaining by torture the information +the monk had refused to give him.</p> + +<p>But he gave up this plan almost immediately; he had pledged his word of +honour, and would not break it for anything in the world.</p> + +<p>In the meanwhile, night had set in, and the canoe was still advancing.</p> + +<p>Montbarts steered for the lugger, which was anchored a short distance +from land.</p> + +<p>When the light boat was under the vessel's counter, the filibuster made +his engagé a sign to lay on his oars, and shouted in a loud voice—</p> + +<p>"Lugger, ahoy!"</p> + +<p>At once, a man whose black outline was designed on the dark blue +horizon, leant over.</p> + +<p>"Boat ahoy!" he shouted.</p> + +<p>"Is that you, Bowline?" Montbarts continued.</p> + +<p>"All right."</p> + +<p>"Is Michael aboard?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, admiral."</p> + +<p>"Ah, you have recognised me, my lad?"</p> + +<p>"Of course," said the Breton.</p> + +<p>"I suppose you are watching over my prisoner?"</p> + +<p>"I answer for him."</p> + +<p>"But do not annoy him unnecessarily."</p> + +<p>"All right, admiral, we will be gentle with him."</p> + +<p>"Is Omopoua aboard at this moment?"</p> + +<p>"Here I am, master," a second voice immediately replied.</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah," the filibuster said with satisfaction, "all the better. I +want you—come ashore."</p> + +<p>"Are you in a hurry, master?"</p> + +<p>"A great hurry."</p> + +<p>"In that case, wait a moment."</p> + +<p>And ere the filibuster could guess the Carib's intention, the noise of +a body falling in the water could be heard, and two or three minutes +later the Indian rested his hands on the gunwale of the canoe.</p> + +<p>"Here I am," he said.</p> + +<p>Montbarts could not refrain from smiling on seeing with what +promptitude the savage obeyed his orders. He held out his hand, and +helped him to get into the boat.</p> + +<p>"Why such a hurry?" he said to him in a tone of friendly reproach.</p> + +<p>The Indian shook himself like a drowned poodle.</p> + +<p>"Nonsense," he said, "I am all right."</p> + +<p>"Have you got the Indian?" Bowline asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes: now good night; you will see me tomorrow."</p> + +<p>"Tomorrow?"</p> + +<p>"Pull," the filibuster said to the engagé.</p> + +<p>The latter dipped his paddles, and the canoe resumed its course.</p> + +<p>Ten minutes later, it ran aground at the very spot where Montbarts had +seized it for the purpose of going to Nevis. The three men landed on +the beach, pulled up the canoe, and went off in the direction of the +hatto.</p> + +<p>They passed through the town and a swarm of filibusters, who were +celebrating by songs, shouts, and libations their last hours of liberty.</p> + +<p>They went on in silence. When the three men reached the hatto, +Montbarts lit a candle, and searched the house with the greatest care, +to make sure that no stranger was present; then he returned to his two +comrades, who were waiting for him in the Esplanade.</p> + +<p>"Come in," he merely said to them.</p> + +<p>They followed him.</p> + +<p>Montbarts sat down in a chair, and then turned to the Carib.</p> + +<p>"I have to talk with you, Omopoua," he said.</p> + +<p>"Good," the Indian remarked, joyously; "in that case you have need of +me."</p> + +<p>"If that were true you would be satisfied, then?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I should be."</p> + +<p>"For what reason?"</p> + +<p>"Because, since I have found a white man who is good and generous, I +am anxious to prove to you that all the Caribs are not ferocious and +untameable, but know how to be grateful."</p> + +<p>"I promised you, I think, to take you back to your country?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, you made me that promise."</p> + +<p>"Unfortunately, as I am appointed chief of an important expedition, +which will probably last some time, it is impossible for me at this +moment to take you back to Haiti."</p> + +<p>The Indian's face grew dark on hearing this.</p> + +<p>"Do not grieve, but listen to me attentively," the filibuster +continued, who had noticed the change that took place in the Indian's +face.</p> + +<p>"I am listening to you."</p> + +<p>"What I cannot do you are able to effect by yourself, if I supply you +with the means."</p> + +<p>"I do not exactly understand what the white Chief means; I am only a +poor Indian, with limited ideas. I require to have things explained to +me very clearly before I understand them; but it is true, that when I +do understand I never forget."</p> + +<p>"You are a Carib, hence you know how to manage a canoe?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," the Indian answered, with a proud smile.</p> + +<p>"Suppose I gave you a canoe, do you believe that you could fetch Haiti?"</p> + +<p>"The great land is very far away," he said, in a sorrowful voice, "the +voyage very long for a single man, however brave he may be."</p> + +<p>"Agreed; but suppose I placed in the canoe not only provisions, but +cutlasses, axes, daggers, and four fusils, with powder and ball?"</p> + +<p>"The pale Chief would do that!" he said, with an incredulous air. "Thus +armed, who could resist Omopoua?"</p> + +<p>"Suppose I did more?" the adventurer continued, with a smile.</p> + +<p>"The Chief is jesting; he is very gay. He says to himself, the Indians +are credulous; I will have a laugh at the expense of Omopoua."</p> + +<p>"I am not jesting, Chief—on the contrary, I am very serious; I will +give you the things I have enumerated to you, and, in order that you +may reach your country in safety, I will lend you a comrade, a brave +man, who will be your brother, and defend you as you would defend +yourself."</p> + +<p>"And that companion?"</p> + +<p>"Is here," said Montbarts, pointing to his engagé, who was standing +calm and motionless by his side.</p> + +<p>"Then I am not to make the expedition with you, Montbarts?" the latter +said, in a sad voice, and with a reproachful accent.</p> + +<p>"Reassure yourself," said Montbarts, tapping him gently on the +shoulder; "the mission I send you on is most confidential, and even +more perilous than the expedition I am undertaking. I wanted a devoted +man—another self—and I have chosen you."</p> + +<p>"You have done well, in that case; I will prove to you that you are not +mistaken about me."</p> + +<p>"I am convinced of that already, my lad. Do you accept this companion, +Omopoua? He will help you to pass without being insulted through the +filibusters you may meet on your route."</p> + +<p>"Good! The pale Chief really loves Omopoua. What is the Indian to do on +arriving in his country?"</p> + +<p>"Omopoua's brothers have sought shelter, I think, in the neighbourhood +of the Artibonite?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, in the great savannahs to which the French have given the name of +Mirebalais."</p> + +<p>"Good! Omopoua will go and join his friends; he will tell them in what +way the filibusters treat the Caribs: he will present his companion to +them, and wait."</p> + +<p>"I will wait: the pale Chief, then, is coming to Haiti?"</p> + +<p>"Probably," said Montbarts, with a smile of indefinable meaning; "and +the proof is, that my engagé will remain with your tribe till my +arrival."</p> + +<p>"Good! I will await the coming of the pale Chief. When am I start?"</p> + +<p>"This very night. Go down to the beach; go in my name to the owner of +the canoe which brought us ashore—here is money," and he gave him +several piastres; "tell him that I buy his boat exactly as it stands. +You will lay in provisions at the same time, and then wait for your +comrade, to whom I have a few words to say—but he will rejoin you +soon."</p> + +<p>"I will go, then; gratitude is in my heart, and not on my lips. On the +day when you ask for my life I will give it you, because it is yours, +as well as that of all those who love me. Farewell!"</p> + +<p>And he made a movement to leave the room.</p> + +<p>"Where are you going?" Montbarts asked him.</p> + +<p>"I am off; did you not give me leave to go?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but you are forgetting something."</p> + +<p>"What is it?"</p> + +<p>"The arms I promised you. Take from the rack a fusil for yourself, and +four others, which you can dispose of as you please, six cutlasses, +six daggers, and six hatchets; when you leave port, on passing the +lugger, you will ask Michael the Basque, in my name, for two barrels of +gunpowder and two bags of bullets—he will give them to you. Now go, +and I wish you all good fortune."</p> + +<p>The Carib, overcome by this generosity, so simple and so full of +grandeur, knelt to the adventurer, and seizing his feet, which he +placed on his head, he exclaimed, in a deeply affected voice—</p> + +<p>"I pay you homage as to the best of men. I and mine are henceforth and +eternally your devoted slaves." He got up, placed on his shoulder the +arms which the engagé handed him, and quitted the hatto.</p> + +<p>For some minutes his footsteps could be heard resounding on the path; +but this sound gradually died away, and a complete silence returned.</p> + +<p>"Now for us two, Olonnais!" Montbarts then said, addressing the engagé.</p> + +<p>The latter drew nearer.</p> + +<p>"I am listening, master," he said.</p> + +<p>"I saw you today for the first time, and yet you pleased me at the very +first glance," the adventurer continued. "I fancy myself a tolerable +physiognomist. Your frank and open face, your bold-looking eyes, and +the expression of audacity and intelligence spread over your features, +disposed me in your favour. That is the reason why I bought you. I +trust that I am not deceived about you; but I wish to make trial of +you. You know that I am at liberty to shorten your engagement, or even, +if I like, restore you your freedom tomorrow, so think of that, and act +accordingly."</p> + +<p>"Whether engaged or free I shall always be devoted to you, Montbarts," +the Olonnais said, "hence do not speak to me of recompense, for it is +useless with me: make your trial, and I hope to emerge from it with +honour."</p> + +<p>"That is speaking like a man and a frank adventurer: listen to me, +then, and do not let a word of what you are about to hear escape your +lips."</p> + +<p>"I shall be dumb."</p> + +<p>"In ten days at the most I shall anchor in Port Margot in St. Domingo; +the expedition I command is intended to take Tortoise Isle by surprise; +but while we are occupied on our side in surprising the Spaniards, they +must not be able to attack us in the rear, and ruin our establishments +at Grande Terre."</p> + +<p>"I understand; Omopoua's Caribs are scattered along the Spanish +frontier, and must be converted into allies of the expedition."</p> + +<p>"The very thing—you have understood me perfectly. Such is your +missive; but you must act with extreme cleverness and considerable +prudence, in order not to give the alarm to the Gavachos on one hand, +or arouse the suspicious of the Caribs on the other; the Indians are +susceptible and mistrustful, especially with white men, against +whom they have so many causes of complaint. The part you have to +play is rather difficult, but I think you will succeed—thanks to +the influence of Omopoua; besides, two days after my arrival at Port +Margot, I will proceed to the savannahs of the Artibonite, in order +to have an understanding, and to make the arrangements I may consider +necessary. You see that I act toward you with perfect frankness, and +rather as with a brother than an engagé."</p> + +<p>"I thank you for it; you shall have no cause to repent it."</p> + +<p>"I am glad to believe it—ah! A final recommendation, of secondary +importance, but, for all that, serious."</p> + +<p>"What is it?"</p> + +<p>"The Spaniards frequently hunt, or make excursions in the savannahs of +the Artibonite; watch them, though without letting them perceive you; +let them not have the slightest suspicion of what we are meditating +against them, for the least imprudence might have excessively grave +consequences for the success of our plans."</p> + +<p>"I will act with prudence, be assured."</p> + +<p>"Now, my lad, I have only to wish you a pleasant trip, and successful +result."</p> + +<p>"Will you allow me, in my turn, to ask you a question before departing?"</p> + +<p>"Speak, I allow it."</p> + +<p>"For what reason have you, who possess so many brave and devoted +friends, instead of applying to one of them, chosen an obscure +engagé, whom you hardly know, to confide to him so difficult and so +confidential a mission?"</p> + +<p>"Are you anxious to know?" the adventurer asked, laughingly.</p> + +<p>"Yes, if you do not consider the question indiscreet."</p> + +<p>"Not the least in the world, and you shall be satisfied in a couple +of words. Apart from the good opinion I have of you, and which is +only personal, I have chosen you, because you are only a poor engagé, +who arrived from France but two days ago—no one knows you, or is +aware that I have purchased you: for this reason no one will dream of +suspecting you, and consequently you will be a more valuable agent to +me, as no one will imagine that you are my plenipotentiary, and acting +under my orders. Now do you understand, my lad?"</p> + +<p>"Perfectly, and I thank you for the explanation you have given me. +Good-bye; within an hour the Carib and I will have left St. Kitts."</p> + +<p>"Allow him to guide you during the voyage, that man is very clever, +though an Indian, and he will conduct you so that you will both reach +port in safety."</p> + +<p>"I shall not fail to do so; besides, the deference I shall show him +will dispose him in my favour, and further advance the success of our +projects."</p> + +<p>"Come, come," the adventurer said, with a laugh, "I see that you are a +sharp lad, and I now have good hopes of the issue of your mission."</p> + +<p>The Olonnais armed himself as the Carib had done, then took leave of +his master, and went away.</p> + +<p>"Come," Montbarts muttered, when he was alone, "I believe that my plans +are beginning to assume consistency, and that I shall soon be able to +deal a grand stroke."</p> + +<p>The next morning at sunrise an unusual agitation prevailed in the +township, which, however, was never very tranquil.</p> + +<p>The filibusters, armed to the teeth, were taking leave of their +friends, and preparing to proceed on board the vessels for which they +had enlisted on the previous day.</p> + +<p>The roads were cut up in all directions by a prodigious number of +canoes which passed to and fro, carrying men and provisions to the +departing ships.</p> + +<p>The Chevalier de Fontenay, surrounded by a numerous staff of renowned +filibusters, and having at his side Montbarts, David Drake, and Michael +the Basque, was standing at the end of the wooden mole that served as a +landing place, and witnessing thence the departure of the adventurers.</p> + +<p>These men with bronzed complexion, energetic and ferocious features, +and vigorous limbs, scarce clad in canvas drawers and old hats or caps, +but armed with long fusils, manufactured at Dieppe expressly for them, +having a heavy sharpened cutlass hanging from their belt, and carrying +their stock of powder and bullets, had a strange and singularly +formidable appearance, rendered even more striking by the expression of +carelessness and indomitable audacity spread over their faces.</p> + +<p>On seeing them it was easy to understand the terror with which they +must inspire the Spaniards, and the incredible exploits they achieved +almost as if in play, reckoning their lives as nothing, and only seeing +the object, that is to say, plunder.</p> + +<p>As they defiled before the governor and the officers elected to command +them, they saluted them respectfully, because discipline demanded it, +but the salute had nothing low or servile about it, it was that of men +fully conscious of their value, and aware that though sailors today, +they might, as they liked, be captains tomorrow.</p> + +<p>Towards midday the crews were complete, and only the Admiral and three +captains were still ashore.</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen," Montbarts said to his officers, "so soon as we are out +to sea, each of you will sail as you like; we have but a small stock +of provisions on board, but the islands we pass will supply us, do +not hesitate to pillage the corales of the Gavachos, for that will be +so much taken from the enemy. Hence it is settled that we will each +proceed separately to the general meeting place, for prudence urges +us not to let the enemy suspect our strength; our meeting place is +the northern island of the Grand Key; the first to arrive will await +the two others, there I will give you my final instructions about the +object of the expedition, of which you already know a part."</p> + +<p>"So then," said M. de Fontenay, "you insist on keeping your secret?"</p> + +<p>"If you absolutely demand, sir," Montbart replied, "I will—"</p> + +<p>"No, no," he interrupted him with a laugh; "keep it, for I do not know +what to do with it; besides, I have pretty nearly guessed your secret."</p> + +<p>"Ah," Montbarts said with an air of incredulity.</p> + +<p>"Confound it, I am greatly mistaken or you mean to make some attempt on +St. Domingo."</p> + +<p>The adventurer only answered by a crafty smile, and took leave of the +governor, who rubbed his hands joyously, for he was persuaded that he +had guessed the secret which it was attempted to conceal from him. An +hour later the three vessels raised their anchors, set sail, and went +off after giving a parting salute to the land, which was immediately +answered by the battery at the point.</p> + +<p>They soon became confounded with the white mist on the horizon, and ere +long disappeared.</p> + +<p>"Well," M. de Fontenay said to his officers as he returned to the +government house, "you will see that I am not mistaken, and that this +demon of a Montbarts really has a design on St. Domingo. Lord help the +Spaniards!"</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE HATTO.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>We will leave the filibustering flotilla steering through the +inextricable labyrinth of the Antilles, and transport ourselves to St. +Domingo, as the French call it, Hispaniola as Columbus christened it, +or Haiti as the Caribs, its first and only true owners, called it.</p> + +<p>And when we speak of the Caribs, we mean the black as well as the red, +for it is a singular fact, of which many persons are ignorant, that +some Caribs were black, and so thoroughly resembled the African race, +that when the French planters settled at St. Vincent, and brought +with them Negro slaves, the black Caribs, indignant at resembling men +degraded by slavery, and fearful too lest at a later date their color +might serve as a pretext to make them endure the same fate, fled into +the wildest recesses of the forest, and in order to create a visible +distinction between their race and the slaves brought to the island, +they compressed the foreheads of their new born infants, so that they +became completely flattened, which in the ensuing generation produced, +as it were, a new race, and afterwards became the symbol of their +independence.</p> + +<p>Before resuming our narrative, we ask the reader's permission to +indulge in a little geography: as many of the incidents of the history +of filibustering will take place at St. Domingo; it is indispensable +that this island should be well known.</p> + +<p>St. Domingo, discovered on December 6, 1492, by Christopher Columbus, +is, by the general verdict, the most lovely of all the Antilles. From +the centre of the island rises a group of mountains, springing one from +the other, from which issue three chains, running in three different +directions. The longest stretches to the west, and passes through +the middle of the island, dividing it into two nearly equal parts. +The second chain runs north, and ends at Cape Fou. The third, less +extensive than the preceding, at first follows the same direction, but +ere long taking a curve to the south, terminates in Cape St. Mark.</p> + +<p>In the interior of the island there are several other mountain ranges, +though much less considerable. The result of this multiplicity of +mountains is that communication, especially at the time when our story +is laid, was excessively difficult between the north and south of the +isle.</p> + +<p>At the foot of all these mountains are immense plains covered with a +luxurious vegetation; the mountains are intersected by ravines, which +keep up a constant and beneficent humidity; they contain different +metals, in addition to rock crystal, coal, sulphur, and quarries of +porphyry, slate and marble, and are covered with forests of bananas, +palms and mimosas of every species.</p> + +<p>Although the rivers are numerous, the largest are unfortunately +scarcely navigable, and cannot be ascended by canoes for more than a +few leagues; the principal ones are the Neyva, the Macoris, the Usaque, +or river of Montecristo, the Ozama, the Juna and the Artibonite, the +most extensive of all.</p> + +<p>Seen from the offing, the appearances of this island is enchanting; it +resembles an immense bouquet of flowers rising from the bosom of the +sea.</p> + +<p>We are not going to write the history of the colony of St. Domingo, but +will merely say that this island so rich and fertile had, through the +carelessness, cruelty and avarice of the Spaniards, fallen, one hundred +and fifty years after its discovery, into such a state of wretchedness +and misery, that the Spanish Government was compelled to send to this +colony, which became not only unproductive but burdensome, funds to pay +the troops and officials.</p> + +<p>While St. Domingo was thus slowly decaying, new colonists, brought by +accident, established themselves on the north west of the island, and +took possession of it, in spite of the resistance and opposition of the +Spaniards.</p> + +<p>These new colonists were French adventurers, most of them expelled from +St. Christopher on the descent of Admiral de Toledo on that colony, and +who were wandering about the Antilles in search of a refuge.</p> + +<p>At the period of the discovery, the first Spaniards had left on the +island some forty head of cattle; these animals, restored to liberty, +rapidly multiplied and traversed the savannahs of the interior in +immense herds; the French adventurers, on their arrival, did not dream +of cultivating the soil, but, seduced by the attractions of a perilous +chase, they occupied themselves exclusively in pursuing the bulls and +the wild boars, which were also very numerous and extremely formidable.</p> + +<p>The sole occupation of these adventurers then was the chase; they +preserved the hides of cattle and dried the meat by smoke in the Indian +fashion. Hence comes the name of buccaneers, for the Caribs gave the +name of <i>boucans</i> to the spot where they smoked the flesh of the +prisoners taken in war, and whom they ate after fattening them.</p> + +<p>We shall soon have occasion to return to this subject and enter into +fuller details about these singular men.</p> + +<p>Still, in spite of their love of independence, these adventurers had +understood the necessity of creating outlets for the sale of their +hides. Hence they established several counters at Port Margot and Port +de la Paix, which they regarded as the capital of their establishments; +but their position was most precarious owing to the proximity of the +Spaniards, who had hitherto been sole masters of the island, and would +not consent to have them as such near neighbours; hence they constantly +waged a savage war, which was the more cruel because quarter was not +granted on either side.</p> + +<p>Such was the situation of St. Domingo at the time when we resume our +narrative, about a fortnight after the departure of the filibustering +fleet from St. Kitts under the command of Montbarts the Exterminator.</p> + +<p>The sun, already low on the horizon, was enormously lengthening the +shadows of the trees, the evening breeze was rising, gently agitating +the leaves and tall grass, when a man mounted on a powerful horse, +and wearing the costume of the Spanish Campesinos, followed a scarce +traced path which wound through the centre of a vast plain covered +with magnificent plantations of sugar cane and coffee, and led to an +elegant hatto, whose pretty mirador commanded the country for a long +distance.</p> + +<p>This man appeared to be five and twenty years of age at the most; +his features were handsome, but imprinted with an expression of +insupportable pride and disdain; his very simple dress was only +relieved by a long rapier, whose hilt of carved silver hung on his left +hip and showed him to be a gentleman, as the nobility alone had the +right to wear a sword.</p> + +<p>Four black slaves, half naked, and whose bodies glistened with +perspiration, ran behind his horse, one carrying a richly damascened +fusil, the second a game bag, and the two others a dead boar, whose +tied feet were resting on a bamboo supported by the shoulders of the +poor fellows.</p> + +<p>But the rider seemed to trouble himself but little about his +companions, or rather his slaves, toward whom he did not deign to turn +his head, even when speaking to them, which he did sometimes to ask +them for directions in a harsh and contemptuous voice.</p> + +<p>He held in his band an embroidered handkerchief, with which he wiped +away every moment the perspiration that inundated his forehead, and +looked savagely around him, while urging his horse with the spur, to +the great sorrow of the slaves who were forced to double their efforts +to follow him.</p> + +<p>"Well," he at length asked in an ill-tempered tone, "shall we never +arrive at this accursed hatto?"</p> + +<p>"In half an hour at the furthest, <i>mi amo</i>," a Negro answered +respectfully, "there is the mirador over there."</p> + +<p>"What a deuce of a notion it was of my sister, to come and bury herself +in this frightful hole instead of remaining quietly at her palace in +St. Domingo. Women are mad, on my honour," he grumbled between his +teeth.</p> + +<p>And he spiced this most ungallant observation by furiously digging the +spurs into his horse, which started at a gallop.</p> + +<p>Still, he was rapidly approaching the hatto, all the details of which +it was already easy to distinguish.</p> + +<p>It was a pretty and rather large mansion with a terraced roof, +surmounted by a mirador and with a peristyle in front formed by four +columns supporting a verandah.</p> + +<p>A thick hedge surrounded the house, which could only be reached by +crossing a large garden; behind were the corrals to shut in the beasts, +and the cottages of the Negroes, miserable, low and half ruined huts, +built of clumsily intertwined branches and covered with palm leaves.</p> + +<p>This hatto, tranquil and solitary, in the midst of this plain of +luxuriant vegetation, and half concealed by the trees that formed a +screen of foliage, had a really enchanting aspect, which, however, did +not seem to produce on the traveller's mind any other effect but that +of profound weariness and lively annoyance.</p> + +<p>The arrival of the stranger had doubtless been signalled by the sentry +stationed on the mirador to watch the surrounding country, for a +horseman emerged at a gallop from the hatto, and came toward the small +party composed of the gentleman we have described and the four slaves +who still ran behind him, displaying their white, sharp teeth, and +blowing like grampuses.</p> + +<p>The newcomer was a man of short stature, but his wide shoulders and +solid limbs denoted far from common muscular strength, he was about +forty years of age, his features were harsh and marked, and the +expression of his countenance was sombre and crafty. A broad-brimmed +straw hat nearly concealed his face, a cloak called a poncho, made +of one piece, and with a hole in the middle to pass his head through, +covered his shoulders; the hilt of a long knife peeped out of his right +boot, a sabre hung on his left side, and a long fusil was lying across +the front of his saddle. When he arrived within a few paces of the +gentleman, he stopped his horse short on its hind legs, uncovered, and +bowed respectfully.</p> + +<p>"<i>Santas tardes</i>, Señor Don Sancho," he said in an obsequious voice.</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah! It is you, Birbomono," the young man said, as he carelessly +touched his hat; "what the deuce are you doing here? I fancied you were +hung long ago."</p> + +<p>"Your Excellency is jesting," the other replied, with an ill-tempered +grimace, "I am the Señora's Major-domo."</p> + +<p>"I compliment her on it, and you, too."</p> + +<p>"The Señora was very anxious about your Excellency, and I was +preparing, by her orders, to make a battue in the neighbourhood. She +will be delighted to see you arrive without misadventure."</p> + +<p>"What misadventure?" the young man said, as he loosened his rein; "What +do you mean, scamp? And what had I to fear on the roads?"</p> + +<p>"Your Excellency cannot be ignorant that the ladrones infest the +savannahs."</p> + +<p>The young man burst into a laugh.</p> + +<p>"The ladrones! What a pleasant story you are telling me, too; come, run +and announce my arrival to my sister, without further chattering."</p> + +<p>The Major-domo did not let the order be repeated, but bowed, and set +off at a gallop.</p> + +<p>Ten minutes later, Don Sancho dismounted in front of the peristyle of +the hatto, where a young lady of rare beauty, but cadaverous pallor, +and who appeared hardly able to keep up, as she was so weak and ill, +was awaiting his arrival.</p> + +<p>This lady was the sister of Señor Don Sancho, and the owner of the +hatto.</p> + +<p>The two young people embraced each other for a long while without +exchanging a word, and then Don Sancho offered his arm to his sister, +and entered the house with her, leaving the Major-domo to look after +his horse and baggage.</p> + +<p>The young gentleman led his sister to an easy chair, fetched one for +himself, rolled it up to her side, and sat down.</p> + +<p>"At last," she said a moment later, in an affectionate voice, as +she took one of the young man's hands in her own, "I see you again, +brother; you are here, near me—how glad I am to see you."</p> + +<p>"My dear Clara," Don Sancho replied, as he kissed her forehead, "we +have been separated for nearly a year."</p> + +<p>"Alas!" she murmured.</p> + +<p>"And during that year many things have doubtless happened, of which you +will inform me?"</p> + +<p>"Alas! My life during this year may be summed up in two words—I have +suffered."</p> + +<p>"Poor sister, how changed you are in so little time, I could hardly +recognize you; I came to St. Domingo with such joy, and no sooner had I +landed than I went to your palace; your husband, who has not altered, +and whom I found as heavy and silent as usual, with an increased dose +of importance, doubtless the result of his high position, told me that +you were not very well, and that the physicians had ordered you country +air."</p> + +<p>"It is true," she said, with a sad smile.</p> + +<p>"Yes; but I fancied you merely indisposed, and I find you dying."</p> + +<p>"Let us not talk of that, Sancho, I implore you; what matter if I am +ill? Did you receive my letter?"</p> + +<p>"Had I not, should I be here? Two hours after its receipt I set out; +for three days," he continued with a smile, "I have been going uphill +and down dale, along frightful roads, to reach you the sooner."</p> + +<p>"Thanks, oh thanks, Sancho; your presence renders me very happy—you +will remain for a while with me, will you not?"</p> + +<p>"As long as you like, dear sister, for I am a free man."</p> + +<p>"Free!" she repeated, looking at him with an air of amazement.</p> + +<p>"Well, yes; his Excellency, the Duc de Peñaflor, my illustrious father +and yours, the Viceroy of New Spain, has deigned to grant me an +unlimited leave."</p> + +<p>At her father's name a slight shudder ran over the young lady's person, +and her eyes became dimmed with tears.</p> + +<p>"Ah," she said, "my father is well?"</p> + +<p>"Better than ever."</p> + +<p>"And has he spoken about me?"</p> + +<p>The young man bit his lips.</p> + +<p>"He spoke to me about you very little," he said; "but I in revenge, +said a good deal about you, which re-established the balance: I even +believe that he granted me the leave I asked in great measure to free +himself from my chattering."</p> + +<p>Doña Clara hung her head without replying, and her brother fixed upon +her a glance full of tender pity.</p> + +<p>"Let us talk about yourself," he said.</p> + +<p>"No, no, Sancho; we had better talk about <i>him</i>." she replied +hesitatingly.</p> + +<p>"Of <i>him!</i>" he said in a hollow voice, and with a groan; "Alas, poor +sister, what can I tell you? All my efforts have been vain; I have +discovered nothing."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes;" she murmured, "his measures were well taken to make him +disappear. Oh, Heaven! Heaven!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands +wildly, "Will you not take pity on me?"</p> + +<p>"Calm yourself, I implore you, sister; I will see, I will seek—I will +redouble my efforts, and perhaps I shall at length succeed—"</p> + +<p>"No," she interrupted him, "never, never shall we be able to effect +anything; he is condemned, condemned by my father; that implacable man +will never restore him to me! Oh! I know my father better than you do; +you are a man, Sancho, you can try to struggle against him, but he has +crushed me, crushed me at a single blow; he broke my heart by a deadly +pressure in making me the innocent accomplice of an infernal vengeance! +Then he coldly reproached me with a dishonour which is his work, and +at the same blow eternally destroyed the happiness of three beings who +would have loved him, and whose future he held in his hands."</p> + +<p>"And you, my dear Clara, do you know nothing—have you discovered +nothing?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," she replied, looking at him fixedly, "I have made a horrible +discovery."</p> + +<p>"You terrify me, Clara; what do you mean? Explain yourself."</p> + +<p>"Not at present, my dear Sancho, not at present, for the time has not +arrived; so be patient. You know that I never had any secrets from you, +for you alone have always loved me. I wrote to you to come that I +might reveal this secret to you: in three days at the latest you shall +know all, and then—"</p> + +<p>"Then?" he said, looking at her intently.</p> + +<p>"Then you shall measure, as I do, the immense depth of the gulf into +which I have fallen; but enough of this subject for the present, I am +suffering terribly, so let us talk of something else."</p> + +<p>"Most willingly, my dear Clara; but what shall we talk about?"</p> + +<p>"Well, whatever you like, dear, the rain, the fine weather, your +journey, or anything of that sort."</p> + +<p>Don Sancho understood that his sister was suffering from extreme +nervous excitement, and that he would aggravate her already very +serious condition by not acceding to her wishes; hence he made no +objection, but readily yielded to her caprice.</p> + +<p>"Well then," he said, "my dear Clara, since that is the case, I +will take advantage of the opportunity to ask you to give me some +information."</p> + +<p>"What is it brother? I live in great seclusion as you see, and doubt +whether I can satisfy you, but speak all the same."</p> + +<p>"You know, little sister, that I am a stranger in Hispaniola, where I +only arrived four days ago, and then for the first time."</p> + +<p>"That is true; you have never visited the island; what do you think of +it?"</p> + +<p>"It is frightful, that is to say admirable; frightful as regards roads, +and admirable for scenery: you see that my proposition is not so +illogical as it at first appeared."</p> + +<p>"In truth the roads are not convenient."</p> + +<p>"Say that there are none, and you will tell the truth.";</p> + +<p>"You are severe."</p> + +<p>"No, I am only just; if you had seen what magnificent roads we possess +in Mexico, you would be of my opinion; but that is not the point at +present."</p> + +<p>"What is it then?"</p> + +<p>"Why, the information I want of you."</p> + +<p>"Ah, that is true, I forgot it; but explain yourself, I am listening."</p> + +<p>"This is it. Just imagine when I embarked at Veracruz to come here, all +the persons to whom I announced my departure invariably answered me +with a desperate agreement:—'Ah! you are going to Hispaniola, Señor +Don Sancho de Peñaflor, hum, hum, take care.' On board the vessel I +constantly heard the officers muttering among themselves 'keep a good +watch, take care.' At last I reached St. Domingo; my first care was, +as I told you, to go to the Count de Bejar, your husband, who received +me as kindly as he is capable of doing; but when I announced my +intention of coming to join you here, he frowned, and his first words +were 'the deuce, Don Sancho, you want to go to the hatto, take care, +take care.' It was enough to drive me mad; this sinister warning which +everywhere and at all hours echoed in my ears infuriated me. I did +not try to obtain any explanation from your husband, as I should not +have succeeded; but I inwardly resolved to get to the bottom of this +ill-omened phrase so soon as the opportunity presented itself. It did +present itself soon, but I am no further advanced than I was before, +and hence apply to you to solve the riddle."</p> + +<p>"But I am waiting for your explanation, for I confess that up to the +present I have not understood a word you have been saying."</p> + +<p>"Very good, let me finish. I had scarce set out with the slaves your +husband lent me, when I saw the scamps constantly turn their heads +to the right and left, with a look of terror. At first I attached no +great importance to this; but they ran away on seeing a magnificent +wild boar. I felt a fancy to shoot it, which I did by the way, and have +brought it here. When these unlucky Negroes saw me cock my fusil they +fell at my knees, clasping their hands with terror, and exclaiming in +a most lamentable voice,—'Take care, Excellency, take care!' 'What +must I take care of, you scoundrels?' I exclaimed in exasperation. +'The <i>ladrones</i>, Excellency, the <i>ladrones</i>!' I could obtain no other +explanation from them but this; but I hope, little sister, that you +will be kind enough to tell me who these formidable ladrones are."</p> + +<p>He bent over her; but Doña Clara, with her eyes widely dilated, her +arms stretched out and her features distorted, fixed upon him such an +extraordinary look, that he recoiled in horror.</p> + +<p>"The ladrones, the ladrones!" she twice repeated in a shrill voice; +"Oh! have pity, brother."</p> + +<p>She rose to her full height, advanced a few paces mechanically, and +fell fainting on the floor.</p> + +<p>"What is the meaning of this?" the young man asked himself, as he +rushed forward to raise her.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI">CHAPTER XXI.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE MAJOR-DOMO'S STORY.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Don Sancho, feeling very anxious about the state in which he saw his +sister, hastily summoned her women who at once flocked around her. He +confided her to their care, and retired to the apartment prepared for +him, while ordering that he should be immediately warned so soon as +Doña Clara displayed any signs of recovery.</p> + +<p>Don Sancho de Peñaflor was a charming cavalier, gay, merry, enjoying +life and repulsing with the egotism of his age and rank, every grief +and even every annoyance.</p> + +<p>Belonging to one of the first families of the Spanish aristocracy, +destined to be one day immensely rich, and through his name to hold +the highest offices and make one of those magnificent marriages of +convenience, which render diplomatists so happy, by leaving their minds +perfectly free for grand political combinations,—he strove, as far +as lay in his power, to check the beating of his heart, and not to +trouble by any unusual passion, the bright serenity of his existence. +Captain in the army, while awaiting something better, and to have the +air of doing something, he had followed his father as aide-de-camp to +Mexico, when the latter was appointed viceroy of New Spain. But, being +yet too young to regard life seriously and be ambitious, he had turned +his attention to gambling and flirtations since his arrival in America, +which greatly annoyed the Duke, for as the latter had passed the age of +love, he had no mercy for young men sacrificing to the idol which he +had himself worshipped for so long.</p> + +<p>Don Sancho was generally an excellent hearted fellow and good +companion, but affected, like all the Spaniards of that period, and +perhaps of the present, by caste prejudices, regarding the Negroes and +Indians as beasts of burden, created for his use, and disdaining to +conceal the contempt and disgust he felt for these disinherited races.</p> + +<p>In a word, Don Sancho, in accordance with the precept of his family, +always looked above him and never below; he endured his equals, but +established an impassable barrier of pride and disdain between himself +and his inferiors.</p> + +<p>Still, perhaps unconsciously,—for we will not give him the merit of +it,—a tender feeling had glided into the cold atmosphere in which +he was condemned to live, had penetrated to his heart, and at times +threatened to overthrow all his transcendental theories about egotism.</p> + +<p>This feeling was nothing else than the affection he felt for his +sister,—an affection which might pass for adoration, for it was so +truly devoted, respectful and disinterested; to please his sister he +would have attempted impossibilities; a simple word that fell from +her lips rendered him pliant and obedient as a slave; a desire she +manifested became at once an order for him as serious, and perhaps more +so, than if it had emanated from the King of Spain and the Indies, +although that magnificent potentate haughtily flattered himself that +the sun never set on his dominions.</p> + +<p>The first words the Count uttered so soon as he found himself alone in +his apartment, will show his character better than anything we can add.</p> + +<p>"Well," he exclaimed as he sank despairingly into an easy chair, +"instead of passing a few days agreeably here as I expected, I shall +be obliged to listen to Clara's complaints and console her; the deuce +take unhappy people, it really seems as if they had made agreement to +trouble my tranquillity."</p> + +<p>At the expiration of about three-quarters of an hour, a black slave +came to inform him that Doña Clara had regained her senses, but still +felt so weak and faint, that she begged him to refrain from seeing her +that evening.</p> + +<p>The young man was in his heart well pleased at the liberty granted him +by his sister, and which dispensed him from recurring to a conversation +which possessed no charm for him.</p> + +<p>"Very good," he said to the slave, "give my respects to my sister, and +order my supper to be served here; you will at the same time request +the Major-domo to come to me as I want to speak to him. Begone!"</p> + +<p>The slave went out and left him alone.</p> + +<p>The young Count then threw himself back in his chair, stretched out +his legs and plunged, not into any reverie, but into that state of +somnolency which is neither waking or sleeping, during which the mind +seems to wander in unknown regions, and which the Spaniards call a +siesta.</p> + +<p>While he was in this state, the slaves laid the table, being careful +not to disturb him, and covered it with exquisite dishes.</p> + +<p>But soon the steam of the dishes placed before him recalled the young +man to the reality, he drew himself up and seated himself at the table.</p> + +<p>"Why has not the Major-domo come," he asked, "have you neglected to +tell him?"</p> + +<p>"Pardon, Excellency, but the Major-domo is absent at this moment," a +slave respectfully answered.</p> + +<p>"Absent—for what motive?"</p> + +<p>"He is paying his usual evening visit to the grounds, but will soon +return; if your Excellency will be good enough to have a little +patience, you will soon see him."</p> + +<p>"Very good, although I do not understand the urgency of this visit. +There are no wild beasts here, I suppose?"</p> + +<p>"No, Excellency, thank heaven!"</p> + +<p>"Then, what is the meaning of these precautions?"</p> + +<p>"They are meant to guard the house from the attacks of the ladrones, +Excellency."</p> + +<p>"The ladrones again," he exclaimed, bounding from his seat, "why, it +must be a wager! Everybody seems to have agreed to mystify me, heaven +forgive me."</p> + +<p>At this moment spurs could be heard clattering outside the room.</p> + +<p>"Here is the Major-domo, Excellency," one of the Negroes said.</p> + +<p>"That is lucky, let him come in."</p> + +<p>Birbomono appeared, took off his hat, bowed respectfully to the Count, +and waited to be addressed.</p> + +<p>"Confound it," the young man said to him, "I asked for you an hour or +more ago."</p> + +<p>"I am in despair at it, Excellency, but I was only told of it this very +instant."</p> + +<p>"I know, I know. Have you dined?"</p> + +<p>"Not yet, Excellency."</p> + +<p>"Well then, seat yourself there, opposite to me."</p> + +<p>The Major-domo who knew the Count's haughty character, hesitated; he +did not at all understand the condescension on his part.</p> + +<p>"Sit down, I say," the young man replied; "we are in the country, so it +is of no consequence; besides, I want to talk with you."</p> + +<p>The Major-domo then took the place pointed out to him, without further +pressing.</p> + +<p>The meal was short—for the Count ate without uttering a single word; +when it was ended, he thrust away his plate, drank a glass of water +after the Spanish fashion, lit an excellent cigar and gave another to +the Major-domo.</p> + +<p>"Smoke, I permit it," he said.</p> + +<p>Birbomono gratefully accepted; but feeling more and more astonished, he +could not refrain from asking himself mentally, what important motive +his young master could have for treating him so condescendingly. +When the table was cleared and the slaves had withdrawn, the two +men remained alone. The night was magnificent and the atmosphere +marvellously clear; a multitude of stars floated in æther, a sweet warm +breeze penetrated through the windows, left expressly open, a profound +silence lay over the landscape, and from the spot where the two men +were seated, they perceived the dark mass of forest trees that closed +the horizon.</p> + +<p>"Now," said the Count, as he puffed out a cloud of bluish smoke, "let +us talk."</p> + +<p>"Very good, Excellency," the Major-domo replied.</p> + +<p>"I have several things to ask you, Birbomono; you know me, I think, and +that whether I threaten or promise, I always carry out what I say?"</p> + +<p>"I am aware of it, Excellency!"</p> + +<p>"Very good, that being settled, I will come to the fact without +further preamble. I have certain very important information to ask of +you; answering my questions is not betraying your mistress, who is my +sister, and whom I love before all else; on the contrary, it is perhaps +rendering her a service indirectly. Besides, if you refused to tell +me what I want to know, I should learn it from another quarter, and +you would forfeit any advantage to be derived from your frankness; you +understand me, I suppose?"</p> + +<p>"Perfectly, Excellency."</p> + +<p>"Well then, what do you intend doing."</p> + +<p>"My lord, I am devoted body and soul to your family, hence, I shall +consider it a duty to answer, as best I can, all the questions you may +deign to ask me, for I feel convinced that in questioning me, you have +no other motive but that of being agreeable to my mistress."</p> + +<p>"It is impossible to argue more correctly, Birbomono, I have always +said that you were an intelligent man; and this answer proves to +me that I was not mistaken. Now, I will begin, but let us proceed +regularly, so inform me of what occurred between my sister and her +husband, up to her arrival here; and the motives for her quitting St. +Domingo."</p> + +<p>"You know, Excellency, my lord Count de Bejar of Sousa, the husband of +your lady sister and my master, is a gentleman not naturally given to +speaking, but kind and sincerely attached to his wife, whose every wish +he strives to satisfy, without even venturing a remark. At St. Domingo +the Countess lived in the most absolute retirement, constantly shut +up in her remotest apartments, to which only her women, her confessor +and her physician had access. The Count visited her every morning and +evening, remained about a quarter of an hour with her, conversing on +indifferent subjects, and then withdrew."</p> + +<p>"Hum! This mode of life of my dear sister appears to me rather +monotonous; did it last long?"</p> + +<p>"For several months, Excellency, and it would doubtless still be going +on, had it not been for an event which no one but myself knows, and +which induced her to come here."</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah, and what was the event, if you please?"</p> + +<p>"I will tell you, Excellency; one day a ship of our nation arrived +at St. Domingo; during its passage through the islands, it had been +attacked by the ladrones, from whom it had escaped by a miracle, +capturing several of them."</p> + +<p>"Ah! I must stop you here," the Count exclaimed suddenly sitting up; +"before going further, one word about these ladrones, of whom persons +are incessantly talking, and no one knows. Do you know what they are?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly I do, Excellency."</p> + +<p>"At last," the Count added joyously, "I have at length found what I +wanted. As you know, I suppose you will tell me?"</p> + +<p>"Most willingly, Excellency."</p> + +<p>"Go on."</p> + +<p>"Oh! It will not be long, Excellency."</p> + +<p>"All the worse."</p> + +<p>"But I believe that it will be interesting."</p> + +<p>"All the better then, make haste."</p> + +<p>"These ladrones are English and French adventurers, whose courage +exceeds all belief; lying in ambush among the rocks in the straits +through which our vessels must pass, for they have vowed a war of +extermination against our nation, they dart out in wretched canoes half +full of water, leap on board the ship they have surprised, capture +it and carry it off. The injury done our marine by these ladrones is +immense; any ship attacked by them, with but few exceptions, may be +regarded as lost."</p> + +<p>"Confusion! That is very serious; has nothing been done to clear the +seas from these daring pirates?"</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, Excellency; Don Fernando de Toledo, admiral of the fleet, +sacked, by the king's orders, the island of St. Christopher, the refuge +of the ladrones, carried off all he could seize, and did not leave one +stone on the other in the colony they had founded."</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah!" said the Count, rubbing his hands, "That was well done, it +appears to me."</p> + +<p>"No, Excellency, and for this reason. These ladrones, scattered but not +destroyed, spread over the other islands; some of them, it is true, +returned to St. Christopher, but the greater part of them had the +audacity to seek a refuge in Hispaniola itself."</p> + +<p>"Yes, but they have been expelled, I hope."</p> + +<p>"It has been tried, at any rate, Excellency, but without success; since +that period they have managed to maintain themselves in the part of +the island they invaded, and have resisted all the forces sent against +them. Instead of being assailed they have become assailants, and pushed +on to the Spanish frontier, burning, plundering and sacking everything +they met on their passage; they did this the more easily, because they +inspire our soldiers with extreme terror, who as soon as they see them +or even hear them, take to flight without looking behind them. This +has reached such a pitch, Excellency, that the Count de Bejar, our +governor, has been compelled to take their fusils from the detachments +called the Fifties, ordered to protect the frontiers, and arm them with +lances."</p> + +<p>"What! Take away their fusils! And for what motive? Great heaven! this +seems to me almost too incredible."</p> + +<p>"Still, it can be easy understood, Excellency—the soldiers feel so +great a terror of the ladrones, that when they found themselves in +regions frequented by them, and were consequently afraid of meeting +them, they discharged their fusils, expressly to warn them of their +presence, and thus invite them to retire, which the ladrones never +failed to do; and knowing in this way the position of the soldiers, +they went off to plunder in another direction, certain of not being +disturbed."</p> + +<p>"It is almost incredible. Do you fear their visit here?"</p> + +<p>"They have not yet come on this side; still, it is as well to be on +one's guard."</p> + +<p>"I believe so—that is excessively prudent, and I approve of it; but +now let us return to the story you were telling me when I interrupted +you to give me this valuable information; you were saying that a +Spanish man-o'-war had arrived at Saint Domingo, having on board +several ladrones as prisoners."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Excellency. Now, you must know that the ladrones are hung so soon +as they are caught."</p> + +<p>"That measure is very wise."</p> + +<p>"These were reserved to make an example of on the island itself, and +terrify their accomplices; they were, therefore, landed, and placed +in Capilla, while awaiting their execution. It was Fray Arsenio who +undertook to reconcile the wretches with Heaven if it were possible."</p> + +<p>"A rude task; but who is Fray Arsenio?"</p> + +<p>"The confessor of my lady Countess."</p> + +<p>"Very good; proceed."</p> + +<p>"Just imagine, Excellency, that these ladrones are very pious men; +they never attack a vessel without offering up prayers to Heaven, +and sing the Magnificat and other church hymns while boarding; hence +Fray Arsenio had no difficulty in making them perform their religious +duties. The Governor had decided that, in order that the example +should benefit the rest, these ladrones should be hung on the Spanish +frontier; they were, therefore, taken out of prison, securely bound, +and traversed the town in carts, guarded by a numerous escort, and +passing through the crowds, who overwhelmed them with maledictions +and cries of anger and threatening. But the ladrones seemed to pay +no attention to this manifestation of the public hatred; they were +five in number, young, and apparently very powerful. All at once, at +the moment when the carts, which were going very slowly, owing to the +crowd, arrived in front of the Governor's palace, the ladrones rose +altogether, uttered a loud cry, and, leaping into the street, took +refuge in the palace, whose guard they disarmed, and closed the gates +after them; they had succeeded in cutting their bonds, no one knew +how. There was at first a moment of profound stupor among the crowd on +seeing such a desperate deed, but ere long the soldiers regained their +courage, and marched boldly on the palace, where the ladrones received +them with musket shots. The fight was bravely carried on on both sides, +but all the disadvantage was on the side of our men, who were exposed +to the shots of invisible enemies, and renowned marksmen, every shot +from whom brought down a victim. Some twenty dead, and as many wounded, +were already lying on the square; the soldiers hesitated to continue +this deadly contest, when the Governor, warned of what was going on, +came up at full speed, followed by his officers. Fortunately for him, +the Count was not at home when the ladrones seized his palace; but the +Countess was there, and the Count trembled lest she should fall into +the hands of these villains. He summoned them to surrender; they only +replied by a discharge, which killed several persons by the Governor's +side, and slightly wounded himself."</p> + +<p>"The daring villains!" the Count muttered—"I hope they were hung."</p> + +<p>"No, Excellency; after holding all the forces of the town in check for +two hours, they proposed a capitulation, which was accepted."</p> + +<p>"What!" the Count exclaimed, "Accepted! Oh! This is too much."</p> + +<p>"It is the exact truth, however, Excellency; they threatened, unless +they were allowed to retire in peace, to blow themselves up with the +palace, which would have entailed the general ruin of the town, and to +cut the throats of the prisoners in their power—that of the Countess +first of all; the Governor tore out his hair with rage, but they only +laughed."</p> + +<p>"Why they are not men!" the Count exclaimed, stamping his foot +passionately.</p> + +<p>"No, Excellency, I told you, they are demons. The Count's officers +persuaded him to accept the capitulation; the bandits insisted that the +streets should be cleared for their passage; they had horses brought +for them, and two for the Countess and one of her servants, whom they +retained as hostages till they were in safety; and they went out well +armed, leading in their midst my poor mistress, trembling with terror, +and more dead, than alive. The ladrones did not hurry, they went at +a foot pace, laughing and talking together, turning round, and even +stopping now and then to stare at the crowd, which followed them at a +respectful distance. They left the town in this way, but religiously +kept their promise; two hours later, my lady the Countess, to whom they +had behaved with great courtesy, returned to Saint Domingo, accompanied +to the palace by the acclamations and glad shouts of the populace, +who fancied her lost. The next day the Count ordered me to accompany +the Countess here, where the physicians recommended her to live for a +while, in order to rest from the terrible emotions she had doubtless +experienced while she was in the power of the bandits."</p> + +<p>"And since your installation at the hatto I presume nothing +extraordinary has occurred?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Excellency, something has happened, and that is why I told +you at the beginning that I alone knew the event which had modified +my mistress's mode of living. One of the ladrones had a very long +interview with her before they left her, an interview I saw, too far +off to hear what was said, it is true, but near enough to judge of the +interest she felt in it, and the impression it produced on her, for I +had followed my mistress, resolved not to abandon her, and help her, +were it necessary, at the risk of my life."</p> + +<p>"That is the behaviour of a good servant, Birbomono, and I thank you +for it."</p> + +<p>"I only did my duty, Excellency; so soon as the ladrones left her +alone I approached my mistress, and escorted her back to the town. A +few days after our arrival here my mistress dressed herself in man's +clothes, left the hatto unseen, only followed by myself and Fray +Arsenio, who had refused to leave her, and led us to a secluded bay +on the coast, where one of the ladrones was awaiting us. This man had +another long conversation with my mistress, then, bidding us get into +a canoe, he took us to a Spanish brigantine, tacking in sight of the +coast. I afterwards learnt that this brigantine had been freighted by +Fray Arsenio by my mistress's orders. So soon as we were on board this +vessel, sail was set, and we put out to sea; the <i>ladrón</i> had returned +ashore in the canoe."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense!" the young man violently interjected; "What fables are you +telling me, Birbomono?"</p> + +<p>"Excellency, I am only telling you the truth you asked of me, without +adding or omitting anything."</p> + +<p>"Well, I am willing to believe you, incredible though the whole affair +appears."</p> + +<p>"Shall I break off here, Excellency, or continue my narration?"</p> + +<p>"Go on, in the Fiend's name! Perhaps some light will eventually issue +from all this chaos."</p> + +<p>"Our brigantine began tacking between the islands, at a great risk +of being snapped up as it passed by the ladrones; but, through some +incomprehensible miracle, it succeeded in passing unseen, so that in +eight days it reached an island in the form of a mountain, called +Nevis, I believe, and only separated by a narrow channel from St. +Kitts."</p> + +<p>"But, from what you told me yourself, St, Christopher is the den of the +ladrones."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Excellency, and so it is; the brigantine did not anchor, it +merely backed sails, and lowered a boat. My mistress, the monk, and +I, got into it, and we were landed on the island; but, as she put her +little foot on land, the Countess turned to me, and fixing on me a +glance which nailed me to the boat I was on the point of leaving, she +said—'Here is a letter, which you will carry to St. Christopher, there +you will inquire for a celebrated Chief of the ladrones, whose name +is Montbarts: you will have him pointed out to you; follow him, and +place this letter in his own hands. Go, I count on your fidelity.' What +could I do? Only obey: you will agree with me, Excellency. The sailors +in the boat, as if warned beforehand, conveyed me to St. Christopher, +where I landed unseen: I was lucky enough to meet this Montbarts, and +hand him the letter, and then I slipped away; the boat which had been +waiting for me took me back to Nevis, and the Señora thanked me. At +sunset Montbarts arrived at Nevis; he talked for nearly an hour with +the monk, while Doña Clara was concealed in a tent, and then went away: +a few minutes later, the Countess and Fray Arsenio returned aboard the +brigantine, which conveyed us back to Hispaniola with the same good +fortune. The monk remained in the French part of the island, for some +reason I do not know, while my mistress and I, as soon as we landed, +returned to the hatto, where we arrived just ten days ago."</p> + +<p>"And then?" the Count asked, seeing that the Major-domo was silent.</p> + +<p>"That is all, Excellency," he answered; "since then Doña Clara has +remained shut up in her apartments, and nothing has happened to trouble +the monotony of our existence."</p> + +<p>The Count rose without replying, walked up and down the room in +considerable agitation, and then turned to Birbomono.</p> + +<p>"Very good, Major-domo," he said to him—"I thank you; keep your mouth +shut about this, and now you can retire. Remember, that no one in the +household must suspect the importance of the conversation we have had +together."</p> + +<p>"I shall be dumb, Excellency," the Major-domo answered, and retired +with a respectful bow.</p> + +<p>"It is evident," the young man muttered, so soon as he was alone, "that +there is at the bottom of this affair a frightful secret, of which my +sister in all probability will condemn me to take my share. I am afraid +that I have fallen into a trap. Hang it all! Why could not Clara let me +live at my ease in Saint Domingo?"</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXII" id="CHAPTER_XXII">CHAPTER XXII.</a></h4> + +<h3>ACROSS COUNTRY.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>On the morrow, Doña Clara appeared, if not completely recovered from +her previous emotion, at least in a far more satisfactory state of +health than her brother had dared to hope after the fainting fit of +which he had been witness.</p> + +<p>No allusion was made, however, by one or the other to the previous +evening's conversation. Doña Clara, although very pale, and excessively +weak, affected gaiety and even merriment; she carried matters so far as +even to take a short walk in the garden, leaning on her brother's arm.</p> + +<p>But the latter was not deceived by this conduct; he understood that +his sister, vexed at having talked to him too frankly, was trying +to lead him astray as to her condition, by affecting a gaiety far +from her heart. Still, he did not let anything be seen, and when the +great heat of the day had passed, he pretended a desire to visit the +surrounding country, in order to give his sister a little liberty: +taking his fusil, he mounted his horse, and rode out, accompanied by +the Major-domo, who offered to act as his guide during his excursion.</p> + +<p>Doña Clara made but a faint effort to keep him at home; in her heart +she was pleased to be alone for a few hours.</p> + +<p>The young man galloped across country with a feverish impatience. +He was in a state of excitement, for which he could not account to +himself; in spite of his egotism, he felt himself interested in his +sister's misfortune; so much humble resignation involuntarily affected +him, and he would have been happy to infuse a little joy into this +heart crushed by grief; on the other hand, the Major-domo's singular +story incessantly returned to his mind, and aroused his curiosity +in the highest degree. Still he would not for anything in the world +have questioned his sister about the obscure parts of this narrative, +or merely let her know that he was aware of her relations with the +filibusters of St. Kitts.</p> + +<p>The two men had entered the savannah territory, and talking of +indifferent topics; but as the Count could not get rid of the +recollection of what the Major-domo had told him, he turned sharply +toward him at a certain moment.</p> + +<p>"By the way," he asked him sharply, "I have not yet seen my sister's +confessor. How do you call him?"</p> + +<p>"Fray Arsenio, Excellency; he is a Franciscan monk."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that's it, Fray Arsenio. Well, why does he persist in remaining +invisible?"</p> + +<p>"For an excellent reason, Excellency; the reason I had the honour of +explaining to you last evening."</p> + +<p>"That is possible—I do not say you did not; but everything is so +confused in my mind," he said, with feigned indifference, "that I no +longer remember what you told me on the subject; you will therefore +oblige me by repeating it."</p> + +<p>"That is easy, Excellency. Fray Arsenio left us at the moment when we +landed, and has not reappeared at the hatto since."</p> + +<p>"That is singular: and does not Doña Clara appear alarmed and vexed at +so long an absence?"</p> + +<p>"Not at all, Excellency; the señora never speaks of Fray Arsenio, and +does not inquire whether he has returned or not."</p> + +<p>"It is strange," the young man muttered to himself; "what is the +meaning of this mysterious absence?"</p> + +<p>After this aside, the Count suddenly broke off the conversation and +resumed the chase. They had been absent from the hatto for some hours, +and had insensibly gone a very considerable distance; the sun was +nearing the horizon, and the Count was preparing to turn back, when +suddenly a great noise of breaking branches was heard at the skirt of +the forest, from which they were only separated by a few shrubs, and +several wild oxen dashed on to the savannah, pursued, or, to speak more +correctly, hunted, by a dozen hounds, which barked furiously while +snapping at them.</p> + +<p>The oxen, seven or eight in number, passed like a tornado two horse +lengths from the Count, to whom this unexpected apparition caused such +a surprise, that he remained for a moment motionless, not knowing what +to do.</p> + +<p>The savage animals, still harassed by the hounds, which did not leave +them, made a sudden wheel, and turning back, seemed trying to enter the +forest at the spot where they had left it; but they had hardly resumed +their flight in that direction, when a fusil was discharged, and a +bull, struck in the head, fell dead on the ground.</p> + +<p>At the same instant a man emerged in his turn from the forest, and +walked up to the animal, which was lying motionless and nearly hidden +in the tall grass, without appearing to notice the two Spaniards, and +reloading as he walked along the long fusil he had, in all probability, +just employed so adroitly.</p> + +<p>This hunting episode was accomplished more quickly than it has taken +us to describe it, so that Don Sancho had not quite recovered from his +surprise, when the Major-domo bent down to his side and said in a low +voice, half choked with terror—</p> + +<p>"Excellency, you wanted to see a <i>ladrón</i>. Well, look carefully at that +man, he is one."</p> + +<p>Don Sancho was endowed with undaunted courage. When his first surprise +had passed, he became again completely master of himself, and regained +all his coolness.</p> + +<p>After securing his seat on the saddle, he advanced slowly toward the +stranger, while examining him curiously. He was a man still young, of +middle height, but well and powerfully built; his regular, majestic, +and rather handsome features displayed boldness and intelligence. Cold, +heat, rain, and sunshine to which he had doubtless for a long time been +exposed, had given his face a decided bistre hue; and although he wore +his full beard, it was cut rather short.</p> + +<p>His dress, of almost primitive simplicity, so to speak, was composed of +two shirts, breeches, and jacket, all of canvas, but so covered with +spots of blood and grease, that it was impossible to recognise its +original colour. He wore a leathern belt, from which hung on one side +a case of crocodile skin, containing four knives and a bayonet; on the +other, a large calabash, stopped with wax, and a hide bag containing +bullets. He wore across his shoulders a small coat of fine canvas, +rolled up and reduced to its smallest compass; and in lieu of shoes, +boots made of untanned oxhide. His long hair, fastened with a <i>vÃbora</i> +skin, escaped from under a fur cap which covered his head, and was +protected by a peak in front.</p> + +<p>His fusil, whose barrel was four and a half feet in length, could be +easily recognized through the strange form of its stock, as turned out +by Brachie, of Dieppe, who with Gélin, of Nantes, had the monopoly of +manufacturing arms for the adventurers. This fusil was of the calibre +of sixteen to the pound.</p> + +<p>The appearance of this man, thus armed and accoutred, had really +something imposing and formidable about it.</p> + +<p>You instinctively felt yourself in face of a powerful nature, of a +chosen organization, accustomed only to reckon on oneself, and which no +danger was great enough to astound or even affect.</p> + +<p>While continuing to advance toward the bull, he took a side glance at +the two horsemen; then, without paying any further attention to them, +he whistled to his dogs, which at once gave up their pursuit of the +herd, and after drawing a knife from his sheath, he began skinning the +animal lying at his feet.</p> + +<p>At this moment the Count came up to his side.</p> + +<p>"Eh," he said to him in a sharp voice, "who are you, and what do you +here?"</p> + +<p>The buccaneer, for he was one, raised his head, looked sarcastically +at the man who addressed him so peremptorily, and then shrugged his +shoulders with disdain.</p> + +<p>"Who I am?" he replied, mockingly; "You see that I am a buccaneer, and +what I am doing. I am flaying a bull I have slain. What next?"</p> + +<p>"I want to know by what right you hunt on my land?"</p> + +<p>"Ah! This land is yours? I am very glad to hear it. Well, I am hunting +here because I think proper. If that does not suit you, I feel sorry +for it, my pretty gentleman."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?" the Count continued, haughtily; "And how do you +dare to assume such a tone with me?"</p> + +<p>"Probably, because it is the one that suits me best," the buccaneer +replied, drawing himself up quickly; "go your road, my fine sir, and +take some good advice; if you do not wish your handsome jerkin to be +filled with broken bones within five minutes, do not trouble yourself +about me more than I do about you, and leave me to attend to my +business."</p> + +<p>"I will not allow it," the young man answered, violently; "the land you +are trespassing on so impertinently belongs to my sister, Doña Clara de +Bejar; I will not suffer it to be invaded with impunity by vagabonds +of your description. <i>¡Viva Dios!</i> You will decamp at once, my master, +or, if not—"</p> + +<p>"If not?" the buccaneer asked, with eyes flashing fire, while the +Major-domo, foreseeing a catastrophe, prudently glided behind his +master.</p> + +<p>As for the latter, he stood cool and impassive before the buccaneer, +resolved to take the offensive vigorously, if he saw him make the +slightest suspicious gesture. But, contrary to all expectation, the +adventurer's menacing look became almost suddenly calm, his features +resumed their usual expression of nonchalance; and it was in an almost +friendly tone, in spite of its roughness, that he said—</p> + +<p>"Halloh! What name was that you mentioned, if you please?"</p> + +<p>"That of the owner of this savannah."</p> + +<p>"I suppose so," the adventurer replied, laughing; "but may I ask you to +repeat the name?"</p> + +<p>"That is of no consequence, my master," the young man said +disdainfully, for he fancied that his adversary was backing out of the +quarrel; "the name I uttered is that of Doña Clara de Bejar of Sousa."</p> + +<p>"Et cetera," the buccaneer said, with a laugh, "these devils of +gavachos have names for every day in the year. Come, don't be angry, +my young cock," he added, remarking the flush which the expression he +had employed spread over the Count's face; "we are, perhaps, nearer an +understanding than you imagine—what would you gain by a fight with me? +Nothing; and you might, on the contrary, lose a great deal."</p> + +<p>"I do not understand your words," the young man answered drily, "but I +hope you are about to explain them."</p> + +<p>"It will not take long, as you shall see," the other said tauntingly, +and, turning to the forest, he raised his hands to his mouth in the +shape of a speaking trumpet.</p> + +<p>"Eh! L'Olonnais!" he shouted.</p> + +<p>"Hola!" a man immediately answered, whom the denseness of the forest in +which he was hidden rendered invisible.</p> + +<p>"Come here, my son," the buccaneer continued, "I believe we have found +your little matter."</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah!" L'Olonnais, still invisible, replied, "I must have a look at +it."</p> + +<p>The young Count did not know what to think of this new incident which +seemed about to change the state of affairs; he feared a coarse jest +on the part of these half-savage men. He hesitated between giving way +to the passion that was boiling within him, or patiently awaiting the +result of the buccaneer's summons; but a secret foreboding urged him to +restrain himself and act prudently with these men, who did not appear +animated by an evil design against him, and whose manners, though quick +and rough, were still friendly.</p> + +<p>At this moment L'Olonnais appeared; he wore the same dress as the +buccaneer: he advanced hurriedly toward the latter, and without +troubling himself about the two Spaniards, asked him what he wanted, +while throwing on the ground a wild bull's hide, which he was carrying +on his shoulders.</p> + +<p>"Did you not tell me something about a letter which Bowline sent you +this morning by the hands of Omopoua?"</p> + +<p>"It is true, Lepoletais. I spoke to you about it," he said, "and it was +settled between us that as you know the country, you were to lead me to +the person to whom I have to deliver this accursed slip of paper."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, my son, if you like, your commission is performed," +Lepoletais continued, as he pointed to Don Sancho, "he is the brother, +or at least calls himself so, of the person in question."</p> + +<p>"Stuff," L'Olonnais replied, fixing alight glance on the young man, +"that gay springald?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, he says so; for as you know, the Spaniards are such liars, that +it is not possible even to trust to their word."</p> + +<p>Don Sancho blushed with indignation.</p> + +<p>"Who gave you the right to doubt mine?" he exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"Nothing has done so up to the present, hence I am not addressing +myself to you, but speaking generally."</p> + +<p>"So," L'Olonnais asked him, "you are the brother of Doña Clara de +Bejar, the mistress of the hatto del Rincón?"</p> + +<p>"Once again, yes, I am her brother."</p> + +<p>"Good! And how will you prove it to me?"</p> + +<p>The young man shrugged his shoulders.</p> + +<p>"What do I care whether you believe me or not?" he said.</p> + +<p>"That is possible, but it is of great consequence to me to be certain +of the fact; I am entrusted with a letter for that lady, and wish to +perform my commission properly."</p> + +<p>"In that case hand me the letter, and I will deliver it myself."</p> + +<p>"You found that out all by yourself," the engagé said mockingly, "a +likely notion that I should give you the note on your demand," and he +burst into a hearty laugh, in which Lepoletais joined.</p> + +<p>"These Spaniards doubt nothing," the buccaneer said.</p> + +<p>"In that case go to the deuce, you and your letter," the young man +exclaimed passionately, "it does not make any difference to me if you +keep it."</p> + +<p>"Come, come, don't be savage, hang it all," L'Olonnais continued in a +conciliatory tone; "there is possibly a means of arranging matters to +the general satisfaction; I am not so black as I look, and I have good +intentions, but I do not wish to be duped, that is all."</p> + +<p>The young man, in spite of the visible repugnance with which the +adventurers inspired him did not dare to break suddenly with them; the +letter might be very important, and his sister, doubtless would not +pardon him if he acted petulantly in this matter.</p> + +<p>"Come," he said, "speak, but make haste; it is late—I am far from the +hatto, where I wish to return before sunset, so as not to alarm my +sister unnecessarily."</p> + +<p>"That is the conduct of a good brother," the engagé answered with an +ironical smile; "this is what I propose to you: tell the little lady in +question that Montbart's engagé has orders to deliver a letter to her, +and that if she wishes to have it, she need only come and fetch it."</p> + +<p>"What! Fetch it, where?"</p> + +<p>"Here; zounds! Lepoletais and I will set up a boucan at this spot; we +will wait for the lady all tomorrow here: it seems to me that what I +propose is simple and easy."</p> + +<p>"And do you believe," he answered ironically, "that my sister will +consent to accept such an appointment made by a wretched adventurer? +why, you must be mad!"</p> + +<p>"I do not believe anything, I make you a proposal, which you are free +to accept or refuse, that is all: as for the letter, she shall only +have it by coming to fetch it herself."</p> + +<p>"Why not accompany me to the hatto, that would be more simple, I fancy?"</p> + +<p>"It is possible, and that was my intention at first, but I have changed +my mind; so settle what you will do."</p> + +<p>"My sister respects herself too much to take such a step, I am certain +beforehand that she will indignantly refuse."</p> + +<p>"Well, you may be mistaken, my friend," the engagé said, with a knowing +smile, "who ever knows what women think!"</p> + +<p>"Well, to cut short an interview which has already lasted too long, I +will inform her of what you have said to me; still, I do not conceal +from you that I shall make every effort to prevent her coming."</p> + +<p>"You can do as you please, it does not concern me; but be assured that +if it be her wish to come, as I believe, your arguments will be of no +use."</p> + +<p>"We shall see."</p> + +<p>"Mind not to forget to tell her that the letter is from Montbarts."</p> + +<p>During this conversation, which possessed no interest for him, +Lepoletais, with the characteristic coolness and carelessness of +buccaneers, was engaged in cutting down branches, and planting stakes +to make the <i>ajoupa</i> under which they would camp for the night.</p> + +<p>"You see," the engagé added, "that my comrade has already set to work; +so good-bye till tomorrow, as I have no time for further talk, I must +help to prepare the boucan."</p> + +<p>"Do as you please, but I am persuaded that you are wrong in reckoning +on the success of the commission I have undertaken."</p> + +<p>"Well, you will see; at any rate mention it to the Señora. Ah! By the +way, one word more, mind, no treachery."</p> + +<p>The young man did not condescend a reply: he shrugged his shoulders +disdainfully, leaped on his horse, and galloped off in the direction of +the hatto, closely followed by the Major-domo.</p> + +<p>On getting some distance away, he looked back: the ajoupa was already +finished, and, as L'Olonnais had said, the two buccaneers were busily +engaged in establishing their boucan, without paying any more attention +to the Spaniards, who were doubtless prowling about the neighbourhood, +than if they had been five hundred leagues from any habitation.</p> + +<p>Then he continued to advance thoughtfully in the direction of the hatto.</p> + +<p>"Well, Excellency," the Major-domo said presently, "you have seen the +ladrones, what do you think of them now?"</p> + +<p>"They are rough men," he said, shaking his head sadly, "possessing +brutal and indomitable natures, but relatively frank and honest, at +least from their point of view."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, you are right, Excellency; and thus they gain more ground +every day, and if they were left alone, I am afraid that the whole +island would soon belong to them."</p> + +<p>"Oh, we have not reached that point yet," he said with a smile.</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, Excellency, for asking you the question, but do you intend +to inform the Señora of this meeting?"</p> + +<p>"I should like not to do so; unfortunately, after what you had told me +of the things that have taken place between my sister and these men, +my silence might have very serious consequences for her. Hence it is +better, I believe, to tell her frankly all about it, and she will be a +better judge than I of the line of conduct she should pursue."</p> + +<p>"I believe you are right, Excellency. The Señora has perhaps a great +interest in knowing the contents of that letter."</p> + +<p>"Well, let us trust in Heaven!"</p> + +<p>It was an hour past nightfall when they reached the hatto.</p> + +<p>They noticed with surprise an unusual movement round the house. Several +fires lighted on the plain illumined the darkness. On approaching, +the Count perceived that these fires were lit by soldiers, who had +established their bivouac there.</p> + +<p>A confidential servant was watching for the Count's arrival. So soon as +he saw him, he handed him several letters that had arrived for him, and +begged him to go at once to the Señora, who was impatiently expecting +him.</p> + +<p>"What is there new here?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Two fifties arrived at sunset, Excellency," the servant answered.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" he remarked, with a slight frown. "Very good. Inform my sister +that I shall be with her in an instant."</p> + +<p>The domestic bowed and retired. The young gentleman dismounted, and +went to the apartments of Doña Clara, considerably puzzled by the +unforeseen arrival of these troops at a spot which apparently enjoyed +great tranquillity, and where their presence was unnecessary.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXIII">CHAPTER XXIII.</a></h4> + +<h3>COMPLICATIONS.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>We must now return to one of our characters, who up to the present has +played but a secondary part in this story; but, as frequently happens, +is now called on by the exigencies of our narrative to take his place +in the foreground.</p> + +<p>We refer to Count Don Stenio de Bejar y Sousa, grandee of Spain of the +first class, <i>caballero cubierto</i>, governor for His Majesty Philip II. +of Spain and the Indies, of the island of Hispaniola, and husband of +Doña Clara de Peñaflor.</p> + +<p>Count Don Stenio de Bejar was a true Spaniard of the age of Charles V., +dry, stiff, full of pride and self-sufficiency, always with his hand +on his hip, and his head thrown back when he deigned to speak, which, +happened to him as rarely as possible, not through any want of sense, +as he was far from being a fool; but through indolence and contempt of +other men, whom he never looked at without half closing his eyes, and +raising the corners of his lips disdainfully.</p> + +<p>Tall, well built, possessed of noble manners, and a very handsome face, +the Count, apart from his determined silence, was one of the most +accomplished cavaliers of the Spanish court, which, however, at that +period, possessed a great number of them.</p> + +<p>His marriage with Doña Clara had been at the outset an affair of +convenience and ambition, but gradually, through admiring the charming +face of the woman he had married, seeing her gentle eyes fixed on +him, and hearing her melodious voice resound in his ear, he had grown +to love her—love her madly. Like all men accustomed to shut up and +concentrate in their hearts the feelings that possessed them, the +passion he experienced for Doña Clara had acquired proportions the more +formidable, because the unhappy man had the desperate conviction that +it would never be shared by the woman who was the object of it. All Don +Stenio's advances had been so peremptorily rejected by his wife, that +he at last made up his mind to abstain from them.</p> + +<p>But, like all disappointed lovers, this gentleman, who was at the same +time the husband—a very aggravating fact in the species, was naturally +too infatuated with his own merit, to attribute his defeat to himself, +and hence had looked around to discover the fortunate rival who had +robbed him of his wife's heart.</p> + +<p>Naturally the Count had not succeeded in finding this fancied rival, +who only existed in his own imagination, and this had grown into a +jealousy, the more ferocious because, as it did not know whom to settle +on, it attacked everybody.</p> + +<p>The Count was jealous, then, not like a Spaniard, for the Spaniards +generally, whatever may be said to the contrary, are not affected by +that stupid malady, but like an Italian; and this jealousy made him +suffer the more, because, like his love, he was unable to show it; +through fear of ridicule, he was compelled to lock it up carefully in +his heart.</p> + +<p>When, owing to his protection—as had been arranged on his marriage +with Doña Clara, of whose previous union with the Count de Barmont +he was ignorant—his father-in-law, the Duc de Peñaflor, was +appointed viceroy of New Spain, and himself obtained the government +of Hispaniola, the Count experienced a feeling of indescribable joy, +and an immense comfort inundated his mind. He was persuaded that in +America, his wife, separated from her friends and relatives, forced, +to live alone, and consequently to undergo his influence, would be +driven through weariness and want of something better to do, to share +his love, or at least accept it: and then again, on the islands there +was no rivalry to fear among a half savage population entirely absorbed +by a passion far more powerful than love—a passion for money.</p> + +<p>Alas! This time too, he was deceived. Doña Clara, it is true, gave him +no more pretext for jealousy than she had done in Spain, but he did not +any the more succeed in winning her affections. From the first day of +her arrival at Saint Domingo, she manifested the desire to live alone +and in retirement, engaged in religious practices; and the Count was +constrained, in spite of his fury, to bow before a resolution which he +recognised as irrevocable.</p> + +<p>He resigned himself; his jealousy however was not extinct, it was +smouldering beneath the ashes, and a spark would suffice to make it +burst into a more terrible flame than before.</p> + +<p>Still, in spite of this slight annoyance, the life the Count led at +Saint Domingo was most agreeable; in the first place he ruled there in +his quality of governor, saw everybody bend beneath his will, always +excepting his wife, the only one perhaps he would have cared to reduce. +He had his flatterers, and played the master and suzerain over all +who surrounded him; moreover, a thing not to be at all despised, his +position as governor secured certain imposts that rapidly augmented his +fortune, which various youthful follies had considerably reduced, and +he now worked hard, not only to repair the breaches, but to render them +as if they had never been.</p> + +<p>By degrees, however, the Count succeeded in lulling, if not subduing, +his love; he employed one passion to uproot the other; the care +of augmenting his fortune made him endure patiently the calculated +indifference of the Countess. He had almost come himself to believe +that he only felt for her a frank and sincere friendship; the more +so because Doña Clara for her part, was charming in everything that +did not touch on her husband's passion for her; she took an interest, +or at least pretended to do so, in the commercial speculations which +the Count did not hesitate to engage in under suppositious names, and +at times she would give him, with that clear judgment so eminently +possessed by women whose heart is free, excellent advice on very +difficult points, by which the Count profited, and naturally took all +the glory.</p> + +<p>Things were in this state when the episode with the filibusters +occurred, which the Major-domo described to Don Sancho de Peñaflor.</p> + +<p>This mad struggle of five men against an entire town, a struggle from +which they emerged victorious, had caused the Count a rage all the +greater, because the filibusters, on leaving the town, had taken the +Countess off with them as a hostage. He had then understood how greatly +he erred, in supposing that his love and jealousy were extinguished. +During the two hours that the Countess remained absent, the Count +suffered a horrible torture, the more horrible because the rage he felt +was impotent, and vengeance impossible, at least for the present.</p> + +<p>Hence, from this moment, the Count vowed an implacable hatred against +the adventurers, and swore to carry on a merciless war against them.</p> + +<p>The return of the Countess safe and sound, and treated with the +greatest respect by the adventurers, during the time she remained in +their power, calmed the Count's wrath from a marital point of view, +but the insult he had received in his quality as governor, was too +grave for him to renounce his vengeance.</p> + +<p>From this moment the most formal orders were sent to the leaders of +corps to redouble their surveillance, and chase the adventurers, +wherever they met them; fresh Fifties, formed of resolute men, were +organized, and the few adventurers they contrived to catch, were +mercilessly hung. Tranquillity was re-established in the colonies, the +confidence of the colonists, momentarily disturbed, reappeared, and +everything apparently returned to its accustomed state.</p> + +<p>The Countess had expressed a desire to restore her health by a stay +of several weeks at the hatto del Rincón, and the Count, to whom her +physician had expressed this wish, found it only very natural; he had +seen his wife go away with an easy mind, for he was convinced that at +the spot whither she was going, she would have no danger to fear, and +felt persuaded in his heart that this condescension on his part, would +be appreciated by the Countess, and that she would feel thankful to him +for it.</p> + +<p>She had left therefore, only accompanied by a few servants and +confidential slaves, delighted to escape for some time from the +restraint she was obliged to impose on herself at Saint Domingo, +and fostering the bold scheme which we have seen her carry out so +successfully.</p> + +<p>It was about an hour after the departure of Don Sancho de Peñaflor, +to go and join his sister at the hatto; the Count was finishing his +breakfast, and preparing to retire to the inner boudoir to enjoy his +siesta, when an usher came into the dining room, and after apologizing +for disturbing His Excellency at this moment, informed him that a man +who refused to give his name, but declared that he was well known to +the governor, insisted on being introduced into his presence, as he had +most important communications to make to him.</p> + +<p>The moment was badly chosen to ask for an audience, as the Count felt +inclined to sleep; he answered the usher that, however important the +stranger's communications might be, he did not believe them of such +importance that he should sacrifice his siesta for them; he therefore +Sent a message to the effect that the governor would not be at liberty +till four in the afternoon, and if the stranger liked to return then he +would be received.</p> + +<p>The Count dismissed the usher, and rose, muttering to himself as he +walked towards the boudoir,—</p> + +<p>"<i>Dios me salve</i>, if I were to believe all these scamps, I should not +have a moment's rest."</p> + +<p>Whereupon he stretched himself in a large hammock, hung right across +the room, closed his eyes and fell asleep.</p> + +<p>The Count's siesta lasted three hours, and this delay was the cause of +serious complications.</p> + +<p>On waking, Don Stenio quite forgot all about the stranger; it so often +happened that he was disturbed for nothing by people who declared they +had urgent matters to discuss with him, that he did not attach the +slightest importance to their requests for an audience, and the usher's +words had completely slipped his memory.</p> + +<p>At the time when he entered the room where he usually granted his +audiences, and which at this moment was quite empty, the usher +presented himself again.</p> + +<p>"What do you want?" he asked him.</p> + +<p>"Excellency," the usher replied with a respectful bow, "the man has +returned."</p> + +<p>"What man?"</p> + +<p>"The man who came this morning."</p> + +<p>"Oh yes, well, what does he want?" the Count continued, who did not +know what all this was about.</p> + +<p>"He desires, my lord, that you will do him the honour of receiving him, +as he states that he has matters of the utmost gravity to tell you."</p> + +<p>"Ah, very good, I remember now; it is the same man you announced this +morning."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Excellency, the same."</p> + +<p>"And what is his name?"</p> + +<p>"He will only tell it to your Excellency."</p> + +<p>"Hum! I do not like such precautions, for they never forbode anything +good; listen, José! When he arrives, tell him I never receive people +who insist on keeping their incognito."</p> + +<p>"But he is here, my lord."</p> + +<p>"Ah! well then, it will be all the more easy, tell him so at once."</p> + +<p>And he turned his back. The usher bowed and left the room, but returned +almost immediately.</p> + +<p>"Well! Have you sent him away?" the Count asked.</p> + +<p>"No, my lord, he gave me this card requesting me to hand it your +Excellency. He declares that, in default of his name, it will be +sufficient to secure his admission to your presence."</p> + +<p>"Oh! Oh!" said the Count, "That is curious, let me see this famous +talisman."</p> + +<p>He took the card from the usher's hand and looked at it absently; but +all at once he started, frowned and said to the usher,</p> + +<p>"Show the man into the yellow room, let him wait for me there, I will +be with him in a moment. The deuce," he muttered to himself when he was +alone, "it is a long time since this scoundrel let me hear anything of +him, I fancied him hung or drowned; he is a clever scamp, can he really +have any important information to give me? We shall see."</p> + +<p>Then, leaving the room in which he was, he hastened to the yellow +saloon where the man with the card already was.</p> + +<p>On seeing the governor, the latter hastily rose, and made him a +respectful bow.</p> + +<p>The Count turned to the valet who had followed him to open the doors.</p> + +<p>"I am not at home to anybody," he said; "you can go."</p> + +<p>The valet left the room, and shut the door after him.</p> + +<p>"Now for us two," the Count said, as he sank into his chair, and +pointed to another.</p> + +<p>"I am awaiting your lordship's orders," the stranger said respectfully.</p> + +<p>Don Stenio remained for a moment silent, and scratching his forehead.</p> + +<p>"You have been away for a very long time," he said at last, "well, what +has become of you during the last two months?"</p> + +<p>"I have been executing your Excellency's orders," the man answered.</p> + +<p>"My orders? I do not remember having given you any."</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, my lord, if I venture to remind you of certain facts, which +appear to have escaped your memory."</p> + +<p>"Do so, my good fellow, I shall be delighted at it; still, I would +remark that my time is valuable, and that others besides yourself are +awaiting an audience."</p> + +<p>"I will be brief, Excellency."</p> + +<p>"That is what I wish. Go on,"</p> + +<p>"A few days after the affair of the ladrones, does not your Excellency +remember saying to me in a moment of anger or impatience, that you +would give ten thousand piastres to obtain positive information about +the adventurers, their strength, plans, &c.?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I remember saying that; what then?"</p> + +<p>"Well, Excellency, I was present when you made that promise. Your +Excellency had deigned to employ me several times before; as you looked +at me while speaking, I supposed that you were addressing me, and I +have acted accordingly."</p> + +<p>"That is to say?"</p> + +<p>"In my devotion to your Excellency, in spite of the numberless dangers +I should have to incur, I resolved to go and seek the information you +appeared to desire so ardently, and—"</p> + +<p>"And you went to seek it," the Count exclaimed with an eager start, +though hitherto he had paid but very slight attention to the stranger's +remarks.</p> + +<p>"Well, yes, Excellency."</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah," he said, stroking his chin; "and have you learnt anything?"</p> + +<p>"An infinity of things, my lord."</p> + +<p>"Well, let me hear some of them. But mind," he added, checking himself, +"no hearsays or suppositions, for I have my ears stuffed with them."</p> + +<p>"The information I shall have the honour of giving your Excellency, is +derived from a good source, since I went to seek it in the very den of +the ladrones."</p> + +<p>The Count gazed with admiration at this man who had not feared to +expose himself to so great a danger.</p> + +<p>"If such is the case, pray continue, señor."</p> + +<p>"My lord," the spy resumed, for we may henceforth give him that name; +"I come from St. Christopher."</p> + +<p>"Ah! Is not that the Island where the bandits take shelter?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, my lord, and more than that, I returned in one of their vessels."</p> + +<p>"Oh, oh," said the governor, "pray tell me all about it, my dear Don +Antonio: that is your name, I believe?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, my lord; Don Antonio de la Ronda."</p> + +<p>"You see," the Count added with a smile; "that I have a good memory +sometimes," and he laid a stress on these words, which made the spy's +heart bound with joy.</p> + +<p>The latter told him in what way he had entered the island, how he had +been discovered and made prisoner by Montbarts, who put him on board +one of his vessels; how a great expedition had been decided on by the +adventurers against the island of Saint Domingo, in the first place, +and then against Tortuga, which the ladrones had a plan for surprising, +and on which they intend to establish themselves; and in what way, on +reaching Port Margot, he had succeeded in escaping, and had hastened to +bear the news to his Excellency the governor.</p> + +<p>The Count listened with the most serious attention to Don Antonio's +narrative, and in proportion as it progressed, the governor's brow +became more anxious; in fact, the spy had not deceived him. The news +was of the utmost gravity.</p> + +<p>"Hum!" he answered; "And is it long since the ladrones arrived at Port +Margot?"</p> + +<p>"Eight days, Excellency."</p> + +<p>"<i>¡Sangre de Cristo!</i> so long as that, and I had not been informed of +it?"</p> + +<p>"In spite of the utmost diligence, as I was constrained to take the +greatest precaution lest I should fall again into the hands of the +ladrones, who doubtless started in pursuit of me. I only arrived this +morning, and came straight to the palace."</p> + +<p>The Count bit his lips, several hours had been lost through his fault; +still he did not notice the indirect reproach addressed to him by the +spy, for he comprehended all its justice.</p> + +<p>"You have fairly earned the ten thousand piastres promised, Don +Antonio," he said.</p> + +<p>The spy gave a start of pleasure.</p> + +<p>"Ah, that is not all," he answered, with a meaning smile.</p> + +<p>"What else is there?" the Count remarked; "I believed that you had +nothing further to tell me."</p> + +<p>"That depends, Excellency. I have made my official report to the +Governor-General of Hispaniola, it is true—a very detailed report +indeed—in which I have forgotten nothing that might help him to defend +the island entrusted to his care."</p> + +<p>"Well?"</p> + +<p>"Well, my lord, I have now to give the Count de Bejar, of course, if he +desire it, certain information which I believe will interest him."</p> + +<p>The Count fixed on the man an investigating glance, as if he wished to +read his very soul.</p> + +<p>"The Count de Bejar?" he said with studied coldness; "What can you have +to say that interests him privately, as a simple gentleman? I have not, +as far as I am aware, anything to settle with the ladrones."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps so, my lord; however, I will only speak, if your Excellency +orders me, and before doing so, will beg you to forgive anything that +may seem offensive to your honour in what I may say to you."</p> + +<p>The Count turned pale and frowned portentously.</p> + +<p>"Take care," he said to him in a threatening voice, "take care lest +you go beyond your object, and in trying to prove too much, fall into +the contrary excess. The honour of my name is not to be played with, +and I will never allow the slightest stain to be imprinted on it."</p> + +<p>"I have not the slightest intention to insult your Excellency; my zeal +on your behalf has alone urged me to speak as I have done."</p> + +<p>"Very good—I am willing to believe it; still, as the honour of my name +regards myself alone, I do not allow any person the right to assail it, +not even in a good intention."</p> + +<p>"I ask your Excellency's pardon, but I have doubtless explained myself +badly. What I have to tell you relates to a plot, formed, doubtless, +without her knowledge, against the Countess."</p> + +<p>"A plot formed against the Countess!" Don Stenio exclaimed, violently; +"What do you mean, señor? Explain at once—I insist on it."</p> + +<p>"My lord, since it is your wish, I will speak. Is not her ladyship, the +Countess, at this moment in the vicinity of the small town of San Juan?"</p> + +<p>"She is; but how do you know it, since, as you told me you have only +been back to Saint Domingo for a few hours?"</p> + +<p>"I presumed so, because on board the vessel in which I returned to +Hispaniola, I heard something about an interview which the chief of +the adventurers was to have in a few days in the neighbourhood of the +Artibonite."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" the Count exclaimed; "You lie, scoundrel!"</p> + +<p>"For what object, my lord?" the spy answered, coolly.</p> + +<p>"How do I know? through hatred, envy, perhaps."</p> + +<p>"I," he said, with a shrug of his shoulders. "Nonsense, my lord. Men +like me—spies, if things must be called by their proper name—are only +led away by one passion—that of money."</p> + +<p>"But what you tell me is impossible," the Count observed, with +agitation.</p> + +<p>"What prevents you from assuring yourself that I speak the truth, my +lord?"</p> + +<p>"I will do so, <i>¡Viva Dios!</i>" he exclaimed, stamping his foot furiously.</p> + +<p>Then he walked up to the spy, who was standing calm and motionless in +the centre of the room, and fixed on him a glance full of rage, but +impossible to describe.</p> + +<p>"Listen, villain!" he said in a hollow voice, half choked with passion; +"If you have lied, you shall die!"</p> + +<p>"Agreed, my lord," the spy replied, coldly; "but if I have spoken the +truth?"</p> + +<p>"If you have spoken the truth," he exclaimed, but suddenly broke off, +"but no, it is impossible, I repeat!" and seeing a fugitive smile +playing round the lips of his companion, he added, "well, be it so; if +you have spoken the truth, you shall fix your own reward, and whatever +it may be, on my word as a gentleman, you shall have it."</p> + +<p>"Thanks, my lord," he replied, with a bow; "I hold you to your word."</p> + +<p>The Count walked several times up and down the saloon, suffering from +intense agitation, appearing to have completely forgotten the presence +of the spy, muttering unconnected words, breaking out into passionate +gestures, and in all probability revolving in his head sinister +projects of vengeance. At length he stopped and addressed the spy again.</p> + +<p>"Withdraw," he said to him, "but do not leave the palace; or, stay, +wait a moment."</p> + +<p>Seizing a bell on the table, he rang it violently.</p> + +<p>A valet appeared.</p> + +<p>"A corporal and four men," he said.</p> + +<p>The spy shrugged his shoulders.</p> + +<p>"Why all these precautions, my lord?" he asked; "is it not contrary to +my interest to go away?"</p> + +<p>The Count examined him for a moment attentively, and then made the +valet a sign to withdraw.</p> + +<p>"Very good," he then said, "I trust to you, Don Antonio de la Ronda. +Await my orders, I shall soon have need of you."</p> + +<p>"I shall not go away far, my lord."</p> + +<p>And after bowing respectfully, he took his leave, and withdrew.</p> + +<p>The Count, when left alone, gave way for some minutes to all the +violence of a rage so long restrained, but he gradually regained his +coolness and the power of reflection.</p> + +<p>"Oh! I will avenge myself!" he exclaimed.</p> + +<p>Then he gave, with feverish activity, the necessary orders that +numerous bodies of troops should be sent off to different points, so as +to completely invest the hatto del Rincón, to which spot two Fifties +were sent, commanded by experienced and resolute officers.</p> + +<p>These measures taken, the Count, wrapped in a large cloak, mounted his +horse an hour after sunset, and followed by Don Antonio de la Ronda, +who had not the slightest desire to leave him, and a few confidential +officers, he left his palace incognito, rode through the town +unrecognized, and reached the open country.</p> + +<p>"Now, caballeros," he said in a hollow voice, "gallop your hardest, +and do not be afraid of foundering your horses. Relays are prepared at +regular distances along the road."</p> + +<p>He dug his spurs into the flanks of his horse, which snorted with pain, +and the party set out with the headlong speed of a whirlwind.</p> + +<p>"Ah, Santiago! Santiago;" the Count exclaimed at times while urging on +his steed, whose efforts were superhuman, "shall I arrive in time?"</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXIV">CHAPTER XXIV.</a></h4> + +<h3>PORT MARGOT.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing +freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, +owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island +of the Tortoise.</p> + +<p>According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the +adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of +ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they +intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must +pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them. This was +exactly what happened. The filibusters left behind them a long train of +fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who +were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing +their houses after they had plundered them.</p> + +<p>The first vessel to anchor off the Great Key was the lugger with +Montbarts on board, and commanded by Michael le Basque; on the next day +the two brigantines arrived, a few hours after one another.</p> + +<p>They came to anchor on the right and left of the admiral, about two +cables' length from the coast.</p> + +<p>At this period the Great Key was inhabited by red Caribs, expelled from +St. Domingo by the cruelty of the Spaniards, and who had taken refuge +on this island, where they lived rather comfortably, owing to the +fertility of the soil, and the alliance they had contracted with the +filibusters.</p> + +<p>The three vessels had scarce cast anchor, ere they were surrounded by a +great number of canoes, manned by Caribs, who brought them refreshments +of every description.</p> + +<p>The same evening the admiral went ashore with the greater part of his +crew: the other captains imitated him, and only left behind the men +absolutely necessary to guard the ships.</p> + +<p>At a signal from the admiral, the crews arranged themselves in a +semicircle round him; the captains standing in front of the first line.</p> + +<p>Behind them were the Caribs, alarmed in their hearts at this formidable +landing, whose motive they could not divine, anxiously awaiting what +was going to happen, and not at all comprehending this display of +strength.</p> + +<p>Montbarts, holding in one hand the staff of a white flag, whose folds +floated on the breeze above his head, and his long sword in the other, +looked round at the men gathered before him.</p> + +<p>Most of them were scarce clad, but all were well armed. They had +weather-beaten complexions, vigorous limbs, huge muscles, energetic +features, and a defiant glance. The adventurers thus collected +around this man, who stood haughtily in front of them, with his head +thrown back, quivering lips, and a flashing eye, offered a striking +spectacle; their savage grandeur and rough gestures were not deficient +in a certain majesty, which was rendered still more imposing by the +primitive landscape that formed the background of the picture, and the +picturesque group of Indians, whose anxious faces and characteristic +poses added to the effect of the scene.</p> + +<p>For some time the rustling of the crowd was audible, like the sound of +the sea breaking on a beach, but gradually the noise died away, and a +profound silence fell on all.</p> + +<p>Montbarts then advanced a step, and in a firm and sonorous voice, whose +manly accents soon captivated all these men who listened eagerly to his +words, he revealed to them the purpose of the expedition, which up to +this time was unknown to them.</p> + +<p>"Brothers of the coast," he said; "messmates and friends, the moment +has arrived to reveal to you what I await from your courage and your +devotion to the common cause. You are not mercenaries, who, for scanty +pay, let themselves be killed like brutes, ignorant for what or from +whom they are fighting. No! You are picked men, who wish to know to +what object you are advancing, and what profit you will derive from +your efforts. Several of our most renowned comrades and myself have +resolved to attack in the heart of their richest possessions these +cowardly Spaniards, who believed they dishonoured us by branding us +with the name of <i>ladrones</i>, and whom the merest sight of our smallest +canoes puts to flight like a flock of startled seagulls. But in order +that our vengeance may be certain, and that we succeed in seizing the +wealth of our enemies, we must possess a point sufficiently near the +centre of our operations, to enable us to rush upon them unawares, and +so strong that the whole power of Castile may be broken against it in +impotent efforts. St. Christopher is too remote. Moreover, the descent +of Admiral Don Fernando of Toledo is a proof to us, that however brave +we may be, we shall never succeed in fortifying ourselves strongly +enough there to defy the rage of our enemies. It was, therefore, +absolutely necessary to find a spot more favourable to our projects, +a point which could easily be rendered impregnable. Our friends, and +myself set to work. For a long time we sought with the perseverance +of men resolved to succeed. Heaven has at length deigned to bless our +efforts. We have found this refuge under the most fortunate conditions."</p> + +<p>Here Montbarts made a pause for several seconds.</p> + +<p>An electric quiver ran along the ranks of the adventurers; their eyes +flashed fire, they grasped their fusils in their powerful hands, as if +they were impatient to commence the struggle promised them.</p> + +<p>A smile of satisfaction illumined for a moment the adventurer's pale +face. Then, waving his hand to command attention, he resumed;—</p> + +<p>"Brethren, before us is Saint Domingo;" and he stretched out his +hand towards the sea. "Saint Domingo, the loveliest and wealthiest +of all the isles possessed by Spain. On this island several of our +brothers, who escaped the massacre of St. Christopher, have established +themselves, and are contending energetically against the Spaniards, to +hold the ground wrested from them. Unfortunately too few in number, in +spite of their bravery, to resist for any length of time the enemy's +troops, they would soon be forced to quit the island, if we did not +go to their assistance. They have summoned us. We have responded to +this appeal of our brothers, whom honour ordered us to succour in +the hour of danger. While doing a good deed, we are carrying out the +plan so long resolved by ourselves, and at last we have found the +impregnable spot we have so long desired. You all know the island +of Tortuga, brethren? Separated only by a narrow channel from Saint +Domingo, it rises like an advanced sentry in the middle of the sea. It +is the eagle's nest, whence we will laughingly brave the fury of the +Spaniards. To Tortuga, brethren!"</p> + +<p>"To the island of the Tortoise!" the adventurers shouted, brandishing +their weapons enthusiastically.</p> + +<p>"Good!" Montbarts continued. "I knew that you were men who would +understand me, and that I could reckon upon you. Before seizing on +Tortuga, however, which is only defended by an insignificant garrison +of twenty soldiers, who will fly at the first blow, we must, by +protecting our brethren at Saint Domingo, and securing them the +territory they occupy, obtain for ourselves useful ports, advantageous +outlets, and, before all, the means of easily injuring the Spaniards, +and, if it be possible, expelling them entirely from the island, of +which they have already lost a portion. Tomorrow, we will proceed to +Port Margot, come to an understanding there with our brethren, and +arrange our plans, so as to derive both honour and profit from our +expedition. And now, brethren, let each crew go aboard. Tomorrow, at +sunrise, we will set sail for Port Margot, and in a few days I promise +you glorious fights, and a rich booty to divide among you all. Long +live France, and death to Spain!"</p> + +<p>"Long live France! Death to Spain! Long live Montbarts!" the +adventurers exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"Let us embark, brethren," Montbarts added. "Do not forget that the +poor Indians of this island are our friends, and must be treated as +such by you."</p> + +<p>The adventurers then followed their officers, and embarked in the most +perfect order.</p> + +<p>At sunrise, the squadron raised anchor. We need not say that all the +refreshments purchased of the Indians were scrupulously paid for, and +that no one had reason to complain of their stay at the Great Key. +A few hours later the flotilla entered the channel separating Saint +Domingo from Tortuga, and anchored off Port Margot.</p> + +<p>The Spanish island lay before them with its large mounds, tall cliffs, +and its mountains, whose peaks seemed hidden in the clouds, while on +the starboard, Tortuga, with its dense, verdant forests, seemed a +basket of flowers rising from the bottom of the sea.</p> + +<p>They had scarce landed ere a canoe, manned by four men, hailed the +lugger. These four men were Lepoletais, whom we have already caught a +glimpse of; one of his apprentices, L'Olonnais, and Omopoua, the Carib +chief.</p> + +<p>The Indian had nearly got rid of the European dress, and resumed that +of his nation.</p> + +<p>Montbarts went to meet his visitors, saluted them, and led them down to +the cabin.</p> + +<p>"You are welcome," he said to them. "In a few minutes the other +leaders of the expedition will be here, and then we will talk. In the +meanwhile, take some refreshment."</p> + +<p>And he gave an engagé orders to bring in spirits.</p> + +<p>Lepoletais and Omopoua sat down without pressing, but L'Olonnais +remained modestly standing. In his quality of apprentice he dared not +place himself on a footing of equality with the adventurers. At this +moment Michael the Basque entered the cabin.</p> + +<p>"Messmate," he said to Montbarts, "Captain Drake and David have just +come aboard. They are waiting on deck."</p> + +<p>"Tell them to come below. I want to talk with them.".</p> + +<p>Michael went out. A few minutes after, he returned, accompanied by the +two captains.</p> + +<p>After the first compliments, the two officers drank a bumper, then +took their seats, and awaited the communication which their chief was +evidently about to make to them.</p> + +<p>Montbarts knew the value of time, hence he did not put their patience +to a long trial.</p> + +<p>"Brothers," he said, "I present to you Lepoletais, whom you doubtless +know already by reputation."</p> + +<p>The adventurers bowed smilingly, and spontaneously offered their hand +to the buccaneer.</p> + +<p>The latter cordially returned the pressure, delighted in his heart at +so frank a reception.</p> + +<p>"Lepoletais," Montbarts continued, "is sent to me as a delegate by our +brethren, the buccaneers of Port Margot and Port de Paix; I prefer to +let him himself explain what he expects from us—in this manner we +shall more easily arrive at an understanding. Speak, then, I pray, +brother, we are listening."</p> + +<p>Lepoletais first poured out a glass of rum, which he swallowed at a +draught, no doubt for the purpose of clearing his ideas; then, after +two or three sonorous "hums!" he resolved to speak.</p> + +<p>"Brethren," he said, "whatever be the name given us—filibusters, +buccaneers, or habitants—our origin is the same, is it not? And we are +all adventurers. Hence, we are bound to assist and protect one another, +like the free companions we are; but, in order that this protection may +be efficient—that nothing may weaken in the future the alliance we +contract today—we must, like yourselves, find some real profit in the +alliance. Is not this the case?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly," Michael said, to encourage him.</p> + +<p>"This, then, is what is happening," Lepoletais continued; "we +buccaneers and habitants are here something like the bird on the +tree, continually pursued by the gavachos, who track us like wild +beasts, wherever they surprise us, sustaining an unequal contest, in +which we must eventually succumb, not knowing today if we shall be +alive tomorrow, and gradually losing all the ground which we gained +at the outset. This deplorable state of things could not go on much +longer without entailing a catastrophe, which, with your aid, we hope +not only to avert, but to prevent definitively; by seizing Tortuga, +which is badly guarded, and will be badly defended, you procure us +a sure shelter in case of danger, an ever open refuge in the event +of a crisis. But this is not all; we must secure frontiers, so that +tranquillity may prevail in our country, that merchant vessels may +not fear to enter our ports, and that we may find an outlet for our +hides, our boucaned meat, and our tallow. These frontiers can be easily +secured; the only thing wanting is to seize on two points, one in the +interior, which the Spaniards call the Great Savannah of San Juan, and +which we have christened the Grand Fond. The town of San Juan is but +poorly fortified, and merely inhabited by mulattos, or men of mixed +blood, whom we could easily conquer."</p> + +<p>"Is not the Grand Fond, as you call it, traversed by the Artibonite?" +Montbarts asked, while exchanging a meaning glance with L'Olonnais, who +was standing by his side.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Lepoletais replied; "and in the centre is a hatto called the +Rincón, belonging, I believe, to the Spanish Governor."</p> + +<p>"It would be a master stroke to seize that man," Michael the Basque +observed.</p> + +<p>"Yes, but there is little probability of succeeding in capturing him, +for he is at Saint Domingo," Lepoletais replied.</p> + +<p>"It is possible; but go on."</p> + +<p>"The other point is a port called Leogane, or, as the Spaniards term +it, <i>la Iguana</i>, or the Lizard, from the shape of the tongue of land on +which it is built; the possession of this port would render us masters +of the whole western part of the island, and allow us to establish +ourselves there securely."</p> + +<p>"Is Leogane defended?" David inquired.</p> + +<p>"No," Lepoletais answered, "the Spaniards let it fall into ruins, as +they do, indeed, with nearly all the points they occupy; through the +want of labourers, since the almost utter extinction of the Indian +race of the island, they gradually abandon the old establishments, and +retire to the East."</p> + +<p>"Very good," said Montbarts; "is that all you desire?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, all," Lepoletais answered.</p> + +<p>"Now, what do you propose, brother?"</p> + +<p>"This: we buccaneers will hunt for you wild oxen and boars, and +provision your ships at a price agreed on between us, but which must +never be higher than one-half the price we ask of foreign vessels that +come to trade with us; in addition, we will defend you if attacked, and +in great expeditions you will have the right to claim one man in five +to accompany you, when you require it. The habitants will cultivate +the land, and supply you with vegetables, tobacco, and wood to repair +your vessels, on the same conditions as the provisions. This is what +I am ordered to propose to you, brothers, in the name of the French +habitants and buccaneers of Saint Domingo; if these conditions please +you, and I consider them just and equitable, accept them, and you will +have no cause to repent having negotiated with us."</p> + +<p>These propositions the filibusters were already acquainted with, +and had discussed their advantages; hence they did not take long +to deliberate, for they had made up their mind beforehand, as their +presence at Port Margot proved.</p> + +<p>"We accept your propositions, brother," Montbarts answered—"here is my +hand, in the name of the filibusters I represent."</p> + +<p>"And here is mine," Lepoletais said, "in the name of the habitants and +buccaneers."</p> + +<p>There was no other treaty but this honest shake of the hand between +the adventurers; thus was concluded an alliance, which remained up to +the dying day of buccaneering, as fresh and lively as when first made +between the adventurers.</p> + +<p>"Now," Montbarts continued, "let us proceed orderly. How many brothers +have you capable of fighting?"</p> + +<p>"Seventy," Lepoletais answered.</p> + +<p>"Very good; we will add to these one hundred and thirty more from the +fleet, which will give us an effective strength of two hundred good +fusils. And you, Chief, what can you do for us?"</p> + +<p>Up to this moment Omopoua had remained silent, listening to what was +said with Indian gravity and decorum, and patiently waiting till his +turn to speak arrived.</p> + +<p>"Omopoua will add two hundred Carib warriors, with long fusils, to the +palefaces," he replied; "his sons are warned; they await the order of +the Chief—L'Olonnais has seen them."</p> + +<p>"Good! These four hundred men will be commanded by myself; as this +expedition is the most difficult and dangerous, I will undertake it. +Michel le Basque will accompany me. I have aboard a guide, who will +conduct us to Grand Fond. You, Drake, and you, David, will attack +Leogane with your ships, while Bowline, with only fifteen men, will +seize on Tortuga. Let us combine our movements, brothers, so that our +three attacks may be simultaneous, and the Spaniards, surprised on +three points at once, may not be able to assist one another. Tomorrow +you will sail, gentlemen, taking with you one hundred and eighty-five +men, more than sufficient, I believe, to capture Leogane. As for you, +Bowline, you will keep the lugger with the fifteen men left you, and +remain here, while watching Tortuga closely. This is the fifth of the +month, brothers; on the fifteenth we will attack, as ten days will be +sufficient for all of us to reach our posts, and take all the necessary +measures. Now, gentlemen, return aboard your vessels, and send ashore, +under orders of their officers, the contingents I intend to take with +me."</p> + +<p>The two Captains bowed to the Admiral, left the cabin, and returned to +their ships.</p> + +<p>"As for you," Montbarts added, turning to Lepoletais, "this is what +you will do, brother. You will go with Omopoua to the Grand Fond, as +if hunting, but you will carefully watch the town of San Juan, and the +hatto del Rincón; we must, if possible, make sure of the inhabitants +of that hatto; they are rich and influential, and their capture may be +of considerable importance to us. You will arrange with Omopoua on the +subject of the allies he promises to bring us; perhaps it will be as +well for the Chief to try and lead the Spaniards on to his track, and +force them to quit their positions: by managing cleverly we might then +be able to defeat them in detail. Have you understood me, brother?"</p> + +<p>"Zounds!" Lepoletais answered, "I should be an ass if I did not. All +right! I will manoeuvre as you wish."</p> + +<p>Montbarts then turned to the engagé, and made him a sign.</p> + +<p>L'Olonnais drew nearer.</p> + +<p>"Go ashore with the Carib and Lepoletais," the Admiral whispered in his +ear—"look at everything, hear everything, watch everything; in an hour +you will receive through Bowline a letter, which you must deliver into +the hands of Doña Clara de Bejar, who resides in the hatto on the Grand +Fond."</p> + +<p>"That is easy," L'Olonnais answered, "if it must be, I will hand it to +her in the midst of all her servants, in the hatto itself."</p> + +<p>"Do nothing of the sort; arrange it so that she must come and fetch the +letter."</p> + +<p>"Hang it! That is more difficult! Still, I will try to succeed."</p> + +<p>"You must succeed!"</p> + +<p>"Ah! In that case, on the word of a man, you may reckon on it—though, +hang me if I know how I shall manage it!"</p> + +<p>Lepoletais had risen.</p> + +<p>"Farewell, brother," he said; "when you land tomorrow I shall be on my +way to the Grand Fond; I shall, therefore, not see you again till we +meet there; but do not be alarmed—you shall find everything in order +when you arrive. Ah! By the way, shall I take my body of buccaneers +with me?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly; they will be of the greatest use to you in watching the +enemy; but hide them carefully."</p> + +<p>"All right," he said.</p> + +<p>At this moment Michael the Basque rushed suddenly into the cabin, with +his features distorted by passion.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter, messmate? Come, recover yourself," Montbarts said +coolly to him.</p> + +<p>"A great misfortune has happened to us," Michael exclaimed, as he +passionately pulled out a handful of hair.</p> + +<p>"What is it? Come, speak like a man, messmate."</p> + +<p>"That villain, Antonio de la Ronda—"</p> + +<p>"Well?" Montbarts interrupted, with a nervous tremor.</p> + +<p>"He has escaped!"</p> + +<p>"Malediction!"</p> + +<p>"Ten men have set out in pursuit."</p> + +<p>"Stuff! It is all up now; they will not catch him. What is to be done?"</p> + +<p>"What has happened?" Lepoletais asked.</p> + +<p>"Our guide has escaped."</p> + +<p>"Is it only that? I promise to find you another."</p> + +<p>"Yes, but this one is probably the cleverest spy the Spaniards possess; +he knows enough of our secrets to make our expedition fail."</p> + +<p>"Heaven preserve us from it! Stuff!" the buccaneer added, +carelessly—"Think no more about it, brother; what is done is done—let +us go ahead all the same."</p> + +<p>And he left the cabin, apparently quite unaffected by the news.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXV" id="CHAPTER_XXV">CHAPTER XXV.</a></h4> + +<h3>FRAY ARSENIO.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Let us now tell the reader who these buccaneers were of whom we have +several times spoken, and what was the origin of the name given them, +and which they gave themselves.</p> + +<p>The red Caribs of the Antilles were accustomed, when they made +prisoners in the obstinate contests they waged with each other, or +which they carried on against the whites, to cut their prisoners into +small pieces, and lay them upon a species of small hurdles, under which +they lit a fire.</p> + +<p>These hurdles were called <i>barbacoas</i>, the spot where they were set up +<i>boucans</i>, and the operation <i>boucaning</i>, to signify at the same time +roasting and smoking.</p> + +<p>It was from this that the French boucaniers (anglicised into +buccaneers) derived their name, with this difference, that they did to +animals what the others did to men.</p> + +<p>The first buccaneers were Spanish settlers on the Caribbean islands, +who lived on intimate terms with the Indians; hence when they turned +their attention to the chase, they accustomed themselves without +reflection to employ these Indian terms, which were certainly +characteristic, and for which it would have been difficult to +substitute any others.</p> + +<p>The buccaneers carried on no other trade but hunting; they were divided +into two classes, the first only hunting oxen to get their hides, the +second killing boars, whose flesh they salted and sold to the planters.</p> + +<p>These two varieties of buccaneers were accoutred nearly in the same +way, and had the same mode of life.</p> + +<p>The real buccaneers were those who pursued oxen, and they never called +the others by any name but hunters.</p> + +<p>Their equipage consisted of a pack of twenty-four dogs, among which +were two bloodhounds, whose duty it was to discover the animal; the +price of these dogs, settled among themselves, was thirty livres.</p> + +<p>As we have said, their weapon was a long fusil, manufactured at Dieppe +or Nantes; they always hunted together, two at the least, but sometimes +more, and then everything was in common between them. As we advance in +the history of these singular men, we shall enter into fuller details +about their mode of life and strange habits.</p> + +<p>When Don Sancho and the Major-domo left them, Lepoletais and L'Olonnais +had for a long time looked with a mocking glance after the two +Spaniards, and then went on building their ajoupa and preparing their +boucan, as if nothing had happened. So soon as the boucan was arranged, +the fire lit, and the meat laid on the barbacoas, L'Olonnais set about +curing the hide he had brought with him, while Lepoletais did the same +to that of the bull which he had killed an hour previously.</p> + +<p>He stretched the hide out on the ground, with the hairy side up, +fastened it down by sixty-four pegs, driven into the earth, and then +rubbed it vigorously with a mixture of ashes and salt, to make it dry +more quickly.</p> + +<p>This duly accomplished, he turned his attention to supper, the +preparations for which were neither long nor complicated. A piece of +meat had been placed in a small cauldron, with water and salt, and soon +boiled; L'Olonnais drew it out by means of a long pointed stick, and +laid it on a palm leaf in lieu of a dish; then he collected the grease +with a wooden spoon, and threw it into a calabash. Into this grease +he squeezed the juice of a lemon, added a little pimento, stirred +it all up, and the sauce, the famous <i>pimentado</i>, so liked by the +buccaneers, was ready. Placing the meat in a pleasant spot in front +of the ajoupa, with the calabash by its side, he called Lepoletais, +and the men sitting down facing each other, armed themselves with +their knife and a wooden spit instead of a fork, and began eating +with a good appetite, carefully dipping each mouthful of meat in the +pimentado, and surrounded by their dogs, which, though not daring to +ask for anything, fixed greedy glances on the provisions spread out +before them, and followed with eager eyes every morsel swallowed by the +adventurers.</p> + +<p>They had been eating this in silence for some time, when the +bloodhounds raised their heads, inhaling the air restlessly, and then +gave several hoarse growls; almost immediately the whole pack began +barking furiously.</p> + +<p>"Eh, eh!" Lepoletais said, after drinking a mouthful of brandy and +water, and handing the gourd to the engagé, "What is the meaning of +this?"</p> + +<p>"Some traveller, no doubt," L'Olonnais answered carelessly.</p> + +<p>"At this hour," the buccaneer went on, as he raised his eyes to the +sky, and consulted the stars, "why hang it all, it is past eight +o'clock at night."</p> + +<p>"Zounds! I do not know what it is. But stay, I do not know whether I am +mistaken, for I fancy I can hear a horse galloping."</p> + +<p>"It is really true, my son, you are not mistaken," the buccaneer +continued, "it is indeed a horse; come, quiet, you devils," he shouted, +addressing the dogs, which had redoubled their barking, and seemed +ready to rush forward, "quiet, lie down, you ruffians."</p> + +<p>The dogs, doubtless accustomed for a long time to obey the imperious +accents of this voice, immediately resumed their places, and ceased +their deafening clamour, although they still continued to growl dully.</p> + +<p>In the meanwhile the galloping horses which the dogs had heard a great +distance off, rapidly drew nearer; it soon became perfectly distinct, +and at the end of a few minutes a horseman emerged from the forest, and +became visible, although owing to the darkness it was not yet possible +to see who this man might be.</p> + +<p>On turning into the savannah, he stopped his horse, seemed to look +around him, with an air of indecision, for some minutes, then, +loosening the rein again, he came up toward the boucan at a sharp trot.</p> + +<p>On reaching the two men, who continued their supper quietly, while +keeping an eye on him, he bowed, and addressed them in Spanish—</p> + +<p>"Worthy friends," he said to them, "whoever you may be, I ask you, +in the name of the Lord, to grant a traveller, who has lost his way, +hospitality for this night."</p> + +<p>"Here is fire, and here is meat," the buccaneer replied, laconically, +in the same language the traveller had employed; "rest yourself, and +eat."</p> + +<p>"I thank you," he said.</p> + +<p>He dismounted: in the movement he made to leave the saddle, his cloak +flew open, and the buccaneers perceived that the man was dressed in +a religious garb. This discovery surprised them, though they did not +allow it to be seen.</p> + +<p>On his side the stranger gave a start of terror, which was immediately +suppressed, on perceiving that in his precipitation to seek a shelter +for the night, he had come upon a boucan of French adventurers.</p> + +<p>The latter, however, had made him a place by their side, and while he +was hobbling his horse, and removing its bridle, so that it might graze +on the tall close grass of the savannah, they had placed for him, on a +palm leaf, a lump of meat sufficient to still the appetite of a man who +had been fasting for four and twenty hours.</p> + +<p>Somewhat reassured by the cordial manner of the adventurers, and, in +his impossibility to do otherwise, bravely resolving to accept the +awkward situation in which his awkwardness had placed him, the stranger +sat down between his two hosts, and began to eat, while reflecting on +the means of escaping from the difficult position in which he found +himself.</p> + +<p>The adventurers, who had almost completed their meal before his +arrival, left off eating long before him; they gave their dogs the food +they had been expecting with so much impatience, then lit their pipes, +and began smoking, paying no further attention to their guest beyond +handing him the things he required.</p> + +<p>At length the stranger wiped his mouth, and, in order to prove to his +hosts that he was quite as much at his ease as they, he produced a leaf +of paper and tobacco, delicately rolled a cigarette, lit it, and smoked +apparently as calmly as themselves.</p> + +<p>"I thank you for your generous hospitality, señores," he said, +presently, understanding that along silence might be interpreted to his +disadvantage, "I had a great necessity to recruit my strength, for I +have been fasting since the morning."</p> + +<p>"That is very imprudent, señor," Lepoletais answered, "to embark thus +without any biscuit, as we sailors say; the savannah is somewhat like +the sea, you know when you start on it, but you never know when you +will leave it again."</p> + +<p>"What you say is perfectly true, señor; had it not been for you, I am +afraid I should have passed a very bad night."</p> + +<p>"Pray say no more about that, señor; we have only done for you what we +should wish to be done for us under similar circumstances. Hospitality +is a sacred duty, which no one has a right to avoid: besides, you are a +palpable proof of it."</p> + +<p>"How so?"</p> + +<p>"Why, you are a Spaniard, if I am not mistaken, while we, on the +contrary, are French. Well, we forget for the moment our hatred of your +nation, to welcome you at our fireside, as every guest sent by Heaven +has the right to be received."</p> + +<p>"That is true, señor, and I thank you doubly, be assured."</p> + +<p>"Good Heavens!" the buccaneer replied, "I assure you that you act +wrongly in dwelling so much on this subject. What we are doing at this +moment is as much for you as in behalf of our honour, hence I beg you, +señor, not to say any more about it, for it is really not worth the +trouble."</p> + +<p>"Bless me, señor," L'Olonnais said with a laugh, "why, we are old +acquaintances, though you little suspect it, I fancy."</p> + +<p>"Old acquaintances!" the stranger exclaimed, in surprise; "I do not +understand you, señor."</p> + +<p>"And yet what I am saying is very clear."</p> + +<p>"If you would deign to explain," the stranger replied, completely +thrown on his beam ends, as Lepoletais would have said, "perhaps I +shall understand, which, I assure you, will cause me great pleasure."</p> + +<p>"I wish for nothing better than to explain myself, señor," L'Olonnais +said, with a bantering air; "and in the first place, permit me to +observe, that, though your cloak is so carefully buttoned, it is not +sufficiently so to conceal the Franciscan garb you wear under it."</p> + +<p>"I am indeed a monk of that order," the stranger answered, rather +disconcerted; "but that does not prove that you know me."</p> + +<p>"Granted, but I am certain that I shall bring back your recollection by +a single word."</p> + +<p>"I fancy you are mistaken, my dear señor, and that we never saw each +other before."</p> + +<p>"Are you quite sure of that?"</p> + +<p>"Man, as you are aware, can never be sure of anything; still, it seems +to me—"</p> + +<p>"And yet, it is so long since we met; it is true that you possibly did +not pay any great attention to me."</p> + +<p>"On my honour, I know not what you mean," the monk remarked after +attentively examining him for a minute or two.</p> + +<p>"Come," the engagé said with a laugh, "I will take pity on your +embarrassment; and, as I promised you, dissipate all your doubts by a +single word; we saw each other on the island of Nevis. Do you remember +me?"</p> + +<p>At this revelation, the monk turned pale; he lost countenance, and for +some minutes remained as if petrified; still the thought of denying the +truth did not come to him for a second.</p> + +<p>"Where," L'Olonnais added, "you had a long conversation with Montbarts."</p> + +<p>"Still," the monk said with a hesitation that was not exempt from +terror, "I do not understand—"</p> + +<p>"How I knew everything," L'Olonnais interrupted him laughingly, "then, +you have not got to the end of your astonishment."</p> + +<p>"What, I am not at the end?"</p> + +<p>"Bah, Señor Padre, do you fancy that I should have taken the trouble to +bother you about such a trifle? I know a good deal more."</p> + +<p>"What do you say?" the monk exclaimed, recoiling instinctively from +this man whom he was not indisposed to regard as a sorcerer, the more +so because he was a Frenchman, and a buccaneer to boot, two peremptory +reasons why Satan should nearly be master of his soul, if by chance he +possessed one, which the worthy monk greatly doubted.</p> + +<p>"Zounds!" the engagé resumed, "You suppose, I think, that I do not know +the motive of your journey, the spot where you have come from, where +you are going, and more than that, the person you are about to see."</p> + +<p>"Oh, come, that is impossible," the monk said with a startled look.</p> + +<p>Lepoletais laughed inwardly at the ill-disguised terror of the Spaniard.</p> + +<p>"Take care, father," he whispered mysteriously in Fray Arsenio's ear, +"that man knows everything; between ourselves, I believe him to be +possessed by the demon."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" he exclaimed, rising hastily and crossing himself repeatedly, +which caused the adventurers a still heartier laugh.</p> + +<p>"Come, resume your seat and listen to me," L'Olonnais continued as he +seized him by the arm, and obliged him to sit down again, "my friend +and I are only joking."</p> + +<p>"Excuse me, noble caballeros," the monk stammered, "I am in an +extraordinary hurry, and must leave you at once, though most +reluctantly."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense! Where could you go alone at this hour? Fall into a bog. Eh?"</p> + +<p>This far from pleasant prospect caused the monk to reflect; still, the +terror he felt was the stronger.</p> + +<p>"No matter," he said, "I must be gone."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense, you will never find your road to the hatto del Rincón in +this darkness."</p> + +<p>This time the monk was fairly conquered, this new revelation literally +benumbed him, he fancied himself suffering from a terrible nightmare, +and did not attempt to continue an impossible struggle.</p> + +<p>"There," the engagé resumed, "now, you are reasonable; rest yourself, +I will not torment you any more, and in order to prove to you that I am +not so wicked as you suppose me, I undertake to find you a guide."</p> + +<p>"A guide," Fray Arsenio stammered, "Heaven guard me from accepting one +at your hand."</p> + +<p>"Reassure yourself, señor Padre, it will not be a demon, though he may +possibly have some moral and physical resemblance with the evil spirit; +the guide I refer to is very simply a Carib."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said the monk drawing a deep breath, as if a heavy weight had +been removed from his chest, "If he is really a Carib."</p> + +<p>"Zounds! Who the deuce would you have it be?" Fray Arsenio crossed +himself devoutly.</p> + +<p>"Excuse me," he said, "I did not wish to insult you."</p> + +<p>"Come, come, have patience, I will go myself and fetch the promised +guide, for I see that you are really in a hurry to part company."</p> + +<p>L'Olonnais rose, took his fusil, whistled to a bloodhound, and went off +at a rapid pace.</p> + +<p>"You will now be able," said Lepoletais, "to continue your journey +without fear of going astray."</p> + +<p>"Has that worthy caballero really gone to fetch me a guide, as +he promised?" Fray Arsenio asked, who did not dare to place full +confidence in the engagé's word.</p> + +<p>"Hang it! I know no other reason why he should leave the boucan."</p> + +<p>"Then you are really a buccaneer, señor?"</p> + +<p>"At your service, padre."</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah! And do you often come to these parts?"</p> + +<p>"Deuce take me if I do not believe you are questioning me, monk," +Lepoletais said with a frown, and looking him in the face; "how does +it concern you whether I come here or not?"</p> + +<p>"Me? Not at all."</p> + +<p>"That is true, but it may concern others, may it not? And you would not +be sorry to know the truth."</p> + +<p>"Oh? can you suppose such a thing?" Fray Arsenio hastily said.</p> + +<p>"I do not suppose, by Heaven, I know exactly what I am saying, +but, believe me, señor monk, you had better give up this habit of +questioning, especially with buccaneers, people who through their +character, do not like questions, or else you might some day run the +risk of being played an ugly trick. It is only a simple piece of advice +I venture to give you."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, señor, I will bear it in mind, though in saying what I did, +I had not the intention you suppose."</p> + +<p>"All the better, but still profit by my hint."</p> + +<p>Thus rebuffed, the monk shut himself up in a timid silence; and in +order to give a turn to his thoughts which, we are bound to say, were +anything but rosy colored at this moment, he took up the rosary hanging +from his girdle, and began muttering prayers in a low voice.</p> + +<p>Nearly an hour passed then without a word being exchanged between the +two men; Lepoletais cut up tobacco, while humming a tune, and the monk +prayed, or seemed to be doing so.</p> + +<p>At length a slight noise was heard a short distance off, and a few +minutes later the engagé appeared, followed by an Indian, who was no +other than Omopoua, the Carib chief.</p> + +<p>"Quick, quick, señor monk," L'Olonnais said gaily; "here is your guide, +I answer for his fidelity; he will lead you in safety within two gun +shots of the hatto."</p> + +<p>The monk did not let the invitation be repeated, for anything seemed +to him preferable to remaining any longer in the company of these two +reprobates; besides, he thought that he had nothing to fear from an +Indian.</p> + +<p>He rose at one bound, and bridled his horse again, which had made an +excellent supper, and had had all the time necessary to rest.</p> + +<p>"Señores," he said, so soon as he was in the saddle, "I thank you for +your generous hospitality, may the blessing of the Lord be upon you!"</p> + +<p>"Thanks," the engagé replied with a laugh, "but one last hint before +parting; on arriving at the hatto, do not forget to tell Doña Clara +from me, that I shall expect her here tomorrow; do you hear?"</p> + +<p>The monk uttered a cry of terror; without replying, he dug his spurs +into his horse's flanks, and set off at a gallop, in the direction +where the Carib was already going, with that quick, elastic step, with +which a horse has a difficulty in keeping up.</p> + +<p>The two buccaneers watched his flight with a hearty laugh, then, +stretching out their feet to the fire, and laying their weapons within +reach, they prepared to sleep, guarded by their dogs, vigilant sentries +that would not let them be surprised.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXVI" id="CHAPTER_XXVI">CHAPTER XXVI.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE CONSEQUENCES OF A MEETING.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Fray Arsenio followed his silent guide delightedly, although he was +surrendered into the hands of an Indian, who must instinctively hate +the Spaniards, those ferocious oppressors of his decimated and almost +destroyed race. Still, the monk was glad at having escaped safe and +sound from the clutches of the adventurers, whom he feared not only as +ladrones, that is to say, men without faith and steeped in vice, but +also as demons, or at the least sorcerers in regular connection with +Satan, for such were the erroneous ideas which the most enlightened of +the Spaniards entertained about the filibusters and buccaneers.</p> + +<p>It had needed all the devotion which the monk professed for Doña Clara, +and all the ascendancy that charming woman possessed over those who +approached her, to make him consent to execute a plan so mad in his +opinion, as that of entering into direct relation with one of the most +renowned chiefs of the filibusters, and it was with a great tremor that +he had accompanied his penitent to Nevis.</p> + +<p>When we met him, he was proceeding to the hatto, to inform Doña Clara, +as had been arranged between them, of the arrival of the filibustering +squadron at Port Margot, and consequently of Montbart's presence in the +island of Saint Domingo.</p> + +<p>Unfortunately the monk, but little used to night journeys, across +untrodden roads which he must guess at every step, lost himself on the +savannah; overcome with terror, almost dead with hunger, and worn out +by fatigue, the monk had seen the light of a fire flashing a short +distance off; the sight of this had restored him hope, if not courage, +and he had consequently ridden as fast as he could toward the fire, and +tumbled headlong into a boucan of French adventurers.</p> + +<p>In doing this, he unconsciously followed the example of the silly moth, +which feels itself irresistibly attracted to the candle in which it +singes its wings.</p> + +<p>More fortunate than these insects, the monk had burned nothing at +all; he had rested, eaten and drunk well, and, apart from a very +honest terror at finding himself so unexpectedly in such company, he +had escaped pretty well, or at least he supposed so, from this great +danger, and had even succeeded in obtaining a guide. Everything, then, +was for the best, the Lord had not ceased to watch over His servant, +and the latter only needed to let himself be guarded by Him. Moreover +the monk's confidence was augmented by the taciturn carelessness of his +guide who, without uttering a syllable, or even appearing to trouble +himself about him the least in the world, walked in front of his +horse, crossing the savannah obliquely, making a way through the tall +grass, and seemed to direct himself as surely amid the darkness that +surrounded him, as if he had been lit by the dazzling sunbeams.</p> + +<p>They went on thus for a long time following each other without the +interchange of a word; like all the Spaniards, Fray Arsenio professed +a profound contempt for the Indians, and it was much against his will +that he ever entered into relations with them. For his part, the Carib +was not at all anxious to carry on with this man, whom he regarded as a +born foe of his race, a conversation which could only be an unimportant +gossip.</p> + +<p>They had reached the top of a small hill, from which could be seen +gleaming in the distance, like so many luminous dots, the watch fires +of the soldiers encamped round the hatto, when all at once, instead +of descending the hill and continuing his advance, Omopoua stopped, +and looked round him anxiously, while strongly inhaling the air, and +ordering the Spaniard by a wave of his hand to halt.</p> + +<p>The latter obeyed and remained motionless as an equestrian statue, +while observing with a curiosity blended with a certain amount of +discomfort, the manoeuvres of his guide.</p> + +<p>The Carib had laid himself down and was listening with his ear to the +ground.</p> + +<p>At the end of a few minutes he rose again, though he did not cease +listening.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter?" the monk, whom this conduct was beginning +seriously to alarm, asked.</p> + +<p>"Horsemen are coming towards us at full speed."</p> + +<p>"Horsemen at this hour of night on the savannah?" Fray Arsenio remarked +incredulously; "It is impossible."</p> + +<p>"Why, you are here?" the Indian said with a jeering smile.</p> + +<p>"Hum! That is true," the monk muttered, struck by the logic of the +answer; "who can they be!"</p> + +<p>"I do not know, but I will soon tell you," the Carib answered.</p> + +<p>And before the monk had the time to ask him what his scheme was, +Omopoua glided through the tall grass and disappeared, leaving Fray +Arsenio greatly disconcerted at this sudden flight, and extremely +annoyed at finding himself thus left alone in the middle of the desert.</p> + +<p>A few minutes elapsed, during which the monk tried, though in vain, to +hear the sound which the Indian's sharp sense of hearing had caused him +to catch long before, amid the confused rumours of the savannah.</p> + +<p>The monk, believing himself decidedly deserted by his guide, was +preparing to continue his journey, leaving to Providence the care of +bringing him safely into port, when he heard a slight rustling in the +bushes close to him, and the Indian reappeared.</p> + +<p>"I have seen them," he said.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" the monk replied; "And who are they?"</p> + +<p>"White men like you."</p> + +<p>"Spaniards in that case?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Spaniards."</p> + +<p>"All the better," Fray Arsenio continued, whom the good news completely +reassured; "are they numerous?"</p> + +<p>"Five or six at least; they are proceeding like yourself, towards the +hatto, where, as far as I could understand, they are very eager to +arrive."</p> + +<p>"That is famous; where are they at this moment?"</p> + +<p>"Two stones' throw at the most. According to the direction they are +following, they will pass the spot where you are now standing."</p> + +<p>"Better still. In that case we have only to wait."</p> + +<p>"You can do so, if you think proper; but I have no wish to meet them."</p> + +<p>"That is true, my friend," the monk remarked, with a paternal air. "And +possibly such a meeting would not be agreeable to you; so pray accept +my thanks for the manner in which you have guided me hitherto."</p> + +<p>"You are quite resolved on waiting for them, then? If you like, I can +enable you to avoid them."</p> + +<p>"I have no motive for concealing myself from men of my own colour. +Whoever they may be, I feel sure that I shall find friends in them."</p> + +<p>"Very good. Your affairs concern yourself, and I have nothing to do +with them. But the sound is drawing nearer, and as they will speedily +arrive, I will leave you, for it is unnecessary for them to find me +here."</p> + +<p>"Farewell."</p> + +<p>"One last recommendation: if by chance they had a fancy to ask who +served as your guide, do not tell them."</p> + +<p>"It is not at all probable they will ask this."</p> + +<p>"No matter. Promise me, if they do, to keep my secret."</p> + +<p>"Very good. I will be silent, since you wish it; although I do not +understand the motive for such a recommendation."</p> + +<p>The monk had not finished the sentence, ere the Indian disappeared.</p> + +<p>The horsemen were rapidly approaching. The galloping of their steeds +echoed on the ground like the rolling of thunder. Suddenly several +shadows, scarcely distinguishable in the obscurity, rose as it were in +the midst of the darkness, and a sharp voice shouted—</p> + +<p>"Who goes there?"</p> + +<p>"A friend!" the monk answered.</p> + +<p>"Tell your name, <i>¡sangre de Dios!</i>" the voice repeated, passionately, +while the dry snap of a pistol being cocked, sounded disagreeably in +the monk's ears. "At night there are friends in the desert!"</p> + +<p>"I am a poor Franciscan monk, proceeding to the hatto del Rincón; and +my name is Fray Arsenio Mendoza."</p> + +<p>A hoarse cry replied to the monk's words—a cry whose meaning he had +not the time to conjecture; that is to say, whether it was the result +of pleasure or anger; for the horsemen came up with him like lightning, +and surrounded him even before he could understand the reason of such a +headlong speed to reach him.</p> + +<p>"Why, señores," he exclaimed, in a voice trembling with emotion, "what +is the meaning of this? Have I to do with the <i>ladrones?</i>"</p> + +<p>"Good! Good! Calm yourself, Señor Padre," a rough voice answered, which +he fancied he recognised. "We are not <i>ladrones</i>, but Spaniards like +yourself; and nothing could cause us more pleasure than meeting you at +this moment."</p> + +<p>"I am delighted at what you say to me, caballero. I confess that +at first the suddenness of your movements alarmed me; but now I am +completely reassured."</p> + +<p>"All the better," the stranger replied, ironically; "for I want to talk +with you."</p> + +<p>"Talk with me, señor?" he said, with surprise.</p> + +<p>"The spot and the hour are badly chosen for an interview, I fancy. If +you will wait till we reach the hatto, I will place myself at your +disposal."</p> + +<p>"Enough talking. Get off your horse," the stranger observed, roughly; +"unless you wish me to drag you off."</p> + +<p>The monk took a startled glance around him, but the horsemen looked at +him savagely, and did not appear disposed to come to his help.</p> + +<p>Fray Arsenio, through profession and temperament, was quite the +opposite of a brave man. The way in which the adventure began was +commencing seriously to alarm him. He did not yet know into what +hands he had fallen, but everything led him to suppose that these +individuals, whoever they might be, were not actuated by kindly +feelings towards him. Still any resistance was impossible, and he +resigned himself to obey; but it was not without a sigh of regret, +intended for the Carib, whose judicious advice he had spurned, that he +at length got off his horse, and placed himself in front of his stern +questioner.</p> + +<p>"Light a torch!" the strange horseman said. "I wish this man to +recognise me, so that, knowing who I am, he may be aware that he cannot +employ any subterfuge with me, and that frankness alone will save him +from the fate that menaces him."</p> + +<p>The monk understood less and less. He really believed himself suffering +from an atrocious nightmare.</p> + +<p>By the horseman's orders, however, one of his suite had lighted a torch +of ocote wood.</p> + +<p>So soon as the flame played over the stranger's feature, and illumined +his face, the monk gave a start of surprise, and clasped his hands at +the same time as his countenance suddenly reassumed its serenity.</p> + +<p>"Heaven be praised!" he said, with an accent of beatitude impossible +to render. "Is it possible that it can be you, Don. Stenio de Bejar? I +was so far from believing that I should have the felicity of meeting +you this night, Señor Conde, that, on my faith, I did not recognise +you, and felt almost frightened."</p> + +<p>The Count, for it was really he whom the monk had so unfortunately met, +did not answer for the moment, but contented himself with smiling.</p> + +<p>Don Stenio de Bejar, who had left Saint Domingo at full speed, for the +purpose of going to the hatto del Rincón, in order to convince himself +of the truth of the information given him by Don Antonio de la Ronda, +thus found himself, by the greatest accident, just as he was reaching +his destination, and when he least expected it, face to face with Fray +Arsenio Mendoza; that is to say, with the only man capable of proving +to him peremptorily the truth or falsehood of the assertions of the +spy, who had denounced Doña Clara to her husband.</p> + +<p>Fray Arsenio's reputation for poltroonery had long been current among +his countrymen, and hence nothing seemed more easy than to obtain from +him the truth in its fullest details.</p> + +<p>The Count believed himself almost certain, by employing intimidation, +to make Fray Arsenio confess what he knew: hence, so soon as the latter +had mentioned his name, Don Stenio, warned by the spy, who rode at his +side, resolved to terrify the monk, and thus render it impossible for +him to resist the orders he might intimate to him.</p> + +<p>We take pleasure in believing that in acting thus, the Count had not +the slightest intention of treating the monk with a violence, which +in any case would be deplorable, but dishonourable on the part of +a man in his position. Unfortunately, through the unforeseen and +incomprehensible resistance which, contrary to all probability, the +monk offered him, the Count was led away by his passion, and gave +orders against his better judgment, when harshness and even cruelty +could in no case be justified.</p> + +<p>After a silence of some seconds, Don Stenio fixed a piercing glance on +the monk, as if he wished to read his very soul, and then seized him +brutally by the arm.</p> + +<p>"Where have you come from?" he asked him, in a rough voice. "Is it the +custom for monks of your order to ramble about the country at this hour +of the night?"</p> + +<p>"My lord!" Fray Arsenio stammered, thrown off his guard by this +question, which he was far from expecting.</p> + +<p>"Come, come!" the Count continued; "Answer at once, and let us have no +subterfuge or tergiversation."</p> + +<p>"But, my lord, I do not at all understand this great anger which you +appear to have with me. I am innocent, I vow!"</p> + +<p>"Ah! ah!" he said, with an ironical laugh; "You are innocent! <i>¡Viva +Dios!</i> you make haste to defend yourself before you are accused; hence +you feel yourself guilty."</p> + +<p>Fray Arsenio was aware of the Count's jealousy, which he concealed so +poorly, that, in spite of all his efforts, it was visible to everybody. +Hence he understood that Doña Clara's secret had been revealed to her +husband; and he foresaw the peril that menaced him for having acted as +her accomplice. Still, he hoped that the Count had only learnt certain +facts, while remaining ignorant of the details of the Countess' voyage; +and hence, though he trembled at heart at the thought of the dangers to +which he was doubtless exposed, alone and defenceless, in the hands of +a man blinded by passion and the desire of avenging what he regarded +as a stain on his honour, he resolved, whatever might happen, not to +betray the confidence which a woman had unhappily placed in him.</p> + +<p>He raised his head and replied with a firm voice, and with an accent at +which he was himself astonished—</p> + +<p>"My lord, you are governor of Saint Domingo; you have a right to +exercise justice over those placed under your rule. You possess almost +sovereign power, but you have no right, as far as I know, to ill treat +me, either by word or deed, or to make me undergo an examination at +your caprice. I have superiors on whom I am dependant; have me taken +before them; hand me over to their justice, if I have committed any +fault they will punish me, for they alone have the right of condemning +or acquitting me."</p> + +<p>The Count had listened to the monk's long answer, while biting his lips +savagely and stamping his foot with passion. He had not thought to find +such resistance in this man.</p> + +<p>"So, then," he exclaimed, when Fray Arsenio at length ceased speaking, +"you refuse to answer me?"</p> + +<p>"I refuse, my lord," he coldly replied, "because you have no right to +question me."</p> + +<p>"You forget, however, Señor Padre, that if I have not the right, I have +the might, at least, at this moment."</p> + +<p>"You are at liberty, my lord, to abuse that might, by applying it to an +unhappy and defenceless man. I am no soldier, and physical suffering +frightens me. I do not know how I shall endure the tortures you will +perhaps inflict on me, but there is one thing of which I am certain."</p> + +<p>"What is it, may I ask, Señor Padre?"</p> + +<p>"That I will die, my lord, before answering any of your questions."</p> + +<p>"We shall see that," he said, sarcastically, "if you compel me to have +recourse to violence."</p> + +<p>"You will see," he replied, in a gentle but firm voice, which denoted +an irrevocable determination.</p> + +<p>"For the last time, I deign to warn you: take care—reflect."</p> + +<p>"All my reflections are made, my lord; I am in your power. Abuse my +weakness as you may think proper, I shall not even attempt a useless +defence. I shall not be the first monk of my order who has fallen a +martyr to duty: others have preceded me, and others will doubtless +follow me in this painful track."</p> + +<p>The Count stamped his foot savagely; the spectators, dumb and +motionless, exchanged terrified glances, for they foresaw that this +scene would soon have a terrible denouement, between two men, neither +of whom would make concessions; while the first of them, blinded by +rage, would soon not be in a condition to listen to the salutary +counsels of reason.</p> + +<p>"My lord," Don Antonio de la Ronda murmured, "the stars are beginning +to turn pale, and the day will soon dawn; we are still far from the +hatto, would it not be better to set out without further delay?"</p> + +<p>"Silence!" the Count answered, with a smile of contempt. "Pedro," he +added, addressing one of his domestics, "a match."</p> + +<p>The valet dismounted and advanced with a long sulphured match in his +hand.</p> + +<p>"The two thumbs," the Count said, laconically.</p> + +<p>The domestic approached the monk; the latter offered his hands without +hesitation, although his face was fearfully pale, and his whole body +trembled.</p> + +<p>Pedro coolly rolled the match between his two thumbs, passing it +several times under his nails, and then turned to the Count.</p> + +<p>"For the last time, monk," the latter said, "will you speak?"</p> + +<p>"I have nothing to say to you, my lord," Fray Arsenio replied, in a +soft voice.</p> + +<p>"Light it," the Count commanded, biting his lips till they bled.</p> + +<p>The valet, with the passive obedience distinguishing men of this class, +set fire to the match.</p> + +<p>The monk fell on his knees and raised his eyes to Heaven. His face had +assumed an earthy tint, a cold perspiration beaded on his temples, and +his hair stood on end. The suffering he experienced must be horrible, +for his chest heaved violently, although his parched lips remained dumb.</p> + +<p>The Count watched him anxiously.</p> + +<p>"Will you speak now, monk?" he said to him in a hollow voice.</p> + +<p>Fray Arsenio turned toward him a face whose features were distorted by +pain, and gave him a look full of ineffable gentleness.</p> + +<p>"I thank you, my lord," he said, "for having taught me that pain does +not exist for a man whose faith is lively."</p> + +<p>"My curses on you, wretch!" the Count exclaimed, as he hurled him down +with a blow on the chest. "To horse, señores, to horse, so that we may +reach the hatto before sunrise."</p> + +<p>The cavaliers remounted, and went off at full speed, leaving, without +a glance of compassion, the poor monk, who, vanquished by pain, had +rolled fainting on the ground.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXVII" id="CHAPTER_XXVII">CHAPTER XXVII.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COLONY.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>A triple expedition, so serious as that conceived by Montbarts, +demanded, for its success, extreme care and precautions.</p> + +<p>The few points occupied by the buccaneers on the Spanish isles, did not +at all resemble towns; they were agglomerations of houses built without +order, according to the liking or caprice of the owner, and occupying a +space twenty-fold larger than they should have taken in accordance with +the population. Hence, these points were spots almost impossible to +defend against a well-combined attack of the Spaniards, if the thought +occurred to the latter of finishing once for all with their formidable +neighbours.</p> + +<p>Port Margot, for instance, the most important point in the French +possessions as a strategic position, was only a miserable hamlet, open +to all comers, without police or organization, where every language +was spoken, and which Spanish spies entered with the greatest facility +without incurring a risk of discovery, and thus scented the plans of +the filibusters.</p> + +<p>Montbarts, before advancing and attacking the Spaniards, whom he +correctly suspected of being already acquainted with the motive of +his presence on the island, either through Don Antonio de la Ronda, +or other spies, and not wishing, when he was preparing to surprise +the enemy, to be himself surprised and see his retreat cut off by an +unforeseen attack, resolved to shelter Port Margot from a <i>coup de +main.</i></p> + +<p>The grand council of the filibusters was convened on board the +admiral's lugger. In this way the resolutions formed by the council +would not transpire outside, and not reach hostile ears, ever open to +hear them.</p> + +<p>Two days after the departure of Lepoletais, the council therefore +assembled on the deck of the vessel, which had been prepared for the +purpose, as the admiral's cabin had been judged too small to contain +all those whom their wealth or their reputation authorized in being +present at the meeting.</p> + +<p>At ten in the morning, numerous skiffs left the shore and pulled +alongside the lugger, boarding it on all sides simultaneously.</p> + +<p>Montbarts received the delegates as they presented themselves, and led +them beneath the awning prepared for them.</p> + +<p>Ere long, all the delegates were assembled on board: they were forty +in number; filibusters, buccaneers, and habitants, all adventurers who +had lived for several years on the isles, and desperate enemies of +the Spaniards. Their complexion, bronzed by the tropical sun, their +energetic features, and flashing glances, made them resemble bandits +rather than peaceful colonists; but their frank and decided manners +allowed a guess at the prodigies of incredible daring which they had +already accomplished, and were ready to accomplish again, when the +moment for action arrived.</p> + +<p>When all the members of the council were on board, Michael the Basque +gave the skiffs orders to return ashore, and to come alongside again +when they saw a large black and red flag hoisted at the mainmast of the +lugger. A splendid lunch preceded the council, which, was held at table +and during the dessert, so as to foil any indiscreet glances, which +were doubtless watching what was going on aboard from the top of the +cliffs.</p> + +<p>When the repast was ended, and spirits, pipes, and tobacco had +been laid on the table by the engagés, an order was given to remove +the awning; the whole of the lugger's crew retired to the bows, and +Montbarts, without leaving his seat, struck the table with his knife to +request silence.</p> + +<p>The delegates vaguely knew that grave interests were about to be +discussed, hence they had only eaten and drunk for form's sake, and +though the table offered all the appearances of a true filibustering +orgy, their brains were perfectly clear, and their heads cool.</p> + +<p>The road of Port Margot offered at this moment a strange spectacle, +which was not deficient, however, in a certain picturesque and wild +grandeur.</p> + +<p>Thousands of canoes were lying on their oars, forming an immense +circle, of which the filibustering squadron was the centre.</p> + +<p>On shore, the cliffs and rocks were literally hidden by the confused +and dense mass of spectators who had flocked from all the houses to +watch, at a distance, this gigantic and Homeric feast, whose serious +motive they were far from suspecting, beneath its frivolous appearance.</p> + +<p>Montbarts, after calling his friends' attention in a few words, to +the enormous crowd of spectators who surrounded them, and showing how +correct he had been in taking his precautions in consequence, filled +his glass, and rose, shouting in a sonorous voice—</p> + +<p>"Brethren, the health of the king!"</p> + +<p>"The health of the king!" the filibusters responded, as they rose, and +clinked their glasses together.</p> + +<p>At the same moment, all the guns of the lugger were discharged with a +formidable noise; a loud clamour that rose from the beach proved that +the spectators heartily joined in this patriotic toast.</p> + +<p>"Now," the admiral continued, as he sat down, which movement was +imitated by his companions, "let us talk of our business, and be +careful in doing so, that our gestures may not allow a suspicion of +what is occupying us, since our words cannot be overheard."</p> + +<p>The council commenced its session. Montbarts, with the lofty views and +clearness of expression he possessed, explained, in a few words, the +critical position in which the colony would find it, unless energetic +measures were taken, not only to place it in a position to defend +itself, but also to hold out during the absence of the expedition.</p> + +<p>"I can understand," he said in conclusion, "that so long as we merely +purposed to hunt wild bulls, such precautions were unnecessary, for our +breasts were a sure rampart for our habitations; but from today the +position is changed, we wish to create for ourselves an impregnable +refuge; we are going to attack the Spaniards in their homes, and must +consequently expect terrible reprisals from enemies, who, from the way +in which we act towards them, will soon comprehend that we wish to +remain the sole possessors of this land, which they have accustomed +themselves to regard as belonging to them legitimately; we must, +therefore, be in a position, not alone to resist them, but to inflict +on them such a chastisement for their audacity, that they will be for +ever disgusted with any fresh attempts to regain the territory we have +conquered. To effect this, we must build a real town, in the place of +the temporary camp which has, up to the present, sufficed us; and, with +the exception of the members of our association, no stranger must be +allowed to introduce himself among us, for the sake of spying us, and +repeating to our enemies our secrets, whatever their nature may be."</p> + +<p>The filibusters warmly applauded these remarks, whose truth they +recognized. They at length saw the necessity of setting order in their +disorder, and entering the great human family, by themselves accepting +some of those laws, from which they fancied they had enfranchised +themselves for ever, and which are the sole condition of the vitality +of society.</p> + +<p>Under the omnipotent influence of Montbarts and the members of the +association of the Twelve, who were scattered about the meeting, the +urgent measures were immediately discussed and settled; but when +everything was arranged, the council suddenly found itself stopped +short by a difficulty of which it had not thought at all—who was to be +entrusted with the duty of carrying out the measures, as no buccaneer +had a recognized authority over the rest?</p> + +<p>The difficulty was great; almost insurmountable. Still it was Montbarts +who again smoothed down the difficulty to the general satisfaction.</p> + +<p>"Nothing is more easy," he said, "than to find the man we want; this +is an exceptional case, and we must act according to circumstances. +Let us elect a chief, as for a dangerous expedition, let us choose +one who is energetic and intelligent, which will be a trifle, as the +only difficulty will be the choice among so many equally good. This +chief will be elected by us, the first for a year, his successor for +only six months, in order to guard against any abuse of power they +might eventually be attempted to try. This chief will assume the +title of governor, and in reality govern all civil matters, assisted +by a council of seven members, chosen by the habitants, as well as +by subaltern agents, nominated by himself. The laws he will employ +exist, for they are those of our association; it is understood that the +governor will watch, like a captain aboard his ship, over the safety +of the colony, and, in the event of treachery, will be punishable with +death. This proposition is, I believe, the only one that we can take +into consideration; does it suit you, brothers? Do you accept it?"</p> + +<p>The delegates replied by a universal affirmation,</p> + +<p>"In that case let us at once proceed to the election."</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, brothers," Belle Tête said, "with your permission, I have a +few remarks to submit to the council."</p> + +<p>"Speak, brother, we will hear you," Montbarts answered him.</p> + +<p>"I offer myself," Belle Tête said frankly, "as governor, not through +ambition, for that would be absurd, but because I believe that I am at +this moment the best man for the place; you all know me, and hence I +will not put forward my qualifications. Certain reasons urge me to try, +if possible, to withdraw my promise, and not follow the expedition; to +which, however, I feel convinced that I shall render great services, if +you choose me as governor."</p> + +<p>"You have heard, brethren," Montbarts said, "consult together, but fill +your glasses first, you have ten minutes to reflect; at the end of that +time all the glasses that have not been emptied will be considered as +adverse votes."</p> + +<p>"Ah, traitor," Michael the Basque said, leaning over to Belle Tête's +ear, by whose side he was seated, "I know why you want to stop at Port +Margot."</p> + +<p>"You? Stuff," he answered with embarrassment.</p> + +<p>"Zounds, it is not difficult to guess, you are caught, mate."</p> + +<p>"Well, it is true, and you are right, that little devil of a woman I +bought at St. Kitts has turned my head; she turns me round her little +finger."</p> + +<p>"Ah! love!" Michael said ironically.</p> + +<p>"The deuce take love, and the woman too; a girl no bigger than that, +whom I could smash with one blow."</p> + +<p>"She is very pretty, you showed good taste; her name is Louise, is it +not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Louise; it was a bad bargain I made."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense!" Michael said, with the utmost seriousness, "well, there is +a way of arranging the matter."</p> + +<p>"Do you think so?"</p> + +<p>"Zounds, I am sure of it."</p> + +<p>"I should like to know it, for I confess to you that she has completely +upset my ideas; the confounded girl, with her bird's voice, and sly +smile, turns me about like a whirligig: by Heaven, I am the most +unfortunate of men—tell me your plan, brother."</p> + +<p>"Why, sell her to me."</p> + +<p>Belle Tête suddenly turned pale at this blunt offer, which, indeed, +settled everything; but which, though he did not suspect it, Michael +only made in a joke, and to try him; he frowned, and angrily replied in +a voice trembling with emotion, and striking the table with his fist—</p> + +<p>"Zounds, mate, that is a magnificent way you have found, but the fiend +take me if I accept it; no, no, whatever sorrow the little witch causes +me—have I not told you that she has bewitched me?—I love her! Blood +and thunder, do you understand that?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I understand it; but come, reassure yourself, I have not +the slightest intention of depriving you of your Louise; what should I +do with a wife? Besides, what I have seen of other men's love affairs, +does not offer me the slightest inducement to try it on my own account."</p> + +<p>"All right," Belle Tête replied, reassured by this frank declaration, +"that is speaking like a man; and, after all, you are right, brother; +although I would not consent for anything in the world to part with my +Louise, still, after the experience I have of her, if the bargain was +to be made again, hang me if I would purchase her."</p> + +<p>"Stuff!" said Michael, with a shrug of his shoulders, "Men always say +that, and when the moment arrives, they never fail to begin the same +folly over again."</p> + +<p>Belle Tête reflected for a moment, and then tapped Michael amicably on +the shoulder, at the same time saying with a laugh—</p> + +<p>"On my word that is true, brother; you are right, I believe that I +should really behave as you say."</p> + +<p>"I am certain of it," Michael replied, with another shrug of his +shoulders.</p> + +<p>During this aside, between the two adventurers, the ten minutes had +elapsed.</p> + +<p>"Brethren," said Montbarts, "we are about to proceed to an examination +of the votes."</p> + +<p>He looked: all the glasses were empty.</p> + +<p>"You are unanimous," he said, "and that is well. Brother Belle Tête, +you are elected governor of Port Margot."</p> + +<p>"Brethren," the latter said, bowing all round, "I thank you for having +given me your votes. I shall not deceive your expectations; our colony, +even though I was obliged to bury myself beneath its ruins, shall never +fall into the hands of the Spaniards, and you know me well enough not +to doubt my oath. I intend to set to work this very day; for, as our +admiral has very justly said, we have not a moment to lose. Confide the +duty of guarding your interests to me."</p> + +<p>"Before we separate," said Montbarts, "it would be as well, I fancy, to +agree to keep our deliberations secret for a few days."</p> + +<p>"You may divulge them tomorrow without danger," Belle Tête continued; +"but allow me, brethren, to choose from among you the few assistants I +shall require."</p> + +<p>"Do so," the filibusters answered.</p> + +<p>Belle Tête named eight adventurers, whose blind bravery he knew, and +then addressed the delegates for the last time, who were already rising +and preparing to leave the ship.</p> + +<p>"You remember, I trust that I am considered by you the leader of an +expedition."</p> + +<p>"Yes," they replied.</p> + +<p>"Consequently you owe me the most perfect obedience to all the orders I +shall give you in the common interest."</p> + +<p>"Yes," they repeated.</p> + +<p>"You swear, then, to obey me without any hesitation or murmuring?"</p> + +<p>"We do."</p> + +<p>"Very good; now farewell for the present, brothers."</p> + +<p>The boats had been recalled by a flag hoisted at the main yard, and a +few minutes after all the delegates had left the ship, except Belle +Tête and the eight officers chosen by him.</p> + +<p>Montbarts and Belle Tête remained shut up for some hours, doubtless +settling the measures which must be adopted in order to obtain the +desired result as soon as possible; then, a little before sunset, +the new Governor took leave of the Admiral, entered a boat prepared +expressly for him, and returned ashore, followed by his officers.</p> + +<p>About eleven o'clock in the evening, when the town appeared completely +asleep, when all doors were shut, and lights extinguished, an observer +in a position to see what was going on, would have noticed a strange +spectacle.</p> + +<p>Armed men glided gently out of the houses, casting inquiring glances +to the right and left, that seemed trying to pierce the profound +darkness by which they were surrounded. They proceeded separately on +tiptoe to the principal square, where they joined other men armed like +themselves, who, having arrived first, were waiting.</p> + +<p>Ere long the number of these men, which was augmented every moment, +became considerable; at an order, given in a low voice, they broke up +into several parties, left the square by different outlets, went out of +the town, and formed a wide circle all round it.</p> + +<p>One last band of about forty men had remained in the square, however; +this party was broken up in its turn, but, instead of also leaving the +town, platoons, composed of ten men each, went from the square in four +different directions, and entered the streets.</p> + +<p>The latter were proceeding to pay domiciliary visits; no house escaped +their vigilance, they entered all, searching them with the most +scrupulous exactness, sounding the walls and flooring, and even opening +cupboards and chests.</p> + +<p>Such minute researches necessarily occupied a long time, and did not +terminate till sunrise.</p> + +<p>Eight Spanish spies had been discovered in the houses, and three +arrested by the sentries at the moment when they attempted flight, or +eleven in all.</p> + +<p>The Governor had them temporarily put in irons aboard the lugger, so +that they could not escape.</p> + +<p>At sunrise, buccaneers, habitants, engagés, and filibusters, all armed +with spades, pickaxes, and hatchets, set about digging a trench round +the town.</p> + +<p>This job, which was performed with extraordinary ardor, lasted three +days; the trench was twelve feet wide, by fifteen deep, and the earth +was thrown up on the side of the town; on this <i>talus</i> stakes were +planted, bound together with strong iron bands, embrasures being left +to place guns, and for loopholes.</p> + +<p>While the entire population thus laboured with the feverish ardor that +accomplishes prodigies, large clearings had been effected in the woods +surrounding the port; then the forest was fired, care being taken that +the fire should not extend beyond a demi-league in all directions.</p> + +<p>These gigantic works, which, in ordinary times, would demand a +lengthened period, were finished at the end of ten days, which would +seem incredible were not the fact stated in several records worthy of +belief.</p> + +<p>Port Margot was thus, thanks to the energy of its Governor, and the +passive obedience with which the filibusters executed his orders, +not only protected against a <i>coup de main</i>, but also rendered +capable of resisting a regular siege. And this had been effected with +such secrecy, that nothing had transpired abroad; and owing to the +precautions taken at the outset, the Spaniards had no suspicion of the +change so menacing to them, and which presaged an internecine war.</p> + +<p>When the fortifications were finished, the Governor had eleven gallows +erected, at a certain distance from each other, on the glacis. The +unhappy Spanish spies were suspended from them, and their bodies were +fastened to the gallows by iron chains, so that, as Belle Tête said, +with an ill-omened smile, the sight of the corpses might terrify those +of their compatriots, who might be tempted to follow their example, +and introduce themselves into the town.</p> + +<p>All the habitants were then convoked in the chief square, and Belle +Tête mounted a platform erected for the purpose, and announced to them +the determinations formed aboard the lugger, his nomination to the post +of Governor, the measures he had thought it his duty to take for the +general welfare, and ended by asking their approbation.</p> + +<p>This approbation the inhabitants most willingly granted, because they +found themselves in presence of accomplished facts, which did not in +any way injure them.</p> + +<p>The Governor, thus finding his undertakings sanctioned, invited the +inhabitants to nominate a council of seven members chosen from among +themselves; and this proposition they joyfully accepted, because they +justly anticipated that these councillors would defend their interests.</p> + +<p>The seven municipal councillors were therefore elected at once, and, by +the Governor's invitation, took their seat by his side on the platform.</p> + +<p>Then the Governor informed his audience that nothing was changed in the +colony, which would continue to be governed by the laws in force among +the filibusters, that everyone would live in the same liberty as in the +past, and that the measures taken were solely intended to protect the +interests of all, and in no way to annoy the colonists, or subject them +to a humiliating yoke.</p> + +<p>This final assurance produced the best effect on the crowd, and the +Governor retired, amid shouts and the warmest protestations of devotion.</p> + +<p>Although Montbarts had chosen to remain obstinately in the background, +all these ameliorations were solely due to him; Belle Tête had merely +been a passive and submissive agent in his hands.</p> + +<p>When the Admiral, saw matters in the state he desired, he resolved +to depart, and after a final interview with the Governor, he placed +himself at the head of his filibusters, and left the town.</p> + +<p>Michael the Basque had departed several hours previously, entrusted +with a secret mission, and accompanied by ninety resolute men.</p> + +<p>From this moment the expedition commenced; but what its result would be +no one could as yet foretell.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXVIII" id="CHAPTER_XXVIII">CHAPTER XXVIII.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE FLIGHT FROM THE HATTO.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Without taking the time to peruse the letters that were handed him, +Don Sancho concealed them in his doublet, and proceeded hastily to his +sister's apartment.</p> + +<p>She was anxiously awaiting him.</p> + +<p>"Here you are at last, brother," she exclaimed on perceiving him.</p> + +<p>"What," the young man replied, as he kissed her hand, "were you +expecting me?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, that I was; but you are very late—what has kept you so +long?" she asked, in agitation.</p> + +<p>"Where have I been? Why, s'death! I have been hunting, the only +pleasure allowed a gentleman in this horrible country."</p> + +<p>"What, at this hour?"</p> + +<p>"Zounds, my dear Clara, a man gets home when he can, especially in this +country, where we ought to feel very happy at reaching home again at +all."</p> + +<p>"You are speaking in enigmas, brother, and I do not at all understand +you; be kind enough, therefore, to explain yourself clearly—have you +fallen into bad company?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and very bad, too; but forgive me, my dear Clara, if you have no +objection, let us proceed regularly. You desired to see me immediately +on my return, and here I am at your orders; be kind enough, therefore, +to tell me how I can possibly be of service to you, and then I will +narrate the series of singular events with which my today's sport +has been diversified. I will not hide from you that I have certain +questions to ask of you, and certain explanations, which I feel sure +you will not refuse to give me."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean, Sancho?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing at present; do you speak first, sister."</p> + +<p>"Well, if you insist on it—"</p> + +<p>"I do not insist at all, sister—I only request it."</p> + +<p>"Very good, I yield to your request; I have received several letters."</p> + +<p>"So I have; but I confess that I have not read them yet, and do not +think they are of any great importance."</p> + +<p>"I have read mine, and do you know what they tell me beside other news?"</p> + +<p>"Indeed, no, unless it be my appointment to the post of Alcade Mayor +of Hispaniola, which, I allow, would greatly surprise me," he said, +laughingly.</p> + +<p>"Do not jest so, Sancho; the matter is very serious."</p> + +<p>"Really? In that case speak, little sister. You see I have as solemn a +face as your dear husband."</p> + +<p>"It is exactly to him I refer."</p> + +<p>"Stuff! My brother-in-law? Has any accident happened to him in the +performance of his noble and wearisome duties?"</p> + +<p>"No, on the contrary, he is in better health than usual."</p> + +<p>"In that case, all the better for him; I wish him no harm, though he is +the most fastidious gentleman of my acquaintance."</p> + +<p>"Will you listen to me—yes or no?" she asked, impatiently.</p> + +<p>"Why, I am doing so, dear sister."</p> + +<p>"You are really insupportable."</p> + +<p>"Come, do not be angry—I have done; I will not laugh anymore."</p> + +<p>"Have you seen the two Fifties encamped in front of the hatto?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and I must allow that I was greatly surprised to see them."</p> + +<p>"You will be much more surprised on hearing that my husband is coming +here."</p> + +<p>"He? Impossible, sister! He did not say a word to me about the journey."</p> + +<p>"Because it is secret."</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah!" the young man remarked, with a frown; "And are you sure that +he is coming?"</p> + +<p>"Certain. The person who writes me so was present at his departure, +which no one suspects; the courier who brought me the news, and to whom +the greatest diligence was recommended, is only a few hours ahead of +him."</p> + +<p>"This is, indeed, serious," the young man muttered.</p> + +<p>"What is to be done?"</p> + +<p>"S'death!" the young man replied, carelessly, but gazing fixedly at +Doña Clara—"Welcome him."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" the lady exclaimed, twisting her hands despairingly, "I have been +betrayed—he is coming to avenge himself!"</p> + +<p>"Avenge himself? For what, sister?"</p> + +<p>She gave him a look of strange significance, and then bent over him.</p> + +<p>"I am ruined, brother," she said, in a hollow voice, "for this man +knows everything, and will kill me."</p> + +<p>Don Sancho, in spite of himself, was affected by this sorrow; he adored +his sister, and felt ashamed of the part he was playing at this moment +before her.</p> + +<p>"And I, too, Clara," he said to her, "know everything."</p> + +<p>"You! Oh, you are jesting, brother."</p> + +<p>"No, I am not; I love you, and wish to save you, even if I gave my life +to do so: hence, reassure yourself, and do not fix upon me eyes haggard +with grief."</p> + +<p>"What do you know, in heaven's name?"</p> + +<p>"I know that which probably a traitor, as you called him, has sold to +your husband, that is to say, that you left the hatto, went aboard a +vessel, which conveyed you to Nevis, and there—"</p> + +<p>"Oh! Not a word more, brother," she exclaimed as she fell into his +arms; "you are really well informed, but I swear to you, brother, +in the name of what is most sacred in the world, that, although +appearances condemn me, I am innocent."</p> + +<p>"I know it, sister, and never doubted it; what is your intention, will +you await your husband here?"</p> + +<p>"Never, never! Did I not tell you he would kill me?"</p> + +<p>"What is to be done then?"</p> + +<p>"Fly, fly without delay; at once."</p> + +<p>"But where shall we go?"</p> + +<p>"How do I know? To the cliff or the forest, live among the wild beasts +sooner than remain any longer here."</p> + +<p>"Very good, we will go, I know where to take you."</p> + +<p>"You?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, did I not tell you that sundry accidents happened to me today +while hunting?"</p> + +<p>"So you did; but what has that to do with it?"</p> + +<p>"A great deal," he interrupted; "the Major-domo, who accompanied me, +and I tumbled over an encampment of filibusters."</p> + +<p>"Ah," she said, turning paler than she had been before.</p> + +<p>"Yes, and I intend to conduct you to that encampment; besides, one of +the buccaneers entrusted me with a message for you."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"Exactly what I am saying, sister."</p> + +<p>She appeared to reflect for an instant, and then turned resolutely to +the young man.</p> + +<p>"Well, be it so, brother, let us go to those men, though they are +represented as so cruel; perhaps every human feeling has not been +extinguished in their hearts, and they will take pity on me."</p> + +<p>"When shall we go?"</p> + +<p>"As speedily as possible."</p> + +<p>"That is true, but the hatto is probably watched and the soldiers have +doubtless secret orders, you may be a prisoner without suspecting it, +my poor sister; for what other reason would the two Fifties be here?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! In that case I am lost."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps there is one way, and the orders given doubtless only affect +you; but unfortunately the journey will be long, fatiguing, and beset +with numberless perils."</p> + +<p>"What matter, brother? I am strong, do not be anxious about me."</p> + +<p>"Very good, we will try; you are absolutely determined on flight?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, whatever may befall me."</p> + +<p>"Well then, we will put our trust in heaven, wait for me a moment."</p> + +<p>The young man left the room and returned a few minutes later, bearing a +rather large bundle under his arm.</p> + +<p>"Here are my page's clothes, I do not know how they happen to be in +my possession, but my valet probably placed them in my portmanteau by +mistake, for they are new, and I remember that the tailor brought them +home a few minutes before my departure from Saint Domingo, but I thank +accident for causing it to be so. Dress yourself, wrap yourself up +in a cloak, put this hat on your head, I will answer for everything. +Besides, this costume is preferable to your woman's clothes for +crossing the savannah; mind and not forget to place these pistols and +this dagger in your belt, for there is no knowing what may happen."</p> + +<p>"Thanks brother! I shall be ready in a quarter of an hour."</p> + +<p>"Good; during that time I will go and reconnoitre; do not open the door +to anyone but me."</p> + +<p>"You may depend upon me."</p> + +<p>The young man lit a cigarette and left the apartment with the most +careless air he could assume.</p> + +<p>On entering the zaguán, the Count found himself face to face with the +Major-domo. Señor Birbomono had such an anxious look that it did not +escape Don Sancho; still he continued to advance, pretending not to +notice it.</p> + +<p>But the Major-domo came straight up to him.</p> + +<p>"I am glad to meet you, Excellency," he said, "if you had not come +within ten minutes, I should have knocked at the door of your +apartment."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" Don Sancho observed, "What pressing motive was there to urge you +to such a step?"</p> + +<p>"Is your Excellency aware of what is taking place?" the Major-domo +continued, without appearing to notice the young man's ironical tone.</p> + +<p>"What! Is there really anything happening?"</p> + +<p>"Does not your Excellency know it?"</p> + +<p>"Probably not, as I ask you; after all, as the news, I am sure, +interests me but very slightly, you are quite at liberty not to tell it +to me."</p> + +<p>"On the contrary, Excellency, it interests you as well as all the +inhabitants of the hatto."</p> + +<p>"Oh! oh! What is it then?"</p> + +<p>"It appears that the commander of the two Fifties, has placed sentries +all round the hatto."</p> + +<p>"Very good, in that case, we need not fear being attacked by the +buccaneers, of whom you are so afraid, and I will thank the commandant +for it."</p> + +<p>"You are at liberty to do so, Excellency, but I fancy you will find it +difficult."</p> + +<p>"Why so?"</p> + +<p>"Because orders are given to let anyone enter the hatto but nobody +leave it."</p> + +<p>A shudder ran through the young man's veins on hearing this; he turned +frightfully pale, but recovering himself almost immediately, remarked +carelessly,</p> + +<p>"Stuff! that order cannot affect me."</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, Excellency, it is general."</p> + +<p>"In that case, you think that, if I tried to go out—"</p> + +<p>"You would be stopped."</p> + +<p>"Confound it, that is very annoying, not that I have any intention of +going out, but as by my character, I am very fond of doing things which +are prohibited—"</p> + +<p>"You would like to take a walk, I suppose, Excellency?"</p> + +<p>Don Sancho looked at Birbomono, as if trying to read his thoughts.</p> + +<p>"And suppose such were my intention?" he resumed presently.</p> + +<p>"I would undertake to get you out."</p> + +<p>"You?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I; am I not the Major-domo of the hatto?"</p> + +<p>"That is true; thus, the prohibition does not extend to you?"</p> + +<p>"To me, as to the rest, Excellency; but the soldiers do not know the +hatto as I know; I could Slip between their fingers, whenever I liked."</p> + +<p>"I have strong inclination to try it."</p> + +<p>"Do so, Excellency; I have three horses at a spot where no one but +myself could find them."</p> + +<p>"Why, three horses?" the young man asked, pricking up his ears.</p> + +<p>"Because, doubtless, you do not wish to ride with me only, but will +take someone with you."</p> + +<p>Don Sancho, understanding that the Major-domo had penetrated his +thoughts, made up his mind at once.</p> + +<p>"Let us play fairly," he said, "can you be faithful."</p> + +<p>"I am so, and devoted too, Excellency, as you have a proof."</p> + +<p>"What assures me that you are not laying a trap for me?"</p> + +<p>"With what object?"</p> + +<p>"That of obtaining a reward from the Count."</p> + +<p>"No, Excellency, no reward would induce me to betray my mistress; I may +be anything you please, but I love Doña Clara, who has always been kind +to me, and has often protected me."</p> + +<p>"I am willing to believe you, and indeed have no time to discuss the +point, but here are my conditions: a bullet through the head if you +betray me, a thousand piastres if you are faithful; do you accept them?"</p> + +<p>"I do, Excellency, the thousand piastres are gained."</p> + +<p>"You know that I do not threaten in vain."</p> + +<p>"I know you."</p> + +<p>"Very good, what must we do?"</p> + +<p>"Follow me, that is all; our flight will be most easy, for I prepared +everything on my return; I had my suspicions on seeing those demons +of soldiers, suspicions which were soon changed into certainty, after +some skilful inquiries here and there; my devotion to my mistress +rendered me clear sighted, and you see that I acted wisely in taking my +precautions."</p> + +<p>The accent with which the Major-domo pronounced these words, had such a +stamp of truth, his face was so frank and open, that the young Count's +last suspicions were dissipated.</p> + +<p>"Wait for me," he said, "I will go and fetch my sister."</p> + +<p>And he hurried away.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said Birbomono, with a grin, so soon as he was alone, "I do not +know whether Señor don Stenio de Bejar will be pleased at seeing his +wife escape in this way, when he felt so certain of holding her; poor +señora! She is so good to us all, that it would be infamous to betray +her, and then, after all, this is a good deed which brings me one +thousand piastres," he added, rubbing his hands, "that is a very decent +amount."</p> + +<p>It was about eleven o'clock at night, all the lights in the hatto +were extinguished by orders of the Major-domo, who had provided for +everything; the slaves had been dismissed to their huts, and a solemn +silence brooded over the landscape, a silence solely interrupted at +regular intervals, by the sentries who challenged each other in a +monotonous voice.</p> + +<p>Don Sancho soon returned, accompanied by his sister, wrapped up like +himself, in a long mantle.</p> + +<p>Doña Clara did not speak, but on joining the Major-domo, she +gracefully held out her right hand to him, on which he respectfully +impressed his lips.</p> + +<p>Although the officers had told the soldiers to keep a good guard, and +watch carefully, not only the hatto, but its environs, the latter, +slightly reassured by the darkness on one hand, and on the other, +by the gloomy and mysterious depths of the forests that surrounded +them, stood motionless behind the trees, contenting themselves with +responding to the challenge, every half hour, but not venturing to go +even a few yards from the shelter they had chosen.</p> + +<p>The reasons for this apparent cowardice, were simple, and although we +have explained them, we will repeat them here, for the sake of greater +clearness.</p> + +<p>In the early times of the buccaneers landing on Saint Domingo, the +Fifties sent by the governor in pursuit of them, were armed with +muskets; but after several encounters with the French, in which the +latter gave them an awful thrashing, their terror of the adventurers +became so great that, whenever they were sent on an expedition against +these men, whom they almost regarded as demons, no sooner did they +enter the forests, or the mountain gorges, or even the savannahs, where +they might suppose the buccaneers to be ambushed, than they began +to fire their pieces right and left, for the purpose of warning the +enemies, and inducing them to withdraw.</p> + +<p>The result of this clever manoeuvre was that the adventurers, thus +warned, decamped in reality, and thus became intangible; the governor +noticing this result, eventually guessed its cause, and hence, in order +to avoid such a thing in future, he took the muskets away from the +soldiers and substituted lances. This change, let us hasten to add, was +not at all to the liking of these brave soldiers, who thus saw their +ingenious scheme foiled, and were even more exposed to the blows of +their formidable enemies.</p> + +<p>It was almost without being obliged to take any other precaution than +that of walking noiselessly and not speaking, that the Major-domo and +the two persons he served as guide, succeeded in quitting the hatto on +the opposite side to that on which the Fifties had established their +bivouac.</p> + +<p>Once the line of sentries was passed, the fugitives hurried on more +rapidly, and soon reached a thicket in the midst of which three fully +accoutred horses were so thoroughly hidden that unless known to be +there, it would have been impossible to find them; for a greater +precaution, and to prevent them from neighing, the Major-domo had +fastened a cord round their nostrils.</p> + +<p>So soon as the three were mounted, and before starting, Birbomono +turned to Don Sancho,—</p> + +<p>"Where are we going, Excellency?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Do you know the spot where the buccaneers we met today are +bivouacked?" the young man replied.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Excellency."</p> + +<p>"Do you think you could succeed in finding the bivouac in the midst of +the darkness?"</p> + +<p>The Major-domo smiled.</p> + +<p>"Nothing is more easy," he said.</p> + +<p>"In that case lead us to those men."</p> + +<p>"Very good; but, Excellency, be good enough not press your horse on at +present, for we are still near the house, and the slightest imprudence +would be sufficient to give an alarm."</p> + +<p>"Do you think, then, that they would venture to pursue us?"</p> + +<p>"Separately, certainly not; but as they are so numerous, they would +not hesitate; the less so, because from what I heard them say, they +feel certain that the buccaneers have never come into these parts. This +redoubles their bravery, and they would perhaps not be sorry to furnish +a proof of it at our expense."</p> + +<p>"Excellent reasoning; regulate our pace, therefore, as you think +proper, and we will only act in accordance with your judgment."</p> + +<p>They set out; with the exception of the precautions they were obliged +to take not to be discovered, the journey had nothing disagreeable +about it, on a bright and perfumed night, beneath a sky studded with +brilliant stars, and in the midst of a most delightful scenery, whose +slightest diversities the transparency of the atmosphere allowed to be +seen.</p> + +<p>After an hour spent in a moderate trot, their pace became insensibly +more rapid, and the horses growing gradually more excited, eventually +broke into a gallop, at which their riders kept them for a considerable +period.</p> + +<p>Doña Clara bent over her horse's neck, and with her eyes eagerly fixed +ahead, seemed to upbraid the slowness of this ride, which, however, had +assumed the headlong speed of a pursuit: at times she leant over to her +brother, who constantly kept by her side, and asked him in a choking +voice—</p> + +<p>"Shall we soon arrive?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, have patience, sister," the young man said, suppressing a sigh of +pity for the agony which preyed on his sister's heart.</p> + +<p>And their pace grew more rapid than ever.</p> + +<p>The stars were already expiring in the heavens, the atmosphere was +growing refreshed, the horizon was striped by long mother-o'-pearl +coloured bands, a light sea breeze brought up to the travellers its +alkaline odours, and the night had passed. Suddenly, at the moment +when the three riders were about to emerge from a thick wood, in which +they had been following a track made by the wild cattle for nearly an +hour, the Major-domo, who was a few yards ahead, pulled up his horse +and leant back.</p> + +<p>"Stop, in Heaven's name!" he exclaimed, in a low voice.</p> + +<p>The young couple obeyed, though they did not comprehend this order.</p> + +<p>The Major-domo went up to them.</p> + +<p>"Look!" he muttered, and stretched out his arm toward the savannah.</p> + +<p>A rapid gallop, that drew nearer every second, but which the noise of +their own march had prevented them from hearing, now smote their ears, +and almost at the same moment they saw through the screen of foliage +which hid them from sight, several horsemen pass as if borne along by a +hurricane.</p> + +<p>A branch struck off the hat of one of the riders as he passed.</p> + +<p>"Don Stenio!" Doña Clara exclaimed in horror.</p> + +<p>"Zounds!" Don Sancho said, "We were just in time."</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXIX" id="CHAPTER_XXIX">CHAPTER XXIX.</a></h4> + +<h3>EVENTS ACCUMULATE.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>The horsemen had continued their wild course without perceiving the +fugitives: one of them, indeed, at the cry uttered by Doña Clara, had +made a gesture as if to stop his steed, but doubtless supposing that +he had been mistaken, he followed his companions after a moment's +hesitation, which was very fortunate for him, as Don Sancho had already +drawn a pistol, with the resolution of blowing out his brains.</p> + +<p>For some minutes the fugitives remained motionless, anxiously listening +to the galloping of the horses, whose sound rapidly retired, and was +soon lost in the distance, when it became confounded with the other +noises of the night.</p> + +<p>Then they breathed again, and Don Sancho put back in his holster the +pistol which he had held in his hand up to this moment.</p> + +<p>"Hum!" he muttered; "Only the thickness of a bush saved us from being +discovered."</p> + +<p>"Heaven be thanked!" Doña Clara said; "We are saved!"</p> + +<p>"That is to say, my little sister, we are not caught," the young man +replied, incapable of maintaining his seriousness for five minutes, +however grave circumstances might be.</p> + +<p>"They are going at a tremendous pace," the Major-domo now remarked; "we +have nothing more to fear from them."</p> + +<p>"In that case, let us be off," Don Sancho replied.</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, let us go," Doña Clara murmured.</p> + +<p>They dashed out of the thicket which had offered them so sure a +protection, and entered the plain.</p> + +<p>The sky became lighter every moment; and although the sun was still +beneath the horizon, its influence was beginning to be felt. Nature +appeared to shake off her nocturnal sleep; some birds were already +awake under the soft leaves, and preluding, by soft twittering, their +matin chant; the dark outlines of savage animals bounded through the +tall dew-laden grass; and the birds of prey, expanding their mighty +wings, rose high in æther, as if they wished to go and meet the sun, +and salute its advent: in a word, it was no longer night, without being +fully day.</p> + +<p>"Ah! What I do see at the foot of that mound?" Don Sancho suddenly said.</p> + +<p>"Where?" Birbomono asked.</p> + +<p>"There, straight in front of us."</p> + +<p>The Major-domo placed his hands over his eyes, and looked attentively.</p> + +<p>"<i>¡Viva Dios!</i>" he exclaimed, at the end of a moment, "It is a man!"</p> + +<p>"A man?"</p> + +<p>"On my word, yes, Excellency; and, as far as I can distinguish at this +distance, a Carib savage."</p> + +<p>"Zounds! What is he doing on that mound?"</p> + +<p>"We shall be able to assure ourselves of that more easily directly, +unless he thinks proper to keep out of our way."</p> + +<p>"Well, let us go to him, in Heaven's name."</p> + +<p>"Brother," Doña Clara objected, "what is the use of lengthening our +journey, when we are so hurried?"</p> + +<p>"That is true," the young man said.</p> + +<p>"Reassure yourself, señora," the Major-domo observed; "that hillock is +exactly on the road we must follow, and we cannot help passing it."</p> + +<p>Doña Clara said no more, and the trio set out again.</p> + +<p>They soon reached the mound, which they ascended at a gallop.</p> + +<p>The Carib had not quitted the spot, but the riders stopped in stupor on +perceiving that he was not alone.</p> + +<p>The Indian, kneeling on the ground, appearing to be attending to a man +stretched out before him, and who was beginning to regain his senses.</p> + +<p>"Fray Arsenio!" Doña Clara exclaimed at the sight of this man. "Great +Heavens! He is dead!"</p> + +<p>"No," the Indian answered in a gentle voice, as he turned to her, "but +he has been most horribly tortured."</p> + +<p>"He! Tortured?" his hearers exclaimed, unanimously.</p> + +<p>"Look at his hands," the Carib continued.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards uttered a cry of horror and pity at the sight of the poor +monk's bleeding and swollen thumbs.</p> + +<p>"Oh, it is frightful!" they murmured, sadly.</p> + +<p>"Wretch," Don Sancho said in his indignation, "you have brought him to +this state!"</p> + +<p>The Carib shrugged his shoulders disdainfully.</p> + +<p>"The paleface is mad!" he replied; "My brothers do not torture the +chiefs of prayer—they respect them. White men, like himself, have +inflicted this atrocious punishment upon him."</p> + +<p>"Explain yourself, in Heaven's name," Doña Clara continued; "how is it +that we find this worthy monk here in such a pitiable state?"</p> + +<p>"It will be better to let him explain himself when he has regained his +senses. Omopoua knows but little."</p> + +<p>"That is true," Doña Clara said, as she dismounted and knelt by the +side of the wounded man. "Poor fellow! What frightful suffering he must +be enduring."</p> + +<p>"Can you not tell us anything, then?" Don Sancho asked.</p> + +<p>"Almost nothing," the chief replied, "this is all that I know."</p> + +<p>And he narrated in what way the monk had been confided to him, and how +he had served as his guide, till they met the white men, when the monk +discharged him for the purpose of joining them.</p> + +<p>"But," he added, "I know not why, some secret foreboding seemed to +warn me not to leave him: hence, instead of going away I hid myself in +the shrubs, and witnessed, unseen, the tortures they had him undergo, +while insisting on his revealing to them a secret, which he refused to +divulge. Conquered by his constancy, they at length abandoned him half +dead. Then I rushed from my hiding place, and flew to his help. That is +all I know; I am a chief, I have no forked tongue, and a falsehood has +never sullied the lips of Omopoua."</p> + +<p>"Forgive me, Chief, the improper language I used at the first moment; I +was blinded by anger and sorrow," said Don Sancho, holding out his hand.</p> + +<p>"The paleface is young," the chief replied with a smile; "his tongue +moves more quickly than his heart;" then he took the hand so frankly +offered him, and pressed it cordially.</p> + +<p>"Oh, oh!" the Major-domo said, with a shake of his head, and leaning +over to Don Sancho's ear, "If I am not greatly mistaken, Don Stenio is +mixed up in this affair."</p> + +<p>"It is not possible," Don Sancho replied, with horror.</p> + +<p>"You do not know your brother-in-law, Excellency; his is a weak nature, +and all such are cruel; believe me, I am certain of what I state."</p> + +<p>"No, no, it would be too frightful."</p> + +<p>"Good Heaven," Doña Clara said, at this moment, "we cannot remain here +any longer, and yet I should not like to abandon the poor man."</p> + +<p>"Let us take him with us," Don Sancho quickly remarked.</p> + +<p>"But will his wounds permit him to endure the fatigue of a long ride?"</p> + +<p>"We are almost at our journey's end," the Major-domo said, and then, +turning to the Carib, added—</p> + +<p>"We are going to the bivouac of the two buccaneers, who were hunting on +the savannah yesterday."</p> + +<p>"Very good;" said the chief, "I will lead the palefaces by a narrow +road, and they will arrive ere the sun reaches the edges of the +horizon."</p> + +<p>Doña Clara and her brother remounted. The monk was cautiously placed in +front of the Major-domo, and the small party set out again at a foot +pace, under the guidance of the Carib chief.</p> + +<p>Poor Fray Arsenio gave no other signs of existence but deep sighs, +which at intervals heaved his chest, and stifled groans torn from him +by suffering.</p> + +<p>At the end of three quarters of an hour they reached the boucan, by the +near cut, which Omopoua indicated to them.</p> + +<p>It was empty, but not deserted, as was proved by the bull hides, still +stretched out on the ground, and held down by pegs, and the boucaned +meat suspended from the forks of the branches.</p> + +<p>The adventurers were probably away, hunting.</p> + +<p>The travellers were considerably annoyed by this contretemps, but +Omopoua relieved them of their embarrassment.</p> + +<p>"The palefaces need not be anxious," he said, "the chief will warn his +friends, the white <i>franiis</i>—in their absence the paler faces can use, +without fear, everything they find here."</p> + +<p>And, joining example to precept, the Carib prepared a bed of dry +leaves, which he covered with skins, and, with the Major-domo's aid, +carefully laid the wounded man upon it; then he lit a fire, and after, +for the last time repeating to the fugitives the assurance that they +had nothing to fear, he went off, gliding like a snake through the tall +grass.</p> + +<p>The Major-domo, who was tolerably well acquainted with the manners of +the adventurers, with whom he had had some relations, though always +against his will, for, brave though he was, or boasted of being, +they inspired him with a superstitious terror—reassured the others +as to their position, by declaring to them, that hospitality was so +sacred with the buccaneers, that, if they were their most inveterate +foes instead of quasi guests, as they had only come on their formal +invitation, they would have nothing to apprehend from them.</p> + +<p>In the meanwhile, thanks to the attention which Doña Clara had not +ceased to bestow on him, the poor monk had returned to his senses. +Although very weak at first, he gradually regained sufficient +strength to impart to Doña Clara all that happened to him since their +separation. This narration, whose conclusion coincided in the minutest +details with that previously made by the Carib, plunged Doña Clara +into a state of stupefaction, which soon changed into horror, when she +reflected on the terrible dangers that menaced her.</p> + +<p>In truth, what help could she expect? Who would dare to protect +her against her husband, whose high position and omnipotence would +annihilate every effort she might make to escape from his vengeance.</p> + +<p>"Courage," the monk murmured, with a tender commiseration, "courage, +my daughter, above man there is God. Have confidence in Him; He will +not abandon you: and if everything fail you, He will come to your +assistance, and interfere in your favour."</p> + +<p>Doña Clara, in spite of her perfect faith in the power of Providence, +only replied to this consolation by tears and sobs; she felt herself +condemned.</p> + +<p>Don Sancho was hurriedly walking up and down in the front of the +ajoupa, twisting his moustache, stamping his foot passionately, and +revolving in his head the maddest projects.</p> + +<p>"Bah," he muttered, at last, "if that demon will not listen to reason, +I will blow out his brains, and that will settle everything."</p> + +<p>And highly pleased at having, after so many vain researches, discovered +this expeditious mode of saving his sister from the violence, which the +desire of vengeance would probably suggest to Don Stenio, the young man +lit a cigarette, and patiently awaited the return of the buccaneers, +feeling now quite calm and perfectly reassured about the future.</p> + +<p>The Major-domo, who was almost indifferent as to what was going on +around him, and delighted with the hope of the promised thousand +piastres, had turned the time to a good use. Reflecting that on their +return, the buccaneers, doubtless, would not be sorry to find their +breakfast ready, he had placed in front of the fire an iron pot, in +which he placed an enormous lump of meat, to boil, with a reasonable +quantity of water; in lieu of bread, he had thrust several ignamas +under the ashes, and then busied himself with preparing the pimentado, +that absolutely necessary sauce for every buccaneer meal.</p> + +<p>The fugitives had held possession of the boucan for nearly an hour and +a half, when they heard furious barking, and some twenty dogs rushed +howling toward them: but a sharp, though still distant whistle recalled +them, and they went off again as quickly as they had come.</p> + +<p>A few minutes later, the Spaniards perceived the two buccaneers; they +were running up with a surprising speed, although both bore a load +weighing upwards of a hundredweight, and were in addition embarrassed +by their weapons and hunting equipment.</p> + +<p>Their first care, on arriving at the boucan, was to throw on the ground +the eight or ten fresh bull hides, till reeking with blood and grease, +which they brought, and they then advanced toward the strangers, who, +on their side, had risen to receive them.</p> + +<p>The dogs, as if they had understood that they must maintain a strict +neutrality, were lying on the grass, but kept their flashing eyes fixed +on the Spaniards, probably ready to spring at their throat upon the +first signal.</p> + +<p>"You are welcome at the ajoupa," Lepoletais said, doffing his hat with +a politeness that could hardly have been expected on seeing his rough +appearance. "So long as you like to remain here, you will be regarded +as our brothers; whatever we possess is yours, dispose of it as you +think proper, as well as of our arms, should an occasion offer for you +to demand our help."</p> + +<p>"I thank you in the name of my companions, caballero, and accept your +kind proposal," Doña Clara answered.</p> + +<p>"A woman!" Lepoletais exclaimed, in surprise, "Pardon me, Madam, for +not recognizing you at once."</p> + +<p>"I am, caballero, Doña Clara de Bejar, to whom, as I was informed, you +have a letter to deliver."</p> + +<p>"In that case doubly welcome, madam; as for the note in question, I +have not the charge of it, but my comrade."</p> + +<p>"Zounds," L'Olonnais exclaimed, who had gone up to the wounded man, +"Omopoua certainly told us that this poor devil of a monk had been +almost dismasted, but I did not expect to find him in so pitiable a +state."</p> + +<p>"Well," Lepoletais remarked with a frown, "I am not a very religious +man, but hang me if I should not hesitate to treat a monk in this way; +only a pagan is capable of committing such a crime."</p> + +<p>Then, with a truly filial attention, which the Spaniards admired, the +rude adventurer set to work, offering some relief to the wounded man's +intolerable sufferings, in which he entirely succeeded, owing to a long +practice in treating wounds of every description, and Fray Arsenio soon +fell into an invigorating sleep.</p> + +<p>During this time L'Olonnais had handed to Doña Clara the letter +which Montbarts had entrusted to him for her, and the young lady had +withdrawn a little for the purpose of reading it.</p> + +<p>"Come, come," L'Olonnais said gaily, as he tapped the Major-domo's +shoulder, "that is what I call a sensible lad, he has thought of the +substantials; breakfast is ready."</p> + +<p>"If that be the case," Lepoletais said, with a significant wink to his +comrade; "we will eat double tides, for we shall have work before long."</p> + +<p>"Shall we not wait the return of the Indian chief?" Don Sancho asked.</p> + +<p>"For what purpose?" L'Olonnais said, with a laugh. "Do not trouble +yourself about him, my gentleman: he is a long way off if he is still +running. Each of us has his work cut out for him."</p> + +<p>"I don't care!" Lepoletais remarked. "You had a deuced fine scent, +Señor, in responding to our invitation so quickly!"</p> + +<p>"Why so?"</p> + +<p>"You will soon know. But now take my advice—recruit your strength by +eating."</p> + +<p>At this moment Doña Clara rejoined the party. Her demeanour was firmer, +and her face almost gay.</p> + +<p>The table was soon laid—leaves serving for plates. They sat down to +it, that is to say, they formed a circle on the ground, and bravely +assailed the provisions.</p> + +<p>Don Sancho had resumed all his gaiety. This life appeared to him +delightful, and he laughed heartily, while eating with a good appetite. +Doña Clara herself, in spite of her inward preoccupation, did honour +to this improvised banquet.</p> + +<p>"Up! my darlings," Lepoletais had said to his dogs. "Tally ho! No +idleness, but go and watch the approaches while we are breakfasting. +Your share shall be kept."</p> + +<p>The dogs had risen with admirable obedience, and turning their backs on +the boucans, scattered in all directions, and speedily disappeared.</p> + +<p>"Yours are first-rate dogs," said Don Sancho.</p> + +<p>"You Spaniards are good judges of that," the buccaneer replied, +mockingly.</p> + +<p>The gentleman felt the sting, and did not deem it advisable to dwell +on the subject. In fact, it was at Saint Domingo that the Spaniards +inaugurated the frightful custom of training bloodhounds to hunt the +Indians, and employing them as auxiliaries in their wars.</p> + +<p>The breakfast was concluded without any fresh incident worthy of +remark, and the most perfect cordiality prevailed during the repast.</p> + +<p>When the masters had finished, it was the turn of the servants; that +is to say, L'Olonnais whistled up the dogs, which in an instant were +collected round him, and gave them their share in equal portions.</p> + +<p>The buccaneers, leaving their guests, and at liberty to employ their +time as they thought proper, were soon actively busied in preparing +their hides.</p> + +<p>Several hours passed in this way. About three in the afternoon a dog +barked, and then held its tongue.</p> + +<p>We have forgotten to state that, after their meal, the dogs returned to +their posts at a signal from the engagé.</p> + +<p>The two buccaneers exchanged a glance.</p> + +<p>"One!" said L'Olonnais.</p> + +<p>"Two!" Lepoletais almost immediately answered on a second bark, which +broke out in a different direction.</p> + +<p>Ere long, like an electric current, the challenges of the hounds +succeeded each other with extreme rapidity, raised in all directions.</p> + +<p>Still, nothing seemed to justify these warnings given by the sentries. +No suspicious sound could be heard, and the savannah seemed to be +plunged into the most perfect solitude.</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon, caballero," Don Sancho said to Lepoletais, who +continued his task with the same ardor, while laughing merrily with his +comrade; "but will you permit me to ask you a question?"</p> + +<p>"Do so, do so, my good gentleman. It is at times well to ask questions: +besides, if the question does not suit me, I shall be at liberty not to +answer it, I suppose?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! Of course."</p> + +<p>"In that case, speak without fear."</p> + +<p>"For some minutes past your dogs seem to have been giving you +signals—or, at least, I suppose so?"</p> + +<p>"You suppose right, caballero. They are really signals."</p> + +<p>"And would there be any indiscretion in asking you the meaning of the +signals?"</p> + +<p>"Not the least in the world, señor, especially as they interest you +quite as much as us."</p> + +<p>"I do not understand you."</p> + +<p>"You will soon do so. These signals signify that the savannah is at +this moment invaded by several Fifties, which are manoeuvring to +surround us."</p> + +<p>"<i>¡Diablos!</i>" the young man exclaimed, with a start of surprise: "And +you do not feel more affected than that?"</p> + +<p>"Why anticipate anxiety? My comrade and I had a pressing job which we +were obliged to finish. Now that it is done, we are going to turn our +attention to the señores."</p> + +<p>"But we cannot possibly resist so many enemies?"</p> + +<p>"Ah! Ah! Do you really feel inclined for a brush?"</p> + +<p>"S'death! My sister and I are incurring quite as much danger as you, +and we have not a minute to lose in attempting flight."</p> + +<p>"Flight?" the buccaneer said, with a grin; "Nonsense! You must be +laughing, my gentleman: we are enclosed in an impassable circle—or +what looks so."</p> + +<p>"In that case, we are lost."</p> + +<p>"How you go on! On the contrary, they are lost."</p> + +<p>"They? Why, we are only four against a hundred."</p> + +<p>"You are mistaken. There are two hundred; and that makes fifty for each +of us. Call in the dogs, L'Olonnais; they are now useless. Stay! Look +there; can you see them?"</p> + +<p>And he stretched his arm out straight ahead.</p> + +<p>In fact, the long lances of the Spanish soldiers appeared above the +tall grass. Lepoletais had told the truth. These lances formed a +circle, which was being more and more contracted round the boucan.</p> + +<p>"Come! That is rather neat," the buccaneer added, as he affectionately +tapped the butt of his long fusil.</p> + +<p>"Señora," he added, "keep by the side of the wounded man."</p> + +<p>"Oh! Let me give myself up," she exclaimed, frantically. "It is on my +account that this terrible danger menaces you."</p> + +<p>"Señora," the buccaneer replied, as he struck his chest with a gesture +of supreme majesty; "you are under the safeguard of my honour, and I +swear by Heaven, that no one, so long as I live, shall dare to lay a +finger upon you! Go to the wounded man."</p> + +<p>Involuntarily subdued by the accent with which the buccaneer uttered +these words, Doña Clara bowed without replying, and pensively seated +herself inside the ajoupa, by the side of Fray Arsenio, who was still +asleep.</p> + +<p>"Now, caballero," Lepoletais said to Don Sancho, "if you have never +been present at a buccaneering expedition, I promise you you are going +to see some fun, and enjoy yourself."</p> + +<p>"Well," the young man replied, recklessly; "I will fight, if I must. It +is a glorious death for a gentleman, to die sword in hand!"</p> + +<p>"Come," said the buccaneer, as he gave him a friendly tap on the +shoulder; "you are a fine lad. Something can be made of you."</p> + +<p>The Fifties still approached, and the circle grew more and more +contracted.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXX" id="CHAPTER_XXX">CHAPTER XXX.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE EXTERMINATOR.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>For some minutes a mournful silence—a complete calm, which, however, +was loaded with menace, hung heavily over the savannah.</p> + +<p>At a whistle from the engagé, the dogs ranged themselves behind their +masters, with heads down, lips drawn back to display their sharp teeth, +and flashing eyes, they awaited the order to rush forward, though +without giving the slightest bark or growl.</p> + +<p>L'Olonnais, leaning on his long fusil, was smoking his pipe quietly, +while casting sarcastic glances around.</p> + +<p>Lepoletais occupied himself with the utmost order in arranging various +articles which had been deranged during his morning's operations.</p> + +<p>The Major-domo, though in his heart he felt very anxious as to the +result of this apparently so disproportionate combat, was obliged to +grin and bear it—to use a familiar expression; for he was aware that +if he fell into the hands of his master, he had no mercy to expect +from him, after the manner in which he had thwarted his projects, by +favouring the flight of the Countess.</p> + +<p>Don Sancho de Peñaflor, in spite of his natural levity and warlike +character, was not without anxiety either, for, as an officer of the +Spanish army, his place was not in the ranks of the buccaneers, but +with the soldiers who were preparing to attack them.</p> + +<p>Doña Clara, kneeling by the side of the monk, with clasped hands, +eyes raised to heaven, and face inundated with tears, was fervently +imploring the protection of the Almighty.</p> + +<p>As for Fray Arsenio, he was quietly sleeping.</p> + +<p>Such was the picturesque aspect, imposing in its simplicity, offered +at this moment by the camp of the adventurers. Four men were preparing +coolly, and as if for the mere fun of the thing, to contend against +upwards of two hundred regular troops, from whom they knew that they +had no quarter to expect, but whom their insane resistance would +probably exasperate, and urge to measures of cruel violence.</p> + +<p>In the meanwhile the circle was more and more contracted, and the heads +of the soldiers were already beginning to appear above the tall grass.</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah!" said Lepoletais, rubbing his horney hands together with an +air of triumph—"I fancy it is time to open the ball; what do you say, +my boy?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, this is the right moment," the engagé replied, as he went to +fetch a log from the fire.</p> + +<p>"Mind not to stir from the spot where you are," Lepoletais recommended +the two Spaniards: "zounds! pay attention to this, or you will run a +risk of having your goose cooked," and he laid a stress on the last +words, with an evidently sarcastic meaning.</p> + +<p>The buccaneers, before establishing their bivouac, had pulled up the +grass for a distance of about thirty paces all around the ajoupa; this +grass, dried and calcined by the heat of the sun, had been piled up at +the border of the cleared ground.</p> + +<p>The engagé laid down his fusil, walked straight to this grass, set it +on fire, and then slowly returned to rejoin his companions.</p> + +<p>The effect of this manoeuvre was instantaneous, a jet of flame suddenly +burst out, spread in all directions, and soon a large portion of the +savannah presented the appearance of a vast furnace.</p> + +<p>The buccaneers laughed heartily at what they considered an excellent +joke.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards, taken unawares, uttered cries of terror, and rapidly +recoiled, pursued by the flame, which constantly spread, and +continually advanced toward them.</p> + +<p>Still, it was evident that the adventurers had no intention of +burning the unfortunate Spaniards alive; the fire lit by them had not +sufficient consistency for that; the grass burned and went out again +with extreme rapidity. Doubtless the sole result that the buccaneers +had wished to obtain, was to cause a panic terror to their enemies, +and cast disorder among them; and in this they had been perfectly +successful.</p> + +<p>The soldiers, half roasted by the flames, fled, uttering cries of +terror before this sea of fire, which seemed incessantly to pursue +them, without thinking of looking back, or obeying their officers, and +having but one thought, escaping the terrible danger that menaced them.</p> + +<p>While this was going on Lepoletais coolly explained to Don Sancho the +probable results of the expedient he had employed.</p> + +<p>"You see, Señor," he said, "this blaze is nothing; it is an almost +inoffensive straw fire; in a few minutes, or half an hour at the +latest, it will be extinguished. If these men are cowards we shall have +got rid of them, if not, they will return, and then the affair will be +serious."</p> + +<p>"But, as you recognize the inefficiency of this means, why did you +employ it? In my opinion it is more injurious than usual to our +defence."</p> + +<p>The buccaneer shook his head several times.</p> + +<p>"You do not understand," he said; "I had several motives for acting +thus. In the first place, however brave you may suppose your countrymen +to be, they are now demoralised, and it will be very difficult to +restore them the courage they no longer possess; on the other hand, +I was not sorry to see clearly around me, and sweep the savannah a +little, and lastly," he added, with a cunning look, "who told you that +the fire I lighted was not a signal?"</p> + +<p>"A signal?" Don Sancho exclaimed; "Then you have friends near here?"</p> + +<p>"Who knows? Señor, my companions are very active, and are frequently +met with when least expected."</p> + +<p>"I confess that I do not understand a word of what you are saying to +me."</p> + +<p>"Patience, Señor, patience! You will soon understand, I assure you, +and will not require any great effort of the intellect to do so. +L'Olonnais," he added, turning to his comrade, "I think you had better +go down there now."</p> + +<p>"That is true," L'Olonnais replied, as he carelessly threw his fusil +over his shoulder, "he will be expecting me."</p> + +<p>"Take some of the dogs with you."</p> + +<p>"What for?"</p> + +<p>"To guide you, my lad; it is not easy now to find one's way through the +ashes, for all the trails are covered."</p> + +<p>The engagé called several dogs by their name, and went off without +replying, followed by a portion of the pack.</p> + +<p>"There," Lepoletais continued, pointing to the engagé, who seemed to be +running, as he went at such a pace, "just look at that fellow, he is a +fine chap, eh? And how he behaves, though he has not been more than two +months in America; in three years from this time I predict to you that +he will be one of our most celebrated adventurers."</p> + +<p>"Did you buy him?" Don Sancho asked, though but little interested in +details which had no importance for him.</p> + +<p>"Unluckily, no, he has only been lent to me for a few days; he is +the engagé of Montbarts the Exterminator: I offered him two hundred +piastres for him, but he refused to sell him."</p> + +<p>"What?" the young man exclaimed—"Montbarts, the celebrated filibuster?"</p> + +<p>"The very man; he is a friend of mine."</p> + +<p>"In that case he is close at hand?"</p> + +<p>"That, Señor, is one of the things which you will learn shortly."</p> + +<p>As the buccaneer had foreseen, the fire went out almost as quickly as +it blazed up, for want of aliment on this savannah, where only grass +and a few insignificant shrubs grew.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards had sought shelter on the banks of the stream, whose +barren sand preserved them from contact with the fire. The forests, +too remote from the scene of the fire, had not caught, although a few +tongues of flame had played round their edge.</p> + +<p>From the boucan it was easy to perceive the Spanish officers striving +to restore some degree of order among their troops, doubtless for the +purpose of attempting a new attack, although Lepoletais did not appear +at all alarmed. Among the officers one was especially remarkable; he +was on horseback, and was taking immense trouble to form the ranks, and +the other officers came up in turn to receive his orders.</p> + +<p>This officer Don Sancho recognized at the first glance.</p> + +<p>"This is what I feared," he muttered; "the Count has placed himself at +the head of the expedition, and we are lost."</p> + +<p>In truth, it was Don Stenio de Bejar, who, on arriving at the hatto at +daybreak, and learning the flight of the Countess, resolved to command +the expedition.</p> + +<p>The position of the adventurers was critical, reduced as they were +to three, encamped in the middle of a bare plain, and without +entrenchments of any description. Still, the confidence of the +buccaneer did not seem diminished, and it was with an ironical air that +he examined the preparations the enemy was making against him.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards, formed again with great difficulty by the energy of +their officers, at last started, and proceeded once more toward the +boucan, while taking the same precautions as before, that is to say, +being careful to extend their front, so as to form a complete circle, +and entirely surround the encampment.</p> + +<p>But the march of the Fifties was slow and measured; it was only with +extreme caution that the soldiers ventured on this scarcely cooled +ground, which might conceal fresh snares.</p> + +<p>The Count, pointing to the boucan with his sword, in vain excited his +troops to press on, and finish with this handful of scoundrels who +dared to oppose His Majesty's troops; the soldiers would not listen, +and only advanced with greater caution, for the calmness and apparent +negligence of their enemies frightened them more than a hostile +demonstration, and must, in their opinion, be owing to some terrible +trap laid for them.</p> + +<p>At this moment the situation was complicated by a strange episode; a +canoe crossed the stream, and ran ashore exactly at the spot which the +Spaniards had quitted only a few minutes previously.</p> + +<p>This canoe contained five persons, three adventurers, and two Spaniards.</p> + +<p>The adventurers stepped ashore as calmly as if they; were quite alone, +and pushing the two Spaniards before them, advanced resolutely toward +the soldiers.</p> + +<p>The latter, astonished, confounded at such audacity, watched them +coming without daring to make a movement to oppose them.</p> + +<p>These three adventurers were Montbarts, Michael the Basque, and +L'Olonnais, and seven or eight dogs followed them. The two Spaniards +walked unarmed in front of them, being alarmed about their fate, as was +proved by the pallor of their faces, and the startled glances which +they threw around them.</p> + +<p>The Count, on perceiving the adventurers, uttered a cry of rage, and +bounded with uplifted sword to meet them.</p> + +<p>"Down with the ladrones!" he cried.</p> + +<p>The soldiers, ashamed of being held in check by three men, wheeled +round, and boldly advanced.</p> + +<p>The adventurers were surrounded in an instant; but, without displaying +the slightest surprise at this manoeuvre, they also halted, and +standing shoulder to shoulder, faced all sides at once.</p> + +<p>The soldiers instinctively stopped.</p> + +<p>"Death!" the Count cried; "No mercy for the ladrones!"</p> + +<p>"Silence," Montbarts replied; "before menacing, listen to the news +these two couriers bring you."</p> + +<p>"Seize these villains!" the Count yelled again. "Kill them like dogs!"</p> + +<p>"Nonsense," Montbarts remarked, ironically; "you are mad, my worthy +sir. Seize us! Why, I defy you to do it."</p> + +<p>The three adventurers then emptied their powder flasks into their caps, +and placed their bullets on the top of it; then, holding in one hand +their caps thus converted into grenades, and in the other their lighted +pipes, they waited for the signal.</p> + +<p>"Attention, brothers," Montbarts said; "and you scoundrels, make way, +there, unless you wish us to blow you all up."</p> + +<p>And with a firm and measured step the three adventurers advanced toward +the Spaniards, who were struck with terror, and really opened their +ranks to make a passage for them.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" Montbarts added, with a laugh, "Do not fear that we shall attempt +to fly; we only want to join our comrades."</p> + +<p>Then was witnessed the extraordinary scene of two hundred men timidly +following at a respectful distance three filibusters, who, while +walking and smoking to keep their pipes from going out, did not cease +from jeering them for their cowardice.</p> + +<p>Lepoletais was quite wild with delight: as for Don Sancho, he did +not know whether to feel most astonished at the mad temerity of the +French, or the cowardice of his countrymen.</p> + +<p>The three adventurers thus most easily effected their junction with +their companions without having been once disturbed by the Spaniards +during a rather long walk. In spite of the prayers and exhortations of +the Count to his soldiers, the only thing he obtained from them was, +that they continued to advance instead of retreating, as they had a +manifest intention of doing.</p> + +<p>But, while the adventurers thus drew the soldiers after them, and +concentrated their entire attention, a thing was happening which the +Count perceived when too late, and which began to cause him serious +alarm as to the result of his expedition.</p> + +<p>In the rear of the centre formed by the Spanish soldiers, another +circle had been drawn up as if by enchantment, but the latter was +composed of buccaneers and red Caribs, at whose head Omopoua made +himself remarkable.</p> + +<p>The adventurers and Indians had manoeuvred with so much intelligence, +vivacity, and silence, that the Spaniards were enveloped in a network +of steel, even before they had suspected the danger that menaced them.</p> + +<p>The Count uttered an exclamation of rage, to which the soldiers +responded by a cry of terror.</p> + +<p>The situation was, in fact, extremely critical for the unhappy +Spaniards, and unless a miracle occurred, it was literally impossible +for them to escape death.</p> + +<p>In fact they had no longer to contend against a few men, resolute, it +is true, but whom numbers must eventually conquer, even at a sacrifice; +the filibusters were at least two hundred, and with their allies the +Caribs, formed an effective strength of five hundred men, all as brave +lions, and three hundred more than the Spaniards; the latter understood +that they were lost.</p> + +<p>On arriving at the boucan, directly that he had squeezed Lepoletais' +hand and complimented him on the way in which he had contrived to +gain time, Montbarts gravely occupied himself with his comrades, in +restoring the powder and bullets to their respective receptacles, as he +probably judged that their caps might now be used for their legitimate +purpose.</p> + +<p>While the filibuster was engaged in this occupation, Doña Clara, pale +as a corpse, fixed on him burning glances, though she did not venture +to approach him. At length she took courage, advanced a few paces and +murmured with an effort in a trembling voice and with clasped hands,—</p> + +<p>"I am here, sir."</p> + +<p>Montbarts trembled at the sound of this voice, and turned pale; but he +made an effort over himself and softened the rather hard expression of +his eye.</p> + +<p>"I have come solely on your account, Madam," he replied with a polite +bow; "I shall have the honour of placing myself at your orders in +a moment; permit me first to make sure that our interview will be +uninterrupted."</p> + +<p>Doña Clara hung her head and returned to her seat by the wounded man.</p> + +<p>The adventurers had continued to advance and were soon scarce ten paces +from the Spaniards, whose terror was augmented by this disagreeable +vicinity.</p> + +<p>"Hola, brothers!" Montbarts shouted in a powerful voice; "Halt, if you +please."</p> + +<p>The filibusters instantaneously became motionless.</p> + +<p>"And now, you fellows," the Admiral continued, addressing the soldiers; +"throw down your arms, unless you wish to be immediately shot."</p> + +<p>All the lances and swords fell on the ground with a unanimity which +proved the desire of the soldiers not to have the menace carried into +effect.</p> + +<p>"Surrender your sword, sir," Montbarts said to the Count.</p> + +<p>"Never!" the latter exclaimed, as he made his horse curvet, and +advanced with upraised blade on the adventurer, from whom he was only +three paces distant.</p> + +<p>At the same instant a fusil was discharged and the sword blade, struck +within an inch of the guard, was shivered; the Count found himself +disarmed. With a sudden movement Montbarts seized the horse's bridle +with one hand, and with the other hurled the Count from the saddle and +laid him prostrate on the ground.</p> + +<p>"Patatras!" Lepoletais said laughingly, while reloading his fusil; +"What a deuced funny idea to try alone to resist five hundred men."</p> + +<p>The Count rose quite confused by his fall; a livid pallor covered his +face, and his features were contracted by anger; all at once his eyes +fell upon the Countess.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" He yelled with the cry of a tiger, as he darted towards her, "At +least I shall avenge myself."</p> + +<p>But Montbarts seized him by the arm and rendered him motionless.</p> + +<p>"One word, one gesture, and I blow out your brains like the wild beast +you are," he said to him.</p> + +<p>There was such an accent of menace in the filibuster's words; his +interference had been so rapid that the Count, involuntarily cowed, +fell back with his arms folded on his chest and remained apparently +calm, although a volcano was at work in his heart, and his eyes were +obstinately fixed on the Countess.</p> + +<p>Montbarts gazed for a moment at his enemy with an expression of pity +and contempt.</p> + +<p>"You have desired, sir," he at length said to him ironically; "to try +your strength with the filibusters and will soon learn the cost; while +impelled by a mad desire of vengeance and inspired by an imaginary +jealousy, you were virulently pursuing a lady whose noble heart and +brilliant virtues you are incapable of appreciating, one half of the +island of which you are the governor has been torn forever from the +power of your sovereign, by my companions and myself; Tortuga, Leogane, +San Juan de Goava, and your hatto del Rincón, suddenly surprised, have +fallen without a blow."</p> + +<p>The Count drew himself up, a feverish flush covered his face, he +advanced a step and cried in a voice choking with passion,—</p> + +<p>"You lie, villain; however great your audacity may be, it is impossible +that you have succeeded in seizing the places you mention."</p> + +<p>Montbarts shrugged his shoulders.</p> + +<p>"An insult coming from lips like yours has no effect," he said, "you +shall soon have the confirmation of what I assert; but enough of this +subject; I wished to have you in my power in order that you may be +witness of what I have to say to this lady. Come," he added, addressing +Doña Clara; "come, madam, and forgive me for not wishing to see you +except in the presence of the man you call your husband."</p> + +<p>On hearing the appeal, Doña Clara rose trembling, and tottered forward.</p> + +<p>There was a momentary silence; Montbarts, with his head hanging on his +chest, seemed plunged in bitter thoughts; at length he drew himself up, +passed his hand over his forehead as if to drive away the mist that +obscured his reason, turned to Doña Clara, and said to her in a gentle +voice,—</p> + +<p>"You desired to see me, madam, in order to remind me of a time forever +past, and to confide a secret to me. This secret I have no right to +know; the Count de Barmont is dead, dead to everybody, to you before +all, who did not blush to renounce him, and though you belonged to him +by legitimate ties, and before all by the more legitimate one of a +powerful love, cowardly permitted yourself to be chained to another; +this is a crime, madam, which no forgiveness can efface, either in the +present or past."</p> + +<p>"Pity me, sir," the unhappy lady said, as she writhed beneath this +curse and burst into tears; "pity me, in the name of my remorse and my +sufferings!"</p> + +<p>"What are you doing, madam?" the Count exclaimed, "Rise at once."</p> + +<p>"Silence," Montbarts said in a harsh voice, "Allow this culprit to be +bowed beneath the weight of her repentance; you, who have been her +executioner, have less right than anyone else to protect her."</p> + +<p>Don Sancho had rushed toward his sister and, roughly repulsing the +Count, raised her in his arms. Montbarts continued.</p> + +<p>"I will only add one word, madam; the Count de Barmont had a child; on +the day when that child comes to ask his mother's pardon of me, I will +grant it—perhaps," he added in a faint voice.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" the young lady exclaimed with a feverish energy, as she seized +the hand which the filibuster had not the courage to withdraw from her, +"Oh sir! You are great and noble, this promise restores me all my hope +and courage; oh! I swear to you, sir, I will find my child again."</p> + +<p>"Enough, madam," Montbarts continued with ill suppressed emotion; "this +interview has lasted too long; here is your brother, he loves you, and +will be able to protect you; there is another person whom I regret +not to see here, for he would have advised and sustained you, in your +affliction."</p> + +<p>"To whom do you allude?" Don Sancho asked.</p> + +<p>"To the confessor of your sister."</p> + +<p>The young man turned away without answering.</p> + +<p>"Why, brother," Lepoletais here observed, "here he is half dead, look +at his burnt hands."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" Montbarts exclaimed, "It is really he, who is the monster that +has dared—"</p> + +<p>"Here he is!" the buccaneer replied, as he tapped the shoulder of the +Count, who was dumb with stupor and horror, for only at this moment did +he notice his victim.</p> + +<p>Two flashes of flame started from Montbart's eyes.</p> + +<p>"Villain," he exclaimed, "what, torture an inoffensive man! Oh, +Spaniards, race of vipers! What sufficiently horrible punishment could +I inflict on you!"</p> + +<p>All his hearers trembled at this passion so long restrained, which had +at length burst its bonds and now overflowed with irresistible violence.</p> + +<p>"By Heaven!" the filibuster exclaimed in a terrible voice, "It is +the worse for you, butcher, that you remind me I am Montbarts the +exterminator. L'Olonnais, prepare the fire under the barbacoas of the +boucan."</p> + +<p>An indescribable terror seized on all the hearers of this order, +which clearly expressed to what a horrible punishment the Count was +condemned; Don Stenio himself, in spite of his indomitable pride, felt +a chill at his heart.</p> + +<p>But at this moment, the monk, who had hitherto remained motionless on +his couch, and apparently insensible to what was going on, rose with +a painful effort, and leaning on the shoulders of Doña Clara and her +brother, tottered forward, and knelt with them to the filibuster.</p> + +<p>"Pity," he exclaimed, "pity, in Heaven's name!"</p> + +<p>"No," Montbarts replied harshly, "This man is condemned."</p> + +<p>"I implore you, brother, be merciful," the monk went on to urge him.</p> + +<p>All at once the Count drew two pistols from his doublet, and pointed +one at Doña Clara, while he placed the other against his own forehead.</p> + +<p>"Of what use is it to implore a tiger," he said, "I die, but by my own +hands, and I die avenged," and he pulled the trigger.</p> + +<p>The double detonation was blended in one.</p> + +<p>The Count fell dead on the ground; the second shot badly aimed did not +strike Doña Clara, but Fray Arsenio, and laid him dying at the foot of +his assassin. The last word of the poor monk was, "pity!"</p> + +<p>And he expired with his eyes fixed on heaven, as if with a last prayer +addressed in favour of his murderer.</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>At sunset the savannah had returned to its habitual solitude; +Montbarts, after having the victim and the assassin interred in the +same grave, doubtless that the just man might protect the culprit in +the presence of the Most High, set out for Port Margot, at the head of +the filibusters and Caribs.</p> + +<p>Doña Clara and her brother returned to the hatto del Rincón, +accompanied by the Spanish soldiers, to whom Montbarts had consented to +restore their liberty, through consideration for the two young people.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 44380 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1f17370 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #44380 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/44380) diff --git a/old/44380-8.txt b/old/44380-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..170b027 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/44380-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,14620 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Buccaneer Chief, by Gustave Aimard, +Translated by Lascelles Wraxall + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Buccaneer Chief + A Romance of the Spanish Main + + +Author: Gustave Aimard + + + +Release Date: December 7, 2013 [eBook #44380] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BUCCANEER CHIEF*** + + +E-text prepared by Camille Bernard and Marc D'Hooghe +(http://www.freeliterature.org) from page images generously made available +by the Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford +(http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk) + + + +Note: Images of the original pages are available through + Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford. See + http://purl.ox.ac.uk/uuid/324b5598fbd44321abe105868fb7f75a + + + + + +THE BUCCANEER CHIEF + +A Romance of the Spanish Main + +by + +GUSTAVE AIMARD + +Author of Smuggler Chief, Strong Hand, etc. + + + + + + + +London +Ward and Lock, 158, Fleet Street +MDCCCLXIV + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + I. THE HOSTELRY OF THE COURT OF FRANCE + II. A FAMILY SCENE + III. THE ARREST + IV. THE ISLE OF SAINTE MARGUERITE + V. A BACKWARD GLANCE + VI. LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT + VII. DESPAIR + VIII. THE PRISONER + IX. MAJOR DE L'OURSIÈRE + X. THE SEAGULL LUGGER + XI. FRANCE, FAREWELL! + XII. THE BEGINNING OF THE ADVENTURE + XIII. THE COUNCIL OF THE FILIBUSTERS + XIV. THE SECOND PROPOSAL + XV. THE SPY + XVI. THE SLAVE SALE + XVII. THE ENLISTMENT + XVIII. NEVIS + XIX. THE EXPEDITION + XX. THE HATTO + XXI. THE MAJOR-DOMO'S STORY + XXII. ACROSS COUNTRY + XXIII. COMPLICATIONS + XXIV. PORT MARGOT + XXV. FRAY ARSENIO + XXVI. THE CONSEQUENCES OF A MEETING + XXVII. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COLONY + XXVIII. THE FLIGHT FROM THE HATTO + XXIX. EVENTS ACCUMULATE + XXX. THE EXTERMINATOR + + + + +THE BUCCANEER CHIEF. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE HOSTELRY OF THE COURT OF FRANCE. + + +Although the Seine, from Chanceaux, its fountainhead, to Havre, where +it falls into the sea, is not more than four hundred miles in length, +still, in spite of this comparatively limited course, this river is +one of the most important in the world; for, from the days of Cæsar up +to the present, it has seen all the great social questions which have +agitated modern times decided on its banks. + +Tourists, artists, and travellers, who go a long distance in search of +scenery, could not find anything more picturesque or more capriciously +diversified than the winding banks of this river, which is skirted by +commercial towns and pretty villages, coquettishly arranged on the +sides of verdant valleys, or half disappearing in the midst of dense +clumps of trees. + +It is in one of these villages, situated but a few leagues from Paris, +that our story began, on March 26th, 1641. + +This village, whose origin dates back to the earliest period of the +French Monarchy, was at that time pretty nearly what it is now; +differing in this respect from all the hamlets that surround it, it has +remained stationary; on seeing it you might fancy that centuries have +not passed as far as it is concerned. When the neighbouring hamlets +became villages, and were finally transformed into large towns, it +continually decreased, so that its population at the present day scarce +attains the amount of four hundred inhabitants. + +And yet its situation is most happy: traversed by a stream and bordered +by a river, possessing an historic castle, and forming an important +station on one of the railway lines, it seemed destined to become an +industrial centre, the more so because its inhabitants are industrious +and intelligent. + +But there is a spell upon the place. The great landowners who have +succeeded each other in the country, and who mostly grew rich in the +political commotions, or by risky speculations, have tacitly agreed +to impede in every possible way the industrial aspirations of the +population--have ever egotistically sacrificed public interest to their +private advantage. + +Thus the historic castle to which we alluded has fallen into the hands +of a man who, sprung from nothing, and feeling himself stifled within +its walls, allows them to crumble away before the effects of time, and, +to save the expense of a gardener, sows oats in the majestic alleys +of a park, designed by Le Nôtre, whose grand appearance strikes with +admiration the traveller, who sees it at a distance as he is borne past +in the train. + +The same thing is going on in the whole of this unhappy hamlet, which +is condemned to die of inanition in the midst of the abundance of its +neighbours. + +This village was composed at the period of our narrative of a single +long narrow street, which ran down from the top of a scarped hill, +crossed a small rivulet, and terminated only a few yards from the Seine. + +This street, through its entire length, was bordered by low, ugly +tenements, pressing closely together, as if for mutual support, and +mostly serving as pothouses for the waggoners and other people who at +this period, when the great network of the French royal roads had not +yet been made, continually passed through this village, and sought +shelter there for the night. + +The top of the street was occupied by a very wealthy, religious +community, next to which stood a large building hidden at the end of +a spacious garden, and serving as hostelry for the wealthy personages +whom their business or pleasure brought to this place, which was +surrounded for ten leagues round by sumptuous seigneurial mansions. + +There was nothing externally to cause this building to be recognized as +an inn; a low gateway gave access to the garden, and it was not till +the traveller had gone along the whole of the latter that he found +himself in front of the house. + +It had, however, another entrance, looking out on a road but little +frequented at the time, and which was employed by horses and coaches, +when the traveller had succeeded in obtaining the landlord's leave to +put up there. + +Although this house, as we said, was a hostelry, its owner did not +admit everybody who proposed to lodge there; on the contrary, he was +very difficult in the choice of his guests, asserting, rightly or +wrongly, that a hostelry, which had been honoured on several occasions +by the presence of the King and the Cardinal Minister, must not serve +as an asylum either for vagabonds or nightbirds. + +In order to justify the right he claimed, the landlord had, a few +months previously, had the arms of France daubed on a metal plate by +a strolling painter, and inscribed under it in golden letters--"_The +Court of France._" This sign he put up over his door. + +This inn enjoyed a great reputation, not only in the country, but in +all the surrounding provinces, and even as far as Paris--a reputation, +we are bound to add, well deserved, for if mine host was particular in +the choice of his lodgers, when the latter had succeeded in gaining +admission he treated them, men and beasts, with a peculiar care, that +had something paternal about it. + +Although it was getting on for the end of March, and, according to the +almanac, 'Spring had begun some days previously,' the cold was nipping, +the rime-laden trees stood out sadly against the leaden sky, and a +thick, hardened layer of snow covered the ground for some depth. + +Although it was about ten o'clock at night, it was light, and the moon, +floating in russet clouds, profusely shed her sickly beams, which +rendered it almost as light as day. + +All were asleep in the village, or, at least, seemed to be so; the +_Court of France_ alone emitted a light through its ground floor barred +windows, which proved that somebody was still up there. + +Still, the inn did not offer shelter to any traveller. + +All those who during the day, and since nightfall, had presented +themselves, had been mercilessly turned away by the landlord, a stout +man, with a rubicund face, intelligent features, and a crafty smile, +who was walking at this moment with an air of preoccupation up and +down his immense kitchen, every now and then casting an absent glance +at the preparations for supper, one portion of which was roasting +before a colossal fireplace, whilst the rest was being got ready by a +master cook and several assistants. + +A middle-aged, short, plump woman, suddenly burst into the kitchen, and +addressed the landlord, who had turned round at the noise. + +"Is it true," she asked, "Master Pivois, that you have ordered the dais +room to be got ready, as Mariette declares?" + +Master Pivois drew himself up. + +"What did Mariette tell you?" he enquired, sternly. + +"Well, she told me to prepare the best bedroom." + +"Which is the best bedroom, Dame Tiphaine?" + +"The dais room, master, since it is the one in which His Majesty--" + +"In that case," mine host interrupted her, in a peremptory tone, +"prepare the dais room." + +"Still, master," Dame Tiphaine ventured--who possessed a certain amount +of credit in the house, in the first place, as legitimate spouse of the +landlord himself, and then, again, through sundry very marked traits of +character--"with all the respect I owe you, it seems to me--" + +"With all the respect I owe you," he exclaimed, stamping his foot +passionately, "you're a fool, my good creature, obey my orders, and do +not trouble me further!" + +Dame Tiphaine comprehended that her lord and master was not in a +humour that evening for being contradicted. Like a prudent woman, she +bowed her head and withdrew, reserving to herself the right of taking +a startling revenge at a future date for the sharp reprimand she had +received. + +Doubtless satisfied with his display of authority, Master Pivois, after +taking a triumphant glance at his subordinates, who were surprised at +this unusual act of vigour, though they did not dare show it, walked +toward a door that led into the garden; but at the moment when he laid +his hand on the key, this door, vigorously thrust from the outside, +opened right in the face of the startled landlord, who tottered back to +the middle of the room, and a man entered the kitchen. + +"At last!" the stranger said, joyously, as he threw his plumed hat on +a table and took off his cloak. "By heaven! I almost found myself in a +desert." + +And before mine host, who was growing more and more astounded at +his cool behaviour, had the time to oppose it, he took a chair, and +comfortably installed himself in the chimney corner. + +The newcomer appeared to be not more than twenty-five years of age; +long black curls fell in disorder on his shoulders; his marked features +were noble and intelligent; his black eyes, full of fire, announced +courage, and the habit of commanding; his countenance had a certain +stamp of grandeur, tempered by the cordial smile that played round +his wide mouth, full of brilliantly white teeth; his red, and rather +swollen lips, were adorned, according to the fashion of the day, with +a most carefully waxed moustache, while his square chin, indicative of +obstinacy, was covered by a long royale. + +His dress, while not rich, was, however, becoming--cut with taste, +and affected a certain military air, which was rendered more marked +by the brace of pistols the stranger carried in his belt, and the long +iron-handled sword that hung at his side. + +Altogether, his lofty stature, and muscular, well-developed person, +and the air of audacity spread all over him, rendered him one of those +men, the breed of whom was so common at the period, and who at the +first glance contrived to claim from people with whom accident brought +them in contact that respect to which, whether justly or unjustly, they +believed they had a right. + +In the meanwhile, the landlord, who had slightly recovered from the +emotion and surprise he had experienced at what he almost regarded +as a violation of his domicile, advanced a few steps toward the +stranger, and while bowing lower than he had intended, and doffing his +cotton nightcap before the flashing glance the other bent on him, he +stammered, in anything but a steady voice-- + +"My lord--" + +But the latter interrupted him without ceremony. + +"Are you the landlord?" he asked, sharply. + +"Yes," Master Pivois grunted, as he drew himself up, feeling quite +constrained at answering when he was preparing to question. + +"Very good," the stranger continued; "look after my horse, which I left +I know not where in your garden; have him put in the stable, and tell +the ostler to wash his withers with a little vinegar and water, for I +am afraid he has hurt himself a little." + +These words were uttered so carelessly, that the landlord stood utterly +confounded, unable to utter a syllable. + +"Well," the stranger continued, at the expiration of a moment, with +a slight frown, "what are you doing here, ass, instead of obeying my +orders?" + +Master Pivois, completely subdued, turned on his heels, and left the +room, tottering like a drunken man. + +The stranger looked after him with a smile, and then turned to the +waiting-men, who were whispering together, and taking side-glances at +him. + +"Come and wait on me," he said; "place a table here before me near the +fire, and bring me some supper--make haste, s'death, or I shall die of +hunger!" + +The waiting-men, delighted in their hearts at playing their master +a trick, did not let the order be repeated; in a second a table was +brought up, the cloth laid, and, on re-entering the room, the landlord +found the stranger in the act of carving a magnificent partridge. + +Master Pivois assumed at the sight all the colours of the rainbow--at +first pale, he turned so red that a fit of apoplexy might be +apprehended, so vivid was his emotion. + +"By Heaven," he exclaimed, stamping his foot angrily, "that is too +much." + +"What?" the stranger asked, as he raised his head and wiped his +moustache; "What is the matter with you, my good man?" + +"Matter, indeed!" mine host growled. + +"By the way, is my horse in the stable?" + +"Your horse, your horse," the other grumbled, "as if that is troubling +me." + +"What is it then, if you please, master mine?" the stranger asked, as +he poured out a bumper which he conscientiously drained to the last +drop. "Ah," he said, "it is Jurançon; I recognise it." + +This indifference and this coolness raised the landlord's anger to the +highest pitch, and caused him to forget all prudence. + +"Cogswounds," he said, boldly seizing the bottle, "it is a strange +piece of impudence thus to enter an honest house without the owner's +permission; decamp at once, my fine gentleman, unless you wish harm +to befall you, and seek a lodging elsewhere, for, as far as I am +concerned, I cannot and will not give you one." + +The stranger had not moved a feature during this harangue; he had +listened to Master Pivois without displaying the slightest impatience: +when the landlord at length held his tongue, he threw himself back in +his chair, and looked him fixedly in the face. + +"Listen to me in your turn, master," he said to him, "and engrave these +words deeply on your narrow brain: this house is an inn, is it not? +Hence it must be open without hesitation to every stranger who comes +here for food and lodging with money in his pocket. I am aware that you +claim the right of only receiving such persons as you think proper; if +there are people who put up with that, it is their business, but for my +part, I do not intend to do so. I feel comfortable here, so I remain, +and shall remain as long as I think proper; I do not prevent you from +swindling me, for that is your duty as a landlord, and I have no right +to object; but, if I am not served politely and dexterously--if you do +not give me a proper bedroom to spend the night in--in a word, if you +do not perform the duties of hospitality toward me in the way I expect, +I promise to pull down your signboard, and hang you up in its place, +on the slightest infraction you are guilty of. And now I suppose you +understand me?" he added, squeezing the other's hand so hard that the +poor fellow uttered a yell of agony, and went tottering against the +kitchen wall: "Serve me, then, and let us have no more argument, for +you would not get the best of the quarrel if you picked one with me." + +And without paying further attention to the landlord, the traveller +continued his interrupted supper. + +It was all over with the landlord's attempted resistance; he felt +himself vanquished, and did not attempt a struggle which had now become +impossible. Confused and humiliated, he only thought of satisfying this +strange guest who had installed himself by main force in the house. + +The traveller did not in any way abuse his victory; satisfied with +having obtained the result he desired, he did not take the slightest +liberty. + +The result was that gradually, from one concession to another--the one +offering, the other not refusing--they became on the best possible +terms; and toward the end of the supper, mine host and the traveller +found themselves, without knowing how, the most affectionate friends in +the world. + +They were talking together. First of the rain and fine weather, the +dearness of provisions, the king's illness, and that of his Eminence +the Cardinal; then, growing gradually bolder, Master Pivois poured out +a huge bumper of wine for his improvised guest, and collected all his +courage. + +"Do you know, my good gentleman," he said to him suddenly, shaking his +head with an air of contrition, "that you are fearfully in my way?" + +"Stuff!" the stranger answered, as he tossed off the contents of his +glass, and shrugged his shoulders, "Are we coming back to the old +story of just now? I thought that settled long ago." + +"Alas! I would it were so for everybody as it is for me." + +"What do you mean?" + +"Pray do not get into a passion, sir," the landlord continued timidly; +"I have not the slightest intention of insulting you." + +"In that case explain yourself in the Fiend's name, my master, and come +frankly to the point; I do not understand what others beside yourself +have to do in the matter." + +"That is just the difficulty," said Master Pivois, scratching his head. + +"Speak, zounds! I am not an ogre; what is it that causes you such +anxiety?" + +The landlord saw that he must out with it, and fear giving him courage, +he bravely made up his mind. + +"Monseigneur," he said, honestly, "believe me that I am too much the +man of the world to venture to act with rudeness to a gentleman of your +importance--" + +"Enough of that," the stranger interrupted, with a smile. + +"But--" the host continued. + +"Ah! There is a _but_." + +"Alas! Monseigneur, there always is one, and today a bigger one than +ever." + +"Hang it all, you terrify me, master," the stranger remarked, with a +laugh; "tell me quickly, I beg of you, what this terrible but is." + +"Alas! Monseigneur, it is this: my entire hostelry was engaged a week +ago by a party of gentlemen; I expect them to arrive in an hour--half +an hour, perhaps, and--" + +"And?" the stranger asked, in an enquiring tone, which caused the host +to shudder. + +"Well, Monseigneur," he resumed in a choking voice, "these gentlemen +insist on having the hostelry to themselves, and made me swear not to +receive any other traveller but themselves, and paid me to that effect." + +"Very good," said the stranger, with an air of indifference. + +"What do you say; very good? Monseigneur," Master Pivois exclaimed. + +"Hang it! What else would you have me say? You have strictly fulfilled +your engagement, and no one has the right to reproach you." + +"How so, sir?" + +"Unless you have someone concealed here," the stranger answered, +imperturbably, "which, I confess, would not be at all honourable on +your part." + +"I have nobody." + +"Well, then?" + +"But you, monseigneur?" he hazarded timidly. + +"Oh, I," the stranger replied laughingly, "that is another affair; let +us make a distinction, if you please, master; you did not receive me, +far from it; I pressed my company on you, as I think you will allow." + +"It is only too true." + +"Do you regret it?" + +"Far from it, monseigneur," he exclaimed eagerly, for he was not at all +desirous of re-arousing the slumbering wrath of the irascible stranger; +"I am only stating a fact." + +"Very good, I see with pleasure, Master Pivois, that you are a very +serious man; you are stating a fact, you say?" + +"Alas! yes," the luckless host sighed. + +"Very good; now follow my reasoning closely." + +"I am doing so." + +"When these gentlemen arrive, which according to your statement, will +be soon, you will only have one thing to do." + +"What is it, monseigneur?" + +"Tell them exactly what has passed between us. If I am not greatly +mistaken this honest explanation will satisfy them; if it be +otherwise--" + +"Well, if it be so, what am I to do, sir?" + +"Refer them to me, Master Pivois, and I will undertake in my turn to +convince them; gentlemen of good birth perfectly understand each other." + +"Still, monseigneur--" + +"Not a word more on this subject, I must request; but stay," he added, +and listened, "I believe your company are arriving." + +And he carelessly threw himself back in his chair. + +Outside, the trampling of horses on the hardened snow could be +distinctly heard, and then several blows were dealt on the door. + +"It is they," the host muttered. + +"A further reason not to keep them waiting; go and open the door, +master, for it is very cold outside." + +The landlord hesitated for a moment and then left the room without +replying. + +The stranger carefully folded himself in his mantle, pulled the brim of +his beaver over his eyes, and awaited the entrance of the newcomers, +while affecting an air of indifference. + +The waiting-men, who had sought shelter in the most remote corner of +the room, were trembling in the prevision of a disturbance. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +A FAMILY SCENE. + + +In the meanwhile the new arrivals were making a great noise in the +road, and seemed to be growing impatient at the delay in letting them +into the hostelry. + +Master Pivois at length decided to open to them, though he was +suffering from a secret apprehension as to the consequences which the +presence of a stranger in the house might have for him. + +As soon as a stable-lad had by his orders, drawn back the bolts, +and opened the carriage-gates, several horsemen entered the yard, +accompanied by a coach drawn by four horses. + +By the light of the lanthorn held by his lad the landlord perceived +that the travellers were seven in number; three masters, three +servants, and the coachman on the box. All were wrapped up in thick +cloaks, and armed to the teeth. + +So soon as the coach had entered the yard, the horsemen dismounted; +one of them, who appeared to exercise a certain authority over his +companions, walked up to the landlord, while the others brought the +coach up to the main entrance of the house, and closed the gates. + +"Well, master," said the traveller to whom we allude, with a very +marked foreign accent, although he expressed himself very purely in +French; "have my orders been punctually executed?" + +At this question, which was very embarrassing to him, Master Pivois +scratched his head, and then replied like the cunning peasant he was-- + +"As far as possibly, yes, my lord." + +"What do you mean, scoundrel?" the traveller resumed roughly; "Your +instructions were precise enough." + +"Yes, my lord," the landlord said humbly; "and I will even add that I +was liberally paid beforehand." + +"In that case, what have you to say?" + +"That I have done the best I could," Master Pivois replied in growing +confusion. + +"Ah! I suppose you mean that you have someone in the house?" + +"Alas! yes, my lord," the landlord answered, hanging his head. + +The traveller stamped his foot passionately. + +"S'blood!" he exclaimed; then, at once resuming an apparent calmness, +he continued, "Who are the persons?" + +"There is only one." + +"Ah!" said the traveller, with satisfaction, "If there be only one, +nothing is more easy than to dislodge him." + +"I fear not," the landlord ventured timidly, "for this traveller, who +is a stranger to me, I swear, looks to me like a rude gentleman, and +not at all inclined to surrender his place." + +"Well, well, I will take it on myself," the traveller remarked +carelessly, "where is he?" + +"There, in the kitchen, my lord, warming himself at the fire." + +"That will do; is the room ready?" + +"Yes, my lord." + +"Rejoin those gentlemen, and show them the way yourself; none of your +people must know what takes place here." + +The landlord, delighted at having got off so cheaply, bowed +respectfully, and hastily retired in the direction of the garden; +as for the traveller, after exchanging a few whispered words with a +footman, who remained with him, he pulled his hat over his eyes, opened +the door, and boldly entered the kitchen. + +It was deserted: the stranger had disappeared. + +The traveller looked anxiously around him; the waiting men, probably +in obedience to orders previously received from their master, had +withdrawn to their attics. + +After a few seconds' hesitation, the traveller returned to the garden. + +"Well," the landlord asked, "have you seen him, my lord?" + +"No," he replied, "but it is of no consequence; not a word about him to +the persons who accompany me; he has doubtless left, but if that be not +the case, be careful that he does not approach the apartments you have +reserved for us." + +"Hum," the landlord muttered to himself, "all this is not clear;" and +he withdrew very pensively. + +Truth to tell, the worthy man was frightened. His new customers had +unpleasant faces, and a rough manner, which reassured him but slightly; +and then again he fancied he had seen alarming shadows gliding about +among the trees in his garden, a fact which he had carefully avoided +verifying, but which heightened his secret apprehensions. + +Dame Tiphaine, torch in hand, was waiting at the house door, in +readiness to light the travellers, and conduct them to their +apartments. When the coach had been turned and stopped, one of the +travellers went up to it, opened the door, and assisted a lady in +getting out. + +This lady, who was magnificently dressed, appeared to be suffering, +and she walked with difficulty. Still, in spite of her weakness, she +declined the arm of one of the travellers offered her in support, and +approached Dame Tiphaine, who, compassionate like all women, hastened +to offer her the service she seemed to request of her, and helped her +to ascend the rather steep staircase that led to the dais room. + +The travellers left the driver and a lackey to guard the coach, which +remained horsed, and silently followed the sick lady. + +The dais room, the finest in the inn, was spacious and furnished with +a certain amount of luxury; a large fire crackled on the hearth, and +several candles, placed on the furniture, diffused a rather bright +light. + +A door half hidden by tapestry communicated with a bedroom, that had a +door opening on the passage, for the convenience of the attendants. + +When the lady had entered the room, she sank into a chair, and thanked +the landlady with a bow. + +The latter discreetly withdrew, astonished and almost terrified by the +gloomy faces which surrounded her. + +"Holy Virgin!" she said to Master Pivois, whom she found walking in +great anxiety along the passage, "What's going to happen here? These +men frighten me; that poor lady is all of a tremble, and the little I +saw of her face behind her mask, is as white as a sheet." + +"Alas!" Master Pivois said with a sigh, "I am as frightened as you, my +dear, but we can do nothing; they are too great people for us--friends +of his Eminence. They would crush us without pity; we have only one +thing to do, and that is to retire to our room, as we received orders +to do, and to keep quiet till our services are required; the house is +theirs, at this moment they are the masters." + +The landlord and his wife went into their room, and not satisfied with +double locking their door, barricaded it with everything that came to +hand. + +As Master Pivois had said to his wife, the travellers were certainly +masters of the inn, or at least believed themselves so. + +The stranger, while feigning the deepest indifference, had watched the +landlord's every movement: as soon as the latter left the kitchen to +open the door for the newcomers, he rose, threw a purse of gold to the +scullions, while putting his finger on his lips to recommend silence to +them, and carefully wrapping himself in his mantle, left the kitchen. + +The scullions, with the intelligence characteristic of the class, +comprehended that this action of the stranger concealed some plans in +the execution of which it was to their interest not to interfere; they +divided the money so generously given them, and remembering the orders +they had received from their master, they hastily decamped, and went +off to hide themselves. + +The stranger, while the landlord was receiving the travellers, had +proceeded to the thickest part of the garden. + +On reaching the little gate to which we have referred, he whistled +gently. + +Almost immediately two men seemed to rise from the midst of the +darkness, and came up to him. + +Each of these men had a long rapier at his side, pistols in his girdle, +and a musketoon in his hand. + +"What is there new?" the stranger asked; "Have you seen anything, +Michael?" + +"Captain," the man answered, to whom the question was addressed, "I +have seen nothing, but still I fear a trap." + +"A trap?" the stranger repeated. + +"Yes," Michael continued, "Bowline has taken bearings of several +ill-looking fellows who seem desirous of boarding us." + +"Stuff! You are mad, Michael. You have seen the travellers who have +just arrived at the inn." + +"No, captain; on the contrary, they exactly resemble the fellows who +have been chasing us ever since the day before yesterday, regular +Cardinal's bloodhounds, I'll wager." + +The stranger appeared to reflect. "Are they far off?" he at length +asked. + +"Speak, Bowline, my boy," said Michael, turning to his comrade, "and +don't shiver your sails, the captain is hailing you." + +"Well, then, Captain," said Bowline, a sturdy Breton, with a crafty +look, "I sighted them over the starboard quarter at about four o'clock; +I spread all my canvas to distance them, and I fancy I have left them +four or five cables length in the rear." + +"In that case we have about an hour before us?" + +"Yes, about, Captain," Bowline replied. + +"That is more than we want; listen, my lads, and swear on your honour +as sailors to obey me." + +"You may be quite sure we shan't fail, Captain," they answered. + +"I reckon on you." + +"Shiver my topsails, we know that," Michael replied. + +"Whatever may happen to me," the stranger continued, "leave me to act +alone, unless I give you express orders to come to my assistance. If +the Cardinal's bloodhounds were to arrive while we are up aloft, you +will bolt." + +"We bolt!" the two sailors exclaimed. + +"You must, lads! Who would deliver me if we were all three prisoners?" +the stranger asked. + +"That's true," Michael answered. + +"Well then, that's settled, is it not?" + +"Yes, Captain." + +"Ah! By the way, if I am arrested you will want money to liberate me; +take this." + +He placed in their hands a heavy purse, which the sailors accepted +without any remark. + +"Now follow me, and keep your weather eye open, my lads." + +"All right, Captain," Michael answered, "we are on watch." + +The stranger then proceeded towards the house, closely followed by +the two sailors. He reached the passage, at the end of which the +travellers' room was, at the moment when Master Pivois and his wife +were locking themselves in their bedroom. + +The coach, guarded by the driver and a footman, was still standing in +front of the principal entrance, but the three men passed unnoticed. + +So soon as the landlady had left the room, the traveller who appeared +to have a certain degree of authority over his companions, opened the +bedroom door, doubtless to make certain there was no spy listening; +then he took a chair, sat down by the fire, and made a sign to his +companions to imitate him; the two lackeys alone remained standing near +the door, with their hands resting on the muzzles of their carbines, +butts of which were on the ground. + +For some moments there was a funereal silence in this room, although +six persons were assembled in it. + +At length the traveller made up his mind to speak, and addressed the +young lady, who was reclining in her chair, with her head bent on her +breast and pendant arms. + +"My daughter," he said, in a grave voice, and speaking in Spanish, "the +moment has arrived for a clear and distinct explanation between us, +for we have only four leagues to travel ere we reach the end of our +long journey. I intend to remain twenty-four hours in this hostelry, in +order to give you time to repair your strength, and allow you to appear +in a proper state before the man for whom I destine you." + +The young lady only replied to this dry address by a hollow groan. + +Her father continued, without appearing to notice the utter state of +prostration in which she was-- + +"Remember, my daughter, that if, on the entreaty of your brothers here +present, I consented to pardon the fault you have committed, it is on +the express condition that you will obey my orders without hesitation, +and do all I wish." + +"My child?" she murmured, in a voice choked by grief--"What have you +done with my child?" + +The traveller frowned, and a livid pallor covered his face; but he +immediately recovered himself. + +"That question again, unhappy girl?" he said, in a gloomy voice; +"Do not trifle with my wrath by reminding me of your crime, and the +dishonour of my house." + +At these words the girl drew herself up suddenly, and with a hurried +gesture pulled off the velvet mask that covered her face. + +"I am not guilty," she said, in a haughty voice, and looking her father +in the face; "and you are perfectly aware of it, for it was you who +introduced the Count de Barmont to me. You encouraged our love, and it +was by your orders that we were secretly married. You dare not assert +the contrary." + +"Silence, wretch!" the traveller exclaimed, and rose passionately. + +"Father!" the two gentlemen, who had hitherto remained motionless and +as if strangers to this stormy interview, exclaimed, as they threw +themselves before him. + +"Well," he said, as he resumed his seat, "I will restrain myself: I +will only ask you one further question, Doña Clara--will you obey me?" + +She hesitated for a moment, and then appeared to form a supreme +resolution. + +"Listen to me, my father," she replied, in a hurried though firm voice; +"you told me yourself that the moment for an explanation between us +had arrived; very well, let us have this explanation. I, too, am your +daughter, and jealous of the honour of our house; that is why I insist +on your answering me without equivocation or deception." + +While speaking thus, the young lady, who was only sustained by the +factitious strength sorrow imparted to her, for she was frail and +delicate, was supremely beautiful; with her body bent back, her head +haughtily raised, her long and silky black hair falling in disorder on +her shoulders, and contrasting with the marble pallor of her face; with +her large eyes, inflamed by fever and inundated with tears, that slowly +coursed down her cheeks, and with her bosom heaving from the emotion +that held mastery over her--there was about her whole person something +deathly, which seemed no longer to belong to the earth. + +Her father felt involuntarily affected, in spite of his ferocious +pride; and it was with a less rough voice he replied-- + +"I am listening to you." + +"Father," she resumed, leaning her hand on the back of her chair in +order to support herself, "I told you that I am not guilty, and I +repeat that the Count de Barmont and myself were secretly united in +the church of la Merced at Cadiz, and were so by your orders. As you +know it, I will not dwell further on this point; my child is, therefore +legitimate, and I have a right to be proud of it. How is it, then, that +you, the Duke de Peñaflor, belonging to the highest class in Spain, +not satisfied with tearing me on the very day of marriage from the +husband yourself selected, and depriving me of my infant on the day +of its birth, accused me of committing a horrible crime, and insisted +on enchaining me to another husband, while my first is still living? +Answer me, my father, so that I may know the nature of that honour +about which you so often speak to me, and what is the motive that +renders you so cruel to an unfortunate girl, who owes her life to you, +and who, ever since she has been in this world, has only felt love and +respect for you." + +"This is too much, unnatural daughter!" the Duke shouted, as he rose +wrathfully--"And as you are not afraid of braving me so unworthily--" + +But he suddenly checked himself, and stood motionless, trembling with +fury and horror; the bedroom door had suddenly opened, and a man +appeared in it, upright, haughty, with flashing eye, and hand on his +sword hilt. + +"Ludovic, at last!" the young lady shrieked, as she rushed towards him. + +But her brothers caught her by the arms, and constrained her to sit +down again. + +"The Count de Barmont!" the Duke muttered. + +"Myself, my lord Duke de Peñaflor," the stranger replied, with +exquisite politeness--"you did not expect me, it appears to me?" + +And, walking a few paces into the room, while the two sailors who had +followed him guarded the door, he proudly put his hat on again, and +folded his arms. + +"What is going on here?" he asked, in a haughty voice; "And who dares +to use violence to the Countess de Barmont?" + +"The Countess de Barmont?" the Duke repeated, contemptuously. + +"It is true," the other remarked, ironically; "I forget that you expect +at any moment a dispensation from the Court of Home, which will declare +my marriage null and void, and allow you to give your daughter to the +man whose credit has caused you to be nominated Viceroy of New Spain." + +"Sir!" the Duke exclaimed. + +"What, do you pretend I am in error? No, no, my lord Duke, my spies are +as good as yours--I am well served, believe me: thank heaven I have +arrived in time to prevent it. Make way there!" he said, repulsing by a +gesture the two gentlemen who opposed his passage--"I am your husband, +madam; follow me, I shall be able to protect you." + +The two young men, leaving their sister, who was in a semi-fainting +state, rushed on the Count, and both buffeted him in the face with +their gloves, while drawing their swords. + +The Count turned fearfully pale at this cruel insult; he uttered a wild +beast yell, and unsheathed. + +The valets, held in check by the two sailors, had not made a movement. + +The Duke rushed between the three men, who were ready for the assault. + +"Count," he said, coolly, to the younger of his sons, "leave to your +brother the duty of chastising this man." + +"Thanks, father," the elder answered, as he fell on guard, while his +younger brother lowered the point of his sword, and fell back a pace. + +Doña Clara was lying motionless on the floor. + +At the first attack the two enemies engaged their swords up to their +guard, and then, as if of common accord, each retreated a step. + +There was something sinister in the appearance of this inn room at the +moment. + +This woman, who lay writhing on the floor, suffering from a horrible +nervous crisis, and no one dreaming of succouring her. + +This old man, with frowning brow, and features contracted by pain, +witnessing with apparent stoicism this duel between his elder son and +his son-in-law, while his younger son was biting his lips with fury +because he could not assist his brother; these sailors, with pistols at +the breasts of the lackeys, who were palsied with terror; and in the +centre of the room, scarce lighted by a few smoking candles, these two +men, sword in hand, watching like two tigers the moment to slay each +other. + +The combat was not long; too great a hatred animated the two +adversaries for them to lose time in feeling each other's strength. +The Duke's son, more impatient than the Count, made thrust on thrust, +which the other had great difficulty in parrying; at length, the young +man feeling himself too deeply engaged, tried to make a second backward +step, but his foot slipped on the boards, and he involuntarily raised +his sword; at the same moment the Count liberated his blade by a +movement rapid as thought, and his sword entirely disappeared in his +adversary's chest; then he leaped back to avoid the back thrust, and +fell on guard again. + +But it was all over with the young man; he rolled his haggard eyes +twice or thrice, stretched out his arms, while letting go his sword, +and fell his whole length on the floor, without uttering a word. + +He was dead. + +"Assassin!" his brother screamed, as he rushed sword in hand on the +Count. + +"Traitor!" the latter replied, as he parried the thrust, and sent the +other's sword flying to the ceiling. + +"Stay, stay!" the Duke cried, as he rushed half mad with grief between +the two men, who had seized each other round the waist, and had both +drawn their daggers. + +But this tardy interference was useless; the Count, who was endowed +with a far from common strength, had easily succeeded in freeing +himself from the young man's grasp, and had thrown him on the ground, +where he held him by placing his knee on his chest. + +All at once a mighty rumour of arms and horses was heard in the house, +and the hurried steps of several men hurrying up the stairs became +audible. + +"Ah!" the Duke exclaimed, with a ferocious joy, "I believe my vengeance +is at hand, at last!" + +The Count, not deigning to reply to his enemy, turned to the sailors. + +"Be off, my lads!" he shouted in a voice of thunder. + +They hesitated. + +"He goes if you wish to save me," he added. + +"Boarders away!" Michael yelled, as he dragged away his comrade; and +the two men seizing their musquetoons by the barrel, as if to use them +as clubs in case of need, and to clear the way, rushed into the passage +when they disappeared. + +The Count listened anxiously, he heard oaths and the sound of an +obstinate struggle; then, at the expiration of a moment, a distant cry, +that summons which sailors know so well, reached him. + +Then his face grew calmer, he returned his sword to its sheath and +coolly awaited the newcomers, muttering to himself-- + +"They have escaped, one chance is left me." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE ARREST. + + +Almost at the same moment ten or twelve men burst into the room rather +than entered it, the noise that continued outside let it be guessed +that a great number of others was standing on the stairs and in the +passages, ready, were it required, to come to the assistance of the +others. + +All these men were armed, and it was easy to recognise them at once as +guards of the King, or rather of His Eminence the Cardinal. + +Only two of them, with crafty looks and squinting eyes, dressed in +black like ushers, had no visible weapons; these, in all probability +were more to be feared than the others, for beneath their feline +obsequiousness they doubtless concealed an implacable will to do evil. + +One of these two men held some papers in his right hand, he advanced +two or three paces, cast a suspicious glance around him, and then took +off his cap with a courteous bow. + +"In the King's name! gentleman," he said in a quick sharp voice. + +"What do you want?" the Count de Barmont asked, advancing resolutely +towards him. + +At this movement, which he took for a hostile demonstration, the man +in black recoiled with an ill-disguised start of terror, but feeling +himself backed up by his acolytes, he at once resumed his coolness, and +answered with a smile of evil augury-- + +"Ah! Ah! The Count Ludovic de Barmont, I believe," he remarked with an +ironical bow. + +"Yes, sir," the gentleman replied haughtily, "I am the Count de +Barmont." + +"Captain in the navy," the man in black imperturbably added, "at +present, commanding His Majesty's, frigate The Erigone." + +"As I told you, sir, I am the person you are in search of," the Count +added. + +"It is really with you that I have to deal, my lord," he replied, as he +drew himself up. "S'death, my good gentleman, you are not easy to catch +up; I have been running after you for a week, and was almost despairing +about having the honour of a meeting." + +All this was said with an obsequious air, a honeyed voice, and with a +sweet smile, sufficient to exasperate a saint, and much more the person +whom the strange man was addressing, and who was endowed with anything +but a placable character. + +"By Heaven!" he exclaimed, stamping his foot passionately; "Are we to +have much more of this?" + +"Patience, my good sir," he replied in the same placid tone; "patience, +good Heaven, how quick you are!" then after taking a glance at the +papers he held in his hand, "Since by your own confession you allow +yourself to be really Count Ludovic de Barmont, captain commanding His +Majesty's frigate Erigone, by virtue of the orders I bear, I arrest +you in the King's name, for the crime of desertion; for having without +authorization abandoned your vessel in a foreign country, that is to +say, at the Port of Lisbon, in Portugal." Then raising his head and +fixing his squinting eyes on the gentleman, he added, "Surrender your +sword to me, my lord." + +M. de Barmont shrugged his shoulders disdainfully. + +"The sword of a gentleman of my race shall never be placed in the hands +of a scoundrel of your stamp," he said, with contempt; and drawing +his sword, he coldly broke the blade across his knee, and threw the +fragments through the window panes, which they broke. + +Then he drew his pistols from his belt and cocked them. + +"Sir, sir!" the myrmidon exclaimed, recoiling in terror, "This is +rebellion, remember, rebellion against the express orders of His +Majesty and His Eminence the Cardinal Minister." + +The Count smiled disdainfully, and raising his pistols in the air, +fired them, the bullets being buried in the ceiling; then clasping them +by the barrel he threw them also out of the window; after which he +crossed his hands on his chest, and said coolly-- + +"Now do with me what you please." + +"Have you surrendered, my lord?" the fellow asked with ill-disguised +alarm. + +"Yes, from this moment I am your prisoner." + +The man in black breathed again; although he was unarmed, the haughty +gentleman still made him feel uncomfortable. + +"Still," the latter added, "allow me to say a couple of words to this +lady;" and he pointed to Doña Clara, who, waited upon by Dame Tiphaine, +who had hurried in at the disturbance in spite of her husband's +entreaties and orders, was beginning to regain her senses. + +"No, not a word, not a syllable," the Duke exclaimed, as he threw +himself between his daughter and the Count; "remove the villain, remove +him." + +But the bailiff, pleased with the facility the Count had displayed in +surrendering to him, and not wishing to excite his anger, pleased above +all at being able to show his authority without incurring resistance, +bravely interposed. + +"Pray, sir, allow the gentleman to speak to the lady," he said, "and to +unburden his heart." + +"But this man is an assassin," the Duke shouted violently, "before us +is still lying the corpse of my unhappy son, killed by him." + +"I pity you, sir," the myrmidon said without being at all affected; "I +cannot offer any remedy for that; and you must make application in the +proper quarter. Still, if it can be of any comfort to you, be convinced +that I shall make a careful note of the accusation you bring, and will +recall it to mind at the right time and place. But you must be equally +eager to get rid of us, as we are to get away from here: hence allow +this gentleman to bid farewell to the lady quietly, and I am convinced +it will not take long." + +The Duke darted a ferocious glance at the bailiff; but, not wishing to +compromise himself with such a fellow, he did not answer, and fell back +with a gloomy air. + +The Count had watched this altercation without displaying either +impatience or anger; with pale forehead and frowning brow, he waited, +doubtless ready to break into some terrible extremity if his request +were not granted. + +The bailiff only required to take one look at him to guess what was +passing in his heart; and, not feeling at all anxious for a fresh +contest to begin, he had prudently manoeuvred to avoid it. + +"Come," he said, "speak, my worthy gentleman, no one will oppose it." + +"Thanks," the Count answered hoarsely and approached Doña Clara, who +watched him advance with an ardent gaze fixed on him. + +"Clara," he said to her in a firm and deeply marked voice, "do you love +me?" + +She hesitated for a moment and bowed her head while heaving a profound +sigh. + +"Do you love me?" he repeated. + +"I do love you, Ludovic," she replied in a faint and trembling voice. + +"Do you love me, as your husband before God and man, as the father of +your child?" + +The young lady rose, her black eyes flashed fire, and stretching out +her hands before her, she said in a voice choked by emotion-- + +"In the presence of my father, who is ready to curse me, before the +body of my dead brother and in the face of the men who are listening to +me, I swear, Ludovic, that I love you as the father of my child, and +that I shall remain faithful to you, whatever may happen." + +"Very good, Clara," he answered, "God has received your oath and will +help you to keep it; remember that, whether dead or alive, you belong +to me as I belong to you, and that no person on earth shall break the +ties that unite us. Now farewell, and keep your courage." + +"Farewell!" she muttered, as she fell back in her chair and buried her +face in her hands. + +"Let us go, gentlemen! Do with me what you please," the Count said as +he turned to the exempt and the guards, who were involuntarily affected +by this scene. + +The Duke bounded with a tiger leap on his daughter, and seizing +her right arm with a frenzied gesture, he forced her to raise her +tear-swollen face to his, and fixing on her a glance loaded with all +the rage that swelled his heart, he said in a voice which fury rendered +sibilant-- + +"Daughter, prepare to marry within two days, the man I destine for you. +As for your child, you will never see it again; it no longer exists for +you." + +The young lady uttered a cry of despair and fell back deprived of her +senses in the arms of Dame Tiphaine. + +The Count, who at this moment was leaving the room, stopped short and +turned round to the Duke with his arm stretched out toward him: + +"Hangman," he shouted in a hoarse voice which chilled his auditors +with horror, "I curse you, I swear on my honor as a gentlemen to take +on you and yours so terrible a vengeance, that the memory of it shall +remain eternal; and if I cannot reach you, you and the whole nation +to which you belong shall be buried beneath the implacable weight of +my hatred. Between us henceforth there is a war of savages and wild +beasts, without truce or mercy; farewell." + +And leaving the proud Spaniard horrified by this fearful anathema, the +gentleman quitted the room with a firm step, and taking a last loving +glance at the woman he adored, from whom he was perhaps eternally +separated. + +The passages, stairs, and inn garden were filled with armed men; it was +evidently a miracle that the two sailors had succeeded in escaping and +getting away safe and sound; this gave the Count, hope and he went down +the stairs with an assured step, carefully watched by his escort who +did not let him out of sight. + +The guards had been long before warned that they would have to do +with a naval officer possessing an inordinate violence of character, +prodigious vigour and indomitable courage; hence the resignation of the +prisoner, which they believed to be assumed, only inspired them with +very slight confidence, and they were continually on the defensive. + +When they came out into the garden the chief of the exempts noticed the +coach, which was still standing at the door. + +"Why," he said with a grin and rubbing his hands, "here's the very +thing we want. In our hurry to get here, we forgot to provide ourselves +with a coach; be good enough to get in, my lord," he said as he opened +the door. + +The Count got in without any further hesitation; and the exempts then +addressed the driver who was sitting motionless on his box. + +"Come down, scamp," he said in a tone of authority; "I require the use +of this coach for an affair of state. Give up your place to one of my +men. Wideawake," he added, turning to a tall impudent looking fellow +standing by his side, "get up on the box in that man's place--let us be +off." + +The driver did not attempt to resist this peremptory order; he +descended and his place was immediately taken by Wideawake; the exempt +then entered the carriage, seated himself facing his prisoner, closed +the door, and the steeds, aroused by a vigorous, lash, dashed forward +dragging after them the heavy vehicle round which the twenty odd +soldiers were collected. + +For a considerable period the coach rolled along without a word being +exchanged between the prisoner and his guard. + +The Count was thinking, the exempt sleeping, or, to speak more +correctly, pretending to sleep. + +In the month of March the nights are beginning to shorten; daylight +soon appeared, and broad white stripes were beginning to cross the sky. + +The Count, who up to this moment had remained motionless, gave a slight +start. + +"Are you suffering, my lord?" the exempt inquired. This question was +addressed to him with an intonation so different from that hitherto +employed by the man who had made him prisoner; there was in the sound +of his voice an accent so really gentle and sympathizing, that the +Count involuntarily started, and took a fixed look at his singular +companion: but so far as he could see by the faint light of coming +dawn, the man in front of him still had the same crafty face and the +same ironical smile stereotyped on his lips. The Count found himself +in error, and throwing himself back, merely uttered one word, "No," in +a tone intended to break off any attempt at conversation between his +guardian and himself. + +But the former was probably in a humour for talking, for he would +not be checked; and pretending not to remark the manner in which his +advances had been received, he continued-- + +"The nights are still chill, the breeze enters this coach on all sides, +and I feared lest the cold had struck you." + +"I am habituated to suffer heat and cold," the Count answered; +"besides, it is probable that if I have not yet made my apprenticeship, +I am about to undergo one which will accustom me to endure everything +without complaining." + +"Who knows, my lord?" the exempt said, with a shake of the head. + +"What?" the other objected, "Am I not condemned to a lengthened +captivity in a fortress?" + +"Yes, according to the terms of the order, which it is my duty to carry +out." + +There was a momentary silence. The Count gazed absently at the country +which the first beams of day were beginning to illumine. At length he +turned to the exempt. + +"May I ask whither you are taking me?" he said. + +"I see no objection to your doing so." + +"And you will answer my question?" + +"Why not? There is nothing to prevent it." + +"Then we are going?" + +"To the isles of St. Marguerite, my lord." + +The Count trembled inwardly. The islands of Lerins, or Sainte +Marguerite, enjoyed at that time, even, a reputation almost as terrible +as the one they acquired at a later date, when they served as a prison +to the mysterious iron mask, whom it was forbidden to take even a +glance at under penalty of death. + +The exempt looked at him fixedly without speaking. + +It was the Count who again resumed the conversation. + +"Where are we now?" he asked. + +The exempt bent out of the window, and then resumed his seat. + +"We are just arriving at Corbeil, where we shall change horses." + +"Ah!" said the Count. + +"If you wish to rest, I can give orders for an hour's stay. Perhaps you +feel a want of some refreshment?" + +This singular man was gradually acquiring in the Count's eyes all the +interest of an enigma. + +"Very good," he said. + +Without replying the exempt let down the window. + +"Wideawake!" he shouted. + +"What is the matter?" the latter asked. + +"Pull up at the Golden Lion." + +"All right." + +Ten minutes later the coach halted in the Rue St. Spire, in front of a +door over which creaked a sign representing an enormous gilt cat, with +one of its paws on a ball. They had arrived. + +The exempt got out, followed by the Count, and both entered the inn: +one portion of the escort remained in the saddle in the street, while +the others dismounted and installed themselves in the common room. + +The Count had mechanically followed the exempt, and on reaching the +room, seated himself in a chair by the fire, in a first floor decently +furnished room. He was too busy with his own thoughts to attach any +great attention to what was going on around him. + +When the landlord had left them alone, the exempt bolted the door +inside, and then placed himself in front of his prisoner. + +"Now," he said, "let us speak frankly, my lord." + +The latter, astonished at this sudden address, quickly raised his head. + +"We have no time to lose in coming to an understanding, sir; so please +to listen without interrupting me," the exempt continued. "I am +François Bouillot, the younger brother of your foster father. Do you +recognise me?" + +"No," the Count replied, after examining him attentively for a moment. + +"That does not surprise me, for you were only eight years old the last +time I had the honor of seeing you at Barmont Castle: but that is of no +consequence; I am devoted to you, and wish to save you." + +"What assures me that you are really François Bouillot, the brother of +my foster father, and that you are not attempting to deceive me?" the +Count answered, in a suspicious accent. + +The exempt felt in his pocket, pulled out several papers, which he +unfolded, and presented them open to the Count. + +The latter looked at them mechanically: they consisted of a baptismal +certificate, a commission, and several letters proving his identity. +The Count handed him the letters back. + +"How is it that you should have been the man to arrest me, and arrived +so opportunely to aid me?" he asked. + +"In a very simple way, my lord: your order of arrest was obtained from +the Cardinal Minister by the Dutch Embassy. I was present when M. de +Laffemas, a familiar of his Eminence, who is kind to me, left the +Palais Cardinal order in hand: I was there, and he chose me. Still, as +I was able to decline, I should have done so, had I not seen your name +on the paper, and remembered the kindness your family had shown to me +and my brother. Taking advantage of the opportunity my profession of +exempt offered me, I resolved to repay you what your friends have done +for mine, by attempting to save you." + +"That does not seem to me very easy, my poor friend." + +"More so than you may fancy, my lord: I will leave here one-half our +escort, and then only ten will remain with us." + +"Hum! That is a very decent number," the Count replied, involuntarily +interested. + +"They would be too many if there were not among the ten men seven of +whom I am certain, which reduces the number of those we have to fear +to three. I have been running after you for a long time, my lord," he +added, with a laugh, "and all my precautions are taken: through some +excuse, easy to be found, we will pass through Toulon, and on arriving +there, we will stop for an hour or two at a hostelry I know. You will +disguise yourself as a mendicant monk, and leave the inn unnoticed. I +will take care to get rid of the guards I am not certain of. You will +proceed to the port furnished with papers I will hand you; you will go +on board a charming chasse-marée, called the _Seamew_, which I have +freighted on your account, and which is waiting for you. The master +will recognise you by a password I will tell you, and you will be at +liberty to go whither-soever you please. Is not this plan extremely +simple, my lord?" he asked, rubbing his hands joyously, "And have I not +foreseen everything?" + +"No, my friend," the Count answered with emotion, as he offered him his +hand; "there is one more thing you have not foreseen." + +"What is that, my lord?" he asked, in surprise. + +"That I do not wish to fly," the young man answered, with a melancholy +shake of the head. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE ISLE OF SAINTE MARGUERITE. + + +At this answer, which he was so far from anticipating, the exempt gave +a start of surprise, and looked at the Count as if he had not exactly +understood him. + +The gentleman smiled gently. + +"That surprises you, does it not?" he said. + +"I confess it, my lord," the other stammered, with embarrassment. + +The Count went on: + +"Yes," he said, "I can understand your surprise at my refusal to accept +your generous proposition. It is not often you find a prisoner to whom +liberty is offered, and who insists on remaining a captive. I owe you +an explanation of this extraordinary conduct; this explanation I will +give you at once, so that you may no longer press me, but leave me to +act as I think proper." + +"I am only the most humble, of your servants, my lord Count. You +doubtless know better than I what your conduct should be under the +circumstances, you have therefore no occasion to explain it to me." + +"It is precisely because you are an old servant of my family, François +Bouillot, and because you are giving me at this moment a proof of +unbounded devotion, that I believe myself obliged to tell you the +motives for this refusal, which has so many reasons to surprise you. +Listen to me, then." + +"As you insist, my lord, I obey you." + +"Very good, take a chair, and place yourself here by my side, as it is +unnecessary for others beside yourself to hear what I am going to say." + +The exempt took a stool and seated himself by his master's side, +exactly as the latter had ordered, while still keeping up a respectful +distance between himself and the gentleman. + +"In the first place," the Count resumed, "be thoroughly convinced that +if I refuse your offer, it is not through any motive of a personal +nature as regards yourself. I have full confidence in you, for nearly +200 years your family has been attached to mine, and we have ever had +reason to praise their devotion to our interest. This important point +being settled, I will go on. I will suppose for a moment that the +plan you have formed is successful, a plan which I will not discuss, +although it appears to me very difficult to execute, and the slightest +accident might, at the last moment, compromise its issue. What will +happen? Forced to fly without resources, without friends, I should not +only be unable to take the revenge I meditate upon my enemies, but +surrendered, so to speak, to their mercy, I should speedily fall into +their hands again, and thus become the laughing stock of those whom I +hate. I should be dishonoured; they will despise me, and I shall have +but one way of escape from a life henceforth rendered useless, as all +my plans would be overthrown, and that is blowing out my brains." + +"Oh! my lord!" Bouillot exclaimed, clasping his hands. + +"I do not wish to fall," the Count continued imperturbably, "in the +terrible struggle which has this day begun between my enemies and +myself. I have taken an oath, and that oath I will keep, regardless +of the consequences. I am young, hardly twenty-five years of age; up +to the present, life has only been one long joy for me, and I have +succeeded in everything, plans of ambition, fortune and love. Today +misfortune has come to lay its hand on me, and it is welcome; for the +man who has not suffered is not a perfect man; grief purifies the mind +and tempers the heart. Solitude is a good councillor; it makes a man +comprehend the nothingness of small things, expands the ideas, and +prepares grand conceptions. I require to steel myself through sorrow, +in order to be able one day to repay my enemies a hundredfold all +that I have suffered at their hands. It is by thinking over my broken +career and my ruined future, that I shall find the necessary strength +to accomplish my vengeance. When my heart is dead to every other +feeling but that of the hatred which will entirely occupy it, I shall +be able pitilessly to trample underfoot all those who today laugh at +me and believe they have crushed me, because they have hurled me down; +and then I shall be really a man, and woe to those who try to measure +their strength with mine. You tremble at what I am saying to you at +this moment, my old servant," he added more gently, "what would it be +were you able to read in my heart all the hatred, auger, and rage it +contains against those who have mercilessly ground me beneath their +heel, and who have eternally deprived me of happiness, in order to +satisfy the paltry calculations of a narrow and criminal ambition?" + +"Oh, my lord Count! Permit an old servant of your family, a man who is +entirely devoted to you, to implore you to resign these fearful schemes +of vengeance. Alas! You will be the first victim of your hatred." + +"Have you forgotten, Bouillot," the Count replied ironically, "what is +said in our country, about the members of the family to which I have +the honor of belonging?" + +"Yes, yes, my lord," he said with a melancholy shake of the head; "I +remember it, and will repeat it if you wish." + +"Do so." + +"Well, my lord, the distich is as follows--" + +"'The Counts of Barmont Senectaire, Demon-hate and heart of stone.'" + +The Count smiled. + +"Well do you fancy that I have degenerated from my ancestors?" + +"I suppose nothing, sir, Heaven forbid!" he answered humbly, "I only +see with terror that you are preparing a hideous future for yourself." + +"Be it so! I accept it in all its rigor, if God will permit me to +accomplish my oath." + +"Alas! My lord, you know that man proposes; you are at this moment a +prisoner of the Cardinal; reflect, I implore you, who knows whether +you will ever leave the prison to which I am conducting you? Consent to +be free." + +"No; cease your entreaties! The Cardinal is not immortal. If not +before, my liberty will be restored me on his death, which cannot +be long deferred, I hope. And now carefully bear this in mind, my +resolution is so fixed, that if in spite of my orders you abandon me +here, at the inn where we now are, the first use I should make of the +liberty you have given me back, would be to go at once and surrender +myself into the hands of his Eminence; you understand me thoroughly, I +suppose?" + +The old servant bowed his head without answering, and two tears slowly +ran down his cheeks. + +This dumb grief, so true and so touching, affected the Count more than +he would have supposed; he rose, took the poor fellow's hand and shook +it several times. + +"Let us say no more about this, Bouillot," he remarked to him +affectionately, "although I will not profit by it, your devotion has +deeply affected me, and I will ever feel eternally grateful to you for +it. Come, my old friend, let us not grow foolish; we are men and not +childish poltroons, confound it." + +"Well, no matter, my lord, I do not consider myself beaten," the exempt +replied, as he threw himself into the arms open to receive him; "you +cannot prevent me from watching over you, whether near or afar." + +"That I do not oppose, my friend," the Count replied with a laugh; "do +as you please; besides," he added seriously, "I confess that I shall +not be sorry when I am sequestered from the world to know what is going +on, and to be kept informed, of passing events; some unforeseen fact +might occur which would modify my intentions and make me desire the +recovery of my liberty." + +"Oh, be sure of that, my lord," he exclaimed, pleased at this quasi +victory and conditional promise, "I will arrange so that you shall not +be at a loss for news; I have not served his Eminence for six years +for nothing; the Cardinal is a good master, I have profited by his +teaching, and know several tricks; you shall see me at work." + +"Well, that is agreed, and we understand each other now. I think it +would be wise to breakfast before continuing our journey, for I feel an +appetite that greatly requires appeasing." + +"I will give the landlord orders to serve you at once, my lord." + +"You will breakfast with me, Bouillot," he said as he gave him a +friendly tap on the shoulder; "and I hope it will be always so, until +our arrival at the Isle of St. Marguerite." + +"It is certainly a great honour for me, sir, but--" + +"I expect it; besides are you not almost a member of my family?" + +François Bouillot bowed and left the room; after ordering a copious +breakfast, he commanded one part of the escort back to Paris; then +he returned to the room, followed by the landlord, who, in a second, +covered the table with all that was wanted to make a good meal, and +withdrew discreetly, leaving his guests to attack the dishes placed +before them. + +The journey was continued without any incident worthy of note. + +The prisoner's conversation with his keeper had been decisive; the +latter was too well acquainted with the character of the man with whom +he had to deal to attempt to revert to a subject which had been so +distinctly disposed of on the first occasion. + +At the period when our history takes place, France was not as now +intersected by magnificent roads, and the shortest journey demanded +an enormous expenditure of time; the coaches, heavy vehicles badly +built and worse horsed, had great difficulty in resisting the numerous +joltings and the ruts in which they were for the greater portion of +the time buried up to the axletree, and hence, in spite of the speed +employed, seventeen days elapsed ere the prisoner and his escort +arrived at Toulon. + +This town was even at that early period one of the principal military +ports of France, and the Count felt an indescribable pang at heart when +he entered it. + +It was in this town that his naval career had begun, here for the first +time he had set foot aboard a vessel with the rank of midshipman, and +had undergone the preparatory trials of that rude naval profession, in +which, in spite of his youth, he soon attained a great reputation and +almost celebrity. + +The coach stopped in the Haymarket, in front of the "Cross of Malta," +probably the oldest inn in France, for it is still in existence, +although it has undergone many indispensable changes both internally +and externally. + +So soon as he had installed his prisoner comfortably in the Inn, +François Bouillot went out. + +If he placed a sentry before the Count's door, it was rather in +obedience to his duty, than through any fear of escape, for he had not +even taken the trouble to lock the door, so convinced was he beforehand +that unfortunately his prisoner would not attempt to pass out of it. + +He remained away for about two hours. + +"You have been absent a long time," the Count remarked on his return. + +"I had some important business to settle," he replied. + +The Count, without adding a word, resumed his walk up and down the room +which Bouillot's return had interrupted. + +There was a momentary silence, Bouillot was evidently embarrassed, +he went about the room, pretending to arrange sundry articles of +furniture, and disarranging everything; at last seeing that the Count +obstinately remained silent and would not perceive that he was in the +room, he placed himself in front of him so as to bar his passage, and +looked at him intently as he whispered with a stress on the words. + +"You do not ask where I have been." + +"What is the use?" the Count replied carelessly; "About your own +business, of course." + +"No, my lord, about yours." + +"Ah!" he said. + +"Yes, the _Seamew_ awaits you." + +The Count smiled and slightly shrugged his shoulders. + +"Ah, ah, you are still thinking of that; I believed, my dear Bouillot, +that it was arranged between us that we should not return to this +subject. That was the reason, then, that you lengthened our journey, by +making us pass through Toulon, at which I felt surprised. I could not +account for the strange itinerary you were following." + +"My lord," he muttered, clasping his hands imploringly. + +"Come, you are mad, my dear Bouillot, you ought to know by this time, +though, that when I have formed a resolution, good or bad, I never +alter it; so no more of this, I beg, it would be quite useless. I +pledge you my word as a gentleman." + +The old servant uttered a groan that resembled a death rattle. + +"Your will be done, my lord," he stammered. "When do we start for +Antibes?" + +"At once, if you wish it." + +"Very good, the sooner the better." + +After bowing, the exempt left the room to make all preparations for +departure. + +As we see, the parts were completely introverted, it was the prisoner +who gave orders to his keeper. + +One hour later, in fact, the Count quitted Toulon. All along the road +the two men, constantly companions, and eating and drinking together, +conversed about indifferent matters. Bouillot had at last recognized +the fact that it was useless to make any further effort to induce the +Count to escape; still he had not given up his scheme, but merely +deferred it till a more distant period, reckoning as an ally the +annoyance of a prolonged detention, and an inactive and useless life +upon an organization so impetuous as that of the prisoner. + +So soon as he arrived at Antibes, by the express command of the Count, +who seemed to take a certain pleasure in tormenting him, he set out in +search of some boat to carry them across to Sainte Marguerite. + +His search was neither long nor difficult; as bearer of a Cardinal's +order, he laid an embargo on the first fishing boat he came across, +and embarked aboard it with all his people. + +On leaving the mainland, the Count turned, and a smile of peculiar +meaning played round his lips. + +Bouillot, deceived by this smile, whose secret intention he did not +penetrate, bent down to the Count's ear. + +"If you like, there is still time," he whispered. + +The Count looked at him, shrugged his shoulders, and without replying, +sat down in the stern of the boat. + +"Push off," Bouillot then shouted to the master. + +The latter seized his boathook, and they were soon under weigh. + +The Lerins islands form a group composed of several rocks, and +two islands surrounded by shoals; the first known as Isle Sainte +Marguerite, the second as Saint Honorat. + +At the period of our narration only the first was fortified; the other, +inhabited by a few fishermen, merely contained the still considerable +ruins of the monastery founded by Saint Honorat circa the year 400. + +The Sainte Marguerite island was uninhabited, flat, and only offering +along its entire coast, one very unsafe creek for vessels. Although +it is extremely fertile, and pomegranates, orange and fig trees, grow +there in the open air, no one had thought of taking up his abode there, +and we are not aware whether a change has since taken place. + +A very important fortress, which, at a later date, attained a +melancholy reputation as a state prison, was erected on the island, the +greater portion of which it occupied. + +This fort was composed of three towers, connected together by terraces, +which time had covered with a yellowish moss, while a wide deep moat +surrounded the walls. + +A few years prior to the beginning of our story, in 1635, the Spaniards +had seized it by surprise. + +The Cardinal, in order to prevent the repetition of such a calamity, +had judged it advisable to protect the fort from a _coup de main_, by +placing there a garrison of fifty picked soldiers, commanded by a major +performing the duties of governor. He was an old officer of fortune, +whom this post served as a retreat, and who, far from the cares of the +world, led a perfect canonical life, thanks to a tacit understanding +with the smugglers, who alone cast anchor in these parts. + +The officer who commanded the fort at this moment was an old gentleman, +tall, thin, and wizened, with harsh features, who had had a leg and +arm cut off. His name was Monsieur de l'Oursière; he was constantly +scolding and abusing his subordinates, and the day when he left the +Crown regiment, in which he held the rank of major, was kept as a +holiday by the whole regiment, officers and men; so cordially was the +worthy man detested. + +Cardinal de Richelieu was a good judge of men; in selecting Major de +l'Oursière to make him governor of Sainte Marguerite, and metamorphose +him into a gaoler, he had found the exact post which suited his +quarrelsome temper, and his cruel instincts. + +It was on this amiable personage that the Count de Barmont would +have to be dependant for doubtless a considerable period; for, if +the Cardinal Minister easily shut the gate of a state prison on a +gentleman, to make up for it, he was never in a hurry to open it again, +and a prisoner, unless something extraordinary occurred, was almost +safe to die forgotten in his dungeon, except when his Eminence had a +whim to have his head cut off in broad daylight. + +After a number of countersigns had been exchanged with a profuseness +of caution which bore witness to the good guard and strict discipline +maintained by the governor, the prisoner and his escort were at length +introduced into the fortress, and admitted to the Major's presence. + +The Major was just finishing his breakfast, when a Cardinal's messenger +was announced to him: he buttoned his uniform, put on his sword and +hat, and ordered the messenger to be shown in. + +François Bouillot entered, followed by the Count, bowed, and presented +the order of which he was the bearer. + +The governor took it, and read it through; then he turned to the Count, +who was standing motionless a few paces in the rear, made him a slight +bow, and addressed him in a dry voice, and with a rough accent. + +"Your servant, sir," he said to him: "are you the Count de Barmont, +whose name is written on this paper?" + +"Yes, sir," the Count answered, bowing in his turn. + +"I am sorry, sir, truly sorry," the Major resumed; "but I have strict +orders with reference to you, and a soldier only knows his duty; still, +believe me, sir, hum, hum, that I shall try to reconcile my natural +humanity with the rigour that is recommended to me, hum, hum, I know +how gentlemen ought to behave to each other, sir; be assured of that." + +And the governor, doubtless satisfied at the speech he had just +uttered, smiled, and drew himself gracefully up. + +The Count bowed, but made no answer. + +"You shall be conducted to your apartment at once, sir," the Major went +on; "hum, hum! I wish it was handsomer, but I did not expect you; hum, +hum, and you know how things are--hum, hum, we will manage to lodge +you more comfortably hereafter; la Berloque," he added, turning to a +soldier standing near the door, "conduct this gentleman, hum, hum, to +room No. 8, in the second turret; hum, hum, I believe it is the most +habitable one; your servant, sir, your servant, hum, hum!" + +And after having thus unceremoniously dismissed the Count, the Major +went into another room. + +M. de Barmont, accompanied by Bouillot and the guards, who had brought +him, followed the soldier. + +The latter led them through several passages, and up various stairs, +and then stopped before a door, garnished with formidable bolts. + +"It is here," he said. + +The Count then turned to Bouillot, and affectionately offered him his +hand. + +"Farewell, my old friend," he said to him in a gentle but firm voice, +while a vague smile played round his lips. + +"Farewell, till we meet again," Bouillot said, with a stress on the +words. Then he took leave of him, and withdrew, with his eyes full of +tears. + +The door closed with a mournful sound on the prisoner. + +"Oh!" the old servant muttered, as he pensively went down the turret +stairs, "Woe to those who venture to oppose the Count, if ever he +leaves his prison again! And he shall do so, I swear it, even if I must +risk my life in securing his escape." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +A BACKWARD GLANCE. + + +The family of the Count de Barmont Senectaire was one of the most +ancient and noble in Languedoc; their origin went back to an antiquity +so remote, that we may declare without fear of contradiction that it +was lost in the mist of ages. + +A Barmont Senectaire fought at Bouvines by the side of Philip Augustus. + +The chronicle of Joinville mentions a Barmont Senectaire, knight +banneret, who died of the plague at Tunis, in 1270, during the second +crusade of King Louis IX. + +Francis I. on the evening of the battle of Marignano, gave the rank of +Count on the battlefield itself to Euguerrand de Barmont Senectaire, +captain of one hundred men at arms, to reward him for his grand conduct +and the sturdy blows he had seen him deal during the whole period of +that combat of giants. + +Few noble families have such splendid title deeds among their archives. + +The Counts de Barmont were always military nobles, and they gave France +several celebrated generals. + +But in the course of time, the power and fortune of this family +gradually diminished: during the reign of Henri III. it was reduced to +a condition bordering on poverty. Still, justly proud of a stainless +past, they continued to carry their heads high in the province, and if +the Count de Barmont endured hard privations in order to support his +name worthily, nothing of this was visible externally, and everybody +was ignorant of the fact. + +The Count had attached himself to the fortunes of the King of Navarre +as much through the hope of regaining a position through the war, +as through admiration of this prince, whose genius he had probably +divined. A brave soldier, but young, impetuous, and handsome, the +Count had several affairs of gallantry. One among others with a lady +of the Town of Cahors, affianced to a very rich Spanish noble, whom he +succeeded in carrying off on the very day before that appointed for the +marriage. The Spaniard, who was very strict in matters affecting his +honour, considered this joke in bad taste, and demanded satisfaction +of the Count; the latter gave him two sword thrusts, and left him +dead on the ground. This affair attracted great attention, and gained +the Count much honor among people of refinement; but the Spaniard, +contrary to expectation, recovered from his wounds. The two gentlemen +fought again, and this time the Count so ill treated his adversary +that the latter was constrained to give up all thoughts of a new +meeting. This adventure disgusted the Count with gallantry, not that he +personally feared the results of the hatred which the Duke of Peñaflor +had sworn against him, for he never heard of him again, but because +his conscience reproached him with having, for the satisfaction of a +caprice which passed away so soon as it was satisfied, destroyed the +happiness of an honourable man, and he felt remorse for his conduct in +the affair. + +After bravely fighting by the side of the King during all his wars, +the Count finally retired to his estates, about the year 1610, after +the death of that Prince, disgusted with the Court, and feeling the +necessity of repose after such an amount of fatigue. + +Here, four or five years later, wearied with the solitude in which +he lived, and, perhaps, in the hope of expelling from his mind a +troublesome recollection, which, in spite of the time that had elapsed, +did not cease to torture him, the Count resolved to marry, and selected +for his wife a young lady belonging to one of the best families in +the province--charming and gentle, but as poor as himself; this +circumstance was far from bringing ease into the family, whose position +daily became more difficult. + +The union, however, was a happy one; in 1616 the Countess was delivered +of a son, who at once became the joy of the poor household. + +This son was Count Ludovic, whose story we have undertaken to tell. + +In spite of his fondness for the boy, the Count, however, brought him +up strictly, wishing to make of him a rude, brave, and loyal gentleman, +like himself. + +Young Ludovic felt at an early hour, on discovering what misery was +concealed behind the apparent splendour of his family, the necessity +of creating for himself an independent position, which would allow him +not only to be no longer a burden to parents whom he loved, and who +sacrificed to him the greater portion of their income, but to restore +also the eclipsed lustre of the name he bore. + +Contrary to the custom followed by his ancestors, who had all served +the king or his armies, his tastes led him to the navy. + +Owing to the assiduous care of an old and worthy priest, who had +become his tutor through attachment to his family, he had received a +solid education, by which he had profited; accounts of voyages, which +constituted his principal reading, inflamed his imagination; all his +thoughts were turned to America, where, according to the statements of +sailors, gold abounded, and he had but one desire--to land himself +in this mysterious country, and take his part of the rich crop which +everybody garnered there. + +His father, and his mother even more, for a long time resisted his +entreaties. The old man, who had fought during so many years, could not +understand why his son should not do the same, or prefer the navy to a +commission in the army. The Countess, in her heart, did not wish to see +her son either soldier or sailor, for both professions terrified her; +she feared for her son the unknown perils of distant excursions, and +her tenderness was alarmed by the thought of what might be an eternal +separation. + +Still, something must be done, and as the young man obstinately adhered +to his resolution, his parents were compelled to yield and consent to +what he desired, whatever might be the future consequences of this +determination. + +The Count still had some old friends at Court, among them being the +Duke de Bellegarde, who stood on terms of great intimacy with King +Louis XIII., surnamed the "_Just_" during his lifetime, because he was +born under the sign of Libra. + +Monsieur de Barmont had also been connected at an earlier date with +the Duke d'Epernon, created Admiral of France in 1587; but he had a +repugnance in applying to him, owing to the rumours that were spread +at the time of the assassination of Henri IV. Still, in a case so +urgent as the present one, the Count comprehended that for the sake of +his son he must silence his private feelings, and at the same time as +he addressed a letter to the Duke de Bellegarde, he sent another to +Epernon, who at this period was Governor of Guyenne. + +The double answer the Count expected was not long deferred; M. de +Barmont's two old friends had not forgotten him, and hastened to employ +their credit on his behalf. + +The Duke d'Epernon especially, better situated through his title of +Admiral to be useful to the young man, wrote that he would gladly +undertake the duty of pushing him on in the world. + +This took place at the beginning of 1631, when Ludovic de Barmont had +reached his sixteenth year. + +Being very tall, with a proud and haughty air, and endowed with rare +vigour and great agility, the young man seemed older than he in reality +was. It was with the liveliest joy that he learned how his wishes +had been fulfilled, and that nothing prevented him from embracing a +maritime career. + +The Duke d'Epernon's letter requested the Count de Barmont to send his +son as speedily as possible to Bordeaux, so that he might at once place +him aboard a man-of-war, to commence his apprenticeship. + +Two days after the receipt of this letter the young man tore himself +with difficulty from the embraces of his mother, bade his father a +respectful farewell, and took the road to Bordeaux, mounted on a good +horse, and followed by a confidential valet. + +The navy had for a long time been neglected in France; and left during +the middle ages in the hands of private persons, as the government, +following the example of the other continental powers, did not deign +to try and secure a respectable position on the seas, much less a +supremacy; thus we see during the reign of Francis I., who was, +however, one of the warlike Kings of France, Ango, a ship broker of +Dieppe, from whom the Portuguese had taken a vessel during a profound +peace, authorized by the King, who was unable to procure him justice, +to equip a fleet at his own expense. With this fleet Ango, we may +remark incidentally, blockaded the port of Lisbon, and did not cease +hostilities until he had forced the Portuguese to send to France +ambassadors humbly to ask peace of the King. + +The discovery of the New World, however, and the no less important one +of the Cape of Good Hope, by giving navigation a greater activity and +a more extended sphere, at the same time as they widened the limits of +commerce, caused the necessity to be felt of creating a navy, intended +to protect merchant vessels against the attacks of corsairs. + +It was not till the reign of Louis XIII. that the idea of creating a +navy began to be carried into execution. Cardinal de Richelieu, whose +vast genius embraced everything, and whom the English fleets had +caused several times to tremble during the long and wearying siege of +Rochelle, passed several decrees relating to the navy, and founded a +school of navigation, intended to educate those young gentlemen who +desired to serve the King aboard his vessels. + +It is to this great minister, then, that France is indebted for the +first thought of a navy; this navy was destined to contend against +the Spanish and Dutch fleets, and during the reign of Louis XIV., to +acquire so great an importance, and momentarily hold in check the power +of England. + +It was this school of navigation created by Richelieu that the Viscount +de Barmont entered, thanks to the influence of the Duke d'Epernon. + +The old gentleman strictly kept the pledge he had given his former +comrade in arms; he did not cease to protect the young man, which, +however, was an easy task, for the latter displayed an extraordinary +aptitude, and a talent very rare at that date in the profession he had +embraced. + +Hence, in 1641, he was already a captain in the navy, and had the +command of a twenty-six gun frigate. + +Unfortunately, neither the old Count de Barmont nor his wife was able +to enjoy the success of their son or the new era opening for their +house; they both died a few days apart from each other, leaving the +young man an orphan at the age of two-and-twenty. + +As a pious son, Ludovic, who really loved his parents, lamented and +regretted them, especially his mother, who had always been so kind and +tender to him; but, as he had been accustomed for so many years to live +alone during his long voyages, and only to trust to himself, he did not +feel the loss so painfully as he would have done had he never left the +paternal roof. + +Henceforth the sole representative of his house, he regarded life more +seriously than he had hitherto done, and redoubled his efforts to +restore to his name its almost eclipsed lustre, which, thanks to his +exertions, was beginning to shine again with renewed brilliancy. + +The Duke d'Epernon still lived, but a forgotten relic of an almost +entirely departed generation--a sickly octogenarian, who had quarrelled +long ago with Cardinal de Richelieu, his influence was null, and he +could do nothing for the man he had so warmly protected a few years +previously. + +But the Count did not allow this to prey on his mind; the naval +service was not envied by the nobility, good officers were rare, and +he believed that if he cautiously avoided mixing himself up in any +political intrigue, he might have a brilliant career. + +An accident, impossible to foresee, was fated to destroy all his +ambitious plans, and ruin his career forever. + +This is how the affair occurred:--The Count de Barmont, at the time +commanding the Erigone, twenty-six gun frigate, after a lengthened +cruise in the Algerian waters to protect French merchant vessels +against the Barbary pirates, steered for the states of Gibraltar, in +order to reach the Atlantic, and return to Brest, whither he had orders +to proceed at the end of his cruise; but just as he was about to pass +through the Straits, he was caught by a squall, and after extraordinary +efforts to continue his course, which almost cast him on to the coast +of Africa, owing to the strength of the wind and the rough, chopping +sea, he was obliged to stand off and on for several hours, and finally +take refuge in the port of Algeciras, which was to windward of him, on +the Spanish coast. + +So soon as he had anchored, and made all snug, the commandant, who +knew from experience that two or three days would elapse ere the wind +veered, and allowed him to pass the Straits, ordered his boat, and went +ashore. + +Although the town of Algeciras is very old, it is very small, badly +built, and scantily populated; at this period, more especially, it +only formed, as it were, a poor market town. It was not till after the +English had seized Gibraltar, situated on the other side of the bay, +that the Spaniards comprehended the importance of Algeciras to them, +and have converted it into a regular port. + +The Captain had no other motive for landing at Algeciras, than the +restlessness natural to sailors, which impels them to leave their +vessel as soon as they have cast anchor. + +Commercial relations were not established at that time, as they now +are. The government had not yet fallen into the custom of sending to +foreign ports residents ordered to watch over their countrymen, and +protect their transactions--in a word, consulates had not yet been +created: only those ships of war, which accident might lead to any +port, now and then undertook to procure justice for those of their +countrymen, whose interests had been encroached on. + +After landing, and giving orders to his coxswain to come and fetch +him at sunset, the Captain, merely followed by a sailor, of the name +of Michael, to whom he was greatly attached, and who accompanied him +everywhere, turned into the winding streets of Algeciras, curiously +examining everything that offered itself to view. + +This Michael, to whom we shall have several occasions to refer, was a +tall fellow, with an intelligent face, about thirty years of age, and +who had vowed an eternal devotion to his captain since the day when the +latter had risked his life in saving his, by jumping into a boat during +a terrible storm four years before, to help him when he had fallen into +the sea while going up the shrouds to ease the mainsail. + +Since that day Michael had never left the Count, and had always +contrived to sail with him. Born in the vicinity of Pau, the country of +Henri IV., he was like the king, his fellow countryman, gay, mocking, +and even sceptical. An excellent sailor, endowed with tried bravery, +and far from ordinary vigour, Michael offered in his person the +perfect type of the Béarnaise Basque, a strong and rough, though loyal +and faithful race. + +Only one individual shared in Michael's heart the unbounded friendship +he felt for his chief. This privileged being was a Breton sailor, +gloomy and taciturn, who formed a complete antithesis to him, and whom, +owing to his slowness, the crew had favoured with the characteristic +name of Bowline, which he had accepted, and was so accustomed to answer +to it, that he had almost forgotten the name he previously bore. + +The service the Count had done Michael, the latter had rendered to +Bowline: hence he was attached to the Breton through this very service, +and while mocking and teasing him from morning till night, he had a +sincere friendship for him. + +The Breton understood Michael, and so far as his reserved and slightly +demonstrative nature permitted, he testified on every occasion his +gratitude to the Basque, by letting himself be completely directed and +governed by him in all the actions of his life, without ever attempting +to revolt against the frequent exorbitant demands of his mentor. + +If we have dwelt so long on the character of these two men, it is +because they are destined in the course of this work to play an +important part; and the reader must be acquainted with them, in order +to understand the facts we shall have to record. + +The Count and his sailor continued to advance along the streets, +the one reflecting and amusing himself the other remaining, through +respect, a few paces in the rear, and desperately smoking a pipe, whose +stem was so short that the bowl almost touched his lips. + +While walking thus straight before them, the promenaders soon reached +the end of the town, and turned into a lane bordered by aloes, which +led, with a rather steep incline, to the top of a hill, whence could +be enjoyed the entire panorama of the bay of Algeciras, which, we may +remark in a parenthesis, is the finest in the world. + +It was about two in the afternoon, the hottest moment of the day. The +sun profusely poured down its torrid beams, which made the pebbles in +the road sparkle like diamonds. + +Hence everybody had gone within doors to enjoy the siesta, so that, +since landing, the two sailors had not met a living creature; and if +the Arabian Nights, which were not translated till a century later, +had been known at the time, the Count, without any great effort of the +imagination, might have believed himself transported to that city where +all the inhabitants had been sent to sleep by a wicked impostor, so +complete was the silence around him, while the landscape had the aspect +of a desert. To complete the illusion, the breeze had fallen, there was +not a breath of air, and the vast expanse of water stretched out at +their feet was as motionless as if composed of ice. + +The Count stopped, pensively gazing with an absent eye at his frigate, +which at this distance was scarce as large as a skiff. + +Michael smoked more than ever, and admired the country with straddling +legs, and his arm behind his back, in that position so liked by sailors. + +"Hilloh!" he said suddenly. + +"What is the matter with you?" the Count asked him, as he turned round. + +"Nothing the matter with me, Captain," he replied, "I am only looking +at a lady who is coming up here at a gallop. What a fancy to go at +that pace in such a heat as this." + +"Where is she?" asked the Count. + +"Why, there, Captain," he said, stretching out his hand to larboard. + +The Count turned his eyes in the direction which Michael indicated to +him. + +"Why, that horse has bolted," he exclaimed, a moment later. + +"Do you think so, Captain?" the sailor remarked, calmly. + +"Zounds! I am certain of it. Look, now that she is nearer to us. The +rider is clinging despairingly to the mane. The unhappy girl is lost!" + +"Very possibly," Michael said, philosophically. + +"Quick, quick, my lad!" the Captain shouted, as he rushed to the side +where the horse was coming up. "We must save the lady, even if we +perish!" + +The sailor made no answer; he merely took the precaution of withdrawing +his pipe from his mouth and placing it in his pocket, and then he set +out at a run behind his captain. + +The horse came on like a whirlwind. It was a barb of the purest +Arab race, with a small head, and legs fine as spindles. It bounded +furiously with all four legs on the narrow path it was following, with +eyes full of flashes, and apparently snorting fire through its dilated +nostrils. The lady on its back, half reclining on its neck, had seized +its long mane with both hands, and, half insane with terror, as she +felt herself lost, she uttered stifled cries at intervals. + +Very far in the rear, several horsemen, who formed almost imperceptible +dots on the horizon, were coming up at full speed. + +The track on which the horse was engaged, was narrow and rocky, and led +to a precipice of frightful depth, toward which the animal was dashing +with a headlong speed. + +A man must either be mad, or endowed with a lion's courage, to try and +save this unhappy woman under such conditions, when he had ninety-nine +chances in a hundred of being crushed, without succeeding in rescuing +her from death. + +The two sailors, however, made no reflections of this nature, and +without hesitation resolved to make a supreme effort. They stood facing +each other on either side of the track, and waited without exchanging a +word. They understood one another. + +Two or three minutes elapsed, and then the horse passed like a tornado; +but with the speed of thought the two men dashed forward, seized it by +the bridle, and, hanging their whole weight on it, allowed themselves +to be dragged onward by the furious animal. + +There was for a moment a terrible struggle between intelligence and +brute strength. At length the brute was conquered. The horse stumbled, +and fell panting on the ground. + +At the moment of its fall, the Count removed in his arms, the lady so +miraculously saved, and he bore her to the side of the road, where he +respectfully laid her down. + +Terror had certainly deprived her of consciousness. + +The Count guessing that the horsemen coming up, were relations or +friends of her to whom he had just rendered so great a service, +repaired the disorder in his clothes and awaited their arrival, while +gazing admiringly at the young lady lying at his feet. + +She was a charming young creature, scarce seventeen years of age, with +a delicate waist, and marked and adorably beautiful features; her long +black silky hair had escaped from the comb that confined it and fell in +perfumed curls over her face, on which a slight flush presaged a speedy +return to life. + +The young lady's dress, which was very rich and remarkably elegant, +would have led to the supposition that she was of high rank, had not +the stamp of aristocracy, spread over her entire person, removed all +doubts on that score. + +Michael, with his characteristic coolness which nothing ever upset, +had remained by the side of the horse which, calmed by the fall and +trembling in all its limbs, had allowed itself to be raised without +offering the slightest resistance; the Basque after removing the +saddle, had plucked a wisp of grass, and began rubbing the horse down, +while admiring it, and muttering every now and then. + +"I don't care, it's a noble and beautiful animal! It would have been +a pity had it rolled over that frightful precipice; I am glad it is +saved." + +The worthy sailor did not think the least bit in the world of the young +lady, for his entire interest was concentrated on the horse. + +When he had finished rubbing down, he put the saddle and bridle on +again and led the horse up to the Count. + +"There," he said with an air of satisfaction, "now the horse is calm; +poor creature, a child could guide it with a thread." + +In the meanwhile the horsemen rapidly approached, and soon came up to +the two French sailors. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. + + +These horsemen were four in number. Two of them appeared to be persons +of importance, the other two were domestics. + +On coming within a few steps of the Count, the first two dismounted, +threw their bridles to the footman and advanced, hat in hand, towards +the gentleman, whom they saluted with exquisite politeness. + +The Count courteously returned their greeting, while taking a +side-glance at them. + +The first was a man of about sixty; he was tall, his demeanour was +graceful and his face appeared handsome at the first glance, for the +expression was imposing, although gentle and even kind. Still, on +examining it with greater attention, it was possible to see from the +gloomy fire of his glance, which seemed at times to emit magnetic +flashes, that this gentleness was merely a mask intended to deceive the +vulgar; his projecting cheek bones, his wide retiring forehead, his +nose bent like a bird's beak and his square chin denoted a cold cruelty +blended with a strong dose of obstinacy and pride. + +This man wore a handsome hunting dress covered with lace, and a heavy +gold chain, called a _fanfaronne_, was passed several times round his +ostrich plumed hat. + +This fanfaronne had been brought into fashion by the adventurers who +returned from New Spain; and though very ridiculous, it had been +enthusiastically adopted by the haughty Castilians. + +This gentleman's companion, much younger than he, but dressed quite +as richly, had one of those faces whose features at the first glance +appear so commonplace and insignificant, that you do not take the +trouble of looking at them, and an observer might pass close by without +seeing them, but his small grey eyes sparkling with cleverness, half +hidden under bushy eyebrows, and the curl of his thin sarcastic lip, +would have completely contradicted any physiognomist, who might take +this person for a man of common intellect and ordinary capacity. + +The elder of the two riders bowed a second time. + +"Sir," he said, "I am the Duc de Peñaflor; the person whose life you +have saved by running such a risk of losing your own, is my daughter, +Doña Clara de Peñaflor." + +As the Count came from Languedoc, he spoke Spanish as purely as his +mother tongue. + +"I am delighted, sir," he replied with a graceful bow, "at having +served as the instrument of providence to preserve a child for her +father." + +"I think," the second rider observed, "that it would be as well to +offer Doña Clara some succour; my dear cousin seems to be seriously +indisposed." + +"It is only emotion," the young man replied; "that caused this fainting +fit, which, if I am not mistaken, is beginning to wear off." + +"Yes indeed," said the Duke, "I think I saw her make a slight movement, +it will be better not to trouble her, but let her regain her senses +quietly; in that way, we shall avoid a shock whose results are +sometimes very dangerous to delicate and nervous organisations, like +that of my dear child." + +All this was spoken with a cold, dry, steady voice, very different +to what a father ought to have employed, whose daughter had just +miraculously escaped death. + +The young officer did not know what to think of his real or feigned +indifference. + +It was only Spanish hauteur. The Duke loved his daughter as much as his +proud and ambitious nature allowed him to do, but he would have been +ashamed to let it be seen, especially by a stranger. + +"Sir," the Duke resumed a moment later, as he stepped aside to display +the gentlemen who accompanied him, "I have the honour of presenting to +you my cousin and friend, Count Don Stenio de Bejar y Sousa." + +The two gentlemen bowed to each other. + +The Count had no motive to maintain an incognito, and saw that the +moment had arrived to make himself known. + +"Gentlemen," he said, "I am Count Ludovic de Barmont Senectaire, +Captain in the Navy, and commanding the French frigate the _Erigone_, +now anchored in Algeciras Bay." + +On hearing the Count's name pronounced, the Duke's face turned +frightfully pale; he frowned till his eyebrows joined, and he gave him +a strangely meaning glance. + +But this emotion did not last longer than a flash: by a violent effort +of the will the Spaniard thrust back to the bottom of his heart, the +feelings that agitated him; his previous impassiveness returned to his +face, and he bowed with a smile. + +The ice was broken between the three gentlemen, for they saw they were +equals; their manner at once changed, and they became as affable as +they had at first been stiff and reserved. + +The Duke was the first to renew the conversation in the most friendly +voice. + +"You are doubtless taking advantage of the truce made a short time +back, between our two nations, my lord, to visit our country?" + +"Pardon me, my lord Duke, I was not aware that hostilities had ceased +between our two armies. I have been at sea for a long time, and without +news of France; chance alone brought me to this coast a few hours ago, +and I sought shelter in Algeciras Bay, to await a change of wind to +pass the Straits." + +"I bless the accident, Count, since I owe to it my daughter's safety." + +Doña Clara had opened her eyes, and, though still very weak, she was +beginning to account for the position in which she found herself. + +"Oh," she said, in a soft and humorous voice, and with an inward +shudder, "had it not been for that gentleman, I should be dead!" +and she attempted to smile, while fixing on the young man her large +eyes full of tears, with an expressive gratitude it is impossible to +describe. + +"How do you feel, my daughter?" the Duke asked. "I am quite well, now, +I thank you, papa," she replied; "when I felt that Moreno no longer +obeyed the bit, and was running away, I believed myself lost, and +terror caused me to faint; but where is my poor Moreno?" she added a +moment after, "Has any misfortune happened to him?" + +"Reassure yourself, señorita," the Count replied with a smile, and +pointing to the horse, "here he is, all right, and quite calmed; if you +like you can ride back on him without the slightest apprehension." + +"I certainly will mount my good Moreno," she said, "I bear him no ill +will for his prank, although it nearly cost me dear." + +"My lord," the Duke then said, "I venture to hope that we shall not +part thus, and that you will deign to accept the cordial hospitality +which I offer you at my castle." + +"My time is not my own, unfortunately, my lord Duke, and duty demands +my immediate presence on board. Be assured I deeply regret my inability +to accept your kind offer." + +"Do you then expect to set sail so soon?" + +"No, sir; on the contrary, I hope," he replied, laying a certain stress +on the words, "to remain here some time longer." + +"In that case," the Duke remarked with a smile, "I do not consider +myself beaten. I am certain we shall meet again soon, and become more +intimate acquaintances." + +"That is my most eager desire, sir," the young man said, taking a side +glance at Doña Clara, who hung her head with a blush. + +The Count then took leave, and proceeded in the direction of Algeciras, +while the horsemen slowly retired in exactly the opposite direction. + +The Captain walked on very thoughtfully, reflecting on the singular +adventure of which he had so suddenly been the hero; recalling the +slightest details, and admiring in memory the beauty of the young lady, +whose life he had been so fortunate as to save. + +Being constantly absorbed by the thousand claims of his rude +profession, and nearly always at sea, the Count, though almost +twenty-five years of age, had never yet loved; he had not even thought +about it; the few women he had hitherto met had produced no effect on +his heart, his mind had always remained free in their presence, and no +serious engagement had as yet disturbed its tranquillity. Hence it was +with a certain terror mingled with astonishment, that while reflecting +on the meeting which had suddenly interrupted his quiet walk, he +perceived that the beauty of Doña Clara and her gentle voice had left +a powerful impression on his mind, that her image was ever present, +and that his memory with implacable fidelity ever recalled even its +apparently most indifferent details, the short interview he had had +with her. + +"Come, come," he said, shaking his head several times as if to drive +away a troublesome thought; "I am mad." + +"Well, Captain," said Michael, who took advantage of this exclamation, +to give a free course to the reflections which he burned to express +aloud, "I don't care, but you must confess it was very lucky all the +same for that young lady, that we were there at the very nick of time." + +"Very lucky, indeed, Michael," the Count replied, delighted at this +diversion; "had we not been there the unhappy young lady would have +been lost." + +"That is true, and hopelessly so; poor little thing." + +"What a frightful fate! So young, and so lovely." + +"I allow that she is well built, although I fancy her lines are a +little too fine, and she is a trifle too pale." The Count smiled, but +made no reply to the sailor's rather venturesome opinion. + +The latter, feeling himself encouraged, went on-- + +"Will you allow me to give you a bit of advice, Captain?" + +"What is it, my lad? Speak without fear." + +"As for fear, deuce take me if I feel that, but I should not like to +pain you." + +"Pain me, about what?" + +"Well, all the worse, I must out with it. When you mentioned your name, +Captain, to the old Duke--" + +"Well, what happened?" + +"On hearing it pronounced, he suddenly turned as pale as a corpse; he +frowned upon you so terrible a look that I fancied for a moment that he +wished to assassinate you; don't you consider that funny, Captain?" + +"What you say is impossible; you are mistaken." + +"You did not notice it, because you had your head down, but I was +looking at him without seeming to do so, and am quite certain about +what I say." + +"But reflect, Michael, I do not know this nobleman, I never saw him +before today; how can he possibly feel hatred for me; you are rambling, +my good fellow." + +"Not at all, Captain, I am certain of what I state; whether you know +him or not is no business of mine, but as for him, I will wager that he +knows you, and intimately too; the impression you produced on him was +too strong for it to be otherwise." + +"I will admit, if you like, that he knows me, but one thing I can +certify, that I never offended him." + +"That is a point on which a man can never be sure, Captain; look you, +I am a Basque, and have known the Spaniards for a long time; they are +a strange people--proud as cocks, and rancorous as fiends; believe me, +distrust them always; that can do no harm, and especially that old +gentleman, who has a crafty face I do not like at all." + +"All that has no common sense, Michael, and I am as mad as yourself in +listening to you." + +"Very well," the sailor said with a toss of the head, "we shall see +hereafter whether I am mistaken." + +The conversation ended here; still Michael's remarks occupied the +Captain more than he would have liked to show, and he returned on board +with a very thoughtful air. On the next morning at about ten o'clock an +excellent pleasure yacht hailed the frigate. + +This vessel contained the Duc de Peñaflor, and his silent cousin, Count +de Bejar y Sousa. + +"On my faith, my dear Count," the Duke said, good-humouredly, after the +first compliments, "you are going to find me very unceremonious, for I +have come to carry you off." + +"Carry me off?" the young man replied with a smile. + +"On my word, yes. Just imagine, Count, my daughter insists on seeing +you; she only speaks of you, and as she does pretty well what she +pleases with me--a thing that will not surprise you greatly. She sent +me to you to tell you that you must absolutely accompany me to the +castle." + +"So it is," Don Stenio said with a bow, "the Señorita Doña Clara +insists on seeing you." + +"Still--" the other objected. + +"I will listen to nothing," the Duke remarked quickly, "you must make +up your mind, my dear Count, you can only obey, for you are aware that +ladies cannot be thwarted; so come, reassure yourself, though, I am not +going to take you far, for my castle is scarce two leagues from here." + +The Count, who in his heart, felt a lively desire to see Doña Clara +again, did not allow himself to be pressed one bit more than was +correct: then, after giving the necessary orders to his second in +command, he accompanied the Duc de Peñaflor, followed by Michael, who +seemed to be the Captain's shade. + +This was the way in which began a connection which was soon to +be changed into love, and have, at a later date, such terrible +consequences for the unhappy officer. + +The Duke and his eternal cousin who never quitted him, overwhelmed +the Count with protestations of friendship, granted him the most +perfect liberty at the castle, and appeared not at all to notice the +intelligence which was soon established between Doña Clara and the +young man. + +The latter, completely subjugated by the passion he experienced for the +young lady, yielded to his love with the confident and unreflecting +abandonment of all hearts that love for the first time. + +Doña Clara, a simple girl, brought up with all the rigid strictness of +Spanish manners, but an Andalusian from head to foot, had listened with +a quiver of delight to the confession of this love which she had shared +from the first moment. + +Everybody, therefore, was happy at the castle; Michael alone formed +an exception, with his stolid face, which was never unwrinkled; the +more rapidly he saw matters tending to the conclusion the young people +desired, the more gloomy and anxious he became. + +In the meanwhile the frigate had left Algeciras for Cadiz. + +The Duke, his daughter, and Don Stenio had made the passage on board; +the Duc de Peñaflor wanted to go to Seville, where he had large +estates, hence he accepted with eager demonstrations of joy the +proposal the Count made him, of conveying him on board his frigate to +Cadiz, which is only some twenty leagues from Seville. + +On the day after the frigate's arrival at Cadiz, the Captain put on his +full uniform, went ashore, and proceeded to the Duke's palace. + +The Duke, doubtless warned of his visit, received him with a smile on +his lips, and with a most affectionate air. + +Emboldened by this reception, the Count, overcoming his timidity, +requested leave to marry Doña Clara. + +The Duke received it favourably; said that he had expected this +request, and that it satisfied all his wishes, since it caused the +happiness of a daughter he loved. + +"Still," he remarked to the Count, "although there was a truce between +the two countries, a peace was not yet signed. Though, according to all +appearance it would be soon carried out, for all that, he feared lest +the news of this marriage might injure the Count's future, by rendering +the Cardinal ill disposed toward him." + +This reflection had several times offered itself to the young officer's +mind; hence he hung his head, not daring to reply, because, unluckily, +he had no valid reason to offer, that would remove the Duke's +objections. + +The latter came to his assistance by saying that there was a very +simple way of arranging matters to the general satisfaction, and +removing this apparently insurmountable difficulty. + +The Count quivering with fear and pleasure, asked what this method was. + +The Duke then explained to him that he meant a secret marriage. As +long as the war lasted, silence would be maintained, but once peace +was concluded and an ambassador sent to Paris, the marriage should be +publicly announced to the Cardinal, who then would probably not feel +offended by the union. + +The young man had been too near seeing his dream of bliss eternally +destroyed to raise the slightest objection to this proposition; secret +or not, the marriage would not be the less valid and he cared little +for the rest. Hence he consented to all the conditions imposed on him +by the Duke, who insisted that the marriage might be effected in such +a way as to keep him in ignorance of it, so that in the event of his +Eminence attempting to turn the King against him, he might employ this +pretended ignorance in foiling the ill will of those who might attempt +to ruin him. + +The Count did not exactly understand what the King of Spain had to do +with his marriage; but as the Duke spoke with an air of conviction, and +seemed to be greatly alarmed about the King's displeasure, he consented +to everything. + +Two days later at nightfall, the young couple were married at the +Church of la Merced, by a priest, who consented for a heavy sum to lend +his ministration to this illegal act. + +Michael the Basque and Bowline served as witnesses of the captain, who, +on the pressing recommendation of the Duke, was unwilling to let any of +his officers into his secrets, while he was sure of the silence of the +two sailors. + +Immediately after the ceremony, the new bride was taken off on one side +by her witnesses, while her husband withdrew greatly annoyed on the +other, and went aboard the frigate. + +When the Count on the next morning presented himself at the Duke's +palace, the latter informed him that, in order to remove any pretext +for malevolence, he had thought it advisable to send away his daughter +for a while, and she had gone to stay with a relation residing at +Grenada. + +The Count did not allow his disappointment to be seen; he withdrew, +pretending to accept as gospel the somewhat specious reasoning of the +Duke. + +Still, he was beginning to find the Duke's conduct towards him very +extraordinary, and he resolved to clear up the doubts that arose in his +mind. + +Michael and Bowline were sent into the country to reconnoitre. + +The Count learned from them, not without surprise, at the end of two +days' researches that Doña Clara was not at Grenada, but merely at +Puerto Santa Maria, a charming little town facing Cadiz on the opposite +side of the road. + +The Captain, so soon as he possessed the information for the success +of the plan he meditated, managed by the intervention of Michael, who +spoke Spanish like an Andalusian, to send a note to Doña Clara, and at +nightfall, followed by his two faithful sailors, he landed at Santa +Maria. + +The house inhabited by the young lady was rather isolated; he set the +two sailors on sentry to watch over her safety, and walked straight up +to the house. + +Doña Clara herself opened the door for him. The joy of the couple was +immense, and the Count retired shortly before sunrise; at about ten +o'clock, he went as usual to pay a visit to his father-in-law, in +whose presence he continued to feign the most complete ignorance as to +Doña Clara's abode, and was most kindly welcomed. + +This state of things went on for nearly a month. One day the Count +suddenly received information of the resumption of the hostilities +between Spain and France; he was himself forced to quit Cadiz, but +wished to have a final interview with the Duke, in order to ask him for +a frank explanation of his conduct; in the event of this explanation +not satisfying him, he was resolved to carry his wife off. + +When he arrived at the Duke's palace, a confidential servant informed +him that his master, suddenly summoned by the king, had started an hour +previously to Madrid, without, to his great regret, having had time to +take leave of him. + +On hearing this, the Count had a presentiment of evil; he turned pale, +but succeeded in overcoming his emotion, and calmly asked the valet +whether his master had not left a letter for him; the servant answered +in the affirmative and handed him a sealed note. + +The Count broke the seal with a trembling hand and ran through the +letter, but his emotion was so great on perusing the contents that he +tottered, and had not the valet sprang forward to support him, he would +have fallen to the ground. + +"Ah!" he muttered, "Michael was right," and he crumpled the paper +savagely. + +But suddenly recovering himself, he overcame his grief and, after +giving the valet several louis, hurried away. + +"Poor young man!" the valet muttered with a sorrowful shake of the head +and re-entered the palace, the gates of which he closed after him. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +DESPAIR. + + +A few yards from the palace the Count met Michael, who was coming +towards him. + +"A boat, quick, quick, my good Michael," he shouted, "'tis a matter of +life and death." + +The sailor, terrified at the condition in which he saw his commandant, +wished to ask him what the matter was, but the Count roughly imposed +silence on him by repeating his order to procure a boat at once. + +Michael bowed his head. + +"Woe is me. I foresaw this," he muttered, with mingled grief and anger, +and he ran off towards the port. + +It is not a difficult task to find a boat at Cadiz, and Michael had +only to choose; comprehending that the Count was in a hurry, he +selected one pulled by ten oars. + +The Count arrived at the same moment. + +"Twenty louis for you and your crew if you are at Puerto in twenty +minutes," he shouted, as he leaped into the boat, which was almost +capsized by the violence of the shock. + +The boat started, the sailors bent over their oars, and made her fly +through the water. + +The captain with his eyes obstinately fixed on Santa Maria, and +striking his clenched fist on the boat's gunwale, in spite of the +excessive speed at which it was going, incessantly repeated in a +choking voice-- + +"Quicker, quicker, muchachos." + +He passed like an arrow across the bows of the frigate, whose crew were +preparing to weigh anchor. At length they reached Puerto. + +"No one is to follow me," the captain cried, as he leaped ashore. + +But Michael did not heed this order, and at the risk of what might +happen to him, he set out in pursuit of the Count, whom he would not +abandon in his present frightful condition. + +It was fortunate he did so, for when he reached the house Doña Clara +had inhabited, he saw the young man lying senseless on the ground. + +The house was deserted, and Doña Clara had disappeared. + +The sailor took his captain on his shoulders and conveyed him to the +boat, where he laid him as comfortably as he could in the stem sheets. + +"Where are we going?" the master asked. + +"To the French frigate; and make haste," Michael replied. + +When the boat was alongside the frigate, Michael paid the master the +promised reward, and then aided by several of the crew, conveyed the +captain to his cabin. As it was eminently necessary to keep the Count's +secret, and avoid arousing suspicions, the sailor in his report to +the first commandant, ascribed to a violent fall from a horse, the +condition in which the captain was; then, after making a signal to +Bowline to follow him, he returned to the cabin. + +M. de Barmont was still as motionless as if he were dead; the chief +surgeon of the frigate in vain bestowed the greatest care on him +without succeeding in recalling life, which seemed to have fled forever. + +"Send away your assistants; Bowline and myself will suffice," Michael +said to the doctor, with a meaning glance. + +The surgeon comprehended, and dismissed the mates. When the door had +closed on them the sailor drew the doctor into a gun berth, and said to +him, in so low a voice as to be scarce audible-- + +"Major, the Commandant has just experienced a great sorrow, which +produced the terrible crisis he is suffering from at this moment. I +confide this to you because a surgeon is like a confessor." + +"All right, my lad," the surgeon replied; "the Captain's secret has +been trusted to sure ears." + +"I am convinced of that, Major; the officers and crew must suppose that +the Captain has been thrown from his horse, you understand. I have +already told the lieutenant so in making the report." + +"Very good; I will corroborate your statement, my lad." + +"Thanks, Major; now I have another thing to ask of you." + +"Speak." + +"You must obtain the lieutenant's leave that no one but Bowline and +myself may wait on the Captain. Look you, Major, we are old sailors of +his, he can say what he likes before us; and then, too, he will be glad +to have us near him; will you get this leave from the lieutenant?" + +"Yes, my lad; I know that you are a good fellow, sincerely attached to +the Captain, and that he places entire confidence in you; hence, do not +feel alarmed--I will settle that with the lieutenant, and you and your +companion shall alone come in here with me so long as the Captain is +ill." + +"Thanks, Major; if an opportunity offers itself I will repay you this; +on the faith of a Basque, you are a worthy man." + +The surgeon began laughing. + +"Let us return to our patient," he said, in order to cut short the +conversation. + +In spite of the intelligent care the doctor paid him the Count's +fainting fit lasted the whole day. + +"The shock was frightful," he said--"it was almost a congestion." + +It was not till night, when the frigate had been for a long time at +sea, and had left Cadiz roads far behind it, that a favourable crisis +set in, and the Captain became slightly better. + +"He is about to regain his senses," the doctor said. + +In fact, a few convulsive movements agitated the Count's body, and he +half-opened his eyes; but his glances were wild and absent; he looked +all around him, as if trying to discover where he was, and why he was +thus lying on his bed. + +The three men, with their eyes fixed on him, anxiously watched this +return to life, whose appearance was anything but reassuring to them. + +The surgeon, more especially, seemed restless; big forehead was +wrinkled, and his eyebrows met, through the effort of some internal +emotion. + +All at once the Count hurriedly sat up, and addressed Michael, who was +standing by his side. + +"Lieutenant," he said to him, in a quick, sharp voice, "let her fall +off a point, or else the Spanish vessel will escape--why have you not +beat to quarters, sir?" + +The surgeon gave Michael a sign. + +"Pardon, Commandant," the latter replied, humouring the sick man's +fancy, "we have beaten to quarters, and the tops are all manned." + +"Very good," he answered; then suddenly changing his ideas, he +muttered--"She will come, she promised it me. But no, she will not +come; she is dead to me henceforth--dead! dead!" he repeated, in a +hollow voice, with different intonations; then he uttered a piercing +cry--"Oh, heaven! How I suffer!" he exclaimed, bursting into sobs, +while a torrent of tears inundated his face. + +He buried his head in his hands, and fell back on his bed. + +The two sailors anxiously examined the surgeon's impassive face, trying +to read in his features what they had to hope or fear. + +The latter uttered a deep sigh of relief, passed his hand over his damp +forehead, and turning to Michael, said-- + +"Heaven be praised! He sheds tears--he is saved." + +"Heaven be praised!" the sailors repeated, crossing themselves devoutly. + +"Do you think he is mad, Major?" Michael asked, in a trembling voice. + +"No, it is not madness, but delirium; he will soon fall asleep--do not +leave him; when he awakes he will remember nothing. If he ask for drink +give him the potion I have prepared, and which is on that table." + +"Yes, Major." + +"Now I am going to retire; if any unforeseen accident occur, warn me at +once; but, in any case, I shall look in again tonight." + +The surgeon left the cabin; his previsions were soon realised, M. de +Barmont gradually fell into a calm and peaceful sleep. + +The two sailors stood motionless by his bedside; no nurse could have +watched a patient with greater care and more delicate attention than +did these two men, whose exterior seemed so hard, but whose hearts were +really so kind. + +The whole night passed away thus; the surgeon had come in several +times, but after a few minutes' examination he withdrew with an air of +satisfaction, and laying a finger on his lips. + +About morning, at the first sunbeam that entered the cabin, the Count +made a slight movement, opened his eyes, and slightly turned his head. + +"My good Michael, give me some drink," he said, in a feeble voice. + +The sailor handed him a glass. + +"I feel crushed," he muttered; "have I been ill?" + +"Yes, a little," the sailor replied; "but now it is all over, thank +heaven! You need only have patience." + +"I feel the motion of the frigate--are we under weigh?" + +"Yes, Commandant." + +"And who gave the orders?" + +"Yourself, last night." + +"Ah!" he remarked, as he handed back the glass. His head fell heavily +on the pillow again, and he was silent. + +Still, he did not sleep; his eyes were opened, and gazed anxiously all +around. + +"I remember," he murmured, while two tears welled in his eyes; then he +suddenly addressed Michael. + +"It was you who picked me up and brought me aboard?" + +"Yes, Captain, 'twas." + +"Thanks! and yet it would have perhaps been better to leave me to die." + +The sailor shrugged his shoulders disdainfully. + +"That is a fine idea, strike me!" he grumbled. + +"Oh, if you only knew," he said, sorrowfully. + +"I knew all; did I not warn you of it the first day?" + +"That is true; I ought to have believed you--but, alas! I already loved +her." + +"Zounds! I knew that, and she deserved it." + +"Does she still love me?" + +"Who can doubt it, poor dear creature?" + +"You are a good man, Michael." + +"I am just." + +There was another silence. + +At the expiration of a few minutes the Count renewed the conversation. + +"Did you find the letter?" he asked. "Where is it?" + +"Here," he said, as he handed it to him. + +The Count eagerly clutched it. + +"Have you read it?" he asked. + +"For what purpose?" said Michael. "Zounds, it must be a tissue of lies +and infamies! And I am not curious about reading such things." + +"There, take it," said the Count. + +"To tear it up?" + +"No, to read it." + +"What's the good?" + +"You must know the contents of the letter--I order it." + +"That is different--give it here." + +He took the letter, opened, and ran through it. + +"Read it aloud," said the Count. + +"That is a pretty job you give me, Commandant. Still, as you wish it, I +must obey you." + +"I implore you, Michael." + +"Enough, Captain." + +And he began reading the strange missive aloud. + +It was short and laconic, but on that very account it necessarily +produced a more terrible effect, because every word was carefully +chosen to go straight home. + +The following was its tenor:-- + +MY LORD, + +You have not married my daughter: I defrauded you by a false marriage. +You shall never see her again--she is dead to you. For many years there +has been an implacable hatred between your family and mine. I should +not have gone to seek you, but Heaven itself brought you in my way. I +understood that it was desired I should avenge myself, and I obeyed. +I believe that I have succeeded in breaking your heart forever. The +love you have for my daughter is sincere and deep. All the better, for +you will suffer the more cruelly. Farewell, my lord. Believe me, you +had better not try to find me, for, if you succeed, my vengeance will +be even more terrible. My daughter will marry in a month the man she +loves, and whom alone she has ever loved. + +"Don Estevan de Sylva, Duc de Peñaflor." + +When the sailor had finished reading he turned an enquiring glance to +his chief. The latter shook his head several times, but made no other +reply. + +Michael handed back the letter, which the Captain at once concealed +beneath his pillow. + +"What do you intend to do?" the sailor asked him, a moment after. + +"You shall know hereafter," the Count answered, in a hollow voice. "I +could not form a determination now, for my head is still heavy, and I +require to reflect." + +Michael gave a nod of assent. + +At this moment the doctor came in. He appeared delighted at seeing his +patient in so good a state, and with a joyous rubbing of his hands, +promised that he should leave his bed in a week at the latest. + +In fact, the surgeon was not mistaken, for the Count rapidly recovered; +ere long he was able to rise, and at the end of a few days, were it +not for a cadaverous pallor spread over his face, and which he ever +retained, his strength seemed to have entirely come back to him. + +M. de Barmont steered his frigate up the Tagus, and anchored before +Lisbon. So soon as the vessel was moored the Captain summoned the +second in command to his cabin, and had a long conversation with him, +after which he went ashore with Michael and Bowline. + +The frigate remained under the command of the first lieutenant: the +Count had abandoned it for ever. + +This deed almost constituted a desertion; but M. de Barmont was +resolved on returning to Cadiz at all hazards. + +During the few days that had elapsed since his conference with Michael, +the Count had reflected, as he promised the sailor. + +The result of his reflections was, that Doña Clara had been deceived +by the Duke like himself, and believed herself really married--indeed, +the whole of the young lady's behaviour to him proved the fact. In +desiring to insure his vengeance too thoroughly, the Duke had gone +beyond his object: Doña Clara loved him, he felt certain of that. She +had only obeyed her father under the constraint of force. + +This admitted, only one thing was left the Count to do; to return +to Cadiz, collect information, find the Duke, and have a solemn +explanation with him in his daughter's presence. + +This plan drawn up in his mind, the young man immediately set, about +carrying it out, leaving the command of his vessel to the lieutenant, +at the risk of destroying his career and being pursued as a traitor, as +the war was raging between France and Spain. He freighted a coaster; +and, followed by his two sailors, to whom he had frankly explained his +intention, but who would not leave him, he returned to Cadiz. + +Thanks to the thorough knowledge of Spanish he possessed, the Count did +not arouse any suspicions in that city, where it was easy for him to +obtain the information he desired. + +The Duke had really set out for Madrid. The Count at once proceeded +to that city. A gentleman of the importance of the Duc de Peñaflor, +a grandee of Spain of the first class, a _caballero cubierto_, could +not travel without leaving traces, especially when nothing led him to +suspect that he was followed. Hence the Count had not the slightest +difficulty in discovering the route he had taken, and he arrived +at Madrid, persuaded that he should soon have with the Duke the +explanation he so ardently desired. + +But his hopes were foiled. The Duke, after being honored with a private +audience by the King, had set out for Barcelona. + +Fatality interfered, but the Count would not be baffled: he mounted his +horse, crossed Spain, and arrived at Barcelona. + +The Duke had embarked for Naples on the previous day. + +This pursuit was assuming the proportions of an Odyssey: it seemed as +if the Duke felt that he was being pursued. + +It was not so, however. He was carrying out a mission with which his +sovereign had entrusted him. + +The Count made enquiries, and learnt that the Duc de Peñaflor was +accompanied by his daughter, and two sons. + +Two days later, M. de Barmont was sailing to Naples, on board a +smuggling vessel. + +We will not enter into all the details of this obstinate pursuit, which +lasted for several months. + +We will confine ourselves to saying that the Count missed the Duke +at Naples, as he had missed him at Madrid and Barcelona, and that he +traversed the whole of Italy, and entered France, still in chase of his +intangible enemy, who seemed to fly before him. + +But during the interval, although the Count did not suspect, the parts +had been greatly modified, if not completely changed. + +In this way. + +The Duke had a great interest in knowing what the Count would do. +Though it was certain that the war would compel him to leave Spain, +still he was too well acquainted with the young man's resolute and +determined character to suppose for a moment that he would accept the +insult offered him, without trying to take a startling revenge. + +In consequence, he had left at Cadiz a confidential man with orders to +watch the Count's movements with the greatest care, in the event of his +reappearing, and to warn the Duke of what steps he might take. + +The man had conscientiously and most skilfully discharged the delicate +duty entrusted to him, and while the Count was pursuing the Duke, he +pursued the Count, never letting him out of sight, stopping when he +stopped, and setting out behind him directly he saw him start. + +When at last he felt assured that the Count was really after his +master, he got ahead of him, rejoined the Duke, whom he came up with +in the neighbourhood of Pignerol, and reported to him all that he had +learned. + +The Duke, though internally terrified by the hateful persistency of +his enemy, pretended to attach but very slight importance to this +communication, and smiled contemptuously on listening to his servant's +report. + +But, for all this, he did not neglect to take his precautions; and, as +peace was on the point of being signed, and a Spanish plenipotentiary +was in Paris, he sent off the same valet to him at full speed, with a +pressing letter. + +This letter was a formal denunciation of the Count de Barmont +Senectaire. + +Cardinal de Richelieu raised no difficulty about granting an order +to arrest the Count, and police agents of his Eminence, commanded by +François Bouillot, left Paris in pursuit of the unhappy officer. + +The latter, completely ignorant of what was going on, had continued +his journey, and even gained ground on the Duke, who, persuaded that +henceforth he would have nothing to fear from his enemy, as the latter +would be arrested before he could come up with him, now travelled by +easy stages. + +The Duke's calculations were false, however. He had not reflected that +the Cardinal's guards, not knowing where to find the man whom they had +orders to arrest, and obliged to feel their way, would be compelled to +almost double their journey: and this really occurred. + +Moreover, as, with the exception of Bouillot, not one of them was +personally acquainted with the Count, and he, as we now know, desired +nothing so much as the Count's escape, he passed through the midst +of them unsuspected, which occasioned them a great loss of time, by +compelling them to turn back. + +We have already narrated how, after the stormy explanation which took +place between father-in-law and son-in-law, the latter was arrested, +taken by Bouillot to the Isle St. Marguerite, and delivered over +to Major de l'Oursière. And now that we have fully explained the +respective positions of each of our characters, we will resume our +narrative at the point where we left it. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE PRISONER. + + +We have mentioned that after proof of identity, and perusal of the +order of arrest, Major de l'Oursière, governor of the fortress of St. +Marguerite, had the Count conducted to the room which was to serve as +his prison, until the day when it might please the Cardinal to restore +him to liberty. + +This room, very spacious and lofty, of an octagonal shape, and with +whitewashed walls, fifteen feet thick, was only lighted by two narrow +loopholes, covered with an under and outer iron trelliswork, which +completely prevented any looking out. + +A large chimney, with a wide mantelpiece, occupied one corner of the +room: facing was a bed, composed of a thin palliasse and a narrow +mattress laid on a deal bedstead, formerly painted yellow, though time +had completely removed the colour. + +A rickety table, a stool, a chair, a night commode, and an iron +candlestick, completed the furniture, which was more than modest. + +This room was situated on the highest floor of the tower, the platform +of which, where a sentry tramped day and night, served as the ceiling. + +The soldier drew the bolts that garnished the iron-lined door of this +room. The Count entered, with a firm step. + +After taking a glance at these cold, sad walls, destined henceforward +to serve him as a habitation, he sat down on a chair, crossed his arms +on his breast, hung his head, and began to reflect. + +The soldier, or rather gaoler, who had gone out, returned an hour +later, and found him in the same position. + +He brought with him sheets, blankets, and wood to light a fire. Behind +him two soldiers carried the portmanteau containing the prisoner's +clothes and linen, which they placed in a corner, and retired. + +The gaoler at once set to work making the bed. Then he swept the room +and lit the fire. When these different duties were accomplished, he +approached the prisoner. + +"My lord?" he said to him politely. + +"What do you want with me, my friend?" the Count answered, raising his +head and looking at him gently. + +"The governor of the castle desires the honour of an interview with +you, as he says he has an important communication to make." + +"I am at the governor's orders," the Count said laconically. + +The gaoler bowed and went out. + +"What can the man want with me?" the Count muttered, so soon as he was +alone. + +He had not long to wait, for the door opened again and the governor +made his appearance. + +The prisoner rose to receive him, bowed, and then silently waited for +him to speak. + +The Major made the gaoler a sign to withdraw, and then, after a fresh +bow, he said with cold politeness,-- + +"My lord Count, gentlemen should respect each other. Although +the orders I have received on your account from the Cardinal are +very strict, I still desire to shew you any attention that is not +incompatible with my duty. I have, therefore, come to you frankly in +order to have an understanding on the subject." + +The Count guessed to what this speech tended, but did not let it be +seen, and answered,-- + +"Mr. Governor, I am grateful, as I ought to be, for the steps you +have been kind enough to take; may I ask you, therefore, to have the +goodness to explain to me the nature of your orders, and what the +favours are by which you can alleviate their severity. But, in the +first place, as I am at home here," he added, with a melancholy smile; +"do me the honour of seating yourself." + +The Major bowed, but remained standing. + +"It is unnecessary, my lord," he remarked, "as what I have to say to +you is very short; in the first place, you will observe that I have had +the delicacy to send you the trunk containing your effects unexamined +as I had the right to do." + +"I allow the fact, Major, and feel obliged; to you for it." + +The Major bowed. + +"As you are an officer, my lord," he said, "you are aware that his +Eminence the Cardinal, although he is a great man, is not very liberal +to officers whose infirmity or wounds compel them to quit the service." + +"That is true." + +"The governors of fortresses more especially, although nominated by the +King, being obliged to pay a long price to their predecessors for the +office, are reduced to a perfect state of want, if they have not saved +up some money." + +"I was not aware of that circumstance, sir, and fancied that the +governorship of a fortress was a reward." + +"So it is, my lord, but we have to pay for the command of fortresses +like this, which are employed as state prisons." + +"Ah! Very good." + +"You understand, it is supposed that the governor makes a profit by the +prisoners intrusted to his keeping." + +"Of course, sir; are there at present many unhappy men who have +incurred the displeasure of His Eminence detained in this castle?" + +"Alas, sir, you are the only one, and that is exactly the reason why I +desire to have an amicable settlement with you." + +"For my part, be assured, sir, that I desire nothing more earnestly." + +"I am convinced of that, and hence will discuss the question frankly." + +"Do so, sir, do so; I am listening to you with the most serious +attention." + +"I have orders, sir, not to let you communicate with anyone but your +gaoler, to give you neither books, papers, pens, or ink, and never to +allow you to quit this room; it appears there is great fear of your +escape from here, and his Eminence is anxious to keep you." + +"I am extremely obliged to his Eminence, but luckily for me," the Count +answered with a smile, "instead of having to deal with a gaoler, I am +dependent on a true soldier, who, while strictly obeying his orders, +considers it unnecessary to torture a prisoner already so unhappy as to +have fallen into disgrace with the King and the Cardinal minister." + +"You have judged me correctly, my lord, though the orders are so +strict. I command alone in this castle, where I have no control to +fear. Hence I hope to have it in my power to relax the rigor I am +commanded to show you." + +"Whatever may be your intention in that respect, allow me, sir, in +my turn to speak like a frank and loyal sailor. As prisoner of your +King, doubtless for a very long time, money is perfectly useless to +me; though not rich, I enjoy a certain ease, on which I congratulate +myself, as this ease permits me to requite any polite attentions you +may show me; service for service, sir, I will give you every year +10,000 livres, paid in advance; and, on your side, will you allow me to +procure, at my own charges of course, all the objects susceptible of +alleviating my captivity." + +The Major felt as if about to faint. The old officer of fortune had +never in his whole life possessed so large a sum. + +The Count continued without seeming to notice the effect his words +produced on the governor. + +"Well then, that is quite understood. To the sum the King pays you +for my board, we will add 200 livres a month, or 2,400 per annum, for +papers, pens, ink, &c., suppose we say the round sum of 3,000 livres, +does that suit you?" + +"Ah, Sir, it is too much, a great deal too much." + +"No, Sir, since I assist an honourable man, who will owe me thanks for +it." + +"Ah! I shall be eternally grateful, sir; but, do not be angry with my +frankness, you will oblige me to offer up vows to keep you as long as +possible." + +"Who knows, sir, whether my departure will not some day be more +advantageous than my stay here?" he said with a meaning smile; "be good +enough to lend me your tablets." + +The Major offered them to him. + +The Count tore out a leaf, with a few pencilled words on it, and handed +it back to him. + +"Here," he said, "is a draught for 16,000 livres, which you can receive +at sight from Messrs. Dubois, Loustal, and Co., of Toulon, whenever you +have leisure." + +The governor clutched the paper with a start of joy. + +"But it seems to me that this draft is 800 livres in excess of the sum +agreed on between us?" he said. + +"That is correct, sir, but the 800 livres are for the purchase of +different articles, of which here is the list, and which I must ask you +to procure for me." + +"You shall have them tomorrow, my lord," and after bowing very low the +governor walked backwards out of the room. + +"Come," the Count muttered gaily, when the heavy door had closed on +the Major; "I was not deceived, I judged that man correctly, and his +is really perfect, but his most thoroughly developed vice is decidedly +avarice; I can make something of it, I fancy, when I like, but I must +not go ahead too fast, but act with the greatest prudence." + +Certain of not being disturbed, at least for some hours, the Count +opened the trunk brought in by the two soldiers, in order to convince +himself whether the governor had told him the truth, and the contents +were really intact. + +The trunk had not been examined. + +In the foresight of a probable arrest, the Count when he started in +pursuit of the Duc de Peñaflor, had purchased several objects which he +found again with the most lively satisfaction. + +In addition to a certain quantity of clothes and linen, the trunk +contained a very fine and strong silk cord, nearly one hundred fathoms +in length, two pairs of pistols, a dagger, a sword, powder and bullets, +objects which the governor would have confiscated without any scruple, +had he seen them, and which the Count had laid in at all risks, +trusting to chance. + +There were also several iron and steel tools, and concealed in a double +bottom, a very heavy purse containing the sum of 25,000 livres in +gold, in addition to another almost equally large amount in Spanish +quadruples sewn into a wide leathern belt. + +So soon as the Count was certain that the Major had told him the truth, +he carefully locked the trunk again, hung the key round his neck by a +steel chain, and sat down quietly in the chimney corner. + +His meditations were interrupted by the gaoler. This time the man not +only brought him bed furniture, far superior to what he had given him +before, but he had added a carpet, a mirror, and even toilet utensils. + +A cloth was spread on a table, upon which he placed in a moment a very +appetising dinner. + +"The Major begs me to apologize, sir," he said; "tomorrow he will send +you what you asked for. In the meanwhile he has forwarded you some +books." + +"Very good, my friend," the Count replied. + +"What is your name?" + +"La Grenade, sir." + +"Has the Governor selected you to wait on me?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"My friend, you appear to me a good fellow, here are three louis for +you. I will give you the same amount every month if I am satisfied with +your attention." + +"Had you given me nothing, sir," La Grenade replied, as he took the +money, "it would not have prevented me from serving you with all the +zeal of which I am capable, and if I receive these three louis, it is +only because a poor devil like me has no right to refuse a present from +so generous a gentleman as you. But, I repeat, sir, I am quite at your +service, and you can employ me in whatever way you please." + +"Goodness!" the Count said, in surprise; "and yet I do not know you, +as far as I am aware, La Grenade--whence, may I ask, comes this great +devotion to my person?" + +"I am most willing to tell you, sir, if it interests you. I am a +friend of M. François Bouillot, to whom I am under certain obligations; +he ordered me to serve and obey you in everything." + +"That good Bouillot," said the Count. "Very well, my friend, I shall +not be ungrateful. I do not want you anymore at present." + +The gaoler put some logs on the fire, lit the lamp, and withdrew. + +"Well," said the Count, with a laugh, "Heaven forgive me! I believe +that, though a prisoner in appearance, I am as much master of this +castle as the governor, and that I can leave it without opposition on +any day I like. What would the Cardinal think if he knew how his orders +were executed?" + +He sat down to table, unfolded his napkin, and began dining with a good +appetite. + +Things went on thus, in the way agreed on between the Governor and his +prisoner. + +The arrival of Count de Barmont at the fortress had been a windfall for +the Major, who, since he had received from the royal munificence the +command of this castle as retiring pension, had not once before had an +opportunity to derive any profit from the position that had been given +him. Hence he promised to make a gold mine of his solitary prisoner; +for the Isle of St. Marguerite, as we have already remarked, had not +yet acquired the reputation which it merited at a later date as a State +prison. + +The Count's room was furnished as well as it could be; everything he +demanded in the shape of books was procured him, though he had to pay +dearly for them, and he was even allowed to walk on the towers. + +The Count was happy--so far, at least, as the circumstances in which +he found himself allowed him to be so: no one would have supposed, +on seeing him work so assiduously at mathematics and navigation, for +he applied himself most seriously to the completion of his maritime +education, that this man nourished in his heart a thought of implacable +vengeance, and that this thought was ever present to him. + +At the first blush, the resolution formed by the Count to allow himself +to be incarcerated, while it was easy for him to remain free, may seem +strange: but the Count was one of those men of granite whose thoughts +are immutable, and who, when they have once formed a resolution, after +calculating with the utmost coolness all the chances for and against, +follow the road they have laid down for themselves, ever marching in a +straight line without caring for the obstacles that arise at each step +on their path and surmounting them, because they decided from the first +that they would do so--characters that grow and are perfected in the +struggle, and sooner or later reach the goal they have designed. + +The Count understood that any resistance to the Cardinal would result +in his own utter ruin; and there was no lack of proofs to support this +reasoning: by escaping from the guards who were taking him to prison, +he would remain at liberty, it is true, but he would be exiled, obliged +to quit France, and wander about in foreign parts alone, isolated, +without resources, ever on the watch, forced to hide himself, and +reduced to the impossibility of asking, that is to say, of obtaining +the necessary information he required to avenge himself on the man +who, by robbing him of the wife he loved, had at the same blow not +only destroyed his career and fortune, but also eternally ruined his +happiness. + +He was young, and could wait; vengeance is eaten cold, say the +southerners--and the Count came from Languedoc. Besides, as he had said +to Bouillot, in a moment of expansiveness, he wished to suffer, in +order to kill within him every human feeling that still existed, and to +find himself one day armed _cap-à-pie_ to face his enemy. + +Cardinal Richelieu and Louis XIII. were both seriously ill. Their death +would not fail to produce a change of reign in two, three, or four +years at the most, and that catastrophe would arrive, one of whose +consequences it is to produce a reaction, and consequently, to open to +all the prisoners of the defunct Cardinal the dungeons to which he had +condemned them. + +The Count was twenty-five years of age: hence time was his own, and the +more so because, when restored to liberty, he would enter on all his +rights, and as an enemy of Richelieu, be favourably regarded at Court, +and, through the temporary credit he would enjoy, be in a condition to +regain all the advantage he had lost as concerned his foe. + +Only energetically endowed men, who are sure of themselves, are capable +of making such calculations, and obstinately pursuing a line of +conduct so opposed to all logical combinations; but these men who thus +resolutely enlist chance on their side, and reckon on it as a partner, +always succeed in what they purpose doing, unless death suddenly cuts +them short. + +Through the intercession of La Grenade, and the tacit connivance of the +Governor, who closed his eyes with a charming inattention, the Count +was not only cognizant with all that was going on outside, but also +received letters from his friends, which he answered. + +One day, after reading a letter which la Grenade had given him when +bringing in breakfast, a letter from the Duc de Bellegarde, which had +reached him through Michael, for the worthy sailor had refused to leave +his Commandant, and had turned fisherman at Antibes, with Bowline as +his assistant, the Count sent a message to the Governor, requesting a +few minutes' conversation with him. + +The Major knew that every visit he paid his prisoner was a profit to +him, hence he hastened to his room. + +"Have you heard the news, sir?" the Count said at once on seeing him. + +"What news, my lord?" the Major asked, in amazement, for he knew +nothing. + +In fact, placed as he was at the extreme frontier of the kingdom, news, +no matter its importance, only reached him, so to speak, by accident. + +"The Cardinal Minister is dead, sir. I have just learned it from a sure +hand." + +"Oh!" said the Major, clasping his hands, for this death might cause +him the loss of his place. + +"And," the Count added, coldly, "His Majesty King Louis XIII. is at +death's door." + +"Great heaven, what a misfortune!" exclaimed the Governor. + +"This misfortune may be fortunate for you, sir," the Count resumed. + +"Fortunate! When I am menaced with the loss of my command! Alas, my +lord, what will become of me if I am turned out of here?" + +"That might easily, happen," said the Count. "You have, sir, always +been a great friend of the defunct Cardinal, and known as such." + +"That is, unhappily, too true," the Major muttered, quite out of +countenance, and recognizing the truth of this affirmation. + +"There is, I think, an advantageous mode of arranging matters." + +"What is it, my lord? Speak, I implore you!" + +"It is this: listen to me carefully--what I am going to say is very +serious for you." + +"I am listening, my lord." + +"Here is a letter all ready written for the Duc de Bellegarde. You +will start at once for Paris, passing through Toulon, where you will +cash this draft for 2000 livres, to cover your expenses. The Duke is +sincerely attached to me. For my sake he will receive you kindly: you +will come to an understanding with him, and obey him in everything he +orders." + +"Yes, yes, my lord." + +"And if within a month from this time at the latest--" + +"From this time at the latest--" the Governor repeated, panting with +impatience. + +"You bring me here my full and entire--pardon, signed by H. M. Louis +XIII.--" + +"What?" the Governor exclaimed, with a start of surprise. + +"I will at once pay you," the Count continued, coldly, "the sum of +50,000 livres, to indemnify you for the loss my liberation must entail +on you." + +"Fifty thousand livres!" the Major exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with +greed. + +"Fifty thousand! yes, sir," the Count replied. "And, besides, I pledge +myself, if you wish it, to get you confirmed in your command. Is this +matter settled?" + +"But, my lord, how am I to manage at Paris?" + +"Follow the instructions the Duc de Bellegarde will give you." + +"What you ask of me is very difficult." + +"Not so difficult as you pretend to believe, sir; however, if this +mission does not suit you--" + +"I did not say that, sir." + +"In a word, you can take it or leave it." + +"I take it, my lord--I take it. Great heaven!--fifty thousand livres!" + +"And you start?" + +"Tomorrow." + +"No, tonight." + +"Very good--tonight." + +"All right! Here are the letter and the draft. Oh! by the way, try to +put yourself in communication with a fisherman at Antibes of the name +of Michael." + +"I know him," the Major said, with a smile. + +"Indeed!" said the Count. "There would be no harm, either, in your +trying to find the exempt who brought me here, one François Bouillot." + +"I know where to find him," the Major replied, with the same meaning +smile. + +"Very good! in that case, my dear Governor, I have nothing more to add, +or any recommendations to make to you, beyond wishing you a pleasant +journey." + +"It will be so, my lord, I pledge you my word." + +"It is true that it is a round sum--fifty thousand livres!" + +"I shall not forget the amount." + +After saying this the Major took leave of his prisoner, and retired, +with a profusion of bows. + +"I believe that I am going to be free this time!" the Count exclaimed, +so soon as he was alone--"Ah! my lord Duke, we are now about to fight +with equal weapons!" + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +MAJOR DE L'OURSIÈRE. + + +Had it been possible for Count de Barmont to notice through the thick +oak planks, lined with iron, that formed the door of his prison, the +face of the governor on leaving him, he would not have chanted victory +so loudly, or believed himself so near his deliverance. + +In fact, so soon as the Major had no longer cause to dread his +prisoner's clear-sighted glance, his features immediately assumed an +expression of cynical malice impossible to render; his half-closed eyes +flashed with a gloomy fire beneath his grey eyelids and an ironical +smile raised the corners of his pale thin lips. + +It was twilight; night was beginning to fall, and confound all objects, +by burying them in a dark pall, which momentarily grew denser. + +The Major returned to his apartments, put a heavy cloak on his +shoulders, pulled his hat over his eyes, and sent for his lieutenant. + +The latter presented himself at once. + +He was a man of about forty, with a delicate and intelligent face, +whose features were imprinted with gentleness and even kindness. + +"I am starting this moment, sir," the governor said to him, "for +Antibes, whither important business summons me; my absence will +probably be prolonged for several days. While I remain absent from the +castle, I invest you with the command; watch over its safety, and guard +against any attempted escape on the part of the prisoner, though I +doubt his making it. Such attempts, though they do not succeed, injure +the reputation of a fortress, and the character of its governor." + +"I will watch with the greatest care, sir!" + +"I am certain of that, sir. Is there any fishing boat in the roads? +I should prefer not using the boat belonging to the fortress, as the +garrison is so weak." + +"The fishing boat you generally use, sir, and which is commanded by one +Michael, I think, was alongside the quay hardly an hour ago, but he has +probably started to fish outside the reef, as he usually does." + +"Hum," said the Major, "even were he still there, I should scruple at +making the poor fellow lose so much time in putting me ashore. These +fishermen are not rich, and every minute you take from them makes them +lose a part of the trifling profit of a long and hard night's work." + +The officer bowed, apparently sharing his chief's philanthropic ideas, +although his face evidenced the surprise which the expression of such +sentiments by a man like the Major caused him. + +"Are there no other boats here?" the Major asked, affecting an air of +indifference. + +"I beg your pardon, sir, a smuggling lugger is just about putting out +to sea." + +"Very good; warn the master that I wish him to take me on board. Be +good enough to make haste, sir, for I am in a hurry." + +The officer withdrew to carry out the order given him; the Major took +some papers, doubtless important, from an iron casket, hid them under +his coat, wrapped himself in his cloak, and left the castle, under the +salute of the sentries who presented arms as he passed. + +"Well?" he asked the officer who came to meet him. + +"I have spoken to the master, sir, he awaits you," the other replied. + +"I thank you, sir; now, return to the castle, and watch carefully over +its safety till my return." + +The officer took leave, and the Major proceeded toward a sort of small +quay, where the lugger's yawl was waiting for him. + +So soon as the governor was aboard, the smuggler let go the hawser, and +set sail. + +When the light vessel was well under weigh, the master respectfully +walked up to the Major. + +"Where are we to steer?" he asked, as he doffed his woollen nightcap. + +"Ah, ah! is it you, Master Nicaud?" the governor said; for, accustomed +to have dealings with the smugglers, he knew most of them by their +names. + +"Myself, at your service, if I can do anything, Mr. Governor," the +master answered politely. + +"Tell me," said the Major, "would you like to earn ten louis?" + +The sailor burst into a hearty laugh. + +"You are joking with me, of course, Mr. Governor," he said. + +"Not at all," the Major went on, "and the proof is, here they are," +he added, as he drew from his pocket a handful of gold, which he +carelessly tossed in his hand; "I am therefore awaiting your answer." + +"Hang it, Mr. Governor, you are well aware that ten louis forms a very +fine lump of money for a poor fellow like me; I am most willing to earn +the canaries, what must I do for them?" + +"Well, a very simple thing! take me to St. Honorat, where I feel +inclined for a stroll." + +"At this time of night?" the master remarked in surprise. + +The Major bit his lips on perceiving that he had made a foolish remark. + +"I am very fond of the picturesque, and wish to enjoy the effect of the +convent ruins in the moonlight." + +"That is an idea like any other," the skipper answered; "and as you pay +me, Mr. Governor, I can have no objection." + +"That is true. Then you will take me to Saint Honorat, land me in your +boat, and stand off and on while waiting for me. Is that agreed?" + +"Perfectly." + +"Ah! I have a decided taste for solitude, and hence I must insist on +none of your men landing on the island while I am there." + +"The whole crew shall remain on board, I promise you." + +"All right, I trust to you, here is the money." + +"Thanks," said the skipper, pocketing it; then he said to the steerer, +"down with the helm," and added, "Hilloh, my lads, brace the sheets to +larboard." + +The vessel quickly came up to the wind, and leaped over the waves in +the direction of Saint Honorat, whose black outlines stood out on the +horizon. + +It is but a short passage between Saint Marguerite and Saint Honorat, +especially for such a clipper as the smuggling lugger. + +The vessel was soon off the island. + +The master lay to, and ordered a boat to be let down. + +"Mr. Governor," he said respectfully, doffing his cap, and stopping the +governor, who was walking up and down in the stern; "we are all ready, +and the boat waits for you." + +"Already! All the better," the latter answered. + +At the moment when he was going to get into the boat, the skipper +arrested him. + +"Have you pistols?" he asked him. + +"Pistols?" he said as he turned round, "What for? is not this island +deserted?" + +"Entirely." + +"Hence I can run no risk." + +"Not the slightest; hence that is not the reason why I asked you the +question." + +"What is it then?" + +"Hang it, it is as black as in the fiend's oven; there is no moon, you +cannot distinguish an object ten yards from you. How shall I know when +you want to come on board again, unless you warn me by a signal?" + +"That is true; what had I better do?" + +"Here is a pistol, it is not loaded, but there is powder in the pan, +and you can squib it." + +"Thanks," said the Major, taking the pistol, and thrusting it through +his girdle. + +He got into the boat, which was dancing on the waves, and sat down in +the stern sheets; four vigorous sailors bending over the oars made her +fly through the water. + +"A pleasant trip," the skipper shouted. + +It appeared to the Major as if this wish had been uttered with a very +marked ironical tone by Master Nicaud, but he attached no further +importance to it, and turned his eyes toward land, which was gradually +looming larger. + +Ere long the boat's bows grated on the sand; they had arrived. + +The Major went ashore, and after ordering the sailors to return aboard, +he drew his cloak over his face, went off with long steps, and soon +disappeared in the darkness. + +However, instead of obeying the injunction given them, three of the +sailors landed in their turn, and followed the Major at a distance, +while careful to keep themselves out of sight. The fourth, who remained +to keep the boat, hid the latter behind a point, secured it to a +projecting rock, and leaping ashore, fusil in hand, he remained on the +watch with his eyes fixed on the interior of the island. + +The Major, in the meanwhile, continued to advance hurriedly in the +direction of the ruins, whose imposing outline was already beginning +to present itself to his eyes, borrowing from the surrounding gloom a +still more imposing aspect. + +The Major, convinced that his orders had been punctually carried out, +for he had no motive to distrust Master Nicaud, whom he had ever and +under all circumstances found willing and faithful, walked on without +turning his head, or even taking precautions, which he considered +unnecessary, as he was far from suspecting that several men were +following his footsteps, and watching his movements. + +It was easy to see from the deliberate manner in which he walked, and +the facility with which he evaded obstacles and found his way in the +darkness, that this was not the first time the Major had come to this +spot, though it appeared so solitary and deserted. + +After entering the ruins, M. de l'Oursière passed through a cloister, +encumbered with shapeless fragments, and forcing his way between +stones and brambles, he entered the chapel, a magnificent specimen of +the purest Roman style, whose crumbling roof had fallen in under the +incessant efforts of time, and only the choir and apse still remained +intact amid broken columns and desecrated altars. + +The Major passed through the choir, and reached the apse, where he +halted. + +After carefully examining for a moment the surrounding objects, as if +he expected to find someone or something he did not perceive, he at +length resolved to clap his hands thrice. + +At the same moment a man rose scarce two paces from him. + +This sudden apparition, though he fully expected it, made the Major +start, and he fell back a step, laying his hand on his sword. + +"Ah, ah, my master," the stranger said, in a mocking voice, "pray do +you take me for a spectre, that I cause you such terror?" + +The man was wrapped up in a thick cloak, whose folds concealed his +shape, while a broad leafed plumed hat entirely covered his face and +rendered him completely unrecognizable. Only the end of his cloak +raised by the scabbard of a long rapier, proved that whoever the man +might be, he had not come unarmed to this gloomy rendezvous. + +"I am at your orders, sir," the Major said, raising his hand to his +hat, but without removing it. + +"And ready to serve me, no doubt," the stranger resumed. + +"That depends," the Major remarked roughly, "times are no longer the +same." + +"Ah, ah," the stranger continued still sarcastically, "what news is +there? I shall be delighted to learn it of you." + +"You know it as well as I do, sir." + +"No matter, tell me all the same what the great news is, that thus +produces modifications in our relations which have hitherto been so +amicable?" + +"It is useless to jeer thus, sir; I have served you, you have paid me, +and we are quits." + +"Perhaps so, but go on. I presume you wish to propose a new bargain to +me?" + +"I have nothing to propose; I have merely come because you expressed a +desire to see me, that is all." + +"And your prisoner, are you still satisfied with him?" + +"More than ever. He is a charming gentleman, who does not at all +deserve the melancholy fate thrust on him; I really feel an interest in +him." + +"Confound it, that comes expensive, I did not take that interest into +account, and I was wrong, I see." + +"What do you mean, sir?" the Major protested with an indignant air. + +"Nothing but what I say to you, my dear sir. Hang it, you amuse me with +your scruples, after taking money from all parties during the last +eighteen months; the Cardinal is dead and the King is on the point of +following him, that is what you wished to tell me, is it not? A new +reign is preparing, and it is probable that, if only through a spirit +of contradiction, the new government will upset everything done by +the one that preceded it, and that its first care will be to open the +prison doors; you also wished to tell me that Count de Barmont, who +possesses warm friends at court, who will not fail to employ their +influence on his behalf, cannot fail to be set at liberty ere long. +Confusion, I knew all that as well and even better than you, but what +matter?" + +"How, what matter?" + +"Certainly, if Count de Barmont has devoted friends, he has implacable +enemies; bear that in mind." + +"And the result will be?" + +"That in four days at the latest, you will receive an order signed by +Louis XIII. himself." + +"To what effect?" + +"Oh! Good heaven, no great thing, except that Count de Barmont will +be immediately transferred from St. Marguerite to the Bastille; and +once there," he added in a hollow voice, which made the Major shudder +involuntarily, "a man is eternally erased from the number of the living +or only leaves it a corpse or a maniac. Do you comprehend me now?" + +"Yes, I understand you, sir; but who guarantees that the Count will not +have escaped before the four days to which you refer?" + +"Oh! With a governor like yourself, Major, such an eventuality seems to +me highly improbable." + +"Well, well," the Major observed, "very extraordinary tales are told +about the escape of prisoners." + +"That is true; but another thing reassures me against this escape." + +"And what is that, sir?" + +"Merely that the Count himself declared that he would never consent to +escape, and was not at all anxious about liberty." + +"Well, sir, that is the very thing that deceives you; it seems that +he has now changed his opinion, and is eagerly soliciting through his +friends to obtain his liberty." + +"Ah! Have we come to that point?" the stranger said, fixing on the +Major a glance which flashed through the gloom. + +The governor bowed. + +There was a silence, during which no other sound was audible, save that +of the heavy flight of the nocturnal birds in the ruins. + +"A truce to further chattering," the stranger resumed in a fierce +voice; "how much do you ask to prevent the prisoner escaping until the +king's order reaches you?" + +"Two hundred thousand livres," the Major answered roughly. + +"Was I not right in telling you that it would be expensive?" the +stranger said with a grin. + +"Dear or not, that is my price, and I shall not bate it." + +"Very good, you shall have it." + +"When?" + +"Tomorrow." + +"That will be too late." + +"What?" the stranger asked haughtily. + +"I said it would be too late," the Major repeated imperturbably. + +"In that case, when must you have it?" + +"At once." + +"Do you fancy I carry 200,000 livres about me?" + +"I do not say that, but I can accompany you where you are going, and on +reaching Antibes, we will say, you can pay me the amount." + +"That is a good plan." + +"Is it not?" + +"Yes, only there is an obstacle to its success." + +"I do not see one." + +"But I do." + +"What is it, sir?" + +"That, if I give you a meeting here, and come disguised and alone, I +have probably an object." + +"Of course! You wish to remain incog." + +"You are full of penetration, my dear sir; and yet we can come to an +understanding." + +"I do not see how, unless you consent to what I ask." + +"You are a judge of diamonds, since we have hitherto only bargained in +them." + +"That is true, I am a tolerable judge of them." + +"Here is one that is worth 100,000 crowns, take it." + +And he offered a small case of black shagreen. + +The Major eagerly seized it. + +"But," he objected, "how can I be certain that you are not deceiving +me?" + +"An affecting confession," the stranger observed laughingly. + +"Business is business, I risk my soul in serving you." + +"As for your soul, my dear sir, reassure yourself; in that quarter you +have nothing to risk. But I will give you the satisfaction you desire." + +And taking a dark lanthorn from under his cloak, he let the light play +on the diamond. + +The Major only required one glance to assure himself of the value of +the rich reward offered him. + +"Are you satisfied?" the stranger asked, as he placed the lanthorn +again under his cloak. + +"Here is the proof," the Major answered, as he concealed the box, and +handed him a bundle of papers. + +"What is this?" the stranger inquired. + +"Papers of great importance for you, in the sense that they will tell +you who the Count's friends are, and the means they can employ to +restore him to liberty." + +"Bravo!" the stranger exclaimed, as he eagerly took the bundle of +papers; "I no longer regret having paid so heavy a price for your +assistance. Now we have discussed every point, I think?" + +"I think so too." + +"In that case, farewell! When I want you, I will let you know." + +"Are you going already?" + +"What the deuce would you have me do longer in this owl's nest? It is +time for each of us to rejoin the persons waiting for us." + +And after giving the Major a slight wave of the hand, he turned away +and disappeared behind the ruins of the high altar. + +At the same moment the stranger was suddenly seized by several men, so +that not only was he unable to offer a useless resistance, but found +himself bound and gagged before he had recovered from the surprise this +attack had caused him. + +His silent aggressors then left him rolling on the ground with +convulsive bounds of impotent rage, and disappeared in the darkness +without paying any further attention to him. + +The Major, after a momentary hesitation, also resolved to leave the +place, and slowly proceeded in the direction of the shore. On arriving +within a certain distance, in obedience to skipper Nicaud's hint, he +cocked his pistol and flashed the powder in the pan; then he continued +to advance slowly. + +The boat had doubtless made haste to meet him, for at the same moment +as the Major reached the shore, its bows ran into the sand. + +The governor stepped silently into it; twenty minutes after he +found himself on board the lugger, where master Nicaud received him +respectfully cap in hand. + +The boat was hauled up to the davits, sail was set on the lugger, and +she stood out to sea before a fresh breeze. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE SEAGULL LUGGER. + + +A lugger is a three mast vessel, with narrow lines aft and bulging +bows; it has a foremast, mainmast, and a driver greatly inclined over +the stern; its bowsprit is short; it carries large sails and at times +topsails. + +From this description it is easy to see that luggers have the same rig, +on a larger scale, as chasse-marées. + +Although the draft on water of these vessels is rather great aft, as +they are generally quick and good sea boats, they are largely employed +for smuggling purposes, in spite of the inconvenience of the large +sails which have to be shifted with each tack. + +The Seagull was a vessel of ninety tons, neatly fitted up, and carrying +four small iron guns of eight to the pound, which caused her to bear a +greater resemblance with a corsair than a peaceful coaster. + +Still, in spite of a rather numerous crew, and her rakish appearance, +during about a year since this vessel began frequenting the coast of +Provence and the Lerins islands, not a word of harm had been said +against her. Skipper Nicaud passed for an honest worthy man, although a +little rough and quarrelsome,--faults, by the way, peculiar to nearly +all sailors, and which in no way diminished the excellent reputation +which the master of the Seagull enjoyed. + +So soon as Major de l'Oursière had regained the lugger's deck, and the +vessel had stood off, after taking a parting glance at St. Honorat, +whose outline was gradually disappearing in the mist, he walked aft, +seized the manrope and went down into the cabin. + +But on entering the cabin, which he supposed to be unoccupied, as +the skipper was on deck, the Major with difficulty restrained an +exclamation of surprise. + +There was a man in the cabin, seated at a table, and contently imbibing +rum and water, while smoking an enormous pipe, and forming an aureole +around him of bluish smoke. + +In this man the Major recognised Michael the Basque, the fisherman. + +After a moment's hesitation, the Major walked in, although the presence +of this individual aboard the lugger was rather singular. Still there +was nothing in the thing that should terrify the Major, who had no +reason to suppose that Michael was hostile to him, or that he had +anything to apprehend from him. + +At the noise made by the Major on entering the cabin, the sailor half +turned to him, though without removing the pipe from his lips. After +taking a pull at the glass he held in his right hand, he said in a +bantering tone,-- + +"Why, if I am not mistaken, it is our estimable governor of St. +Marguerite; delighted to see you, I am sure, Major." + +"Why," the Major replied, in the same key, "it's that worthy fellow, +Michael. By what chance do I find you here, when I had a right to +suppose you engaged fishing, at this moment, Lord knows where?" + +"Ah!" said Michael, with a laugh; "There's as good fishing here +as anywhere. Won't you take a seat, Major, or are you afraid of +compromising your dignity by sitting down by the side of a poor fellow +like me?" + +"You do not think that," the Major answered, as he seated himself. + +"Don't you smoke, eh?" Michael asked him. + +"No; that is a sailor's amusement." + +"It is so, Major. But I suppose you drink?" + +The Major held out a glass, which the sailor liberally filled. + +"Here's your health, Major. If I expected to meet anyone, it wasn't +you, I assure you." + +"I thought so." + +"Indeed I didn't." + +"Well, to tell you the truth, I did not expect to meet you, either." + +"I am aware of that. You have come from St. Honorat." + +"Hang it all! You cannot be ignorant of that fact, since I find you +here." + +"It was on your account, then, that we lost two hours in tacking +between the islands, at the risk of running on to a reef, instead of +attending to our business?" + +"What do you mean by business? Are you a smuggler at present?" + +"I am everything," Michael replied, laconically, emptying his glass. + +"But what the deuce are you doing here?" asked the Major. + +"What are you?" the sailor said, answering one question by another. + +"I--I?" the Major began, in embarrassment. + +"You hesitate!" Michael continued, banteringly. "Well, I will tell you, +if you like." + +"You, Michael?" + +"Why not? You went to St. Honorat to admire the beauties of nature," +and he burst into a hearty laugh. "Is it not so?" + +"Yes. I have always passionately admired the picturesque. But that +reminds me. I have forgotten to tell skipper Nicaud where I wish him to +land me." + +And he made a movement, as if to rise. + +"It is unnecessary," the sailor said, obliging him to sit down again. + +"How? Unnecessary! On the contrary, I must do it, without further +delay." + +"Still you have time, Major," the sailor said, peremptorily; "besides, +I must speak with you first." + +"You speak with me?" the Major exclaimed, in stupefaction. + +"So it is, Major," the other replied, sarcastically. "I have very +important matters to tell you. In your devil of a castle that is +impossible, because you have there a number of soldiers and gaolers, +who, at your slightest frown, interrupt the person addressing you, and +throw him without ceremony into some hole, where they unscrupulously +leave him to rot. That is discouraging, on my honour. But here it is +far more agreeable, as I am not afraid that you will have me locked up +--at least, not for the present. Hence, as the opportunity offers, I +wish to take advantage of it to empty my budget, and tell you what I +have on my heart." + +The Major felt internally anxious, without yet knowing positively what +he had to fear, so extraordinary to him seemed this way of speaking +on the part of a sailor, who had hitherto always displayed a servile +politeness toward him. Still, he did not allow anything of this to be +seen, but leaned carelessly over the table. + +"Very good, let us talk, since you feel so great an inclination for +it, my good Michael; for I have time, as I am in no hurry." + +The sailor made his chair turn half round on its hind legs, and finding +himself by this movement right facing M. de l'Oursière, he examined him +cunningly, for an instant, then drained the contents of his glass; and, +after banging the empty glass on the table, he said,-- + +"It is really a charming passion of yours, Major, to go thus at night +to admire the ruins of the convent of St. Honorat in the darkness. It +is, really, a charming passion, and a very profitable one, from what I +have been able to learn." + +"What do you mean?" the Major asked, turning pale. + +"I mean what I say, nothing else! Do you believe in hazard, Major?" + +"Why--" + +"No more, I fancy, in that which makes me meet you here, than in the +chance that makes you find on a desert island diamonds worth three +hundred thousand livres; because the one thing is as impossible as the +other?" + +This time the Major did not attempt to reply, for he felt he was caught +out. + +Michael continued in the same sneering and bantering tone-- + +"It is certainly ingenious to act as you do. A man soon grows rich by +taking with both hands, but like all trades that are too good, this one +is rather risky." + +"You insult me, scoundrel!" the Major stammered. "Take care what you +say. If I call--" + +"Come, come," the sailor interrupted, with a coarse laugh; "I do not +intend to notice the insult you cast in my teeth, for I have something +else to do. As for calling out, just try it, and you will see what +will happen." + +"That--that is treachery!" + +"Hang it! Are we not all more or less traitors? You are one--I am one; +that is allowed: hence, believe me, it is useless to dwell any longer +on this subject, and we had better revert to our business." + +"Speak," the Major muttered in a gloomy voice. + +"But, stay. I wish to give you a proof of frankness, and show you once +for all how wrong you would be in keeping up, I will not say the least +hope, but the slightest illusion as to what is going on here." + +Then, tapping the table smartly with the heel of his glass, he +shouted,-- + +"Come here, Nicaud, I want you." + +A heavy step resounded on the cabin stairs, and almost immediately +Skipper Nicaud's cunning face was framed by the doorway. + +"What do you want, Michael?" he asked, without seeming even to notice +the Major's presence. + +"Only a trifle, my lad," the sailor replied, pointing to the officer, +who had turned pale, through the emotion he felt. "Only a simple +question for the personal satisfaction of this gentleman." + +"Speak." + +"Who is the present commander of the Seagull lugger, in whose cabin we +are now seated?" + +"Why, you, of course." + +"Then everyone aboard, yourself included, must obey me?" + +"Certainly; and without the slightest observation." + +"Very good. Then supposing, Nicaud, I were to order you to take the +Major here present, fasten a couple of round shot to his feet, and +throw him overboard, what would you do, my lad?" + +"What would I do?" + +"Yes." + +"Obey." + +"Without any observation?" + +Skipper Nicaud shrugged his shoulders. + +"Shall I do it?" he asked, stretching out his huge fist towards the +Major, who shuddered. + +"Not yet," Michael answered. "Go back on deck, but do not go far, as I +shall probably want you soon." + +"Very good," said the master, and disappeared. + +"Are you now edified, Major?" Michael asked, turning carelessly to the +horrified governor; "And are you not beginning to understand that I, +poor chap as I am, compared with you, have you, temporarily, at any +rate, completely in my power?" + +"I allow it," the Major stammered, in a faint and choking voice. + +"In that case, I believe we shall come to an understanding." + +"Come to the facts, sir, without further circumlocution." + +"Good!" Michael exclaimed, coarsely; "That's how I like to see you. In +the first place, hand me the diamond which your accomplice gave you in +the ruins." + +"Then you mean robbery. I had hoped better things of you," the Major +answered, disdainfully. + +"Call it what you like, Major," the sailor said imperturbably; "the +name does not alter the thing--give me the diamond." + +"No," the Major answered coldly, "the diamond is my fortune, and you +shall only have it with my life." + +"That condition, illogical though it is, will not check me, I assure +you, for I will kill you, if necessary, and then take the diamond," and +he cocked a pistol. + +There was a silence. + +"Well, then, it is really this diamond you want?" + +"That and something else," said Michael. + +"I do not understand you." + +The sailor rose, placed the pistol to his chest, and said frowningly-- + +"I will make you understand me." + +The Major felt he was lost, and that this man would kill him. + +"Stop!" he said. + +"Have you decided?" + +"Yes," he answered, in a voice choked with rage, and drawing the box +from his bosom, he muttered, "Curse you, take it!" + +Michael returned the pistol to his belt, opened the box, and +attentively examined the diamond. + +"It is the one," he said, as he closed the box again, and stowed it +away. + +The unlucky officer followed all these movements with a lack-lustre eye. + +Michael resumed his seat, poured himself out a glass of rum, swallowed +it at a draught, and then bending forward as he filled his pipe, said-- + +"Now, let us talk." + +"What, talk?" asked the Major; "Have we not finished yet?" + +"Not yet--what a hurry you are in. At present we have said nothing." + +"What more do you want of me?" + +"That is meant for a reproach; but I allow for your ill temper, and +owe you no grudge for it. It is a sad thing for a man who has been +poor all his life to see himself robbed in a moment of a fortune which +he had only just secured. Well, then, listen to me, Major," he said, +assuming a consolatory air, and putting his elbows on the table, "it is +easy for you to regain the fortune you have lost, and it only depends +on yourself." + +The Major opened his eyes widely, not knowing whether to take what the +sailor said to him seriously; but as he risked nothing by permitting an +explanation, he prepared to give him the most earnest attention. + +The other continued-- + +"No matter how I learned the fact--I know for certain, and the affair +of the diamond is an undeniable proof of it--that, while on one hand, +you feigned to feel the greatest interest for Count de Barmont, from +whom you have drawn large sums, though I don't say it in reproach, by +means of this feigned pity; on the other, you betray him without shame +to his enemies, whom you make pay for it heavily. I merely mention this +as a fact, and it is unnecessary to discuss it," Michael said, checking +the Major, who was about to speak. "Now, I have made up my mind that, +against wind and tide, and in spite of all the intrigues of his enemies +to prevent it, the Count shall be free, and free through me. This is my +plan: listen attentively to this, Mr. Governor, for the affair concerns +you' more nearly than you seem to suppose. The Count has learnt the +death of Cardinal de Richelieu, and I sent him the news in a letter +from the Duc de Bellegarde. You see that I know everything, or nearly +so: he at once requested to see you, and you granted his wish. What +took place at your interview? Speak, and before all, be frank: in my +turn, I will listen to you." + +"Of what use is it to repeat our conversation?" the Major asked, +ironically. + +"For my private satisfaction," Michael answered, "and your special +interest: do not be in too great a hurry to rejoice, Major, for you are +not out of my hands yet. Believe me, you had better yield with a good +grace, for your interest demands it." + +"My interest?" he repeated, in amazement. + +"Go on, Major; when the time arrives, be assured, I shall give you the +explanation you desire." + +The old officer reflected for a moment: at last he decided to speak, +resolved, if the opportunity offered itself hereafter, to make the +sailor pay dearly for all his agony and humiliation. + +"The Count," he said, "engaged me to go to Paris, and negotiate with +the Duc de Bellegarde, in order to bring him back his order of release, +which the duke is certain to obtain from the king." + +"That is good. And when do you intend to start for Paris?" + +"I have started." + +"Ah! Ah!" said Michael, with a laugh. "It appears that you have stopped +on the road, but that has nothing to do with the affair. Is that all?" + +"Nearly so." + +"Hum! then there is something else?" + +"Less than nothing." + +"No matter--out with it, for I am very curious. Did not the Count +promise you something?" + +"Yes." + +"How much?" + +"Fifty thousand livres," the Major said, with repugnance. + +"Ah, ah, that is a tidy sum! And you were setting about earning it in +a strange fashion; but I do not wish to refer to that any more. Do +you wish to recover your diamond, and at the same time gain the fifty +thousand livres promised by the Count? Speak, it depends on yourself." + +"You are jesting with me, and not speaking seriously." + +"Never, on the contrary, have I been more serious. On the Count's +arrival at the castle you command, you were only a poor scrub of an +officer of fortune, who, during his whole life, had been struggling +against odds, and perched like an owl on an old wall, you were exposed +on your isle to die as you had lived; that is to say, without a rap. +During the last fifteen or eighteen months, things have completely +changed with you. With what you have extorted from the Count, and what +his enemies have given you, you have succeeded in getting together a +very decent sum. Admitting that you were to receive the Count's fifty +thousand livres, and I were to give you back the diamond, it would +produce you a perfectly independent fortune, enabling you to retire +when you pleased, and end your days in joy and abundance. Is not that +your opinion?" + +"Certainly, but I shall not touch the 50,000 livres, and the diamond +you have taken from me." + +"That is true, but," he added, "it is only dependent on yourself, +Major, to have it again in your possession." + +"What must I do for that?" + +"That is what I was waiting for, Major; you consent then, to enter into +an arrangement?" + +"I must; have I my free will at this moment?" + +"A man always has it when he likes, Major, you know that as well as I +do; the only thing is, that as you are a man endowed with a strong dose +of intelligence, and understand, that when a person has made a fortune +by means more or less honourable, he must keep it at all hazards, you +are beginning to lend a more attentive ear to the propositions which +you guess I am preparing to make you, for you are at length convinced +that it is to your interest to come to an understanding with me." + +"Suppose what you like, I do not care; but tell me your propositions, +so that I may know whether my honour allows me to accept them or forces +me to refuse them." + +Michael began laughing unceremoniously at this outburst, by which the +Major sought to mask his capitulation. + +"Instead of going to Paris," he said, "you will simply return to Sainte +Marguerite. You will go to the Count, tell him he is free, and then +return with him on board the lugger, which will wait for you. When the +Count and yourself are on board, the lugger will stand out to sea. +Then I will restore you your diamond and pay you the amount agreed on; +and as probably you will not care to resume the command of your castle +after such a frolic, I will convey you, and your wealth wherever you +like, in order to enjoy it without fear of being disturbed." + +"But," the Major observed, "what shall I tell the Count to persuade him +that he is free by the King's orders?" + +"That does not concern me, it is your affair; but hang it all, my dear +Major, you are unjust to yourself in raising any doubts as to the power +of your imagination. Now what do you think of my proposition, and do +you accept it?" + +"What security have I that you are not deceiving me, and that when I +have fulfilled the conditions of the bargain you impose on me, you keep +yours as strictly?" + +"The word of a honest man, sir, a word, which though that of a plain +sailor, is worth that of a gentleman." + +"I believe you, sir," the Major answered, lowering his eyes before +Michael's flashing glance. + +"Then, that is settled?" + +"Yes, it is." + +"All right. Hallo! Nicaud!" Michael shouted. + +The skipper arrived with a speed that proved he had not been far from +the two speakers. + +"Here I am, Michael, what do you want?" + +"Where are we at this moment?" the sailor asked. + +"About five leagues to windward of Sainte Marguerite." + +"Very good! Keep on the same course till daybreak; at sunrise we will +stand for the island, and anchor off it." + +"Very good, I understand." + +"Ah! Here is Mr. Governor, who I think, has great want of a little +rest; can't you put him up somewhere where he will be able to sleep for +two or three hours?" + +"Nothing easier, as I shall not turn in tonight, nor you, I suppose, +my cabin is at the Major's service, if he will do me the honour of +accepting it." + +The old officer was really worn out, not only by the fatigue of a long +watch, but also by the emotions he had suffered from during the night. +Certain that he had now no apprehensions about his safety, he heartily +accepted the skipper's offer, and withdrew into the cabin, the door of +which the other politely opened for him. + +The two sailors went up on deck again. + +"This time," said Michael, "I believe that we have manoeuvred cleverly, +and that our plan will succeed." + +"I am beginning to be of your opinion; but I say, wasn't that old +cormorant of a governor tough?" + +"Not very," Michael replied with a laugh, "besides, he had no choice; +he was obliged to give in, whether he liked it or not." + +As had been arranged, the lugger stood off and on from the island +during the whole night, at a distance of from four to five leagues from +the coast. + +At sunrise, they steered directly for St. Marguerite. + +The breeze had lulled nearer shore, so that it occupied some time ere +the light vessel reached the species of port serving as a landing place +in front of the castle. + +The lugger drew too much water for it to be possible to run alongside +the quay; hence it lay to a short distance off; and Nicaud had a boat +lowered, while Michael went down into the cabin to warn the Major. + +The latter was awake; refreshed and rested by sleep, he was no longer +the same man, he now regarded his position in its true light, and +understood that the means offered him to escape from the disagreeable +position in which he was placed by his double treachery, was more +advantageous than otherwise for him. + +It was almost with a smile that he wished Michael good day, and he made +no difficulty about accepting the hand the sailor offered to him. + +"Well," he asked him, "whereabouts are we, Michael?" + +"We have arrived, Major." + +"Already? Are you not afraid it is too early to go ashore?" + +"Not at all; it is nine o'clock." + +"So late? Hang it, it seems that I have slept soundly; in truth, I feel +quite jolly this morning." + +"All the better, Major, that is a good sign; I suppose you remember our +arrangements?" + +"Perfectly." + +"And you will play fairly with us?" + +"In my turn I pledge my honour to it, and I will keep it, whatever may +happen." + +"Come, I am glad to hear you talk like that; I am beginning to alter my +opinion about you." + +"Stuff," the Major remarked laughingly, "you do not know me yet." + +"You are aware that the boat is ready, it is only waiting for you to go +ashore." + +"If that is the case, I will follow you, Michael; I am now as eager as +you are to finish the affair." + +The Major went on deck and got into the boat, which was at once pushed +off, and set out for the landing place. + +Michael's heart beat ready to burst, while he followed with an anxious +eye, the light yawl which was rapidly leaving the lugger, and was +already close in shore. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +FRANCE, FAREWELL! + + +The Major had scarce landed at Sainte Marguerite, ere everything were +in commotion in the fort. + +On leaving the isle on the previous evening, the governor had stated +that he was going on a journey, and would be absent a week, perhaps two. + +The Lieutenant, intrusted with the command of the fort during his +absence, eagerly hastened to meet him, curious to learn the motive for +such a speedy return. + +The Major at first replied evasively, that news he had received on +landing on the mainland, had necessitated the immediate interruption +of his journey; and, while conversing thus, he entered the fort and +proceeded to his apartments, followed by the Lieutenant whom he had +invited to accompany him. + +"Sir," he said to him so soon as they were alone, "you will immediately +choose from the garrison ten resolute men; and proceed with them on +board the fishing vessel I noticed at anchor when I entered the fort. +The missive I entrust to you is most important, and if you carry it out +thoroughly, may have important results for you; it must be managed with +the most profound secrecy, however, for it is a secret of state." + +The Lieutenant bowed gratefully, evidently flattered at the confidence +his chief placed in him. + +The Major continued. + +"You will land on the coast a little below Antibes, and keep the boat, +which you will use for your return; you will manage so as not to enter +the town till nightfall, without attracting any attention, you will +lodge your men as best you can without arousing suspicions, but so as +to have them under hand at any moment. Tomorrow morning at ten o'clock, +you will present yourself to the town commandant, hand him a letter I +shall give you, and place yourself at his disposal. Have you understood +me thoroughly, sir?" + +"Perfectly, Mr. Governor." + +"Before all, I recommend you the most utter discretion; remember that +your fortune probably depends on the success of the mission." + +"I will obey you, Major, and I hope that you will only have compliments +to pay me on my return." + +"I trust so too, sir, but make haste, for you must be gone in half an +hour. During your preparations I will write the letter; it will be +ready when you come to take leave again." + +The lieutenant, after bowing respectfully, retired with a joyous heart, +not having the slightest suspicion of the treachery meditated by his +chief, and went off at full speed to make all the preparations for his +departure. + +The Major had under his orders a garrison of fifty men, commanded by +three officers, a captain and two lieutenants. + +This captain, the next in rank to him, would doubtless have greatly +impeded the success of the bold stroke he meditated, owing to the +pretext he would have been obliged to invent, in order to account for +the want of a release in writing for the Count. + +By sending him away, the Major had only to deal with two subalterns, +ranking too low in the military scale to venture to make observations, +or hesitate to accomplish his orders, the more so, because during +the ten or twelve years M. de l'Oursière had commanded Fort Sainte +Marguerite, nothing in his conduct had led to the slightest painful +suspicions about his honour. + +Forced by circumstances to betray his duty and quit his native land +forever, which he knew he should never see again after this audacious +scheme, the Major wished to leave nothing to chance, but turn his lost +position to the greatest possible advantage. He hoped that the measures +he had taken would protect him from any danger, when his treachery was +eventually discovered. + +But, through a very laudable feeling of justice, especially on the part +of such a man and under such circumstances, the Major desired alone to +bear the burden of his infamous conduct and not to attract suspicion of +complicity on his poor officers, whom duty compelled to obey him, in +what they considered a portion of their military service. + +Hence he wrote to the governor of Antibes a very circumstantial letter, +in which he narrated, without the slightest omission, the treason he +meditated, and which would be carried out at the time when the governor +read the strange missive; he explained the motives that obliged him to +act as he was doing, while taking on himself all the responsibility of +such a deed, and acquitting his officers and soldiers, not only of all +co-operation, but of all cognisance, even indirect, of his project. + +These duties scrupulously accomplished--for it was impossible for the +governor to be deceived as to the frankness of his confession, or +to doubt them for a moment--the Major folded the letter, sealed it +carefully, and laid it on the table while awaiting the return of his +second in command. + +Now, as his vessels were burnt, M. de l'Oursière could no longer +retreat; he must push on and succeed; the certainty of certain ruin if +his scheme were foiled, removed his last doubts, and restored him all +the necessary calmness to act with the coolness demanded by the strange +circumstances in which he found himself placed. + +The Captain entered. + +"Well?" the Major asked him. + +"I am ready to start, Mr. Governor; my soldiers are already on board +the fishing boat, and we shall have left the island in ten minutes." + +"Here is the letter you have to deliver into the hands of the Governor +of Antibes, sir; remember my instructions." + +"I will obey them in every point." + +"In that case, Heaven guard you! and good-bye," the Major said, as he +rose. + +The officer saluted, and left the room. + +The Major watched through the open window of his room; he saw him leave +the fort, go down to the shore, and on board the fishing vessel; the +sail was hoisted, and ere long the boat started, slightly heeling over +under the power of the breeze. + +"Ough!" said the Major, closing the window, with a sigh of +relief--"that's one, now for the other." + +But, before aught else, the old officer shut himself up in his room, +burnt certain papers, pocketed others, put some clothes in a small +valise, as he did not wish to take all belonging to him, through fear +of arousing suspicions, and carefully wrapping up in his cloak a small +and very heavy iron casket, which, doubtless, contained his ready +money, he assured himself by a glance around that everything was in +order, opened the door again, and called. + +A soldier appeared. + +"Beg Mess. de Castaix and de Mircey to come here," he said, "as I wish +to speak to them." + +They speedily arrived, greatly puzzled at this unexpected interview, +for usually the Governor talked but little with his officers. + +"Gentlemen," he said to them, after returning their salute, "an order +from the King caused me to return here in all haste. I have to take our +prisoner, M. de Barmont, to Antibes, where your Captain has preceded +me with a sufficient escort to prevent any attempt at escape on the +part of the prisoner. I have acted thus because it is the King's good +pleasure that this transference of the Count from one prison to another +may have the appearance of a liberation, and I shall explain it in that +sense to the prisoner, in order that he may have no suspicion of the +new orders I have received. Until my return, which will be in two days +at the least, you, Monsieur de Castaix, as senior officer, will assume +the command of the fortress. I am pleased to believe, gentlemen, that I +shall only have to praise the aptitude you will display in performing +your duties during my absence." + +The two officers bowed: accustomed to the Cardinal's tortuous and +mysterious policy, the Major's remarks did not at all surprise them, +for, although His Eminence was dead, the event had not occurred so +long that the King should have in any way modified his sullen mode of +governing. + +"Be kind enough to give orders for the prisoner to be brought into my +presence, while I inform him of his liberation," he added, with a +mocking smile, whose strange meaning the officers did not comprehend. +"You will have all the effects belonging to him placed in the boat of +the smuggling lugger on board which I came back. Go, gentlemen." + +The officers withdrew. + +The Count was greatly surprised when La Grenade opened the door of his +cell, and begged him to follow him, as the Governor wished to speak +with the prisoner. + +He fancied the Major on the road to Paris, as had been arranged between +them on the previous evening, and did not at all understand his +presence at the fort after the solemn promise he had made. + +Another thing also caused him great surprise--ever since he had been a +prisoner at Saint Marguerite the Governor had not once sent for him; on +the contrary, he had always put himself out of the way by visiting his +cell. + +But the thing that completely routed his ideas was La Grenade's +recommendation to him, to place all his belongings in a trunk, and take +the key. + +"Why this most unnecessary precaution?" the Count asked him. + +"No one ever knows what may happen, sir," the gaoler replied, +cunningly; "it is as well to take precautions; and stay, if I were you +I would put on my hat and take my cloak." + +And while speaking thus, the soldier actively helped him to pack his +trunk. + +"There, that's done," he said, with a grin of satisfaction, when the +Count had taken out the key; "here are your hat and cloak." + +"My hat, if you like," the young man remarked, laughingly, "but why +my cloak? I run no risk of catching a pleurisy in my short walk to the +Governor's presence." + +"Will you not take it?" + +"Certainly not." + +"Then I will; you'll see you will want it." + +The young gentleman shrugged his shoulders, without replying, and they +left the room, the door of which the gaoler did not take the trouble to +lock after him. + +The Major was walking up and down his room while awaiting the prisoner. +La Grenade showed him in, laid the cloak on a chair, and withdrew. + +"Ah, ah!" said the Major, with a laugh--"I see that you suspected +something." + +"I, Mr. Governor? What was it, if you please?" + +"Zounds! you appear to be dressed as if for a journey." + +"It is that ass of La Grenade, who, I know not for what reason, obliged +me to put on my hat, and insisted on bringing my cloak here." + +"He was right." + +"How so?" + +"My lord, I have the honour to inform you that you are a free man." + +"I free!" the Count exclaimed, turning pale with joy and emotion. + +"The King has deigned to sign your liberation, and I received the +orders on landing at Antibes." + +"At last!" the Count burst forth, but then immediately recovered +himself. "Can you show me the order, sir?" + +"Excuse me, my lord, that is forbidden." + +"Ah! For what reason?" + +"It is a general precaution, sir." + +"In that case I will not press it: at least, you are permitted to tell +me at whose request my liberty was granted me?" + +"I see no objection to that, sir--it was at the request of the Duc de +Bellegarde." + +"The dear Duke!--a real friend!" the Count cried, in great emotion. + +The Major, with the utmost coolness, handed him a pen, and pointed to a +blank space in the register. + +"Will you be kind enough, sir, to sign this register?" + +The Count hurriedly perused it, and saw that it was a species of +certificate of the honourable way he had been treated during the period +of his detention. He signed. + +"Now, sir, as I am free, for I presume I am so--" "Free as a bird, my +lord." + +"In that case I can retire. I know not why, but during the last instant +these thick, gloomy walls, seem to stifle me, and I shall not breathe +at my ease till I feel myself in the open air." + +"I understand that, sir. I have made every preparation, and we will +embark whenever you please." + +"_We?_" the Count asked, in surprise. + +"Yes, my lord, I shall accompany you." + +"For what reason, may I ask?" + +"To do you honour, sir--for no other reason." + +"Very good," he said, thoughtfully; "let us go, then; but I have some +traps here." + +"They are already on board: come, sir." + +The Major took up his valise and casket, and left the room, followed by +the Count. + +"Did I not tell you you would want your cloak?" + +La Grenade said to M. de Barmont, with a bow, as he passed--"Pleasant +voyage to you, sir, and good luck." + +They went down to the waterside. During the walk, which was not very +long, the Count's brow became more and more clouded; he fancied he +could notice a certain sorrow on the faces of the officers and soldiers +who were watching his departure--they whispered together, and pointed +to the Count in anything but a reassuring way, and it gave him much +cause for anxiety. + +Every now and then he took a side-glance at the Major, but he appeared +calm, and had a smile on his face. + +They at length reached the boat, and the Major stepped aside to let the +Count get into it first. + +As soon as they were both in, the boat was pushed off. During the whole +passage from the shore to the lugger the Count and the Major remained +silent. + +At length they came along side the little vessel, a rope was thrown to +them, and they went up the side. + +The yawl was immediately hauled up, all sail was set, and the lugger +stood out to sea. + +"Ah!" the Count exclaimed on perceiving Michael, "You are here, then I +am saved!" + +"I hope so," the latter replied; "but come, my lord, we have matters to +discuss." + +They went down into the cabin, followed by the Major. + +"There, now we can talk, Captain--the first thing is to settle our +accounts." + +"Our accounts?" M. de Barmont repeated, in surprise. + +"Yes, let us proceed regularly. You promised this gentleman 50,000 +livres?" + +"Yes, I did." + +"And you authorize me to give them to him?" + +"Certainly." + +"Good; in that case he shall have them." Then, turning to the +Major--"You have scrupulously kept your promises, and we will keep ours +as loyally. Here, in the first place, is your diamond, which I give you +back: I will hand you over the money in a moment. I suppose you no more +wish to remain in France than we do--eh?" + +"I do not wish it the least in the world," the Major replied, delighted +at having regained possession of his diamond. + +"Where would you like to be landed? Will England suit you, or do you +prefer Italy?" + +"Well, I do not exactly know." + +"Do you like Spain better? 'Tis all the same to me." + +"Why not Portugal?" + +"Done for Portugal. We will drop you there in passing." + +The Count had listened with growing surprise to this conversation, +which was incomprehensible to him. + +"What is the meaning of all this?" he at length asked. + +"It means, Captain," Michael distinctly answered, "that the King has +not signed the pardon--that you are a prisoner, and would probably have +remained so all your life had not this gentleman, luckily for you, +consented to open the door." + +"Sir!" the Count exclaimed, making a movement toward the Major. + +Michael stopped him. + +"Do not be in a hurry to thank him," he said--"wait till he has told +you what has occurred, and in what way he found himself obliged to set +you at liberty, when he would probably have preferred not to do so." + +"Come, come!" said the Count, stamping his foot passionately--"Explain +yourself! I understand nothing of all this. I wish to know +everything--everything, I tell you!" + +"This man will tell you it, Captain; but he is afraid at present of the +consequences of his confession, and that is why he hesitates to make +it." + +M. de Barmont smiled disdainfully. + +"This man is beneath my contempt," he said; "whatever he may say I will +not take the slightest vengeance on him--he is pardoned beforehand, I +pledge him my word as a gentleman." + +"Now speak, Major," said Michael; "during that time I will go on deck +again with Skipper Nicaud, or, if you prefer it, Bowline, who has +played his part remarkably well throughout the affair." + +Michael left the cabin, and the two men remained alone. + +The Major understood that it was better to make a clean breast of it: +hence he told the Count, without any equivocation, the full details of +his treachery, and in what manner Michael had compelled him to save +him, when, on the contrary, he was paid to ruin him. + +Although the name of the Duc de Peñaflor had not once been mentioned +during the Major's narration, the Count divined that it was he alone +who had dealt him all the blows he had felt so severely during the last +eighteen months; however great his resolution might be, this depth +of hatred, this Machiavellian vengeance terrified him; but in this +extremely detailed narrative one point seemed to him obscure, and that +was, how Michael had discovered the final machinations of his enemies, +and done so opportunely enough to be able to foil them. + +All the questions the Count asked on this head the Major was unable to +answer, for he was ignorant. + +"Well," asked the sailor, suddenly entering the cabin, "are you now +informed, Captain?" + +"Yes," the latter replied, with a certain tinge of sadness, "except on +one point." + +"What is it, Captain?" + +"I should like to know in what manner you detected this cleverly +contrived plot." + +"Very simply, Captain, and I will tell you the whole affair in a couple +of words. Bowline and I, without the Major suspecting it, followed him +carefully into the ruins, while cautiously avoiding being seen; in this +way no part of his conversation with the stranger escaped us. When the +Major handed him the papers, and the stranger retired, I jumped at his +throat, and, with Bowline's help, took the papers from him--" + +"Where are these papers?" the Count interrupted him eagerly. + +"I will give them to you, Captain." + +"Thanks, Michael; now go on." + +"Well, my story's finished; I gagged him to prevent him calling out, +and after tying him up like a plug of tobacco to stop him running after +us, I left him there and went away." + +"What, you went away, Michael, leaving the man thus gagged and bound on +a desert isle?" + +"What would you have had me do with him, Captain?" + +"Oh, perhaps it would have been better to kill him, than leave him +exposed to such a horrible punishment." + +"He had been so precious tender to you, hadn't he, Captain? Stuff! Pity +for such a ferocious brute would be madness on your part; besides, the +fiend always protects his creatures, you may be sure, and I am certain +that he has escaped." + +"How so?" + +"Hang it, he didn't swim off to Saint Honorat; his people were probably +concealed somewhere: tired of not seeing him return, they will have +set out to seek him, and picked him up where I put him to bed; he will +probably have got off with gnawing the bit for two or three hours." + +"Well, that is possible, Michael, and even probable. Where are you +taking us?" + +"Zounds, you are the commander here, Captain; we will go wherever you +please." + +"I will tell you, but first let us land the Major, for I fancy he +wishes to be free of our company as much as we do of his." + +At this moment Bowline's voice was heard. + +"Hilloh, Michael," he shouted, "we have a large vessel to windward." + +"Confusion!" said the sailor, "Has she hoisted her colours?" + +"Yes; she is a Norwegian." + +"That will be a good opportunity for you, Major," said the Count. + +"Eh, helmsman," Michael shouted, without awaiting the Major's answer, +"steer down to the Norwegian." + +The Major considered it useless to protest. + +Two hours later the vessels were within speaking distance: the +stranger was bound for Helsingfors, and the captain consented to take +the passenger offered him. + +The Major was consequently transported on board, with everything +belonging to him. + +"Now, Captain," said Michael, when the boat had returned, "where shall +we steer?" + +"Let us go to the islands," the Count answered sadly, "henceforth we +shall only find a shelter there and taking a last glance at the coast +of France, whose outline was beginning to fade away in the distant +horizon," he muttered, with a sigh, and concealing his face sorrowfully +in his hands, "Farewell, France!" + +In these two words was exhaled the last human feeling that remained at +the bottom of the heart of this man who had been so tried by adversity, +and who, vanquished by despair, was going to ask of the new world the +vengeance which the old world so obstinately refused him. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE BEGINNING OF THE ADVENTURE. + + +The seventeenth century was a period of transition between the middle +ages, that were exhaling their last sigh, and the modern era, which the +great thinkers of the eighteenth century were destined to constitute so +splendidly. + +Under the repeated blows of the implacable Cardinal de Richelieu, +that gloomy filler of the unity of the despotic power of kings, an +immense reaction had been effected in ideas. It was a silent reaction, +that from the outset sapped the minister's work, and he was far from +suspecting its causes or power. It was more especially in the latter +half of the seventeenth century that the world offered a strange +spectacle. + +At that period, the Spaniards, who were possessors, by the right of +force, of the greater part of America, where they had multiplied +colonies, were masters of the sea which the celebrated "broom of +Holland" had not yet swept. The English navy was only beginning to +be formed, and, in spite of the continuous efforts of Richelieu, the +French navy was not in existence. + +Suddenly several adventurers sprang up, no one knew whence, who, alone, +castaways of civilization, men of all classes, from the highest to +the most humble, belonging to all nations, but chiefly to the French, +perched themselves like vultures on an imperceptible islet in the +Atlantic, and undertook to contend against the Spanish power, after +declaring a merciless war on their private authority. Attacking the +Spanish fleet with unheard-of audacity, and, like a gadfly fastened to +a lion's flank, holding in check the Spanish Colossus, they compelled +it to treat with them on equal terms, with no other help but their +courage and their energetic will. + +In a few years their incredible exploits and audacious coups de main +inspired the Spaniards with such terror, and acquired for themselves +such a great and merited reputation, that the disinherited of fortune, +the seekers of adventures, flocked from all parts of the world to the +island that served them as a refuge, and their number was so enormously +augmented, that they almost succeeded in forming themselves into a +nationality by the sole force of their will, and their boldness. Let +us say in a few words, who these men were, and what was the origin of +their strange fortune. + +For this purpose we must return to the Spaniards. + +The latter, after their immense discoveries in the New World, had +obtained from Pope Alexander VI. a bull which conceded to them the +exclusive possession of the two Americas. + +Supported by this bull, and considering themselves the sole owners of +the New World, the Spaniards tried to keep all other nations away from +it, and began to treat as corsairs all the vessels they came across +between the two tropics. + +Their maritime power, and the important part they played at that time +on the American continent did not leave the governments the power of +protesting, as they would have desired, against this odious tyranny. + +Then it happened that English and French outfitters, excited by the +thirst of gain, and paying no heed to the Spanish pretensions, equipped +vessels which they dispatched to the so-coveted rich regions, to cut +off the Spanish transports, plunder the American coast, and fire the +town. + +Treated as pirates, these bold sailors frankly accepted the position +offered them, committed awful excesses wherever they landed, carried +off rich spoil, and despising the law of nations, and not caring +whether the Spaniards were at war or not with the countries to which +they belonged, they attacked them wherever they met them. + +The Spaniards, entirely engaged with rich possessions in Mexico, Peru, +and generally on the Continent, which were mines of inexhaustible +wealth for them, had committed the fault of neglecting the Antilles, +which stretch from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of Maracaibo, and +only established colonies in the four large islands of that archipelago. + +Hidden in bays behind the windings of the coast, the adventurers dashed +suddenly at the Spanish vessels, carried them by boarding, and then +returned ashore to share the plunder. + +The Spaniards, in spite of the great number of their vessels, and the +active watch they kept up, could no longer traverse the Caribbean Sea, +which the adventurers had selected as the scene of their exploits, +without running the risk of obstinate engagements with men, whom the +smallness and lightness of their vessels rendered almost intangible. + +This wandering life possessed such charms for the adventurers, who had +assumed the characteristic name of filibusters or freebooters, that +for a long time the idea did not occur to them of forming a permanent +settlement among the islands, which they employed as a temporary +retreat. + +Things were in this state when, in 1625, a cadet of Normandy, of the +name of d'Esnambuc, to whom the law of entail left no hope of fortune, +except what he could acquire by his industry or courage, fitted out at +Dieppe a brigantine of about seventy tons, on board which he placed +four guns and forty resolute men, and set out to chase the Spaniards +and try to enrich himself by some good prize. + +On arriving at the Caymans, small islands situated between Cuba and +Jamaica, he suddenly came across the track of a Spanish vessel bearing +thirty-five guns and a crew of three hundred and fifty men; it was a +critical situation for the corsair. + +D'Esnambuc, without giving the Spaniards time to look about them, +steered down and attacked them. The action lasted for three hours with +extraordinary obstinacy; the Dieppois defended themselves so well, that +the Spaniards despairing of conquest and having lost one-half their +crew, were the first to decline fighting, and shamefully fled from the +small vessel. + +Still, the latter had suffered severely, and could be hardly kept above +water, ten men had been killed, and the rest of the crew, being covered +with wounds, were not worth much more. + +As the isle of Saint Kitts was no great distance off, d'Esnambuc +reached it with much difficulty, and took refuge there to careen his +vessel, and cure his wounded. Then calculating, that, for the success +of his future expeditions, he required a sure retreat, he resolved to +establish himself on this island. + +St. Kitts, which the Caribs called Liamuiga, is situated in 17 to 18 +degrees N. latitude and 65 W. longitude. It is 23 leagues W.N.W. of +Antigua, and about 3 leagues to the N.W. of Guadeloupe, and is one of +the Caribbean Islands. + +The general aspect of this island is remarkably beautiful, it is +commanded by Mount Misery, an extinct volcano, three thousand five +hundred feet high, which occupies the whole northwest part, and +gradually descends in lower ranges, till it dies away on the South in +the plains of the Basse terre. + +The barrenness of the mountains forms a striking contrast with the +fertility of the plains. + +The valleys display a really extraordinary wealth of vegetation, while +the mountains only offer to the eye a confused chaos of broken rocks, +whose interstices are filled up with a clayey matter that checks all +vegetation. + +Water is rare, and of a bad quality, for the few streams that descend +from Mount Misery are strongly impregnated with saline particles, to +which strangers find a difficulty in growing accustomed. + +But a precious thing for the filibusters, Saint Kitts possesses two +magnificent ports, well sheltered and easy of defence, and its coasts +are serrated with deep bays, where, in case of danger, their light +vessels would easily find a shelter. + +D'Esnambuc, on landing, found several refugee Frenchmen who lived on +good terms with the Caribs, and who not only received him with open +arms, but joined him and selected him as their leader. + +By a singular chance, on the same day that the Dieppois landed at St. +Kitts, English freebooters commanded by Captain Warner, who had also +suffered in an engagement with the Spaniards, took refuge at another +point in it. + +The corsairs of the two nations who could not be separated by any +idea of conquest, agriculture, or commerce, and who pursued the same +object, fighting the Spaniards, and establishing a refuge against the +common enemy, easily came to an understanding; then, after dividing the +island, they settled down side by side, and lived for a long time on +excellent terms, which nothing disturbed. + +On one occasion they even combined their arms against the Caribs, who, +alarmed by the progress of their new settlement, attempted to expel +them. + +The filibusters made a horrible carnage among the Indians, and forced +them to implore for mercy. + +A few months after, Warner and d'Esnambuc put out to sea again; the +latter proceeded to Paris, the former to London, each for the purpose +of soliciting the protection of his government for the rising colony. + +As usual, these men, who at the beginning had only sought a temporary +refuge, now felt a desire to see the development of a settlement +founded by themselves, and which in a short time had assumed a real +importance. + +Cardinal de Richelieu, ever disposed to favour projects tending to +augment the foreign power of France, received the filibuster with the +greatest distinction, entered into his views, and formed a company, +called "The Company of the Islands," in order to promote the interests +of the colony. + +The capital was 45,000 livres, of which Richelieu subscribed for his +part 10,000. + +D'Esnambuc was invested with the supreme command. + +Among the claims stipulated in his commission there is one which we +must quote, owing to its strangeness, for it imposed on white men in +America a temporary slavery harsher even than that of the Negro. + +This is the clause, whose sinister consequences we shall see developed +during the course of this story. + +"No labourer intended for the colony will be allowed to embark, unless +he engages to remain for three years in the service of the company, +which will have the right to employ him on any task it thinks proper, +without granting him the right to complain or break the contract +entered into by him." + +These labourers were called Engagés or "thirty-six monthers," a polite +way of getting rid of the word slave. + +Captain Warner, who had been more highly favoured, returned with a +large body of colonists. Still the good understanding was kept up for +some time between the two nations; but the English took advantage of +the weakness of the French, who could not oppose their usurpations, to +encroach on their rights, and formed a fresh settlement at Nevis, the +next island to St. Kitts. + +Still d'Esnambuc did not despair of the fate of the colony. He +proceeded again to France, and solicited of the Cardinal help in men +and money, to repulse the undertakings of his troublesome neighbours. + +Richelieu granted his request. + +By his orders, Rear Admiral de Cussac arrived at St. Kitts, with six +heavily armed ships; he surprised ten English vessels in the roads, +captured three, sank three others, and put the rest to flight. + +The English made no further attempts to leave their boundaries, and +peace was re-established. + +M. de Cussac, after supplying the colony with rum and provisions, set +sail, and went to found a settlement on St. Eustache, an island four +leagues N. W. of St. Kitts. + +The Spaniards, however, who, since the appearance of the filibusters in +American waters, had suffered so greatly from their depredations, saw +them with great alarm settling permanently on the West India islands. + +They understood of what importance it was to them not to allow fixed +settlements in these regions, unless they wished to see their colonies +destroyed and their commerce ruined. + +They consequently resolved to act vigorously against those fellows whom +they regarded as pirates, and to utterly destroy their lurking places, +which had already acquired formidable proportions. + +In consequence Admiral don Fernando de Toledo, whom the court of +Madrid had placed at the head of a powerful fleet, sent in 1630 to +Brazil to fight the Dutch, received orders to destroy in passing, the +viper's nest formed by the filibusters at St. Kitts. + +The sudden apparition of this immense force off the island filled the +inhabitants with stupor. The united resources of the English and French +adventurers and their desperate courage were not sufficient to avert +the danger that menaced them, and repulse so formidable an attack. + +After a desperate fight, in which a great number of filibusters, +especially Frenchmen, were killed, the others got into their light +canoes and fled to the adjacent isles of St. Bartholomew, Antigua, St. +Martin, and Montserrat, or to any place in short where they hoped to +find a temporary refuge. + +The English, we are unfortunately compelled to state, shamefully +fled at the beginning of the action, and eventually asked leave to +capitulate. + +One half of them were sent to England on board Spanish ships, while the +rest engaged to evacuate the island as soon as possible,--a promise +which was forgotten immediately after the departure of the Spanish +fleet. + +This expedition was the only one that Spain seriously attempted against +the filibusters. + +The French soon left the islands where they had sought refuge, and +returned to St. Kitts, where they re-established themselves, though +not without a quarrel with the English, who had taken advantage of the +opportunity to seize their land, but whom they forced again beyond +their old borders. + +It is a singular fact, which proves that the filibusters were not +bandits and nameless men, as attempts have been made to brand them, +that the inhabitants of St. Kitts were remarkable beyond all the +other colonists for the gentleness and urbanity of their manners; the +traditions of politeness left by the first Frenchmen who settled there, +have been maintained even to the present day; in the eighteenth century +it was called the Gentle Island, and there is a proverb in the Antilles +to the effect, that "the nobility were at St. Kitts, the citizens at +Guadeloupe, the soldiers at Martinique, and the peasants at Grenada." + +Things remained for a long time in the state we have just described; +the filibusters, growing bolder and bolder through the Spanish +cowardice, enlarged the scene of their exploits, and retaining a bitter +memory of the sack of their island, felt a double hatred for the +Spaniards, who had branded them with the name of Ladrones (robbers). +They no longer displayed any moderation, and seated in the light canoes +that composed their entire fleet, they watched for the rich transports +from Mexico, dashed boldly aboard them, carried them, and returned to +St. Kitts loaded with plunder. + +The colony prospered, the land was well cultivated, and the plantations +were carefully made. + +For these men, the majority of whom had no hope left of ever returning +to their native land, had performed their work with the feverish +ardor of people who are creating for themselves a new nationality +and preparing a last asylum, so that only a few years after the +destruction of the colony by the Spaniards, St. Kitts had again become +a flourishing colony, thanks in the first instance to its fertility and +the energy and intelligence of its inhabitants, but above all to the +incessant toil of the engagés of the company. + +We have now to explain what these poor fellows were and the fate they +met with at the hands of the colonists. + +We have already stated that the company sent to the islands, men whom +they had engaged for three years. + +They accepted anybody, workmen belonging to all trades, even surgeons +who, persuading themselves that they were destined to carry on their +own profession in the colonies, allowed themselves to be seduced by the +fair promises which the company did not hesitate to lavish. + +But once their consent was given, that is to say, signed, the company +regarded them as men belonging to it body and soul; and when they +reached the colonies, agents _sold_ then for three years to the +planters, at the rate of thirty or forty crowns a head, and did so in +the broad daylight and in the governor's presence. + +They thus became real slaves, subject to the adventurers of the colony, +and condemned to the rudest tasks. + +Hence, the poor wretches, so unworthily abused, beaten terribly and +worn out by a fatigue under a deadly climate, generally succumbed ere +they had attained the third year, which was to set them at liberty. + +This was carried so far that the masters at last attempted to prolong +the stipulated slavery beyond three years. Toward the end of 1632, the +colony of St. Kitts incurred great dangers, for the engagés whose time +was up and whom their masters refused liberty, took up arms, organized +a resistance, and prepared to attack the colonists with that energy of +desperation which no force can resist. M. d'Esnambuc only succeeded in +making them lay down their arms and arrest bloodshed by conceding their +just demands. + +At a later date, when the sad condition in which the company's agents +placed the engagés, became known in France, it became almost impossible +for the latter to find volunteers; hence they were obliged to go about +the roads and highways to enlist vagabonds whom they intoxicated and +induced to sign, while in that condition, an engagement which it was +impossible to break. + +We will dwell the more earnestly on this point, because during the +course of our narrative, we shall have frequently to revert to the +engagés. We will only add one word about the wretches whom England sent +to the colonies under the same conditions. + +If the fate of the French engagés was frightful, that of the English, +history proves to us, was horrible. + +They were treated with the most atrocious barbarity. They formed an +engagement for seven years, and then, at the end of that time, when +the moment to regain their liberty had at length arrived, they were +intoxicated, and advantage was taken of their condition to make them +sign a second engagement for the same period. + +Cromwell, after the sack of Drogheda, sold more than 30,000 Irish for +Jamaica and Barbados. + +Nearly two thousand of these wretched succeeded in escaping on board a +vessel, which, in their ignorance of navigation, they allowed to drift +and the current cast it ashore at Saint Domingo. The poor fellows, not +knowing where they were, and being without food or resources, all died +of hunger. Their piled-up bones, bleached by time, remained for several +years on Cape Tiburón, at a spot which was called Irish Bay on account +of the terrible catastrophe, and still bears the name. + +The reader will pardon us for having entered into such lengthened +details about the establishment of the filibusters of St. Kitts; but +as it was on this little island that the terrible association of +adventurers, whose history we have undertaken to tell, had its birth, +it is necessary to make the reader fully acquainted with these facts, +so that we might not be obliged to return to them hereafter. Now, we +will resume our narrative to which the preceding chapters serve, so to +speak, as a prologue, and leaping at one bound across the space that +separates Sainte Marguerite from the Caribbean islands, we will proceed +to St. Kitts a few months after the escape, for we dare not say the +liberation, of Count Ludovic de Barmont Senectaire. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE COUNCIL OF THE FILIBUSTERS. + + +Several years elapsed without producing any notable changes in the +colony. + +The adventurers still continued, with the same obstinacy, their +expeditions against the Spaniards; but as their expeditions were +isolated, and had no sort of organization, the losses experienced by +the Spaniards, though very great, were much less considerable than +might be anticipated. + +About this time, a lugger manned by forty resolute men, and armed with +four iron guns, anchored off St. Kitts, proudly displaying the French +flag at its stern. + +This vessel brought to the colony a fresh contingent of brave +adventurers. + +Immediately after their arrival, they landed, formed the acquaintance +of the inhabitants, and testified a desire to settle on the island. + +The chief, to whom his comrades gave the name of Montbarts, and +for whom they appeared to have an unbounded devotion, informed the +colonists, that like them, he professed a profound hatred for the +Spaniards, and that he was followed by two ships of that nation, which +he had captured, and had given the prize masters orders to steer for +St. Kitts. + +These good men were received with shouts of joy by the inhabitants, and +Montbarts had a narrow escape from being carried in triumph. + +As he had announced, three or four days later two Spanish vessels +anchored at St. Kitts. They bore at their stern the Castilian flag +reversed, in sign of humiliation, while above it proudly fluttered the +French ensign. + +There was one horrible circumstance, however, which chilled even the +bravest with horror. These vessels bore at their bowsprit, and at their +cross-jack, as well as at the main and foreyard, groups of corpses. By +Montbarts order, the crews of the two vessels had been hung, without +showing mercy even to a boy. + +The chief of the adventurers generously gave the cargo of the two ships +to the colonists, only asking for sufficient land in return, on which +to build a house. + +This request was at once granted; the newcomers then disarmed their +lugger, came ashore, and began their installation. + +Montbarts was a young man of about seven or eight-and-twenty, with +manly and marked features, and a fixed and piercing eye. The expression +of his face was essentially sad, mocking, and cruel: a dead pallor; +spread over his face, added, were it possible, a strangeness to his +whole person. Tall and powerfully built, though supple and graceful, +his gestures were elegant and noble, while his speech was soft, and +the terms he employed were carefully chosen. He exercised a singular +fascination over those who approached him, or whom accident brought +into relation with him. They felt at once repulsed and attracted by +this singular man, who seemed the only one of his species on the earth, +and who, without appearing to be anxious for it, imposed his will upon +all, gained obedience by a sign or a frown, and who only seemed to live +when he was in the thick of a fight, when fires crossed above his head, +forming him an aureole of flame, when corpses were piled up around him, +when blood flowed beneath his feet, and when bullets whistled in his +ears, and when he rushed drunk with powder and carnage upon the deck of +a Spanish ship. + +Such was what was said of him by his comrades, and by those who had +been struck by his singular countenance, and wished to know him: but +beyond this moral and physical portrait of the man, it was impossible +to obtain the slightest information as to his past life. Not one of the +sailors who came with him knew the slightest episode of it, or, as was +probable, refused to discover anything. + +Hence, when the colonists perceived that all their questions would +remain unanswered, they gave up the useless task of asking them. They +accepted Montbarts for what it pleased him to be, the more so, as his, +former life not only did not concern them, but also interested them +very slightly. + +The adventurer only remained ashore for the period strictly necessary +to establish his household comfortably; then, one day, without warning +anybody, he went on board his lugger with the crew he had brought +with him, only leaving five or six men at St. Kitts to manage his +plantation, and set sail. A month after, he returned, having in tow +a richly laden Spanish vessel, with the crew hanging to the yards as +before. + +Montbarts went on thus for a whole year, never remaining more than two +or three days ashore, then going off, and returning with a prize with +its entire crew suspended from the yards. + +Matters attained such a pitch, the audacity of the daring corsair was +crowned with such success, that the rumour of it reached France. Then, +the Dieppe adventurers, comprehending all the profit they might derive +from this interloping war, fitted out vessels, and went to join the +colonists of St. Kitts, for the purpose of organising a hunt of the +Spaniards, and carrying it out on a grand scale. + +Filibusterism was about to enter on its second phase, and become a +regular association. + +Montbarts had built his hatto, or principal residence, at the spot +where the English afterwards formed Sandy-point battery. + +It was an excellently chosen position, militarily speaking, where, in +case of attack, it was easy not only to act on the defensive, but also +to repulse the enemy with serious loss. + +This hatto, built of trunks of trees, and covered with palm leaves, +stood nearly at the extremity of a cape, whence the greater part of +the island and the sea for a considerable distance on the right and +left could be commanded. This cape, which was nearly precipitous, +and one hundred and fifty feet high seawards, could only be reached +by a narrow, rough path, intersected at regular distances by strong +palisades, and wide, deep ditches, which had to be crossed on planks, +that were easy to remove. Two four-pounder guns, placed in position at +the head of the path guarded the approaches. + +This hatto was divided into four rather large rooms, furnished with a +luxury and comfort rather singular in an out-of-the-way island like St. +Kitts, but which was fully justified by the usual occupation of the +owner, who merely required to take any furniture that suited him out of +his prizes. + +A long pole, serving as a flagstaff, planted in front of the door of +the hatto, displayed in the breeze a white ensign with a red jack in +the right hand top corner. This flag was that of the corsairs, which +Montbarts sometimes changed for one all black, having in its centre a +death's head and crossbones, all white. This was an ill-omened flag, +which, when hoisted at the peak, signified that the conquered had no +hope of mercy to expect. + +It was a warm day towards the end of May, about eighteen months after +Montbarts' arrival at St. Kitts. Several persons, stern looking and +rough mannered, almost armed to the teeth, were conversing together as +they followed the path that led from the plain to the platform on which +Montbarts' hatto stood. + +It was nearly ten o'clock at night, and the sky was transparent and +clear. Thousands of stars sparkled in the heavens, the moon profusely +shed her white light, and the atmosphere was so pellucid, that the +smallest objects were visible at a long distance. There was not a +breath in the air, or a rustle among the leaves; the sea, calm as +a mirror, died away with a soft and mysterious murmur on the sandy +beach; the fireflies buzzed noisily, and at times dashed against the +pedestrians, who contented themselves with driving them away with their +hands, without, on that account, interrupting a conversation which +seemed greatly to interest them. + +These men were five in number, and all in the prime of life. Their +features were energetically marked, and their faces revealed audacity +and resolution carried to the highest pitch. Their slightly curved +shoulders, and the way in which they straddled their legs in walking, +while swaying their arms, would have caused them to be recognised as +sailors at the first glance, had not their dress sufficiently proved +the fact. + +They were talking in English. + +"Stuff!" one of them was saying at the moment when we join in their +conversation; "We must see. All that glistens is not gold, as they say +down there. Besides, I wish for nothing better than to be mistaken, +after all." + +"No matter," another replied; "in accordance with your laudable custom, +you begin by expressing a doubt." + +"Not at all," the first speaker sharply interposed; "a fear, at the +most." + +"Well," a third said; "we shall soon know what we have to expect, for +here we are halfway up the path, thank Heaven!" + +"That demon of a Montbarts," the first went on, "has famously chosen +his position. His hatto is impregnable, on my word as a man." + +"Yes. I do not think that the _gavachos_[1] will ever venture to +attempt an escalade. But, by the way," he added suddenly, and halted; +"suppose we are taking a useless walk, and Montbarts is not at home?" + +"I will answer for your finding him at home, Red Stocking, so set your +mind at rest." + +"How do you know?" asked the man addressed by this singular name. + +"My God! Don't you see his flag hoisted at the masthead?" + +"That is true. I had not noticed it." + +"But now you see it, I suppose?" + +"I should be blind if I didn't." + +"Well," one of the filibusters said, who had hitherto maintained +silence; "all this does not tell us why the meeting is to be held. Do +you know anything about it, brother?" + +"No more than you," Red Stocking replied. "It is probably some daring +project which Montbarts is meditating, and wishes us to take a part in." + +"But you know that he has not only summoned us, but also the principal +French filibusters?" + +"In that case I am quite at sea," Red Stocking remarked. "However, it +is of little consequence at present, as I presume we shall soon know +what is wanted of us." + +"That is true, because we have arrived." + +In fact, they reached at this moment the head of the path, and found +themselves on the platform exactly facing the hatto, whose door was +open as if inviting them to enter. + +A very bright light poured through the doorway, and the sound of loud +talking testified that there was a rather large gathering inside the +hatto. + +The Englishmen continued to advance, and soon found themselves on the +threshold. + +"Come in, brothers," Montbarts' harmonious voice was heard saying from +the interior; "come in, we are waiting for you." + +They entered. + +Six or seven persons were assembled in the room, which they entered: +they were the most renowned chiefs of the filibusters. Among them were +Belle Tête (handsome head), the ferocious native of Dieppe, who had +murdered more than three hundred of his engagés, whom he accused of +dying of indolence; Pierre le Grand, the Breton, who always boarded +the Spanish galleons in the disguise of a female; Alexandre Bras de +fer (iron arm), a young and apparently frail and delicate man, with +effeminate features, but in reality endowed with a prodigious and +herculean vigour, and destined hereafter to become one of the heroes of +the buccaneering trade; Roc, surnamed the Brazilian, although born at +Groningen, a town in East Friesland; and lastly, two old acquaintances +of ours, Bowline and Michael the Basque, who both arrived at St. Kitts +at the same time as Montbarts, and whose reputation as filibusters was +already great. + +As for the English, who had just entered the hatto, five in number; +they were Red Stocking, whose name was mentioned in the preceding +conversation; Morgan, a young man hardly eighteen years of age, with +a haughty face and aristocratic manners; Jean David, a Dutch sailor, +settled in the eastern part of the island; Bartholomew, a Portuguese, +also settled in the English colony; and lastly, William Drake, who had +taken an oath never to attack the Spaniards, unless they were in the +proportion of fifteen to one, so great was the contempt he professed +for the proud nation. + +It was, as we see, a select gathering of all the great filibusters of +the day. + +"You are welcome, brothers," said Montbarts; "I am glad to see you, for +I was awaiting you impatiently. Here are pipes, tobacco, and spirits; +smoke and drink," he added, pointing to a table placed in the centre +of the room. + +The filibusters sat down, lighted pipes, and filled glasses. + +"Brothers," Montbarts resumed a moment later, "I have requested you to +come to my hatto for two reasons of great importance, and of which the +second necessarily depends on the first: are you prepared to listen to +me?" + +"Speak, Montbarts," William Drake answered in the name of all; "you, +whom the gavachos have surnamed the Exterminator, a name I envy you, +brother, for you can only wish the good of filibustering." + +"That is the very subject," Montbarts answered. + +"I was sure of it, brother. Speak, we will listen to you religiously." + +They prepared to listen attentively. All these energetic men, who +recognised no laws but those themselves had made, knew not what envy +was, and were ready to discuss with the most entire good faith the +proposals which they foresaw Montbarts desired to make to them. + +The latter reflected for a moment, and then spoke in a gentle voice, +whose sympathetic accent soon captivated his audience. + +"Brothers," he said, "I will be brief, for you are picked men, with +warm hearts and firm hands, with whom a long speech is not only +useless, but also ridiculous Since my arrival at St. Kitts, I have +been studying filibustering, its life, manners, and aspirations, and +I have recognised with sorrow that the results do not justify its +efforts. What are we doing? Nothing, or almost nothing. In spite of our +indomitable courage, the Spaniards laugh at us; too weak, owing to +our isolation, to inflict serious losses on them, we expend our energy +in vain; we shed our blood, to take from them a few wretched vessels. +It is not thus that matters ought to go on; this is not the vengeance +which each of us dreamed of. What is the cause of our relative weakness +toward our formidable enemy? The isolation, to which I alluded just +now, and which will forever paralyze our efforts." + +"That is true," Red Stocking muttered. + +"But how can we alter it?" David asked. + +"Alas!" William Drake added, "The remedy is unfortunately impossible." + +"We are adventurers merely, and not a power," said Belle Tête. + +Montbarts smiled--that pale, peculiar smile of his, which turned the +heart cold. + +"You are mistaken, brothers," he said, "the remedy is found; if we +like, we shall soon be a power." + +"Speak, speak, brother," all the adventurers exclaimed, springing up. + +"This is my plan, brothers," he continued; "we are here twelve, of all +nations, but with one heart; the flower of filibusterism, I declare +loudly; without fear of contradiction, for each of us has furnished +proofs of it, and what proofs! Well, let us join and form a family; +from our share of the prizes let us set aside a sum intended to form +the common treasury, and while remaining at liberty to organize private +expeditions, let us swear never to injure or thwart one another, to +offer mutual help when needed, to labour with all our power to the +ruin of Spain, and while keeping our association secret from our +comrades and brothers, to combine our forces when the moment arrives to +crush our implacable enemy at one blow. Such, brothers, is the first +proposal I have to make to you. I await your answer." + +There was a momentary silence; the filibusters understood the +importance of their brother's proposal, and the strength it would give +them in the future. They exchanged glances, whispered together, and at +length William Drake replied in the name of all-- + +"Brother," he said, "you have just elucidated in a few words a question +which has hitherto remained in obscurity. You have perfectly defined +the cause of our weakness, by finding at the same time, as you promised +us, not the remedy, but the means to render an association hitherto due +to accident and almost useless, really formidable and useful: but this +is not all. This association, to which you allude, requires a head to +direct it, and ensure the success of its efforts at the right moment. +It is therefore necessary that while our association remains secret, +and, as it were, not in existence at all, in every point that does +not affect its object, one of us should be appointed chief; a chief, +the more powerful, because we shall be devoted to him, and aid him in +working for the general good." + +"Is this really your opinion, brothers?" Montbarts asked. "Do you +accept my proposal such as I made it, and as William Drake has modified +it?" + +"We accept it so," the filibusters replied with one voice. + +"Very good. Still I think that this chief, to whom you refer, should +be unanimously elected by us; that his authority may be taken from him +at a meeting of the assembly by a majority of voices, if he do not +strictly fulfil the conditions he has accepted; that, as guardian of +the treasury, he must always be ready to furnish his accounts, and +that his appointment should not exceed five years, unless renewed." + +"All that is fair," said Red Stocking; "no one can understand the +general good better than you, brother." + +"Hence," David remarked, "we shall be partners; no quarrel, no +dissension can well be possible among us." + +"While ostensibly retaining our free will and most complete +independence," Belle Tête reminded. + +"Yes," Montbarts replied. + +"Now, brothers," said Drake, rising, and doffing his cap, "listen to +me: I, William Drake, swear on my faith and honour, the most complete +devotion to the association of the Twelve, submitting myself beforehand +to undergo the punishment my brothers may please to inflict on me, even +death, if I were to betray the secret of the Association, and break my +oath. Heaven help me!" + +After Drake each filibuster uttered the same oath in a firm voice, and +with a solemn accent. + +They resumed their seats. + +"Brothers," said Montbarts, "what we have hitherto done is nothing; +it is only the dawn of the new era which is about to open, for the +glorious days of filibustering are beginning--twelve men like us, +united by the same thought, must perform miracles." + +"We will do so, be assured, brother," Morgan said, as he carelessly +picked his teeth with a gold pin. + +"Now, brothers, before I submit my second proposal to you, I believe we +had better elect a president." + +"That is true," said David; "as the company is formed, let us elect the +president." + +"One word first," said Michael the Basque, stepping into the centre of +the circle. + +"Speak, brother." + +"I wish to add this: every member of the Association who falls into the +hands of the gavachos shall be delivered by the other members, whatever +perils they may have to incur in doing so." + +"We swear it!" the filibusters shouted enthusiastically. + +"Unless it is impossible," Morgan said. + +"Nothing is impossible for us," William Drake remarked, rudely. + +"That is true, brother. You are right, I was mistaken," Morgan replied, +with a smile. + +"The society will be called that of The Twelve; only the death of +a member will allow another to be admitted, and he must be chosen +unanimously," Michael continued. + +"We swear it!" the filibusters exclaimed once more. + +"Now, brothers," said Bartholomew, "let us proceed to the election, by +ballot, in order to protect the liberty of the vote." + +"There are pens, ink, and paper on that table, brothers," Montbarts +remarked. + +"And here is my cap," Red Stocking said, with a laugh; "throw your +votes into it." + +And, removing his beaver skin cap, the filibuster laid it on the ground +in the middle of the room. + +Then the adventurers, with perfect order, rose one after the other, and +in turn went to write their vote, which they deposited, after rolling +up the paper, in Red Stocking's cap. + +Then all the adventurers returned to their seats: + +"Have we all voted?" David asked. + +"All!" the filibusters replied, in chorus. + +"Now, brother," Drake said to David, "since you hold the cap, proclaim +the result." + +David questioned his comrades with a glance, and they bowed their heads +in affirmation; then he took up the first roll that came to hand, +opened it, and read-- + +"Montbarts, the Exterminator." + +And passed on to a second. + +"Montbarts, the Exterminator," he read again. + +It was the same with the third, fourth, and so on up to the twelfth and +last--all bore the words-- + +"Montbarts, the Exterminator." + +It was a sinister challenge given to the Spanish nation, of whom this +man was the most obstinate enemy. + +Montbarts rose, took off his hat, and bowed gracefully to his comrades. + +"Brothers," he said, "I thank you--the confidence you place in me shall +not be disappointed." + +"Long live Montbarts, the Exterminator!" all the filibusters shouted, +impulsively. + +The terrible company of The Twelve was created. Filibusterism then +really became a formidable power. + + +[Footnote 1: Term of contempt for the Spaniards.] + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE SECOND PROPOSAL. + + +Montbarts allowed the enthusiasm of his comrades time to calm, and then +spoke again. + +There was no change in his appearance; nothing in his face denoted +the joy of triumph or of satisfied ambition; still the vote of his +companions, by nominating him Chief of the filibusters, had rendered +him in a moment a man more powerful than many a prince. His face was +just as impassive, his voice equally firm. + +"Brothers," he said, "do you remember that I had a second proposal to +make to you?" + +"That is true," William Drake replied--"speak, brother, we are +listening to you." + +"The second proposal is as follows: still, I must request you before +answering me to reflect fully on it. Your opinion must not be lightly +expressed, for, I repeat to you, and dwell on it in order that you may +thoroughly understand me, this proposition is most serious and grave. +In a word, it is this:--I propose to you to abandon the island of St. +Kitts, and choose another place of refuge, more convenient, and, above +all, safer for you." + +The filibusters gazed at him in amazement. + +"I will explain," he said, stretching out his arms as if to request +silence; "listen to me carefully, brothers, for what you are going to +hear interests you all. Our refuge is badly chosen, and too remote from +the centre of our expeditions; the difficulties we have to surmount in +returning to it, in consequence of the currents that make our ships +drift, and the contrary winds that oppose their speed, make us lose +precious time. Now, the Caribbean archipelago is composed, of more +than thirty islands, among which it is easy for us, it seems to me, to +choose the one that suits us best. This idea which I bring before you +today I have been revolving in my mind for a long time. I have not +limited my expeditions to the pursuit of the gavachos. I have also made +a voyage of discovery, and believe that I have found the spot suited +for us." + +"Whereabouts is it, brother?" David asked, making himself spokesman for +his companions. + +"I mean the island which the Spaniards call Hispaniola, and you know as +St. Domingo." + +"But, brother," Bartholomew here interposed, "that island, which, I +allow, is immense, and covered with magnificent forests, is inhabited +by the Spaniards; if we went there it would be really placing ourselves +in the wolf's throat." + +"I thought as you do before I had assured myself of the reality of the +fact, but now I am certain of the contrary; not alone is the island +only partially occupied by the gavachos, but we shall also find allies +in the parties they have despised." + +"Allies!" the filibusters exclaimed, in surprise. + +"Yes, brothers, and in this wise.--When Don Fernando de Toledo attacked +St. Kitts, the French who succeeded in escaping from the massacre +took refuge on the adjacent islands, as you are aware; many of them +went further, and reached St. Domingo, where they found a refuge. +That was bold, was it not? But, I repeat to you, the Spaniards occupy +scarce one-half of it. At the period of the discovery they left some +horned cattle on the island; these beasts have propagated, and now +exist in herds. The immense savannahs of St. Domingo are covered with +innumerable herds of wild oxen which graze on all the uninhabited part; +these herds, as you are aware, are a certain resource for revictualling +our ships, and, moreover, the vicinity of the Spanish colonists offers +us the means to satiate our hatred upon them; besides, our companions +who have been established on the island for some years past wage an +incessant and obstinate war upon them." + +"Yes, yes," said Belle Tête, pensively; "I understand what you are +saying to us, brother. You are right up to a certain point; but let us +discuss the matter quietly and coolly, like serious men." + +"Speak," Montbarts replied; "each of us has the right to express his +opinion when the common interest is concerned." + +"Brave though we are, and we may boast of it frankly, for, thank +heaven, our courage is well known, we are not strong enough for all +that--at present at least--to measure ourselves against the Spanish +power on land; there is a difference between capturing a ship and +facing an entire population. You allow that, I suppose, brother?" + +"Certainly I do." + +"Very good, I will go on. It is evident that the Spaniards, who up to +the present have probably not noticed them, or, at any rate, owing +to their small number and slight importance, have disdained the +adventurers established on the desert part of the island; when they see +that this establishment, which they supposed to be temporary, and due +to the caprice of our brothers, is becoming permanent, and assuming the +menacing proportions of a colony, they will refuse to permit it--what +will happen then? This: they will collect all their forces, assail us +suddenly, destroy us after a desperate resistance, and ruin at one +blow, not only our new colony, but also our hopes of vengeance." + +These remarks of Belle Tête, which displayed close logic, produced a +certain effect on the filibusters, who began exchanging meaning looks; +but Montbarts did not allow the spirit of opposition time to spread, +and at once went on to say-- + +"You would be right, brother, if, as you suppose, we were to place our +principal establishment on St. Domingo; it is evident that we should be +crushed by numbers, and forced to retire disgracefully; but a man would +know me badly if he supposed that I, who have an implacable hatred of +these infamous gavachos, could possibly conceive such a plan for a +moment, if I had not previously assured myself about its success, and +the profit we shall derive from it." + +"Come, brother," Drake said, "explain yourself clearly; we are +listening to you with the most earnest attention." + +"To the northwest of St. Domingo, and only separated from it by a +narrow channel, there is an island about eight leagues long, surrounded +by rocks called the iron coast, which render any landing impossible, +except at the south, where there is a fine port, whose bottom is +composed of sand, and where vessels are sheltered from all winds, +which, besides, are not violent in those parts; there are also a few +sandy bays scattered along the coast, but they are only approachable +by canoes. This island is called Tortuga or Tortoise Island, owing +to its shape, which slightly resembles that animal. Here it is, +brothers, I propose that we should form our principal establishment, +or, if you prefer it, our headquarters. The Port of Peace, and Port +Margot, situated facing Tortoise Isle, will enable us to keep up an +easy communication with St. Domingo: sheltered in our island, as in +an impregnable fortress, we shall brave the efforts of the whole +Spanish power. But I do not wish to deceive you, and must tell you +everything; the Spaniards are on their guard; they have foreseen that +if buccaneering goes on, that is to say, if they do not succeed in +destroying us, the excellent position of that island would not escape +our notice, and that we should probably attempt to seize on it: hence +they have had it occupied by twenty-five soldiers, commanded by an +alférez. Do not smile, brothers; although the garrison is small, it +is sufficient, owing to the manner in which it is entrenched, and the +difficulties a landing offers; and then, too, it can easily obtain +reinforcements from the Grande Terre in a very short time. I have often +landed in disguise on Tortoise Isle. I have inspected it with the +greatest care, and hence you can attach the most entire confidence to +the information I am giving you." + +"Montbarts is right," Yoc, the Brazilian, said at this moment; "I know +Tortoise Isle, and, like him, I am persuaded that island will offer us +a far surer and more advantageous shelter than St. Kitts." + +"Now, brothers," Montbarts resumed, "reflect, and answer yes or no. If +you accept my offer I will prepare to realize my plan by seizing the +island; if you refuse, I will never mention it again." + +And, in order by his absence to give more liberty for discussion, the +adventurer left the room, and proceeded to the terrace in front of the +hatto, where he began walking up and down, apparently indifferent to +what was going on, but in his heart very anxious as to the result of +the deliberation. + +He had only been walking up and down for a few minutes, when a slight +whistle was audible a short distance off, so gently modulated, that +it needed all the sharpness of hearing with which the filibuster was +endowed, to catch it. + +He walked rapidly in the direction where this species of signal had +been heard. At the same moment, a man lying on the ground, and so +thoroughly concealed by the gloom that it was impossible to perceive +him unless he was known to be there, raised his head, and displayed +in the white moonbeams the copper face, and delicate and intelligent +features of a Carib. + +"Omopoua?" the filibuster said. + +"I am waiting!" the Indian laconically answered, as he sprang up at one +bound, and stood erect before him. + +Omopoua, that is to say, the leaper, was a young man of twenty-five +years of age at the most, of a tall and admirably proportioned stature, +whose skin had the gilded shade of Florentine bronze. He was naked, +with the exception of thin canvas drawers, fastening round his hips, +and falling nearly to his knees. His long, black hair, parted in the +centre of his head, fell on his shoulders on either side. He had no +other weapons but a long knife, and a bayonet passed through a cowhide +belt. + +"Has the man arrived?" Montbarts asked. + +"He has." + +"Has Omopoua seen him?" + +"Yes." + +"Does he fancy himself recognised?" + +"Only the eye of a determined foe could guess him beneath his disguise." + +"That is well! My brother will conduct me to him?" + +"I will lead the pale chief." + +"Good! Where shall I find Omopoua an hour after sunrise?" + +"Omopoua will be in his hut." + +"I will come there;" and, hearing several voices calling him from the +interior of the hatto, he said, "I reckon on the Indian's promise." + +"Yes, if the chief keeps his." + +"I shall keep it." + +After exchanging a last meaning look with the filibuster, the +Carib glided down the face of the cliff, and disappeared almost +instantaneously. + +Montbarts remained for a moment motionless, plunged in deep thought; +then, giving a sudden start, and passing his hand over his forehead, as +if to efface any sign of emotion, he hastily re-entered the hatto. + +The deliberation was ended. The filibusters had returned to their +seats, and Montbarts went back to his, and waited with affected +indifference, till one of his comrades thought proper to speak. + +"Brother," David then said, "we have thoroughly discussed your +proposal. My comrades authorize me to tell you that they accept it, but +they merely desire to know what means you intend to employ in carrying +out your plan, and insuring its success?" + +"Brothers, I thank you," Montbarts replied, "for giving me your +consent. As to the means I intend to employ in seizing Tortoise Isle, +permit me, for the present, to keep them secret, as the success of the +expedition depends on it. You need only be told that I do not wish to +compromise the interests of anyone, and that I intend to run all the +risk alone." + +"You do not understand me, brother, or else I have explained myself +badly," David replied. "If I asked you in what way you proposed to act, +I was not at all impelled by a puerile curiosity, but because, in so +serious a question, which interests the entire association, we have +resolved to accompany you, and to die or conquer with you. We wish +to share the honour of the triumph, or assume a part of the defeat." +Montbarts felt involuntarily affected by these generous words, so nobly +pronounced; and by a spontaneous movement he held out his hands to the +filibusters, who pressed them energetically, and said,-- + +"You are right, brothers. We must all share in the great work which, I +hope, will at length place us in the position to achieve great things. +We will all go to Tortoise Island. But I will ask you--and believe me +that I am not speaking thus through any ambitious motive--to let me +conduct the expedition." + +"Are you not our chief?" the filibusters exclaimed. + +"We will obey you according to the laws of buccaneering," David added. +"The man who conceives an expedition has alone the right to command. We +will be your soldiers." + +"That is settled, brothers. Tomorrow morning, at eleven, after +attending the sale of the new engagés, who arrived from France the +day before yesterday, I will go to the governor, and tell him I am +preparing a fresh expedition, and enlistment can begin at once." + +"Not one of us will be missing at the rendezvous," said Belle Tête. "I +must buy two engagés to fill the places of two idlers, who have just +died of sheer idleness." + +"That is settled," said Bartholomew. "At eleven o'clock we will all be +at Basse Terre." + +They then rose and prepared to retire: for the whole night had passed +away in these discussions, and the sun, although still beneath the +horizon, was already beginning to tinge it with a purple hue, that +testified it would soon appear. + +"By the way," Montbarts said, with an indifferent air to Morgan, whom +with the rest he accompanied to the head of the path; "if you are not +greatly attached to your Carib--I forget how you call him--" + +"Omopoua?" + +"Ah! yes. Well, I was saying that if you were not indisposed to part +with him, I should feel obliged by your letting me have him." + +"Do you want him?" + +"Yes. I think he will be useful to me." + +"In that case, take him, brother. I yield him to you, although he is a +good workman, and I am satisfied with him." + +"Thanks, brother. What value do you set on him?" + +"Well, I will not bargain with you, brother. I saw a rather handsome +fusil in your house. Give it to me, and take the Indian, and we shall +be quits." + +"Wait a minute, then." + +"Why?" + +"Because I will give you the fusil at once. You will send me the +Indian; or, if I have time, I will call and fetch him during the day." + +The filibuster returned to the hatto, took down the fusil, and carried +it to Morgan, who threw it on his shoulder with a movement of joy. + +"Well, that is settled," he said. "Good-bye, for the present." + +"We shall meet again soon," Montbarts answered, and they separated. + +Montbarts threw a thick cloak over his shoulders, put on a broad +brimmed hat, whose brim fell over his face, and concealed his features, +and then turning to Michael, said: + +"Mate, an important matter obliges me to go to Basse Terre; you will +go to our governor, the Chevalier de Fontenay, and without entering +into any details, and being very careful not to betray our secret, you +will simply warn him that I am preparing a fresh expedition." + +"Very good, mate, I will go," Michael answered. + +"You will then examine the lugger, and occupy yourself with Bowline, in +getting her ready to put to sea." + +After giving these instructions to the two sailors, Montbarts left the +house, and descended the cliff. + +The Chevalier de Fontenay, like M. d'Esnambuc, whom he had succeeded +two years before as governor of St. Kitts, was a cadet of Normandy, who +had come to the isles to try his fortune, and before becoming governor +had joined in many buccaneering expeditions. He was exactly the man +they wanted; he left them at liberty to act as they pleased, never +asked them for any accounts, understood at half a word, and contented +himself with raising a tithe on the prizes--a voluntary tribute which +the adventurers paid him in return for the protection he was supposed +to give them in the king's name by legitimating their position. + +The sun had risen, a fresh sea breeze caused the leaves to rustle, and +the birds were singing on the branches. Montbarts walked on hurriedly, +looking neither to the right nor left, and apparently plunged in deep +thought. + +On reaching the entrance of the village of Basse Terre, instead of +entering it, he skirted it, and going along a narrow path that crossed +a tobacco plantation, he went toward the interior of the island, +proceeding in the direction of Mount Misery, whose rise was already +perceptible beneath his feet. + +After a very long walk, the filibuster at length stopped at the +entrance of a dry gorge, on one of the slopes of which stood a wretched +hut of tree trunks, poorly covered with palm leaves. A man was standing +in the doorway of this cabin: on perceiving Montbarts he uttered a cry +of joy and rushed toward him, running over the rocks with the rapidity +and lightness of a deer. + +This man was Omopoua, the Carib; on coming up to the filibuster, he +fell on his knees. + +"Rise," the adventurer said to him, "what have you to thank me for?" + +"My master told me an hour ago that I no longer belonged to him, but to +you." + +"Well, did I not promise it to you?" + +"That is true, but the white men always promise, and never keep their +word." + +"You see a proof of the contrary; come, get up, your master has sold +you to me, it is true, but I give you your liberty; you have now but +one master, God." + +The Indian rose, laid his hand on his chest, tottered, his features +were contracted, and for a moment he seemed suffering from a violent +internal emotion, which in spite of all the power he had over himself, +he could not succeed in mastering. + +Montbarts, calm and gloomy, examined him attentively, while fixing a +scrutinizing glance upon him. + +At length the Indian succeeded in speaking, though his voice issued +from his throat like a whistle. + +"Omopoua was a renowned chief among his people," he said; "a Spaniard +had degraded him by making him a slave, through treachery, and selling +him like a beast of burden: you restore Omopoua to the rank from which +he ought never to have descended. It is well, you lose a bad slave, +but gain a devoted friend; were it not for you I should be dead--my +life belongs to you." + +Montbarts offered the Carib his hand, which he kissed respectfully. + +"Do you intend to remain at Saint Kitts, or would you like to return to +Haiti?" + +"The family of Omopoua," the Indian replied, "and what remains of his +people, are wandering about the savannahs of Bohis, but where you go, I +will go." + +"Very good, you shall follow me; now lead me to the man, you know whom." + +"At once." + +"Are you certain he is a Spaniard?" + +"I am." + +"You do not know for what motives he has entered the island?" + +"I do not." + +"And at what place has he sought shelter?" + +"With an Englishman." + +"In the English colony there?" + +"No; at Basse Terre." + +"All the better. What is the Englishman's name?" + +"Captain William Drake." + +"Captain Drake!" Montbarts exclaimed with surprise, "It is impossible." + +"It is so." + +"In that case, the Captain does not know him." + +"No; the man entered his house and asked for hospitality, and the +Captain could not refuse it to him." + +"That is true; go up to my hatto, take clothes, a fusil--in short, what +weapons you like, and come to me at Captain Drake's; if I am no longer +there, you will find me on the port; begone." + +Montbarts then turned back, and proceeded toward Basse Terre, while the +Carib went towards the hatto as the bird flies, according to Indian +custom. + +Basse Terre was the entrepôt, or to speak more correctly, the +headquarters of the French colony: at the period when our story is laid +it was only a miserable township, built without order, according to the +caprice or convenience of each owner, an agglomeration of huts, rather +than a town, but producing at a distance a most picturesque effect +through this very chaos of houses of all shapes and sizes, thus grouped +along the seashore, in front of magnificent roads, filled with vessels +swinging at their anchors, and constantly furrowed by an infinite +number of canoes. + +A battery of six guns, built on an advanced point, defended the +entrance of the roads. + +But in this town, apparently so mean, dirty, and wretched, it was +possible to watch the circulation of the life full of sap, vigour, and +violence belonging to the strange inhabitants, unique in the world, who +formed its heterogeneous population. The narrow gloomy streets were +crowded with people of every description and colour, who came and went +with a busy air. + +There were pothouses at the corner of all the streets and squares, +perambulating dealers shouted their goods in a ropy voice, and public +criers, followed by a crowd which was swelled at every step by all the +idlers, announced with a mighty noise of trumpets and drums, the sale +on that very day of the engagés, who had just arrived in a Company's +vessel. + +Montbarts passed unnoticed through the crowd, and reached the door +of Captain Drake's house--a rather handsome looking and cleanly kept +house, which stood on the seashore at no great distance from the +governor's residence. + +The filibuster pushed the door, which, according to the custom of the +country, was not locked, and entered the house. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +THE SPY. + + +Montbarts, as we said, walked into the house. + +There were two persons in the first room, which was contrived a double +debt to pay, as half sitting room, half kitchen. + +These two persons were an engagé of Captain Drake and a stranger. + +As for the Captain, he was absent at the moment. + +The filibuster's eye flashed at the sight of the stranger, and an +ill-omened smile curled his pale lips. + +As for the latter, he was seated at a table in the middle of the room, +and quietly breakfasting on a piece of cold bacon, washed down by a +bottle of Bordeaux,--a wine, let us remark, parenthetically, which, +though unknown in Paris till the reign of Louis XV., when the Duc de +Richelieu brought it into fashion on his return from the government of +Guyenne--had been for a long time appreciated in America. + +The stranger was of rather tall stature, with a pale face, and ascetic +features, thin, bony, and angular; but his noble manners indicated a +high rank in society, which rank his simple and even more than modest +costume tried in vain to conceal. + +On the filibuster's entrance, the stranger, without raising his head, +took a side-glance at him from under his long velvety eyelashes, and +again became absorbed or appeared to be so, in the contemplation of +the capital breakfast set before him. + +Everything was in common among the filibusters, everyone took from +the other, whether he was at home or not, anything he wanted, arms, +gunpowder, clothes or food, and the person from whom it was taken had +no right to protest or make the slightest observation; this was not +merely admitted and tolerated, but was regarded as a right which all +took advantage of without the slightest scruple. + +Montbarts, after looking round the room, took a chair, seated himself +unceremoniously opposite the stranger, and turning to the engagé, said-- + +"Bring me some breakfast--I am hungry." + +The other, without venturing the slightest remark, immediately prepared +to obey. + +In a very short time he had served up an excellent breakfast for the +filibuster, and then took his place behind his chair to wait on him. + +"My friend," the filibuster said, carelessly, "I thank you; but when I +take my meals I do not like to have anybody behind me. Leave the room, +but remain in front of the house door;" and he added, with a singularly +meaning glance, "let no one enter here without my orders: no one--you +understand me?" he said, laying a stress on the words; "Not even your +master, were he to come. Can I depend on you?" + +"Yes, Montbarts," said the engagé, and left the room. + +At the name of Montbarts, uttered by the servant, the stranger gave +an almost imperceptible start, and fixed an anxious glance on the +filibuster; but immediately recovering himself, he began eating again +in the most perfect tranquillity, or at least apparently so. + +For his part, Montbarts went on eating without troubling himself, or +seeming to trouble himself, about the guest seated just opposite to him. + +This performance went on for some minutes; no other sound was heard +in the room, where such violent passions were smouldering, but that +produced by the knives and forks scratching on the platters. + +At length Montbarts raised his head and looked at the stranger. + +"You are very taciturn, sir," he said to him, with the simple air of +a man who is wearied at a lengthened silence, and wishes to get up a +conversation. + +"I, sir?" the stranger replied, as he looked up in his turn with the +calmest air; "Not that I am aware of." + +"Still, sir," the filibuster resumed, "I would remark, that during the +quarter of an hour I have had the honour of passing in your company, +you have not once addressed a syllable to me, not even in greeting." + +"Pray excuse me, sir," the stranger said, with a slight bow; "the +fault is entirely involuntary: besides, as I have not the advantage of +knowing you--? + +"Are you quite sure of that, sir?" the adventurer interrupted, +ironically. + +"At least, I think so; hence, having nothing to say to you, I suppose +that it would be useless to begin a conversation which would have no +object." + +"Who knows, sir?" the filibuster remarked, jeeringly; "Conversations +the most frivolous at the outset, frequently become very interesting at +the expiration of a few minutes." + +"I doubt whether that would be the case with ours, sir. Permit me, +therefore, to break it off at once. Besides, I have finished my +meal," the stranger said, rising; "and some serious business claims +my attention. Pray forgive me, therefore, for parting company so +hurriedly, and believe in the sincerity of my regret." + +The adventurer did not leave his seat, but throwing himself back in it +with a graceful nonchalance, while playing with the knife he held in +his hand, he said in his gentle insinuating voice-- + +"Pardon me, my dear sir; only one word, pray." + +"In that case make haste, sir," the stranger replied, as he stopped, +"for I am greatly pressed for time, I assure you." + +"Oh! You will certainly grant me a few minutes," the adventurer +remarked, with the old sarcasm. + +"As you desire it so eagerly, I will not refuse it you, sir. But I +really am in a hurry." + +"I have no doubt on that point, sir; more especially hurried to leave +this house--is it not so?" + +"What do you mean, sir?" the stranger asked, haughtily. + +"I mean," the adventurer replied, as he rose and placed himself between +the stranger and the door, "that it is useless to feign any longer, and +that you are recognized." + +"I recognized? I do not understand you. What does this language mean?" + +"It means," Montbarts said brutally, "that you are a spy and a traitor, +and that you will be hanged within ten minutes." + +"I?" the stranger replied, with very cleverly assumed surprise; "Why, +you must be mad, sir, or suffering under a strange mistake. Let me +pass, I request." + +"I am not mad or mistaken, Señor Don Antonio de la Ronda." + +The stranger started, a livid pallor covered his face, but he +immediately recovered himself. + +"Why, this is madness!" he said. + +"Sir," Montbarts remarked, still calm, but remaining in front of the +door, "when I affirm, you deny. It is evident that one of us lies, or +is mistaken. Now I declare that it is not I, hence it must be you; and +to remove your last doubts on this point, listen to this, but first be +good enough to resume your seat. We shall have, however much it may +annoy you, to converse for some time and I will remark, that it is a +very bad taste to talk standing face to face like two gamecocks ready +to fly at each other's combs, when it is possible to act otherwise." + +Mastered, in spite of himself, by the adventurer's flashing glance +obstinately fixed on him, and by his sharp, imperative accent, the +stranger returned to his seat, and fell into it rather than sat down. + +"Now, sir," the filibuster continued, in the same calm voice, as he +reseated himself and placed his elbows on the table, "in order at once +to dissipate all the doubts you may have, and to prove to you that I +know more about you than you will doubtless like, let me tell you your +history in a couple of words." + +"Sir!" the stranger interrupted. + +"Oh, fear nothing," he added, with studied sarcasm, "I shall be brief: +I no more like than you do to waste my time in idle discourses; but +just notice, by the bye, that, as I prophesied, our conversation, at +first frivolous, has suddenly grown interesting. Is not this singular, +I ask you?" + +"I am awaiting your explanation, sir," the stranger replied, coolly; +"for, up to the present, whatever you may say, I do not comprehend a +word of all that it pleases you to say to me." + +"By Heavens! You are a man after my heart. I was not mistaken about +you. Brave, cold, and crafty, you are worthy to be a filibuster, and to +lead an adventurous life with us." + +"You do me a great honour, sir; but all this does not tell me--" + +"Zounds! I am coming to it, sir--a little patience. How quick you are! +Take care: in your profession a man must be cool before all else, and +you are not so at this moment." + +"You are very witty, sir," the stranger said, bowing ironically to his +opponent. + +The latter was offended by this sudden attack, and smote the table with +his fist. + +"Here is your history in two words, sir," he said. "You are an +Andalusian, born at Malaga, a younger son, and consequently destined to +take orders. One fine day, not feeling any liking for the tonsure, you +fled from the paternal roof and embarked on a Spanish vessel bound for +Hispaniola. Your name is Don Antonio de la Ronda. You see, sir, that up +to this point I am well informed, am I not?" + +"Pray go on, sir," the stranger replied, with perfect coolness; "your +remarks are most interesting." Montbarts shrugged his shoulders, and +went on. + +"On arriving at Hispaniola, you contrived, in a short time, thanks to +your good looks and polished manners, to secure powerful protectors; +and thus, though you only left Europe three years ago, you have +made such rapid progress, that you are at present one of the most +influential men in the colony. Unluckily--" + +"Do you say unluckily?" the stranger interrupted with a jeering smile. + +"Yes, sir," the adventurer replied imperturbably; "unluckily your +fortune turned your head so thoroughly--" + +"So thoroughly?" + +"That in defiance of your friends, you were arrested and threatened +with a trial for embezzling a sum of nearly two million piastres; a +noble amount, on which I compliment you. Any other man but you, sir, I +feel a pleasure in allowing the fact, would have been ruined, or nearly +so, as the case was very serious; and the Council of the Indies does +not joke on money matters." + +"Permit me to interrupt you, my dear sir," the stranger said with the +most perfect ease; "you are telling this story in a very talented +manner, but if you go on so, it threatens to last indefinitely. If you +permit it, I will finish it in a few words." + +"Ah! Ah! Then you allow its truth now?" + +"Of course," the stranger said with admirable coolness. + +"You acknowledge yourself to be Don Antonio de la Ronda?" + +"Why should I deny it longer, when you are so well informed?" + +"Better still; so that you confess to fraudulently entering the colony +for the object of--" + +"I confess anything you like," the Spaniard said quickly. + +"Well, that being well established, you deserve to be hung, and you +will be so in a few minutes." + +"Well, no," he replied without losing any of his coolness; "that is +where we differ essentially in opinion, sir, your conclusion is not in +the least logical." + +"What?" the adventurer exclaimed, surprised at this sudden change of +humour which he did not expect. + +"I said that your conclusion was not logical." + +"I heard you perfectly." + +"And I am going to prove it," he continued; "grant me in your turn a +few moments' attention." + +"Very good; we must be merciful to those who are about to die." + +"You are very kind; but thank Heaven I am not there yet. There's many a +slip between the cup and the lip, as a very sensible proverb says." + +"Go on," the filibuster said with an ominous smile. + +But the Spaniard was not affected. + +"It is evident to me, sir, that you have some business or bargain to +propose to me." + +"I?" + +"Certainly, and for this reason; having recognized me as a spy, for +I must allow that I am really one (you see that I am frank in my +confession), nothing was easier for you than to have me strung up to +the nearest tree, without any form of trial." + +"Yes, but I am going to do so." + +"No, you will not do it now, and for this reason. You believe for +reasons I am ignorant of, for I will not insult you by supposing that +you had a feeling of pity for me, you who are so justly called by my +countrymen the Exterminator--you believe, I say, that I can serve you, +be useful to you in the success of one of your plans; consequently +instead of having me hanged, as you would have done under any other +circumstances, you came straight to find me here, where I fancied +myself well hidden, in order to converse with me, like one friend with +another. Well, I ask for nothing better, come, speak, I am listening; +what do you want of me?" + +And after uttering these words with the most easy air he could assume, +Don Antonio threw himself back in his chair delicately rolling a +cigarette between his fingers. + +The filibuster gazed for a moment at the Spaniard with a surprise which +he did not attempt to conceal, and then burst into a laugh. + +"That will do," he said, "I prefer that; at least there will be no +misunderstanding between us. Yes, you have guessed correctly, I have a +proposal to make to you." + +"That was not difficult to discover, sir; and pray what is the nature +of the proposal?" + +"Well, it is very simple, I only require you to act exactly in the +opposite way to what you intended, to change sides, in short." + +"Very good, I understand, that is to say, instead of betraying you for +the advantage of Spain, I am to betray Spain for your profit." + +"Yes, you see it is easy." + +"Very easy, in fact, but decidedly shabby; and supposing that I consent +to your request, what advantage shall I derive from it?" + +"In the first place I need hardly say that you will not be hung." + +"Pooh! To die by hanging, drowning, or a musket ball, is always much +the same thing. I should desire a more distinct benefit, with your +leave." + +"Confound it, you are difficult to satisfy, then it is nothing to save +one's neck from a slip knot?" + +"My dear sir, when, as in my case, a man has nothing to lose and +consequently everything to gain by any change in his position, death is +rather a comfort than a calamity." + +"You are a philosopher, so it seems." + +"No, confound it! such absurdity never troubled me, I am merely a +desperate man." + +"That is often the same thing; but let us return to our matter." + +"Yes, that will be better." + +"Well! I offer you my whole share of the first ship I take; does that +suit you?" + +"That is something better; but unluckily the ship to which you refer is +like the bear in the fable, not caught yet; I should prefer something +more substantial." + +"Well, I see I must yield to you; serve me well and I will reward you +so generously that the King of Spain himself could not do more." + +"Well, that is agreed, I'll run the risk; now be kind enough to tell me +the nature of the service you expect from me?" + +"I wish you to help me in taking by surprise Tortoise Island, where +you lived for a long time, and where, if I do not err, you still have +friends." + +"I see no inconvenience in trying that, although I will begin by making +my reservations." + +"What are they?" + +"That I do not pledge myself to insure the success of your hazardous +undertaking." + +"That remark is fair, but do not alarm yourself, if the Island is well +defended, it shall be well attacked." + +"I am convinced; now for the next matter." + +"I will let you know it when the time arrives, señor; for the present, +other business engages our attention." + +"As you please, sir, you will be the best judge of the opportunity." + +"Now, sir, as I had the honour of telling you at the outset, since I +know you to be a very sharp hand, and very capable of slipping through +my fingers like an eel, without the slightest scruple, and as I wish to +avoid that eventuality, and save you any notion of the sort, you will +do me the pleasure of going at once aboard my lugger." + +"A prisoner!" the Spaniard said with a gesture of ill humour. + +"Not as a prisoner, my dear Don Antonio, but regarded as a hostage, and +treated as such, that is to say, with all the attention compatible with +our common security." + +"Still, the word of a gentleman--" + +"Is valued between gentlemen, I allow, but with us _Ladrones_, as you +call us, it has no value in my opinion; you hidalgos of old Spain, +even make it a case of conscience to violate it without the slightest +scruple, when your interest invites you to do so." + +Don Antonio hung his head; recognizing in his heart, though unwilling +to allow it, the exact truth, of the filibuster's words. + +The latter enjoyed for a moment the Spaniard's discomfiture, and then +rapped the table twice or thrice with the handle of his knife. + +The captain's engagé at once entered the room. + +"What do you want of me, Montbarts?" he asked. + +"Tell me, my good fellow," the adventurer asked, "have you not seen a +red Carib prowling round this house?" + +"Pardon me, Montbarts, a Carib asked me only a moment ago, whether you +were here, and I answered in the affirmative, but I did not like to +transgress the orders I had received from you, and allow him to enter +as he desired." + +"Very good. Did not the man mention his name?" + +"On the contrary, that was the very first thing he did; it is Omopoua." + +"The very man I was expecting; tell him to come in, pray, for he is +sure to be hanging about the door; and come with him." + +The engagé went out. + +"What do you want with this man?" the Spaniard asked with a shade of +anxiety, which did not escape the adventurer's sharp eye. + +"This Indian is simply intended to be your guard of honour," he said. + +"Hum! It really seems as if you are anxious to keep me." + +"Extremely so, señor." + +At this moment, the engagé returned followed by the Carib, who had +made no change in his primitive costume; but had taken advantage of +Montbarts' permission to arm himself to the teeth. + +"Omopoua and you, my friend, listen attentively to what I am going to +say to you; you see this man?" he said pointing to the Spaniard who was +still perfectly impassive. + +"We see him," they answered. + +"You will take him on board the lugger and hand him over to my mate, +Michael the Basque, recommending him to watch over his guest most +attentively! If, during the passage from here to the vessel, this man +attempts to take to flight, blow out his brains without mercy. Have you +understood me thoroughly?" + +"Yes," said the engagé, "trust to us, we answer for him with our heads." + +"That is well, I accept your word; and now, sir," he added, addressing +Don Antonio, "be good enough to follow these two men." + +"I yield to force, sir." + +"Very good, that is how I regard the matter, but reassure yourself, +your captivity will be neither harsh nor long, and I shall keep the +promises I have made you, if you keep yours. Now, go and farewell for +the present." + +The Spaniard, without replying, placed himself between his two keepers +voluntarily and left the room. + +Montbarts remained alone. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE SLAVE SALE. + + +A moment after Montbarts rose, put on his cloak, which he had thrown on +a chair when he came in, and prepared to quit the house. + +On the threshold he found himself face to face with Captain Drake. + +"Ah," said the latter, "here you are." + +"Yes! I have been breakfasting at your house." + +"You did well." + +"Will you accompany me to the sale?" + +"I do not want any hired man." + +"Nor I, but you know the enlistment will commence immediately +afterwards." + +"That is true; let me say a word first to my engagé, and I will follow +you." + +"He has gone out." + +"Why! I ordered him not to leave the house." + +"I have given him a commission." + +"Oh! That is different." + +"You do not ask me what the commission is I have given your engagé," +Montbarts remarked a moment later. + +"Why should I? It does not concern me, I suppose." + +"More than you imagine, brother." + +"Nonsense, how so?" + +"You offered hospitality to a stranger, did you not?" + +"Yes, but what of that?" + +"You shall see. This stranger, whom you do not know, for of course you +do not--" + +"No more than Adam; what do I care who he is? hospitality is one of +those things which cannot be refused." + +"That is true, but I recognized the man." + +"Ah, ah, and who is he then?" + +"Nothing less than a Spanish spy, brother." + +"My God!" the captain said, stopping dead short. + +"What is the matter with you now?" + +"Nothing, nothing, except that I will go and blow out his brains, +unless you have done so already." + +"Pray, do nothing of the sort; this man, I feel convinced, brother, +will prove very useful to us." + +"Nonsense, how so?" + +"Leave me to act; if we manage properly, we may draw profit even from a +Spanish spy; in the meanwhile, I have had him taken on board the lugger +by your engagé, and a man of my own, where he will be watched so that +he cannot part company." + +"I trust to you for that, and thank you, brother, for having freed me +from the scoundrel." + +While talking thus, the two men arrived at the spot where the sale of +the engagés to the colonists was to take place. + +On the right of the square was a spacious shed, built of clumsily +planed planks, and open to the wind and rain; in the centre of the shed +was a table for the officials and secretaries of the company, who had +to manage the sale and draw up the contracts; an easy chair had been +set apart for the governor, by the side of a rather lofty platform, +on which each engagé, male or female, mounted in turn, so that the +purchasers might examine them at their ease. + +These wretches, deceived by the company's agents in Europe, had +contracted engagements, whose consequences they did not at all +understand, and were convinced that, on their arrival in America, +with the exception of a certain tax they had to pay the company for a +certain period, they would be completely free to earn their livelihood +as they thought proper. The majority were carpenters, masons and +bricklayers, but there were also among them ruined gentlemen and +libertines who detest work and who imagined that in America, the +country of gold, fortune would visit them while they slept. + +A company's ship had arrived a few days previously and brought one +hundred and fifty engagés, among them were several young and pretty +women, thoroughly vitiated, however, and who, like the Manon Lescault +of the Abbé Prevost, had been picked up by the police in the streets of +Paris, and shipped off without further formality. + +These women were also sold to the colonists, not apparently as slaves, +but as wives. + +These unions contracted in the gipsy fashion, were only intended to +last a settled time which must not exceed seven years, unless with +the mutual consent of the couple, though the clause was hardly ever +appealed to by them; at the end of that time they separated, and each +was set at liberty to form a fresh union. + +The engagés had been landed two days before; these two days had been +granted them, that they might slightly recover from the fatigue of a +long sea voyage, walk about and breathe the reviving land breeze, of +which they had so long been deprived. + +At the moment when the two adventurers arrived, the sale had been going +on for half an hour; the shed was crowded with colonists who desired to +purchase slaves, for we are compelled to use that odious term, for the +poor creatures were nothing else. + +At the sight of Montbarts, however, whose name was justly celebrated, +a passage was opened, and he thus succeeded in reaching the side of +the governor, Chevalier de Fontenay, round whom the most renowned +adventurers were collected, among them being Michael the Basque. + +Monsieur de Fontenay received Montbarts with distinction; he even +rose from his chair and walked two or three steps to meet him, which +the filibusters considered in very good taste, and felt grateful to +him for it; this honour paid to the most celebrated among them cast a +reflection on them all. + +After exchanging a few compliments with the governor, Montbarts bent +down to Michael's ear. + +"Well, mate?" he said to him. + +"The Spaniard is aboard," Michael replied, "and carefully watched by +Bowline." + +"In that case I can be at my ease?" + +"Perfectly." + +During this aside, the sale had been going on. + +All the male engagés had been sold, with the exception of one who was +standing at this moment on the platform, by the side of a company's +agent, who acted as auctioneer, and praised the qualities of the human +merchandise he offered. + +This engagé was a short, stout, powerfully built man, from twenty-five +to twenty-six years of age, with harsh, energetic, but intelligent +features, whose grey eyes sparkled with audacity and good humour. + +"Pierre Nau, native of the sands of Olonne," said the company's agent, +"twenty-five years of age, powerful and in good health, a sailor. +Who'll say forty crowns for the Olonnais, forty crowns for three years, +gentlemen." + +"Come, come," said the engagé, "if the person who buys me is a man, he +will have a good bargain." + +"Going for forty crowns," the company's agent repeated, "forty crowns, +gentlemen." + +Montbarts turned to the engagé. + +"What, you scoundrel," he said to him, "you a sailor and sell yourself +instead of joining us? You have no pluck." + +The Olonnais began laughing. + +"You know nothing about it. I have sold myself, because I must do so," +he answered, "so that my mother may be able to live during my absence." + +"How so?" + +"How does it concern you? You are not my master, and even if you were, +you would have no right to inquire into my private affairs." + +"You seem to me a bold fellow," Montbarts remarked. + +"Indeed, I believe I am; besides, I wish to become an adventurer like +you fellows, and for that purpose I must serve my apprenticeship to the +trade." + +"Going for forty crowns," cried the agent. + +Montbarts examined with the most serious attention the engagé, whose +firm glance he could hardly manage to quell; then, doubtless satisfied +with his triumph, he turned to the agent. + +"That will do," he said, "hold your row: I buy this man." + +"The Olonnais is adjudged to Montbarts the exterminator, for forty +crowns," the agent said. + +"Here they are," the adventurer answered as he threw a handful of +silver on the table; "now come," he ordered the Olonnais, "you are now +my engagé." + +The latter leapt joyously off the platform and ran up to him. + +"So you are Montbarts the exterminator?" he asked him curiously. + +"I think you are questioning me," the adventurer said with a laugh, +"still, as your question appears to me very natural, I will answer it +this time; yes, I am Montbarts." + +"In that case I thank you for buying me, Montbarts; with you I am +certain soon to become a man." + +And at a sign from his new master, he respectfully placed himself +behind him. + +The most curious part of the sale for the adventurers then began, that +is to say, the sale of the women. + +The poor wretches, mostly young and pretty, mounted the platform +trembling, and in spite of their efforts to keep a good countenance, +they blushed with shame, and burning tears ran down their cheeks on +seeing themselves thus exposed before all these men, whose flashing +eyes were fixed upon them. + +The company made its greatest profit by the women, and it was the more +easy to realise, because they were got for nothing, and sold at the +highest possible figure. + +The men were generally knocked down at a price varying from thirty +to forty dollars, but never went beyond that; with the women it was +different, they were put up to auction, and the governor alone had the +right to stop the sale, when the price appeared to him sufficiently +high. These women were always sold amid cries, shouts and coarse jests, +generally addressed to the adventurers who did not fear running the +risk of venturing on the shoal-beset ocean of marriage. + +Belle Tête, that furious adventurer to whom we have already referred, +and whom we saw at the meeting at the hatto, had, as he had resolved, +purchased two engagés to take the place of the two who had died, so he +said, of indolence, but, in reality of the blows he dealt them; then, +instead of returning home he had confided the engagés to his overseer; +for the adventurers, like the slave owners, had overseers, whose duty +it was to make the white slaves toil; and the adventurer remained in +the shed watching the sale of the women with the most lively interest. + +His friends did not fail to cut jokes at his expense, but he contented +himself with shrugging his shoulders disdainfully, and stood with +his hands crossed on the muzzle of his long fusil, and with his eyes +obstinately fixed on the platform. + +A young woman had just taken her place there in her turn; she was a +frail delicate girl, with light curling hair that fell on her white +rather thin chest. Her smooth and pensive forehead, her large blue +eyes full of tears, her fresh cheeks, her little mouth, made her appear +much younger than she in reality was; she was eighteen years of age, +and her delicate waist, her well-turned lips, her decent appearance, +in short everything about her delicious person had a seductive charm, +which formed a complete contrast with the decided air and vulgar +manners of the women who had preceded her on the platform, and those +who would follow her. + +"Louise, born at Montmartre, aged eighteen years; who will marry her +for three years, at the price of fifteen crowns?" the company's agent +asked in his sarcastic voice. + +The poor girl buried her face in her hands and wept bitterly. + +"Twenty crowns for Louise," an adventurer shouted, drawing nearer. + +"Twenty-five," another said immediately. + +"Make her hold her head up so that we can have a look at her," a third +cried brutally. + +"Come, little one," the agent said, as he obliged her to remove her +hands from her face; "be polite and let them look at you, it is for +your own good, hang it all! Twenty-five crowns." + +"Fifty," said Belle Tête, without moving from the spot. + +All eyes were turned to him; up to this moment Belle Tête had professed +a profound hatred for marriage. + +"Sixty," shouted an adventurer who did not desire to buy the girl, but +wished to annoy his comrade. + +"Seventy," said another with the same charitable intention. + +"One hundred," Belle Tête shouted angrily. + +"One hundred crowns, gentlemen, one hundred for Louise for three +years," the stoical agent said. + +"One hundred and fifty." + +"Two hundred." + +"Two hundred and fifty." + +"Three hundred," several adventurers shouted, almost simultaneously, as +they drew nearer to the platform. + +Belle Tête was pale with rage, for he feared lest she might escape him. + +The adventurer had persuaded himself, rightly or wrongly, that he +wanted a wife to manage his household; now he had seen Louise, Louise +pleased him, she was for sale, and he resolved to buy her. + +"Four hundred crowns!" he said with an air of defiance. + +"Four hundred crowns," the company's agent repeated in his monotonous +voice. + +There was a silence. + +Four hundred crowns is a large sum; Belle Tête triumphed. + +"Five hundred!" a sharp shrill voice suddenly shouted. + +The contest was beginning again; the adversaries had only stopped to +regain their strength. + +The company's agent rubbed his hands with a jubilant air, while +repeating,-- + +"Six hundred, seven, eight, nine hundred crowns!" + +A species of frenzy had seized on the spectators, and all bid +furiously; the girl was still weeping. + +Belle Tête was in a state of fury which approached to madness; +clutching his fusil frenziedly in his clinched hand, he felt a +wild temptation to send a bullet into the most determined of his +competitors. Only the presence of M. de Fontenay restrained him. + +"A thousand," he shouted in a hoarse voice. + +"One thousand two hundred!" the most obstinate competitor immediately +yelled. + +Belle Tête stamped savagely, threw his fusil on his shoulder, drew his +cap on to his head with a blow of his fist, and then with a step as +slow and solemn as that of a statue would be, if a statue could walk, +he went to place himself by the side of his unendurable rival, and +letting the butt of his fusil fall heavily on the ground, scarce an +inch from the man's foot, he looked him in the face for a moment with a +defiant air, and shouted in a voice choked by emotion,-- + +"Fifteen hundred!" + +The adventurer regarded him in his turn fiercely, fell back a step, +and, after renewing the powder in the pan of his fusil, said, in a calm +voice-- + +"Two thousand!" + +Before these two obstinate adversaries the other bidders had prudently +withdrawn; the competition was turning into a quarrel, and threatened +to become sanguinary. + +A deadly silence brooded over the shed; the over-excited passions of +these two men had spoiled all the pleasures of the spectators, and +silenced all their jokes. + +The Governor followed with interest the different incidents of this +struggle, ready to interfere at any moment. + +The adventurers had gradually fallen back, and left a large free space +between the two men. + +Belle Tête recoiled a few paces in his turn, suddenly examined the +priming of his fusil, and then, pointing the latter at his adversary, +shouted-- + +"Three thousand!" + +The other raised his fusil at the same moment to his shoulder. + +"Three thousand five hundred crowns!" he shouted, as he pulled the +trigger--the fusil was discharged. + +But the Governor, with a movement rapid as thought, threw up the barrel +with the end of his cane, and the ball lodged in the roof. + +Belle Tête remained motionless, though, on hearing the shot, he lowered +his fusil. + +"Sir," the Governor exclaimed, indignantly, addressing the adventurer +who had fired, "You have acted in a dishonourable way, and almost +committed a murder." + +"Governor," the adventurer coolly replied, "when I fired he had his gun +pointed at me, and hence it is a duel." + +The Governor hesitated, for the answer was specious. + +"No matter, sir," he continued, a moment later, "the laws of duelling +were not respected; to punish you I put you out of the bidding. Sir," +he said, addressing the company's agent, "I order that the woman, who +was the cause of this deplorable aggression, be knocked down to Señor +Belle Tête for three thousand crowns." + +The agent bowed with rather an angry look, for the worthy man had +hoped, from the way things were going on, to reach a much higher +figure; but he dared not make any observations to Chevalier de +Fontenay; he must yield, and so he did. + +"Louise is adjudged for three thousand crowns," he said, with a sigh of +regret--not for the woman, but for the money--"to M. Belle Tête." + +"Very good, Governor," the baffled adventurer said, with an ugly smile, +"I must bow to your final sentence; but Belle Tête and I will meet +again." + +"I hope so, too, Picard," Belle Tête answered, coldly; "there must be +bloodshed between us now." During this time Louise had come down from +the platform, when another woman took her place, and had stationed +herself, still weeping, by the side of Belle Tête, who was henceforth +her lord and master. + +M. de Fontenay gave a commiserating glance at the poor girl, who was +about, in all probability, to endure such a cruel existence with so +harsh a man, and then gently said to her-- + +"Madame, from this day you are for three years the legitimate wife of +M. Belle Tête, and owe him obedience, affection, and fidelity; such are +the laws of the colony: in three years you will be your own mistress, +at liberty to leave him or to continue to live with him, if he desire +it; be good enough to sign this paper." + +The unhappy woman, blinded by her tears, and crushed by despair, +signed, without looking at it, the paper which the Governor offered +her; then she cast a heart-broken glance at this silent and indifferent +crowd, in which she knew that she could not find a friend. + +"Now, sir," she asked, in a gentle and trembling voice, "what must I +do?" + +"You must follow this man, who will be your husband for three years," +M. de Fontenay answered, with a touch of pity, which he could not +overcome. + +At this moment Belle Tête laid his hand on the girl's shoulder; she +shuddered all over, and looked wildly at him. + +"Yes," he said, "my girl, you must follow me; for, as the Governor has +told you, I am your husband for three years, and till the expiration of +that time, you will have no other master but me. Now, listen to this, +my darling, and engrave it carefully on your mind, so as to remember it +at the right moment: what you have done, what you have been, until now, +does not concern me, and I care little about it; but," he added, in a +hollow, ferocious voice, which chilled the poor girl with horror, "from +this day, from this moment, you belong to me--to me alone: I intrust +to you my honour, which becomes yours, and if you compromise that +honour--if you forget your duties," he said, as he dashed the butt end +of his musket on the ground, so harshly, that the hammer rattled with +an ill-omened sound, "this will remind you of them; now, follow me." + +"Be gentle to her, Belle Tête," M. de Fontenay could not help +saying--"she is so young." + +"I shall be just, Governor: now, thanks for your impartiality, it is +time for me to retire. Picard, my old friend, you know where to find +me." + +"I shall not fail to come and see you, but I do not, wish to trouble +your honeymoon," Picard replied, with a growl. + +Belle Tête withdrew, followed by his wife. + +The sale henceforth offered nothing of interest; the few women +remaining were sold at prices far inferior to that which Louise had +fetched, to the great regret, we are bound to add, of the Company's +agent. + +The adventurers were preparing to leave the shed where they imagined +there was nothing more to see; but at this moment Montbarts mounted the +platform, and addressed the crowd in a sonorous voice-- + +"Brothers," he said, "stay, I have an important communication to make +to you." + +The adventurers remained motionless. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE ENLISTMENT. + + +All the adventurers assembled round the platform, anxiously awaiting +what Montbarts had to tell them. + +"Brothers," he said, a moment after, "I am preparing a new expedition, +for which I require three hundred resolute men; who among you will +follow Montbarts the Exterminator?" + +"All, all!" the adventurers shouted, enthusiastically. + +The Governor prepared to withdraw. + +"Pardon me, Chevalier de Fontenay," Montbarts said, "be kind enough to +remain a few minutes longer; the expedition I have projected is most +serious: I am about to dictate a charter party, to which I will ask +you, as Governor of the colony, to append your signature before that of +our companions--moreover, I have a bargain to propose to you." + +"I will remain, since you desire it, Montbarts," the Governor replied, +as he returned to his seat; "now be kind enough to inform me of the +bargain you wish to propose." + +"You are the owner, sir, I think, of two brigantines of eighty tons +each?" + +"I am." + +"These brigantines are useless to you at this moment, as you appear, at +least until fresh orders, to have given up cruising, while they will be +very useful to me." + +"In that case, sir, they are at your service from this moment," the +Governor replied, gallantly. + +"I thank you, as I ought, for your politeness, sir, but that is not +my meaning; in an expedition like the one I meditate, no one can +foresee what may happen, hence I propose to buy your two ships for four +thousand crowns cash." + +"Very good, sir, since you wish it; I am delighted to be of service to +you; the two ships are yours." + +"I shall have the honour of handing you the four thousand crowns within +an hour." + +The two men bowed; and then the filibuster turned to the adventurers, +who were waiting, panting with, impatience, and whose curiosity had +been heightened by the purchase of the two vessels. + +"Brothers," he said, in his sonorous and sympathetic voice, "for two +months past no expedition has been attempted, and no ship has put to +sea; are you not beginning to grow tired of this idle life which you +and I are leading? Are you not beginning to run short of money, and +are not your purses light? Zounds, comrades, come with me, and within +a fortnight your pockets shall be full of Spanish doubloons, and +the pretty girls, who today are so coy, will then lavish their most +charming smiles on you--down with the Spaniards, brothers! Those of +you who are willing to follow me can give their names to Michael the +Basque, my mate. Still, as the shares will be large, the danger will +be great; to obtain them I only want men resolved to conquer or to +die bravely, without asking quarter of the enemy or granting it; I am +Montbarts the Exterminator--I grant no mercy to the Spaniards, nor do I +ask it of them." + +Enthusiastic shouts greeted these words, uttered with that accent which +the celebrated filibuster knew so well how to assume when he wished to +seduce the individuals he was addressing. + +The enlistment began; Michael the Basque had seated himself at the +table previously occupied by the Company's agent, and wrote down the +names of the adventurers, who pressed round him in a crowd, and who +all wished to join in an expedition which they foresaw would be most +lucrative. + +But Michael had received strict instructions from his master: convinced +that he should not want for men, and that more would offer than he +needed, he carefully selected those whose names he took, and pitilessly +rejected those adventurers whose reputation for, we will not say +bravery, for all were brave as lions, but for reckless daring, was not +thoroughly established. + +Still in spite of Michael's intended strictness, the number of three +hundred was soon complete. We need scarce say they were the flower +of the filibusters, all adventurers, the least renowned of whom +had performed deeds of incredible daring, men with whom attempting +impossibilities and achieving them had become but mere child's play. + +The first inserted were, as had been agreed on the preceding night, the +members of the society of the Twelve. + +Hence M. de Fontenay, who, an old filibuster himself, knew all these +men, not only by reputation, but from having seen them at work, could +not recover from his surprise, and incessantly repeated to Montbarts, +who was standing, calm and smiling at his side, "What can you be after? +Do you mean to seize on Hispaniola?" + +"Who knows?" the filibuster replied sportively. + +"Still, I think I have a right to your confidence," the governor said +in an offended tone. + +"The most entire, Sir; still, you are aware that the first condition +of security in an expedition is secrecy." + +"That is true." + +"I cannot tell you anything, but do not prevent you from guessing." + +"Guessing! But how?" + +"Well, perhaps the charter party will set you on the right track." + +"Well, let me hear it." + +"A little patience still; but stay, here is Michael coming toward me. +Well," he asked him, "have you completed our number?" + +"I should think so; I have three hundred and fifty men." + +"Hang it, that is a great number." + +"I could not do otherwise than accept them; when it is a question about +going with Montbarts, it is impossible to keep them back." + +"Well, we will take them, if it must be so," Montbarts said with a +smile, "give me your list." + +Michael handed it to him; the filibuster looked round him, and +perceived an agent of the Company, whom curiosity had kept back, and +who had remained in the shed to witness the enlistment. + +"You are a Company's agent, I think, sir?" he said to him, politely. + +"Yes, sir," the agent replied with a bow, "I have that honour." + +"In that case, may I ask you to do me a service?" + +"Speak, sir, I shall be only too glad to oblige you." + +"My companions and myself are no great clerks, and we can use a hatchet +better than a pen; would it be presuming too much on your kindness to +ask you to be good enough to serve as my secretary for a few minutes, +and write down the charter party I shall dictate to you, and which my +comrades will sign, after having it read to them?" + +"I am only too happy, sir, that you deign to honour me with your +confidence," the agent said with a bow. + +Then he seated himself at the table, selected some paper, mended a pen +and waited. + +"Silence, if you please, gentlemen," said the Chevalier de Fontenay, +who had exchanged a few words in a low voice with Montbarts. + +The private conversations were checked, and a profound silence was +established almost instantaneously. M. de Fontenay continued. + +"A filibustering expedition, composed of three ships, two brigantines +and a lugger, is about to leave St. Kitts, under the command of +Montbarts, whom I appoint, in the name of His most Christian Majesty, +Louis, fourteenth of that name, admiral of the fleet. This expedition, +whose object remains secret, has been joined by 350 men, the flower of +the filibusters. The three captains chosen to command the ships are, +Michael the Basque, William Drake, and John David. They are ordered to +obey in every point the commands they will receive from the admiral, +and each captain will himself appoint his officers." Then, turning to +Montbarts, he added, "Now admiral, dictate the charter party." + +The adventurer bowed, and addressing the Company's agent, who was +watching with head and pen erect, he said to him-- + +"Are you ready, sir?" + +"I await your orders." + +"In that case write as I dictate." + +No expedition ever left port without having previously proclaimed the +charter party: this document, in which the rights of each man were +rigorously stipulated, served as the supreme law for these men, who, +undisciplined though they were ashore, bowed without a murmur to the +strictest decrees of the naval code: so soon as they had set foot on +the vessel for which they were engaged, the captain of yesterday became +a sailor today, accepted without grumbling the eventual inferiority +which the duration of the cruise alone maintained, and which ended on +the return to port, by placing each member of the expedition on the +same level, and on a footing of the most perfect equality. + +We quote literally the charter party our readers are about to peruse, +because from this authentic act they will understand more easily the +range and power of this strange association, and the manner in which +the filibusters treated each other. + +Montbarts dictated what follows in a calm voice amid the religious +silence of his auditors, who only interrupted him at intervals, by +shouts of approbation. + +"Charter party decreed by Admiral Montbarts, Captains Michael the +Basque, William Drake, John David, and the Brethren of the Coast, who +have voluntarily placed themselves under their orders, and which is +fully consented to by them." + +"The admiral will have a right, in addition to his share, to one man +per hundred." + +"Each captain will receive twelve shares." + +"Each brother four shares." + +"These shares will only be counted after the king's part has been +deducted from all the shares." + +"The surgeons will receive, in addition to their share, two hundred +dollars each, as payment for their medicaments." + +"The carpenters, in addition to their share, will each, have a claim +for one hundred dollars, in remuneration of their labours." + +"Any disobedience will be punished by death, whatever be the name or +rank of the culprit." + +"The brothers who distinguish themselves in the expedition will be +rewarded in the following manner--The man who pulls down the enemy's +flag from a fortress, and hoists the French one, will have a claim, in +addition to his share, to fifty piastres." + +"The man who takes a prisoner, when out in search of news of the enemy, +will have, in addition to his share, one hundred piastres." + +"The grenadiers, for each grenade thrown into a fort, five piastres." + +"Any man, who in action captures a high officer of the enemy, will be +rewarded by the admiral, if he has risked his life, in a generous way." + +"Rewards offered, in addition to their share, to the wounded and +mutilated." + +"For the loss of both legs, fifteen hundred crowns, or fifteen slaves, +at the choice of the recipient: if there are enough slaves." + +"For the loss of both arms, eighteen hundred piastres or eighteen +slaves, at choice." + +"For a leg, no distinction between right and left, five hundred +piastres or five slaves." + +"For an eye, one hundred piastres or a slave; for an arm or a hand, +no distinction between right and left, four hundred piastres or four +slaves." + +"For both eyes, two thousand piastres, or twenty slaves." + +"For a finger, one hundred piastres or one slave: if any man be +dangerously wounded in the body he will have five hundred piastres or +five slaves." + +"It is already understood, that, in the same way, as with the king's +part, all these rewards will be raised on the whole of the booty, +before dividing the shares." + +"Any enemy's vessel captured either at sea or at anchor, will be +divided between all the members of the expedition, unless it be +valued at more than ten thousand crowns, in which case one thousand +crowns will be set apart for the first ship's crew that boarded: the +expedition will hoist the royal flag of France, and the admiral bear in +addition the _red, white, and blue_ flag." + +"No officer or sailor of the expedition will be allowed to remain +ashore anywhere unless he has previously obtained the admiral's +permission, under penalty of being declared a maroon, and prosecuted as +such." + +When this last paragraph which, like all that preceded it, had been +listened to in the most profound silence, had been recorded by the +Company's agent, Montbarts took the charter party, and read it through +in a loud clear voice-- + +"Does this charter party suit you, brethren?" he then asked the +filibusters. + +"Yes, yes," they shouted, waving their caps, "long live Montbarts! Long +live Montbarts!" + +"And you swear, as my officers and myself swear, to obey without a +murmur, and strictly carry out all the clauses of this charter party?" + +"We swear it," they repeated. + +"Very good," Montbarts continued; "the embarkation will commence at +sunrise tomorrow, and all the crews must be on board the fleet before +ten o'clock." + +"We will be there." + +"Now, brethren, let me remind you that each of you must be armed with a +fusil, and a cutlass, have a bag of bullets, and at least three pounds +of gunpowder: I repeat that the expedition we are about to undertake +is most serious, so that you may not forget to choose your chums, that +they may aid you in the case of illness or wounds, and make your wills, +as otherwise your shares would lapse to the king. You have understood +me, brothers? Employ as you please the few hours' liberty left you, but +do not forget that I expect you on board at day break tomorrow." + +The filibusters replied by shouts, and left the shed, where there only +remained the governor, Montbarts, his captains, and the new engagé +called the Olonnais, whom the adventurer had bought by auction a few +hours previously, and who, far from being sad, seemed, on the contrary, +extremely pleased at all that was going on in his presence. + +"As for you, gentlemen," Montbarts said, "I have no orders to give +you, for you know as well as I what you have to do. Draw lots for your +commands, then go on board, inspect the masts and rigging, and get +ready to sail at the first signal. These are the only recommendations, +I think, I need make you. Good-bye." + +The three captains bowed, and at once withdrew. + +"Ah!" Chevalier de Fontenay said, with an accent of regret, "My dear +Montbarts, I never see an expedition preparing without having a lively +feeling of sorrow, and almost of envy." + +"Do you regret your adventurous life, sir? I understand that feeling, +although each expedition brings you an augmentation of wealth." + +"What do I care for that? Do not believe that I make an avaricious +calculation. No! My thoughts are of a higher order. But the moment is +badly chosen to chatter with you. Go, sir! And if you succeed, as I do +not doubt--and yet, who knows? On your return we shall perhaps be able +to come to an understanding; and then we will attempt an expedition +together, which I hope will be talked about for a long time." + +"I shall be glad," the filibuster replied, politely, "to have you as a +partner. Your brilliant courage, and far from ordinary merit, are to +me certain guarantees of success. I shall therefore have the honour to +hold myself at your orders, if it please Heaven that I succeed this +time, and return safe and sound from the expedition I meditate." + +"Good luck, sir; and let us hope to meet again soon." + +"Thank you, sir." + +They shook hands; and as, while conversing, they had left the shed, +they went different roads, after a parting bow. + +The filibuster, followed by the engagé, proceeded slowly towards his +house. + +At the moment when he left the town, a man placed himself before him, +and bowed. + +"What do you want with me?" the adventurer asked, giving him a +scrutinizing glance. + +"To say a word to you." + +"Say on." + +"Are you Captain Montbarts?" + +"You must be a stranger, to ask that question." + +"No matter. Answer." + +"I am Captain Montbarts." + +"In that case, this letter is for you." + +"A letter for me!" he exclaimed, in surprise. + +"Here it is," the stranger said, as he presented it. + +"Give it to me." + +And he took it from him. + +"Now my commission is performed, farewell." + +"A word, in your turn." + +"Speak." + +"From whom comes this letter?" + +"I do not know; but you will probably learn by reading the contents." + +"That is true." + +"Then I may retire?" + +"Nothing prevents you." + +The stranger bowed, and went away. + +Montbarts opened the letter, hurriedly perused it, and turned pale. +Then he re-read it; but this time slowly, and as if he wished to dwell +on each sentence. + +A moment later he seemed to form a resolution, and turned to his +engagé, who was standing a few paces from him. + +"Come here," he said to him. + +"Here I am," said the other. + +"You are a sailor?" + +"A 1, I fancy." + +"That is well. Follow me." + +The filibuster turned back, hastily re-entered the town, and proceeded +toward the sea. + +He seemed to be seeking something. A moment later, his gloomy face grew +brighter. + +He had just seen a light canoe pulled up on the beach. + +"Help me to float this canoe," he said to the engagé. + +The latter obeyed. + +So soon as the canoe was afloat, Montbarts leaped in, closely followed +by his engagé; and seizing the paddles, they put off from the shore. + +"Step the mast, so that we may hoist a sail so soon as we are free of +the ships." + +The Olonnais, without answering, did as he was ordered. + +"Good!" Montbarts continued. "Now haul the sheets aft, and hand them to +me, my lad." + +In a second the sail was hoisted, set, and the light canoe bounded like +a petrel over the crest of the waves. + +They ran thus for some time without exchanging a word. They had left +the ships far behind them, and passed out of the roads. + +"Do you speak Spanish?" Montbarts suddenly asked the engagé. + +"Like a native of Old Castile," the other answered. + +"Ah! Ah!" said Montbarts. + +"It is easy to understand," the Olonnais continued. "I went whaling +with the Basques and Bayonnese, and for several years smuggled along +the Spanish coast." + +"And do you like the Spaniards?" + +"No!" the other answered, with a frown. + +"You have a motive, of course?" + +"I have one." + +"Will you tell it me?" + +"Why not?" + +"Out with it, then." + +"I had a boat of my own, in which, as I told you, I smuggled. I worked +six years to save up the money to buy this boat. One day, while seeking +to land prohibited goods in a bay to windward of Portugalete, I was +surprised by a Spanish revenue lugger. My boat was sunk, my brother +killed, myself dangerously wounded, and I fell into the hands of the +Gavachos. The first bandage they placed on my wounds was a bastinado, +which left me for dead on the ground. Believing, doubtless, that +they had killed me, they abandoned me then, and paid no further +attention to me. I succeeded by boldness and cunning, after enduring +indescribable tortures from hunger, cold, fatigue, &c., too lengthy to +enumerate, in at length leaping across the frontier, and finding myself +once again on French soil. I was free, but my brother was dead. I was +ruined, and my old father ran a risk of dying of hunger--thanks to the +Spaniards. Such is my history. It is not long.--How do you like it?" + +"It is a sad one, my good fellow; but it is as much hatred as the +desire of growing rich which has brought you among us?" + +"It is hatred, before everything." + +"Good! Take the helm in my place, while I reflect. We are going to +Nevis. Steer to windward of that point which juts out down there to the +southeast." + +The engagé seized the helm. Montbarts wrapped himself in his cloak, +pulled his hat over his eyes, let his head sink on his chest, and +remained motionless as a statue. The canoe still advanced, vigorously +impelled by the breeze. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +NEVIS. + + +Nevis is only separated from St. Kitts by a channel half a league in +width at the most. + +This charming little island, whose fertility is remarkable, is, +according to all probability, the result of a volcanic explosion; and +this assertion is nearly proved by a crater containing a spring of hot +water strongly impregnated with sulphur. + +Seen from a distance, it offers the appearance of a vast cone; it is, +in fact, only a very lofty mountain, whose base is watered by the sea; +its sides at first offering an easy incline, become, at a certain +height, excessively abrupt; all vegetation ceases, and its snow covered +peak is lost in the clouds. + +During the attack of the Spaniards on St. Kitts, several adventurers +had sought shelter on this isle. Some of them, seduced by attractive +sites, permanently settled there, and commenced forming plantations; +few in number, it is true, and too far apart for the inhabitants to +aid each other in the event of an attack from an external foe, but +which prospered, and promised, ere long, to acquire a certain amount of +importance. + +The filibuster, although his little skiff was impelled by a good +breeze, took some time in reaching the island, because he was obliged +to go along the entire length of the channel ere he reached the spot +where he wished to go. + +The sun was already beginning to decline, when the canoe at length put +into a small sandy creek. + +"Pull up the canoe, hide the paddles among the reeds," said Montbarts, +"and follow me." + +The Olonnais obeyed with the punctuality and intelligent vivacity which +he displayed in everything, and then said to his master-- + +"Shall I take my fusil?" + +"There is no harm in doing so," the latter replied; "an adventurer +should never go unarmed." + +"Very good; I will remember that." + +They proceeded inland, following a scarce-traced path, which ran with +a gentle incline from the beech, wound round a rather steep hill, +and after passing through a leafy mahogany forest, led to a narrow +esplanade, in the centre of which a light canvas tent had been pitched, +not far from a rock. + +A man, seated before the entrance of the tent, was reading a Breviary. +He was dressed in the strict attire of the Franciscans, and seemed +to have passed middle life. He was pale and thin, his features were +ascetic and stern, his countenance was intelligent, and a marked +expression of gentleness was spread over it. At the sound of the +adventurers' footsteps he raised his head quickly, turned towards them, +and a melancholy smile played round his lips. + +Hurriedly closing his book, he rose and walked a few steps toward the +newcomers. + +"Heaven be with you, brothers!" he said in Spanish, "If you come with +pure intentions; if not, may it inspire you with better thoughts." + +"My father," the filibuster said, returning his salutation, "I am the +man whom the adventurers of St. Kitts call Montbarts, and my intentions +are pure, for in coming here I have only yielded to the desire you +expressed to see me, if you are really Fray Arsenio Mendoza, from whom +I received a letter a few hours ago." + +"I am the person who wish to see you, brother; and that is really my +name." + +"In that case speak, I am ready to hear you." + +"Brother," the monk answered, "the things I have to communicate to you +are of the highest importance, and concern you alone. Perhaps it would +be better that you alone should hear them." + +"I do not know what important matters you can have to tell me, father; +but in any case, learn that this man is my engagé, and, as such, it is +his duty to be deaf and dumb when I order him." + +"Very good, I will speak in his presence, since you demand it; still, I +repeat to you, that it would be better for us to be alone." + +"I will act in accordance with your wish. Retire out of hearing, but +keep in sight," he said to his engagé. + +The latter retired about one hundred yards down the path, and leant on +his fusil. + +"Do you fear any treachery on the part of a poor monk like me?" the +Franciscan asked, with a sad smile; "That would be very gratuitously +imputing to me intentions very remote from my thoughts." + +"I suppose nothing, father; still, I am accustomed," the filibuster +coarsely answered, "always to be on my guard when I am in the presence +of a man of your nation, whether he be priest or layman." + +"Yes, yes," he said, in a sorrowful voice, "you profess an implacable +hatred for my unhappy country, and for that reason are called the +Exterminator." + +"Whatever be the feelings I profess for your countrymen and the name +it has pleased them to give me, it is not, I suppose, to discuss this +point with me that you have come here at a serious risk, and requested +me to meet you." + +"Indeed, it was not for that motive, you are right, my son, though, +personally, I might have a good deal to say on that subject." + +"I would observe, father, that the hour is advancing--I have but little +time at your service, and if you do not hasten to explain yourself, I +shall be, to my great regret, constrained to leave you." + +"You would regret it for your whole life, brother, were it as long as a +patriarch's." + +"That is possible, though I greatly doubt it. I can only receive bad +news from Spain." + +"Perhaps so; in any case, these are the news of which I am the bearer." + +"I am listening to you." + +"I am, as my gown shows you, a monk of the order of San Francisco de +Asís." + +"At least, you have the look of one," the adventurer remarked, with an +ironical smile. + +"Do you doubt it?" + +"Why not? Would you be the first Spaniard who was not afraid to profane +a sacred dress, in order to spy our movements the more easily?" + +"Unfortunately what you say is true, and it has happened only too +often; but I am merely a monk." + +"I believe you, till I have proof of the contrary; so go on." + +"Very good. I am the spiritual director of several ladies of quality in +the island of Hispaniola: one among them, young and beautiful, who only +arrived in the West Indies a short time ago with her husband, appears +to be devoured by an incurable grief." + +"Indeed! And what can I do to prevent it, father?" + +"I know not: still, this is what took place between this lady and +myself. The lady, who, as I told you, is young and fair, and whose +charity and goodness are inexhaustible, spends the greater part of +her days in her oratory, kneeling before a picture representing our +Lady of Mercy, imploring her with tears and sobs. Interested, in spite +of myself, by this so true and so profound grief, I have on several +occasions employed the right which my sacred office gives me, to try +and penetrate into this ulcerated heart, and obtain from my penitent a +confession, which would permit me to give her some consolation." + +"And I presume that you have not succeeded, father?" + +"Alas! No, I have not." + +"Allow me to repeat to you, that, up to the present I do not see in +this very sad story, which is to some extent, however, that of most +women, anything very interesting to me." + +"Wait, brother, I am coming to that." + +"In that case, proceed." + +"One day, when this lady appeared to me to be more sad than usual, and +I redoubled my efforts to induce her to open her heart to me--doubtless +overcome by my solicitations, she said these words to me, which I +repeat to you exactly:--'My father, I am an unhappy, cowardly, and +infamous creature, and a terrible malediction weighs on me. Only one +man has the right to know the secret which I try, in vain, to stifle in +my heart. Upon this man depends my salvation. He can condemn or acquit +me: but whatever be the sentence he may pronounce, I will bow without a +murmur beneath his will, too happy to expiate at this price the crime +of which I have been guilty.'" + +While the monk was pronouncing these words, the usually pale face of +the adventurer had turned livid, a convulsive trembling agitated his +limbs, and, in spite of his efforts to appear calm, he was constrained +to lean against one of the tent pickets, lest he should fall on the +ground. + +"Go on!" he said, in a hoarse voice. "Did this woman tell you the man's +name?" + +"She did, brother. 'Alas!' she said to me, 'Unfortunately the man on +whom my destiny depends is the most implacable enemy of our nation. He +is one of the principal chiefs of those ferocious adventurers who have +vowed a merciless war against Spain. I shall never meet him, except +in the horrors of a combat, or during the sack of a town fired by his +orders. In a word, the man I am speaking to you about is no other than +the terrible Montbarts the Exterminator.'" + +"Ah!" the adventurer muttered, in a choking voice, as he pressed his +hand forcibly against his chest, "The woman said that?" + +"Yes, brother; such are the words she uttered." + +"And then?" + +"Then, brother, I, a poor monk, promised her to seek you, to find you, +no matter where you were, and repeat her words to you. I had only death +to fear in trying to see you, and I long ago offered God the sacrifice +of my life." + +"You have acted like a noble-hearted man, monk; and I thank you for +having had confidence in me. Have you nothing to add?" + +"Yes, brother, I have. When the lady saw me fully resolved to brave all +perils for the sake of finding you, she added, 'Go, then, my father: +it is doubtless Heaven that takes pity on me, and inspires you at this +moment. If you succeed in reaching Montbarts, tell him that I have a +secret to confide to him, on which the happiness of his whole life +depends; but that he must make haste, if he wish to learn it, for I +feel that my days are numbered, and that I shall soon die.' I promised +her to accomplish her wishes faithfully, and I have come." + +There was a silence for some minutes. Montbarts walked up and down with +hanging head, and arms folded on his chest, stopping every now and then +to stamp his foot savagely: then, resuming his hurried walk, while +muttering unconnected words in a low voice. + +All at once he stopped before the monk, and looked him straight in the +face. + +"You have not told me all," he said to him. + +"Pardon me, brother; everything, word by word." + +"Still there is an important detail, which you have doubtless +forgotten, as you have passed it over in silence?" + +"I do not understand to what you are alluding, brother," the monk +replied, gravely. + +"You have forgotten to reveal to me the name and position of this +woman, father." + +"That is true: but it is not forgetfulness on my part. In acting thus, +I have obeyed the orders I received. The lady implored me to tell you +nothing touching her name or position. She reserves that for herself, +when you are alone together: and I swore to keep her secret." + +"Ah! Ah! Señor monk," the adventurer exclaimed, with a wrath the more +terrible because it was concentrated; "You have taken that oath?" + +"Yes, brother, and will keep it at all risks," he answered firmly. + +The adventurer burst into a hoarse laugh. + +"You are doubtless ignorant," he said, in a hissing voice, "that we +_ladrones_, as your countrymen call us, possess marvellous secrets to +untie the most rebel tongues, and that you are in my power." + +"I am in the hands of God, brother--try it. I am only a poor +defenceless man, incapable of resisting you. Torture me, then, if such +be your good pleasure; but know that I will die, without revealing my +secret." + +Montbarts bent a flashing glance on the monk who stood so calm before +him; and then, a moment after, struck his forehead angrily. + +"I am mad!" he exclaimed: "What do I care for this name--do I not +know it already? Listen, father. Forgive me what I said to you, for +passion blinded me. You came to this island freely, and shall leave it +freely--in my turn I swear it to you; and I am not more accustomed to +break any oaths I take--no matter their nature--than you are." + +"I know it, brother. I have nothing to forgive you. I see that grief +led you astray, and I pity you, for Heaven has chosen me, I feel a +presentiment of it, to bring a great misfortune upon you." + +"Yes, you speak truly. I did not seek this woman--I tried to forget +her, and it is she who voluntarily places herself in my path. It is +well, Heaven will judge between her and me. She demands that I will +go and see her, and I will do so, but she must only blame herself for +the terrible consequences of our interview. Still, I consent to leave +her yet one chance of escape. When you return to her, urge her not to +try to see me again. You see, that I have a little pity for her in my +heart, in spite of all she made me suffer; but if, in spite of your +entreaties, she persists in meeting me, in that case her will be done. +I will go to the place of meeting she may select." + +"I know where it is, brother, and am ordered to point it out to you +today." + +"Ah," the filibuster said, suspiciously, "she has forgotten nothing. +Well, where is it?" + +"The lady, you can understand, cannot quit the island, even if she +wished to do so." + +"That is true. So we are to meet in Hispaniola itself?" + +"Yes, brother." + +"And what spot has she selected?" + +"The great Savannah, that separates Mirebalais from San Juan de Goava." + +"Ah! The spot is famously chosen for an ambuscade," the filibuster +said, with a sneering laugh, "for if I remember rightly, it is on +Spanish territory." + +"It forms the extreme limit, brother. Still, I will try to induce the +lady to choose another spot, if you are afraid about your safety at +this one." + +Montbarts shrugged his shoulders with a contemptuous laugh. + +"I afraid!" he said. "Nonsense, monk, you must be mad! What do I care +for the Spaniards, if five hundred of them were ambushed to surprise +me, I should be able to get away from them! It is settled, then, that +if the lady persist in her intention of having an explanation with me, +I will go to the Savannah, which extends between Mirebalais and San +Juan de Goava, at the confluence of the great river and the Artibonite." + +"I will do what you desire, brother; but if the lady insist, in spite +of my remonstrances and entreaties, on the interview taking place, how +am I to warn you?" + +"As it is possible for you to come here, you will be the better able; +without attracting suspicion, to enter the French part of St. Domingo." + +"I will try, at any rate, brother, since it must absolutely be so." + +"You will light a large fire on the coast in the vicinity of Port +Margot, and I shall know what it means." + +"I will obey you, brother: but when am I to light the fire?" + +"How long do you propose remaining here?" + +"I intend to leave immediately after our interview." + +"This evening, then?" + +"Yes, brother." + +"Ah, ah, then there is a Spanish vessel in the neighbourhood?" + +"Probably so, brother; but if you discover it and capture it, how shall +I succeed in returning to Hispaniola?" + +"That is true; this consideration saves the Gavachos: but believe, +after due reflection, I think it my duty to give you some advice." + +"Whatever it may be, brother, coming from you, I shall receive it with +pleasure." + +"Well, then, carry out your intention. Start at once; tomorrow it will +not be pleasant for you in these waters, and I would not answer for +your safety or that of your vessel. Do you comprehend me?" + +"Perfectly, brother; and for the signal?" + +"Light it fifteen days from today, and I will arrange so as to arrive +at St. Domingo about that time." + +"Very good, brother." + +"And now, monk, farewell till we meet again, as it is probable we shall +do." + +"It is probable, indeed, brother. Farewell, and may the merciful Lord +be with you!" + +"So be it," the filibuster said, with an ironical laugh. + +He gave a parting wave of his hand to the monk, threw his fusil on his +shoulder, and went off, but a few minutes after stopped and went back. + +The Franciscan had remained motionless at the same spot. + +"One last word, father," he said. + +"Speak, brother," he answered, gently. + +"Take my advice, employ all your power over the lady to induce her to +give up this meeting, whose consequences may be terrible." + +"I will try impossibilities to succeed, brother," the monk replied; "I +will pray to Heaven to permit me to persuade my penitent." + +"Yes," Montbarts added, in a gloomy voice, "it would be better for her +and for me, perhaps, if we never met again." + +And roughly turning his back on the monk, he hurried along the track, +where he speedily disappeared. + +When Fray Arsenio felt certain that this time the adventurer had really +gone, he gently raised the curtain of the tent and stepped inside. + +A woman was kneeling there on the bare ground, with her head buried in +her hands, and praying with stifled sobs. + +"Have I punctually accomplished your orders, my daughter?" the monk +said. + +The woman drew herself up and turned her lovely pale and tear-swollen +face toward the monk. + +"Yes, padre," she murmured, in a low and trembling voice. "Bless you +for not abandoning me in my distress." + +"Is this really the man with whom you desire an interview?" + +"Yes, it is he, father." + +"And you still insist on seeing him?" + +She hesitated for a moment, a shudder ran over her whole person, and +then she murmured in a hardly intelligible voice-- + +"I must, father." + +"You will reflect between this and then, I hope," he continued. + +"No, no," she said, with a sorrowful shake of the head; "if that +man were to plunge his dagger into my heart, I must have a final +explanation with him." + +"Your will be done," he said + +At this moment, a slight sound was heard outside. + +The monk went out, but returned almost immediately. + +"Get ready, madam," he said; "our crew have come to fetch you. Remember +the parting advice that _ladrón_ gave me, and let us be gone as soon as +possible." + +Without replying, the lady rose, wrapped herself carefully in her +mantilla, and went out. + +An hour later, she left Nevis, accompanied by Fray Arsenio Mendoza. + +Montbarts had reached St. Kitts long before. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +THE EXPEDITION. + + +During the entire passage from Nevis to St. Kitts Montbarts was in a +strange state of excitement. + +The interview he had held with the monk had rearoused in his heart a +profound sorrow which time had deadened but not cauterized, and at the +first word that fell in this hour's conversation the wound burst open +again, bleeding and livid as on the day of its receipt. + +How had this woman, whom he would not name, of whose presence in +America he was ignorant, whom, in short, he fancied he had escaped by +hiding himself among the filibusters, succeeded in so short a time, not +only in learning his presence in the islands, but also in finding him +again? For what object did she insist on finding him? What interest +could she have in seeing him? + +All these questions, which he asked himself in turn, necessarily +remained unanswered, and for that very reason augmented his anxiety. + +For a moment he thought of laying an ambush in the straits of Nevis +and St. Eustache, the two islands between which St. Kitts is situated, +capturing the Spanish vessel, and obtaining by torture the information +the monk had refused to give him. + +But he gave up this plan almost immediately; he had pledged his word of +honour, and would not break it for anything in the world. + +In the meanwhile, night had set in, and the canoe was still advancing. + +Montbarts steered for the lugger, which was anchored a short distance +from land. + +When the light boat was under the vessel's counter, the filibuster made +his engagé a sign to lay on his oars, and shouted in a loud voice-- + +"Lugger, ahoy!" + +At once, a man whose black outline was designed on the dark blue +horizon, leant over. + +"Boat ahoy!" he shouted. + +"Is that you, Bowline?" Montbarts continued. + +"All right." + +"Is Michael aboard?" + +"Yes, admiral." + +"Ah, you have recognised me, my lad?" + +"Of course," said the Breton. + +"I suppose you are watching over my prisoner?" + +"I answer for him." + +"But do not annoy him unnecessarily." + +"All right, admiral, we will be gentle with him." + +"Is Omopoua aboard at this moment?" + +"Here I am, master," a second voice immediately replied. + +"Ah, ah," the filibuster said with satisfaction, "all the better. I +want you--come ashore." + +"Are you in a hurry, master?" + +"A great hurry." + +"In that case, wait a moment." + +And ere the filibuster could guess the Carib's intention, the noise of +a body falling in the water could be heard, and two or three minutes +later the Indian rested his hands on the gunwale of the canoe. + +"Here I am," he said. + +Montbarts could not refrain from smiling on seeing with what +promptitude the savage obeyed his orders. He held out his hand, and +helped him to get into the boat. + +"Why such a hurry?" he said to him in a tone of friendly reproach. + +The Indian shook himself like a drowned poodle. + +"Nonsense," he said, "I am all right." + +"Have you got the Indian?" Bowline asked. + +"Yes: now good night; you will see me tomorrow." + +"Tomorrow?" + +"Pull," the filibuster said to the engagé. + +The latter dipped his paddles, and the canoe resumed its course. + +Ten minutes later, it ran aground at the very spot where Montbarts had +seized it for the purpose of going to Nevis. The three men landed on +the beach, pulled up the canoe, and went off in the direction of the +hatto. + +They passed through the town and a swarm of filibusters, who were +celebrating by songs, shouts, and libations their last hours of liberty. + +They went on in silence. When the three men reached the hatto, +Montbarts lit a candle, and searched the house with the greatest care, +to make sure that no stranger was present; then he returned to his two +comrades, who were waiting for him in the Esplanade. + +"Come in," he merely said to them. + +They followed him. + +Montbarts sat down in a chair, and then turned to the Carib. + +"I have to talk with you, Omopoua," he said. + +"Good," the Indian remarked, joyously; "in that case you have need of +me." + +"If that were true you would be satisfied, then?" + +"Yes, I should be." + +"For what reason?" + +"Because, since I have found a white man who is good and generous, I +am anxious to prove to you that all the Caribs are not ferocious and +untameable, but know how to be grateful." + +"I promised you, I think, to take you back to your country?" + +"Yes, you made me that promise." + +"Unfortunately, as I am appointed chief of an important expedition, +which will probably last some time, it is impossible for me at this +moment to take you back to Haiti." + +The Indian's face grew dark on hearing this. + +"Do not grieve, but listen to me attentively," the filibuster +continued, who had noticed the change that took place in the Indian's +face. + +"I am listening to you." + +"What I cannot do you are able to effect by yourself, if I supply you +with the means." + +"I do not exactly understand what the white Chief means; I am only a +poor Indian, with limited ideas. I require to have things explained to +me very clearly before I understand them; but it is true, that when I +do understand I never forget." + +"You are a Carib, hence you know how to manage a canoe?" + +"Yes," the Indian answered, with a proud smile. + +"Suppose I gave you a canoe, do you believe that you could fetch Haiti?" + +"The great land is very far away," he said, in a sorrowful voice, "the +voyage very long for a single man, however brave he may be." + +"Agreed; but suppose I placed in the canoe not only provisions, but +cutlasses, axes, daggers, and four fusils, with powder and ball?" + +"The pale Chief would do that!" he said, with an incredulous air. "Thus +armed, who could resist Omopoua?" + +"Suppose I did more?" the adventurer continued, with a smile. + +"The Chief is jesting; he is very gay. He says to himself, the Indians +are credulous; I will have a laugh at the expense of Omopoua." + +"I am not jesting, Chief--on the contrary, I am very serious; I will +give you the things I have enumerated to you, and, in order that you +may reach your country in safety, I will lend you a comrade, a brave +man, who will be your brother, and defend you as you would defend +yourself." + +"And that companion?" + +"Is here," said Montbarts, pointing to his engagé, who was standing +calm and motionless by his side. + +"Then I am not to make the expedition with you, Montbarts?" the latter +said, in a sad voice, and with a reproachful accent. + +"Reassure yourself," said Montbarts, tapping him gently on the +shoulder; "the mission I send you on is most confidential, and even +more perilous than the expedition I am undertaking. I wanted a devoted +man--another self--and I have chosen you." + +"You have done well, in that case; I will prove to you that you are not +mistaken about me." + +"I am convinced of that already, my lad. Do you accept this companion, +Omopoua? He will help you to pass without being insulted through the +filibusters you may meet on your route." + +"Good! The pale Chief really loves Omopoua. What is the Indian to do on +arriving in his country?" + +"Omopoua's brothers have sought shelter, I think, in the neighbourhood +of the Artibonite?" + +"Yes, in the great savannahs to which the French have given the name of +Mirebalais." + +"Good! Omopoua will go and join his friends; he will tell them in what +way the filibusters treat the Caribs: he will present his companion to +them, and wait." + +"I will wait: the pale Chief, then, is coming to Haiti?" + +"Probably," said Montbarts, with a smile of indefinable meaning; "and +the proof is, that my engagé will remain with your tribe till my +arrival." + +"Good! I will await the coming of the pale Chief. When am I start?" + +"This very night. Go down to the beach; go in my name to the owner of +the canoe which brought us ashore--here is money," and he gave him +several piastres; "tell him that I buy his boat exactly as it stands. +You will lay in provisions at the same time, and then wait for your +comrade, to whom I have a few words to say--but he will rejoin you +soon." + +"I will go, then; gratitude is in my heart, and not on my lips. On the +day when you ask for my life I will give it you, because it is yours, +as well as that of all those who love me. Farewell!" + +And he made a movement to leave the room. + +"Where are you going?" Montbarts asked him. + +"I am off; did you not give me leave to go?" + +"Yes, but you are forgetting something." + +"What is it?" + +"The arms I promised you. Take from the rack a fusil for yourself, and +four others, which you can dispose of as you please, six cutlasses, +six daggers, and six hatchets; when you leave port, on passing the +lugger, you will ask Michael the Basque, in my name, for two barrels of +gunpowder and two bags of bullets--he will give them to you. Now go, +and I wish you all good fortune." + +The Carib, overcome by this generosity, so simple and so full of +grandeur, knelt to the adventurer, and seizing his feet, which he +placed on his head, he exclaimed, in a deeply affected voice-- + +"I pay you homage as to the best of men. I and mine are henceforth and +eternally your devoted slaves." He got up, placed on his shoulder the +arms which the engagé handed him, and quitted the hatto. + +For some minutes his footsteps could be heard resounding on the path; +but this sound gradually died away, and a complete silence returned. + +"Now for us two, Olonnais!" Montbarts then said, addressing the engagé. + +The latter drew nearer. + +"I am listening, master," he said. + +"I saw you today for the first time, and yet you pleased me at the very +first glance," the adventurer continued. "I fancy myself a tolerable +physiognomist. Your frank and open face, your bold-looking eyes, and +the expression of audacity and intelligence spread over your features, +disposed me in your favour. That is the reason why I bought you. I +trust that I am not deceived about you; but I wish to make trial of +you. You know that I am at liberty to shorten your engagement, or even, +if I like, restore you your freedom tomorrow, so think of that, and act +accordingly." + +"Whether engaged or free I shall always be devoted to you, Montbarts," +the Olonnais said, "hence do not speak to me of recompense, for it is +useless with me: make your trial, and I hope to emerge from it with +honour." + +"That is speaking like a man and a frank adventurer: listen to me, +then, and do not let a word of what you are about to hear escape your +lips." + +"I shall be dumb." + +"In ten days at the most I shall anchor in Port Margot in St. Domingo; +the expedition I command is intended to take Tortoise Isle by surprise; +but while we are occupied on our side in surprising the Spaniards, they +must not be able to attack us in the rear, and ruin our establishments +at Grande Terre." + +"I understand; Omopoua's Caribs are scattered along the Spanish +frontier, and must be converted into allies of the expedition." + +"The very thing--you have understood me perfectly. Such is your +missive; but you must act with extreme cleverness and considerable +prudence, in order not to give the alarm to the Gavachos on one hand, +or arouse the suspicious of the Caribs on the other; the Indians are +susceptible and mistrustful, especially with white men, against +whom they have so many causes of complaint. The part you have to +play is rather difficult, but I think you will succeed--thanks to +the influence of Omopoua; besides, two days after my arrival at Port +Margot, I will proceed to the savannahs of the Artibonite, in order +to have an understanding, and to make the arrangements I may consider +necessary. You see that I act toward you with perfect frankness, and +rather as with a brother than an engagé." + +"I thank you for it; you shall have no cause to repent it." + +"I am glad to believe it--ah! A final recommendation, of secondary +importance, but, for all that, serious." + +"What is it?" + +"The Spaniards frequently hunt, or make excursions in the savannahs of +the Artibonite; watch them, though without letting them perceive you; +let them not have the slightest suspicion of what we are meditating +against them, for the least imprudence might have excessively grave +consequences for the success of our plans." + +"I will act with prudence, be assured." + +"Now, my lad, I have only to wish you a pleasant trip, and successful +result." + +"Will you allow me, in my turn, to ask you a question before departing?" + +"Speak, I allow it." + +"For what reason have you, who possess so many brave and devoted +friends, instead of applying to one of them, chosen an obscure +engagé, whom you hardly know, to confide to him so difficult and so +confidential a mission?" + +"Are you anxious to know?" the adventurer asked, laughingly. + +"Yes, if you do not consider the question indiscreet." + +"Not the least in the world, and you shall be satisfied in a couple +of words. Apart from the good opinion I have of you, and which is +only personal, I have chosen you, because you are only a poor engagé, +who arrived from France but two days ago--no one knows you, or is +aware that I have purchased you: for this reason no one will dream of +suspecting you, and consequently you will be a more valuable agent to +me, as no one will imagine that you are my plenipotentiary, and acting +under my orders. Now do you understand, my lad?" + +"Perfectly, and I thank you for the explanation you have given me. +Good-bye; within an hour the Carib and I will have left St. Kitts." + +"Allow him to guide you during the voyage, that man is very clever, +though an Indian, and he will conduct you so that you will both reach +port in safety." + +"I shall not fail to do so; besides, the deference I shall show him +will dispose him in my favour, and further advance the success of our +projects." + +"Come, come," the adventurer said, with a laugh, "I see that you are a +sharp lad, and I now have good hopes of the issue of your mission." + +The Olonnais armed himself as the Carib had done, then took leave of +his master, and went away. + +"Come," Montbarts muttered, when he was alone, "I believe that my plans +are beginning to assume consistency, and that I shall soon be able to +deal a grand stroke." + +The next morning at sunrise an unusual agitation prevailed in the +township, which, however, was never very tranquil. + +The filibusters, armed to the teeth, were taking leave of their +friends, and preparing to proceed on board the vessels for which they +had enlisted on the previous day. + +The roads were cut up in all directions by a prodigious number of +canoes which passed to and fro, carrying men and provisions to the +departing ships. + +The Chevalier de Fontenay, surrounded by a numerous staff of renowned +filibusters, and having at his side Montbarts, David Drake, and Michael +the Basque, was standing at the end of the wooden mole that served as a +landing place, and witnessing thence the departure of the adventurers. + +These men with bronzed complexion, energetic and ferocious features, +and vigorous limbs, scarce clad in canvas drawers and old hats or caps, +but armed with long fusils, manufactured at Dieppe expressly for them, +having a heavy sharpened cutlass hanging from their belt, and carrying +their stock of powder and bullets, had a strange and singularly +formidable appearance, rendered even more striking by the expression of +carelessness and indomitable audacity spread over their faces. + +On seeing them it was easy to understand the terror with which they +must inspire the Spaniards, and the incredible exploits they achieved +almost as if in play, reckoning their lives as nothing, and only seeing +the object, that is to say, plunder. + +As they defiled before the governor and the officers elected to command +them, they saluted them respectfully, because discipline demanded it, +but the salute had nothing low or servile about it, it was that of men +fully conscious of their value, and aware that though sailors today, +they might, as they liked, be captains tomorrow. + +Towards midday the crews were complete, and only the Admiral and three +captains were still ashore. + +"Gentlemen," Montbarts said to his officers, "so soon as we are out +to sea, each of you will sail as you like; we have but a small stock +of provisions on board, but the islands we pass will supply us, do +not hesitate to pillage the corales of the Gavachos, for that will be +so much taken from the enemy. Hence it is settled that we will each +proceed separately to the general meeting place, for prudence urges +us not to let the enemy suspect our strength; our meeting place is +the northern island of the Grand Key; the first to arrive will await +the two others, there I will give you my final instructions about the +object of the expedition, of which you already know a part." + +"So then," said M. de Fontenay, "you insist on keeping your secret?" + +"If you absolutely demand, sir," Montbart replied, "I will--" + +"No, no," he interrupted him with a laugh; "keep it, for I do not know +what to do with it; besides, I have pretty nearly guessed your secret." + +"Ah," Montbarts said with an air of incredulity. + +"Confound it, I am greatly mistaken or you mean to make some attempt on +St. Domingo." + +The adventurer only answered by a crafty smile, and took leave of the +governor, who rubbed his hands joyously, for he was persuaded that he +had guessed the secret which it was attempted to conceal from him. An +hour later the three vessels raised their anchors, set sail, and went +off after giving a parting salute to the land, which was immediately +answered by the battery at the point. + +They soon became confounded with the white mist on the horizon, and ere +long disappeared. + +"Well," M. de Fontenay said to his officers as he returned to the +government house, "you will see that I am not mistaken, and that this +demon of a Montbarts really has a design on St. Domingo. Lord help the +Spaniards!" + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +THE HATTO. + + +We will leave the filibustering flotilla steering through the +inextricable labyrinth of the Antilles, and transport ourselves to St. +Domingo, as the French call it, Hispaniola as Columbus christened it, +or Haiti as the Caribs, its first and only true owners, called it. + +And when we speak of the Caribs, we mean the black as well as the red, +for it is a singular fact, of which many persons are ignorant, that +some Caribs were black, and so thoroughly resembled the African race, +that when the French planters settled at St. Vincent, and brought +with them Negro slaves, the black Caribs, indignant at resembling men +degraded by slavery, and fearful too lest at a later date their color +might serve as a pretext to make them endure the same fate, fled into +the wildest recesses of the forest, and in order to create a visible +distinction between their race and the slaves brought to the island, +they compressed the foreheads of their new born infants, so that they +became completely flattened, which in the ensuing generation produced, +as it were, a new race, and afterwards became the symbol of their +independence. + +Before resuming our narrative, we ask the reader's permission to +indulge in a little geography: as many of the incidents of the history +of filibustering will take place at St. Domingo; it is indispensable +that this island should be well known. + +St. Domingo, discovered on December 6, 1492, by Christopher Columbus, +is, by the general verdict, the most lovely of all the Antilles. From +the centre of the island rises a group of mountains, springing one from +the other, from which issue three chains, running in three different +directions. The longest stretches to the west, and passes through +the middle of the island, dividing it into two nearly equal parts. +The second chain runs north, and ends at Cape Fou. The third, less +extensive than the preceding, at first follows the same direction, but +ere long taking a curve to the south, terminates in Cape St. Mark. + +In the interior of the island there are several other mountain ranges, +though much less considerable. The result of this multiplicity of +mountains is that communication, especially at the time when our story +is laid, was excessively difficult between the north and south of the +isle. + +At the foot of all these mountains are immense plains covered with a +luxurious vegetation; the mountains are intersected by ravines, which +keep up a constant and beneficent humidity; they contain different +metals, in addition to rock crystal, coal, sulphur, and quarries of +porphyry, slate and marble, and are covered with forests of bananas, +palms and mimosas of every species. + +Although the rivers are numerous, the largest are unfortunately +scarcely navigable, and cannot be ascended by canoes for more than a +few leagues; the principal ones are the Neyva, the Macoris, the Usaque, +or river of Montecristo, the Ozama, the Juna and the Artibonite, the +most extensive of all. + +Seen from the offing, the appearances of this island is enchanting; it +resembles an immense bouquet of flowers rising from the bosom of the +sea. + +We are not going to write the history of the colony of St. Domingo, but +will merely say that this island so rich and fertile had, through the +carelessness, cruelty and avarice of the Spaniards, fallen, one hundred +and fifty years after its discovery, into such a state of wretchedness +and misery, that the Spanish Government was compelled to send to this +colony, which became not only unproductive but burdensome, funds to pay +the troops and officials. + +While St. Domingo was thus slowly decaying, new colonists, brought by +accident, established themselves on the north west of the island, and +took possession of it, in spite of the resistance and opposition of the +Spaniards. + +These new colonists were French adventurers, most of them expelled from +St. Christopher on the descent of Admiral de Toledo on that colony, and +who were wandering about the Antilles in search of a refuge. + +At the period of the discovery, the first Spaniards had left on the +island some forty head of cattle; these animals, restored to liberty, +rapidly multiplied and traversed the savannahs of the interior in +immense herds; the French adventurers, on their arrival, did not dream +of cultivating the soil, but, seduced by the attractions of a perilous +chase, they occupied themselves exclusively in pursuing the bulls and +the wild boars, which were also very numerous and extremely formidable. + +The sole occupation of these adventurers then was the chase; they +preserved the hides of cattle and dried the meat by smoke in the Indian +fashion. Hence comes the name of buccaneers, for the Caribs gave the +name of _boucans_ to the spot where they smoked the flesh of the +prisoners taken in war, and whom they ate after fattening them. + +We shall soon have occasion to return to this subject and enter into +fuller details about these singular men. + +Still, in spite of their love of independence, these adventurers had +understood the necessity of creating outlets for the sale of their +hides. Hence they established several counters at Port Margot and Port +de la Paix, which they regarded as the capital of their establishments; +but their position was most precarious owing to the proximity of the +Spaniards, who had hitherto been sole masters of the island, and would +not consent to have them as such near neighbours; hence they constantly +waged a savage war, which was the more cruel because quarter was not +granted on either side. + +Such was the situation of St. Domingo at the time when we resume our +narrative, about a fortnight after the departure of the filibustering +fleet from St. Kitts under the command of Montbarts the Exterminator. + +The sun, already low on the horizon, was enormously lengthening the +shadows of the trees, the evening breeze was rising, gently agitating +the leaves and tall grass, when a man mounted on a powerful horse, +and wearing the costume of the Spanish Campesinos, followed a scarce +traced path which wound through the centre of a vast plain covered +with magnificent plantations of sugar cane and coffee, and led to an +elegant hatto, whose pretty mirador commanded the country for a long +distance. + +This man appeared to be five and twenty years of age at the most; +his features were handsome, but imprinted with an expression of +insupportable pride and disdain; his very simple dress was only +relieved by a long rapier, whose hilt of carved silver hung on his left +hip and showed him to be a gentleman, as the nobility alone had the +right to wear a sword. + +Four black slaves, half naked, and whose bodies glistened with +perspiration, ran behind his horse, one carrying a richly damascened +fusil, the second a game bag, and the two others a dead boar, whose +tied feet were resting on a bamboo supported by the shoulders of the +poor fellows. + +But the rider seemed to trouble himself but little about his +companions, or rather his slaves, toward whom he did not deign to turn +his head, even when speaking to them, which he did sometimes to ask +them for directions in a harsh and contemptuous voice. + +He held in his band an embroidered handkerchief, with which he wiped +away every moment the perspiration that inundated his forehead, and +looked savagely around him, while urging his horse with the spur, to +the great sorrow of the slaves who were forced to double their efforts +to follow him. + +"Well," he at length asked in an ill-tempered tone, "shall we never +arrive at this accursed hatto?" + +"In half an hour at the furthest, _mi amo_," a Negro answered +respectfully, "there is the mirador over there." + +"What a deuce of a notion it was of my sister, to come and bury herself +in this frightful hole instead of remaining quietly at her palace in +St. Domingo. Women are mad, on my honour," he grumbled between his +teeth. + +And he spiced this most ungallant observation by furiously digging the +spurs into his horse, which started at a gallop. + +Still, he was rapidly approaching the hatto, all the details of which +it was already easy to distinguish. + +It was a pretty and rather large mansion with a terraced roof, +surmounted by a mirador and with a peristyle in front formed by four +columns supporting a verandah. + +A thick hedge surrounded the house, which could only be reached by +crossing a large garden; behind were the corrals to shut in the beasts, +and the cottages of the Negroes, miserable, low and half ruined huts, +built of clumsily intertwined branches and covered with palm leaves. + +This hatto, tranquil and solitary, in the midst of this plain of +luxuriant vegetation, and half concealed by the trees that formed a +screen of foliage, had a really enchanting aspect, which, however, did +not seem to produce on the traveller's mind any other effect but that +of profound weariness and lively annoyance. + +The arrival of the stranger had doubtless been signalled by the sentry +stationed on the mirador to watch the surrounding country, for a +horseman emerged at a gallop from the hatto, and came toward the small +party composed of the gentleman we have described and the four slaves +who still ran behind him, displaying their white, sharp teeth, and +blowing like grampuses. + +The newcomer was a man of short stature, but his wide shoulders and +solid limbs denoted far from common muscular strength, he was about +forty years of age, his features were harsh and marked, and the +expression of his countenance was sombre and crafty. A broad-brimmed +straw hat nearly concealed his face, a cloak called a poncho, made +of one piece, and with a hole in the middle to pass his head through, +covered his shoulders; the hilt of a long knife peeped out of his right +boot, a sabre hung on his left side, and a long fusil was lying across +the front of his saddle. When he arrived within a few paces of the +gentleman, he stopped his horse short on its hind legs, uncovered, and +bowed respectfully. + +"_Santas tardes_, Señor Don Sancho," he said in an obsequious voice. + +"Ah, ah! It is you, Birbomono," the young man said, as he carelessly +touched his hat; "what the deuce are you doing here? I fancied you were +hung long ago." + +"Your Excellency is jesting," the other replied, with an ill-tempered +grimace, "I am the Señora's Major-domo." + +"I compliment her on it, and you, too." + +"The Señora was very anxious about your Excellency, and I was +preparing, by her orders, to make a battue in the neighbourhood. She +will be delighted to see you arrive without misadventure." + +"What misadventure?" the young man said, as he loosened his rein; "What +do you mean, scamp? And what had I to fear on the roads?" + +"Your Excellency cannot be ignorant that the ladrones infest the +savannahs." + +The young man burst into a laugh. + +"The ladrones! What a pleasant story you are telling me, too; come, run +and announce my arrival to my sister, without further chattering." + +The Major-domo did not let the order be repeated, but bowed, and set +off at a gallop. + +Ten minutes later, Don Sancho dismounted in front of the peristyle of +the hatto, where a young lady of rare beauty, but cadaverous pallor, +and who appeared hardly able to keep up, as she was so weak and ill, +was awaiting his arrival. + +This lady was the sister of Señor Don Sancho, and the owner of the +hatto. + +The two young people embraced each other for a long while without +exchanging a word, and then Don Sancho offered his arm to his sister, +and entered the house with her, leaving the Major-domo to look after +his horse and baggage. + +The young gentleman led his sister to an easy chair, fetched one for +himself, rolled it up to her side, and sat down. + +"At last," she said a moment later, in an affectionate voice, as +she took one of the young man's hands in her own, "I see you again, +brother; you are here, near me--how glad I am to see you." + +"My dear Clara," Don Sancho replied, as he kissed her forehead, "we +have been separated for nearly a year." + +"Alas!" she murmured. + +"And during that year many things have doubtless happened, of which you +will inform me?" + +"Alas! My life during this year may be summed up in two words--I have +suffered." + +"Poor sister, how changed you are in so little time, I could hardly +recognize you; I came to St. Domingo with such joy, and no sooner had I +landed than I went to your palace; your husband, who has not altered, +and whom I found as heavy and silent as usual, with an increased dose +of importance, doubtless the result of his high position, told me that +you were not very well, and that the physicians had ordered you country +air." + +"It is true," she said, with a sad smile. + +"Yes; but I fancied you merely indisposed, and I find you dying." + +"Let us not talk of that, Sancho, I implore you; what matter if I am +ill? Did you receive my letter?" + +"Had I not, should I be here? Two hours after its receipt I set out; +for three days," he continued with a smile, "I have been going uphill +and down dale, along frightful roads, to reach you the sooner." + +"Thanks, oh thanks, Sancho; your presence renders me very happy--you +will remain for a while with me, will you not?" + +"As long as you like, dear sister, for I am a free man." + +"Free!" she repeated, looking at him with an air of amazement. + +"Well, yes; his Excellency, the Duc de Peñaflor, my illustrious father +and yours, the Viceroy of New Spain, has deigned to grant me an +unlimited leave." + +At her father's name a slight shudder ran over the young lady's person, +and her eyes became dimmed with tears. + +"Ah," she said, "my father is well?" + +"Better than ever." + +"And has he spoken about me?" + +The young man bit his lips. + +"He spoke to me about you very little," he said; "but I in revenge, +said a good deal about you, which re-established the balance: I even +believe that he granted me the leave I asked in great measure to free +himself from my chattering." + +Doña Clara hung her head without replying, and her brother fixed upon +her a glance full of tender pity. + +"Let us talk about yourself," he said. + +"No, no, Sancho; we had better talk about _him_." she replied +hesitatingly. + +"Of _him!_" he said in a hollow voice, and with a groan; "Alas, poor +sister, what can I tell you? All my efforts have been vain; I have +discovered nothing." + +"Yes, yes;" she murmured, "his measures were well taken to make him +disappear. Oh, Heaven! Heaven!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands +wildly, "Will you not take pity on me?" + +"Calm yourself, I implore you, sister; I will see, I will seek--I will +redouble my efforts, and perhaps I shall at length succeed--" + +"No," she interrupted him, "never, never shall we be able to effect +anything; he is condemned, condemned by my father; that implacable man +will never restore him to me! Oh! I know my father better than you do; +you are a man, Sancho, you can try to struggle against him, but he has +crushed me, crushed me at a single blow; he broke my heart by a deadly +pressure in making me the innocent accomplice of an infernal vengeance! +Then he coldly reproached me with a dishonour which is his work, and +at the same blow eternally destroyed the happiness of three beings who +would have loved him, and whose future he held in his hands." + +"And you, my dear Clara, do you know nothing--have you discovered +nothing?" + +"Yes," she replied, looking at him fixedly, "I have made a horrible +discovery." + +"You terrify me, Clara; what do you mean? Explain yourself." + +"Not at present, my dear Sancho, not at present, for the time has not +arrived; so be patient. You know that I never had any secrets from you, +for you alone have always loved me. I wrote to you to come that I +might reveal this secret to you: in three days at the latest you shall +know all, and then--" + +"Then?" he said, looking at her intently. + +"Then you shall measure, as I do, the immense depth of the gulf into +which I have fallen; but enough of this subject for the present, I am +suffering terribly, so let us talk of something else." + +"Most willingly, my dear Clara; but what shall we talk about?" + +"Well, whatever you like, dear, the rain, the fine weather, your +journey, or anything of that sort." + +Don Sancho understood that his sister was suffering from extreme +nervous excitement, and that he would aggravate her already very +serious condition by not acceding to her wishes; hence he made no +objection, but readily yielded to her caprice. + +"Well then," he said, "my dear Clara, since that is the case, I +will take advantage of the opportunity to ask you to give me some +information." + +"What is it brother? I live in great seclusion as you see, and doubt +whether I can satisfy you, but speak all the same." + +"You know, little sister, that I am a stranger in Hispaniola, where I +only arrived four days ago, and then for the first time." + +"That is true; you have never visited the island; what do you think of +it?" + +"It is frightful, that is to say admirable; frightful as regards roads, +and admirable for scenery: you see that my proposition is not so +illogical as it at first appeared." + +"In truth the roads are not convenient." + +"Say that there are none, and you will tell the truth."; + +"You are severe." + +"No, I am only just; if you had seen what magnificent roads we possess +in Mexico, you would be of my opinion; but that is not the point at +present." + +"What is it then?" + +"Why, the information I want of you." + +"Ah, that is true, I forgot it; but explain yourself, I am listening." + +"This is it. Just imagine when I embarked at Veracruz to come here, all +the persons to whom I announced my departure invariably answered me +with a desperate agreement:--'Ah! you are going to Hispaniola, Señor +Don Sancho de Peñaflor, hum, hum, take care.' On board the vessel I +constantly heard the officers muttering among themselves 'keep a good +watch, take care.' At last I reached St. Domingo; my first care was, +as I told you, to go to the Count de Bejar, your husband, who received +me as kindly as he is capable of doing; but when I announced my +intention of coming to join you here, he frowned, and his first words +were 'the deuce, Don Sancho, you want to go to the hatto, take care, +take care.' It was enough to drive me mad; this sinister warning which +everywhere and at all hours echoed in my ears infuriated me. I did +not try to obtain any explanation from your husband, as I should not +have succeeded; but I inwardly resolved to get to the bottom of this +ill-omened phrase so soon as the opportunity presented itself. It did +present itself soon, but I am no further advanced than I was before, +and hence apply to you to solve the riddle." + +"But I am waiting for your explanation, for I confess that up to the +present I have not understood a word you have been saying." + +"Very good, let me finish. I had scarce set out with the slaves your +husband lent me, when I saw the scamps constantly turn their heads +to the right and left, with a look of terror. At first I attached no +great importance to this; but they ran away on seeing a magnificent +wild boar. I felt a fancy to shoot it, which I did by the way, and have +brought it here. When these unlucky Negroes saw me cock my fusil they +fell at my knees, clasping their hands with terror, and exclaiming in +a most lamentable voice,--'Take care, Excellency, take care!' 'What +must I take care of, you scoundrels?' I exclaimed in exasperation. +'The _ladrones_, Excellency, the _ladrones_!' I could obtain no other +explanation from them but this; but I hope, little sister, that you +will be kind enough to tell me who these formidable ladrones are." + +He bent over her; but Doña Clara, with her eyes widely dilated, her +arms stretched out and her features distorted, fixed upon him such an +extraordinary look, that he recoiled in horror. + +"The ladrones, the ladrones!" she twice repeated in a shrill voice; +"Oh! have pity, brother." + +She rose to her full height, advanced a few paces mechanically, and +fell fainting on the floor. + +"What is the meaning of this?" the young man asked himself, as he +rushed forward to raise her. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE MAJOR-DOMO'S STORY. + + +Don Sancho, feeling very anxious about the state in which he saw his +sister, hastily summoned her women who at once flocked around her. He +confided her to their care, and retired to the apartment prepared for +him, while ordering that he should be immediately warned so soon as +Doña Clara displayed any signs of recovery. + +Don Sancho de Peñaflor was a charming cavalier, gay, merry, enjoying +life and repulsing with the egotism of his age and rank, every grief +and even every annoyance. + +Belonging to one of the first families of the Spanish aristocracy, +destined to be one day immensely rich, and through his name to hold +the highest offices and make one of those magnificent marriages of +convenience, which render diplomatists so happy, by leaving their minds +perfectly free for grand political combinations,--he strove, as far +as lay in his power, to check the beating of his heart, and not to +trouble by any unusual passion, the bright serenity of his existence. +Captain in the army, while awaiting something better, and to have the +air of doing something, he had followed his father as aide-de-camp to +Mexico, when the latter was appointed viceroy of New Spain. But, being +yet too young to regard life seriously and be ambitious, he had turned +his attention to gambling and flirtations since his arrival in America, +which greatly annoyed the Duke, for as the latter had passed the age of +love, he had no mercy for young men sacrificing to the idol which he +had himself worshipped for so long. + +Don Sancho was generally an excellent hearted fellow and good +companion, but affected, like all the Spaniards of that period, and +perhaps of the present, by caste prejudices, regarding the Negroes and +Indians as beasts of burden, created for his use, and disdaining to +conceal the contempt and disgust he felt for these disinherited races. + +In a word, Don Sancho, in accordance with the precept of his family, +always looked above him and never below; he endured his equals, but +established an impassable barrier of pride and disdain between himself +and his inferiors. + +Still, perhaps unconsciously,--for we will not give him the merit of +it,--a tender feeling had glided into the cold atmosphere in which +he was condemned to live, had penetrated to his heart, and at times +threatened to overthrow all his transcendental theories about egotism. + +This feeling was nothing else than the affection he felt for his +sister,--an affection which might pass for adoration, for it was so +truly devoted, respectful and disinterested; to please his sister he +would have attempted impossibilities; a simple word that fell from +her lips rendered him pliant and obedient as a slave; a desire she +manifested became at once an order for him as serious, and perhaps more +so, than if it had emanated from the King of Spain and the Indies, +although that magnificent potentate haughtily flattered himself that +the sun never set on his dominions. + +The first words the Count uttered so soon as he found himself alone in +his apartment, will show his character better than anything we can add. + +"Well," he exclaimed as he sank despairingly into an easy chair, +"instead of passing a few days agreeably here as I expected, I shall +be obliged to listen to Clara's complaints and console her; the deuce +take unhappy people, it really seems as if they had made agreement to +trouble my tranquillity." + +At the expiration of about three-quarters of an hour, a black slave +came to inform him that Doña Clara had regained her senses, but still +felt so weak and faint, that she begged him to refrain from seeing her +that evening. + +The young man was in his heart well pleased at the liberty granted him +by his sister, and which dispensed him from recurring to a conversation +which possessed no charm for him. + +"Very good," he said to the slave, "give my respects to my sister, and +order my supper to be served here; you will at the same time request +the Major-domo to come to me as I want to speak to him. Begone!" + +The slave went out and left him alone. + +The young Count then threw himself back in his chair, stretched out +his legs and plunged, not into any reverie, but into that state of +somnolency which is neither waking or sleeping, during which the mind +seems to wander in unknown regions, and which the Spaniards call a +siesta. + +While he was in this state, the slaves laid the table, being careful +not to disturb him, and covered it with exquisite dishes. + +But soon the steam of the dishes placed before him recalled the young +man to the reality, he drew himself up and seated himself at the table. + +"Why has not the Major-domo come," he asked, "have you neglected to +tell him?" + +"Pardon, Excellency, but the Major-domo is absent at this moment," a +slave respectfully answered. + +"Absent--for what motive?" + +"He is paying his usual evening visit to the grounds, but will soon +return; if your Excellency will be good enough to have a little +patience, you will soon see him." + +"Very good, although I do not understand the urgency of this visit. +There are no wild beasts here, I suppose?" + +"No, Excellency, thank heaven!" + +"Then, what is the meaning of these precautions?" + +"They are meant to guard the house from the attacks of the ladrones, +Excellency." + +"The ladrones again," he exclaimed, bounding from his seat, "why, it +must be a wager! Everybody seems to have agreed to mystify me, heaven +forgive me." + +At this moment spurs could be heard clattering outside the room. + +"Here is the Major-domo, Excellency," one of the Negroes said. + +"That is lucky, let him come in." + +Birbomono appeared, took off his hat, bowed respectfully to the Count, +and waited to be addressed. + +"Confound it," the young man said to him, "I asked for you an hour or +more ago." + +"I am in despair at it, Excellency, but I was only told of it this very +instant." + +"I know, I know. Have you dined?" + +"Not yet, Excellency." + +"Well then, seat yourself there, opposite to me." + +The Major-domo who knew the Count's haughty character, hesitated; he +did not at all understand the condescension on his part. + +"Sit down, I say," the young man replied; "we are in the country, so it +is of no consequence; besides, I want to talk with you." + +The Major-domo then took the place pointed out to him, without further +pressing. + +The meal was short--for the Count ate without uttering a single word; +when it was ended, he thrust away his plate, drank a glass of water +after the Spanish fashion, lit an excellent cigar and gave another to +the Major-domo. + +"Smoke, I permit it," he said. + +Birbomono gratefully accepted; but feeling more and more astonished, he +could not refrain from asking himself mentally, what important motive +his young master could have for treating him so condescendingly. +When the table was cleared and the slaves had withdrawn, the two +men remained alone. The night was magnificent and the atmosphere +marvellously clear; a multitude of stars floated in æther, a sweet warm +breeze penetrated through the windows, left expressly open, a profound +silence lay over the landscape, and from the spot where the two men +were seated, they perceived the dark mass of forest trees that closed +the horizon. + +"Now," said the Count, as he puffed out a cloud of bluish smoke, "let +us talk." + +"Very good, Excellency," the Major-domo replied. + +"I have several things to ask you, Birbomono; you know me, I think, and +that whether I threaten or promise, I always carry out what I say?" + +"I am aware of it, Excellency!" + +"Very good, that being settled, I will come to the fact without +further preamble. I have certain very important information to ask of +you; answering my questions is not betraying your mistress, who is my +sister, and whom I love before all else; on the contrary, it is perhaps +rendering her a service indirectly. Besides, if you refused to tell +me what I want to know, I should learn it from another quarter, and +you would forfeit any advantage to be derived from your frankness; you +understand me, I suppose?" + +"Perfectly, Excellency." + +"Well then, what do you intend doing." + +"My lord, I am devoted body and soul to your family, hence, I shall +consider it a duty to answer, as best I can, all the questions you may +deign to ask me, for I feel convinced that in questioning me, you have +no other motive but that of being agreeable to my mistress." + +"It is impossible to argue more correctly, Birbomono, I have always +said that you were an intelligent man; and this answer proves to +me that I was not mistaken. Now, I will begin, but let us proceed +regularly, so inform me of what occurred between my sister and her +husband, up to her arrival here; and the motives for her quitting St. +Domingo." + +"You know, Excellency, my lord Count de Bejar of Sousa, the husband of +your lady sister and my master, is a gentleman not naturally given to +speaking, but kind and sincerely attached to his wife, whose every wish +he strives to satisfy, without even venturing a remark. At St. Domingo +the Countess lived in the most absolute retirement, constantly shut +up in her remotest apartments, to which only her women, her confessor +and her physician had access. The Count visited her every morning and +evening, remained about a quarter of an hour with her, conversing on +indifferent subjects, and then withdrew." + +"Hum! This mode of life of my dear sister appears to me rather +monotonous; did it last long?" + +"For several months, Excellency, and it would doubtless still be going +on, had it not been for an event which no one but myself knows, and +which induced her to come here." + +"Ah, ah, and what was the event, if you please?" + +"I will tell you, Excellency; one day a ship of our nation arrived +at St. Domingo; during its passage through the islands, it had been +attacked by the ladrones, from whom it had escaped by a miracle, +capturing several of them." + +"Ah! I must stop you here," the Count exclaimed suddenly sitting up; +"before going further, one word about these ladrones, of whom persons +are incessantly talking, and no one knows. Do you know what they are?" + +"Certainly I do, Excellency." + +"At last," the Count added joyously, "I have at length found what I +wanted. As you know, I suppose you will tell me?" + +"Most willingly, Excellency." + +"Go on." + +"Oh! It will not be long, Excellency." + +"All the worse." + +"But I believe that it will be interesting." + +"All the better then, make haste." + +"These ladrones are English and French adventurers, whose courage +exceeds all belief; lying in ambush among the rocks in the straits +through which our vessels must pass, for they have vowed a war of +extermination against our nation, they dart out in wretched canoes half +full of water, leap on board the ship they have surprised, capture +it and carry it off. The injury done our marine by these ladrones is +immense; any ship attacked by them, with but few exceptions, may be +regarded as lost." + +"Confusion! That is very serious; has nothing been done to clear the +seas from these daring pirates?" + +"Pardon me, Excellency; Don Fernando de Toledo, admiral of the fleet, +sacked, by the king's orders, the island of St. Christopher, the refuge +of the ladrones, carried off all he could seize, and did not leave one +stone on the other in the colony they had founded." + +"Ah, ah!" said the Count, rubbing his hands, "That was well done, it +appears to me." + +"No, Excellency, and for this reason. These ladrones, scattered but not +destroyed, spread over the other islands; some of them, it is true, +returned to St. Christopher, but the greater part of them had the +audacity to seek a refuge in Hispaniola itself." + +"Yes, but they have been expelled, I hope." + +"It has been tried, at any rate, Excellency, but without success; since +that period they have managed to maintain themselves in the part of +the island they invaded, and have resisted all the forces sent against +them. Instead of being assailed they have become assailants, and pushed +on to the Spanish frontier, burning, plundering and sacking everything +they met on their passage; they did this the more easily, because they +inspire our soldiers with extreme terror, who as soon as they see them +or even hear them, take to flight without looking behind them. This +has reached such a pitch, Excellency, that the Count de Bejar, our +governor, has been compelled to take their fusils from the detachments +called the Fifties, ordered to protect the frontiers, and arm them with +lances." + +"What! Take away their fusils! And for what motive? Great heaven! this +seems to me almost too incredible." + +"Still, it can be easy understood, Excellency--the soldiers feel so +great a terror of the ladrones, that when they found themselves in +regions frequented by them, and were consequently afraid of meeting +them, they discharged their fusils, expressly to warn them of their +presence, and thus invite them to retire, which the ladrones never +failed to do; and knowing in this way the position of the soldiers, +they went off to plunder in another direction, certain of not being +disturbed." + +"It is almost incredible. Do you fear their visit here?" + +"They have not yet come on this side; still, it is as well to be on +one's guard." + +"I believe so--that is excessively prudent, and I approve of it; but +now let us return to the story you were telling me when I interrupted +you to give me this valuable information; you were saying that a +Spanish man-o'-war had arrived at Saint Domingo, having on board +several ladrones as prisoners." + +"Yes, Excellency. Now, you must know that the ladrones are hung so soon +as they are caught." + +"That measure is very wise." + +"These were reserved to make an example of on the island itself, and +terrify their accomplices; they were, therefore, landed, and placed +in Capilla, while awaiting their execution. It was Fray Arsenio who +undertook to reconcile the wretches with Heaven if it were possible." + +"A rude task; but who is Fray Arsenio?" + +"The confessor of my lady Countess." + +"Very good; proceed." + +"Just imagine, Excellency, that these ladrones are very pious men; +they never attack a vessel without offering up prayers to Heaven, +and sing the Magnificat and other church hymns while boarding; hence +Fray Arsenio had no difficulty in making them perform their religious +duties. The Governor had decided that, in order that the example +should benefit the rest, these ladrones should be hung on the Spanish +frontier; they were, therefore, taken out of prison, securely bound, +and traversed the town in carts, guarded by a numerous escort, and +passing through the crowds, who overwhelmed them with maledictions +and cries of anger and threatening. But the ladrones seemed to pay +no attention to this manifestation of the public hatred; they were +five in number, young, and apparently very powerful. All at once, at +the moment when the carts, which were going very slowly, owing to the +crowd, arrived in front of the Governor's palace, the ladrones rose +altogether, uttered a loud cry, and, leaping into the street, took +refuge in the palace, whose guard they disarmed, and closed the gates +after them; they had succeeded in cutting their bonds, no one knew +how. There was at first a moment of profound stupor among the crowd on +seeing such a desperate deed, but ere long the soldiers regained their +courage, and marched boldly on the palace, where the ladrones received +them with musket shots. The fight was bravely carried on on both sides, +but all the disadvantage was on the side of our men, who were exposed +to the shots of invisible enemies, and renowned marksmen, every shot +from whom brought down a victim. Some twenty dead, and as many wounded, +were already lying on the square; the soldiers hesitated to continue +this deadly contest, when the Governor, warned of what was going on, +came up at full speed, followed by his officers. Fortunately for him, +the Count was not at home when the ladrones seized his palace; but the +Countess was there, and the Count trembled lest she should fall into +the hands of these villains. He summoned them to surrender; they only +replied by a discharge, which killed several persons by the Governor's +side, and slightly wounded himself." + +"The daring villains!" the Count muttered--"I hope they were hung." + +"No, Excellency; after holding all the forces of the town in check for +two hours, they proposed a capitulation, which was accepted." + +"What!" the Count exclaimed, "Accepted! Oh! This is too much." + +"It is the exact truth, however, Excellency; they threatened, unless +they were allowed to retire in peace, to blow themselves up with the +palace, which would have entailed the general ruin of the town, and to +cut the throats of the prisoners in their power--that of the Countess +first of all; the Governor tore out his hair with rage, but they only +laughed." + +"Why they are not men!" the Count exclaimed, stamping his foot +passionately. + +"No, Excellency, I told you, they are demons. The Count's officers +persuaded him to accept the capitulation; the bandits insisted that the +streets should be cleared for their passage; they had horses brought +for them, and two for the Countess and one of her servants, whom they +retained as hostages till they were in safety; and they went out well +armed, leading in their midst my poor mistress, trembling with terror, +and more dead, than alive. The ladrones did not hurry, they went at +a foot pace, laughing and talking together, turning round, and even +stopping now and then to stare at the crowd, which followed them at a +respectful distance. They left the town in this way, but religiously +kept their promise; two hours later, my lady the Countess, to whom they +had behaved with great courtesy, returned to Saint Domingo, accompanied +to the palace by the acclamations and glad shouts of the populace, +who fancied her lost. The next day the Count ordered me to accompany +the Countess here, where the physicians recommended her to live for a +while, in order to rest from the terrible emotions she had doubtless +experienced while she was in the power of the bandits." + +"And since your installation at the hatto I presume nothing +extraordinary has occurred?" + +"Yes, Excellency, something has happened, and that is why I told +you at the beginning that I alone knew the event which had modified +my mistress's mode of living. One of the ladrones had a very long +interview with her before they left her, an interview I saw, too far +off to hear what was said, it is true, but near enough to judge of the +interest she felt in it, and the impression it produced on her, for I +had followed my mistress, resolved not to abandon her, and help her, +were it necessary, at the risk of my life." + +"That is the behaviour of a good servant, Birbomono, and I thank you +for it." + +"I only did my duty, Excellency; so soon as the ladrones left her +alone I approached my mistress, and escorted her back to the town. A +few days after our arrival here my mistress dressed herself in man's +clothes, left the hatto unseen, only followed by myself and Fray +Arsenio, who had refused to leave her, and led us to a secluded bay +on the coast, where one of the ladrones was awaiting us. This man had +another long conversation with my mistress, then, bidding us get into +a canoe, he took us to a Spanish brigantine, tacking in sight of the +coast. I afterwards learnt that this brigantine had been freighted by +Fray Arsenio by my mistress's orders. So soon as we were on board this +vessel, sail was set, and we put out to sea; the _ladrón_ had returned +ashore in the canoe." + +"Nonsense!" the young man violently interjected; "What fables are you +telling me, Birbomono?" + +"Excellency, I am only telling you the truth you asked of me, without +adding or omitting anything." + +"Well, I am willing to believe you, incredible though the whole affair +appears." + +"Shall I break off here, Excellency, or continue my narration?" + +"Go on, in the Fiend's name! Perhaps some light will eventually issue +from all this chaos." + +"Our brigantine began tacking between the islands, at a great risk +of being snapped up as it passed by the ladrones; but, through some +incomprehensible miracle, it succeeded in passing unseen, so that in +eight days it reached an island in the form of a mountain, called +Nevis, I believe, and only separated by a narrow channel from St. +Kitts." + +"But, from what you told me yourself, St, Christopher is the den of the +ladrones." + +"Yes, Excellency, and so it is; the brigantine did not anchor, it +merely backed sails, and lowered a boat. My mistress, the monk, and +I, got into it, and we were landed on the island; but, as she put her +little foot on land, the Countess turned to me, and fixing on me a +glance which nailed me to the boat I was on the point of leaving, she +said--'Here is a letter, which you will carry to St. Christopher, there +you will inquire for a celebrated Chief of the ladrones, whose name +is Montbarts: you will have him pointed out to you; follow him, and +place this letter in his own hands. Go, I count on your fidelity.' What +could I do? Only obey: you will agree with me, Excellency. The sailors +in the boat, as if warned beforehand, conveyed me to St. Christopher, +where I landed unseen: I was lucky enough to meet this Montbarts, and +hand him the letter, and then I slipped away; the boat which had been +waiting for me took me back to Nevis, and the Señora thanked me. At +sunset Montbarts arrived at Nevis; he talked for nearly an hour with +the monk, while Doña Clara was concealed in a tent, and then went away: +a few minutes later, the Countess and Fray Arsenio returned aboard the +brigantine, which conveyed us back to Hispaniola with the same good +fortune. The monk remained in the French part of the island, for some +reason I do not know, while my mistress and I, as soon as we landed, +returned to the hatto, where we arrived just ten days ago." + +"And then?" the Count asked, seeing that the Major-domo was silent. + +"That is all, Excellency," he answered; "since then Doña Clara has +remained shut up in her apartments, and nothing has happened to trouble +the monotony of our existence." + +The Count rose without replying, walked up and down the room in +considerable agitation, and then turned to Birbomono. + +"Very good, Major-domo," he said to him--"I thank you; keep your mouth +shut about this, and now you can retire. Remember, that no one in the +household must suspect the importance of the conversation we have had +together." + +"I shall be dumb, Excellency," the Major-domo answered, and retired +with a respectful bow. + +"It is evident," the young man muttered, so soon as he was alone, "that +there is at the bottom of this affair a frightful secret, of which my +sister in all probability will condemn me to take my share. I am afraid +that I have fallen into a trap. Hang it all! Why could not Clara let me +live at my ease in Saint Domingo?" + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +ACROSS COUNTRY. + + +On the morrow, Doña Clara appeared, if not completely recovered from +her previous emotion, at least in a far more satisfactory state of +health than her brother had dared to hope after the fainting fit of +which he had been witness. + +No allusion was made, however, by one or the other to the previous +evening's conversation. Doña Clara, although very pale, and excessively +weak, affected gaiety and even merriment; she carried matters so far as +even to take a short walk in the garden, leaning on her brother's arm. + +But the latter was not deceived by this conduct; he understood that +his sister, vexed at having talked to him too frankly, was trying +to lead him astray as to her condition, by affecting a gaiety far +from her heart. Still, he did not let anything be seen, and when the +great heat of the day had passed, he pretended a desire to visit the +surrounding country, in order to give his sister a little liberty: +taking his fusil, he mounted his horse, and rode out, accompanied by +the Major-domo, who offered to act as his guide during his excursion. + +Doña Clara made but a faint effort to keep him at home; in her heart +she was pleased to be alone for a few hours. + +The young man galloped across country with a feverish impatience. +He was in a state of excitement, for which he could not account to +himself; in spite of his egotism, he felt himself interested in his +sister's misfortune; so much humble resignation involuntarily affected +him, and he would have been happy to infuse a little joy into this +heart crushed by grief; on the other hand, the Major-domo's singular +story incessantly returned to his mind, and aroused his curiosity +in the highest degree. Still he would not for anything in the world +have questioned his sister about the obscure parts of this narrative, +or merely let her know that he was aware of her relations with the +filibusters of St. Kitts. + +The two men had entered the savannah territory, and talking of +indifferent topics; but as the Count could not get rid of the +recollection of what the Major-domo had told him, he turned sharply +toward him at a certain moment. + +"By the way," he asked him sharply, "I have not yet seen my sister's +confessor. How do you call him?" + +"Fray Arsenio, Excellency; he is a Franciscan monk." + +"Yes, that's it, Fray Arsenio. Well, why does he persist in remaining +invisible?" + +"For an excellent reason, Excellency; the reason I had the honour of +explaining to you last evening." + +"That is possible--I do not say you did not; but everything is so +confused in my mind," he said, with feigned indifference, "that I no +longer remember what you told me on the subject; you will therefore +oblige me by repeating it." + +"That is easy, Excellency. Fray Arsenio left us at the moment when we +landed, and has not reappeared at the hatto since." + +"That is singular: and does not Doña Clara appear alarmed and vexed at +so long an absence?" + +"Not at all, Excellency; the señora never speaks of Fray Arsenio, and +does not inquire whether he has returned or not." + +"It is strange," the young man muttered to himself; "what is the +meaning of this mysterious absence?" + +After this aside, the Count suddenly broke off the conversation and +resumed the chase. They had been absent from the hatto for some hours, +and had insensibly gone a very considerable distance; the sun was +nearing the horizon, and the Count was preparing to turn back, when +suddenly a great noise of breaking branches was heard at the skirt of +the forest, from which they were only separated by a few shrubs, and +several wild oxen dashed on to the savannah, pursued, or, to speak more +correctly, hunted, by a dozen hounds, which barked furiously while +snapping at them. + +The oxen, seven or eight in number, passed like a tornado two horse +lengths from the Count, to whom this unexpected apparition caused such +a surprise, that he remained for a moment motionless, not knowing what +to do. + +The savage animals, still harassed by the hounds, which did not leave +them, made a sudden wheel, and turning back, seemed trying to enter the +forest at the spot where they had left it; but they had hardly resumed +their flight in that direction, when a fusil was discharged, and a +bull, struck in the head, fell dead on the ground. + +At the same instant a man emerged in his turn from the forest, and +walked up to the animal, which was lying motionless and nearly hidden +in the tall grass, without appearing to notice the two Spaniards, and +reloading as he walked along the long fusil he had, in all probability, +just employed so adroitly. + +This hunting episode was accomplished more quickly than it has taken +us to describe it, so that Don Sancho had not quite recovered from his +surprise, when the Major-domo bent down to his side and said in a low +voice, half choked with terror-- + +"Excellency, you wanted to see a _ladrón_. Well, look carefully at that +man, he is one." + +Don Sancho was endowed with undaunted courage. When his first surprise +had passed, he became again completely master of himself, and regained +all his coolness. + +After securing his seat on the saddle, he advanced slowly toward the +stranger, while examining him curiously. He was a man still young, of +middle height, but well and powerfully built; his regular, majestic, +and rather handsome features displayed boldness and intelligence. Cold, +heat, rain, and sunshine to which he had doubtless for a long time been +exposed, had given his face a decided bistre hue; and although he wore +his full beard, it was cut rather short. + +His dress, of almost primitive simplicity, so to speak, was composed of +two shirts, breeches, and jacket, all of canvas, but so covered with +spots of blood and grease, that it was impossible to recognise its +original colour. He wore a leathern belt, from which hung on one side +a case of crocodile skin, containing four knives and a bayonet; on the +other, a large calabash, stopped with wax, and a hide bag containing +bullets. He wore across his shoulders a small coat of fine canvas, +rolled up and reduced to its smallest compass; and in lieu of shoes, +boots made of untanned oxhide. His long hair, fastened with a _víbora_ +skin, escaped from under a fur cap which covered his head, and was +protected by a peak in front. + +His fusil, whose barrel was four and a half feet in length, could be +easily recognized through the strange form of its stock, as turned out +by Brachie, of Dieppe, who with Gélin, of Nantes, had the monopoly of +manufacturing arms for the adventurers. This fusil was of the calibre +of sixteen to the pound. + +The appearance of this man, thus armed and accoutred, had really +something imposing and formidable about it. + +You instinctively felt yourself in face of a powerful nature, of a +chosen organization, accustomed only to reckon on oneself, and which no +danger was great enough to astound or even affect. + +While continuing to advance toward the bull, he took a side glance at +the two horsemen; then, without paying any further attention to them, +he whistled to his dogs, which at once gave up their pursuit of the +herd, and after drawing a knife from his sheath, he began skinning the +animal lying at his feet. + +At this moment the Count came up to his side. + +"Eh," he said to him in a sharp voice, "who are you, and what do you +here?" + +The buccaneer, for he was one, raised his head, looked sarcastically +at the man who addressed him so peremptorily, and then shrugged his +shoulders with disdain. + +"Who I am?" he replied, mockingly; "You see that I am a buccaneer, and +what I am doing. I am flaying a bull I have slain. What next?" + +"I want to know by what right you hunt on my land?" + +"Ah! This land is yours? I am very glad to hear it. Well, I am hunting +here because I think proper. If that does not suit you, I feel sorry +for it, my pretty gentleman." + +"What do you mean?" the Count continued, haughtily; "And how do you +dare to assume such a tone with me?" + +"Probably, because it is the one that suits me best," the buccaneer +replied, drawing himself up quickly; "go your road, my fine sir, and +take some good advice; if you do not wish your handsome jerkin to be +filled with broken bones within five minutes, do not trouble yourself +about me more than I do about you, and leave me to attend to my +business." + +"I will not allow it," the young man answered, violently; "the land you +are trespassing on so impertinently belongs to my sister, Doña Clara de +Bejar; I will not suffer it to be invaded with impunity by vagabonds +of your description. _¡Viva Dios!_ You will decamp at once, my master, +or, if not--" + +"If not?" the buccaneer asked, with eyes flashing fire, while the +Major-domo, foreseeing a catastrophe, prudently glided behind his +master. + +As for the latter, he stood cool and impassive before the buccaneer, +resolved to take the offensive vigorously, if he saw him make the +slightest suspicious gesture. But, contrary to all expectation, the +adventurer's menacing look became almost suddenly calm, his features +resumed their usual expression of nonchalance; and it was in an almost +friendly tone, in spite of its roughness, that he said-- + +"Halloh! What name was that you mentioned, if you please?" + +"That of the owner of this savannah." + +"I suppose so," the adventurer replied, laughing; "but may I ask you to +repeat the name?" + +"That is of no consequence, my master," the young man said +disdainfully, for he fancied that his adversary was backing out of the +quarrel; "the name I uttered is that of Doña Clara de Bejar of Sousa." + +"Et cetera," the buccaneer said, with a laugh, "these devils of +gavachos have names for every day in the year. Come, don't be angry, +my young cock," he added, remarking the flush which the expression he +had employed spread over the Count's face; "we are, perhaps, nearer an +understanding than you imagine--what would you gain by a fight with me? +Nothing; and you might, on the contrary, lose a great deal." + +"I do not understand your words," the young man answered drily, "but I +hope you are about to explain them." + +"It will not take long, as you shall see," the other said tauntingly, +and, turning to the forest, he raised his hands to his mouth in the +shape of a speaking trumpet. + +"Eh! L'Olonnais!" he shouted. + +"Hola!" a man immediately answered, whom the denseness of the forest in +which he was hidden rendered invisible. + +"Come here, my son," the buccaneer continued, "I believe we have found +your little matter." + +"Ah, ah!" L'Olonnais, still invisible, replied, "I must have a look at +it." + +The young Count did not know what to think of this new incident which +seemed about to change the state of affairs; he feared a coarse jest +on the part of these half-savage men. He hesitated between giving way +to the passion that was boiling within him, or patiently awaiting the +result of the buccaneer's summons; but a secret foreboding urged him to +restrain himself and act prudently with these men, who did not appear +animated by an evil design against him, and whose manners, though quick +and rough, were still friendly. + +At this moment L'Olonnais appeared; he wore the same dress as the +buccaneer: he advanced hurriedly toward the latter, and without +troubling himself about the two Spaniards, asked him what he wanted, +while throwing on the ground a wild bull's hide, which he was carrying +on his shoulders. + +"Did you not tell me something about a letter which Bowline sent you +this morning by the hands of Omopoua?" + +"It is true, Lepoletais. I spoke to you about it," he said, "and it was +settled between us that as you know the country, you were to lead me to +the person to whom I have to deliver this accursed slip of paper." + +"Well, then, my son, if you like, your commission is performed," +Lepoletais continued, as he pointed to Don Sancho, "he is the brother, +or at least calls himself so, of the person in question." + +"Stuff," L'Olonnais replied, fixing alight glance on the young man, +"that gay springald?" + +"Yes, he says so; for as you know, the Spaniards are such liars, that +it is not possible even to trust to their word." + +Don Sancho blushed with indignation. + +"Who gave you the right to doubt mine?" he exclaimed. + +"Nothing has done so up to the present, hence I am not addressing +myself to you, but speaking generally." + +"So," L'Olonnais asked him, "you are the brother of Doña Clara de +Bejar, the mistress of the hatto del Rincón?" + +"Once again, yes, I am her brother." + +"Good! And how will you prove it to me?" + +The young man shrugged his shoulders. + +"What do I care whether you believe me or not?" he said. + +"That is possible, but it is of great consequence to me to be certain +of the fact; I am entrusted with a letter for that lady, and wish to +perform my commission properly." + +"In that case hand me the letter, and I will deliver it myself." + +"You found that out all by yourself," the engagé said mockingly, "a +likely notion that I should give you the note on your demand," and he +burst into a hearty laugh, in which Lepoletais joined. + +"These Spaniards doubt nothing," the buccaneer said. + +"In that case go to the deuce, you and your letter," the young man +exclaimed passionately, "it does not make any difference to me if you +keep it." + +"Come, come, don't be savage, hang it all," L'Olonnais continued in a +conciliatory tone; "there is possibly a means of arranging matters to +the general satisfaction; I am not so black as I look, and I have good +intentions, but I do not wish to be duped, that is all." + +The young man, in spite of the visible repugnance with which the +adventurers inspired him did not dare to break suddenly with them; the +letter might be very important, and his sister, doubtless would not +pardon him if he acted petulantly in this matter. + +"Come," he said, "speak, but make haste; it is late--I am far from the +hatto, where I wish to return before sunset, so as not to alarm my +sister unnecessarily." + +"That is the conduct of a good brother," the engagé answered with an +ironical smile; "this is what I propose to you: tell the little lady in +question that Montbart's engagé has orders to deliver a letter to her, +and that if she wishes to have it, she need only come and fetch it." + +"What! Fetch it, where?" + +"Here; zounds! Lepoletais and I will set up a boucan at this spot; we +will wait for the lady all tomorrow here: it seems to me that what I +propose is simple and easy." + +"And do you believe," he answered ironically, "that my sister will +consent to accept such an appointment made by a wretched adventurer? +why, you must be mad!" + +"I do not believe anything, I make you a proposal, which you are free +to accept or refuse, that is all: as for the letter, she shall only +have it by coming to fetch it herself." + +"Why not accompany me to the hatto, that would be more simple, I fancy?" + +"It is possible, and that was my intention at first, but I have changed +my mind; so settle what you will do." + +"My sister respects herself too much to take such a step, I am certain +beforehand that she will indignantly refuse." + +"Well, you may be mistaken, my friend," the engagé said, with a knowing +smile, "who ever knows what women think!" + +"Well, to cut short an interview which has already lasted too long, I +will inform her of what you have said to me; still, I do not conceal +from you that I shall make every effort to prevent her coming." + +"You can do as you please, it does not concern me; but be assured that +if it be her wish to come, as I believe, your arguments will be of no +use." + +"We shall see." + +"Mind not to forget to tell her that the letter is from Montbarts." + +During this conversation, which possessed no interest for him, +Lepoletais, with the characteristic coolness and carelessness of +buccaneers, was engaged in cutting down branches, and planting stakes +to make the _ajoupa_ under which they would camp for the night. + +"You see," the engagé added, "that my comrade has already set to work; +so good-bye till tomorrow, as I have no time for further talk, I must +help to prepare the boucan." + +"Do as you please, but I am persuaded that you are wrong in reckoning +on the success of the commission I have undertaken." + +"Well, you will see; at any rate mention it to the Señora. Ah! By the +way, one word more, mind, no treachery." + +The young man did not condescend a reply: he shrugged his shoulders +disdainfully, leaped on his horse, and galloped off in the direction of +the hatto, closely followed by the Major-domo. + +On getting some distance away, he looked back: the ajoupa was already +finished, and, as L'Olonnais had said, the two buccaneers were busily +engaged in establishing their boucan, without paying any more attention +to the Spaniards, who were doubtless prowling about the neighbourhood, +than if they had been five hundred leagues from any habitation. + +Then he continued to advance thoughtfully in the direction of the hatto. + +"Well, Excellency," the Major-domo said presently, "you have seen the +ladrones, what do you think of them now?" + +"They are rough men," he said, shaking his head sadly, "possessing +brutal and indomitable natures, but relatively frank and honest, at +least from their point of view." + +"Yes, yes, you are right, Excellency; and thus they gain more ground +every day, and if they were left alone, I am afraid that the whole +island would soon belong to them." + +"Oh, we have not reached that point yet," he said with a smile. + +"Pardon me, Excellency, for asking you the question, but do you intend +to inform the Señora of this meeting?" + +"I should like not to do so; unfortunately, after what you had told me +of the things that have taken place between my sister and these men, +my silence might have very serious consequences for her. Hence it is +better, I believe, to tell her frankly all about it, and she will be a +better judge than I of the line of conduct she should pursue." + +"I believe you are right, Excellency. The Señora has perhaps a great +interest in knowing the contents of that letter." + +"Well, let us trust in Heaven!" + +It was an hour past nightfall when they reached the hatto. + +They noticed with surprise an unusual movement round the house. Several +fires lighted on the plain illumined the darkness. On approaching, +the Count perceived that these fires were lit by soldiers, who had +established their bivouac there. + +A confidential servant was watching for the Count's arrival. So soon as +he saw him, he handed him several letters that had arrived for him, and +begged him to go at once to the Señora, who was impatiently expecting +him. + +"What is there new here?" he asked. + +"Two fifties arrived at sunset, Excellency," the servant answered. + +"Ah!" he remarked, with a slight frown. "Very good. Inform my sister +that I shall be with her in an instant." + +The domestic bowed and retired. The young gentleman dismounted, and +went to the apartments of Doña Clara, considerably puzzled by the +unforeseen arrival of these troops at a spot which apparently enjoyed +great tranquillity, and where their presence was unnecessary. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +COMPLICATIONS. + + +We must now return to one of our characters, who up to the present has +played but a secondary part in this story; but, as frequently happens, +is now called on by the exigencies of our narrative to take his place +in the foreground. + +We refer to Count Don Stenio de Bejar y Sousa, grandee of Spain of the +first class, _caballero cubierto_, governor for His Majesty Philip II. +of Spain and the Indies, of the island of Hispaniola, and husband of +Doña Clara de Peñaflor. + +Count Don Stenio de Bejar was a true Spaniard of the age of Charles V., +dry, stiff, full of pride and self-sufficiency, always with his hand +on his hip, and his head thrown back when he deigned to speak, which, +happened to him as rarely as possible, not through any want of sense, +as he was far from being a fool; but through indolence and contempt of +other men, whom he never looked at without half closing his eyes, and +raising the corners of his lips disdainfully. + +Tall, well built, possessed of noble manners, and a very handsome face, +the Count, apart from his determined silence, was one of the most +accomplished cavaliers of the Spanish court, which, however, at that +period, possessed a great number of them. + +His marriage with Doña Clara had been at the outset an affair of +convenience and ambition, but gradually, through admiring the charming +face of the woman he had married, seeing her gentle eyes fixed on +him, and hearing her melodious voice resound in his ear, he had grown +to love her--love her madly. Like all men accustomed to shut up and +concentrate in their hearts the feelings that possessed them, the +passion he experienced for Doña Clara had acquired proportions the more +formidable, because the unhappy man had the desperate conviction that +it would never be shared by the woman who was the object of it. All Don +Stenio's advances had been so peremptorily rejected by his wife, that +he at last made up his mind to abstain from them. + +But, like all disappointed lovers, this gentleman, who was at the same +time the husband--a very aggravating fact in the species, was naturally +too infatuated with his own merit, to attribute his defeat to himself, +and hence had looked around to discover the fortunate rival who had +robbed him of his wife's heart. + +Naturally the Count had not succeeded in finding this fancied rival, +who only existed in his own imagination, and this had grown into a +jealousy, the more ferocious because, as it did not know whom to settle +on, it attacked everybody. + +The Count was jealous, then, not like a Spaniard, for the Spaniards +generally, whatever may be said to the contrary, are not affected by +that stupid malady, but like an Italian; and this jealousy made him +suffer the more, because, like his love, he was unable to show it; +through fear of ridicule, he was compelled to lock it up carefully in +his heart. + +When, owing to his protection--as had been arranged on his marriage +with Doña Clara, of whose previous union with the Count de Barmont +he was ignorant--his father-in-law, the Duc de Peñaflor, was +appointed viceroy of New Spain, and himself obtained the government +of Hispaniola, the Count experienced a feeling of indescribable joy, +and an immense comfort inundated his mind. He was persuaded that in +America, his wife, separated from her friends and relatives, forced, +to live alone, and consequently to undergo his influence, would be +driven through weariness and want of something better to do, to share +his love, or at least accept it: and then again, on the islands there +was no rivalry to fear among a half savage population entirely absorbed +by a passion far more powerful than love--a passion for money. + +Alas! This time too, he was deceived. Doña Clara, it is true, gave him +no more pretext for jealousy than she had done in Spain, but he did not +any the more succeed in winning her affections. From the first day of +her arrival at Saint Domingo, she manifested the desire to live alone +and in retirement, engaged in religious practices; and the Count was +constrained, in spite of his fury, to bow before a resolution which he +recognised as irrevocable. + +He resigned himself; his jealousy however was not extinct, it was +smouldering beneath the ashes, and a spark would suffice to make it +burst into a more terrible flame than before. + +Still, in spite of this slight annoyance, the life the Count led at +Saint Domingo was most agreeable; in the first place he ruled there in +his quality of governor, saw everybody bend beneath his will, always +excepting his wife, the only one perhaps he would have cared to reduce. +He had his flatterers, and played the master and suzerain over all +who surrounded him; moreover, a thing not to be at all despised, his +position as governor secured certain imposts that rapidly augmented his +fortune, which various youthful follies had considerably reduced, and +he now worked hard, not only to repair the breaches, but to render them +as if they had never been. + +By degrees, however, the Count succeeded in lulling, if not subduing, +his love; he employed one passion to uproot the other; the care +of augmenting his fortune made him endure patiently the calculated +indifference of the Countess. He had almost come himself to believe +that he only felt for her a frank and sincere friendship; the more +so because Doña Clara for her part, was charming in everything that +did not touch on her husband's passion for her; she took an interest, +or at least pretended to do so, in the commercial speculations which +the Count did not hesitate to engage in under suppositious names, and +at times she would give him, with that clear judgment so eminently +possessed by women whose heart is free, excellent advice on very +difficult points, by which the Count profited, and naturally took all +the glory. + +Things were in this state when the episode with the filibusters +occurred, which the Major-domo described to Don Sancho de Peñaflor. + +This mad struggle of five men against an entire town, a struggle from +which they emerged victorious, had caused the Count a rage all the +greater, because the filibusters, on leaving the town, had taken the +Countess off with them as a hostage. He had then understood how greatly +he erred, in supposing that his love and jealousy were extinguished. +During the two hours that the Countess remained absent, the Count +suffered a horrible torture, the more horrible because the rage he felt +was impotent, and vengeance impossible, at least for the present. + +Hence, from this moment, the Count vowed an implacable hatred against +the adventurers, and swore to carry on a merciless war against them. + +The return of the Countess safe and sound, and treated with the +greatest respect by the adventurers, during the time she remained in +their power, calmed the Count's wrath from a marital point of view, +but the insult he had received in his quality as governor, was too +grave for him to renounce his vengeance. + +From this moment the most formal orders were sent to the leaders of +corps to redouble their surveillance, and chase the adventurers, +wherever they met them; fresh Fifties, formed of resolute men, were +organized, and the few adventurers they contrived to catch, were +mercilessly hung. Tranquillity was re-established in the colonies, the +confidence of the colonists, momentarily disturbed, reappeared, and +everything apparently returned to its accustomed state. + +The Countess had expressed a desire to restore her health by a stay +of several weeks at the hatto del Rincón, and the Count, to whom her +physician had expressed this wish, found it only very natural; he had +seen his wife go away with an easy mind, for he was convinced that at +the spot whither she was going, she would have no danger to fear, and +felt persuaded in his heart that this condescension on his part, would +be appreciated by the Countess, and that she would feel thankful to him +for it. + +She had left therefore, only accompanied by a few servants and +confidential slaves, delighted to escape for some time from the +restraint she was obliged to impose on herself at Saint Domingo, +and fostering the bold scheme which we have seen her carry out so +successfully. + +It was about an hour after the departure of Don Sancho de Peñaflor, +to go and join his sister at the hatto; the Count was finishing his +breakfast, and preparing to retire to the inner boudoir to enjoy his +siesta, when an usher came into the dining room, and after apologizing +for disturbing His Excellency at this moment, informed him that a man +who refused to give his name, but declared that he was well known to +the governor, insisted on being introduced into his presence, as he had +most important communications to make to him. + +The moment was badly chosen to ask for an audience, as the Count felt +inclined to sleep; he answered the usher that, however important the +stranger's communications might be, he did not believe them of such +importance that he should sacrifice his siesta for them; he therefore +Sent a message to the effect that the governor would not be at liberty +till four in the afternoon, and if the stranger liked to return then he +would be received. + +The Count dismissed the usher, and rose, muttering to himself as he +walked towards the boudoir,-- + +"_Dios me salve_, if I were to believe all these scamps, I should not +have a moment's rest." + +Whereupon he stretched himself in a large hammock, hung right across +the room, closed his eyes and fell asleep. + +The Count's siesta lasted three hours, and this delay was the cause of +serious complications. + +On waking, Don Stenio quite forgot all about the stranger; it so often +happened that he was disturbed for nothing by people who declared they +had urgent matters to discuss with him, that he did not attach the +slightest importance to their requests for an audience, and the usher's +words had completely slipped his memory. + +At the time when he entered the room where he usually granted his +audiences, and which at this moment was quite empty, the usher +presented himself again. + +"What do you want?" he asked him. + +"Excellency," the usher replied with a respectful bow, "the man has +returned." + +"What man?" + +"The man who came this morning." + +"Oh yes, well, what does he want?" the Count continued, who did not +know what all this was about. + +"He desires, my lord, that you will do him the honour of receiving him, +as he states that he has matters of the utmost gravity to tell you." + +"Ah, very good, I remember now; it is the same man you announced this +morning." + +"Yes, Excellency, the same." + +"And what is his name?" + +"He will only tell it to your Excellency." + +"Hum! I do not like such precautions, for they never forbode anything +good; listen, José! When he arrives, tell him I never receive people +who insist on keeping their incognito." + +"But he is here, my lord." + +"Ah! well then, it will be all the more easy, tell him so at once." + +And he turned his back. The usher bowed and left the room, but returned +almost immediately. + +"Well! Have you sent him away?" the Count asked. + +"No, my lord, he gave me this card requesting me to hand it your +Excellency. He declares that, in default of his name, it will be +sufficient to secure his admission to your presence." + +"Oh! Oh!" said the Count, "That is curious, let me see this famous +talisman." + +He took the card from the usher's hand and looked at it absently; but +all at once he started, frowned and said to the usher, + +"Show the man into the yellow room, let him wait for me there, I will +be with him in a moment. The deuce," he muttered to himself when he was +alone, "it is a long time since this scoundrel let me hear anything of +him, I fancied him hung or drowned; he is a clever scamp, can he really +have any important information to give me? We shall see." + +Then, leaving the room in which he was, he hastened to the yellow +saloon where the man with the card already was. + +On seeing the governor, the latter hastily rose, and made him a +respectful bow. + +The Count turned to the valet who had followed him to open the doors. + +"I am not at home to anybody," he said; "you can go." + +The valet left the room, and shut the door after him. + +"Now for us two," the Count said, as he sank into his chair, and +pointed to another. + +"I am awaiting your lordship's orders," the stranger said respectfully. + +Don Stenio remained for a moment silent, and scratching his forehead. + +"You have been away for a very long time," he said at last, "well, what +has become of you during the last two months?" + +"I have been executing your Excellency's orders," the man answered. + +"My orders? I do not remember having given you any." + +"Pardon me, my lord, if I venture to remind you of certain facts, which +appear to have escaped your memory." + +"Do so, my good fellow, I shall be delighted at it; still, I would +remark that my time is valuable, and that others besides yourself are +awaiting an audience." + +"I will be brief, Excellency." + +"That is what I wish. Go on," + +"A few days after the affair of the ladrones, does not your Excellency +remember saying to me in a moment of anger or impatience, that you +would give ten thousand piastres to obtain positive information about +the adventurers, their strength, plans, &c.?" + +"Yes, I remember saying that; what then?" + +"Well, Excellency, I was present when you made that promise. Your +Excellency had deigned to employ me several times before; as you looked +at me while speaking, I supposed that you were addressing me, and I +have acted accordingly." + +"That is to say?" + +"In my devotion to your Excellency, in spite of the numberless dangers +I should have to incur, I resolved to go and seek the information you +appeared to desire so ardently, and--" + +"And you went to seek it," the Count exclaimed with an eager start, +though hitherto he had paid but very slight attention to the stranger's +remarks. + +"Well, yes, Excellency." + +"Ah, ah," he said, stroking his chin; "and have you learnt anything?" + +"An infinity of things, my lord." + +"Well, let me hear some of them. But mind," he added, checking himself, +"no hearsays or suppositions, for I have my ears stuffed with them." + +"The information I shall have the honour of giving your Excellency, is +derived from a good source, since I went to seek it in the very den of +the ladrones." + +The Count gazed with admiration at this man who had not feared to +expose himself to so great a danger. + +"If such is the case, pray continue, señor." + +"My lord," the spy resumed, for we may henceforth give him that name; +"I come from St. Christopher." + +"Ah! Is not that the Island where the bandits take shelter?" + +"Yes, my lord, and more than that, I returned in one of their vessels." + +"Oh, oh," said the governor, "pray tell me all about it, my dear Don +Antonio: that is your name, I believe?" + +"Yes, my lord; Don Antonio de la Ronda." + +"You see," the Count added with a smile; "that I have a good memory +sometimes," and he laid a stress on these words, which made the spy's +heart bound with joy. + +The latter told him in what way he had entered the island, how he had +been discovered and made prisoner by Montbarts, who put him on board +one of his vessels; how a great expedition had been decided on by the +adventurers against the island of Saint Domingo, in the first place, +and then against Tortuga, which the ladrones had a plan for surprising, +and on which they intend to establish themselves; and in what way, on +reaching Port Margot, he had succeeded in escaping, and had hastened to +bear the news to his Excellency the governor. + +The Count listened with the most serious attention to Don Antonio's +narrative, and in proportion as it progressed, the governor's brow +became more anxious; in fact, the spy had not deceived him. The news +was of the utmost gravity. + +"Hum!" he answered; "And is it long since the ladrones arrived at Port +Margot?" + +"Eight days, Excellency." + +"_¡Sangre de Cristo!_ so long as that, and I had not been informed of +it?" + +"In spite of the utmost diligence, as I was constrained to take the +greatest precaution lest I should fall again into the hands of the +ladrones, who doubtless started in pursuit of me. I only arrived this +morning, and came straight to the palace." + +The Count bit his lips, several hours had been lost through his fault; +still he did not notice the indirect reproach addressed to him by the +spy, for he comprehended all its justice. + +"You have fairly earned the ten thousand piastres promised, Don +Antonio," he said. + +The spy gave a start of pleasure. + +"Ah, that is not all," he answered, with a meaning smile. + +"What else is there?" the Count remarked; "I believed that you had +nothing further to tell me." + +"That depends, Excellency. I have made my official report to the +Governor-General of Hispaniola, it is true--a very detailed report +indeed--in which I have forgotten nothing that might help him to defend +the island entrusted to his care." + +"Well?" + +"Well, my lord, I have now to give the Count de Bejar, of course, if he +desire it, certain information which I believe will interest him." + +The Count fixed on the man an investigating glance, as if he wished to +read his very soul. + +"The Count de Bejar?" he said with studied coldness; "What can you have +to say that interests him privately, as a simple gentleman? I have not, +as far as I am aware, anything to settle with the ladrones." + +"Perhaps so, my lord; however, I will only speak, if your Excellency +orders me, and before doing so, will beg you to forgive anything that +may seem offensive to your honour in what I may say to you." + +The Count turned pale and frowned portentously. + +"Take care," he said to him in a threatening voice, "take care lest +you go beyond your object, and in trying to prove too much, fall into +the contrary excess. The honour of my name is not to be played with, +and I will never allow the slightest stain to be imprinted on it." + +"I have not the slightest intention to insult your Excellency; my zeal +on your behalf has alone urged me to speak as I have done." + +"Very good--I am willing to believe it; still, as the honour of my name +regards myself alone, I do not allow any person the right to assail it, +not even in a good intention." + +"I ask your Excellency's pardon, but I have doubtless explained myself +badly. What I have to tell you relates to a plot, formed, doubtless, +without her knowledge, against the Countess." + +"A plot formed against the Countess!" Don Stenio exclaimed, violently; +"What do you mean, señor? Explain at once--I insist on it." + +"My lord, since it is your wish, I will speak. Is not her ladyship, the +Countess, at this moment in the vicinity of the small town of San Juan?" + +"She is; but how do you know it, since, as you told me you have only +been back to Saint Domingo for a few hours?" + +"I presumed so, because on board the vessel in which I returned to +Hispaniola, I heard something about an interview which the chief of +the adventurers was to have in a few days in the neighbourhood of the +Artibonite." + +"Oh!" the Count exclaimed; "You lie, scoundrel!" + +"For what object, my lord?" the spy answered, coolly. + +"How do I know? through hatred, envy, perhaps." + +"I," he said, with a shrug of his shoulders. "Nonsense, my lord. Men +like me--spies, if things must be called by their proper name--are only +led away by one passion--that of money." + +"But what you tell me is impossible," the Count observed, with +agitation. + +"What prevents you from assuring yourself that I speak the truth, my +lord?" + +"I will do so, _¡Viva Dios!_" he exclaimed, stamping his foot furiously. + +Then he walked up to the spy, who was standing calm and motionless in +the centre of the room, and fixed on him a glance full of rage, but +impossible to describe. + +"Listen, villain!" he said in a hollow voice, half choked with passion; +"If you have lied, you shall die!" + +"Agreed, my lord," the spy replied, coldly; "but if I have spoken the +truth?" + +"If you have spoken the truth," he exclaimed, but suddenly broke off, +"but no, it is impossible, I repeat!" and seeing a fugitive smile +playing round the lips of his companion, he added, "well, be it so; if +you have spoken the truth, you shall fix your own reward, and whatever +it may be, on my word as a gentleman, you shall have it." + +"Thanks, my lord," he replied, with a bow; "I hold you to your word." + +The Count walked several times up and down the saloon, suffering from +intense agitation, appearing to have completely forgotten the presence +of the spy, muttering unconnected words, breaking out into passionate +gestures, and in all probability revolving in his head sinister +projects of vengeance. At length he stopped and addressed the spy again. + +"Withdraw," he said to him, "but do not leave the palace; or, stay, +wait a moment." + +Seizing a bell on the table, he rang it violently. + +A valet appeared. + +"A corporal and four men," he said. + +The spy shrugged his shoulders. + +"Why all these precautions, my lord?" he asked; "is it not contrary to +my interest to go away?" + +The Count examined him for a moment attentively, and then made the +valet a sign to withdraw. + +"Very good," he then said, "I trust to you, Don Antonio de la Ronda. +Await my orders, I shall soon have need of you." + +"I shall not go away far, my lord." + +And after bowing respectfully, he took his leave, and withdrew. + +The Count, when left alone, gave way for some minutes to all the +violence of a rage so long restrained, but he gradually regained his +coolness and the power of reflection. + +"Oh! I will avenge myself!" he exclaimed. + +Then he gave, with feverish activity, the necessary orders that +numerous bodies of troops should be sent off to different points, so as +to completely invest the hatto del Rincón, to which spot two Fifties +were sent, commanded by experienced and resolute officers. + +These measures taken, the Count, wrapped in a large cloak, mounted his +horse an hour after sunset, and followed by Don Antonio de la Ronda, +who had not the slightest desire to leave him, and a few confidential +officers, he left his palace incognito, rode through the town +unrecognized, and reached the open country. + +"Now, caballeros," he said in a hollow voice, "gallop your hardest, +and do not be afraid of foundering your horses. Relays are prepared at +regular distances along the road." + +He dug his spurs into the flanks of his horse, which snorted with pain, +and the party set out with the headlong speed of a whirlwind. + +"Ah, Santiago! Santiago;" the Count exclaimed at times while urging on +his steed, whose efforts were superhuman, "shall I arrive in time?" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +PORT MARGOT. + + +We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing +freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, +owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island +of the Tortoise. + +According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the +adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of +ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they +intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must +pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them. This was +exactly what happened. The filibusters left behind them a long train of +fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who +were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing +their houses after they had plundered them. + +The first vessel to anchor off the Great Key was the lugger with +Montbarts on board, and commanded by Michael le Basque; on the next day +the two brigantines arrived, a few hours after one another. + +They came to anchor on the right and left of the admiral, about two +cables' length from the coast. + +At this period the Great Key was inhabited by red Caribs, expelled from +St. Domingo by the cruelty of the Spaniards, and who had taken refuge +on this island, where they lived rather comfortably, owing to the +fertility of the soil, and the alliance they had contracted with the +filibusters. + +The three vessels had scarce cast anchor, ere they were surrounded by a +great number of canoes, manned by Caribs, who brought them refreshments +of every description. + +The same evening the admiral went ashore with the greater part of his +crew: the other captains imitated him, and only left behind the men +absolutely necessary to guard the ships. + +At a signal from the admiral, the crews arranged themselves in a +semicircle round him; the captains standing in front of the first line. + +Behind them were the Caribs, alarmed in their hearts at this formidable +landing, whose motive they could not divine, anxiously awaiting what +was going to happen, and not at all comprehending this display of +strength. + +Montbarts, holding in one hand the staff of a white flag, whose folds +floated on the breeze above his head, and his long sword in the other, +looked round at the men gathered before him. + +Most of them were scarce clad, but all were well armed. They had +weather-beaten complexions, vigorous limbs, huge muscles, energetic +features, and a defiant glance. The adventurers thus collected +around this man, who stood haughtily in front of them, with his head +thrown back, quivering lips, and a flashing eye, offered a striking +spectacle; their savage grandeur and rough gestures were not deficient +in a certain majesty, which was rendered still more imposing by the +primitive landscape that formed the background of the picture, and the +picturesque group of Indians, whose anxious faces and characteristic +poses added to the effect of the scene. + +For some time the rustling of the crowd was audible, like the sound of +the sea breaking on a beach, but gradually the noise died away, and a +profound silence fell on all. + +Montbarts then advanced a step, and in a firm and sonorous voice, whose +manly accents soon captivated all these men who listened eagerly to his +words, he revealed to them the purpose of the expedition, which up to +this time was unknown to them. + +"Brothers of the coast," he said; "messmates and friends, the moment +has arrived to reveal to you what I await from your courage and your +devotion to the common cause. You are not mercenaries, who, for scanty +pay, let themselves be killed like brutes, ignorant for what or from +whom they are fighting. No! You are picked men, who wish to know to +what object you are advancing, and what profit you will derive from +your efforts. Several of our most renowned comrades and myself have +resolved to attack in the heart of their richest possessions these +cowardly Spaniards, who believed they dishonoured us by branding us +with the name of _ladrones_, and whom the merest sight of our smallest +canoes puts to flight like a flock of startled seagulls. But in order +that our vengeance may be certain, and that we succeed in seizing the +wealth of our enemies, we must possess a point sufficiently near the +centre of our operations, to enable us to rush upon them unawares, and +so strong that the whole power of Castile may be broken against it in +impotent efforts. St. Christopher is too remote. Moreover, the descent +of Admiral Don Fernando of Toledo is a proof to us, that however brave +we may be, we shall never succeed in fortifying ourselves strongly +enough there to defy the rage of our enemies. It was, therefore, +absolutely necessary to find a spot more favourable to our projects, +a point which could easily be rendered impregnable. Our friends, and +myself set to work. For a long time we sought with the perseverance +of men resolved to succeed. Heaven has at length deigned to bless our +efforts. We have found this refuge under the most fortunate conditions." + +Here Montbarts made a pause for several seconds. + +An electric quiver ran along the ranks of the adventurers; their eyes +flashed fire, they grasped their fusils in their powerful hands, as if +they were impatient to commence the struggle promised them. + +A smile of satisfaction illumined for a moment the adventurer's pale +face. Then, waving his hand to command attention, he resumed;-- + +"Brethren, before us is Saint Domingo;" and he stretched out his +hand towards the sea. "Saint Domingo, the loveliest and wealthiest +of all the isles possessed by Spain. On this island several of our +brothers, who escaped the massacre of St. Christopher, have established +themselves, and are contending energetically against the Spaniards, to +hold the ground wrested from them. Unfortunately too few in number, in +spite of their bravery, to resist for any length of time the enemy's +troops, they would soon be forced to quit the island, if we did not +go to their assistance. They have summoned us. We have responded to +this appeal of our brothers, whom honour ordered us to succour in +the hour of danger. While doing a good deed, we are carrying out the +plan so long resolved by ourselves, and at last we have found the +impregnable spot we have so long desired. You all know the island +of Tortuga, brethren? Separated only by a narrow channel from Saint +Domingo, it rises like an advanced sentry in the middle of the sea. It +is the eagle's nest, whence we will laughingly brave the fury of the +Spaniards. To Tortuga, brethren!" + +"To the island of the Tortoise!" the adventurers shouted, brandishing +their weapons enthusiastically. + +"Good!" Montbarts continued. "I knew that you were men who would +understand me, and that I could reckon upon you. Before seizing on +Tortuga, however, which is only defended by an insignificant garrison +of twenty soldiers, who will fly at the first blow, we must, by +protecting our brethren at Saint Domingo, and securing them the +territory they occupy, obtain for ourselves useful ports, advantageous +outlets, and, before all, the means of easily injuring the Spaniards, +and, if it be possible, expelling them entirely from the island, of +which they have already lost a portion. Tomorrow, we will proceed to +Port Margot, come to an understanding there with our brethren, and +arrange our plans, so as to derive both honour and profit from our +expedition. And now, brethren, let each crew go aboard. Tomorrow, at +sunrise, we will set sail for Port Margot, and in a few days I promise +you glorious fights, and a rich booty to divide among you all. Long +live France, and death to Spain!" + +"Long live France! Death to Spain! Long live Montbarts!" the +adventurers exclaimed. + +"Let us embark, brethren," Montbarts added. "Do not forget that the +poor Indians of this island are our friends, and must be treated as +such by you." + +The adventurers then followed their officers, and embarked in the most +perfect order. + +At sunrise, the squadron raised anchor. We need not say that all the +refreshments purchased of the Indians were scrupulously paid for, and +that no one had reason to complain of their stay at the Great Key. +A few hours later the flotilla entered the channel separating Saint +Domingo from Tortuga, and anchored off Port Margot. + +The Spanish island lay before them with its large mounds, tall cliffs, +and its mountains, whose peaks seemed hidden in the clouds, while on +the starboard, Tortuga, with its dense, verdant forests, seemed a +basket of flowers rising from the bottom of the sea. + +They had scarce landed ere a canoe, manned by four men, hailed the +lugger. These four men were Lepoletais, whom we have already caught a +glimpse of; one of his apprentices, L'Olonnais, and Omopoua, the Carib +chief. + +The Indian had nearly got rid of the European dress, and resumed that +of his nation. + +Montbarts went to meet his visitors, saluted them, and led them down to +the cabin. + +"You are welcome," he said to them. "In a few minutes the other +leaders of the expedition will be here, and then we will talk. In the +meanwhile, take some refreshment." + +And he gave an engagé orders to bring in spirits. + +Lepoletais and Omopoua sat down without pressing, but L'Olonnais +remained modestly standing. In his quality of apprentice he dared not +place himself on a footing of equality with the adventurers. At this +moment Michael the Basque entered the cabin. + +"Messmate," he said to Montbarts, "Captain Drake and David have just +come aboard. They are waiting on deck." + +"Tell them to come below. I want to talk with them.". + +Michael went out. A few minutes after, he returned, accompanied by the +two captains. + +After the first compliments, the two officers drank a bumper, then +took their seats, and awaited the communication which their chief was +evidently about to make to them. + +Montbarts knew the value of time, hence he did not put their patience +to a long trial. + +"Brothers," he said, "I present to you Lepoletais, whom you doubtless +know already by reputation." + +The adventurers bowed smilingly, and spontaneously offered their hand +to the buccaneer. + +The latter cordially returned the pressure, delighted in his heart at +so frank a reception. + +"Lepoletais," Montbarts continued, "is sent to me as a delegate by our +brethren, the buccaneers of Port Margot and Port de Paix; I prefer to +let him himself explain what he expects from us--in this manner we +shall more easily arrive at an understanding. Speak, then, I pray, +brother, we are listening." + +Lepoletais first poured out a glass of rum, which he swallowed at a +draught, no doubt for the purpose of clearing his ideas; then, after +two or three sonorous "hums!" he resolved to speak. + +"Brethren," he said, "whatever be the name given us--filibusters, +buccaneers, or habitants--our origin is the same, is it not? And we are +all adventurers. Hence, we are bound to assist and protect one another, +like the free companions we are; but, in order that this protection may +be efficient--that nothing may weaken in the future the alliance we +contract today--we must, like yourselves, find some real profit in the +alliance. Is not this the case?" + +"Certainly," Michael said, to encourage him. + +"This, then, is what is happening," Lepoletais continued; "we +buccaneers and habitants are here something like the bird on the +tree, continually pursued by the gavachos, who track us like wild +beasts, wherever they surprise us, sustaining an unequal contest, in +which we must eventually succumb, not knowing today if we shall be +alive tomorrow, and gradually losing all the ground which we gained +at the outset. This deplorable state of things could not go on much +longer without entailing a catastrophe, which, with your aid, we hope +not only to avert, but to prevent definitively; by seizing Tortuga, +which is badly guarded, and will be badly defended, you procure us +a sure shelter in case of danger, an ever open refuge in the event +of a crisis. But this is not all; we must secure frontiers, so that +tranquillity may prevail in our country, that merchant vessels may +not fear to enter our ports, and that we may find an outlet for our +hides, our boucaned meat, and our tallow. These frontiers can be easily +secured; the only thing wanting is to seize on two points, one in the +interior, which the Spaniards call the Great Savannah of San Juan, and +which we have christened the Grand Fond. The town of San Juan is but +poorly fortified, and merely inhabited by mulattos, or men of mixed +blood, whom we could easily conquer." + +"Is not the Grand Fond, as you call it, traversed by the Artibonite?" +Montbarts asked, while exchanging a meaning glance with L'Olonnais, who +was standing by his side. + +"Yes," Lepoletais replied; "and in the centre is a hatto called the +Rincón, belonging, I believe, to the Spanish Governor." + +"It would be a master stroke to seize that man," Michael the Basque +observed. + +"Yes, but there is little probability of succeeding in capturing him, +for he is at Saint Domingo," Lepoletais replied. + +"It is possible; but go on." + +"The other point is a port called Leogane, or, as the Spaniards term +it, _la Iguana_, or the Lizard, from the shape of the tongue of land on +which it is built; the possession of this port would render us masters +of the whole western part of the island, and allow us to establish +ourselves there securely." + +"Is Leogane defended?" David inquired. + +"No," Lepoletais answered, "the Spaniards let it fall into ruins, as +they do, indeed, with nearly all the points they occupy; through the +want of labourers, since the almost utter extinction of the Indian +race of the island, they gradually abandon the old establishments, and +retire to the East." + +"Very good," said Montbarts; "is that all you desire?" + +"Yes, all," Lepoletais answered. + +"Now, what do you propose, brother?" + +"This: we buccaneers will hunt for you wild oxen and boars, and +provision your ships at a price agreed on between us, but which must +never be higher than one-half the price we ask of foreign vessels that +come to trade with us; in addition, we will defend you if attacked, and +in great expeditions you will have the right to claim one man in five +to accompany you, when you require it. The habitants will cultivate +the land, and supply you with vegetables, tobacco, and wood to repair +your vessels, on the same conditions as the provisions. This is what +I am ordered to propose to you, brothers, in the name of the French +habitants and buccaneers of Saint Domingo; if these conditions please +you, and I consider them just and equitable, accept them, and you will +have no cause to repent having negotiated with us." + +These propositions the filibusters were already acquainted with, +and had discussed their advantages; hence they did not take long +to deliberate, for they had made up their mind beforehand, as their +presence at Port Margot proved. + +"We accept your propositions, brother," Montbarts answered--"here is my +hand, in the name of the filibusters I represent." + +"And here is mine," Lepoletais said, "in the name of the habitants and +buccaneers." + +There was no other treaty but this honest shake of the hand between +the adventurers; thus was concluded an alliance, which remained up to +the dying day of buccaneering, as fresh and lively as when first made +between the adventurers. + +"Now," Montbarts continued, "let us proceed orderly. How many brothers +have you capable of fighting?" + +"Seventy," Lepoletais answered. + +"Very good; we will add to these one hundred and thirty more from the +fleet, which will give us an effective strength of two hundred good +fusils. And you, Chief, what can you do for us?" + +Up to this moment Omopoua had remained silent, listening to what was +said with Indian gravity and decorum, and patiently waiting till his +turn to speak arrived. + +"Omopoua will add two hundred Carib warriors, with long fusils, to the +palefaces," he replied; "his sons are warned; they await the order of +the Chief--L'Olonnais has seen them." + +"Good! These four hundred men will be commanded by myself; as this +expedition is the most difficult and dangerous, I will undertake it. +Michel le Basque will accompany me. I have aboard a guide, who will +conduct us to Grand Fond. You, Drake, and you, David, will attack +Leogane with your ships, while Bowline, with only fifteen men, will +seize on Tortuga. Let us combine our movements, brothers, so that our +three attacks may be simultaneous, and the Spaniards, surprised on +three points at once, may not be able to assist one another. Tomorrow +you will sail, gentlemen, taking with you one hundred and eighty-five +men, more than sufficient, I believe, to capture Leogane. As for you, +Bowline, you will keep the lugger with the fifteen men left you, and +remain here, while watching Tortuga closely. This is the fifth of the +month, brothers; on the fifteenth we will attack, as ten days will be +sufficient for all of us to reach our posts, and take all the necessary +measures. Now, gentlemen, return aboard your vessels, and send ashore, +under orders of their officers, the contingents I intend to take with +me." + +The two Captains bowed to the Admiral, left the cabin, and returned to +their ships. + +"As for you," Montbarts added, turning to Lepoletais, "this is what +you will do, brother. You will go with Omopoua to the Grand Fond, as +if hunting, but you will carefully watch the town of San Juan, and the +hatto del Rincón; we must, if possible, make sure of the inhabitants +of that hatto; they are rich and influential, and their capture may be +of considerable importance to us. You will arrange with Omopoua on the +subject of the allies he promises to bring us; perhaps it will be as +well for the Chief to try and lead the Spaniards on to his track, and +force them to quit their positions: by managing cleverly we might then +be able to defeat them in detail. Have you understood me, brother?" + +"Zounds!" Lepoletais answered, "I should be an ass if I did not. All +right! I will manoeuvre as you wish." + +Montbarts then turned to the engagé, and made him a sign. + +L'Olonnais drew nearer. + +"Go ashore with the Carib and Lepoletais," the Admiral whispered in his +ear--"look at everything, hear everything, watch everything; in an hour +you will receive through Bowline a letter, which you must deliver into +the hands of Doña Clara de Bejar, who resides in the hatto on the Grand +Fond." + +"That is easy," L'Olonnais answered, "if it must be, I will hand it to +her in the midst of all her servants, in the hatto itself." + +"Do nothing of the sort; arrange it so that she must come and fetch the +letter." + +"Hang it! That is more difficult! Still, I will try to succeed." + +"You must succeed!" + +"Ah! In that case, on the word of a man, you may reckon on it--though, +hang me if I know how I shall manage it!" + +Lepoletais had risen. + +"Farewell, brother," he said; "when you land tomorrow I shall be on my +way to the Grand Fond; I shall, therefore, not see you again till we +meet there; but do not be alarmed--you shall find everything in order +when you arrive. Ah! By the way, shall I take my body of buccaneers +with me?" + +"Certainly; they will be of the greatest use to you in watching the +enemy; but hide them carefully." + +"All right," he said. + +At this moment Michael the Basque rushed suddenly into the cabin, with +his features distorted by passion. + +"What is the matter, messmate? Come, recover yourself," Montbarts said +coolly to him. + +"A great misfortune has happened to us," Michael exclaimed, as he +passionately pulled out a handful of hair. + +"What is it? Come, speak like a man, messmate." + +"That villain, Antonio de la Ronda--" + +"Well?" Montbarts interrupted, with a nervous tremor. + +"He has escaped!" + +"Malediction!" + +"Ten men have set out in pursuit." + +"Stuff! It is all up now; they will not catch him. What is to be done?" + +"What has happened?" Lepoletais asked. + +"Our guide has escaped." + +"Is it only that? I promise to find you another." + +"Yes, but this one is probably the cleverest spy the Spaniards possess; +he knows enough of our secrets to make our expedition fail." + +"Heaven preserve us from it! Stuff!" the buccaneer added, +carelessly--"Think no more about it, brother; what is done is done--let +us go ahead all the same." + +And he left the cabin, apparently quite unaffected by the news. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +FRAY ARSENIO. + + +Let us now tell the reader who these buccaneers were of whom we have +several times spoken, and what was the origin of the name given them, +and which they gave themselves. + +The red Caribs of the Antilles were accustomed, when they made +prisoners in the obstinate contests they waged with each other, or +which they carried on against the whites, to cut their prisoners into +small pieces, and lay them upon a species of small hurdles, under which +they lit a fire. + +These hurdles were called _barbacoas_, the spot where they were set up +_boucans_, and the operation _boucaning_, to signify at the same time +roasting and smoking. + +It was from this that the French boucaniers (anglicised into +buccaneers) derived their name, with this difference, that they did to +animals what the others did to men. + +The first buccaneers were Spanish settlers on the Caribbean islands, +who lived on intimate terms with the Indians; hence when they turned +their attention to the chase, they accustomed themselves without +reflection to employ these Indian terms, which were certainly +characteristic, and for which it would have been difficult to +substitute any others. + +The buccaneers carried on no other trade but hunting; they were divided +into two classes, the first only hunting oxen to get their hides, the +second killing boars, whose flesh they salted and sold to the planters. + +These two varieties of buccaneers were accoutred nearly in the same +way, and had the same mode of life. + +The real buccaneers were those who pursued oxen, and they never called +the others by any name but hunters. + +Their equipage consisted of a pack of twenty-four dogs, among which +were two bloodhounds, whose duty it was to discover the animal; the +price of these dogs, settled among themselves, was thirty livres. + +As we have said, their weapon was a long fusil, manufactured at Dieppe +or Nantes; they always hunted together, two at the least, but sometimes +more, and then everything was in common between them. As we advance in +the history of these singular men, we shall enter into fuller details +about their mode of life and strange habits. + +When Don Sancho and the Major-domo left them, Lepoletais and L'Olonnais +had for a long time looked with a mocking glance after the two +Spaniards, and then went on building their ajoupa and preparing their +boucan, as if nothing had happened. So soon as the boucan was arranged, +the fire lit, and the meat laid on the barbacoas, L'Olonnais set about +curing the hide he had brought with him, while Lepoletais did the same +to that of the bull which he had killed an hour previously. + +He stretched the hide out on the ground, with the hairy side up, +fastened it down by sixty-four pegs, driven into the earth, and then +rubbed it vigorously with a mixture of ashes and salt, to make it dry +more quickly. + +This duly accomplished, he turned his attention to supper, the +preparations for which were neither long nor complicated. A piece of +meat had been placed in a small cauldron, with water and salt, and soon +boiled; L'Olonnais drew it out by means of a long pointed stick, and +laid it on a palm leaf in lieu of a dish; then he collected the grease +with a wooden spoon, and threw it into a calabash. Into this grease +he squeezed the juice of a lemon, added a little pimento, stirred +it all up, and the sauce, the famous _pimentado_, so liked by the +buccaneers, was ready. Placing the meat in a pleasant spot in front +of the ajoupa, with the calabash by its side, he called Lepoletais, +and the men sitting down facing each other, armed themselves with +their knife and a wooden spit instead of a fork, and began eating +with a good appetite, carefully dipping each mouthful of meat in the +pimentado, and surrounded by their dogs, which, though not daring to +ask for anything, fixed greedy glances on the provisions spread out +before them, and followed with eager eyes every morsel swallowed by the +adventurers. + +They had been eating this in silence for some time, when the +bloodhounds raised their heads, inhaling the air restlessly, and then +gave several hoarse growls; almost immediately the whole pack began +barking furiously. + +"Eh, eh!" Lepoletais said, after drinking a mouthful of brandy and +water, and handing the gourd to the engagé, "What is the meaning of +this?" + +"Some traveller, no doubt," L'Olonnais answered carelessly. + +"At this hour," the buccaneer went on, as he raised his eyes to the +sky, and consulted the stars, "why hang it all, it is past eight +o'clock at night." + +"Zounds! I do not know what it is. But stay, I do not know whether I am +mistaken, for I fancy I can hear a horse galloping." + +"It is really true, my son, you are not mistaken," the buccaneer +continued, "it is indeed a horse; come, quiet, you devils," he shouted, +addressing the dogs, which had redoubled their barking, and seemed +ready to rush forward, "quiet, lie down, you ruffians." + +The dogs, doubtless accustomed for a long time to obey the imperious +accents of this voice, immediately resumed their places, and ceased +their deafening clamour, although they still continued to growl dully. + +In the meanwhile the galloping horses which the dogs had heard a great +distance off, rapidly drew nearer; it soon became perfectly distinct, +and at the end of a few minutes a horseman emerged from the forest, and +became visible, although owing to the darkness it was not yet possible +to see who this man might be. + +On turning into the savannah, he stopped his horse, seemed to look +around him, with an air of indecision, for some minutes, then, +loosening the rein again, he came up toward the boucan at a sharp trot. + +On reaching the two men, who continued their supper quietly, while +keeping an eye on him, he bowed, and addressed them in Spanish-- + +"Worthy friends," he said to them, "whoever you may be, I ask you, +in the name of the Lord, to grant a traveller, who has lost his way, +hospitality for this night." + +"Here is fire, and here is meat," the buccaneer replied, laconically, +in the same language the traveller had employed; "rest yourself, and +eat." + +"I thank you," he said. + +He dismounted: in the movement he made to leave the saddle, his cloak +flew open, and the buccaneers perceived that the man was dressed in +a religious garb. This discovery surprised them, though they did not +allow it to be seen. + +On his side the stranger gave a start of terror, which was immediately +suppressed, on perceiving that in his precipitation to seek a shelter +for the night, he had come upon a boucan of French adventurers. + +The latter, however, had made him a place by their side, and while he +was hobbling his horse, and removing its bridle, so that it might graze +on the tall close grass of the savannah, they had placed for him, on a +palm leaf, a lump of meat sufficient to still the appetite of a man who +had been fasting for four and twenty hours. + +Somewhat reassured by the cordial manner of the adventurers, and, in +his impossibility to do otherwise, bravely resolving to accept the +awkward situation in which his awkwardness had placed him, the stranger +sat down between his two hosts, and began to eat, while reflecting on +the means of escaping from the difficult position in which he found +himself. + +The adventurers, who had almost completed their meal before his +arrival, left off eating long before him; they gave their dogs the food +they had been expecting with so much impatience, then lit their pipes, +and began smoking, paying no further attention to their guest beyond +handing him the things he required. + +At length the stranger wiped his mouth, and, in order to prove to his +hosts that he was quite as much at his ease as they, he produced a leaf +of paper and tobacco, delicately rolled a cigarette, lit it, and smoked +apparently as calmly as themselves. + +"I thank you for your generous hospitality, señores," he said, +presently, understanding that along silence might be interpreted to his +disadvantage, "I had a great necessity to recruit my strength, for I +have been fasting since the morning." + +"That is very imprudent, señor," Lepoletais answered, "to embark thus +without any biscuit, as we sailors say; the savannah is somewhat like +the sea, you know when you start on it, but you never know when you +will leave it again." + +"What you say is perfectly true, señor; had it not been for you, I am +afraid I should have passed a very bad night." + +"Pray say no more about that, señor; we have only done for you what we +should wish to be done for us under similar circumstances. Hospitality +is a sacred duty, which no one has a right to avoid: besides, you are a +palpable proof of it." + +"How so?" + +"Why, you are a Spaniard, if I am not mistaken, while we, on the +contrary, are French. Well, we forget for the moment our hatred of your +nation, to welcome you at our fireside, as every guest sent by Heaven +has the right to be received." + +"That is true, señor, and I thank you doubly, be assured." + +"Good Heavens!" the buccaneer replied, "I assure you that you act +wrongly in dwelling so much on this subject. What we are doing at this +moment is as much for you as in behalf of our honour, hence I beg you, +señor, not to say any more about it, for it is really not worth the +trouble." + +"Bless me, señor," L'Olonnais said with a laugh, "why, we are old +acquaintances, though you little suspect it, I fancy." + +"Old acquaintances!" the stranger exclaimed, in surprise; "I do not +understand you, señor." + +"And yet what I am saying is very clear." + +"If you would deign to explain," the stranger replied, completely +thrown on his beam ends, as Lepoletais would have said, "perhaps I +shall understand, which, I assure you, will cause me great pleasure." + +"I wish for nothing better than to explain myself, señor," L'Olonnais +said, with a bantering air; "and in the first place, permit me to +observe, that, though your cloak is so carefully buttoned, it is not +sufficiently so to conceal the Franciscan garb you wear under it." + +"I am indeed a monk of that order," the stranger answered, rather +disconcerted; "but that does not prove that you know me." + +"Granted, but I am certain that I shall bring back your recollection by +a single word." + +"I fancy you are mistaken, my dear señor, and that we never saw each +other before." + +"Are you quite sure of that?" + +"Man, as you are aware, can never be sure of anything; still, it seems +to me--" + +"And yet, it is so long since we met; it is true that you possibly did +not pay any great attention to me." + +"On my honour, I know not what you mean," the monk remarked after +attentively examining him for a minute or two. + +"Come," the engagé said with a laugh, "I will take pity on your +embarrassment; and, as I promised you, dissipate all your doubts by a +single word; we saw each other on the island of Nevis. Do you remember +me?" + +At this revelation, the monk turned pale; he lost countenance, and for +some minutes remained as if petrified; still the thought of denying the +truth did not come to him for a second. + +"Where," L'Olonnais added, "you had a long conversation with Montbarts." + +"Still," the monk said with a hesitation that was not exempt from +terror, "I do not understand--" + +"How I knew everything," L'Olonnais interrupted him laughingly, "then, +you have not got to the end of your astonishment." + +"What, I am not at the end?" + +"Bah, Señor Padre, do you fancy that I should have taken the trouble to +bother you about such a trifle? I know a good deal more." + +"What do you say?" the monk exclaimed, recoiling instinctively from +this man whom he was not indisposed to regard as a sorcerer, the more +so because he was a Frenchman, and a buccaneer to boot, two peremptory +reasons why Satan should nearly be master of his soul, if by chance he +possessed one, which the worthy monk greatly doubted. + +"Zounds!" the engagé resumed, "You suppose, I think, that I do not know +the motive of your journey, the spot where you have come from, where +you are going, and more than that, the person you are about to see." + +"Oh, come, that is impossible," the monk said with a startled look. + +Lepoletais laughed inwardly at the ill-disguised terror of the Spaniard. + +"Take care, father," he whispered mysteriously in Fray Arsenio's ear, +"that man knows everything; between ourselves, I believe him to be +possessed by the demon." + +"Oh!" he exclaimed, rising hastily and crossing himself repeatedly, +which caused the adventurers a still heartier laugh. + +"Come, resume your seat and listen to me," L'Olonnais continued as he +seized him by the arm, and obliged him to sit down again, "my friend +and I are only joking." + +"Excuse me, noble caballeros," the monk stammered, "I am in an +extraordinary hurry, and must leave you at once, though most +reluctantly." + +"Nonsense! Where could you go alone at this hour? Fall into a bog. Eh?" + +This far from pleasant prospect caused the monk to reflect; still, the +terror he felt was the stronger. + +"No matter," he said, "I must be gone." + +"Nonsense, you will never find your road to the hatto del Rincón in +this darkness." + +This time the monk was fairly conquered, this new revelation literally +benumbed him, he fancied himself suffering from a terrible nightmare, +and did not attempt to continue an impossible struggle. + +"There," the engagé resumed, "now, you are reasonable; rest yourself, +I will not torment you any more, and in order to prove to you that I am +not so wicked as you suppose me, I undertake to find you a guide." + +"A guide," Fray Arsenio stammered, "Heaven guard me from accepting one +at your hand." + +"Reassure yourself, señor Padre, it will not be a demon, though he may +possibly have some moral and physical resemblance with the evil spirit; +the guide I refer to is very simply a Carib." + +"Ah!" said the monk drawing a deep breath, as if a heavy weight had +been removed from his chest, "If he is really a Carib." + +"Zounds! Who the deuce would you have it be?" Fray Arsenio crossed +himself devoutly. + +"Excuse me," he said, "I did not wish to insult you." + +"Come, come, have patience, I will go myself and fetch the promised +guide, for I see that you are really in a hurry to part company." + +L'Olonnais rose, took his fusil, whistled to a bloodhound, and went off +at a rapid pace. + +"You will now be able," said Lepoletais, "to continue your journey +without fear of going astray." + +"Has that worthy caballero really gone to fetch me a guide, as +he promised?" Fray Arsenio asked, who did not dare to place full +confidence in the engagé's word. + +"Hang it! I know no other reason why he should leave the boucan." + +"Then you are really a buccaneer, señor?" + +"At your service, padre." + +"Ah, ah! And do you often come to these parts?" + +"Deuce take me if I do not believe you are questioning me, monk," +Lepoletais said with a frown, and looking him in the face; "how does +it concern you whether I come here or not?" + +"Me? Not at all." + +"That is true, but it may concern others, may it not? And you would not +be sorry to know the truth." + +"Oh? can you suppose such a thing?" Fray Arsenio hastily said. + +"I do not suppose, by Heaven, I know exactly what I am saying, +but, believe me, señor monk, you had better give up this habit of +questioning, especially with buccaneers, people who through their +character, do not like questions, or else you might some day run the +risk of being played an ugly trick. It is only a simple piece of advice +I venture to give you." + +"Thank you, señor, I will bear it in mind, though in saying what I did, +I had not the intention you suppose." + +"All the better, but still profit by my hint." + +Thus rebuffed, the monk shut himself up in a timid silence; and in +order to give a turn to his thoughts which, we are bound to say, were +anything but rosy colored at this moment, he took up the rosary hanging +from his girdle, and began muttering prayers in a low voice. + +Nearly an hour passed then without a word being exchanged between the +two men; Lepoletais cut up tobacco, while humming a tune, and the monk +prayed, or seemed to be doing so. + +At length a slight noise was heard a short distance off, and a few +minutes later the engagé appeared, followed by an Indian, who was no +other than Omopoua, the Carib chief. + +"Quick, quick, señor monk," L'Olonnais said gaily; "here is your guide, +I answer for his fidelity; he will lead you in safety within two gun +shots of the hatto." + +The monk did not let the invitation be repeated, for anything seemed +to him preferable to remaining any longer in the company of these two +reprobates; besides, he thought that he had nothing to fear from an +Indian. + +He rose at one bound, and bridled his horse again, which had made an +excellent supper, and had had all the time necessary to rest. + +"Señores," he said, so soon as he was in the saddle, "I thank you for +your generous hospitality, may the blessing of the Lord be upon you!" + +"Thanks," the engagé replied with a laugh, "but one last hint before +parting; on arriving at the hatto, do not forget to tell Doña Clara +from me, that I shall expect her here tomorrow; do you hear?" + +The monk uttered a cry of terror; without replying, he dug his spurs +into his horse's flanks, and set off at a gallop, in the direction +where the Carib was already going, with that quick, elastic step, with +which a horse has a difficulty in keeping up. + +The two buccaneers watched his flight with a hearty laugh, then, +stretching out their feet to the fire, and laying their weapons within +reach, they prepared to sleep, guarded by their dogs, vigilant sentries +that would not let them be surprised. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +THE CONSEQUENCES OF A MEETING. + + +Fray Arsenio followed his silent guide delightedly, although he was +surrendered into the hands of an Indian, who must instinctively hate +the Spaniards, those ferocious oppressors of his decimated and almost +destroyed race. Still, the monk was glad at having escaped safe and +sound from the clutches of the adventurers, whom he feared not only as +ladrones, that is to say, men without faith and steeped in vice, but +also as demons, or at the least sorcerers in regular connection with +Satan, for such were the erroneous ideas which the most enlightened of +the Spaniards entertained about the filibusters and buccaneers. + +It had needed all the devotion which the monk professed for Doña Clara, +and all the ascendancy that charming woman possessed over those who +approached her, to make him consent to execute a plan so mad in his +opinion, as that of entering into direct relation with one of the most +renowned chiefs of the filibusters, and it was with a great tremor that +he had accompanied his penitent to Nevis. + +When we met him, he was proceeding to the hatto, to inform Doña Clara, +as had been arranged between them, of the arrival of the filibustering +squadron at Port Margot, and consequently of Montbart's presence in the +island of Saint Domingo. + +Unfortunately the monk, but little used to night journeys, across +untrodden roads which he must guess at every step, lost himself on the +savannah; overcome with terror, almost dead with hunger, and worn out +by fatigue, the monk had seen the light of a fire flashing a short +distance off; the sight of this had restored him hope, if not courage, +and he had consequently ridden as fast as he could toward the fire, and +tumbled headlong into a boucan of French adventurers. + +In doing this, he unconsciously followed the example of the silly moth, +which feels itself irresistibly attracted to the candle in which it +singes its wings. + +More fortunate than these insects, the monk had burned nothing at +all; he had rested, eaten and drunk well, and, apart from a very +honest terror at finding himself so unexpectedly in such company, he +had escaped pretty well, or at least he supposed so, from this great +danger, and had even succeeded in obtaining a guide. Everything, then, +was for the best, the Lord had not ceased to watch over His servant, +and the latter only needed to let himself be guarded by Him. Moreover +the monk's confidence was augmented by the taciturn carelessness of his +guide who, without uttering a syllable, or even appearing to trouble +himself about him the least in the world, walked in front of his +horse, crossing the savannah obliquely, making a way through the tall +grass, and seemed to direct himself as surely amid the darkness that +surrounded him, as if he had been lit by the dazzling sunbeams. + +They went on thus for a long time following each other without the +interchange of a word; like all the Spaniards, Fray Arsenio professed +a profound contempt for the Indians, and it was much against his will +that he ever entered into relations with them. For his part, the Carib +was not at all anxious to carry on with this man, whom he regarded as a +born foe of his race, a conversation which could only be an unimportant +gossip. + +They had reached the top of a small hill, from which could be seen +gleaming in the distance, like so many luminous dots, the watch fires +of the soldiers encamped round the hatto, when all at once, instead +of descending the hill and continuing his advance, Omopoua stopped, +and looked round him anxiously, while strongly inhaling the air, and +ordering the Spaniard by a wave of his hand to halt. + +The latter obeyed and remained motionless as an equestrian statue, +while observing with a curiosity blended with a certain amount of +discomfort, the manoeuvres of his guide. + +The Carib had laid himself down and was listening with his ear to the +ground. + +At the end of a few minutes he rose again, though he did not cease +listening. + +"What is the matter?" the monk, whom this conduct was beginning +seriously to alarm, asked. + +"Horsemen are coming towards us at full speed." + +"Horsemen at this hour of night on the savannah?" Fray Arsenio remarked +incredulously; "It is impossible." + +"Why, you are here?" the Indian said with a jeering smile. + +"Hum! That is true," the monk muttered, struck by the logic of the +answer; "who can they be!" + +"I do not know, but I will soon tell you," the Carib answered. + +And before the monk had the time to ask him what his scheme was, +Omopoua glided through the tall grass and disappeared, leaving Fray +Arsenio greatly disconcerted at this sudden flight, and extremely +annoyed at finding himself thus left alone in the middle of the desert. + +A few minutes elapsed, during which the monk tried, though in vain, to +hear the sound which the Indian's sharp sense of hearing had caused him +to catch long before, amid the confused rumours of the savannah. + +The monk, believing himself decidedly deserted by his guide, was +preparing to continue his journey, leaving to Providence the care of +bringing him safely into port, when he heard a slight rustling in the +bushes close to him, and the Indian reappeared. + +"I have seen them," he said. + +"Ah!" the monk replied; "And who are they?" + +"White men like you." + +"Spaniards in that case?" + +"Yes, Spaniards." + +"All the better," Fray Arsenio continued, whom the good news completely +reassured; "are they numerous?" + +"Five or six at least; they are proceeding like yourself, towards the +hatto, where, as far as I could understand, they are very eager to +arrive." + +"That is famous; where are they at this moment?" + +"Two stones' throw at the most. According to the direction they are +following, they will pass the spot where you are now standing." + +"Better still. In that case we have only to wait." + +"You can do so, if you think proper; but I have no wish to meet them." + +"That is true, my friend," the monk remarked, with a paternal air. "And +possibly such a meeting would not be agreeable to you; so pray accept +my thanks for the manner in which you have guided me hitherto." + +"You are quite resolved on waiting for them, then? If you like, I can +enable you to avoid them." + +"I have no motive for concealing myself from men of my own colour. +Whoever they may be, I feel sure that I shall find friends in them." + +"Very good. Your affairs concern yourself, and I have nothing to do +with them. But the sound is drawing nearer, and as they will speedily +arrive, I will leave you, for it is unnecessary for them to find me +here." + +"Farewell." + +"One last recommendation: if by chance they had a fancy to ask who +served as your guide, do not tell them." + +"It is not at all probable they will ask this." + +"No matter. Promise me, if they do, to keep my secret." + +"Very good. I will be silent, since you wish it; although I do not +understand the motive for such a recommendation." + +The monk had not finished the sentence, ere the Indian disappeared. + +The horsemen were rapidly approaching. The galloping of their steeds +echoed on the ground like the rolling of thunder. Suddenly several +shadows, scarcely distinguishable in the obscurity, rose as it were in +the midst of the darkness, and a sharp voice shouted-- + +"Who goes there?" + +"A friend!" the monk answered. + +"Tell your name, _¡sangre de Dios!_" the voice repeated, passionately, +while the dry snap of a pistol being cocked, sounded disagreeably in +the monk's ears. "At night there are friends in the desert!" + +"I am a poor Franciscan monk, proceeding to the hatto del Rincón; and +my name is Fray Arsenio Mendoza." + +A hoarse cry replied to the monk's words--a cry whose meaning he had +not the time to conjecture; that is to say, whether it was the result +of pleasure or anger; for the horsemen came up with him like lightning, +and surrounded him even before he could understand the reason of such a +headlong speed to reach him. + +"Why, señores," he exclaimed, in a voice trembling with emotion, "what +is the meaning of this? Have I to do with the _ladrones?_" + +"Good! Good! Calm yourself, Señor Padre," a rough voice answered, which +he fancied he recognised. "We are not _ladrones_, but Spaniards like +yourself; and nothing could cause us more pleasure than meeting you at +this moment." + +"I am delighted at what you say to me, caballero. I confess that +at first the suddenness of your movements alarmed me; but now I am +completely reassured." + +"All the better," the stranger replied, ironically; "for I want to talk +with you." + +"Talk with me, señor?" he said, with surprise. + +"The spot and the hour are badly chosen for an interview, I fancy. If +you will wait till we reach the hatto, I will place myself at your +disposal." + +"Enough talking. Get off your horse," the stranger observed, roughly; +"unless you wish me to drag you off." + +The monk took a startled glance around him, but the horsemen looked at +him savagely, and did not appear disposed to come to his help. + +Fray Arsenio, through profession and temperament, was quite the +opposite of a brave man. The way in which the adventure began was +commencing seriously to alarm him. He did not yet know into what +hands he had fallen, but everything led him to suppose that these +individuals, whoever they might be, were not actuated by kindly +feelings towards him. Still any resistance was impossible, and he +resigned himself to obey; but it was not without a sigh of regret, +intended for the Carib, whose judicious advice he had spurned, that he +at length got off his horse, and placed himself in front of his stern +questioner. + +"Light a torch!" the strange horseman said. "I wish this man to +recognise me, so that, knowing who I am, he may be aware that he cannot +employ any subterfuge with me, and that frankness alone will save him +from the fate that menaces him." + +The monk understood less and less. He really believed himself suffering +from an atrocious nightmare. + +By the horseman's orders, however, one of his suite had lighted a torch +of ocote wood. + +So soon as the flame played over the stranger's feature, and illumined +his face, the monk gave a start of surprise, and clasped his hands at +the same time as his countenance suddenly reassumed its serenity. + +"Heaven be praised!" he said, with an accent of beatitude impossible +to render. "Is it possible that it can be you, Don. Stenio de Bejar? I +was so far from believing that I should have the felicity of meeting +you this night, Señor Conde, that, on my faith, I did not recognise +you, and felt almost frightened." + +The Count, for it was really he whom the monk had so unfortunately met, +did not answer for the moment, but contented himself with smiling. + +Don Stenio de Bejar, who had left Saint Domingo at full speed, for the +purpose of going to the hatto del Rincón, in order to convince himself +of the truth of the information given him by Don Antonio de la Ronda, +thus found himself, by the greatest accident, just as he was reaching +his destination, and when he least expected it, face to face with Fray +Arsenio Mendoza; that is to say, with the only man capable of proving +to him peremptorily the truth or falsehood of the assertions of the +spy, who had denounced Doña Clara to her husband. + +Fray Arsenio's reputation for poltroonery had long been current among +his countrymen, and hence nothing seemed more easy than to obtain from +him the truth in its fullest details. + +The Count believed himself almost certain, by employing intimidation, +to make Fray Arsenio confess what he knew: hence, so soon as the latter +had mentioned his name, Don Stenio, warned by the spy, who rode at his +side, resolved to terrify the monk, and thus render it impossible for +him to resist the orders he might intimate to him. + +We take pleasure in believing that in acting thus, the Count had not +the slightest intention of treating the monk with a violence, which +in any case would be deplorable, but dishonourable on the part of +a man in his position. Unfortunately, through the unforeseen and +incomprehensible resistance which, contrary to all probability, the +monk offered him, the Count was led away by his passion, and gave +orders against his better judgment, when harshness and even cruelty +could in no case be justified. + +After a silence of some seconds, Don Stenio fixed a piercing glance on +the monk, as if he wished to read his very soul, and then seized him +brutally by the arm. + +"Where have you come from?" he asked him, in a rough voice. "Is it the +custom for monks of your order to ramble about the country at this hour +of the night?" + +"My lord!" Fray Arsenio stammered, thrown off his guard by this +question, which he was far from expecting. + +"Come, come!" the Count continued; "Answer at once, and let us have no +subterfuge or tergiversation." + +"But, my lord, I do not at all understand this great anger which you +appear to have with me. I am innocent, I vow!" + +"Ah! ah!" he said, with an ironical laugh; "You are innocent! _¡Viva +Dios!_ you make haste to defend yourself before you are accused; hence +you feel yourself guilty." + +Fray Arsenio was aware of the Count's jealousy, which he concealed so +poorly, that, in spite of all his efforts, it was visible to everybody. +Hence he understood that Doña Clara's secret had been revealed to her +husband; and he foresaw the peril that menaced him for having acted as +her accomplice. Still, he hoped that the Count had only learnt certain +facts, while remaining ignorant of the details of the Countess' voyage; +and hence, though he trembled at heart at the thought of the dangers to +which he was doubtless exposed, alone and defenceless, in the hands of +a man blinded by passion and the desire of avenging what he regarded +as a stain on his honour, he resolved, whatever might happen, not to +betray the confidence which a woman had unhappily placed in him. + +He raised his head and replied with a firm voice, and with an accent at +which he was himself astonished-- + +"My lord, you are governor of Saint Domingo; you have a right to +exercise justice over those placed under your rule. You possess almost +sovereign power, but you have no right, as far as I know, to ill treat +me, either by word or deed, or to make me undergo an examination at +your caprice. I have superiors on whom I am dependant; have me taken +before them; hand me over to their justice, if I have committed any +fault they will punish me, for they alone have the right of condemning +or acquitting me." + +The Count had listened to the monk's long answer, while biting his lips +savagely and stamping his foot with passion. He had not thought to find +such resistance in this man. + +"So, then," he exclaimed, when Fray Arsenio at length ceased speaking, +"you refuse to answer me?" + +"I refuse, my lord," he coldly replied, "because you have no right to +question me." + +"You forget, however, Señor Padre, that if I have not the right, I have +the might, at least, at this moment." + +"You are at liberty, my lord, to abuse that might, by applying it to an +unhappy and defenceless man. I am no soldier, and physical suffering +frightens me. I do not know how I shall endure the tortures you will +perhaps inflict on me, but there is one thing of which I am certain." + +"What is it, may I ask, Señor Padre?" + +"That I will die, my lord, before answering any of your questions." + +"We shall see that," he said, sarcastically, "if you compel me to have +recourse to violence." + +"You will see," he replied, in a gentle but firm voice, which denoted +an irrevocable determination. + +"For the last time, I deign to warn you: take care--reflect." + +"All my reflections are made, my lord; I am in your power. Abuse my +weakness as you may think proper, I shall not even attempt a useless +defence. I shall not be the first monk of my order who has fallen a +martyr to duty: others have preceded me, and others will doubtless +follow me in this painful track." + +The Count stamped his foot savagely; the spectators, dumb and +motionless, exchanged terrified glances, for they foresaw that this +scene would soon have a terrible denouement, between two men, neither +of whom would make concessions; while the first of them, blinded by +rage, would soon not be in a condition to listen to the salutary +counsels of reason. + +"My lord," Don Antonio de la Ronda murmured, "the stars are beginning +to turn pale, and the day will soon dawn; we are still far from the +hatto, would it not be better to set out without further delay?" + +"Silence!" the Count answered, with a smile of contempt. "Pedro," he +added, addressing one of his domestics, "a match." + +The valet dismounted and advanced with a long sulphured match in his +hand. + +"The two thumbs," the Count said, laconically. + +The domestic approached the monk; the latter offered his hands without +hesitation, although his face was fearfully pale, and his whole body +trembled. + +Pedro coolly rolled the match between his two thumbs, passing it +several times under his nails, and then turned to the Count. + +"For the last time, monk," the latter said, "will you speak?" + +"I have nothing to say to you, my lord," Fray Arsenio replied, in a +soft voice. + +"Light it," the Count commanded, biting his lips till they bled. + +The valet, with the passive obedience distinguishing men of this class, +set fire to the match. + +The monk fell on his knees and raised his eyes to Heaven. His face had +assumed an earthy tint, a cold perspiration beaded on his temples, and +his hair stood on end. The suffering he experienced must be horrible, +for his chest heaved violently, although his parched lips remained dumb. + +The Count watched him anxiously. + +"Will you speak now, monk?" he said to him in a hollow voice. + +Fray Arsenio turned toward him a face whose features were distorted by +pain, and gave him a look full of ineffable gentleness. + +"I thank you, my lord," he said, "for having taught me that pain does +not exist for a man whose faith is lively." + +"My curses on you, wretch!" the Count exclaimed, as he hurled him down +with a blow on the chest. "To horse, señores, to horse, so that we may +reach the hatto before sunrise." + +The cavaliers remounted, and went off at full speed, leaving, without +a glance of compassion, the poor monk, who, vanquished by pain, had +rolled fainting on the ground. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COLONY. + + +A triple expedition, so serious as that conceived by Montbarts, +demanded, for its success, extreme care and precautions. + +The few points occupied by the buccaneers on the Spanish isles, did not +at all resemble towns; they were agglomerations of houses built without +order, according to the liking or caprice of the owner, and occupying a +space twenty-fold larger than they should have taken in accordance with +the population. Hence, these points were spots almost impossible to +defend against a well-combined attack of the Spaniards, if the thought +occurred to the latter of finishing once for all with their formidable +neighbours. + +Port Margot, for instance, the most important point in the French +possessions as a strategic position, was only a miserable hamlet, open +to all comers, without police or organization, where every language +was spoken, and which Spanish spies entered with the greatest facility +without incurring a risk of discovery, and thus scented the plans of +the filibusters. + +Montbarts, before advancing and attacking the Spaniards, whom he +correctly suspected of being already acquainted with the motive of +his presence on the island, either through Don Antonio de la Ronda, +or other spies, and not wishing, when he was preparing to surprise +the enemy, to be himself surprised and see his retreat cut off by an +unforeseen attack, resolved to shelter Port Margot from a _coup de +main._ + +The grand council of the filibusters was convened on board the +admiral's lugger. In this way the resolutions formed by the council +would not transpire outside, and not reach hostile ears, ever open to +hear them. + +Two days after the departure of Lepoletais, the council therefore +assembled on the deck of the vessel, which had been prepared for the +purpose, as the admiral's cabin had been judged too small to contain +all those whom their wealth or their reputation authorized in being +present at the meeting. + +At ten in the morning, numerous skiffs left the shore and pulled +alongside the lugger, boarding it on all sides simultaneously. + +Montbarts received the delegates as they presented themselves, and led +them beneath the awning prepared for them. + +Ere long, all the delegates were assembled on board: they were forty +in number; filibusters, buccaneers, and habitants, all adventurers who +had lived for several years on the isles, and desperate enemies of +the Spaniards. Their complexion, bronzed by the tropical sun, their +energetic features, and flashing glances, made them resemble bandits +rather than peaceful colonists; but their frank and decided manners +allowed a guess at the prodigies of incredible daring which they had +already accomplished, and were ready to accomplish again, when the +moment for action arrived. + +When all the members of the council were on board, Michael the Basque +gave the skiffs orders to return ashore, and to come alongside again +when they saw a large black and red flag hoisted at the mainmast of the +lugger. A splendid lunch preceded the council, which, was held at table +and during the dessert, so as to foil any indiscreet glances, which +were doubtless watching what was going on aboard from the top of the +cliffs. + +When the repast was ended, and spirits, pipes, and tobacco had +been laid on the table by the engagés, an order was given to remove +the awning; the whole of the lugger's crew retired to the bows, and +Montbarts, without leaving his seat, struck the table with his knife to +request silence. + +The delegates vaguely knew that grave interests were about to be +discussed, hence they had only eaten and drunk for form's sake, and +though the table offered all the appearances of a true filibustering +orgy, their brains were perfectly clear, and their heads cool. + +The road of Port Margot offered at this moment a strange spectacle, +which was not deficient, however, in a certain picturesque and wild +grandeur. + +Thousands of canoes were lying on their oars, forming an immense +circle, of which the filibustering squadron was the centre. + +On shore, the cliffs and rocks were literally hidden by the confused +and dense mass of spectators who had flocked from all the houses to +watch, at a distance, this gigantic and Homeric feast, whose serious +motive they were far from suspecting, beneath its frivolous appearance. + +Montbarts, after calling his friends' attention in a few words, to +the enormous crowd of spectators who surrounded them, and showing how +correct he had been in taking his precautions in consequence, filled +his glass, and rose, shouting in a sonorous voice-- + +"Brethren, the health of the king!" + +"The health of the king!" the filibusters responded, as they rose, and +clinked their glasses together. + +At the same moment, all the guns of the lugger were discharged with a +formidable noise; a loud clamour that rose from the beach proved that +the spectators heartily joined in this patriotic toast. + +"Now," the admiral continued, as he sat down, which movement was +imitated by his companions, "let us talk of our business, and be +careful in doing so, that our gestures may not allow a suspicion of +what is occupying us, since our words cannot be overheard." + +The council commenced its session. Montbarts, with the lofty views and +clearness of expression he possessed, explained, in a few words, the +critical position in which the colony would find it, unless energetic +measures were taken, not only to place it in a position to defend +itself, but also to hold out during the absence of the expedition. + +"I can understand," he said in conclusion, "that so long as we merely +purposed to hunt wild bulls, such precautions were unnecessary, for our +breasts were a sure rampart for our habitations; but from today the +position is changed, we wish to create for ourselves an impregnable +refuge; we are going to attack the Spaniards in their homes, and must +consequently expect terrible reprisals from enemies, who, from the way +in which we act towards them, will soon comprehend that we wish to +remain the sole possessors of this land, which they have accustomed +themselves to regard as belonging to them legitimately; we must, +therefore, be in a position, not alone to resist them, but to inflict +on them such a chastisement for their audacity, that they will be for +ever disgusted with any fresh attempts to regain the territory we have +conquered. To effect this, we must build a real town, in the place of +the temporary camp which has, up to the present, sufficed us; and, with +the exception of the members of our association, no stranger must be +allowed to introduce himself among us, for the sake of spying us, and +repeating to our enemies our secrets, whatever their nature may be." + +The filibusters warmly applauded these remarks, whose truth they +recognized. They at length saw the necessity of setting order in their +disorder, and entering the great human family, by themselves accepting +some of those laws, from which they fancied they had enfranchised +themselves for ever, and which are the sole condition of the vitality +of society. + +Under the omnipotent influence of Montbarts and the members of the +association of the Twelve, who were scattered about the meeting, the +urgent measures were immediately discussed and settled; but when +everything was arranged, the council suddenly found itself stopped +short by a difficulty of which it had not thought at all--who was to be +entrusted with the duty of carrying out the measures, as no buccaneer +had a recognized authority over the rest? + +The difficulty was great; almost insurmountable. Still it was Montbarts +who again smoothed down the difficulty to the general satisfaction. + +"Nothing is more easy," he said, "than to find the man we want; this +is an exceptional case, and we must act according to circumstances. +Let us elect a chief, as for a dangerous expedition, let us choose +one who is energetic and intelligent, which will be a trifle, as the +only difficulty will be the choice among so many equally good. This +chief will be elected by us, the first for a year, his successor for +only six months, in order to guard against any abuse of power they +might eventually be attempted to try. This chief will assume the +title of governor, and in reality govern all civil matters, assisted +by a council of seven members, chosen by the habitants, as well as +by subaltern agents, nominated by himself. The laws he will employ +exist, for they are those of our association; it is understood that the +governor will watch, like a captain aboard his ship, over the safety +of the colony, and, in the event of treachery, will be punishable with +death. This proposition is, I believe, the only one that we can take +into consideration; does it suit you, brothers? Do you accept it?" + +The delegates replied by a universal affirmation, + +"In that case let us at once proceed to the election." + +"Pardon me, brothers," Belle Tête said, "with your permission, I have a +few remarks to submit to the council." + +"Speak, brother, we will hear you," Montbarts answered him. + +"I offer myself," Belle Tête said frankly, "as governor, not through +ambition, for that would be absurd, but because I believe that I am at +this moment the best man for the place; you all know me, and hence I +will not put forward my qualifications. Certain reasons urge me to try, +if possible, to withdraw my promise, and not follow the expedition; to +which, however, I feel convinced that I shall render great services, if +you choose me as governor." + +"You have heard, brethren," Montbarts said, "consult together, but fill +your glasses first, you have ten minutes to reflect; at the end of that +time all the glasses that have not been emptied will be considered as +adverse votes." + +"Ah, traitor," Michael the Basque said, leaning over to Belle Tête's +ear, by whose side he was seated, "I know why you want to stop at Port +Margot." + +"You? Stuff," he answered with embarrassment. + +"Zounds, it is not difficult to guess, you are caught, mate." + +"Well, it is true, and you are right, that little devil of a woman I +bought at St. Kitts has turned my head; she turns me round her little +finger." + +"Ah! love!" Michael said ironically. + +"The deuce take love, and the woman too; a girl no bigger than that, +whom I could smash with one blow." + +"She is very pretty, you showed good taste; her name is Louise, is it +not?" + +"Yes, Louise; it was a bad bargain I made." + +"Nonsense!" Michael said, with the utmost seriousness, "well, there is +a way of arranging the matter." + +"Do you think so?" + +"Zounds, I am sure of it." + +"I should like to know it, for I confess to you that she has completely +upset my ideas; the confounded girl, with her bird's voice, and sly +smile, turns me about like a whirligig: by Heaven, I am the most +unfortunate of men--tell me your plan, brother." + +"Why, sell her to me." + +Belle Tête suddenly turned pale at this blunt offer, which, indeed, +settled everything; but which, though he did not suspect it, Michael +only made in a joke, and to try him; he frowned, and angrily replied in +a voice trembling with emotion, and striking the table with his fist-- + +"Zounds, mate, that is a magnificent way you have found, but the fiend +take me if I accept it; no, no, whatever sorrow the little witch causes +me--have I not told you that she has bewitched me?--I love her! Blood +and thunder, do you understand that?" + +"Of course I understand it; but come, reassure yourself, I have not +the slightest intention of depriving you of your Louise; what should I +do with a wife? Besides, what I have seen of other men's love affairs, +does not offer me the slightest inducement to try it on my own account." + +"All right," Belle Tête replied, reassured by this frank declaration, +"that is speaking like a man; and, after all, you are right, brother; +although I would not consent for anything in the world to part with my +Louise, still, after the experience I have of her, if the bargain was +to be made again, hang me if I would purchase her." + +"Stuff!" said Michael, with a shrug of his shoulders, "Men always say +that, and when the moment arrives, they never fail to begin the same +folly over again." + +Belle Tête reflected for a moment, and then tapped Michael amicably on +the shoulder, at the same time saying with a laugh-- + +"On my word that is true, brother; you are right, I believe that I +should really behave as you say." + +"I am certain of it," Michael replied, with another shrug of his +shoulders. + +During this aside, between the two adventurers, the ten minutes had +elapsed. + +"Brethren," said Montbarts, "we are about to proceed to an examination +of the votes." + +He looked: all the glasses were empty. + +"You are unanimous," he said, "and that is well. Brother Belle Tête, +you are elected governor of Port Margot." + +"Brethren," the latter said, bowing all round, "I thank you for having +given me your votes. I shall not deceive your expectations; our colony, +even though I was obliged to bury myself beneath its ruins, shall never +fall into the hands of the Spaniards, and you know me well enough not +to doubt my oath. I intend to set to work this very day; for, as our +admiral has very justly said, we have not a moment to lose. Confide the +duty of guarding your interests to me." + +"Before we separate," said Montbarts, "it would be as well, I fancy, to +agree to keep our deliberations secret for a few days." + +"You may divulge them tomorrow without danger," Belle Tête continued; +"but allow me, brethren, to choose from among you the few assistants I +shall require." + +"Do so," the filibusters answered. + +Belle Tête named eight adventurers, whose blind bravery he knew, and +then addressed the delegates for the last time, who were already rising +and preparing to leave the ship. + +"You remember, I trust that I am considered by you the leader of an +expedition." + +"Yes," they replied. + +"Consequently you owe me the most perfect obedience to all the orders I +shall give you in the common interest." + +"Yes," they repeated. + +"You swear, then, to obey me without any hesitation or murmuring?" + +"We do." + +"Very good; now farewell for the present, brothers." + +The boats had been recalled by a flag hoisted at the main yard, and a +few minutes after all the delegates had left the ship, except Belle +Tête and the eight officers chosen by him. + +Montbarts and Belle Tête remained shut up for some hours, doubtless +settling the measures which must be adopted in order to obtain the +desired result as soon as possible; then, a little before sunset, +the new Governor took leave of the Admiral, entered a boat prepared +expressly for him, and returned ashore, followed by his officers. + +About eleven o'clock in the evening, when the town appeared completely +asleep, when all doors were shut, and lights extinguished, an observer +in a position to see what was going on, would have noticed a strange +spectacle. + +Armed men glided gently out of the houses, casting inquiring glances +to the right and left, that seemed trying to pierce the profound +darkness by which they were surrounded. They proceeded separately on +tiptoe to the principal square, where they joined other men armed like +themselves, who, having arrived first, were waiting. + +Ere long the number of these men, which was augmented every moment, +became considerable; at an order, given in a low voice, they broke up +into several parties, left the square by different outlets, went out of +the town, and formed a wide circle all round it. + +One last band of about forty men had remained in the square, however; +this party was broken up in its turn, but, instead of also leaving the +town, platoons, composed of ten men each, went from the square in four +different directions, and entered the streets. + +The latter were proceeding to pay domiciliary visits; no house escaped +their vigilance, they entered all, searching them with the most +scrupulous exactness, sounding the walls and flooring, and even opening +cupboards and chests. + +Such minute researches necessarily occupied a long time, and did not +terminate till sunrise. + +Eight Spanish spies had been discovered in the houses, and three +arrested by the sentries at the moment when they attempted flight, or +eleven in all. + +The Governor had them temporarily put in irons aboard the lugger, so +that they could not escape. + +At sunrise, buccaneers, habitants, engagés, and filibusters, all armed +with spades, pickaxes, and hatchets, set about digging a trench round +the town. + +This job, which was performed with extraordinary ardor, lasted three +days; the trench was twelve feet wide, by fifteen deep, and the earth +was thrown up on the side of the town; on this _talus_ stakes were +planted, bound together with strong iron bands, embrasures being left +to place guns, and for loopholes. + +While the entire population thus laboured with the feverish ardor that +accomplishes prodigies, large clearings had been effected in the woods +surrounding the port; then the forest was fired, care being taken that +the fire should not extend beyond a demi-league in all directions. + +These gigantic works, which, in ordinary times, would demand a +lengthened period, were finished at the end of ten days, which would +seem incredible were not the fact stated in several records worthy of +belief. + +Port Margot was thus, thanks to the energy of its Governor, and the +passive obedience with which the filibusters executed his orders, +not only protected against a _coup de main_, but also rendered +capable of resisting a regular siege. And this had been effected with +such secrecy, that nothing had transpired abroad; and owing to the +precautions taken at the outset, the Spaniards had no suspicion of the +change so menacing to them, and which presaged an internecine war. + +When the fortifications were finished, the Governor had eleven gallows +erected, at a certain distance from each other, on the glacis. The +unhappy Spanish spies were suspended from them, and their bodies were +fastened to the gallows by iron chains, so that, as Belle Tête said, +with an ill-omened smile, the sight of the corpses might terrify those +of their compatriots, who might be tempted to follow their example, +and introduce themselves into the town. + +All the habitants were then convoked in the chief square, and Belle +Tête mounted a platform erected for the purpose, and announced to them +the determinations formed aboard the lugger, his nomination to the post +of Governor, the measures he had thought it his duty to take for the +general welfare, and ended by asking their approbation. + +This approbation the inhabitants most willingly granted, because they +found themselves in presence of accomplished facts, which did not in +any way injure them. + +The Governor, thus finding his undertakings sanctioned, invited the +inhabitants to nominate a council of seven members chosen from among +themselves; and this proposition they joyfully accepted, because they +justly anticipated that these councillors would defend their interests. + +The seven municipal councillors were therefore elected at once, and, by +the Governor's invitation, took their seat by his side on the platform. + +Then the Governor informed his audience that nothing was changed in the +colony, which would continue to be governed by the laws in force among +the filibusters, that everyone would live in the same liberty as in the +past, and that the measures taken were solely intended to protect the +interests of all, and in no way to annoy the colonists, or subject them +to a humiliating yoke. + +This final assurance produced the best effect on the crowd, and the +Governor retired, amid shouts and the warmest protestations of devotion. + +Although Montbarts had chosen to remain obstinately in the background, +all these ameliorations were solely due to him; Belle Tête had merely +been a passive and submissive agent in his hands. + +When the Admiral, saw matters in the state he desired, he resolved +to depart, and after a final interview with the Governor, he placed +himself at the head of his filibusters, and left the town. + +Michael the Basque had departed several hours previously, entrusted +with a secret mission, and accompanied by ninety resolute men. + +From this moment the expedition commenced; but what its result would be +no one could as yet foretell. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +THE FLIGHT FROM THE HATTO. + + +Without taking the time to peruse the letters that were handed him, +Don Sancho concealed them in his doublet, and proceeded hastily to his +sister's apartment. + +She was anxiously awaiting him. + +"Here you are at last, brother," she exclaimed on perceiving him. + +"What," the young man replied, as he kissed her hand, "were you +expecting me?" + +"Oh, yes, that I was; but you are very late--what has kept you so +long?" she asked, in agitation. + +"Where have I been? Why, s'death! I have been hunting, the only +pleasure allowed a gentleman in this horrible country." + +"What, at this hour?" + +"Zounds, my dear Clara, a man gets home when he can, especially in this +country, where we ought to feel very happy at reaching home again at +all." + +"You are speaking in enigmas, brother, and I do not at all understand +you; be kind enough, therefore, to explain yourself clearly--have you +fallen into bad company?" + +"Yes, and very bad, too; but forgive me, my dear Clara, if you have no +objection, let us proceed regularly. You desired to see me immediately +on my return, and here I am at your orders; be kind enough, therefore, +to tell me how I can possibly be of service to you, and then I will +narrate the series of singular events with which my today's sport +has been diversified. I will not hide from you that I have certain +questions to ask of you, and certain explanations, which I feel sure +you will not refuse to give me." + +"What do you mean, Sancho?" + +"Nothing at present; do you speak first, sister." + +"Well, if you insist on it--" + +"I do not insist at all, sister--I only request it." + +"Very good, I yield to your request; I have received several letters." + +"So I have; but I confess that I have not read them yet, and do not +think they are of any great importance." + +"I have read mine, and do you know what they tell me beside other news?" + +"Indeed, no, unless it be my appointment to the post of Alcade Mayor +of Hispaniola, which, I allow, would greatly surprise me," he said, +laughingly. + +"Do not jest so, Sancho; the matter is very serious." + +"Really? In that case speak, little sister. You see I have as solemn a +face as your dear husband." + +"It is exactly to him I refer." + +"Stuff! My brother-in-law? Has any accident happened to him in the +performance of his noble and wearisome duties?" + +"No, on the contrary, he is in better health than usual." + +"In that case, all the better for him; I wish him no harm, though he is +the most fastidious gentleman of my acquaintance." + +"Will you listen to me--yes or no?" she asked, impatiently. + +"Why, I am doing so, dear sister." + +"You are really insupportable." + +"Come, do not be angry--I have done; I will not laugh anymore." + +"Have you seen the two Fifties encamped in front of the hatto?" + +"Yes, and I must allow that I was greatly surprised to see them." + +"You will be much more surprised on hearing that my husband is coming +here." + +"He? Impossible, sister! He did not say a word to me about the journey." + +"Because it is secret." + +"Ah, ah!" the young man remarked, with a frown; "And are you sure that +he is coming?" + +"Certain. The person who writes me so was present at his departure, +which no one suspects; the courier who brought me the news, and to whom +the greatest diligence was recommended, is only a few hours ahead of +him." + +"This is, indeed, serious," the young man muttered. + +"What is to be done?" + +"S'death!" the young man replied, carelessly, but gazing fixedly at +Doña Clara--"Welcome him." + +"Oh!" the lady exclaimed, twisting her hands despairingly, "I have been +betrayed--he is coming to avenge himself!" + +"Avenge himself? For what, sister?" + +She gave him a look of strange significance, and then bent over him. + +"I am ruined, brother," she said, in a hollow voice, "for this man +knows everything, and will kill me." + +Don Sancho, in spite of himself, was affected by this sorrow; he adored +his sister, and felt ashamed of the part he was playing at this moment +before her. + +"And I, too, Clara," he said to her, "know everything." + +"You! Oh, you are jesting, brother." + +"No, I am not; I love you, and wish to save you, even if I gave my life +to do so: hence, reassure yourself, and do not fix upon me eyes haggard +with grief." + +"What do you know, in heaven's name?" + +"I know that which probably a traitor, as you called him, has sold to +your husband, that is to say, that you left the hatto, went aboard a +vessel, which conveyed you to Nevis, and there--" + +"Oh! Not a word more, brother," she exclaimed as she fell into his +arms; "you are really well informed, but I swear to you, brother, +in the name of what is most sacred in the world, that, although +appearances condemn me, I am innocent." + +"I know it, sister, and never doubted it; what is your intention, will +you await your husband here?" + +"Never, never! Did I not tell you he would kill me?" + +"What is to be done then?" + +"Fly, fly without delay; at once." + +"But where shall we go?" + +"How do I know? To the cliff or the forest, live among the wild beasts +sooner than remain any longer here." + +"Very good, we will go, I know where to take you." + +"You?" + +"Yes, did I not tell you that sundry accidents happened to me today +while hunting?" + +"So you did; but what has that to do with it?" + +"A great deal," he interrupted; "the Major-domo, who accompanied me, +and I tumbled over an encampment of filibusters." + +"Ah," she said, turning paler than she had been before. + +"Yes, and I intend to conduct you to that encampment; besides, one of +the buccaneers entrusted me with a message for you." + +"What do you mean?" + +"Exactly what I am saying, sister." + +She appeared to reflect for an instant, and then turned resolutely to +the young man. + +"Well, be it so, brother, let us go to those men, though they are +represented as so cruel; perhaps every human feeling has not been +extinguished in their hearts, and they will take pity on me." + +"When shall we go?" + +"As speedily as possible." + +"That is true, but the hatto is probably watched and the soldiers have +doubtless secret orders, you may be a prisoner without suspecting it, +my poor sister; for what other reason would the two Fifties be here?" + +"Oh! In that case I am lost." + +"Perhaps there is one way, and the orders given doubtless only affect +you; but unfortunately the journey will be long, fatiguing, and beset +with numberless perils." + +"What matter, brother? I am strong, do not be anxious about me." + +"Very good, we will try; you are absolutely determined on flight?" + +"Yes, whatever may befall me." + +"Well then, we will put our trust in heaven, wait for me a moment." + +The young man left the room and returned a few minutes later, bearing a +rather large bundle under his arm. + +"Here are my page's clothes, I do not know how they happen to be in +my possession, but my valet probably placed them in my portmanteau by +mistake, for they are new, and I remember that the tailor brought them +home a few minutes before my departure from Saint Domingo, but I thank +accident for causing it to be so. Dress yourself, wrap yourself up +in a cloak, put this hat on your head, I will answer for everything. +Besides, this costume is preferable to your woman's clothes for +crossing the savannah; mind and not forget to place these pistols and +this dagger in your belt, for there is no knowing what may happen." + +"Thanks brother! I shall be ready in a quarter of an hour." + +"Good; during that time I will go and reconnoitre; do not open the door +to anyone but me." + +"You may depend upon me." + +The young man lit a cigarette and left the apartment with the most +careless air he could assume. + +On entering the zaguán, the Count found himself face to face with the +Major-domo. Señor Birbomono had such an anxious look that it did not +escape Don Sancho; still he continued to advance, pretending not to +notice it. + +But the Major-domo came straight up to him. + +"I am glad to meet you, Excellency," he said, "if you had not come +within ten minutes, I should have knocked at the door of your +apartment." + +"Ah!" Don Sancho observed, "What pressing motive was there to urge you +to such a step?" + +"Is your Excellency aware of what is taking place?" the Major-domo +continued, without appearing to notice the young man's ironical tone. + +"What! Is there really anything happening?" + +"Does not your Excellency know it?" + +"Probably not, as I ask you; after all, as the news, I am sure, +interests me but very slightly, you are quite at liberty not to tell it +to me." + +"On the contrary, Excellency, it interests you as well as all the +inhabitants of the hatto." + +"Oh! oh! What is it then?" + +"It appears that the commander of the two Fifties, has placed sentries +all round the hatto." + +"Very good, in that case, we need not fear being attacked by the +buccaneers, of whom you are so afraid, and I will thank the commandant +for it." + +"You are at liberty to do so, Excellency, but I fancy you will find it +difficult." + +"Why so?" + +"Because orders are given to let anyone enter the hatto but nobody +leave it." + +A shudder ran through the young man's veins on hearing this; he turned +frightfully pale, but recovering himself almost immediately, remarked +carelessly, + +"Stuff! that order cannot affect me." + +"Pardon me, Excellency, it is general." + +"In that case, you think that, if I tried to go out--" + +"You would be stopped." + +"Confound it, that is very annoying, not that I have any intention of +going out, but as by my character, I am very fond of doing things which +are prohibited--" + +"You would like to take a walk, I suppose, Excellency?" + +Don Sancho looked at Birbomono, as if trying to read his thoughts. + +"And suppose such were my intention?" he resumed presently. + +"I would undertake to get you out." + +"You?" + +"Yes, I; am I not the Major-domo of the hatto?" + +"That is true; thus, the prohibition does not extend to you?" + +"To me, as to the rest, Excellency; but the soldiers do not know the +hatto as I know; I could Slip between their fingers, whenever I liked." + +"I have strong inclination to try it." + +"Do so, Excellency; I have three horses at a spot where no one but +myself could find them." + +"Why, three horses?" the young man asked, pricking up his ears. + +"Because, doubtless, you do not wish to ride with me only, but will +take someone with you." + +Don Sancho, understanding that the Major-domo had penetrated his +thoughts, made up his mind at once. + +"Let us play fairly," he said, "can you be faithful." + +"I am so, and devoted too, Excellency, as you have a proof." + +"What assures me that you are not laying a trap for me?" + +"With what object?" + +"That of obtaining a reward from the Count." + +"No, Excellency, no reward would induce me to betray my mistress; I may +be anything you please, but I love Doña Clara, who has always been kind +to me, and has often protected me." + +"I am willing to believe you, and indeed have no time to discuss the +point, but here are my conditions: a bullet through the head if you +betray me, a thousand piastres if you are faithful; do you accept them?" + +"I do, Excellency, the thousand piastres are gained." + +"You know that I do not threaten in vain." + +"I know you." + +"Very good, what must we do?" + +"Follow me, that is all; our flight will be most easy, for I prepared +everything on my return; I had my suspicions on seeing those demons +of soldiers, suspicions which were soon changed into certainty, after +some skilful inquiries here and there; my devotion to my mistress +rendered me clear sighted, and you see that I acted wisely in taking my +precautions." + +The accent with which the Major-domo pronounced these words, had such a +stamp of truth, his face was so frank and open, that the young Count's +last suspicions were dissipated. + +"Wait for me," he said, "I will go and fetch my sister." + +And he hurried away. + +"Oh!" said Birbomono, with a grin, so soon as he was alone, "I do not +know whether Señor don Stenio de Bejar will be pleased at seeing his +wife escape in this way, when he felt so certain of holding her; poor +señora! She is so good to us all, that it would be infamous to betray +her, and then, after all, this is a good deed which brings me one +thousand piastres," he added, rubbing his hands, "that is a very decent +amount." + +It was about eleven o'clock at night, all the lights in the hatto +were extinguished by orders of the Major-domo, who had provided for +everything; the slaves had been dismissed to their huts, and a solemn +silence brooded over the landscape, a silence solely interrupted at +regular intervals, by the sentries who challenged each other in a +monotonous voice. + +Don Sancho soon returned, accompanied by his sister, wrapped up like +himself, in a long mantle. + +Doña Clara did not speak, but on joining the Major-domo, she +gracefully held out her right hand to him, on which he respectfully +impressed his lips. + +Although the officers had told the soldiers to keep a good guard, and +watch carefully, not only the hatto, but its environs, the latter, +slightly reassured by the darkness on one hand, and on the other, +by the gloomy and mysterious depths of the forests that surrounded +them, stood motionless behind the trees, contenting themselves with +responding to the challenge, every half hour, but not venturing to go +even a few yards from the shelter they had chosen. + +The reasons for this apparent cowardice, were simple, and although we +have explained them, we will repeat them here, for the sake of greater +clearness. + +In the early times of the buccaneers landing on Saint Domingo, the +Fifties sent by the governor in pursuit of them, were armed with +muskets; but after several encounters with the French, in which the +latter gave them an awful thrashing, their terror of the adventurers +became so great that, whenever they were sent on an expedition against +these men, whom they almost regarded as demons, no sooner did they +enter the forests, or the mountain gorges, or even the savannahs, where +they might suppose the buccaneers to be ambushed, than they began +to fire their pieces right and left, for the purpose of warning the +enemies, and inducing them to withdraw. + +The result of this clever manoeuvre was that the adventurers, thus +warned, decamped in reality, and thus became intangible; the governor +noticing this result, eventually guessed its cause, and hence, in order +to avoid such a thing in future, he took the muskets away from the +soldiers and substituted lances. This change, let us hasten to add, was +not at all to the liking of these brave soldiers, who thus saw their +ingenious scheme foiled, and were even more exposed to the blows of +their formidable enemies. + +It was almost without being obliged to take any other precaution than +that of walking noiselessly and not speaking, that the Major-domo and +the two persons he served as guide, succeeded in quitting the hatto on +the opposite side to that on which the Fifties had established their +bivouac. + +Once the line of sentries was passed, the fugitives hurried on more +rapidly, and soon reached a thicket in the midst of which three fully +accoutred horses were so thoroughly hidden that unless known to be +there, it would have been impossible to find them; for a greater +precaution, and to prevent them from neighing, the Major-domo had +fastened a cord round their nostrils. + +So soon as the three were mounted, and before starting, Birbomono +turned to Don Sancho,-- + +"Where are we going, Excellency?" he asked. + +"Do you know the spot where the buccaneers we met today are +bivouacked?" the young man replied. + +"Yes, Excellency." + +"Do you think you could succeed in finding the bivouac in the midst of +the darkness?" + +The Major-domo smiled. + +"Nothing is more easy," he said. + +"In that case lead us to those men." + +"Very good; but, Excellency, be good enough not press your horse on at +present, for we are still near the house, and the slightest imprudence +would be sufficient to give an alarm." + +"Do you think, then, that they would venture to pursue us?" + +"Separately, certainly not; but as they are so numerous, they would +not hesitate; the less so, because from what I heard them say, they +feel certain that the buccaneers have never come into these parts. This +redoubles their bravery, and they would perhaps not be sorry to furnish +a proof of it at our expense." + +"Excellent reasoning; regulate our pace, therefore, as you think +proper, and we will only act in accordance with your judgment." + +They set out; with the exception of the precautions they were obliged +to take not to be discovered, the journey had nothing disagreeable +about it, on a bright and perfumed night, beneath a sky studded with +brilliant stars, and in the midst of a most delightful scenery, whose +slightest diversities the transparency of the atmosphere allowed to be +seen. + +After an hour spent in a moderate trot, their pace became insensibly +more rapid, and the horses growing gradually more excited, eventually +broke into a gallop, at which their riders kept them for a considerable +period. + +Doña Clara bent over her horse's neck, and with her eyes eagerly fixed +ahead, seemed to upbraid the slowness of this ride, which, however, had +assumed the headlong speed of a pursuit: at times she leant over to her +brother, who constantly kept by her side, and asked him in a choking +voice-- + +"Shall we soon arrive?" + +"Yes, have patience, sister," the young man said, suppressing a sigh of +pity for the agony which preyed on his sister's heart. + +And their pace grew more rapid than ever. + +The stars were already expiring in the heavens, the atmosphere was +growing refreshed, the horizon was striped by long mother-o'-pearl +coloured bands, a light sea breeze brought up to the travellers its +alkaline odours, and the night had passed. Suddenly, at the moment +when the three riders were about to emerge from a thick wood, in which +they had been following a track made by the wild cattle for nearly an +hour, the Major-domo, who was a few yards ahead, pulled up his horse +and leant back. + +"Stop, in Heaven's name!" he exclaimed, in a low voice. + +The young couple obeyed, though they did not comprehend this order. + +The Major-domo went up to them. + +"Look!" he muttered, and stretched out his arm toward the savannah. + +A rapid gallop, that drew nearer every second, but which the noise of +their own march had prevented them from hearing, now smote their ears, +and almost at the same moment they saw through the screen of foliage +which hid them from sight, several horsemen pass as if borne along by a +hurricane. + +A branch struck off the hat of one of the riders as he passed. + +"Don Stenio!" Doña Clara exclaimed in horror. + +"Zounds!" Don Sancho said, "We were just in time." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +EVENTS ACCUMULATE. + + +The horsemen had continued their wild course without perceiving the +fugitives: one of them, indeed, at the cry uttered by Doña Clara, had +made a gesture as if to stop his steed, but doubtless supposing that +he had been mistaken, he followed his companions after a moment's +hesitation, which was very fortunate for him, as Don Sancho had already +drawn a pistol, with the resolution of blowing out his brains. + +For some minutes the fugitives remained motionless, anxiously listening +to the galloping of the horses, whose sound rapidly retired, and was +soon lost in the distance, when it became confounded with the other +noises of the night. + +Then they breathed again, and Don Sancho put back in his holster the +pistol which he had held in his hand up to this moment. + +"Hum!" he muttered; "Only the thickness of a bush saved us from being +discovered." + +"Heaven be thanked!" Doña Clara said; "We are saved!" + +"That is to say, my little sister, we are not caught," the young man +replied, incapable of maintaining his seriousness for five minutes, +however grave circumstances might be. + +"They are going at a tremendous pace," the Major-domo now remarked; "we +have nothing more to fear from them." + +"In that case, let us be off," Don Sancho replied. + +"Yes, yes, let us go," Doña Clara murmured. + +They dashed out of the thicket which had offered them so sure a +protection, and entered the plain. + +The sky became lighter every moment; and although the sun was still +beneath the horizon, its influence was beginning to be felt. Nature +appeared to shake off her nocturnal sleep; some birds were already +awake under the soft leaves, and preluding, by soft twittering, their +matin chant; the dark outlines of savage animals bounded through the +tall dew-laden grass; and the birds of prey, expanding their mighty +wings, rose high in æther, as if they wished to go and meet the sun, +and salute its advent: in a word, it was no longer night, without being +fully day. + +"Ah! What I do see at the foot of that mound?" Don Sancho suddenly said. + +"Where?" Birbomono asked. + +"There, straight in front of us." + +The Major-domo placed his hands over his eyes, and looked attentively. + +"_¡Viva Dios!_" he exclaimed, at the end of a moment, "It is a man!" + +"A man?" + +"On my word, yes, Excellency; and, as far as I can distinguish at this +distance, a Carib savage." + +"Zounds! What is he doing on that mound?" + +"We shall be able to assure ourselves of that more easily directly, +unless he thinks proper to keep out of our way." + +"Well, let us go to him, in Heaven's name." + +"Brother," Doña Clara objected, "what is the use of lengthening our +journey, when we are so hurried?" + +"That is true," the young man said. + +"Reassure yourself, señora," the Major-domo observed; "that hillock is +exactly on the road we must follow, and we cannot help passing it." + +Doña Clara said no more, and the trio set out again. + +They soon reached the mound, which they ascended at a gallop. + +The Carib had not quitted the spot, but the riders stopped in stupor on +perceiving that he was not alone. + +The Indian, kneeling on the ground, appearing to be attending to a man +stretched out before him, and who was beginning to regain his senses. + +"Fray Arsenio!" Doña Clara exclaimed at the sight of this man. "Great +Heavens! He is dead!" + +"No," the Indian answered in a gentle voice, as he turned to her, "but +he has been most horribly tortured." + +"He! Tortured?" his hearers exclaimed, unanimously. + +"Look at his hands," the Carib continued. + +The Spaniards uttered a cry of horror and pity at the sight of the poor +monk's bleeding and swollen thumbs. + +"Oh, it is frightful!" they murmured, sadly. + +"Wretch," Don Sancho said in his indignation, "you have brought him to +this state!" + +The Carib shrugged his shoulders disdainfully. + +"The paleface is mad!" he replied; "My brothers do not torture the +chiefs of prayer--they respect them. White men, like himself, have +inflicted this atrocious punishment upon him." + +"Explain yourself, in Heaven's name," Doña Clara continued; "how is it +that we find this worthy monk here in such a pitiable state?" + +"It will be better to let him explain himself when he has regained his +senses. Omopoua knows but little." + +"That is true," Doña Clara said, as she dismounted and knelt by the +side of the wounded man. "Poor fellow! What frightful suffering he must +be enduring." + +"Can you not tell us anything, then?" Don Sancho asked. + +"Almost nothing," the chief replied, "this is all that I know." + +And he narrated in what way the monk had been confided to him, and how +he had served as his guide, till they met the white men, when the monk +discharged him for the purpose of joining them. + +"But," he added, "I know not why, some secret foreboding seemed to +warn me not to leave him: hence, instead of going away I hid myself in +the shrubs, and witnessed, unseen, the tortures they had him undergo, +while insisting on his revealing to them a secret, which he refused to +divulge. Conquered by his constancy, they at length abandoned him half +dead. Then I rushed from my hiding place, and flew to his help. That is +all I know; I am a chief, I have no forked tongue, and a falsehood has +never sullied the lips of Omopoua." + +"Forgive me, Chief, the improper language I used at the first moment; I +was blinded by anger and sorrow," said Don Sancho, holding out his hand. + +"The paleface is young," the chief replied with a smile; "his tongue +moves more quickly than his heart;" then he took the hand so frankly +offered him, and pressed it cordially. + +"Oh, oh!" the Major-domo said, with a shake of his head, and leaning +over to Don Sancho's ear, "If I am not greatly mistaken, Don Stenio is +mixed up in this affair." + +"It is not possible," Don Sancho replied, with horror. + +"You do not know your brother-in-law, Excellency; his is a weak nature, +and all such are cruel; believe me, I am certain of what I state." + +"No, no, it would be too frightful." + +"Good Heaven," Doña Clara said, at this moment, "we cannot remain here +any longer, and yet I should not like to abandon the poor man." + +"Let us take him with us," Don Sancho quickly remarked. + +"But will his wounds permit him to endure the fatigue of a long ride?" + +"We are almost at our journey's end," the Major-domo said, and then, +turning to the Carib, added-- + +"We are going to the bivouac of the two buccaneers, who were hunting on +the savannah yesterday." + +"Very good;" said the chief, "I will lead the palefaces by a narrow +road, and they will arrive ere the sun reaches the edges of the +horizon." + +Doña Clara and her brother remounted. The monk was cautiously placed in +front of the Major-domo, and the small party set out again at a foot +pace, under the guidance of the Carib chief. + +Poor Fray Arsenio gave no other signs of existence but deep sighs, +which at intervals heaved his chest, and stifled groans torn from him +by suffering. + +At the end of three quarters of an hour they reached the boucan, by the +near cut, which Omopoua indicated to them. + +It was empty, but not deserted, as was proved by the bull hides, still +stretched out on the ground, and held down by pegs, and the boucaned +meat suspended from the forks of the branches. + +The adventurers were probably away, hunting. + +The travellers were considerably annoyed by this contretemps, but +Omopoua relieved them of their embarrassment. + +"The palefaces need not be anxious," he said, "the chief will warn his +friends, the white _franiis_--in their absence the paler faces can use, +without fear, everything they find here." + +And, joining example to precept, the Carib prepared a bed of dry +leaves, which he covered with skins, and, with the Major-domo's aid, +carefully laid the wounded man upon it; then he lit a fire, and after, +for the last time repeating to the fugitives the assurance that they +had nothing to fear, he went off, gliding like a snake through the tall +grass. + +The Major-domo, who was tolerably well acquainted with the manners of +the adventurers, with whom he had had some relations, though always +against his will, for, brave though he was, or boasted of being, +they inspired him with a superstitious terror--reassured the others +as to their position, by declaring to them, that hospitality was so +sacred with the buccaneers, that, if they were their most inveterate +foes instead of quasi guests, as they had only come on their formal +invitation, they would have nothing to apprehend from them. + +In the meanwhile, thanks to the attention which Doña Clara had not +ceased to bestow on him, the poor monk had returned to his senses. +Although very weak at first, he gradually regained sufficient +strength to impart to Doña Clara all that happened to him since their +separation. This narration, whose conclusion coincided in the minutest +details with that previously made by the Carib, plunged Doña Clara +into a state of stupefaction, which soon changed into horror, when she +reflected on the terrible dangers that menaced her. + +In truth, what help could she expect? Who would dare to protect +her against her husband, whose high position and omnipotence would +annihilate every effort she might make to escape from his vengeance. + +"Courage," the monk murmured, with a tender commiseration, "courage, +my daughter, above man there is God. Have confidence in Him; He will +not abandon you: and if everything fail you, He will come to your +assistance, and interfere in your favour." + +Doña Clara, in spite of her perfect faith in the power of Providence, +only replied to this consolation by tears and sobs; she felt herself +condemned. + +Don Sancho was hurriedly walking up and down in the front of the +ajoupa, twisting his moustache, stamping his foot passionately, and +revolving in his head the maddest projects. + +"Bah," he muttered, at last, "if that demon will not listen to reason, +I will blow out his brains, and that will settle everything." + +And highly pleased at having, after so many vain researches, discovered +this expeditious mode of saving his sister from the violence, which the +desire of vengeance would probably suggest to Don Stenio, the young man +lit a cigarette, and patiently awaited the return of the buccaneers, +feeling now quite calm and perfectly reassured about the future. + +The Major-domo, who was almost indifferent as to what was going on +around him, and delighted with the hope of the promised thousand +piastres, had turned the time to a good use. Reflecting that on their +return, the buccaneers, doubtless, would not be sorry to find their +breakfast ready, he had placed in front of the fire an iron pot, in +which he placed an enormous lump of meat, to boil, with a reasonable +quantity of water; in lieu of bread, he had thrust several ignamas +under the ashes, and then busied himself with preparing the pimentado, +that absolutely necessary sauce for every buccaneer meal. + +The fugitives had held possession of the boucan for nearly an hour and +a half, when they heard furious barking, and some twenty dogs rushed +howling toward them: but a sharp, though still distant whistle recalled +them, and they went off again as quickly as they had come. + +A few minutes later, the Spaniards perceived the two buccaneers; they +were running up with a surprising speed, although both bore a load +weighing upwards of a hundredweight, and were in addition embarrassed +by their weapons and hunting equipment. + +Their first care, on arriving at the boucan, was to throw on the ground +the eight or ten fresh bull hides, till reeking with blood and grease, +which they brought, and they then advanced toward the strangers, who, +on their side, had risen to receive them. + +The dogs, as if they had understood that they must maintain a strict +neutrality, were lying on the grass, but kept their flashing eyes fixed +on the Spaniards, probably ready to spring at their throat upon the +first signal. + +"You are welcome at the ajoupa," Lepoletais said, doffing his hat with +a politeness that could hardly have been expected on seeing his rough +appearance. "So long as you like to remain here, you will be regarded +as our brothers; whatever we possess is yours, dispose of it as you +think proper, as well as of our arms, should an occasion offer for you +to demand our help." + +"I thank you in the name of my companions, caballero, and accept your +kind proposal," Doña Clara answered. + +"A woman!" Lepoletais exclaimed, in surprise, "Pardon me, Madam, for +not recognizing you at once." + +"I am, caballero, Doña Clara de Bejar, to whom, as I was informed, you +have a letter to deliver." + +"In that case doubly welcome, madam; as for the note in question, I +have not the charge of it, but my comrade." + +"Zounds," L'Olonnais exclaimed, who had gone up to the wounded man, +"Omopoua certainly told us that this poor devil of a monk had been +almost dismasted, but I did not expect to find him in so pitiable a +state." + +"Well," Lepoletais remarked with a frown, "I am not a very religious +man, but hang me if I should not hesitate to treat a monk in this way; +only a pagan is capable of committing such a crime." + +Then, with a truly filial attention, which the Spaniards admired, the +rude adventurer set to work, offering some relief to the wounded man's +intolerable sufferings, in which he entirely succeeded, owing to a long +practice in treating wounds of every description, and Fray Arsenio soon +fell into an invigorating sleep. + +During this time L'Olonnais had handed to Doña Clara the letter +which Montbarts had entrusted to him for her, and the young lady had +withdrawn a little for the purpose of reading it. + +"Come, come," L'Olonnais said gaily, as he tapped the Major-domo's +shoulder, "that is what I call a sensible lad, he has thought of the +substantials; breakfast is ready." + +"If that be the case," Lepoletais said, with a significant wink to his +comrade; "we will eat double tides, for we shall have work before long." + +"Shall we not wait the return of the Indian chief?" Don Sancho asked. + +"For what purpose?" L'Olonnais said, with a laugh. "Do not trouble +yourself about him, my gentleman: he is a long way off if he is still +running. Each of us has his work cut out for him." + +"I don't care!" Lepoletais remarked. "You had a deuced fine scent, +Señor, in responding to our invitation so quickly!" + +"Why so?" + +"You will soon know. But now take my advice--recruit your strength by +eating." + +At this moment Doña Clara rejoined the party. Her demeanour was firmer, +and her face almost gay. + +The table was soon laid--leaves serving for plates. They sat down to +it, that is to say, they formed a circle on the ground, and bravely +assailed the provisions. + +Don Sancho had resumed all his gaiety. This life appeared to him +delightful, and he laughed heartily, while eating with a good appetite. +Doña Clara herself, in spite of her inward preoccupation, did honour +to this improvised banquet. + +"Up! my darlings," Lepoletais had said to his dogs. "Tally ho! No +idleness, but go and watch the approaches while we are breakfasting. +Your share shall be kept." + +The dogs had risen with admirable obedience, and turning their backs on +the boucans, scattered in all directions, and speedily disappeared. + +"Yours are first-rate dogs," said Don Sancho. + +"You Spaniards are good judges of that," the buccaneer replied, +mockingly. + +The gentleman felt the sting, and did not deem it advisable to dwell +on the subject. In fact, it was at Saint Domingo that the Spaniards +inaugurated the frightful custom of training bloodhounds to hunt the +Indians, and employing them as auxiliaries in their wars. + +The breakfast was concluded without any fresh incident worthy of +remark, and the most perfect cordiality prevailed during the repast. + +When the masters had finished, it was the turn of the servants; that +is to say, L'Olonnais whistled up the dogs, which in an instant were +collected round him, and gave them their share in equal portions. + +The buccaneers, leaving their guests, and at liberty to employ their +time as they thought proper, were soon actively busied in preparing +their hides. + +Several hours passed in this way. About three in the afternoon a dog +barked, and then held its tongue. + +We have forgotten to state that, after their meal, the dogs returned to +their posts at a signal from the engagé. + +The two buccaneers exchanged a glance. + +"One!" said L'Olonnais. + +"Two!" Lepoletais almost immediately answered on a second bark, which +broke out in a different direction. + +Ere long, like an electric current, the challenges of the hounds +succeeded each other with extreme rapidity, raised in all directions. + +Still, nothing seemed to justify these warnings given by the sentries. +No suspicious sound could be heard, and the savannah seemed to be +plunged into the most perfect solitude. + +"I beg your pardon, caballero," Don Sancho said to Lepoletais, who +continued his task with the same ardor, while laughing merrily with his +comrade; "but will you permit me to ask you a question?" + +"Do so, do so, my good gentleman. It is at times well to ask questions: +besides, if the question does not suit me, I shall be at liberty not to +answer it, I suppose?" + +"Oh! Of course." + +"In that case, speak without fear." + +"For some minutes past your dogs seem to have been giving you +signals--or, at least, I suppose so?" + +"You suppose right, caballero. They are really signals." + +"And would there be any indiscretion in asking you the meaning of the +signals?" + +"Not the least in the world, señor, especially as they interest you +quite as much as us." + +"I do not understand you." + +"You will soon do so. These signals signify that the savannah is at +this moment invaded by several Fifties, which are manoeuvring to +surround us." + +"_¡Diablos!_" the young man exclaimed, with a start of surprise: "And +you do not feel more affected than that?" + +"Why anticipate anxiety? My comrade and I had a pressing job which we +were obliged to finish. Now that it is done, we are going to turn our +attention to the señores." + +"But we cannot possibly resist so many enemies?" + +"Ah! Ah! Do you really feel inclined for a brush?" + +"S'death! My sister and I are incurring quite as much danger as you, +and we have not a minute to lose in attempting flight." + +"Flight?" the buccaneer said, with a grin; "Nonsense! You must be +laughing, my gentleman: we are enclosed in an impassable circle--or +what looks so." + +"In that case, we are lost." + +"How you go on! On the contrary, they are lost." + +"They? Why, we are only four against a hundred." + +"You are mistaken. There are two hundred; and that makes fifty for each +of us. Call in the dogs, L'Olonnais; they are now useless. Stay! Look +there; can you see them?" + +And he stretched his arm out straight ahead. + +In fact, the long lances of the Spanish soldiers appeared above the +tall grass. Lepoletais had told the truth. These lances formed a +circle, which was being more and more contracted round the boucan. + +"Come! That is rather neat," the buccaneer added, as he affectionately +tapped the butt of his long fusil. + +"Señora," he added, "keep by the side of the wounded man." + +"Oh! Let me give myself up," she exclaimed, frantically. "It is on my +account that this terrible danger menaces you." + +"Señora," the buccaneer replied, as he struck his chest with a gesture +of supreme majesty; "you are under the safeguard of my honour, and I +swear by Heaven, that no one, so long as I live, shall dare to lay a +finger upon you! Go to the wounded man." + +Involuntarily subdued by the accent with which the buccaneer uttered +these words, Doña Clara bowed without replying, and pensively seated +herself inside the ajoupa, by the side of Fray Arsenio, who was still +asleep. + +"Now, caballero," Lepoletais said to Don Sancho, "if you have never +been present at a buccaneering expedition, I promise you you are going +to see some fun, and enjoy yourself." + +"Well," the young man replied, recklessly; "I will fight, if I must. It +is a glorious death for a gentleman, to die sword in hand!" + +"Come," said the buccaneer, as he gave him a friendly tap on the +shoulder; "you are a fine lad. Something can be made of you." + +The Fifties still approached, and the circle grew more and more +contracted. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +THE EXTERMINATOR. + + +For some minutes a mournful silence--a complete calm, which, however, +was loaded with menace, hung heavily over the savannah. + +At a whistle from the engagé, the dogs ranged themselves behind their +masters, with heads down, lips drawn back to display their sharp teeth, +and flashing eyes, they awaited the order to rush forward, though +without giving the slightest bark or growl. + +L'Olonnais, leaning on his long fusil, was smoking his pipe quietly, +while casting sarcastic glances around. + +Lepoletais occupied himself with the utmost order in arranging various +articles which had been deranged during his morning's operations. + +The Major-domo, though in his heart he felt very anxious as to the +result of this apparently so disproportionate combat, was obliged to +grin and bear it--to use a familiar expression; for he was aware that +if he fell into the hands of his master, he had no mercy to expect +from him, after the manner in which he had thwarted his projects, by +favouring the flight of the Countess. + +Don Sancho de Peñaflor, in spite of his natural levity and warlike +character, was not without anxiety either, for, as an officer of the +Spanish army, his place was not in the ranks of the buccaneers, but +with the soldiers who were preparing to attack them. + +Doña Clara, kneeling by the side of the monk, with clasped hands, +eyes raised to heaven, and face inundated with tears, was fervently +imploring the protection of the Almighty. + +As for Fray Arsenio, he was quietly sleeping. + +Such was the picturesque aspect, imposing in its simplicity, offered +at this moment by the camp of the adventurers. Four men were preparing +coolly, and as if for the mere fun of the thing, to contend against +upwards of two hundred regular troops, from whom they knew that they +had no quarter to expect, but whom their insane resistance would +probably exasperate, and urge to measures of cruel violence. + +In the meanwhile the circle was more and more contracted, and the heads +of the soldiers were already beginning to appear above the tall grass. + +"Ah, ah!" said Lepoletais, rubbing his horney hands together with an +air of triumph--"I fancy it is time to open the ball; what do you say, +my boy?" + +"Yes, this is the right moment," the engagé replied, as he went to +fetch a log from the fire. + +"Mind not to stir from the spot where you are," Lepoletais recommended +the two Spaniards: "zounds! pay attention to this, or you will run a +risk of having your goose cooked," and he laid a stress on the last +words, with an evidently sarcastic meaning. + +The buccaneers, before establishing their bivouac, had pulled up the +grass for a distance of about thirty paces all around the ajoupa; this +grass, dried and calcined by the heat of the sun, had been piled up at +the border of the cleared ground. + +The engagé laid down his fusil, walked straight to this grass, set it +on fire, and then slowly returned to rejoin his companions. + +The effect of this manoeuvre was instantaneous, a jet of flame suddenly +burst out, spread in all directions, and soon a large portion of the +savannah presented the appearance of a vast furnace. + +The buccaneers laughed heartily at what they considered an excellent +joke. + +The Spaniards, taken unawares, uttered cries of terror, and rapidly +recoiled, pursued by the flame, which constantly spread, and +continually advanced toward them. + +Still, it was evident that the adventurers had no intention of +burning the unfortunate Spaniards alive; the fire lit by them had not +sufficient consistency for that; the grass burned and went out again +with extreme rapidity. Doubtless the sole result that the buccaneers +had wished to obtain, was to cause a panic terror to their enemies, +and cast disorder among them; and in this they had been perfectly +successful. + +The soldiers, half roasted by the flames, fled, uttering cries of +terror before this sea of fire, which seemed incessantly to pursue +them, without thinking of looking back, or obeying their officers, and +having but one thought, escaping the terrible danger that menaced them. + +While this was going on Lepoletais coolly explained to Don Sancho the +probable results of the expedient he had employed. + +"You see, Señor," he said, "this blaze is nothing; it is an almost +inoffensive straw fire; in a few minutes, or half an hour at the +latest, it will be extinguished. If these men are cowards we shall have +got rid of them, if not, they will return, and then the affair will be +serious." + +"But, as you recognize the inefficiency of this means, why did you +employ it? In my opinion it is more injurious than usual to our +defence." + +The buccaneer shook his head several times. + +"You do not understand," he said; "I had several motives for acting +thus. In the first place, however brave you may suppose your countrymen +to be, they are now demoralised, and it will be very difficult to +restore them the courage they no longer possess; on the other hand, +I was not sorry to see clearly around me, and sweep the savannah a +little, and lastly," he added, with a cunning look, "who told you that +the fire I lighted was not a signal?" + +"A signal?" Don Sancho exclaimed; "Then you have friends near here?" + +"Who knows? Señor, my companions are very active, and are frequently +met with when least expected." + +"I confess that I do not understand a word of what you are saying to +me." + +"Patience, Señor, patience! You will soon understand, I assure you, +and will not require any great effort of the intellect to do so. +L'Olonnais," he added, turning to his comrade, "I think you had better +go down there now." + +"That is true," L'Olonnais replied, as he carelessly threw his fusil +over his shoulder, "he will be expecting me." + +"Take some of the dogs with you." + +"What for?" + +"To guide you, my lad; it is not easy now to find one's way through the +ashes, for all the trails are covered." + +The engagé called several dogs by their name, and went off without +replying, followed by a portion of the pack. + +"There," Lepoletais continued, pointing to the engagé, who seemed to be +running, as he went at such a pace, "just look at that fellow, he is a +fine chap, eh? And how he behaves, though he has not been more than two +months in America; in three years from this time I predict to you that +he will be one of our most celebrated adventurers." + +"Did you buy him?" Don Sancho asked, though but little interested in +details which had no importance for him. + +"Unluckily, no, he has only been lent to me for a few days; he is +the engagé of Montbarts the Exterminator: I offered him two hundred +piastres for him, but he refused to sell him." + +"What?" the young man exclaimed--"Montbarts, the celebrated filibuster?" + +"The very man; he is a friend of mine." + +"In that case he is close at hand?" + +"That, Señor, is one of the things which you will learn shortly." + +As the buccaneer had foreseen, the fire went out almost as quickly as +it blazed up, for want of aliment on this savannah, where only grass +and a few insignificant shrubs grew. + +The Spaniards had sought shelter on the banks of the stream, whose +barren sand preserved them from contact with the fire. The forests, +too remote from the scene of the fire, had not caught, although a few +tongues of flame had played round their edge. + +From the boucan it was easy to perceive the Spanish officers striving +to restore some degree of order among their troops, doubtless for the +purpose of attempting a new attack, although Lepoletais did not appear +at all alarmed. Among the officers one was especially remarkable; he +was on horseback, and was taking immense trouble to form the ranks, and +the other officers came up in turn to receive his orders. + +This officer Don Sancho recognized at the first glance. + +"This is what I feared," he muttered; "the Count has placed himself at +the head of the expedition, and we are lost." + +In truth, it was Don Stenio de Bejar, who, on arriving at the hatto at +daybreak, and learning the flight of the Countess, resolved to command +the expedition. + +The position of the adventurers was critical, reduced as they were +to three, encamped in the middle of a bare plain, and without +entrenchments of any description. Still, the confidence of the +buccaneer did not seem diminished, and it was with an ironical air that +he examined the preparations the enemy was making against him. + +The Spaniards, formed again with great difficulty by the energy of +their officers, at last started, and proceeded once more toward the +boucan, while taking the same precautions as before, that is to say, +being careful to extend their front, so as to form a complete circle, +and entirely surround the encampment. + +But the march of the Fifties was slow and measured; it was only with +extreme caution that the soldiers ventured on this scarcely cooled +ground, which might conceal fresh snares. + +The Count, pointing to the boucan with his sword, in vain excited his +troops to press on, and finish with this handful of scoundrels who +dared to oppose His Majesty's troops; the soldiers would not listen, +and only advanced with greater caution, for the calmness and apparent +negligence of their enemies frightened them more than a hostile +demonstration, and must, in their opinion, be owing to some terrible +trap laid for them. + +At this moment the situation was complicated by a strange episode; a +canoe crossed the stream, and ran ashore exactly at the spot which the +Spaniards had quitted only a few minutes previously. + +This canoe contained five persons, three adventurers, and two Spaniards. + +The adventurers stepped ashore as calmly as if they; were quite alone, +and pushing the two Spaniards before them, advanced resolutely toward +the soldiers. + +The latter, astonished, confounded at such audacity, watched them +coming without daring to make a movement to oppose them. + +These three adventurers were Montbarts, Michael the Basque, and +L'Olonnais, and seven or eight dogs followed them. The two Spaniards +walked unarmed in front of them, being alarmed about their fate, as was +proved by the pallor of their faces, and the startled glances which +they threw around them. + +The Count, on perceiving the adventurers, uttered a cry of rage, and +bounded with uplifted sword to meet them. + +"Down with the ladrones!" he cried. + +The soldiers, ashamed of being held in check by three men, wheeled +round, and boldly advanced. + +The adventurers were surrounded in an instant; but, without displaying +the slightest surprise at this manoeuvre, they also halted, and +standing shoulder to shoulder, faced all sides at once. + +The soldiers instinctively stopped. + +"Death!" the Count cried; "No mercy for the ladrones!" + +"Silence," Montbarts replied; "before menacing, listen to the news +these two couriers bring you." + +"Seize these villains!" the Count yelled again. "Kill them like dogs!" + +"Nonsense," Montbarts remarked, ironically; "you are mad, my worthy +sir. Seize us! Why, I defy you to do it." + +The three adventurers then emptied their powder flasks into their caps, +and placed their bullets on the top of it; then, holding in one hand +their caps thus converted into grenades, and in the other their lighted +pipes, they waited for the signal. + +"Attention, brothers," Montbarts said; "and you scoundrels, make way, +there, unless you wish us to blow you all up." + +And with a firm and measured step the three adventurers advanced toward +the Spaniards, who were struck with terror, and really opened their +ranks to make a passage for them. + +"Oh!" Montbarts added, with a laugh, "Do not fear that we shall attempt +to fly; we only want to join our comrades." + +Then was witnessed the extraordinary scene of two hundred men timidly +following at a respectful distance three filibusters, who, while +walking and smoking to keep their pipes from going out, did not cease +from jeering them for their cowardice. + +Lepoletais was quite wild with delight: as for Don Sancho, he did +not know whether to feel most astonished at the mad temerity of the +French, or the cowardice of his countrymen. + +The three adventurers thus most easily effected their junction with +their companions without having been once disturbed by the Spaniards +during a rather long walk. In spite of the prayers and exhortations of +the Count to his soldiers, the only thing he obtained from them was, +that they continued to advance instead of retreating, as they had a +manifest intention of doing. + +But, while the adventurers thus drew the soldiers after them, and +concentrated their entire attention, a thing was happening which the +Count perceived when too late, and which began to cause him serious +alarm as to the result of his expedition. + +In the rear of the centre formed by the Spanish soldiers, another +circle had been drawn up as if by enchantment, but the latter was +composed of buccaneers and red Caribs, at whose head Omopoua made +himself remarkable. + +The adventurers and Indians had manoeuvred with so much intelligence, +vivacity, and silence, that the Spaniards were enveloped in a network +of steel, even before they had suspected the danger that menaced them. + +The Count uttered an exclamation of rage, to which the soldiers +responded by a cry of terror. + +The situation was, in fact, extremely critical for the unhappy +Spaniards, and unless a miracle occurred, it was literally impossible +for them to escape death. + +In fact they had no longer to contend against a few men, resolute, it +is true, but whom numbers must eventually conquer, even at a sacrifice; +the filibusters were at least two hundred, and with their allies the +Caribs, formed an effective strength of five hundred men, all as brave +lions, and three hundred more than the Spaniards; the latter understood +that they were lost. + +On arriving at the boucan, directly that he had squeezed Lepoletais' +hand and complimented him on the way in which he had contrived to +gain time, Montbarts gravely occupied himself with his comrades, in +restoring the powder and bullets to their respective receptacles, as he +probably judged that their caps might now be used for their legitimate +purpose. + +While the filibuster was engaged in this occupation, Doña Clara, pale +as a corpse, fixed on him burning glances, though she did not venture +to approach him. At length she took courage, advanced a few paces and +murmured with an effort in a trembling voice and with clasped hands,-- + +"I am here, sir." + +Montbarts trembled at the sound of this voice, and turned pale; but he +made an effort over himself and softened the rather hard expression of +his eye. + +"I have come solely on your account, Madam," he replied with a polite +bow; "I shall have the honour of placing myself at your orders in +a moment; permit me first to make sure that our interview will be +uninterrupted." + +Doña Clara hung her head and returned to her seat by the wounded man. + +The adventurers had continued to advance and were soon scarce ten paces +from the Spaniards, whose terror was augmented by this disagreeable +vicinity. + +"Hola, brothers!" Montbarts shouted in a powerful voice; "Halt, if you +please." + +The filibusters instantaneously became motionless. + +"And now, you fellows," the Admiral continued, addressing the soldiers; +"throw down your arms, unless you wish to be immediately shot." + +All the lances and swords fell on the ground with a unanimity which +proved the desire of the soldiers not to have the menace carried into +effect. + +"Surrender your sword, sir," Montbarts said to the Count. + +"Never!" the latter exclaimed, as he made his horse curvet, and +advanced with upraised blade on the adventurer, from whom he was only +three paces distant. + +At the same instant a fusil was discharged and the sword blade, struck +within an inch of the guard, was shivered; the Count found himself +disarmed. With a sudden movement Montbarts seized the horse's bridle +with one hand, and with the other hurled the Count from the saddle and +laid him prostrate on the ground. + +"Patatras!" Lepoletais said laughingly, while reloading his fusil; +"What a deuced funny idea to try alone to resist five hundred men." + +The Count rose quite confused by his fall; a livid pallor covered his +face, and his features were contracted by anger; all at once his eyes +fell upon the Countess. + +"Ah!" He yelled with the cry of a tiger, as he darted towards her, "At +least I shall avenge myself." + +But Montbarts seized him by the arm and rendered him motionless. + +"One word, one gesture, and I blow out your brains like the wild beast +you are," he said to him. + +There was such an accent of menace in the filibuster's words; his +interference had been so rapid that the Count, involuntarily cowed, +fell back with his arms folded on his chest and remained apparently +calm, although a volcano was at work in his heart, and his eyes were +obstinately fixed on the Countess. + +Montbarts gazed for a moment at his enemy with an expression of pity +and contempt. + +"You have desired, sir," he at length said to him ironically; "to try +your strength with the filibusters and will soon learn the cost; while +impelled by a mad desire of vengeance and inspired by an imaginary +jealousy, you were virulently pursuing a lady whose noble heart and +brilliant virtues you are incapable of appreciating, one half of the +island of which you are the governor has been torn forever from the +power of your sovereign, by my companions and myself; Tortuga, Leogane, +San Juan de Goava, and your hatto del Rincón, suddenly surprised, have +fallen without a blow." + +The Count drew himself up, a feverish flush covered his face, he +advanced a step and cried in a voice choking with passion,-- + +"You lie, villain; however great your audacity may be, it is impossible +that you have succeeded in seizing the places you mention." + +Montbarts shrugged his shoulders. + +"An insult coming from lips like yours has no effect," he said, "you +shall soon have the confirmation of what I assert; but enough of this +subject; I wished to have you in my power in order that you may be +witness of what I have to say to this lady. Come," he added, addressing +Doña Clara; "come, madam, and forgive me for not wishing to see you +except in the presence of the man you call your husband." + +On hearing the appeal, Doña Clara rose trembling, and tottered forward. + +There was a momentary silence; Montbarts, with his head hanging on his +chest, seemed plunged in bitter thoughts; at length he drew himself up, +passed his hand over his forehead as if to drive away the mist that +obscured his reason, turned to Doña Clara, and said to her in a gentle +voice,-- + +"You desired to see me, madam, in order to remind me of a time forever +past, and to confide a secret to me. This secret I have no right to +know; the Count de Barmont is dead, dead to everybody, to you before +all, who did not blush to renounce him, and though you belonged to him +by legitimate ties, and before all by the more legitimate one of a +powerful love, cowardly permitted yourself to be chained to another; +this is a crime, madam, which no forgiveness can efface, either in the +present or past." + +"Pity me, sir," the unhappy lady said, as she writhed beneath this +curse and burst into tears; "pity me, in the name of my remorse and my +sufferings!" + +"What are you doing, madam?" the Count exclaimed, "Rise at once." + +"Silence," Montbarts said in a harsh voice, "Allow this culprit to be +bowed beneath the weight of her repentance; you, who have been her +executioner, have less right than anyone else to protect her." + +Don Sancho had rushed toward his sister and, roughly repulsing the +Count, raised her in his arms. Montbarts continued. + +"I will only add one word, madam; the Count de Barmont had a child; on +the day when that child comes to ask his mother's pardon of me, I will +grant it--perhaps," he added in a faint voice. + +"Oh!" the young lady exclaimed with a feverish energy, as she seized +the hand which the filibuster had not the courage to withdraw from her, +"Oh sir! You are great and noble, this promise restores me all my hope +and courage; oh! I swear to you, sir, I will find my child again." + +"Enough, madam," Montbarts continued with ill suppressed emotion; "this +interview has lasted too long; here is your brother, he loves you, and +will be able to protect you; there is another person whom I regret +not to see here, for he would have advised and sustained you, in your +affliction." + +"To whom do you allude?" Don Sancho asked. + +"To the confessor of your sister." + +The young man turned away without answering. + +"Why, brother," Lepoletais here observed, "here he is half dead, look +at his burnt hands." + +"Oh!" Montbarts exclaimed, "It is really he, who is the monster that +has dared--" + +"Here he is!" the buccaneer replied, as he tapped the shoulder of the +Count, who was dumb with stupor and horror, for only at this moment did +he notice his victim. + +Two flashes of flame started from Montbart's eyes. + +"Villain," he exclaimed, "what, torture an inoffensive man! Oh, +Spaniards, race of vipers! What sufficiently horrible punishment could +I inflict on you!" + +All his hearers trembled at this passion so long restrained, which had +at length burst its bonds and now overflowed with irresistible violence. + +"By Heaven!" the filibuster exclaimed in a terrible voice, "It is +the worse for you, butcher, that you remind me I am Montbarts the +exterminator. L'Olonnais, prepare the fire under the barbacoas of the +boucan." + +An indescribable terror seized on all the hearers of this order, +which clearly expressed to what a horrible punishment the Count was +condemned; Don Stenio himself, in spite of his indomitable pride, felt +a chill at his heart. + +But at this moment, the monk, who had hitherto remained motionless on +his couch, and apparently insensible to what was going on, rose with +a painful effort, and leaning on the shoulders of Doña Clara and her +brother, tottered forward, and knelt with them to the filibuster. + +"Pity," he exclaimed, "pity, in Heaven's name!" + +"No," Montbarts replied harshly, "This man is condemned." + +"I implore you, brother, be merciful," the monk went on to urge him. + +All at once the Count drew two pistols from his doublet, and pointed +one at Doña Clara, while he placed the other against his own forehead. + +"Of what use is it to implore a tiger," he said, "I die, but by my own +hands, and I die avenged," and he pulled the trigger. + +The double detonation was blended in one. + +The Count fell dead on the ground; the second shot badly aimed did not +strike Doña Clara, but Fray Arsenio, and laid him dying at the foot of +his assassin. The last word of the poor monk was, "pity!" + +And he expired with his eyes fixed on heaven, as if with a last prayer +addressed in favour of his murderer. + + * * * * * + +At sunset the savannah had returned to its habitual solitude; +Montbarts, after having the victim and the assassin interred in the +same grave, doubtless that the just man might protect the culprit in +the presence of the Most High, set out for Port Margot, at the head of +the filibusters and Caribs. + +Doña Clara and her brother returned to the hatto del Rincón, +accompanied by the Spanish soldiers, to whom Montbarts had consented to +restore their liberty, through consideration for the two young people. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BUCCANEER CHIEF*** + + +******* This file should be named 44380-8.txt or 44380-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/4/3/8/44380 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a +href="http://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></p> +<p>Title: The Buccaneer Chief</p> +<p> A Romance of the Spanish Main</p> +<p>Author: Gustave Aimard</p> +<p>Release Date: December 7, 2013 [eBook #44380]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BUCCANEER CHIEF***</p> +<p> </p> +<h4>E-text prepared by Camille Bernard and Marc D'Hooghe<br /> + (<a href="http://www.freeliterature.org">http://www.freeliterature.org</a>)<br /> + from page images generously made available by the<br /> + Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford<br /> + (<a href="http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk">http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk</a>)</h4> +<p> </p> +<table border="0" style="background-color: #ccccff;margin: 0 auto;" cellpadding="10"> + <tr> + <td valign="top"> + Note: + </td> + <td> + Images of the original pages are available through + Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford. See + <a href="http://purl.ox.ac.uk/uuid/324b5598fbd44321abe105868fb7f75a"> + http://purl.ox.ac.uk/uuid/324b5598fbd44321abe105868fb7f75a</a> + </td> + </tr> +</table> +<p> </p> +<hr class="pg" /> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h1>THE BUCCANEER CHIEF</h1> + +<h3>A Romance of the Spanish Main</h3> + +<h3>BY</h3> + +<h2>GUSTAVE AIMARD</h2> + +<h4>AUTHOR OF SMUGGLER CHIEF, STRONG HAND, ETC.</h4> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<h5>LONDON</h5> + +<h5>WARD AND LOCK, 158, FLEET STREET</h5> + +<h5>MDCCCLXIV</h5> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h5>CONTENTS.</h5> + +<div class="center" style="font-size: 0.8em;"> +<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" summary=""> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">I.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">THE HOSTELRY OF THE COURT OF FRANCE</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">II.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">A FAMILY SCENE</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">III.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">THE ARREST</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">IV.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">THE ISLE OF SAINTE MARGUERITE</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">V.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">A BACKWARD GLANCE</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">VI.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">VII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">DESPAIR</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">VIII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">THE PRISONER</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">IX.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">MAJOR DE L'OURSIÈRE</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">X.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">THE SEAGULL LUGGER</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XI.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">FRANCE, FAREWELL!</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">THE BEGINNING OF THE ADVENTURE</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XIII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">THE COUNCIL OF THE FILIBUSTERS</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XIV.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">THE SECOND PROPOSAL</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XV.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">THE SPY</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XVI.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">THE SLAVE SALE</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XVII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">THE ENLISTMENT</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XVIII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">NEVIS</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XIX.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">THE EXPEDITION</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XX.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XX">THE HATTO</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXI.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXI">THE MAJOR-DOMO'S STORY</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXII">ACROSS COUNTRY</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXIII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIII">COMPLICATIONS</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXIV.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIV">PORT MARGOT</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXV.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXV">FRAY ARSENIO</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXVI.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVI">THE CONSEQUENCES OF A MEETING</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXVII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVII">THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COLONY</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXVIII.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXVIII">THE FLIGHT FROM THE HATTO</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXIX.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXIX">EVENTS ACCUMULATE</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="left"></td><td align="right">XXX.</td><td align="left"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXX">THE EXTERMINATOR</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE HOSTELRY OF THE COURT OF FRANCE.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Although the Seine, from Chanceaux, its fountainhead, to Havre, where +it falls into the sea, is not more than four hundred miles in length, +still, in spite of this comparatively limited course, this river is +one of the most important in the world; for, from the days of Cæsar up +to the present, it has seen all the great social questions which have +agitated modern times decided on its banks.</p> + +<p>Tourists, artists, and travellers, who go a long distance in search of +scenery, could not find anything more picturesque or more capriciously +diversified than the winding banks of this river, which is skirted by +commercial towns and pretty villages, coquettishly arranged on the +sides of verdant valleys, or half disappearing in the midst of dense +clumps of trees.</p> + +<p>It is in one of these villages, situated but a few leagues from Paris, +that our story began, on March 26th, 1641.</p> + +<p>This village, whose origin dates back to the earliest period of the +French Monarchy, was at that time pretty nearly what it is now; +differing in this respect from all the hamlets that surround it, it has +remained stationary; on seeing it you might fancy that centuries have +not passed as far as it is concerned. When the neighbouring hamlets +became villages, and were finally transformed into large towns, it +continually decreased, so that its population at the present day scarce +attains the amount of four hundred inhabitants.</p> + +<p>And yet its situation is most happy: traversed by a stream and bordered +by a river, possessing an historic castle, and forming an important +station on one of the railway lines, it seemed destined to become an +industrial centre, the more so because its inhabitants are industrious +and intelligent.</p> + +<p>But there is a spell upon the place. The great landowners who have +succeeded each other in the country, and who mostly grew rich in the +political commotions, or by risky speculations, have tacitly agreed +to impede in every possible way the industrial aspirations of the +population—have ever egotistically sacrificed public interest to their +private advantage.</p> + +<p>Thus the historic castle to which we alluded has fallen into the hands +of a man who, sprung from nothing, and feeling himself stifled within +its walls, allows them to crumble away before the effects of time, and, +to save the expense of a gardener, sows oats in the majestic alleys +of a park, designed by Le Nôtre, whose grand appearance strikes with +admiration the traveller, who sees it at a distance as he is borne past +in the train.</p> + +<p>The same thing is going on in the whole of this unhappy hamlet, which +is condemned to die of inanition in the midst of the abundance of its +neighbours.</p> + +<p>This village was composed at the period of our narrative of a single +long narrow street, which ran down from the top of a scarped hill, +crossed a small rivulet, and terminated only a few yards from the Seine.</p> + +<p>This street, through its entire length, was bordered by low, ugly +tenements, pressing closely together, as if for mutual support, and +mostly serving as pothouses for the waggoners and other people who at +this period, when the great network of the French royal roads had not +yet been made, continually passed through this village, and sought +shelter there for the night.</p> + +<p>The top of the street was occupied by a very wealthy, religious +community, next to which stood a large building hidden at the end of +a spacious garden, and serving as hostelry for the wealthy personages +whom their business or pleasure brought to this place, which was +surrounded for ten leagues round by sumptuous seigneurial mansions.</p> + +<p>There was nothing externally to cause this building to be recognized as +an inn; a low gateway gave access to the garden, and it was not till +the traveller had gone along the whole of the latter that he found +himself in front of the house.</p> + +<p>It had, however, another entrance, looking out on a road but little +frequented at the time, and which was employed by horses and coaches, +when the traveller had succeeded in obtaining the landlord's leave to +put up there.</p> + +<p>Although this house, as we said, was a hostelry, its owner did not +admit everybody who proposed to lodge there; on the contrary, he was +very difficult in the choice of his guests, asserting, rightly or +wrongly, that a hostelry, which had been honoured on several occasions +by the presence of the King and the Cardinal Minister, must not serve +as an asylum either for vagabonds or nightbirds.</p> + +<p>In order to justify the right he claimed, the landlord had, a few +months previously, had the arms of France daubed on a metal plate by +a strolling painter, and inscribed under it in golden letters—"<i>The +Court of France.</i>" This sign he put up over his door.</p> + +<p>This inn enjoyed a great reputation, not only in the country, but in +all the surrounding provinces, and even as far as Paris—a reputation, +we are bound to add, well deserved, for if mine host was particular in +the choice of his lodgers, when the latter had succeeded in gaining +admission he treated them, men and beasts, with a peculiar care, that +had something paternal about it.</p> + +<p>Although it was getting on for the end of March, and, according to the +almanac, 'Spring had begun some days previously,' the cold was nipping, +the rime-laden trees stood out sadly against the leaden sky, and a +thick, hardened layer of snow covered the ground for some depth.</p> + +<p>Although it was about ten o'clock at night, it was light, and the moon, +floating in russet clouds, profusely shed her sickly beams, which +rendered it almost as light as day.</p> + +<p>All were asleep in the village, or, at least, seemed to be so; the +<i>Court of France</i> alone emitted a light through its ground floor barred +windows, which proved that somebody was still up there.</p> + +<p>Still, the inn did not offer shelter to any traveller.</p> + +<p>All those who during the day, and since nightfall, had presented +themselves, had been mercilessly turned away by the landlord, a stout +man, with a rubicund face, intelligent features, and a crafty smile, +who was walking at this moment with an air of preoccupation up and +down his immense kitchen, every now and then casting an absent glance +at the preparations for supper, one portion of which was roasting +before a colossal fireplace, whilst the rest was being got ready by a +master cook and several assistants.</p> + +<p>A middle-aged, short, plump woman, suddenly burst into the kitchen, and +addressed the landlord, who had turned round at the noise.</p> + +<p>"Is it true," she asked, "Master Pivois, that you have ordered the dais +room to be got ready, as Mariette declares?"</p> + +<p>Master Pivois drew himself up.</p> + +<p>"What did Mariette tell you?" he enquired, sternly.</p> + +<p>"Well, she told me to prepare the best bedroom."</p> + +<p>"Which is the best bedroom, Dame Tiphaine?"</p> + +<p>"The dais room, master, since it is the one in which His Majesty—"</p> + +<p>"In that case," mine host interrupted her, in a peremptory tone, +"prepare the dais room."</p> + +<p>"Still, master," Dame Tiphaine ventured—who possessed a certain amount +of credit in the house, in the first place, as legitimate spouse of the +landlord himself, and then, again, through sundry very marked traits of +character—"with all the respect I owe you, it seems to me—"</p> + +<p>"With all the respect I owe you," he exclaimed, stamping his foot +passionately, "you're a fool, my good creature, obey my orders, and do +not trouble me further!"</p> + +<p>Dame Tiphaine comprehended that her lord and master was not in a +humour that evening for being contradicted. Like a prudent woman, she +bowed her head and withdrew, reserving to herself the right of taking +a startling revenge at a future date for the sharp reprimand she had +received.</p> + +<p>Doubtless satisfied with his display of authority, Master Pivois, after +taking a triumphant glance at his subordinates, who were surprised at +this unusual act of vigour, though they did not dare show it, walked +toward a door that led into the garden; but at the moment when he laid +his hand on the key, this door, vigorously thrust from the outside, +opened right in the face of the startled landlord, who tottered back to +the middle of the room, and a man entered the kitchen.</p> + +<p>"At last!" the stranger said, joyously, as he threw his plumed hat on +a table and took off his cloak. "By heaven! I almost found myself in a +desert."</p> + +<p>And before mine host, who was growing more and more astounded at +his cool behaviour, had the time to oppose it, he took a chair, and +comfortably installed himself in the chimney corner.</p> + +<p>The newcomer appeared to be not more than twenty-five years of age; +long black curls fell in disorder on his shoulders; his marked features +were noble and intelligent; his black eyes, full of fire, announced +courage, and the habit of commanding; his countenance had a certain +stamp of grandeur, tempered by the cordial smile that played round +his wide mouth, full of brilliantly white teeth; his red, and rather +swollen lips, were adorned, according to the fashion of the day, with +a most carefully waxed moustache, while his square chin, indicative of +obstinacy, was covered by a long royale.</p> + +<p>His dress, while not rich, was, however, becoming—cut with taste, +and affected a certain military air, which was rendered more marked +by the brace of pistols the stranger carried in his belt, and the long +iron-handled sword that hung at his side.</p> + +<p>Altogether, his lofty stature, and muscular, well-developed person, +and the air of audacity spread all over him, rendered him one of those +men, the breed of whom was so common at the period, and who at the +first glance contrived to claim from people with whom accident brought +them in contact that respect to which, whether justly or unjustly, they +believed they had a right.</p> + +<p>In the meanwhile, the landlord, who had slightly recovered from the +emotion and surprise he had experienced at what he almost regarded +as a violation of his domicile, advanced a few steps toward the +stranger, and while bowing lower than he had intended, and doffing his +cotton nightcap before the flashing glance the other bent on him, he +stammered, in anything but a steady voice—</p> + +<p>"My lord—"</p> + +<p>But the latter interrupted him without ceremony.</p> + +<p>"Are you the landlord?" he asked, sharply.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Master Pivois grunted, as he drew himself up, feeling quite +constrained at answering when he was preparing to question.</p> + +<p>"Very good," the stranger continued; "look after my horse, which I left +I know not where in your garden; have him put in the stable, and tell +the ostler to wash his withers with a little vinegar and water, for I +am afraid he has hurt himself a little."</p> + +<p>These words were uttered so carelessly, that the landlord stood utterly +confounded, unable to utter a syllable.</p> + +<p>"Well," the stranger continued, at the expiration of a moment, with +a slight frown, "what are you doing here, ass, instead of obeying my +orders?"</p> + +<p>Master Pivois, completely subdued, turned on his heels, and left the +room, tottering like a drunken man.</p> + +<p>The stranger looked after him with a smile, and then turned to the +waiting-men, who were whispering together, and taking side-glances at +him.</p> + +<p>"Come and wait on me," he said; "place a table here before me near the +fire, and bring me some supper—make haste, s'death, or I shall die of +hunger!"</p> + +<p>The waiting-men, delighted in their hearts at playing their master +a trick, did not let the order be repeated; in a second a table was +brought up, the cloth laid, and, on re-entering the room, the landlord +found the stranger in the act of carving a magnificent partridge.</p> + +<p>Master Pivois assumed at the sight all the colours of the rainbow—at +first pale, he turned so red that a fit of apoplexy might be +apprehended, so vivid was his emotion.</p> + +<p>"By Heaven," he exclaimed, stamping his foot angrily, "that is too +much."</p> + +<p>"What?" the stranger asked, as he raised his head and wiped his +moustache; "What is the matter with you, my good man?"</p> + +<p>"Matter, indeed!" mine host growled.</p> + +<p>"By the way, is my horse in the stable?"</p> + +<p>"Your horse, your horse," the other grumbled, "as if that is troubling +me."</p> + +<p>"What is it then, if you please, master mine?" the stranger asked, as +he poured out a bumper which he conscientiously drained to the last +drop. "Ah," he said, "it is Jurançon; I recognise it."</p> + +<p>This indifference and this coolness raised the landlord's anger to the +highest pitch, and caused him to forget all prudence.</p> + +<p>"Cogswounds," he said, boldly seizing the bottle, "it is a strange +piece of impudence thus to enter an honest house without the owner's +permission; decamp at once, my fine gentleman, unless you wish harm +to befall you, and seek a lodging elsewhere, for, as far as I am +concerned, I cannot and will not give you one."</p> + +<p>The stranger had not moved a feature during this harangue; he had +listened to Master Pivois without displaying the slightest impatience: +when the landlord at length held his tongue, he threw himself back in +his chair, and looked him fixedly in the face.</p> + +<p>"Listen to me in your turn, master," he said to him, "and engrave these +words deeply on your narrow brain: this house is an inn, is it not? +Hence it must be open without hesitation to every stranger who comes +here for food and lodging with money in his pocket. I am aware that you +claim the right of only receiving such persons as you think proper; if +there are people who put up with that, it is their business, but for my +part, I do not intend to do so. I feel comfortable here, so I remain, +and shall remain as long as I think proper; I do not prevent you from +swindling me, for that is your duty as a landlord, and I have no right +to object; but, if I am not served politely and dexterously—if you do +not give me a proper bedroom to spend the night in—in a word, if you +do not perform the duties of hospitality toward me in the way I expect, +I promise to pull down your signboard, and hang you up in its place, +on the slightest infraction you are guilty of. And now I suppose you +understand me?" he added, squeezing the other's hand so hard that the +poor fellow uttered a yell of agony, and went tottering against the +kitchen wall: "Serve me, then, and let us have no more argument, for +you would not get the best of the quarrel if you picked one with me."</p> + +<p>And without paying further attention to the landlord, the traveller +continued his interrupted supper.</p> + +<p>It was all over with the landlord's attempted resistance; he felt +himself vanquished, and did not attempt a struggle which had now become +impossible. Confused and humiliated, he only thought of satisfying this +strange guest who had installed himself by main force in the house.</p> + +<p>The traveller did not in any way abuse his victory; satisfied with +having obtained the result he desired, he did not take the slightest +liberty.</p> + +<p>The result was that gradually, from one concession to another—the one +offering, the other not refusing—they became on the best possible +terms; and toward the end of the supper, mine host and the traveller +found themselves, without knowing how, the most affectionate friends in +the world.</p> + +<p>They were talking together. First of the rain and fine weather, the +dearness of provisions, the king's illness, and that of his Eminence +the Cardinal; then, growing gradually bolder, Master Pivois poured out +a huge bumper of wine for his improvised guest, and collected all his +courage.</p> + +<p>"Do you know, my good gentleman," he said to him suddenly, shaking his +head with an air of contrition, "that you are fearfully in my way?"</p> + +<p>"Stuff!" the stranger answered, as he tossed off the contents of his +glass, and shrugged his shoulders, "Are we coming back to the old +story of just now? I thought that settled long ago."</p> + +<p>"Alas! I would it were so for everybody as it is for me."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"Pray do not get into a passion, sir," the landlord continued timidly; +"I have not the slightest intention of insulting you."</p> + +<p>"In that case explain yourself in the Fiend's name, my master, and come +frankly to the point; I do not understand what others beside yourself +have to do in the matter."</p> + +<p>"That is just the difficulty," said Master Pivois, scratching his head.</p> + +<p>"Speak, zounds! I am not an ogre; what is it that causes you such +anxiety?"</p> + +<p>The landlord saw that he must out with it, and fear giving him courage, +he bravely made up his mind.</p> + +<p>"Monseigneur," he said, honestly, "believe me that I am too much the +man of the world to venture to act with rudeness to a gentleman of your +importance—"</p> + +<p>"Enough of that," the stranger interrupted, with a smile.</p> + +<p>"But—" the host continued.</p> + +<p>"Ah! There is a <i>but</i>."</p> + +<p>"Alas! Monseigneur, there always is one, and today a bigger one than +ever."</p> + +<p>"Hang it all, you terrify me, master," the stranger remarked, with a +laugh; "tell me quickly, I beg of you, what this terrible but is."</p> + +<p>"Alas! Monseigneur, it is this: my entire hostelry was engaged a week +ago by a party of gentlemen; I expect them to arrive in an hour—half +an hour, perhaps, and—"</p> + +<p>"And?" the stranger asked, in an enquiring tone, which caused the host +to shudder.</p> + +<p>"Well, Monseigneur," he resumed in a choking voice, "these gentlemen +insist on having the hostelry to themselves, and made me swear not to +receive any other traveller but themselves, and paid me to that effect."</p> + +<p>"Very good," said the stranger, with an air of indifference.</p> + +<p>"What do you say; very good? Monseigneur," Master Pivois exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"Hang it! What else would you have me say? You have strictly fulfilled +your engagement, and no one has the right to reproach you."</p> + +<p>"How so, sir?"</p> + +<p>"Unless you have someone concealed here," the stranger answered, +imperturbably, "which, I confess, would not be at all honourable on +your part."</p> + +<p>"I have nobody."</p> + +<p>"Well, then?"</p> + +<p>"But you, monseigneur?" he hazarded timidly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, I," the stranger replied laughingly, "that is another affair; let +us make a distinction, if you please, master; you did not receive me, +far from it; I pressed my company on you, as I think you will allow."</p> + +<p>"It is only too true."</p> + +<p>"Do you regret it?"</p> + +<p>"Far from it, monseigneur," he exclaimed eagerly, for he was not at all +desirous of re-arousing the slumbering wrath of the irascible stranger; +"I am only stating a fact."</p> + +<p>"Very good, I see with pleasure, Master Pivois, that you are a very +serious man; you are stating a fact, you say?"</p> + +<p>"Alas! yes," the luckless host sighed.</p> + +<p>"Very good; now follow my reasoning closely."</p> + +<p>"I am doing so."</p> + +<p>"When these gentlemen arrive, which according to your statement, will +be soon, you will only have one thing to do."</p> + +<p>"What is it, monseigneur?"</p> + +<p>"Tell them exactly what has passed between us. If I am not greatly +mistaken this honest explanation will satisfy them; if it be +otherwise—"</p> + +<p>"Well, if it be so, what am I to do, sir?"</p> + +<p>"Refer them to me, Master Pivois, and I will undertake in my turn to +convince them; gentlemen of good birth perfectly understand each other."</p> + +<p>"Still, monseigneur—"</p> + +<p>"Not a word more on this subject, I must request; but stay," he added, +and listened, "I believe your company are arriving."</p> + +<p>And he carelessly threw himself back in his chair.</p> + +<p>Outside, the trampling of horses on the hardened snow could be +distinctly heard, and then several blows were dealt on the door.</p> + +<p>"It is they," the host muttered.</p> + +<p>"A further reason not to keep them waiting; go and open the door, +master, for it is very cold outside."</p> + +<p>The landlord hesitated for a moment and then left the room without +replying.</p> + +<p>The stranger carefully folded himself in his mantle, pulled the brim of +his beaver over his eyes, and awaited the entrance of the newcomers, +while affecting an air of indifference.</p> + +<p>The waiting-men, who had sought shelter in the most remote corner of +the room, were trembling in the prevision of a disturbance.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a></h4> + +<h3>A FAMILY SCENE.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>In the meanwhile the new arrivals were making a great noise in the +road, and seemed to be growing impatient at the delay in letting them +into the hostelry.</p> + +<p>Master Pivois at length decided to open to them, though he was +suffering from a secret apprehension as to the consequences which the +presence of a stranger in the house might have for him.</p> + +<p>As soon as a stable-lad had by his orders, drawn back the bolts, +and opened the carriage-gates, several horsemen entered the yard, +accompanied by a coach drawn by four horses.</p> + +<p>By the light of the lanthorn held by his lad the landlord perceived +that the travellers were seven in number; three masters, three +servants, and the coachman on the box. All were wrapped up in thick +cloaks, and armed to the teeth.</p> + +<p>So soon as the coach had entered the yard, the horsemen dismounted; +one of them, who appeared to exercise a certain authority over his +companions, walked up to the landlord, while the others brought the +coach up to the main entrance of the house, and closed the gates.</p> + +<p>"Well, master," said the traveller to whom we allude, with a very +marked foreign accent, although he expressed himself very purely in +French; "have my orders been punctually executed?"</p> + +<p>At this question, which was very embarrassing to him, Master Pivois +scratched his head, and then replied like the cunning peasant he was—</p> + +<p>"As far as possibly, yes, my lord."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean, scoundrel?" the traveller resumed roughly; "Your +instructions were precise enough."</p> + +<p>"Yes, my lord," the landlord said humbly; "and I will even add that I +was liberally paid beforehand."</p> + +<p>"In that case, what have you to say?"</p> + +<p>"That I have done the best I could," Master Pivois replied in growing +confusion.</p> + +<p>"Ah! I suppose you mean that you have someone in the house?"</p> + +<p>"Alas! yes, my lord," the landlord answered, hanging his head.</p> + +<p>The traveller stamped his foot passionately.</p> + +<p>"S'blood!" he exclaimed; then, at once resuming an apparent calmness, +he continued, "Who are the persons?"</p> + +<p>"There is only one."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said the traveller, with satisfaction, "If there be only one, +nothing is more easy than to dislodge him."</p> + +<p>"I fear not," the landlord ventured timidly, "for this traveller, who +is a stranger to me, I swear, looks to me like a rude gentleman, and +not at all inclined to surrender his place."</p> + +<p>"Well, well, I will take it on myself," the traveller remarked +carelessly, "where is he?"</p> + +<p>"There, in the kitchen, my lord, warming himself at the fire."</p> + +<p>"That will do; is the room ready?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, my lord."</p> + +<p>"Rejoin those gentlemen, and show them the way yourself; none of your +people must know what takes place here."</p> + +<p>The landlord, delighted at having got off so cheaply, bowed +respectfully, and hastily retired in the direction of the garden; +as for the traveller, after exchanging a few whispered words with a +footman, who remained with him, he pulled his hat over his eyes, opened +the door, and boldly entered the kitchen.</p> + +<p>It was deserted: the stranger had disappeared.</p> + +<p>The traveller looked anxiously around him; the waiting men, probably +in obedience to orders previously received from their master, had +withdrawn to their attics.</p> + +<p>After a few seconds' hesitation, the traveller returned to the garden.</p> + +<p>"Well," the landlord asked, "have you seen him, my lord?"</p> + +<p>"No," he replied, "but it is of no consequence; not a word about him to +the persons who accompany me; he has doubtless left, but if that be not +the case, be careful that he does not approach the apartments you have +reserved for us."</p> + +<p>"Hum," the landlord muttered to himself, "all this is not clear;" and +he withdrew very pensively.</p> + +<p>Truth to tell, the worthy man was frightened. His new customers had +unpleasant faces, and a rough manner, which reassured him but slightly; +and then again he fancied he had seen alarming shadows gliding about +among the trees in his garden, a fact which he had carefully avoided +verifying, but which heightened his secret apprehensions.</p> + +<p>Dame Tiphaine, torch in hand, was waiting at the house door, in +readiness to light the travellers, and conduct them to their +apartments. When the coach had been turned and stopped, one of the +travellers went up to it, opened the door, and assisted a lady in +getting out.</p> + +<p>This lady, who was magnificently dressed, appeared to be suffering, +and she walked with difficulty. Still, in spite of her weakness, she +declined the arm of one of the travellers offered her in support, and +approached Dame Tiphaine, who, compassionate like all women, hastened +to offer her the service she seemed to request of her, and helped her +to ascend the rather steep staircase that led to the dais room.</p> + +<p>The travellers left the driver and a lackey to guard the coach, which +remained horsed, and silently followed the sick lady.</p> + +<p>The dais room, the finest in the inn, was spacious and furnished with +a certain amount of luxury; a large fire crackled on the hearth, and +several candles, placed on the furniture, diffused a rather bright +light.</p> + +<p>A door half hidden by tapestry communicated with a bedroom, that had a +door opening on the passage, for the convenience of the attendants.</p> + +<p>When the lady had entered the room, she sank into a chair, and thanked +the landlady with a bow.</p> + +<p>The latter discreetly withdrew, astonished and almost terrified by the +gloomy faces which surrounded her.</p> + +<p>"Holy Virgin!" she said to Master Pivois, whom she found walking in +great anxiety along the passage, "What's going to happen here? These +men frighten me; that poor lady is all of a tremble, and the little I +saw of her face behind her mask, is as white as a sheet."</p> + +<p>"Alas!" Master Pivois said with a sigh, "I am as frightened as you, my +dear, but we can do nothing; they are too great people for us—friends +of his Eminence. They would crush us without pity; we have only one +thing to do, and that is to retire to our room, as we received orders +to do, and to keep quiet till our services are required; the house is +theirs, at this moment they are the masters."</p> + +<p>The landlord and his wife went into their room, and not satisfied with +double locking their door, barricaded it with everything that came to +hand.</p> + +<p>As Master Pivois had said to his wife, the travellers were certainly +masters of the inn, or at least believed themselves so.</p> + +<p>The stranger, while feigning the deepest indifference, had watched the +landlord's every movement: as soon as the latter left the kitchen to +open the door for the newcomers, he rose, threw a purse of gold to the +scullions, while putting his finger on his lips to recommend silence to +them, and carefully wrapping himself in his mantle, left the kitchen.</p> + +<p>The scullions, with the intelligence characteristic of the class, +comprehended that this action of the stranger concealed some plans in +the execution of which it was to their interest not to interfere; they +divided the money so generously given them, and remembering the orders +they had received from their master, they hastily decamped, and went +off to hide themselves.</p> + +<p>The stranger, while the landlord was receiving the travellers, had +proceeded to the thickest part of the garden.</p> + +<p>On reaching the little gate to which we have referred, he whistled +gently.</p> + +<p>Almost immediately two men seemed to rise from the midst of the +darkness, and came up to him.</p> + +<p>Each of these men had a long rapier at his side, pistols in his girdle, +and a musketoon in his hand.</p> + +<p>"What is there new?" the stranger asked; "Have you seen anything, +Michael?"</p> + +<p>"Captain," the man answered, to whom the question was addressed, "I +have seen nothing, but still I fear a trap."</p> + +<p>"A trap?" the stranger repeated.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Michael continued, "Bowline has taken bearings of several +ill-looking fellows who seem desirous of boarding us."</p> + +<p>"Stuff! You are mad, Michael. You have seen the travellers who have +just arrived at the inn."</p> + +<p>"No, captain; on the contrary, they exactly resemble the fellows who +have been chasing us ever since the day before yesterday, regular +Cardinal's bloodhounds, I'll wager."</p> + +<p>The stranger appeared to reflect. "Are they far off?" he at length +asked.</p> + +<p>"Speak, Bowline, my boy," said Michael, turning to his comrade, "and +don't shiver your sails, the captain is hailing you."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, Captain," said Bowline, a sturdy Breton, with a crafty +look, "I sighted them over the starboard quarter at about four o'clock; +I spread all my canvas to distance them, and I fancy I have left them +four or five cables length in the rear."</p> + +<p>"In that case we have about an hour before us?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, about, Captain," Bowline replied.</p> + +<p>"That is more than we want; listen, my lads, and swear on your honour +as sailors to obey me."</p> + +<p>"You may be quite sure we shan't fail, Captain," they answered.</p> + +<p>"I reckon on you."</p> + +<p>"Shiver my topsails, we know that," Michael replied.</p> + +<p>"Whatever may happen to me," the stranger continued, "leave me to act +alone, unless I give you express orders to come to my assistance. If +the Cardinal's bloodhounds were to arrive while we are up aloft, you +will bolt."</p> + +<p>"We bolt!" the two sailors exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"You must, lads! Who would deliver me if we were all three prisoners?" +the stranger asked.</p> + +<p>"That's true," Michael answered.</p> + +<p>"Well then, that's settled, is it not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Captain."</p> + +<p>"Ah! By the way, if I am arrested you will want money to liberate me; +take this."</p> + +<p>He placed in their hands a heavy purse, which the sailors accepted +without any remark.</p> + +<p>"Now follow me, and keep your weather eye open, my lads."</p> + +<p>"All right, Captain," Michael answered, "we are on watch."</p> + +<p>The stranger then proceeded towards the house, closely followed by +the two sailors. He reached the passage, at the end of which the +travellers' room was, at the moment when Master Pivois and his wife +were locking themselves in their bedroom.</p> + +<p>The coach, guarded by the driver and a footman, was still standing in +front of the principal entrance, but the three men passed unnoticed.</p> + +<p>So soon as the landlady had left the room, the traveller who appeared +to have a certain degree of authority over his companions, opened the +bedroom door, doubtless to make certain there was no spy listening; +then he took a chair, sat down by the fire, and made a sign to his +companions to imitate him; the two lackeys alone remained standing near +the door, with their hands resting on the muzzles of their carbines, +butts of which were on the ground.</p> + +<p>For some moments there was a funereal silence in this room, although +six persons were assembled in it.</p> + +<p>At length the traveller made up his mind to speak, and addressed the +young lady, who was reclining in her chair, with her head bent on her +breast and pendant arms.</p> + +<p>"My daughter," he said, in a grave voice, and speaking in Spanish, "the +moment has arrived for a clear and distinct explanation between us, +for we have only four leagues to travel ere we reach the end of our +long journey. I intend to remain twenty-four hours in this hostelry, in +order to give you time to repair your strength, and allow you to appear +in a proper state before the man for whom I destine you."</p> + +<p>The young lady only replied to this dry address by a hollow groan.</p> + +<p>Her father continued, without appearing to notice the utter state of +prostration in which she was—</p> + +<p>"Remember, my daughter, that if, on the entreaty of your brothers here +present, I consented to pardon the fault you have committed, it is on +the express condition that you will obey my orders without hesitation, +and do all I wish."</p> + +<p>"My child?" she murmured, in a voice choked by grief—"What have you +done with my child?"</p> + +<p>The traveller frowned, and a livid pallor covered his face; but he +immediately recovered himself.</p> + +<p>"That question again, unhappy girl?" he said, in a gloomy voice; +"Do not trifle with my wrath by reminding me of your crime, and the +dishonour of my house."</p> + +<p>At these words the girl drew herself up suddenly, and with a hurried +gesture pulled off the velvet mask that covered her face.</p> + +<p>"I am not guilty," she said, in a haughty voice, and looking her father +in the face; "and you are perfectly aware of it, for it was you who +introduced the Count de Barmont to me. You encouraged our love, and it +was by your orders that we were secretly married. You dare not assert +the contrary."</p> + +<p>"Silence, wretch!" the traveller exclaimed, and rose passionately.</p> + +<p>"Father!" the two gentlemen, who had hitherto remained motionless and +as if strangers to this stormy interview, exclaimed, as they threw +themselves before him.</p> + +<p>"Well," he said, as he resumed his seat, "I will restrain myself: I +will only ask you one further question, Doña Clara—will you obey me?"</p> + +<p>She hesitated for a moment, and then appeared to form a supreme +resolution.</p> + +<p>"Listen to me, my father," she replied, in a hurried though firm voice; +"you told me yourself that the moment for an explanation between us +had arrived; very well, let us have this explanation. I, too, am your +daughter, and jealous of the honour of our house; that is why I insist +on your answering me without equivocation or deception."</p> + +<p>While speaking thus, the young lady, who was only sustained by the +factitious strength sorrow imparted to her, for she was frail and +delicate, was supremely beautiful; with her body bent back, her head +haughtily raised, her long and silky black hair falling in disorder on +her shoulders, and contrasting with the marble pallor of her face; with +her large eyes, inflamed by fever and inundated with tears, that slowly +coursed down her cheeks, and with her bosom heaving from the emotion +that held mastery over her—there was about her whole person something +deathly, which seemed no longer to belong to the earth.</p> + +<p>Her father felt involuntarily affected, in spite of his ferocious +pride; and it was with a less rough voice he replied—</p> + +<p>"I am listening to you."</p> + +<p>"Father," she resumed, leaning her hand on the back of her chair in +order to support herself, "I told you that I am not guilty, and I +repeat that the Count de Barmont and myself were secretly united in +the church of la Merced at Cadiz, and were so by your orders. As you +know it, I will not dwell further on this point; my child is, therefore +legitimate, and I have a right to be proud of it. How is it, then, that +you, the Duke de Peñaflor, belonging to the highest class in Spain, +not satisfied with tearing me on the very day of marriage from the +husband yourself selected, and depriving me of my infant on the day +of its birth, accused me of committing a horrible crime, and insisted +on enchaining me to another husband, while my first is still living? +Answer me, my father, so that I may know the nature of that honour +about which you so often speak to me, and what is the motive that +renders you so cruel to an unfortunate girl, who owes her life to you, +and who, ever since she has been in this world, has only felt love and +respect for you."</p> + +<p>"This is too much, unnatural daughter!" the Duke shouted, as he rose +wrathfully—"And as you are not afraid of braving me so unworthily—"</p> + +<p>But he suddenly checked himself, and stood motionless, trembling with +fury and horror; the bedroom door had suddenly opened, and a man +appeared in it, upright, haughty, with flashing eye, and hand on his +sword hilt.</p> + +<p>"Ludovic, at last!" the young lady shrieked, as she rushed towards him.</p> + +<p>But her brothers caught her by the arms, and constrained her to sit +down again.</p> + +<p>"The Count de Barmont!" the Duke muttered.</p> + +<p>"Myself, my lord Duke de Peñaflor," the stranger replied, with +exquisite politeness—"you did not expect me, it appears to me?"</p> + +<p>And, walking a few paces into the room, while the two sailors who had +followed him guarded the door, he proudly put his hat on again, and +folded his arms.</p> + +<p>"What is going on here?" he asked, in a haughty voice; "And who dares +to use violence to the Countess de Barmont?"</p> + +<p>"The Countess de Barmont?" the Duke repeated, contemptuously.</p> + +<p>"It is true," the other remarked, ironically; "I forget that you expect +at any moment a dispensation from the Court of Home, which will declare +my marriage null and void, and allow you to give your daughter to the +man whose credit has caused you to be nominated Viceroy of New Spain."</p> + +<p>"Sir!" the Duke exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"What, do you pretend I am in error? No, no, my lord Duke, my spies are +as good as yours—I am well served, believe me: thank heaven I have +arrived in time to prevent it. Make way there!" he said, repulsing by a +gesture the two gentlemen who opposed his passage—"I am your husband, +madam; follow me, I shall be able to protect you."</p> + +<p>The two young men, leaving their sister, who was in a semi-fainting +state, rushed on the Count, and both buffeted him in the face with +their gloves, while drawing their swords.</p> + +<p>The Count turned fearfully pale at this cruel insult; he uttered a wild +beast yell, and unsheathed.</p> + +<p>The valets, held in check by the two sailors, had not made a movement.</p> + +<p>The Duke rushed between the three men, who were ready for the assault.</p> + +<p>"Count," he said, coolly, to the younger of his sons, "leave to your +brother the duty of chastising this man."</p> + +<p>"Thanks, father," the elder answered, as he fell on guard, while his +younger brother lowered the point of his sword, and fell back a pace.</p> + +<p>Doña Clara was lying motionless on the floor.</p> + +<p>At the first attack the two enemies engaged their swords up to their +guard, and then, as if of common accord, each retreated a step.</p> + +<p>There was something sinister in the appearance of this inn room at the +moment.</p> + +<p>This woman, who lay writhing on the floor, suffering from a horrible +nervous crisis, and no one dreaming of succouring her.</p> + +<p>This old man, with frowning brow, and features contracted by pain, +witnessing with apparent stoicism this duel between his elder son and +his son-in-law, while his younger son was biting his lips with fury +because he could not assist his brother; these sailors, with pistols at +the breasts of the lackeys, who were palsied with terror; and in the +centre of the room, scarce lighted by a few smoking candles, these two +men, sword in hand, watching like two tigers the moment to slay each +other.</p> + +<p>The combat was not long; too great a hatred animated the two +adversaries for them to lose time in feeling each other's strength. +The Duke's son, more impatient than the Count, made thrust on thrust, +which the other had great difficulty in parrying; at length, the young +man feeling himself too deeply engaged, tried to make a second backward +step, but his foot slipped on the boards, and he involuntarily raised +his sword; at the same moment the Count liberated his blade by a +movement rapid as thought, and his sword entirely disappeared in his +adversary's chest; then he leaped back to avoid the back thrust, and +fell on guard again.</p> + +<p>But it was all over with the young man; he rolled his haggard eyes +twice or thrice, stretched out his arms, while letting go his sword, +and fell his whole length on the floor, without uttering a word.</p> + +<p>He was dead.</p> + +<p>"Assassin!" his brother screamed, as he rushed sword in hand on the +Count.</p> + +<p>"Traitor!" the latter replied, as he parried the thrust, and sent the +other's sword flying to the ceiling.</p> + +<p>"Stay, stay!" the Duke cried, as he rushed half mad with grief between +the two men, who had seized each other round the waist, and had both +drawn their daggers.</p> + +<p>But this tardy interference was useless; the Count, who was endowed +with a far from common strength, had easily succeeded in freeing +himself from the young man's grasp, and had thrown him on the ground, +where he held him by placing his knee on his chest.</p> + +<p>All at once a mighty rumour of arms and horses was heard in the house, +and the hurried steps of several men hurrying up the stairs became +audible.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" the Duke exclaimed, with a ferocious joy, "I believe my vengeance +is at hand, at last!"</p> + +<p>The Count, not deigning to reply to his enemy, turned to the sailors.</p> + +<p>"Be off, my lads!" he shouted in a voice of thunder.</p> + +<p>They hesitated.</p> + +<p>"He goes if you wish to save me," he added.</p> + +<p>"Boarders away!" Michael yelled, as he dragged away his comrade; and +the two men seizing their musquetoons by the barrel, as if to use them +as clubs in case of need, and to clear the way, rushed into the passage +when they disappeared.</p> + +<p>The Count listened anxiously, he heard oaths and the sound of an +obstinate struggle; then, at the expiration of a moment, a distant cry, +that summons which sailors know so well, reached him.</p> + +<p>Then his face grew calmer, he returned his sword to its sheath and +coolly awaited the newcomers, muttering to himself—</p> + +<p>"They have escaped, one chance is left me."</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE ARREST.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Almost at the same moment ten or twelve men burst into the room rather +than entered it, the noise that continued outside let it be guessed +that a great number of others was standing on the stairs and in the +passages, ready, were it required, to come to the assistance of the +others.</p> + +<p>All these men were armed, and it was easy to recognise them at once as +guards of the King, or rather of His Eminence the Cardinal.</p> + +<p>Only two of them, with crafty looks and squinting eyes, dressed in +black like ushers, had no visible weapons; these, in all probability +were more to be feared than the others, for beneath their feline +obsequiousness they doubtless concealed an implacable will to do evil.</p> + +<p>One of these two men held some papers in his right hand, he advanced +two or three paces, cast a suspicious glance around him, and then took +off his cap with a courteous bow.</p> + +<p>"In the King's name! gentleman," he said in a quick sharp voice.</p> + +<p>"What do you want?" the Count de Barmont asked, advancing resolutely +towards him.</p> + +<p>At this movement, which he took for a hostile demonstration, the man +in black recoiled with an ill-disguised start of terror, but feeling +himself backed up by his acolytes, he at once resumed his coolness, and +answered with a smile of evil augury—</p> + +<p>"Ah! Ah! The Count Ludovic de Barmont, I believe," he remarked with an +ironical bow.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," the gentleman replied haughtily, "I am the Count de +Barmont."</p> + +<p>"Captain in the navy," the man in black imperturbably added, "at +present, commanding His Majesty's, frigate The Erigone."</p> + +<p>"As I told you, sir, I am the person you are in search of," the Count +added.</p> + +<p>"It is really with you that I have to deal, my lord," he replied, as he +drew himself up. "S'death, my good gentleman, you are not easy to catch +up; I have been running after you for a week, and was almost despairing +about having the honour of a meeting."</p> + +<p>All this was said with an obsequious air, a honeyed voice, and with a +sweet smile, sufficient to exasperate a saint, and much more the person +whom the strange man was addressing, and who was endowed with anything +but a placable character.</p> + +<p>"By Heaven!" he exclaimed, stamping his foot passionately; "Are we to +have much more of this?"</p> + +<p>"Patience, my good sir," he replied in the same placid tone; "patience, +good Heaven, how quick you are!" then after taking a glance at the +papers he held in his hand, "Since by your own confession you allow +yourself to be really Count Ludovic de Barmont, captain commanding His +Majesty's frigate Erigone, by virtue of the orders I bear, I arrest +you in the King's name, for the crime of desertion; for having without +authorization abandoned your vessel in a foreign country, that is to +say, at the Port of Lisbon, in Portugal." Then raising his head and +fixing his squinting eyes on the gentleman, he added, "Surrender your +sword to me, my lord."</p> + +<p>M. de Barmont shrugged his shoulders disdainfully.</p> + +<p>"The sword of a gentleman of my race shall never be placed in the hands +of a scoundrel of your stamp," he said, with contempt; and drawing +his sword, he coldly broke the blade across his knee, and threw the +fragments through the window panes, which they broke.</p> + +<p>Then he drew his pistols from his belt and cocked them.</p> + +<p>"Sir, sir!" the myrmidon exclaimed, recoiling in terror, "This is +rebellion, remember, rebellion against the express orders of His +Majesty and His Eminence the Cardinal Minister."</p> + +<p>The Count smiled disdainfully, and raising his pistols in the air, +fired them, the bullets being buried in the ceiling; then clasping them +by the barrel he threw them also out of the window; after which he +crossed his hands on his chest, and said coolly—</p> + +<p>"Now do with me what you please."</p> + +<p>"Have you surrendered, my lord?" the fellow asked with ill-disguised +alarm.</p> + +<p>"Yes, from this moment I am your prisoner."</p> + +<p>The man in black breathed again; although he was unarmed, the haughty +gentleman still made him feel uncomfortable.</p> + +<p>"Still," the latter added, "allow me to say a couple of words to this +lady;" and he pointed to Doña Clara, who, waited upon by Dame Tiphaine, +who had hurried in at the disturbance in spite of her husband's +entreaties and orders, was beginning to regain her senses.</p> + +<p>"No, not a word, not a syllable," the Duke exclaimed, as he threw +himself between his daughter and the Count; "remove the villain, remove +him."</p> + +<p>But the bailiff, pleased with the facility the Count had displayed in +surrendering to him, and not wishing to excite his anger, pleased above +all at being able to show his authority without incurring resistance, +bravely interposed.</p> + +<p>"Pray, sir, allow the gentleman to speak to the lady," he said, "and to +unburden his heart."</p> + +<p>"But this man is an assassin," the Duke shouted violently, "before us +is still lying the corpse of my unhappy son, killed by him."</p> + +<p>"I pity you, sir," the myrmidon said without being at all affected; "I +cannot offer any remedy for that; and you must make application in the +proper quarter. Still, if it can be of any comfort to you, be convinced +that I shall make a careful note of the accusation you bring, and will +recall it to mind at the right time and place. But you must be equally +eager to get rid of us, as we are to get away from here: hence allow +this gentleman to bid farewell to the lady quietly, and I am convinced +it will not take long."</p> + +<p>The Duke darted a ferocious glance at the bailiff; but, not wishing to +compromise himself with such a fellow, he did not answer, and fell back +with a gloomy air.</p> + +<p>The Count had watched this altercation without displaying either +impatience or anger; with pale forehead and frowning brow, he waited, +doubtless ready to break into some terrible extremity if his request +were not granted.</p> + +<p>The bailiff only required to take one look at him to guess what was +passing in his heart; and, not feeling at all anxious for a fresh +contest to begin, he had prudently manoeuvred to avoid it.</p> + +<p>"Come," he said, "speak, my worthy gentleman, no one will oppose it."</p> + +<p>"Thanks," the Count answered hoarsely and approached Doña Clara, who +watched him advance with an ardent gaze fixed on him.</p> + +<p>"Clara," he said to her in a firm and deeply marked voice, "do you love +me?"</p> + +<p>She hesitated for a moment and bowed her head while heaving a profound +sigh.</p> + +<p>"Do you love me?" he repeated.</p> + +<p>"I do love you, Ludovic," she replied in a faint and trembling voice.</p> + +<p>"Do you love me, as your husband before God and man, as the father of +your child?"</p> + +<p>The young lady rose, her black eyes flashed fire, and stretching out +her hands before her, she said in a voice choked by emotion—</p> + +<p>"In the presence of my father, who is ready to curse me, before the +body of my dead brother and in the face of the men who are listening to +me, I swear, Ludovic, that I love you as the father of my child, and +that I shall remain faithful to you, whatever may happen."</p> + +<p>"Very good, Clara," he answered, "God has received your oath and will +help you to keep it; remember that, whether dead or alive, you belong +to me as I belong to you, and that no person on earth shall break the +ties that unite us. Now farewell, and keep your courage."</p> + +<p>"Farewell!" she muttered, as she fell back in her chair and buried her +face in her hands.</p> + +<p>"Let us go, gentlemen! Do with me what you please," the Count said as +he turned to the exempt and the guards, who were involuntarily affected +by this scene.</p> + +<p>The Duke bounded with a tiger leap on his daughter, and seizing +her right arm with a frenzied gesture, he forced her to raise her +tear-swollen face to his, and fixing on her a glance loaded with all +the rage that swelled his heart, he said in a voice which fury rendered +sibilant—</p> + +<p>"Daughter, prepare to marry within two days, the man I destine for you. +As for your child, you will never see it again; it no longer exists for +you."</p> + +<p>The young lady uttered a cry of despair and fell back deprived of her +senses in the arms of Dame Tiphaine.</p> + +<p>The Count, who at this moment was leaving the room, stopped short and +turned round to the Duke with his arm stretched out toward him:</p> + +<p>"Hangman," he shouted in a hoarse voice which chilled his auditors +with horror, "I curse you, I swear on my honor as a gentlemen to take +on you and yours so terrible a vengeance, that the memory of it shall +remain eternal; and if I cannot reach you, you and the whole nation +to which you belong shall be buried beneath the implacable weight of +my hatred. Between us henceforth there is a war of savages and wild +beasts, without truce or mercy; farewell."</p> + +<p>And leaving the proud Spaniard horrified by this fearful anathema, the +gentleman quitted the room with a firm step, and taking a last loving +glance at the woman he adored, from whom he was perhaps eternally +separated.</p> + +<p>The passages, stairs, and inn garden were filled with armed men; it was +evidently a miracle that the two sailors had succeeded in escaping and +getting away safe and sound; this gave the Count, hope and he went down +the stairs with an assured step, carefully watched by his escort who +did not let him out of sight.</p> + +<p>The guards had been long before warned that they would have to do +with a naval officer possessing an inordinate violence of character, +prodigious vigour and indomitable courage; hence the resignation of the +prisoner, which they believed to be assumed, only inspired them with +very slight confidence, and they were continually on the defensive.</p> + +<p>When they came out into the garden the chief of the exempts noticed the +coach, which was still standing at the door.</p> + +<p>"Why," he said with a grin and rubbing his hands, "here's the very +thing we want. In our hurry to get here, we forgot to provide ourselves +with a coach; be good enough to get in, my lord," he said as he opened +the door.</p> + +<p>The Count got in without any further hesitation; and the exempts then +addressed the driver who was sitting motionless on his box.</p> + +<p>"Come down, scamp," he said in a tone of authority; "I require the use +of this coach for an affair of state. Give up your place to one of my +men. Wideawake," he added, turning to a tall impudent looking fellow +standing by his side, "get up on the box in that man's place—let us be +off."</p> + +<p>The driver did not attempt to resist this peremptory order; he +descended and his place was immediately taken by Wideawake; the exempt +then entered the carriage, seated himself facing his prisoner, closed +the door, and the steeds, aroused by a vigorous, lash, dashed forward +dragging after them the heavy vehicle round which the twenty odd +soldiers were collected.</p> + +<p>For a considerable period the coach rolled along without a word being +exchanged between the prisoner and his guard.</p> + +<p>The Count was thinking, the exempt sleeping, or, to speak more +correctly, pretending to sleep.</p> + +<p>In the month of March the nights are beginning to shorten; daylight +soon appeared, and broad white stripes were beginning to cross the sky.</p> + +<p>The Count, who up to this moment had remained motionless, gave a slight +start.</p> + +<p>"Are you suffering, my lord?" the exempt inquired. This question was +addressed to him with an intonation so different from that hitherto +employed by the man who had made him prisoner; there was in the sound +of his voice an accent so really gentle and sympathizing, that the +Count involuntarily started, and took a fixed look at his singular +companion: but so far as he could see by the faint light of coming +dawn, the man in front of him still had the same crafty face and the +same ironical smile stereotyped on his lips. The Count found himself +in error, and throwing himself back, merely uttered one word, "No," in +a tone intended to break off any attempt at conversation between his +guardian and himself.</p> + +<p>But the former was probably in a humour for talking, for he would +not be checked; and pretending not to remark the manner in which his +advances had been received, he continued—</p> + +<p>"The nights are still chill, the breeze enters this coach on all sides, +and I feared lest the cold had struck you."</p> + +<p>"I am habituated to suffer heat and cold," the Count answered; +"besides, it is probable that if I have not yet made my apprenticeship, +I am about to undergo one which will accustom me to endure everything +without complaining."</p> + +<p>"Who knows, my lord?" the exempt said, with a shake of the head.</p> + +<p>"What?" the other objected, "Am I not condemned to a lengthened +captivity in a fortress?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, according to the terms of the order, which it is my duty to carry +out."</p> + +<p>There was a momentary silence. The Count gazed absently at the country +which the first beams of day were beginning to illumine. At length he +turned to the exempt.</p> + +<p>"May I ask whither you are taking me?" he said.</p> + +<p>"I see no objection to your doing so."</p> + +<p>"And you will answer my question?"</p> + +<p>"Why not? There is nothing to prevent it."</p> + +<p>"Then we are going?"</p> + +<p>"To the isles of St. Marguerite, my lord."</p> + +<p>The Count trembled inwardly. The islands of Lerins, or Sainte +Marguerite, enjoyed at that time, even, a reputation almost as terrible +as the one they acquired at a later date, when they served as a prison +to the mysterious iron mask, whom it was forbidden to take even a +glance at under penalty of death.</p> + +<p>The exempt looked at him fixedly without speaking.</p> + +<p>It was the Count who again resumed the conversation.</p> + +<p>"Where are we now?" he asked.</p> + +<p>The exempt bent out of the window, and then resumed his seat.</p> + +<p>"We are just arriving at Corbeil, where we shall change horses."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said the Count.</p> + +<p>"If you wish to rest, I can give orders for an hour's stay. Perhaps you +feel a want of some refreshment?"</p> + +<p>This singular man was gradually acquiring in the Count's eyes all the +interest of an enigma.</p> + +<p>"Very good," he said.</p> + +<p>Without replying the exempt let down the window.</p> + +<p>"Wideawake!" he shouted.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter?" the latter asked.</p> + +<p>"Pull up at the Golden Lion."</p> + +<p>"All right."</p> + +<p>Ten minutes later the coach halted in the Rue St. Spire, in front of a +door over which creaked a sign representing an enormous gilt cat, with +one of its paws on a ball. They had arrived.</p> + +<p>The exempt got out, followed by the Count, and both entered the inn: +one portion of the escort remained in the saddle in the street, while +the others dismounted and installed themselves in the common room.</p> + +<p>The Count had mechanically followed the exempt, and on reaching the +room, seated himself in a chair by the fire, in a first floor decently +furnished room. He was too busy with his own thoughts to attach any +great attention to what was going on around him.</p> + +<p>When the landlord had left them alone, the exempt bolted the door +inside, and then placed himself in front of his prisoner.</p> + +<p>"Now," he said, "let us speak frankly, my lord."</p> + +<p>The latter, astonished at this sudden address, quickly raised his head.</p> + +<p>"We have no time to lose in coming to an understanding, sir; so please +to listen without interrupting me," the exempt continued. "I am +François Bouillot, the younger brother of your foster father. Do you +recognise me?"</p> + +<p>"No," the Count replied, after examining him attentively for a moment.</p> + +<p>"That does not surprise me, for you were only eight years old the last +time I had the honor of seeing you at Barmont Castle: but that is of no +consequence; I am devoted to you, and wish to save you."</p> + +<p>"What assures me that you are really François Bouillot, the brother of +my foster father, and that you are not attempting to deceive me?" the +Count answered, in a suspicious accent.</p> + +<p>The exempt felt in his pocket, pulled out several papers, which he +unfolded, and presented them open to the Count.</p> + +<p>The latter looked at them mechanically: they consisted of a baptismal +certificate, a commission, and several letters proving his identity. +The Count handed him the letters back.</p> + +<p>"How is it that you should have been the man to arrest me, and arrived +so opportunely to aid me?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"In a very simple way, my lord: your order of arrest was obtained from +the Cardinal Minister by the Dutch Embassy. I was present when M. de +Laffemas, a familiar of his Eminence, who is kind to me, left the +Palais Cardinal order in hand: I was there, and he chose me. Still, as +I was able to decline, I should have done so, had I not seen your name +on the paper, and remembered the kindness your family had shown to me +and my brother. Taking advantage of the opportunity my profession of +exempt offered me, I resolved to repay you what your friends have done +for mine, by attempting to save you."</p> + +<p>"That does not seem to me very easy, my poor friend."</p> + +<p>"More so than you may fancy, my lord: I will leave here one-half our +escort, and then only ten will remain with us."</p> + +<p>"Hum! That is a very decent number," the Count replied, involuntarily +interested.</p> + +<p>"They would be too many if there were not among the ten men seven of +whom I am certain, which reduces the number of those we have to fear +to three. I have been running after you for a long time, my lord," he +added, with a laugh, "and all my precautions are taken: through some +excuse, easy to be found, we will pass through Toulon, and on arriving +there, we will stop for an hour or two at a hostelry I know. You will +disguise yourself as a mendicant monk, and leave the inn unnoticed. I +will take care to get rid of the guards I am not certain of. You will +proceed to the port furnished with papers I will hand you; you will go +on board a charming chasse-marée, called the <i>Seamew</i>, which I have +freighted on your account, and which is waiting for you. The master +will recognise you by a password I will tell you, and you will be at +liberty to go whither-soever you please. Is not this plan extremely +simple, my lord?" he asked, rubbing his hands joyously, "And have I not +foreseen everything?"</p> + +<p>"No, my friend," the Count answered with emotion, as he offered him his +hand; "there is one more thing you have not foreseen."</p> + +<p>"What is that, my lord?" he asked, in surprise.</p> + +<p>"That I do not wish to fly," the young man answered, with a melancholy +shake of the head.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE ISLE OF SAINTE MARGUERITE.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>At this answer, which he was so far from anticipating, the exempt gave +a start of surprise, and looked at the Count as if he had not exactly +understood him.</p> + +<p>The gentleman smiled gently.</p> + +<p>"That surprises you, does it not?" he said.</p> + +<p>"I confess it, my lord," the other stammered, with embarrassment.</p> + +<p>The Count went on:</p> + +<p>"Yes," he said, "I can understand your surprise at my refusal to accept +your generous proposition. It is not often you find a prisoner to whom +liberty is offered, and who insists on remaining a captive. I owe you +an explanation of this extraordinary conduct; this explanation I will +give you at once, so that you may no longer press me, but leave me to +act as I think proper."</p> + +<p>"I am only the most humble, of your servants, my lord Count. You +doubtless know better than I what your conduct should be under the +circumstances, you have therefore no occasion to explain it to me."</p> + +<p>"It is precisely because you are an old servant of my family, François +Bouillot, and because you are giving me at this moment a proof of +unbounded devotion, that I believe myself obliged to tell you the +motives for this refusal, which has so many reasons to surprise you. +Listen to me, then."</p> + +<p>"As you insist, my lord, I obey you."</p> + +<p>"Very good, take a chair, and place yourself here by my side, as it is +unnecessary for others beside yourself to hear what I am going to say."</p> + +<p>The exempt took a stool and seated himself by his master's side, +exactly as the latter had ordered, while still keeping up a respectful +distance between himself and the gentleman.</p> + +<p>"In the first place," the Count resumed, "be thoroughly convinced that +if I refuse your offer, it is not through any motive of a personal +nature as regards yourself. I have full confidence in you, for nearly +200 years your family has been attached to mine, and we have ever had +reason to praise their devotion to our interest. This important point +being settled, I will go on. I will suppose for a moment that the +plan you have formed is successful, a plan which I will not discuss, +although it appears to me very difficult to execute, and the slightest +accident might, at the last moment, compromise its issue. What will +happen? Forced to fly without resources, without friends, I should not +only be unable to take the revenge I meditate upon my enemies, but +surrendered, so to speak, to their mercy, I should speedily fall into +their hands again, and thus become the laughing stock of those whom I +hate. I should be dishonoured; they will despise me, and I shall have +but one way of escape from a life henceforth rendered useless, as all +my plans would be overthrown, and that is blowing out my brains."</p> + +<p>"Oh! my lord!" Bouillot exclaimed, clasping his hands.</p> + +<p>"I do not wish to fall," the Count continued imperturbably, "in the +terrible struggle which has this day begun between my enemies and +myself. I have taken an oath, and that oath I will keep, regardless +of the consequences. I am young, hardly twenty-five years of age; up +to the present, life has only been one long joy for me, and I have +succeeded in everything, plans of ambition, fortune and love. Today +misfortune has come to lay its hand on me, and it is welcome; for the +man who has not suffered is not a perfect man; grief purifies the mind +and tempers the heart. Solitude is a good councillor; it makes a man +comprehend the nothingness of small things, expands the ideas, and +prepares grand conceptions. I require to steel myself through sorrow, +in order to be able one day to repay my enemies a hundredfold all +that I have suffered at their hands. It is by thinking over my broken +career and my ruined future, that I shall find the necessary strength +to accomplish my vengeance. When my heart is dead to every other +feeling but that of the hatred which will entirely occupy it, I shall +be able pitilessly to trample underfoot all those who today laugh at +me and believe they have crushed me, because they have hurled me down; +and then I shall be really a man, and woe to those who try to measure +their strength with mine. You tremble at what I am saying to you at +this moment, my old servant," he added more gently, "what would it be +were you able to read in my heart all the hatred, auger, and rage it +contains against those who have mercilessly ground me beneath their +heel, and who have eternally deprived me of happiness, in order to +satisfy the paltry calculations of a narrow and criminal ambition?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, my lord Count! Permit an old servant of your family, a man who is +entirely devoted to you, to implore you to resign these fearful schemes +of vengeance. Alas! You will be the first victim of your hatred."</p> + +<p>"Have you forgotten, Bouillot," the Count replied ironically, "what is +said in our country, about the members of the family to which I have +the honor of belonging?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, my lord," he said with a melancholy shake of the head; "I +remember it, and will repeat it if you wish."</p> + +<p>"Do so."</p> + +<p>"Well, my lord, the distich is as follows—"</p> + +<p>"'The Counts of Barmont Senectaire, Demon-hate and heart of stone.'"</p> + +<p>The Count smiled.</p> + +<p>"Well do you fancy that I have degenerated from my ancestors?"</p> + +<p>"I suppose nothing, sir, Heaven forbid!" he answered humbly, "I only +see with terror that you are preparing a hideous future for yourself."</p> + +<p>"Be it so! I accept it in all its rigor, if God will permit me to +accomplish my oath."</p> + +<p>"Alas! My lord, you know that man proposes; you are at this moment a +prisoner of the Cardinal; reflect, I implore you, who knows whether +you will ever leave the prison to which I am conducting you? Consent to +be free."</p> + +<p>"No; cease your entreaties! The Cardinal is not immortal. If not +before, my liberty will be restored me on his death, which cannot +be long deferred, I hope. And now carefully bear this in mind, my +resolution is so fixed, that if in spite of my orders you abandon me +here, at the inn where we now are, the first use I should make of the +liberty you have given me back, would be to go at once and surrender +myself into the hands of his Eminence; you understand me thoroughly, I +suppose?"</p> + +<p>The old servant bowed his head without answering, and two tears slowly +ran down his cheeks.</p> + +<p>This dumb grief, so true and so touching, affected the Count more than +he would have supposed; he rose, took the poor fellow's hand and shook +it several times.</p> + +<p>"Let us say no more about this, Bouillot," he remarked to him +affectionately, "although I will not profit by it, your devotion has +deeply affected me, and I will ever feel eternally grateful to you for +it. Come, my old friend, let us not grow foolish; we are men and not +childish poltroons, confound it."</p> + +<p>"Well, no matter, my lord, I do not consider myself beaten," the exempt +replied, as he threw himself into the arms open to receive him; "you +cannot prevent me from watching over you, whether near or afar."</p> + +<p>"That I do not oppose, my friend," the Count replied with a laugh; "do +as you please; besides," he added seriously, "I confess that I shall +not be sorry when I am sequestered from the world to know what is going +on, and to be kept informed, of passing events; some unforeseen fact +might occur which would modify my intentions and make me desire the +recovery of my liberty."</p> + +<p>"Oh, be sure of that, my lord," he exclaimed, pleased at this quasi +victory and conditional promise, "I will arrange so that you shall not +be at a loss for news; I have not served his Eminence for six years +for nothing; the Cardinal is a good master, I have profited by his +teaching, and know several tricks; you shall see me at work."</p> + +<p>"Well, that is agreed, and we understand each other now. I think it +would be wise to breakfast before continuing our journey, for I feel an +appetite that greatly requires appeasing."</p> + +<p>"I will give the landlord orders to serve you at once, my lord."</p> + +<p>"You will breakfast with me, Bouillot," he said as he gave him a +friendly tap on the shoulder; "and I hope it will be always so, until +our arrival at the Isle of St. Marguerite."</p> + +<p>"It is certainly a great honour for me, sir, but—"</p> + +<p>"I expect it; besides are you not almost a member of my family?"</p> + +<p>François Bouillot bowed and left the room; after ordering a copious +breakfast, he commanded one part of the escort back to Paris; then +he returned to the room, followed by the landlord, who, in a second, +covered the table with all that was wanted to make a good meal, and +withdrew discreetly, leaving his guests to attack the dishes placed +before them.</p> + +<p>The journey was continued without any incident worthy of note.</p> + +<p>The prisoner's conversation with his keeper had been decisive; the +latter was too well acquainted with the character of the man with whom +he had to deal to attempt to revert to a subject which had been so +distinctly disposed of on the first occasion.</p> + +<p>At the period when our history takes place, France was not as now +intersected by magnificent roads, and the shortest journey demanded +an enormous expenditure of time; the coaches, heavy vehicles badly +built and worse horsed, had great difficulty in resisting the numerous +joltings and the ruts in which they were for the greater portion of +the time buried up to the axletree, and hence, in spite of the speed +employed, seventeen days elapsed ere the prisoner and his escort +arrived at Toulon.</p> + +<p>This town was even at that early period one of the principal military +ports of France, and the Count felt an indescribable pang at heart when +he entered it.</p> + +<p>It was in this town that his naval career had begun, here for the first +time he had set foot aboard a vessel with the rank of midshipman, and +had undergone the preparatory trials of that rude naval profession, in +which, in spite of his youth, he soon attained a great reputation and +almost celebrity.</p> + +<p>The coach stopped in the Haymarket, in front of the "Cross of Malta," +probably the oldest inn in France, for it is still in existence, +although it has undergone many indispensable changes both internally +and externally.</p> + +<p>So soon as he had installed his prisoner comfortably in the Inn, +François Bouillot went out.</p> + +<p>If he placed a sentry before the Count's door, it was rather in +obedience to his duty, than through any fear of escape, for he had not +even taken the trouble to lock the door, so convinced was he beforehand +that unfortunately his prisoner would not attempt to pass out of it.</p> + +<p>He remained away for about two hours.</p> + +<p>"You have been absent a long time," the Count remarked on his return.</p> + +<p>"I had some important business to settle," he replied.</p> + +<p>The Count, without adding a word, resumed his walk up and down the room +which Bouillot's return had interrupted.</p> + +<p>There was a momentary silence, Bouillot was evidently embarrassed, +he went about the room, pretending to arrange sundry articles of +furniture, and disarranging everything; at last seeing that the Count +obstinately remained silent and would not perceive that he was in the +room, he placed himself in front of him so as to bar his passage, and +looked at him intently as he whispered with a stress on the words.</p> + +<p>"You do not ask where I have been."</p> + +<p>"What is the use?" the Count replied carelessly; "About your own +business, of course."</p> + +<p>"No, my lord, about yours."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" he said.</p> + +<p>"Yes, the <i>Seamew</i> awaits you."</p> + +<p>The Count smiled and slightly shrugged his shoulders.</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah, you are still thinking of that; I believed, my dear Bouillot, +that it was arranged between us that we should not return to this +subject. That was the reason, then, that you lengthened our journey, by +making us pass through Toulon, at which I felt surprised. I could not +account for the strange itinerary you were following."</p> + +<p>"My lord," he muttered, clasping his hands imploringly.</p> + +<p>"Come, you are mad, my dear Bouillot, you ought to know by this time, +though, that when I have formed a resolution, good or bad, I never +alter it; so no more of this, I beg, it would be quite useless. I +pledge you my word as a gentleman."</p> + +<p>The old servant uttered a groan that resembled a death rattle.</p> + +<p>"Your will be done, my lord," he stammered. "When do we start for +Antibes?"</p> + +<p>"At once, if you wish it."</p> + +<p>"Very good, the sooner the better."</p> + +<p>After bowing, the exempt left the room to make all preparations for +departure.</p> + +<p>As we see, the parts were completely introverted, it was the prisoner +who gave orders to his keeper.</p> + +<p>One hour later, in fact, the Count quitted Toulon. All along the road +the two men, constantly companions, and eating and drinking together, +conversed about indifferent matters. Bouillot had at last recognized +the fact that it was useless to make any further effort to induce the +Count to escape; still he had not given up his scheme, but merely +deferred it till a more distant period, reckoning as an ally the +annoyance of a prolonged detention, and an inactive and useless life +upon an organization so impetuous as that of the prisoner.</p> + +<p>So soon as he arrived at Antibes, by the express command of the Count, +who seemed to take a certain pleasure in tormenting him, he set out in +search of some boat to carry them across to Sainte Marguerite.</p> + +<p>His search was neither long nor difficult; as bearer of a Cardinal's +order, he laid an embargo on the first fishing boat he came across, +and embarked aboard it with all his people.</p> + +<p>On leaving the mainland, the Count turned, and a smile of peculiar +meaning played round his lips.</p> + +<p>Bouillot, deceived by this smile, whose secret intention he did not +penetrate, bent down to the Count's ear.</p> + +<p>"If you like, there is still time," he whispered.</p> + +<p>The Count looked at him, shrugged his shoulders, and without replying, +sat down in the stern of the boat.</p> + +<p>"Push off," Bouillot then shouted to the master.</p> + +<p>The latter seized his boathook, and they were soon under weigh.</p> + +<p>The Lerins islands form a group composed of several rocks, and +two islands surrounded by shoals; the first known as Isle Sainte +Marguerite, the second as Saint Honorat.</p> + +<p>At the period of our narration only the first was fortified; the other, +inhabited by a few fishermen, merely contained the still considerable +ruins of the monastery founded by Saint Honorat circa the year 400.</p> + +<p>The Sainte Marguerite island was uninhabited, flat, and only offering +along its entire coast, one very unsafe creek for vessels. Although +it is extremely fertile, and pomegranates, orange and fig trees, grow +there in the open air, no one had thought of taking up his abode there, +and we are not aware whether a change has since taken place.</p> + +<p>A very important fortress, which, at a later date, attained a +melancholy reputation as a state prison, was erected on the island, the +greater portion of which it occupied.</p> + +<p>This fort was composed of three towers, connected together by terraces, +which time had covered with a yellowish moss, while a wide deep moat +surrounded the walls.</p> + +<p>A few years prior to the beginning of our story, in 1635, the Spaniards +had seized it by surprise.</p> + +<p>The Cardinal, in order to prevent the repetition of such a calamity, +had judged it advisable to protect the fort from a <i>coup de main</i>, by +placing there a garrison of fifty picked soldiers, commanded by a major +performing the duties of governor. He was an old officer of fortune, +whom this post served as a retreat, and who, far from the cares of the +world, led a perfect canonical life, thanks to a tacit understanding +with the smugglers, who alone cast anchor in these parts.</p> + +<p>The officer who commanded the fort at this moment was an old gentleman, +tall, thin, and wizened, with harsh features, who had had a leg and +arm cut off. His name was Monsieur de l'Oursière; he was constantly +scolding and abusing his subordinates, and the day when he left the +Crown regiment, in which he held the rank of major, was kept as a +holiday by the whole regiment, officers and men; so cordially was the +worthy man detested.</p> + +<p>Cardinal de Richelieu was a good judge of men; in selecting Major de +l'Oursière to make him governor of Sainte Marguerite, and metamorphose +him into a gaoler, he had found the exact post which suited his +quarrelsome temper, and his cruel instincts.</p> + +<p>It was on this amiable personage that the Count de Barmont would +have to be dependant for doubtless a considerable period; for, if +the Cardinal Minister easily shut the gate of a state prison on a +gentleman, to make up for it, he was never in a hurry to open it again, +and a prisoner, unless something extraordinary occurred, was almost +safe to die forgotten in his dungeon, except when his Eminence had a +whim to have his head cut off in broad daylight.</p> + +<p>After a number of countersigns had been exchanged with a profuseness +of caution which bore witness to the good guard and strict discipline +maintained by the governor, the prisoner and his escort were at length +introduced into the fortress, and admitted to the Major's presence.</p> + +<p>The Major was just finishing his breakfast, when a Cardinal's messenger +was announced to him: he buttoned his uniform, put on his sword and +hat, and ordered the messenger to be shown in.</p> + +<p>François Bouillot entered, followed by the Count, bowed, and presented +the order of which he was the bearer.</p> + +<p>The governor took it, and read it through; then he turned to the Count, +who was standing motionless a few paces in the rear, made him a slight +bow, and addressed him in a dry voice, and with a rough accent.</p> + +<p>"Your servant, sir," he said to him: "are you the Count de Barmont, +whose name is written on this paper?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," the Count answered, bowing in his turn.</p> + +<p>"I am sorry, sir, truly sorry," the Major resumed; "but I have strict +orders with reference to you, and a soldier only knows his duty; still, +believe me, sir, hum, hum, that I shall try to reconcile my natural +humanity with the rigour that is recommended to me, hum, hum, I know +how gentlemen ought to behave to each other, sir; be assured of that."</p> + +<p>And the governor, doubtless satisfied at the speech he had just +uttered, smiled, and drew himself gracefully up.</p> + +<p>The Count bowed, but made no answer.</p> + +<p>"You shall be conducted to your apartment at once, sir," the Major went +on; "hum, hum! I wish it was handsomer, but I did not expect you; hum, +hum, and you know how things are—hum, hum, we will manage to lodge +you more comfortably hereafter; la Berloque," he added, turning to a +soldier standing near the door, "conduct this gentleman, hum, hum, to +room No. 8, in the second turret; hum, hum, I believe it is the most +habitable one; your servant, sir, your servant, hum, hum!"</p> + +<p>And after having thus unceremoniously dismissed the Count, the Major +went into another room.</p> + +<p>M. de Barmont, accompanied by Bouillot and the guards, who had brought +him, followed the soldier.</p> + +<p>The latter led them through several passages, and up various stairs, +and then stopped before a door, garnished with formidable bolts.</p> + +<p>"It is here," he said.</p> + +<p>The Count then turned to Bouillot, and affectionately offered him his +hand.</p> + +<p>"Farewell, my old friend," he said to him in a gentle but firm voice, +while a vague smile played round his lips.</p> + +<p>"Farewell, till we meet again," Bouillot said, with a stress on the +words. Then he took leave of him, and withdrew, with his eyes full of +tears.</p> + +<p>The door closed with a mournful sound on the prisoner.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" the old servant muttered, as he pensively went down the turret +stairs, "Woe to those who venture to oppose the Count, if ever he +leaves his prison again! And he shall do so, I swear it, even if I must +risk my life in securing his escape."</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a></h4> + +<h3>A BACKWARD GLANCE.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>The family of the Count de Barmont Senectaire was one of the most +ancient and noble in Languedoc; their origin went back to an antiquity +so remote, that we may declare without fear of contradiction that it +was lost in the mist of ages.</p> + +<p>A Barmont Senectaire fought at Bouvines by the side of Philip Augustus.</p> + +<p>The chronicle of Joinville mentions a Barmont Senectaire, knight +banneret, who died of the plague at Tunis, in 1270, during the second +crusade of King Louis IX.</p> + +<p>Francis I. on the evening of the battle of Marignano, gave the rank of +Count on the battlefield itself to Euguerrand de Barmont Senectaire, +captain of one hundred men at arms, to reward him for his grand conduct +and the sturdy blows he had seen him deal during the whole period of +that combat of giants.</p> + +<p>Few noble families have such splendid title deeds among their archives.</p> + +<p>The Counts de Barmont were always military nobles, and they gave France +several celebrated generals.</p> + +<p>But in the course of time, the power and fortune of this family +gradually diminished: during the reign of Henri III. it was reduced to +a condition bordering on poverty. Still, justly proud of a stainless +past, they continued to carry their heads high in the province, and if +the Count de Barmont endured hard privations in order to support his +name worthily, nothing of this was visible externally, and everybody +was ignorant of the fact.</p> + +<p>The Count had attached himself to the fortunes of the King of Navarre +as much through the hope of regaining a position through the war, +as through admiration of this prince, whose genius he had probably +divined. A brave soldier, but young, impetuous, and handsome, the +Count had several affairs of gallantry. One among others with a lady +of the Town of Cahors, affianced to a very rich Spanish noble, whom he +succeeded in carrying off on the very day before that appointed for the +marriage. The Spaniard, who was very strict in matters affecting his +honour, considered this joke in bad taste, and demanded satisfaction +of the Count; the latter gave him two sword thrusts, and left him +dead on the ground. This affair attracted great attention, and gained +the Count much honor among people of refinement; but the Spaniard, +contrary to expectation, recovered from his wounds. The two gentlemen +fought again, and this time the Count so ill treated his adversary +that the latter was constrained to give up all thoughts of a new +meeting. This adventure disgusted the Count with gallantry, not that he +personally feared the results of the hatred which the Duke of Peñaflor +had sworn against him, for he never heard of him again, but because +his conscience reproached him with having, for the satisfaction of a +caprice which passed away so soon as it was satisfied, destroyed the +happiness of an honourable man, and he felt remorse for his conduct in +the affair.</p> + +<p>After bravely fighting by the side of the King during all his wars, +the Count finally retired to his estates, about the year 1610, after +the death of that Prince, disgusted with the Court, and feeling the +necessity of repose after such an amount of fatigue.</p> + +<p>Here, four or five years later, wearied with the solitude in which +he lived, and, perhaps, in the hope of expelling from his mind a +troublesome recollection, which, in spite of the time that had elapsed, +did not cease to torture him, the Count resolved to marry, and selected +for his wife a young lady belonging to one of the best families in +the province—charming and gentle, but as poor as himself; this +circumstance was far from bringing ease into the family, whose position +daily became more difficult.</p> + +<p>The union, however, was a happy one; in 1616 the Countess was delivered +of a son, who at once became the joy of the poor household.</p> + +<p>This son was Count Ludovic, whose story we have undertaken to tell.</p> + +<p>In spite of his fondness for the boy, the Count, however, brought him +up strictly, wishing to make of him a rude, brave, and loyal gentleman, +like himself.</p> + +<p>Young Ludovic felt at an early hour, on discovering what misery was +concealed behind the apparent splendour of his family, the necessity +of creating for himself an independent position, which would allow him +not only to be no longer a burden to parents whom he loved, and who +sacrificed to him the greater portion of their income, but to restore +also the eclipsed lustre of the name he bore.</p> + +<p>Contrary to the custom followed by his ancestors, who had all served +the king or his armies, his tastes led him to the navy.</p> + +<p>Owing to the assiduous care of an old and worthy priest, who had +become his tutor through attachment to his family, he had received a +solid education, by which he had profited; accounts of voyages, which +constituted his principal reading, inflamed his imagination; all his +thoughts were turned to America, where, according to the statements of +sailors, gold abounded, and he had but one desire—to land himself +in this mysterious country, and take his part of the rich crop which +everybody garnered there.</p> + +<p>His father, and his mother even more, for a long time resisted his +entreaties. The old man, who had fought during so many years, could not +understand why his son should not do the same, or prefer the navy to a +commission in the army. The Countess, in her heart, did not wish to see +her son either soldier or sailor, for both professions terrified her; +she feared for her son the unknown perils of distant excursions, and +her tenderness was alarmed by the thought of what might be an eternal +separation.</p> + +<p>Still, something must be done, and as the young man obstinately adhered +to his resolution, his parents were compelled to yield and consent to +what he desired, whatever might be the future consequences of this +determination.</p> + +<p>The Count still had some old friends at Court, among them being the +Duke de Bellegarde, who stood on terms of great intimacy with King +Louis XIII., surnamed the "<i>Just</i>" during his lifetime, because he was +born under the sign of Libra.</p> + +<p>Monsieur de Barmont had also been connected at an earlier date with +the Duke d'Epernon, created Admiral of France in 1587; but he had a +repugnance in applying to him, owing to the rumours that were spread +at the time of the assassination of Henri IV. Still, in a case so +urgent as the present one, the Count comprehended that for the sake of +his son he must silence his private feelings, and at the same time as +he addressed a letter to the Duke de Bellegarde, he sent another to +Epernon, who at this period was Governor of Guyenne.</p> + +<p>The double answer the Count expected was not long deferred; M. de +Barmont's two old friends had not forgotten him, and hastened to employ +their credit on his behalf.</p> + +<p>The Duke d'Epernon especially, better situated through his title of +Admiral to be useful to the young man, wrote that he would gladly +undertake the duty of pushing him on in the world.</p> + +<p>This took place at the beginning of 1631, when Ludovic de Barmont had +reached his sixteenth year.</p> + +<p>Being very tall, with a proud and haughty air, and endowed with rare +vigour and great agility, the young man seemed older than he in reality +was. It was with the liveliest joy that he learned how his wishes +had been fulfilled, and that nothing prevented him from embracing a +maritime career.</p> + +<p>The Duke d'Epernon's letter requested the Count de Barmont to send his +son as speedily as possible to Bordeaux, so that he might at once place +him aboard a man-of-war, to commence his apprenticeship.</p> + +<p>Two days after the receipt of this letter the young man tore himself +with difficulty from the embraces of his mother, bade his father a +respectful farewell, and took the road to Bordeaux, mounted on a good +horse, and followed by a confidential valet.</p> + +<p>The navy had for a long time been neglected in France; and left during +the middle ages in the hands of private persons, as the government, +following the example of the other continental powers, did not deign +to try and secure a respectable position on the seas, much less a +supremacy; thus we see during the reign of Francis I., who was, +however, one of the warlike Kings of France, Ango, a ship broker of +Dieppe, from whom the Portuguese had taken a vessel during a profound +peace, authorized by the King, who was unable to procure him justice, +to equip a fleet at his own expense. With this fleet Ango, we may +remark incidentally, blockaded the port of Lisbon, and did not cease +hostilities until he had forced the Portuguese to send to France +ambassadors humbly to ask peace of the King.</p> + +<p>The discovery of the New World, however, and the no less important one +of the Cape of Good Hope, by giving navigation a greater activity and +a more extended sphere, at the same time as they widened the limits of +commerce, caused the necessity to be felt of creating a navy, intended +to protect merchant vessels against the attacks of corsairs.</p> + +<p>It was not till the reign of Louis XIII. that the idea of creating a +navy began to be carried into execution. Cardinal de Richelieu, whose +vast genius embraced everything, and whom the English fleets had +caused several times to tremble during the long and wearying siege of +Rochelle, passed several decrees relating to the navy, and founded a +school of navigation, intended to educate those young gentlemen who +desired to serve the King aboard his vessels.</p> + +<p>It is to this great minister, then, that France is indebted for the +first thought of a navy; this navy was destined to contend against +the Spanish and Dutch fleets, and during the reign of Louis XIV., to +acquire so great an importance, and momentarily hold in check the power +of England.</p> + +<p>It was this school of navigation created by Richelieu that the Viscount +de Barmont entered, thanks to the influence of the Duke d'Epernon.</p> + +<p>The old gentleman strictly kept the pledge he had given his former +comrade in arms; he did not cease to protect the young man, which, +however, was an easy task, for the latter displayed an extraordinary +aptitude, and a talent very rare at that date in the profession he had +embraced.</p> + +<p>Hence, in 1641, he was already a captain in the navy, and had the +command of a twenty-six gun frigate.</p> + +<p>Unfortunately, neither the old Count de Barmont nor his wife was able +to enjoy the success of their son or the new era opening for their +house; they both died a few days apart from each other, leaving the +young man an orphan at the age of two-and-twenty.</p> + +<p>As a pious son, Ludovic, who really loved his parents, lamented and +regretted them, especially his mother, who had always been so kind and +tender to him; but, as he had been accustomed for so many years to live +alone during his long voyages, and only to trust to himself, he did not +feel the loss so painfully as he would have done had he never left the +paternal roof.</p> + +<p>Henceforth the sole representative of his house, he regarded life more +seriously than he had hitherto done, and redoubled his efforts to +restore to his name its almost eclipsed lustre, which, thanks to his +exertions, was beginning to shine again with renewed brilliancy.</p> + +<p>The Duke d'Epernon still lived, but a forgotten relic of an almost +entirely departed generation—a sickly octogenarian, who had quarrelled +long ago with Cardinal de Richelieu, his influence was null, and he +could do nothing for the man he had so warmly protected a few years +previously.</p> + +<p>But the Count did not allow this to prey on his mind; the naval +service was not envied by the nobility, good officers were rare, and +he believed that if he cautiously avoided mixing himself up in any +political intrigue, he might have a brilliant career.</p> + +<p>An accident, impossible to foresee, was fated to destroy all his +ambitious plans, and ruin his career forever.</p> + +<p>This is how the affair occurred:—The Count de Barmont, at the time +commanding the Erigone, twenty-six gun frigate, after a lengthened +cruise in the Algerian waters to protect French merchant vessels +against the Barbary pirates, steered for the states of Gibraltar, in +order to reach the Atlantic, and return to Brest, whither he had orders +to proceed at the end of his cruise; but just as he was about to pass +through the Straits, he was caught by a squall, and after extraordinary +efforts to continue his course, which almost cast him on to the coast +of Africa, owing to the strength of the wind and the rough, chopping +sea, he was obliged to stand off and on for several hours, and finally +take refuge in the port of Algeciras, which was to windward of him, on +the Spanish coast.</p> + +<p>So soon as he had anchored, and made all snug, the commandant, who +knew from experience that two or three days would elapse ere the wind +veered, and allowed him to pass the Straits, ordered his boat, and went +ashore.</p> + +<p>Although the town of Algeciras is very old, it is very small, badly +built, and scantily populated; at this period, more especially, it +only formed, as it were, a poor market town. It was not till after the +English had seized Gibraltar, situated on the other side of the bay, +that the Spaniards comprehended the importance of Algeciras to them, +and have converted it into a regular port.</p> + +<p>The Captain had no other motive for landing at Algeciras, than the +restlessness natural to sailors, which impels them to leave their +vessel as soon as they have cast anchor.</p> + +<p>Commercial relations were not established at that time, as they now +are. The government had not yet fallen into the custom of sending to +foreign ports residents ordered to watch over their countrymen, and +protect their transactions—in a word, consulates had not yet been +created: only those ships of war, which accident might lead to any +port, now and then undertook to procure justice for those of their +countrymen, whose interests had been encroached on.</p> + +<p>After landing, and giving orders to his coxswain to come and fetch +him at sunset, the Captain, merely followed by a sailor, of the name +of Michael, to whom he was greatly attached, and who accompanied him +everywhere, turned into the winding streets of Algeciras, curiously +examining everything that offered itself to view.</p> + +<p>This Michael, to whom we shall have several occasions to refer, was a +tall fellow, with an intelligent face, about thirty years of age, and +who had vowed an eternal devotion to his captain since the day when the +latter had risked his life in saving his, by jumping into a boat during +a terrible storm four years before, to help him when he had fallen into +the sea while going up the shrouds to ease the mainsail.</p> + +<p>Since that day Michael had never left the Count, and had always +contrived to sail with him. Born in the vicinity of Pau, the country of +Henri IV., he was like the king, his fellow countryman, gay, mocking, +and even sceptical. An excellent sailor, endowed with tried bravery, +and far from ordinary vigour, Michael offered in his person the +perfect type of the Béarnaise Basque, a strong and rough, though loyal +and faithful race.</p> + +<p>Only one individual shared in Michael's heart the unbounded friendship +he felt for his chief. This privileged being was a Breton sailor, +gloomy and taciturn, who formed a complete antithesis to him, and whom, +owing to his slowness, the crew had favoured with the characteristic +name of Bowline, which he had accepted, and was so accustomed to answer +to it, that he had almost forgotten the name he previously bore.</p> + +<p>The service the Count had done Michael, the latter had rendered to +Bowline: hence he was attached to the Breton through this very service, +and while mocking and teasing him from morning till night, he had a +sincere friendship for him.</p> + +<p>The Breton understood Michael, and so far as his reserved and slightly +demonstrative nature permitted, he testified on every occasion his +gratitude to the Basque, by letting himself be completely directed and +governed by him in all the actions of his life, without ever attempting +to revolt against the frequent exorbitant demands of his mentor.</p> + +<p>If we have dwelt so long on the character of these two men, it is +because they are destined in the course of this work to play an +important part; and the reader must be acquainted with them, in order +to understand the facts we shall have to record.</p> + +<p>The Count and his sailor continued to advance along the streets, +the one reflecting and amusing himself the other remaining, through +respect, a few paces in the rear, and desperately smoking a pipe, whose +stem was so short that the bowl almost touched his lips.</p> + +<p>While walking thus straight before them, the promenaders soon reached +the end of the town, and turned into a lane bordered by aloes, which +led, with a rather steep incline, to the top of a hill, whence could +be enjoyed the entire panorama of the bay of Algeciras, which, we may +remark in a parenthesis, is the finest in the world.</p> + +<p>It was about two in the afternoon, the hottest moment of the day. The +sun profusely poured down its torrid beams, which made the pebbles in +the road sparkle like diamonds.</p> + +<p>Hence everybody had gone within doors to enjoy the siesta, so that, +since landing, the two sailors had not met a living creature; and if +the Arabian Nights, which were not translated till a century later, +had been known at the time, the Count, without any great effort of the +imagination, might have believed himself transported to that city where +all the inhabitants had been sent to sleep by a wicked impostor, so +complete was the silence around him, while the landscape had the aspect +of a desert. To complete the illusion, the breeze had fallen, there was +not a breath of air, and the vast expanse of water stretched out at +their feet was as motionless as if composed of ice.</p> + +<p>The Count stopped, pensively gazing with an absent eye at his frigate, +which at this distance was scarce as large as a skiff.</p> + +<p>Michael smoked more than ever, and admired the country with straddling +legs, and his arm behind his back, in that position so liked by sailors.</p> + +<p>"Hilloh!" he said suddenly.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter with you?" the Count asked him, as he turned round.</p> + +<p>"Nothing the matter with me, Captain," he replied, "I am only looking +at a lady who is coming up here at a gallop. What a fancy to go at +that pace in such a heat as this."</p> + +<p>"Where is she?" asked the Count.</p> + +<p>"Why, there, Captain," he said, stretching out his hand to larboard.</p> + +<p>The Count turned his eyes in the direction which Michael indicated to +him.</p> + +<p>"Why, that horse has bolted," he exclaimed, a moment later.</p> + +<p>"Do you think so, Captain?" the sailor remarked, calmly.</p> + +<p>"Zounds! I am certain of it. Look, now that she is nearer to us. The +rider is clinging despairingly to the mane. The unhappy girl is lost!"</p> + +<p>"Very possibly," Michael said, philosophically.</p> + +<p>"Quick, quick, my lad!" the Captain shouted, as he rushed to the side +where the horse was coming up. "We must save the lady, even if we +perish!"</p> + +<p>The sailor made no answer; he merely took the precaution of withdrawing +his pipe from his mouth and placing it in his pocket, and then he set +out at a run behind his captain.</p> + +<p>The horse came on like a whirlwind. It was a barb of the purest +Arab race, with a small head, and legs fine as spindles. It bounded +furiously with all four legs on the narrow path it was following, with +eyes full of flashes, and apparently snorting fire through its dilated +nostrils. The lady on its back, half reclining on its neck, had seized +its long mane with both hands, and, half insane with terror, as she +felt herself lost, she uttered stifled cries at intervals.</p> + +<p>Very far in the rear, several horsemen, who formed almost imperceptible +dots on the horizon, were coming up at full speed.</p> + +<p>The track on which the horse was engaged, was narrow and rocky, and led +to a precipice of frightful depth, toward which the animal was dashing +with a headlong speed.</p> + +<p>A man must either be mad, or endowed with a lion's courage, to try and +save this unhappy woman under such conditions, when he had ninety-nine +chances in a hundred of being crushed, without succeeding in rescuing +her from death.</p> + +<p>The two sailors, however, made no reflections of this nature, and +without hesitation resolved to make a supreme effort. They stood facing +each other on either side of the track, and waited without exchanging a +word. They understood one another.</p> + +<p>Two or three minutes elapsed, and then the horse passed like a tornado; +but with the speed of thought the two men dashed forward, seized it by +the bridle, and, hanging their whole weight on it, allowed themselves +to be dragged onward by the furious animal.</p> + +<p>There was for a moment a terrible struggle between intelligence and +brute strength. At length the brute was conquered. The horse stumbled, +and fell panting on the ground.</p> + +<p>At the moment of its fall, the Count removed in his arms, the lady so +miraculously saved, and he bore her to the side of the road, where he +respectfully laid her down.</p> + +<p>Terror had certainly deprived her of consciousness.</p> + +<p>The Count guessing that the horsemen coming up, were relations or +friends of her to whom he had just rendered so great a service, +repaired the disorder in his clothes and awaited their arrival, while +gazing admiringly at the young lady lying at his feet.</p> + +<p>She was a charming young creature, scarce seventeen years of age, with +a delicate waist, and marked and adorably beautiful features; her long +black silky hair had escaped from the comb that confined it and fell in +perfumed curls over her face, on which a slight flush presaged a speedy +return to life.</p> + +<p>The young lady's dress, which was very rich and remarkably elegant, +would have led to the supposition that she was of high rank, had not +the stamp of aristocracy, spread over her entire person, removed all +doubts on that score.</p> + +<p>Michael, with his characteristic coolness which nothing ever upset, +had remained by the side of the horse which, calmed by the fall and +trembling in all its limbs, had allowed itself to be raised without +offering the slightest resistance; the Basque after removing the +saddle, had plucked a wisp of grass, and began rubbing the horse down, +while admiring it, and muttering every now and then.</p> + +<p>"I don't care, it's a noble and beautiful animal! It would have been +a pity had it rolled over that frightful precipice; I am glad it is +saved."</p> + +<p>The worthy sailor did not think the least bit in the world of the young +lady, for his entire interest was concentrated on the horse.</p> + +<p>When he had finished rubbing down, he put the saddle and bridle on +again and led the horse up to the Count.</p> + +<p>"There," he said with an air of satisfaction, "now the horse is calm; +poor creature, a child could guide it with a thread."</p> + +<p>In the meanwhile the horsemen rapidly approached, and soon came up to +the two French sailors.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></h4> + +<h3>LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>These horsemen were four in number. Two of them appeared to be persons +of importance, the other two were domestics.</p> + +<p>On coming within a few steps of the Count, the first two dismounted, +threw their bridles to the footman and advanced, hat in hand, towards +the gentleman, whom they saluted with exquisite politeness.</p> + +<p>The Count courteously returned their greeting, while taking a +side-glance at them.</p> + +<p>The first was a man of about sixty; he was tall, his demeanour was +graceful and his face appeared handsome at the first glance, for the +expression was imposing, although gentle and even kind. Still, on +examining it with greater attention, it was possible to see from the +gloomy fire of his glance, which seemed at times to emit magnetic +flashes, that this gentleness was merely a mask intended to deceive the +vulgar; his projecting cheek bones, his wide retiring forehead, his +nose bent like a bird's beak and his square chin denoted a cold cruelty +blended with a strong dose of obstinacy and pride.</p> + +<p>This man wore a handsome hunting dress covered with lace, and a heavy +gold chain, called a <i>fanfaronne</i>, was passed several times round his +ostrich plumed hat.</p> + +<p>This fanfaronne had been brought into fashion by the adventurers who +returned from New Spain; and though very ridiculous, it had been +enthusiastically adopted by the haughty Castilians.</p> + +<p>This gentleman's companion, much younger than he, but dressed quite +as richly, had one of those faces whose features at the first glance +appear so commonplace and insignificant, that you do not take the +trouble of looking at them, and an observer might pass close by without +seeing them, but his small grey eyes sparkling with cleverness, half +hidden under bushy eyebrows, and the curl of his thin sarcastic lip, +would have completely contradicted any physiognomist, who might take +this person for a man of common intellect and ordinary capacity.</p> + +<p>The elder of the two riders bowed a second time.</p> + +<p>"Sir," he said, "I am the Duc de Peñaflor; the person whose life you +have saved by running such a risk of losing your own, is my daughter, +Doña Clara de Peñaflor."</p> + +<p>As the Count came from Languedoc, he spoke Spanish as purely as his +mother tongue.</p> + +<p>"I am delighted, sir," he replied with a graceful bow, "at having +served as the instrument of providence to preserve a child for her +father."</p> + +<p>"I think," the second rider observed, "that it would be as well to +offer Doña Clara some succour; my dear cousin seems to be seriously +indisposed."</p> + +<p>"It is only emotion," the young man replied; "that caused this fainting +fit, which, if I am not mistaken, is beginning to wear off."</p> + +<p>"Yes indeed," said the Duke, "I think I saw her make a slight movement, +it will be better not to trouble her, but let her regain her senses +quietly; in that way, we shall avoid a shock whose results are +sometimes very dangerous to delicate and nervous organisations, like +that of my dear child."</p> + +<p>All this was spoken with a cold, dry, steady voice, very different +to what a father ought to have employed, whose daughter had just +miraculously escaped death.</p> + +<p>The young officer did not know what to think of his real or feigned +indifference.</p> + +<p>It was only Spanish hauteur. The Duke loved his daughter as much as his +proud and ambitious nature allowed him to do, but he would have been +ashamed to let it be seen, especially by a stranger.</p> + +<p>"Sir," the Duke resumed a moment later, as he stepped aside to display +the gentlemen who accompanied him, "I have the honour of presenting to +you my cousin and friend, Count Don Stenio de Bejar y Sousa."</p> + +<p>The two gentlemen bowed to each other.</p> + +<p>The Count had no motive to maintain an incognito, and saw that the +moment had arrived to make himself known.</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen," he said, "I am Count Ludovic de Barmont Senectaire, +Captain in the Navy, and commanding the French frigate the <i>Erigone</i>, +now anchored in Algeciras Bay."</p> + +<p>On hearing the Count's name pronounced, the Duke's face turned +frightfully pale; he frowned till his eyebrows joined, and he gave him +a strangely meaning glance.</p> + +<p>But this emotion did not last longer than a flash: by a violent effort +of the will the Spaniard thrust back to the bottom of his heart, the +feelings that agitated him; his previous impassiveness returned to his +face, and he bowed with a smile.</p> + +<p>The ice was broken between the three gentlemen, for they saw they were +equals; their manner at once changed, and they became as affable as +they had at first been stiff and reserved.</p> + +<p>The Duke was the first to renew the conversation in the most friendly +voice.</p> + +<p>"You are doubtless taking advantage of the truce made a short time +back, between our two nations, my lord, to visit our country?"</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, my lord Duke, I was not aware that hostilities had ceased +between our two armies. I have been at sea for a long time, and without +news of France; chance alone brought me to this coast a few hours ago, +and I sought shelter in Algeciras Bay, to await a change of wind to +pass the Straits."</p> + +<p>"I bless the accident, Count, since I owe to it my daughter's safety."</p> + +<p>Doña Clara had opened her eyes, and, though still very weak, she was +beginning to account for the position in which she found herself.</p> + +<p>"Oh," she said, in a soft and humorous voice, and with an inward +shudder, "had it not been for that gentleman, I should be dead!" +and she attempted to smile, while fixing on the young man her large +eyes full of tears, with an expressive gratitude it is impossible to +describe.</p> + +<p>"How do you feel, my daughter?" the Duke asked. "I am quite well, now, +I thank you, papa," she replied; "when I felt that Moreno no longer +obeyed the bit, and was running away, I believed myself lost, and +terror caused me to faint; but where is my poor Moreno?" she added a +moment after, "Has any misfortune happened to him?"</p> + +<p>"Reassure yourself, señorita," the Count replied with a smile, and +pointing to the horse, "here he is, all right, and quite calmed; if you +like you can ride back on him without the slightest apprehension."</p> + +<p>"I certainly will mount my good Moreno," she said, "I bear him no ill +will for his prank, although it nearly cost me dear."</p> + +<p>"My lord," the Duke then said, "I venture to hope that we shall not +part thus, and that you will deign to accept the cordial hospitality +which I offer you at my castle."</p> + +<p>"My time is not my own, unfortunately, my lord Duke, and duty demands +my immediate presence on board. Be assured I deeply regret my inability +to accept your kind offer."</p> + +<p>"Do you then expect to set sail so soon?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir; on the contrary, I hope," he replied, laying a certain stress +on the words, "to remain here some time longer."</p> + +<p>"In that case," the Duke remarked with a smile, "I do not consider +myself beaten. I am certain we shall meet again soon, and become more +intimate acquaintances."</p> + +<p>"That is my most eager desire, sir," the young man said, taking a side +glance at Doña Clara, who hung her head with a blush.</p> + +<p>The Count then took leave, and proceeded in the direction of Algeciras, +while the horsemen slowly retired in exactly the opposite direction.</p> + +<p>The Captain walked on very thoughtfully, reflecting on the singular +adventure of which he had so suddenly been the hero; recalling the +slightest details, and admiring in memory the beauty of the young lady, +whose life he had been so fortunate as to save.</p> + +<p>Being constantly absorbed by the thousand claims of his rude +profession, and nearly always at sea, the Count, though almost +twenty-five years of age, had never yet loved; he had not even thought +about it; the few women he had hitherto met had produced no effect on +his heart, his mind had always remained free in their presence, and no +serious engagement had as yet disturbed its tranquillity. Hence it was +with a certain terror mingled with astonishment, that while reflecting +on the meeting which had suddenly interrupted his quiet walk, he +perceived that the beauty of Doña Clara and her gentle voice had left +a powerful impression on his mind, that her image was ever present, +and that his memory with implacable fidelity ever recalled even its +apparently most indifferent details, the short interview he had had +with her.</p> + +<p>"Come, come," he said, shaking his head several times as if to drive +away a troublesome thought; "I am mad."</p> + +<p>"Well, Captain," said Michael, who took advantage of this exclamation, +to give a free course to the reflections which he burned to express +aloud, "I don't care, but you must confess it was very lucky all the +same for that young lady, that we were there at the very nick of time."</p> + +<p>"Very lucky, indeed, Michael," the Count replied, delighted at this +diversion; "had we not been there the unhappy young lady would have +been lost."</p> + +<p>"That is true, and hopelessly so; poor little thing."</p> + +<p>"What a frightful fate! So young, and so lovely."</p> + +<p>"I allow that she is well built, although I fancy her lines are a +little too fine, and she is a trifle too pale." The Count smiled, but +made no reply to the sailor's rather venturesome opinion.</p> + +<p>The latter, feeling himself encouraged, went on—</p> + +<p>"Will you allow me to give you a bit of advice, Captain?"</p> + +<p>"What is it, my lad? Speak without fear."</p> + +<p>"As for fear, deuce take me if I feel that, but I should not like to +pain you."</p> + +<p>"Pain me, about what?"</p> + +<p>"Well, all the worse, I must out with it. When you mentioned your name, +Captain, to the old Duke—"</p> + +<p>"Well, what happened?"</p> + +<p>"On hearing it pronounced, he suddenly turned as pale as a corpse; he +frowned upon you so terrible a look that I fancied for a moment that he +wished to assassinate you; don't you consider that funny, Captain?"</p> + +<p>"What you say is impossible; you are mistaken."</p> + +<p>"You did not notice it, because you had your head down, but I was +looking at him without seeming to do so, and am quite certain about +what I say."</p> + +<p>"But reflect, Michael, I do not know this nobleman, I never saw him +before today; how can he possibly feel hatred for me; you are rambling, +my good fellow."</p> + +<p>"Not at all, Captain, I am certain of what I state; whether you know +him or not is no business of mine, but as for him, I will wager that he +knows you, and intimately too; the impression you produced on him was +too strong for it to be otherwise."</p> + +<p>"I will admit, if you like, that he knows me, but one thing I can +certify, that I never offended him."</p> + +<p>"That is a point on which a man can never be sure, Captain; look you, +I am a Basque, and have known the Spaniards for a long time; they are +a strange people—proud as cocks, and rancorous as fiends; believe me, +distrust them always; that can do no harm, and especially that old +gentleman, who has a crafty face I do not like at all."</p> + +<p>"All that has no common sense, Michael, and I am as mad as yourself in +listening to you."</p> + +<p>"Very well," the sailor said with a toss of the head, "we shall see +hereafter whether I am mistaken."</p> + +<p>The conversation ended here; still Michael's remarks occupied the +Captain more than he would have liked to show, and he returned on board +with a very thoughtful air. On the next morning at about ten o'clock an +excellent pleasure yacht hailed the frigate.</p> + +<p>This vessel contained the Duc de Peñaflor, and his silent cousin, Count +de Bejar y Sousa.</p> + +<p>"On my faith, my dear Count," the Duke said, good-humouredly, after the +first compliments, "you are going to find me very unceremonious, for I +have come to carry you off."</p> + +<p>"Carry me off?" the young man replied with a smile.</p> + +<p>"On my word, yes. Just imagine, Count, my daughter insists on seeing +you; she only speaks of you, and as she does pretty well what she +pleases with me—a thing that will not surprise you greatly. She sent +me to you to tell you that you must absolutely accompany me to the +castle."</p> + +<p>"So it is," Don Stenio said with a bow, "the Señorita Doña Clara +insists on seeing you."</p> + +<p>"Still—" the other objected.</p> + +<p>"I will listen to nothing," the Duke remarked quickly, "you must make +up your mind, my dear Count, you can only obey, for you are aware that +ladies cannot be thwarted; so come, reassure yourself, though, I am not +going to take you far, for my castle is scarce two leagues from here."</p> + +<p>The Count, who in his heart, felt a lively desire to see Doña Clara +again, did not allow himself to be pressed one bit more than was +correct: then, after giving the necessary orders to his second in +command, he accompanied the Duc de Peñaflor, followed by Michael, who +seemed to be the Captain's shade.</p> + +<p>This was the way in which began a connection which was soon to +be changed into love, and have, at a later date, such terrible +consequences for the unhappy officer.</p> + +<p>The Duke and his eternal cousin who never quitted him, overwhelmed +the Count with protestations of friendship, granted him the most +perfect liberty at the castle, and appeared not at all to notice the +intelligence which was soon established between Doña Clara and the +young man.</p> + +<p>The latter, completely subjugated by the passion he experienced for the +young lady, yielded to his love with the confident and unreflecting +abandonment of all hearts that love for the first time.</p> + +<p>Doña Clara, a simple girl, brought up with all the rigid strictness of +Spanish manners, but an Andalusian from head to foot, had listened with +a quiver of delight to the confession of this love which she had shared +from the first moment.</p> + +<p>Everybody, therefore, was happy at the castle; Michael alone formed +an exception, with his stolid face, which was never unwrinkled; the +more rapidly he saw matters tending to the conclusion the young people +desired, the more gloomy and anxious he became.</p> + +<p>In the meanwhile the frigate had left Algeciras for Cadiz.</p> + +<p>The Duke, his daughter, and Don Stenio had made the passage on board; +the Duc de Peñaflor wanted to go to Seville, where he had large +estates, hence he accepted with eager demonstrations of joy the +proposal the Count made him, of conveying him on board his frigate to +Cadiz, which is only some twenty leagues from Seville.</p> + +<p>On the day after the frigate's arrival at Cadiz, the Captain put on his +full uniform, went ashore, and proceeded to the Duke's palace.</p> + +<p>The Duke, doubtless warned of his visit, received him with a smile on +his lips, and with a most affectionate air.</p> + +<p>Emboldened by this reception, the Count, overcoming his timidity, +requested leave to marry Doña Clara.</p> + +<p>The Duke received it favourably; said that he had expected this +request, and that it satisfied all his wishes, since it caused the +happiness of a daughter he loved.</p> + +<p>"Still," he remarked to the Count, "although there was a truce between +the two countries, a peace was not yet signed. Though, according to all +appearance it would be soon carried out, for all that, he feared lest +the news of this marriage might injure the Count's future, by rendering +the Cardinal ill disposed toward him."</p> + +<p>This reflection had several times offered itself to the young officer's +mind; hence he hung his head, not daring to reply, because, unluckily, +he had no valid reason to offer, that would remove the Duke's +objections.</p> + +<p>The latter came to his assistance by saying that there was a very +simple way of arranging matters to the general satisfaction, and +removing this apparently insurmountable difficulty.</p> + +<p>The Count quivering with fear and pleasure, asked what this method was.</p> + +<p>The Duke then explained to him that he meant a secret marriage. As +long as the war lasted, silence would be maintained, but once peace +was concluded and an ambassador sent to Paris, the marriage should be +publicly announced to the Cardinal, who then would probably not feel +offended by the union.</p> + +<p>The young man had been too near seeing his dream of bliss eternally +destroyed to raise the slightest objection to this proposition; secret +or not, the marriage would not be the less valid and he cared little +for the rest. Hence he consented to all the conditions imposed on him +by the Duke, who insisted that the marriage might be effected in such +a way as to keep him in ignorance of it, so that in the event of his +Eminence attempting to turn the King against him, he might employ this +pretended ignorance in foiling the ill will of those who might attempt +to ruin him.</p> + +<p>The Count did not exactly understand what the King of Spain had to do +with his marriage; but as the Duke spoke with an air of conviction, and +seemed to be greatly alarmed about the King's displeasure, he consented +to everything.</p> + +<p>Two days later at nightfall, the young couple were married at the +Church of la Merced, by a priest, who consented for a heavy sum to lend +his ministration to this illegal act.</p> + +<p>Michael the Basque and Bowline served as witnesses of the captain, who, +on the pressing recommendation of the Duke, was unwilling to let any of +his officers into his secrets, while he was sure of the silence of the +two sailors.</p> + +<p>Immediately after the ceremony, the new bride was taken off on one side +by her witnesses, while her husband withdrew greatly annoyed on the +other, and went aboard the frigate.</p> + +<p>When the Count on the next morning presented himself at the Duke's +palace, the latter informed him that, in order to remove any pretext +for malevolence, he had thought it advisable to send away his daughter +for a while, and she had gone to stay with a relation residing at +Grenada.</p> + +<p>The Count did not allow his disappointment to be seen; he withdrew, +pretending to accept as gospel the somewhat specious reasoning of the +Duke.</p> + +<p>Still, he was beginning to find the Duke's conduct towards him very +extraordinary, and he resolved to clear up the doubts that arose in his +mind.</p> + +<p>Michael and Bowline were sent into the country to reconnoitre.</p> + +<p>The Count learned from them, not without surprise, at the end of two +days' researches that Doña Clara was not at Grenada, but merely at +Puerto Santa Maria, a charming little town facing Cadiz on the opposite +side of the road.</p> + +<p>The Captain, so soon as he possessed the information for the success +of the plan he meditated, managed by the intervention of Michael, who +spoke Spanish like an Andalusian, to send a note to Doña Clara, and at +nightfall, followed by his two faithful sailors, he landed at Santa +Maria.</p> + +<p>The house inhabited by the young lady was rather isolated; he set the +two sailors on sentry to watch over her safety, and walked straight up +to the house.</p> + +<p>Doña Clara herself opened the door for him. The joy of the couple was +immense, and the Count retired shortly before sunrise; at about ten +o'clock, he went as usual to pay a visit to his father-in-law, in +whose presence he continued to feign the most complete ignorance as to +Doña Clara's abode, and was most kindly welcomed.</p> + +<p>This state of things went on for nearly a month. One day the Count +suddenly received information of the resumption of the hostilities +between Spain and France; he was himself forced to quit Cadiz, but +wished to have a final interview with the Duke, in order to ask him for +a frank explanation of his conduct; in the event of this explanation +not satisfying him, he was resolved to carry his wife off.</p> + +<p>When he arrived at the Duke's palace, a confidential servant informed +him that his master, suddenly summoned by the king, had started an hour +previously to Madrid, without, to his great regret, having had time to +take leave of him.</p> + +<p>On hearing this, the Count had a presentiment of evil; he turned pale, +but succeeded in overcoming his emotion, and calmly asked the valet +whether his master had not left a letter for him; the servant answered +in the affirmative and handed him a sealed note.</p> + +<p>The Count broke the seal with a trembling hand and ran through the +letter, but his emotion was so great on perusing the contents that he +tottered, and had not the valet sprang forward to support him, he would +have fallen to the ground.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" he muttered, "Michael was right," and he crumpled the paper +savagely.</p> + +<p>But suddenly recovering himself, he overcame his grief and, after +giving the valet several louis, hurried away.</p> + +<p>"Poor young man!" the valet muttered with a sorrowful shake of the head +and re-entered the palace, the gates of which he closed after him.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></h4> + +<h3>DESPAIR.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>A few yards from the palace the Count met Michael, who was coming +towards him.</p> + +<p>"A boat, quick, quick, my good Michael," he shouted, "'tis a matter of +life and death."</p> + +<p>The sailor, terrified at the condition in which he saw his commandant, +wished to ask him what the matter was, but the Count roughly imposed +silence on him by repeating his order to procure a boat at once.</p> + +<p>Michael bowed his head.</p> + +<p>"Woe is me. I foresaw this," he muttered, with mingled grief and anger, +and he ran off towards the port.</p> + +<p>It is not a difficult task to find a boat at Cadiz, and Michael had +only to choose; comprehending that the Count was in a hurry, he +selected one pulled by ten oars.</p> + +<p>The Count arrived at the same moment.</p> + +<p>"Twenty louis for you and your crew if you are at Puerto in twenty +minutes," he shouted, as he leaped into the boat, which was almost +capsized by the violence of the shock.</p> + +<p>The boat started, the sailors bent over their oars, and made her fly +through the water.</p> + +<p>The captain with his eyes obstinately fixed on Santa Maria, and +striking his clenched fist on the boat's gunwale, in spite of the +excessive speed at which it was going, incessantly repeated in a +choking voice—</p> + +<p>"Quicker, quicker, muchachos."</p> + +<p>He passed like an arrow across the bows of the frigate, whose crew were +preparing to weigh anchor. At length they reached Puerto.</p> + +<p>"No one is to follow me," the captain cried, as he leaped ashore.</p> + +<p>But Michael did not heed this order, and at the risk of what might +happen to him, he set out in pursuit of the Count, whom he would not +abandon in his present frightful condition.</p> + +<p>It was fortunate he did so, for when he reached the house Doña Clara +had inhabited, he saw the young man lying senseless on the ground.</p> + +<p>The house was deserted, and Doña Clara had disappeared.</p> + +<p>The sailor took his captain on his shoulders and conveyed him to the +boat, where he laid him as comfortably as he could in the stem sheets.</p> + +<p>"Where are we going?" the master asked.</p> + +<p>"To the French frigate; and make haste," Michael replied.</p> + +<p>When the boat was alongside the frigate, Michael paid the master the +promised reward, and then aided by several of the crew, conveyed the +captain to his cabin. As it was eminently necessary to keep the Count's +secret, and avoid arousing suspicions, the sailor in his report to +the first commandant, ascribed to a violent fall from a horse, the +condition in which the captain was; then, after making a signal to +Bowline to follow him, he returned to the cabin.</p> + +<p>M. de Barmont was still as motionless as if he were dead; the chief +surgeon of the frigate in vain bestowed the greatest care on him +without succeeding in recalling life, which seemed to have fled forever.</p> + +<p>"Send away your assistants; Bowline and myself will suffice," Michael +said to the doctor, with a meaning glance.</p> + +<p>The surgeon comprehended, and dismissed the mates. When the door had +closed on them the sailor drew the doctor into a gun berth, and said to +him, in so low a voice as to be scarce audible—</p> + +<p>"Major, the Commandant has just experienced a great sorrow, which +produced the terrible crisis he is suffering from at this moment. I +confide this to you because a surgeon is like a confessor."</p> + +<p>"All right, my lad," the surgeon replied; "the Captain's secret has +been trusted to sure ears."</p> + +<p>"I am convinced of that, Major; the officers and crew must suppose that +the Captain has been thrown from his horse, you understand. I have +already told the lieutenant so in making the report."</p> + +<p>"Very good; I will corroborate your statement, my lad."</p> + +<p>"Thanks, Major; now I have another thing to ask of you."</p> + +<p>"Speak."</p> + +<p>"You must obtain the lieutenant's leave that no one but Bowline and +myself may wait on the Captain. Look you, Major, we are old sailors of +his, he can say what he likes before us; and then, too, he will be glad +to have us near him; will you get this leave from the lieutenant?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, my lad; I know that you are a good fellow, sincerely attached to +the Captain, and that he places entire confidence in you; hence, do not +feel alarmed—I will settle that with the lieutenant, and you and your +companion shall alone come in here with me so long as the Captain is +ill."</p> + +<p>"Thanks, Major; if an opportunity offers itself I will repay you this; +on the faith of a Basque, you are a worthy man."</p> + +<p>The surgeon began laughing.</p> + +<p>"Let us return to our patient," he said, in order to cut short the +conversation.</p> + +<p>In spite of the intelligent care the doctor paid him the Count's +fainting fit lasted the whole day.</p> + +<p>"The shock was frightful," he said—"it was almost a congestion."</p> + +<p>It was not till night, when the frigate had been for a long time at +sea, and had left Cadiz roads far behind it, that a favourable crisis +set in, and the Captain became slightly better.</p> + +<p>"He is about to regain his senses," the doctor said.</p> + +<p>In fact, a few convulsive movements agitated the Count's body, and he +half-opened his eyes; but his glances were wild and absent; he looked +all around him, as if trying to discover where he was, and why he was +thus lying on his bed.</p> + +<p>The three men, with their eyes fixed on him, anxiously watched this +return to life, whose appearance was anything but reassuring to them.</p> + +<p>The surgeon, more especially, seemed restless; big forehead was +wrinkled, and his eyebrows met, through the effort of some internal +emotion.</p> + +<p>All at once the Count hurriedly sat up, and addressed Michael, who was +standing by his side.</p> + +<p>"Lieutenant," he said to him, in a quick, sharp voice, "let her fall +off a point, or else the Spanish vessel will escape—why have you not +beat to quarters, sir?"</p> + +<p>The surgeon gave Michael a sign.</p> + +<p>"Pardon, Commandant," the latter replied, humouring the sick man's +fancy, "we have beaten to quarters, and the tops are all manned."</p> + +<p>"Very good," he answered; then suddenly changing his ideas, he +muttered—"She will come, she promised it me. But no, she will not +come; she is dead to me henceforth—dead! dead!" he repeated, in a +hollow voice, with different intonations; then he uttered a piercing +cry—"Oh, heaven! How I suffer!" he exclaimed, bursting into sobs, +while a torrent of tears inundated his face.</p> + +<p>He buried his head in his hands, and fell back on his bed.</p> + +<p>The two sailors anxiously examined the surgeon's impassive face, trying +to read in his features what they had to hope or fear.</p> + +<p>The latter uttered a deep sigh of relief, passed his hand over his damp +forehead, and turning to Michael, said—</p> + +<p>"Heaven be praised! He sheds tears—he is saved."</p> + +<p>"Heaven be praised!" the sailors repeated, crossing themselves devoutly.</p> + +<p>"Do you think he is mad, Major?" Michael asked, in a trembling voice.</p> + +<p>"No, it is not madness, but delirium; he will soon fall asleep—do not +leave him; when he awakes he will remember nothing. If he ask for drink +give him the potion I have prepared, and which is on that table."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Major."</p> + +<p>"Now I am going to retire; if any unforeseen accident occur, warn me at +once; but, in any case, I shall look in again tonight."</p> + +<p>The surgeon left the cabin; his previsions were soon realised, M. de +Barmont gradually fell into a calm and peaceful sleep.</p> + +<p>The two sailors stood motionless by his bedside; no nurse could have +watched a patient with greater care and more delicate attention than +did these two men, whose exterior seemed so hard, but whose hearts were +really so kind.</p> + +<p>The whole night passed away thus; the surgeon had come in several +times, but after a few minutes' examination he withdrew with an air of +satisfaction, and laying a finger on his lips.</p> + +<p>About morning, at the first sunbeam that entered the cabin, the Count +made a slight movement, opened his eyes, and slightly turned his head.</p> + +<p>"My good Michael, give me some drink," he said, in a feeble voice.</p> + +<p>The sailor handed him a glass.</p> + +<p>"I feel crushed," he muttered; "have I been ill?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, a little," the sailor replied; "but now it is all over, thank +heaven! You need only have patience."</p> + +<p>"I feel the motion of the frigate—are we under weigh?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Commandant."</p> + +<p>"And who gave the orders?"</p> + +<p>"Yourself, last night."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" he remarked, as he handed back the glass. His head fell heavily +on the pillow again, and he was silent.</p> + +<p>Still, he did not sleep; his eyes were opened, and gazed anxiously all +around.</p> + +<p>"I remember," he murmured, while two tears welled in his eyes; then he +suddenly addressed Michael.</p> + +<p>"It was you who picked me up and brought me aboard?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Captain, 'twas."</p> + +<p>"Thanks! and yet it would have perhaps been better to leave me to die."</p> + +<p>The sailor shrugged his shoulders disdainfully.</p> + +<p>"That is a fine idea, strike me!" he grumbled.</p> + +<p>"Oh, if you only knew," he said, sorrowfully.</p> + +<p>"I knew all; did I not warn you of it the first day?"</p> + +<p>"That is true; I ought to have believed you—but, alas! I already loved +her."</p> + +<p>"Zounds! I knew that, and she deserved it."</p> + +<p>"Does she still love me?"</p> + +<p>"Who can doubt it, poor dear creature?"</p> + +<p>"You are a good man, Michael."</p> + +<p>"I am just."</p> + +<p>There was another silence.</p> + +<p>At the expiration of a few minutes the Count renewed the conversation.</p> + +<p>"Did you find the letter?" he asked. "Where is it?"</p> + +<p>"Here," he said, as he handed it to him.</p> + +<p>The Count eagerly clutched it.</p> + +<p>"Have you read it?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"For what purpose?" said Michael. "Zounds, it must be a tissue of lies +and infamies! And I am not curious about reading such things."</p> + +<p>"There, take it," said the Count.</p> + +<p>"To tear it up?"</p> + +<p>"No, to read it."</p> + +<p>"What's the good?"</p> + +<p>"You must know the contents of the letter—I order it."</p> + +<p>"That is different—give it here."</p> + +<p>He took the letter, opened, and ran through it.</p> + +<p>"Read it aloud," said the Count.</p> + +<p>"That is a pretty job you give me, Commandant. Still, as you wish it, I +must obey you."</p> + +<p>"I implore you, Michael."</p> + +<p>"Enough, Captain."</p> + +<p>And he began reading the strange missive aloud.</p> + +<p>It was short and laconic, but on that very account it necessarily +produced a more terrible effect, because every word was carefully +chosen to go straight home.</p> + +<p>The following was its tenor:—</p> + +<p>MY LORD,</p> + +<p>You have not married my daughter: I defrauded you by a false marriage. +You shall never see her again—she is dead to you. For many years there +has been an implacable hatred between your family and mine. I should +not have gone to seek you, but Heaven itself brought you in my way. I +understood that it was desired I should avenge myself, and I obeyed. +I believe that I have succeeded in breaking your heart forever. The +love you have for my daughter is sincere and deep. All the better, for +you will suffer the more cruelly. Farewell, my lord. Believe me, you +had better not try to find me, for, if you succeed, my vengeance will +be even more terrible. My daughter will marry in a month the man she +loves, and whom alone she has ever loved.</p> + +<p>"Don Estevan de Sylva, Duc de Peñaflor."</p> + +<p>When the sailor had finished reading he turned an enquiring glance to +his chief. The latter shook his head several times, but made no other +reply.</p> + +<p>Michael handed back the letter, which the Captain at once concealed +beneath his pillow.</p> + +<p>"What do you intend to do?" the sailor asked him, a moment after.</p> + +<p>"You shall know hereafter," the Count answered, in a hollow voice. "I +could not form a determination now, for my head is still heavy, and I +require to reflect."</p> + +<p>Michael gave a nod of assent.</p> + +<p>At this moment the doctor came in. He appeared delighted at seeing his +patient in so good a state, and with a joyous rubbing of his hands, +promised that he should leave his bed in a week at the latest.</p> + +<p>In fact, the surgeon was not mistaken, for the Count rapidly recovered; +ere long he was able to rise, and at the end of a few days, were it +not for a cadaverous pallor spread over his face, and which he ever +retained, his strength seemed to have entirely come back to him.</p> + +<p>M. de Barmont steered his frigate up the Tagus, and anchored before +Lisbon. So soon as the vessel was moored the Captain summoned the +second in command to his cabin, and had a long conversation with him, +after which he went ashore with Michael and Bowline.</p> + +<p>The frigate remained under the command of the first lieutenant: the +Count had abandoned it for ever.</p> + +<p>This deed almost constituted a desertion; but M. de Barmont was +resolved on returning to Cadiz at all hazards.</p> + +<p>During the few days that had elapsed since his conference with Michael, +the Count had reflected, as he promised the sailor.</p> + +<p>The result of his reflections was, that Doña Clara had been deceived +by the Duke like himself, and believed herself really married—indeed, +the whole of the young lady's behaviour to him proved the fact. In +desiring to insure his vengeance too thoroughly, the Duke had gone +beyond his object: Doña Clara loved him, he felt certain of that. She +had only obeyed her father under the constraint of force.</p> + +<p>This admitted, only one thing was left the Count to do; to return +to Cadiz, collect information, find the Duke, and have a solemn +explanation with him in his daughter's presence.</p> + +<p>This plan drawn up in his mind, the young man immediately set, about +carrying it out, leaving the command of his vessel to the lieutenant, +at the risk of destroying his career and being pursued as a traitor, as +the war was raging between France and Spain. He freighted a coaster; +and, followed by his two sailors, to whom he had frankly explained his +intention, but who would not leave him, he returned to Cadiz.</p> + +<p>Thanks to the thorough knowledge of Spanish he possessed, the Count did +not arouse any suspicions in that city, where it was easy for him to +obtain the information he desired.</p> + +<p>The Duke had really set out for Madrid. The Count at once proceeded +to that city. A gentleman of the importance of the Duc de Peñaflor, +a grandee of Spain of the first class, a <i>caballero cubierto</i>, could +not travel without leaving traces, especially when nothing led him to +suspect that he was followed. Hence the Count had not the slightest +difficulty in discovering the route he had taken, and he arrived +at Madrid, persuaded that he should soon have with the Duke the +explanation he so ardently desired.</p> + +<p>But his hopes were foiled. The Duke, after being honored with a private +audience by the King, had set out for Barcelona.</p> + +<p>Fatality interfered, but the Count would not be baffled: he mounted his +horse, crossed Spain, and arrived at Barcelona.</p> + +<p>The Duke had embarked for Naples on the previous day.</p> + +<p>This pursuit was assuming the proportions of an Odyssey: it seemed as +if the Duke felt that he was being pursued.</p> + +<p>It was not so, however. He was carrying out a mission with which his +sovereign had entrusted him.</p> + +<p>The Count made enquiries, and learnt that the Duc de Peñaflor was +accompanied by his daughter, and two sons.</p> + +<p>Two days later, M. de Barmont was sailing to Naples, on board a +smuggling vessel.</p> + +<p>We will not enter into all the details of this obstinate pursuit, which +lasted for several months.</p> + +<p>We will confine ourselves to saying that the Count missed the Duke +at Naples, as he had missed him at Madrid and Barcelona, and that he +traversed the whole of Italy, and entered France, still in chase of his +intangible enemy, who seemed to fly before him.</p> + +<p>But during the interval, although the Count did not suspect, the parts +had been greatly modified, if not completely changed.</p> + +<p>In this way.</p> + +<p>The Duke had a great interest in knowing what the Count would do. +Though it was certain that the war would compel him to leave Spain, +still he was too well acquainted with the young man's resolute and +determined character to suppose for a moment that he would accept the +insult offered him, without trying to take a startling revenge.</p> + +<p>In consequence, he had left at Cadiz a confidential man with orders to +watch the Count's movements with the greatest care, in the event of his +reappearing, and to warn the Duke of what steps he might take.</p> + +<p>The man had conscientiously and most skilfully discharged the delicate +duty entrusted to him, and while the Count was pursuing the Duke, he +pursued the Count, never letting him out of sight, stopping when he +stopped, and setting out behind him directly he saw him start.</p> + +<p>When at last he felt assured that the Count was really after his +master, he got ahead of him, rejoined the Duke, whom he came up with +in the neighbourhood of Pignerol, and reported to him all that he had +learned.</p> + +<p>The Duke, though internally terrified by the hateful persistency of +his enemy, pretended to attach but very slight importance to this +communication, and smiled contemptuously on listening to his servant's +report.</p> + +<p>But, for all this, he did not neglect to take his precautions; and, as +peace was on the point of being signed, and a Spanish plenipotentiary +was in Paris, he sent off the same valet to him at full speed, with a +pressing letter.</p> + +<p>This letter was a formal denunciation of the Count de Barmont +Senectaire.</p> + +<p>Cardinal de Richelieu raised no difficulty about granting an order +to arrest the Count, and police agents of his Eminence, commanded by +François Bouillot, left Paris in pursuit of the unhappy officer.</p> + +<p>The latter, completely ignorant of what was going on, had continued +his journey, and even gained ground on the Duke, who, persuaded that +henceforth he would have nothing to fear from his enemy, as the latter +would be arrested before he could come up with him, now travelled by +easy stages.</p> + +<p>The Duke's calculations were false, however. He had not reflected that +the Cardinal's guards, not knowing where to find the man whom they had +orders to arrest, and obliged to feel their way, would be compelled to +almost double their journey: and this really occurred.</p> + +<p>Moreover, as, with the exception of Bouillot, not one of them was +personally acquainted with the Count, and he, as we now know, desired +nothing so much as the Count's escape, he passed through the midst +of them unsuspected, which occasioned them a great loss of time, by +compelling them to turn back.</p> + +<p>We have already narrated how, after the stormy explanation which took +place between father-in-law and son-in-law, the latter was arrested, +taken by Bouillot to the Isle St. Marguerite, and delivered over +to Major de l'Oursière. And now that we have fully explained the +respective positions of each of our characters, we will resume our +narrative at the point where we left it.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE PRISONER.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>We have mentioned that after proof of identity, and perusal of the +order of arrest, Major de l'Oursière, governor of the fortress of St. +Marguerite, had the Count conducted to the room which was to serve as +his prison, until the day when it might please the Cardinal to restore +him to liberty.</p> + +<p>This room, very spacious and lofty, of an octagonal shape, and with +whitewashed walls, fifteen feet thick, was only lighted by two narrow +loopholes, covered with an under and outer iron trelliswork, which +completely prevented any looking out.</p> + +<p>A large chimney, with a wide mantelpiece, occupied one corner of the +room: facing was a bed, composed of a thin palliasse and a narrow +mattress laid on a deal bedstead, formerly painted yellow, though time +had completely removed the colour.</p> + +<p>A rickety table, a stool, a chair, a night commode, and an iron +candlestick, completed the furniture, which was more than modest.</p> + +<p>This room was situated on the highest floor of the tower, the platform +of which, where a sentry tramped day and night, served as the ceiling.</p> + +<p>The soldier drew the bolts that garnished the iron-lined door of this +room. The Count entered, with a firm step.</p> + +<p>After taking a glance at these cold, sad walls, destined henceforward +to serve him as a habitation, he sat down on a chair, crossed his arms +on his breast, hung his head, and began to reflect.</p> + +<p>The soldier, or rather gaoler, who had gone out, returned an hour +later, and found him in the same position.</p> + +<p>He brought with him sheets, blankets, and wood to light a fire. Behind +him two soldiers carried the portmanteau containing the prisoner's +clothes and linen, which they placed in a corner, and retired.</p> + +<p>The gaoler at once set to work making the bed. Then he swept the room +and lit the fire. When these different duties were accomplished, he +approached the prisoner.</p> + +<p>"My lord?" he said to him politely.</p> + +<p>"What do you want with me, my friend?" the Count answered, raising his +head and looking at him gently.</p> + +<p>"The governor of the castle desires the honour of an interview with +you, as he says he has an important communication to make."</p> + +<p>"I am at the governor's orders," the Count said laconically.</p> + +<p>The gaoler bowed and went out.</p> + +<p>"What can the man want with me?" the Count muttered, so soon as he was +alone.</p> + +<p>He had not long to wait, for the door opened again and the governor +made his appearance.</p> + +<p>The prisoner rose to receive him, bowed, and then silently waited for +him to speak.</p> + +<p>The Major made the gaoler a sign to withdraw, and then, after a fresh +bow, he said with cold politeness,—</p> + +<p>"My lord Count, gentlemen should respect each other. Although +the orders I have received on your account from the Cardinal are +very strict, I still desire to shew you any attention that is not +incompatible with my duty. I have, therefore, come to you frankly in +order to have an understanding on the subject."</p> + +<p>The Count guessed to what this speech tended, but did not let it be +seen, and answered,—</p> + +<p>"Mr. Governor, I am grateful, as I ought to be, for the steps you +have been kind enough to take; may I ask you, therefore, to have the +goodness to explain to me the nature of your orders, and what the +favours are by which you can alleviate their severity. But, in the +first place, as I am at home here," he added, with a melancholy smile; +"do me the honour of seating yourself."</p> + +<p>The Major bowed, but remained standing.</p> + +<p>"It is unnecessary, my lord," he remarked, "as what I have to say to +you is very short; in the first place, you will observe that I have had +the delicacy to send you the trunk containing your effects unexamined +as I had the right to do."</p> + +<p>"I allow the fact, Major, and feel obliged; to you for it."</p> + +<p>The Major bowed.</p> + +<p>"As you are an officer, my lord," he said, "you are aware that his +Eminence the Cardinal, although he is a great man, is not very liberal +to officers whose infirmity or wounds compel them to quit the service."</p> + +<p>"That is true."</p> + +<p>"The governors of fortresses more especially, although nominated by the +King, being obliged to pay a long price to their predecessors for the +office, are reduced to a perfect state of want, if they have not saved +up some money."</p> + +<p>"I was not aware of that circumstance, sir, and fancied that the +governorship of a fortress was a reward."</p> + +<p>"So it is, my lord, but we have to pay for the command of fortresses +like this, which are employed as state prisons."</p> + +<p>"Ah! Very good."</p> + +<p>"You understand, it is supposed that the governor makes a profit by the +prisoners intrusted to his keeping."</p> + +<p>"Of course, sir; are there at present many unhappy men who have +incurred the displeasure of His Eminence detained in this castle?"</p> + +<p>"Alas, sir, you are the only one, and that is exactly the reason why I +desire to have an amicable settlement with you."</p> + +<p>"For my part, be assured, sir, that I desire nothing more earnestly."</p> + +<p>"I am convinced of that, and hence will discuss the question frankly."</p> + +<p>"Do so, sir, do so; I am listening to you with the most serious +attention."</p> + +<p>"I have orders, sir, not to let you communicate with anyone but your +gaoler, to give you neither books, papers, pens, or ink, and never to +allow you to quit this room; it appears there is great fear of your +escape from here, and his Eminence is anxious to keep you."</p> + +<p>"I am extremely obliged to his Eminence, but luckily for me," the Count +answered with a smile, "instead of having to deal with a gaoler, I am +dependent on a true soldier, who, while strictly obeying his orders, +considers it unnecessary to torture a prisoner already so unhappy as to +have fallen into disgrace with the King and the Cardinal minister."</p> + +<p>"You have judged me correctly, my lord, though the orders are so +strict. I command alone in this castle, where I have no control to +fear. Hence I hope to have it in my power to relax the rigor I am +commanded to show you."</p> + +<p>"Whatever may be your intention in that respect, allow me, sir, in +my turn to speak like a frank and loyal sailor. As prisoner of your +King, doubtless for a very long time, money is perfectly useless to +me; though not rich, I enjoy a certain ease, on which I congratulate +myself, as this ease permits me to requite any polite attentions you +may show me; service for service, sir, I will give you every year +10,000 livres, paid in advance; and, on your side, will you allow me to +procure, at my own charges of course, all the objects susceptible of +alleviating my captivity."</p> + +<p>The Major felt as if about to faint. The old officer of fortune had +never in his whole life possessed so large a sum.</p> + +<p>The Count continued without seeming to notice the effect his words +produced on the governor.</p> + +<p>"Well then, that is quite understood. To the sum the King pays you +for my board, we will add 200 livres a month, or 2,400 per annum, for +papers, pens, ink, &c., suppose we say the round sum of 3,000 livres, +does that suit you?"</p> + +<p>"Ah, Sir, it is too much, a great deal too much."</p> + +<p>"No, Sir, since I assist an honourable man, who will owe me thanks for +it."</p> + +<p>"Ah! I shall be eternally grateful, sir; but, do not be angry with my +frankness, you will oblige me to offer up vows to keep you as long as +possible."</p> + +<p>"Who knows, sir, whether my departure will not some day be more +advantageous than my stay here?" he said with a meaning smile; "be good +enough to lend me your tablets."</p> + +<p>The Major offered them to him.</p> + +<p>The Count tore out a leaf, with a few pencilled words on it, and handed +it back to him.</p> + +<p>"Here," he said, "is a draught for 16,000 livres, which you can receive +at sight from Messrs. Dubois, Loustal, and Co., of Toulon, whenever you +have leisure."</p> + +<p>The governor clutched the paper with a start of joy.</p> + +<p>"But it seems to me that this draft is 800 livres in excess of the sum +agreed on between us?" he said.</p> + +<p>"That is correct, sir, but the 800 livres are for the purchase of +different articles, of which here is the list, and which I must ask you +to procure for me."</p> + +<p>"You shall have them tomorrow, my lord," and after bowing very low the +governor walked backwards out of the room.</p> + +<p>"Come," the Count muttered gaily, when the heavy door had closed on +the Major; "I was not deceived, I judged that man correctly, and his +is really perfect, but his most thoroughly developed vice is decidedly +avarice; I can make something of it, I fancy, when I like, but I must +not go ahead too fast, but act with the greatest prudence."</p> + +<p>Certain of not being disturbed, at least for some hours, the Count +opened the trunk brought in by the two soldiers, in order to convince +himself whether the governor had told him the truth, and the contents +were really intact.</p> + +<p>The trunk had not been examined.</p> + +<p>In the foresight of a probable arrest, the Count when he started in +pursuit of the Duc de Peñaflor, had purchased several objects which he +found again with the most lively satisfaction.</p> + +<p>In addition to a certain quantity of clothes and linen, the trunk +contained a very fine and strong silk cord, nearly one hundred fathoms +in length, two pairs of pistols, a dagger, a sword, powder and bullets, +objects which the governor would have confiscated without any scruple, +had he seen them, and which the Count had laid in at all risks, +trusting to chance.</p> + +<p>There were also several iron and steel tools, and concealed in a double +bottom, a very heavy purse containing the sum of 25,000 livres in +gold, in addition to another almost equally large amount in Spanish +quadruples sewn into a wide leathern belt.</p> + +<p>So soon as the Count was certain that the Major had told him the truth, +he carefully locked the trunk again, hung the key round his neck by a +steel chain, and sat down quietly in the chimney corner.</p> + +<p>His meditations were interrupted by the gaoler. This time the man not +only brought him bed furniture, far superior to what he had given him +before, but he had added a carpet, a mirror, and even toilet utensils.</p> + +<p>A cloth was spread on a table, upon which he placed in a moment a very +appetising dinner.</p> + +<p>"The Major begs me to apologize, sir," he said; "tomorrow he will send +you what you asked for. In the meanwhile he has forwarded you some +books."</p> + +<p>"Very good, my friend," the Count replied.</p> + +<p>"What is your name?"</p> + +<p>"La Grenade, sir."</p> + +<p>"Has the Governor selected you to wait on me?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir."</p> + +<p>"My friend, you appear to me a good fellow, here are three louis for +you. I will give you the same amount every month if I am satisfied with +your attention."</p> + +<p>"Had you given me nothing, sir," La Grenade replied, as he took the +money, "it would not have prevented me from serving you with all the +zeal of which I am capable, and if I receive these three louis, it is +only because a poor devil like me has no right to refuse a present from +so generous a gentleman as you. But, I repeat, sir, I am quite at your +service, and you can employ me in whatever way you please."</p> + +<p>"Goodness!" the Count said, in surprise; "and yet I do not know you, +as far as I am aware, La Grenade—whence, may I ask, comes this great +devotion to my person?"</p> + +<p>"I am most willing to tell you, sir, if it interests you. I am a +friend of M. François Bouillot, to whom I am under certain obligations; +he ordered me to serve and obey you in everything."</p> + +<p>"That good Bouillot," said the Count. "Very well, my friend, I shall +not be ungrateful. I do not want you anymore at present."</p> + +<p>The gaoler put some logs on the fire, lit the lamp, and withdrew.</p> + +<p>"Well," said the Count, with a laugh, "Heaven forgive me! I believe +that, though a prisoner in appearance, I am as much master of this +castle as the governor, and that I can leave it without opposition on +any day I like. What would the Cardinal think if he knew how his orders +were executed?"</p> + +<p>He sat down to table, unfolded his napkin, and began dining with a good +appetite.</p> + +<p>Things went on thus, in the way agreed on between the Governor and his +prisoner.</p> + +<p>The arrival of Count de Barmont at the fortress had been a windfall for +the Major, who, since he had received from the royal munificence the +command of this castle as retiring pension, had not once before had an +opportunity to derive any profit from the position that had been given +him. Hence he promised to make a gold mine of his solitary prisoner; +for the Isle of St. Marguerite, as we have already remarked, had not +yet acquired the reputation which it merited at a later date as a State +prison.</p> + +<p>The Count's room was furnished as well as it could be; everything he +demanded in the shape of books was procured him, though he had to pay +dearly for them, and he was even allowed to walk on the towers.</p> + +<p>The Count was happy—so far, at least, as the circumstances in which +he found himself allowed him to be so: no one would have supposed, +on seeing him work so assiduously at mathematics and navigation, for +he applied himself most seriously to the completion of his maritime +education, that this man nourished in his heart a thought of implacable +vengeance, and that this thought was ever present to him.</p> + +<p>At the first blush, the resolution formed by the Count to allow himself +to be incarcerated, while it was easy for him to remain free, may seem +strange: but the Count was one of those men of granite whose thoughts +are immutable, and who, when they have once formed a resolution, after +calculating with the utmost coolness all the chances for and against, +follow the road they have laid down for themselves, ever marching in a +straight line without caring for the obstacles that arise at each step +on their path and surmounting them, because they decided from the first +that they would do so—characters that grow and are perfected in the +struggle, and sooner or later reach the goal they have designed.</p> + +<p>The Count understood that any resistance to the Cardinal would result +in his own utter ruin; and there was no lack of proofs to support this +reasoning: by escaping from the guards who were taking him to prison, +he would remain at liberty, it is true, but he would be exiled, obliged +to quit France, and wander about in foreign parts alone, isolated, +without resources, ever on the watch, forced to hide himself, and +reduced to the impossibility of asking, that is to say, of obtaining +the necessary information he required to avenge himself on the man +who, by robbing him of the wife he loved, had at the same blow not +only destroyed his career and fortune, but also eternally ruined his +happiness.</p> + +<p>He was young, and could wait; vengeance is eaten cold, say the +southerners—and the Count came from Languedoc. Besides, as he had said +to Bouillot, in a moment of expansiveness, he wished to suffer, in +order to kill within him every human feeling that still existed, and to +find himself one day armed <i>cap-à-pie</i> to face his enemy.</p> + +<p>Cardinal Richelieu and Louis XIII. were both seriously ill. Their death +would not fail to produce a change of reign in two, three, or four +years at the most, and that catastrophe would arrive, one of whose +consequences it is to produce a reaction, and consequently, to open to +all the prisoners of the defunct Cardinal the dungeons to which he had +condemned them.</p> + +<p>The Count was twenty-five years of age: hence time was his own, and the +more so because, when restored to liberty, he would enter on all his +rights, and as an enemy of Richelieu, be favourably regarded at Court, +and, through the temporary credit he would enjoy, be in a condition to +regain all the advantage he had lost as concerned his foe.</p> + +<p>Only energetically endowed men, who are sure of themselves, are capable +of making such calculations, and obstinately pursuing a line of +conduct so opposed to all logical combinations; but these men who thus +resolutely enlist chance on their side, and reckon on it as a partner, +always succeed in what they purpose doing, unless death suddenly cuts +them short.</p> + +<p>Through the intercession of La Grenade, and the tacit connivance of the +Governor, who closed his eyes with a charming inattention, the Count +was not only cognizant with all that was going on outside, but also +received letters from his friends, which he answered.</p> + +<p>One day, after reading a letter which la Grenade had given him when +bringing in breakfast, a letter from the Duc de Bellegarde, which had +reached him through Michael, for the worthy sailor had refused to leave +his Commandant, and had turned fisherman at Antibes, with Bowline as +his assistant, the Count sent a message to the Governor, requesting a +few minutes' conversation with him.</p> + +<p>The Major knew that every visit he paid his prisoner was a profit to +him, hence he hastened to his room.</p> + +<p>"Have you heard the news, sir?" the Count said at once on seeing him.</p> + +<p>"What news, my lord?" the Major asked, in amazement, for he knew +nothing.</p> + +<p>In fact, placed as he was at the extreme frontier of the kingdom, news, +no matter its importance, only reached him, so to speak, by accident.</p> + +<p>"The Cardinal Minister is dead, sir. I have just learned it from a sure +hand."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said the Major, clasping his hands, for this death might cause +him the loss of his place.</p> + +<p>"And," the Count added, coldly, "His Majesty King Louis XIII. is at +death's door."</p> + +<p>"Great heaven, what a misfortune!" exclaimed the Governor.</p> + +<p>"This misfortune may be fortunate for you, sir," the Count resumed.</p> + +<p>"Fortunate! When I am menaced with the loss of my command! Alas, my +lord, what will become of me if I am turned out of here?"</p> + +<p>"That might easily, happen," said the Count. "You have, sir, always +been a great friend of the defunct Cardinal, and known as such."</p> + +<p>"That is, unhappily, too true," the Major muttered, quite out of +countenance, and recognizing the truth of this affirmation.</p> + +<p>"There is, I think, an advantageous mode of arranging matters."</p> + +<p>"What is it, my lord? Speak, I implore you!"</p> + +<p>"It is this: listen to me carefully—what I am going to say is very +serious for you."</p> + +<p>"I am listening, my lord."</p> + +<p>"Here is a letter all ready written for the Duc de Bellegarde. You +will start at once for Paris, passing through Toulon, where you will +cash this draft for 2000 livres, to cover your expenses. The Duke is +sincerely attached to me. For my sake he will receive you kindly: you +will come to an understanding with him, and obey him in everything he +orders."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, my lord."</p> + +<p>"And if within a month from this time at the latest—"</p> + +<p>"From this time at the latest—" the Governor repeated, panting with +impatience.</p> + +<p>"You bring me here my full and entire—pardon, signed by H. M. Louis +XIII.—"</p> + +<p>"What?" the Governor exclaimed, with a start of surprise.</p> + +<p>"I will at once pay you," the Count continued, coldly, "the sum of +50,000 livres, to indemnify you for the loss my liberation must entail +on you."</p> + +<p>"Fifty thousand livres!" the Major exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with +greed.</p> + +<p>"Fifty thousand! yes, sir," the Count replied. "And, besides, I pledge +myself, if you wish it, to get you confirmed in your command. Is this +matter settled?"</p> + +<p>"But, my lord, how am I to manage at Paris?"</p> + +<p>"Follow the instructions the Duc de Bellegarde will give you."</p> + +<p>"What you ask of me is very difficult."</p> + +<p>"Not so difficult as you pretend to believe, sir; however, if this +mission does not suit you—"</p> + +<p>"I did not say that, sir."</p> + +<p>"In a word, you can take it or leave it."</p> + +<p>"I take it, my lord—I take it. Great heaven!—fifty thousand livres!"</p> + +<p>"And you start?"</p> + +<p>"Tomorrow."</p> + +<p>"No, tonight."</p> + +<p>"Very good—tonight."</p> + +<p>"All right! Here are the letter and the draft. Oh! by the way, try to +put yourself in communication with a fisherman at Antibes of the name +of Michael."</p> + +<p>"I know him," the Major said, with a smile.</p> + +<p>"Indeed!" said the Count. "There would be no harm, either, in your +trying to find the exempt who brought me here, one François Bouillot."</p> + +<p>"I know where to find him," the Major replied, with the same meaning +smile.</p> + +<p>"Very good! in that case, my dear Governor, I have nothing more to add, +or any recommendations to make to you, beyond wishing you a pleasant +journey."</p> + +<p>"It will be so, my lord, I pledge you my word."</p> + +<p>"It is true that it is a round sum—fifty thousand livres!"</p> + +<p>"I shall not forget the amount."</p> + +<p>After saying this the Major took leave of his prisoner, and retired, +with a profusion of bows.</p> + +<p>"I believe that I am going to be free this time!" the Count exclaimed, +so soon as he was alone—"Ah! my lord Duke, we are now about to fight +with equal weapons!"</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a></h4> + +<h3>MAJOR DE L'OURSIÈRE.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Had it been possible for Count de Barmont to notice through the thick +oak planks, lined with iron, that formed the door of his prison, the +face of the governor on leaving him, he would not have chanted victory +so loudly, or believed himself so near his deliverance.</p> + +<p>In fact, so soon as the Major had no longer cause to dread his +prisoner's clear-sighted glance, his features immediately assumed an +expression of cynical malice impossible to render; his half-closed eyes +flashed with a gloomy fire beneath his grey eyelids and an ironical +smile raised the corners of his pale thin lips.</p> + +<p>It was twilight; night was beginning to fall, and confound all objects, +by burying them in a dark pall, which momentarily grew denser.</p> + +<p>The Major returned to his apartments, put a heavy cloak on his +shoulders, pulled his hat over his eyes, and sent for his lieutenant.</p> + +<p>The latter presented himself at once.</p> + +<p>He was a man of about forty, with a delicate and intelligent face, +whose features were imprinted with gentleness and even kindness.</p> + +<p>"I am starting this moment, sir," the governor said to him, "for +Antibes, whither important business summons me; my absence will +probably be prolonged for several days. While I remain absent from the +castle, I invest you with the command; watch over its safety, and guard +against any attempted escape on the part of the prisoner, though I +doubt his making it. Such attempts, though they do not succeed, injure +the reputation of a fortress, and the character of its governor."</p> + +<p>"I will watch with the greatest care, sir!"</p> + +<p>"I am certain of that, sir. Is there any fishing boat in the roads? +I should prefer not using the boat belonging to the fortress, as the +garrison is so weak."</p> + +<p>"The fishing boat you generally use, sir, and which is commanded by one +Michael, I think, was alongside the quay hardly an hour ago, but he has +probably started to fish outside the reef, as he usually does."</p> + +<p>"Hum," said the Major, "even were he still there, I should scruple at +making the poor fellow lose so much time in putting me ashore. These +fishermen are not rich, and every minute you take from them makes them +lose a part of the trifling profit of a long and hard night's work."</p> + +<p>The officer bowed, apparently sharing his chief's philanthropic ideas, +although his face evidenced the surprise which the expression of such +sentiments by a man like the Major caused him.</p> + +<p>"Are there no other boats here?" the Major asked, affecting an air of +indifference.</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon, sir, a smuggling lugger is just about putting out +to sea."</p> + +<p>"Very good; warn the master that I wish him to take me on board. Be +good enough to make haste, sir, for I am in a hurry."</p> + +<p>The officer withdrew to carry out the order given him; the Major took +some papers, doubtless important, from an iron casket, hid them under +his coat, wrapped himself in his cloak, and left the castle, under the +salute of the sentries who presented arms as he passed.</p> + +<p>"Well?" he asked the officer who came to meet him.</p> + +<p>"I have spoken to the master, sir, he awaits you," the other replied.</p> + +<p>"I thank you, sir; now, return to the castle, and watch carefully over +its safety till my return."</p> + +<p>The officer took leave, and the Major proceeded toward a sort of small +quay, where the lugger's yawl was waiting for him.</p> + +<p>So soon as the governor was aboard, the smuggler let go the hawser, and +set sail.</p> + +<p>When the light vessel was well under weigh, the master respectfully +walked up to the Major.</p> + +<p>"Where are we to steer?" he asked, as he doffed his woollen nightcap.</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah! is it you, Master Nicaud?" the governor said; for, accustomed +to have dealings with the smugglers, he knew most of them by their +names.</p> + +<p>"Myself, at your service, if I can do anything, Mr. Governor," the +master answered politely.</p> + +<p>"Tell me," said the Major, "would you like to earn ten louis?"</p> + +<p>The sailor burst into a hearty laugh.</p> + +<p>"You are joking with me, of course, Mr. Governor," he said.</p> + +<p>"Not at all," the Major went on, "and the proof is, here they are," +he added, as he drew from his pocket a handful of gold, which he +carelessly tossed in his hand; "I am therefore awaiting your answer."</p> + +<p>"Hang it, Mr. Governor, you are well aware that ten louis forms a very +fine lump of money for a poor fellow like me; I am most willing to earn +the canaries, what must I do for them?"</p> + +<p>"Well, a very simple thing! take me to St. Honorat, where I feel +inclined for a stroll."</p> + +<p>"At this time of night?" the master remarked in surprise.</p> + +<p>The Major bit his lips on perceiving that he had made a foolish remark.</p> + +<p>"I am very fond of the picturesque, and wish to enjoy the effect of the +convent ruins in the moonlight."</p> + +<p>"That is an idea like any other," the skipper answered; "and as you pay +me, Mr. Governor, I can have no objection."</p> + +<p>"That is true. Then you will take me to Saint Honorat, land me in your +boat, and stand off and on while waiting for me. Is that agreed?"</p> + +<p>"Perfectly."</p> + +<p>"Ah! I have a decided taste for solitude, and hence I must insist on +none of your men landing on the island while I am there."</p> + +<p>"The whole crew shall remain on board, I promise you."</p> + +<p>"All right, I trust to you, here is the money."</p> + +<p>"Thanks," said the skipper, pocketing it; then he said to the steerer, +"down with the helm," and added, "Hilloh, my lads, brace the sheets to +larboard."</p> + +<p>The vessel quickly came up to the wind, and leaped over the waves in +the direction of Saint Honorat, whose black outlines stood out on the +horizon.</p> + +<p>It is but a short passage between Saint Marguerite and Saint Honorat, +especially for such a clipper as the smuggling lugger.</p> + +<p>The vessel was soon off the island.</p> + +<p>The master lay to, and ordered a boat to be let down.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Governor," he said respectfully, doffing his cap, and stopping the +governor, who was walking up and down in the stern; "we are all ready, +and the boat waits for you."</p> + +<p>"Already! All the better," the latter answered.</p> + +<p>At the moment when he was going to get into the boat, the skipper +arrested him.</p> + +<p>"Have you pistols?" he asked him.</p> + +<p>"Pistols?" he said as he turned round, "What for? is not this island +deserted?"</p> + +<p>"Entirely."</p> + +<p>"Hence I can run no risk."</p> + +<p>"Not the slightest; hence that is not the reason why I asked you the +question."</p> + +<p>"What is it then?"</p> + +<p>"Hang it, it is as black as in the fiend's oven; there is no moon, you +cannot distinguish an object ten yards from you. How shall I know when +you want to come on board again, unless you warn me by a signal?"</p> + +<p>"That is true; what had I better do?"</p> + +<p>"Here is a pistol, it is not loaded, but there is powder in the pan, +and you can squib it."</p> + +<p>"Thanks," said the Major, taking the pistol, and thrusting it through +his girdle.</p> + +<p>He got into the boat, which was dancing on the waves, and sat down in +the stern sheets; four vigorous sailors bending over the oars made her +fly through the water.</p> + +<p>"A pleasant trip," the skipper shouted.</p> + +<p>It appeared to the Major as if this wish had been uttered with a very +marked ironical tone by Master Nicaud, but he attached no further +importance to it, and turned his eyes toward land, which was gradually +looming larger.</p> + +<p>Ere long the boat's bows grated on the sand; they had arrived.</p> + +<p>The Major went ashore, and after ordering the sailors to return aboard, +he drew his cloak over his face, went off with long steps, and soon +disappeared in the darkness.</p> + +<p>However, instead of obeying the injunction given them, three of the +sailors landed in their turn, and followed the Major at a distance, +while careful to keep themselves out of sight. The fourth, who remained +to keep the boat, hid the latter behind a point, secured it to a +projecting rock, and leaping ashore, fusil in hand, he remained on the +watch with his eyes fixed on the interior of the island.</p> + +<p>The Major, in the meanwhile, continued to advance hurriedly in the +direction of the ruins, whose imposing outline was already beginning +to present itself to his eyes, borrowing from the surrounding gloom a +still more imposing aspect.</p> + +<p>The Major, convinced that his orders had been punctually carried out, +for he had no motive to distrust Master Nicaud, whom he had ever and +under all circumstances found willing and faithful, walked on without +turning his head, or even taking precautions, which he considered +unnecessary, as he was far from suspecting that several men were +following his footsteps, and watching his movements.</p> + +<p>It was easy to see from the deliberate manner in which he walked, and +the facility with which he evaded obstacles and found his way in the +darkness, that this was not the first time the Major had come to this +spot, though it appeared so solitary and deserted.</p> + +<p>After entering the ruins, M. de l'Oursière passed through a cloister, +encumbered with shapeless fragments, and forcing his way between +stones and brambles, he entered the chapel, a magnificent specimen of +the purest Roman style, whose crumbling roof had fallen in under the +incessant efforts of time, and only the choir and apse still remained +intact amid broken columns and desecrated altars.</p> + +<p>The Major passed through the choir, and reached the apse, where he +halted.</p> + +<p>After carefully examining for a moment the surrounding objects, as if +he expected to find someone or something he did not perceive, he at +length resolved to clap his hands thrice.</p> + +<p>At the same moment a man rose scarce two paces from him.</p> + +<p>This sudden apparition, though he fully expected it, made the Major +start, and he fell back a step, laying his hand on his sword.</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah, my master," the stranger said, in a mocking voice, "pray do +you take me for a spectre, that I cause you such terror?"</p> + +<p>The man was wrapped up in a thick cloak, whose folds concealed his +shape, while a broad leafed plumed hat entirely covered his face and +rendered him completely unrecognizable. Only the end of his cloak +raised by the scabbard of a long rapier, proved that whoever the man +might be, he had not come unarmed to this gloomy rendezvous.</p> + +<p>"I am at your orders, sir," the Major said, raising his hand to his +hat, but without removing it.</p> + +<p>"And ready to serve me, no doubt," the stranger resumed.</p> + +<p>"That depends," the Major remarked roughly, "times are no longer the +same."</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah," the stranger continued still sarcastically, "what news is +there? I shall be delighted to learn it of you."</p> + +<p>"You know it as well as I do, sir."</p> + +<p>"No matter, tell me all the same what the great news is, that thus +produces modifications in our relations which have hitherto been so +amicable?"</p> + +<p>"It is useless to jeer thus, sir; I have served you, you have paid me, +and we are quits."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps so, but go on. I presume you wish to propose a new bargain to +me?"</p> + +<p>"I have nothing to propose; I have merely come because you expressed a +desire to see me, that is all."</p> + +<p>"And your prisoner, are you still satisfied with him?"</p> + +<p>"More than ever. He is a charming gentleman, who does not at all +deserve the melancholy fate thrust on him; I really feel an interest in +him."</p> + +<p>"Confound it, that comes expensive, I did not take that interest into +account, and I was wrong, I see."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean, sir?" the Major protested with an indignant air.</p> + +<p>"Nothing but what I say to you, my dear sir. Hang it, you amuse me with +your scruples, after taking money from all parties during the last +eighteen months; the Cardinal is dead and the King is on the point of +following him, that is what you wished to tell me, is it not? A new +reign is preparing, and it is probable that, if only through a spirit +of contradiction, the new government will upset everything done by +the one that preceded it, and that its first care will be to open the +prison doors; you also wished to tell me that Count de Barmont, who +possesses warm friends at court, who will not fail to employ their +influence on his behalf, cannot fail to be set at liberty ere long. +Confusion, I knew all that as well and even better than you, but what +matter?"</p> + +<p>"How, what matter?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly, if Count de Barmont has devoted friends, he has implacable +enemies; bear that in mind."</p> + +<p>"And the result will be?"</p> + +<p>"That in four days at the latest, you will receive an order signed by +Louis XIII. himself."</p> + +<p>"To what effect?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! Good heaven, no great thing, except that Count de Barmont will +be immediately transferred from St. Marguerite to the Bastille; and +once there," he added in a hollow voice, which made the Major shudder +involuntarily, "a man is eternally erased from the number of the living +or only leaves it a corpse or a maniac. Do you comprehend me now?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I understand you, sir; but who guarantees that the Count will not +have escaped before the four days to which you refer?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! With a governor like yourself, Major, such an eventuality seems to +me highly improbable."</p> + +<p>"Well, well," the Major observed, "very extraordinary tales are told +about the escape of prisoners."</p> + +<p>"That is true; but another thing reassures me against this escape."</p> + +<p>"And what is that, sir?"</p> + +<p>"Merely that the Count himself declared that he would never consent to +escape, and was not at all anxious about liberty."</p> + +<p>"Well, sir, that is the very thing that deceives you; it seems that +he has now changed his opinion, and is eagerly soliciting through his +friends to obtain his liberty."</p> + +<p>"Ah! Have we come to that point?" the stranger said, fixing on the +Major a glance which flashed through the gloom.</p> + +<p>The governor bowed.</p> + +<p>There was a silence, during which no other sound was audible, save that +of the heavy flight of the nocturnal birds in the ruins.</p> + +<p>"A truce to further chattering," the stranger resumed in a fierce +voice; "how much do you ask to prevent the prisoner escaping until the +king's order reaches you?"</p> + +<p>"Two hundred thousand livres," the Major answered roughly.</p> + +<p>"Was I not right in telling you that it would be expensive?" the +stranger said with a grin.</p> + +<p>"Dear or not, that is my price, and I shall not bate it."</p> + +<p>"Very good, you shall have it."</p> + +<p>"When?"</p> + +<p>"Tomorrow."</p> + +<p>"That will be too late."</p> + +<p>"What?" the stranger asked haughtily.</p> + +<p>"I said it would be too late," the Major repeated imperturbably.</p> + +<p>"In that case, when must you have it?"</p> + +<p>"At once."</p> + +<p>"Do you fancy I carry 200,000 livres about me?"</p> + +<p>"I do not say that, but I can accompany you where you are going, and on +reaching Antibes, we will say, you can pay me the amount."</p> + +<p>"That is a good plan."</p> + +<p>"Is it not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, only there is an obstacle to its success."</p> + +<p>"I do not see one."</p> + +<p>"But I do."</p> + +<p>"What is it, sir?"</p> + +<p>"That, if I give you a meeting here, and come disguised and alone, I +have probably an object."</p> + +<p>"Of course! You wish to remain incog."</p> + +<p>"You are full of penetration, my dear sir; and yet we can come to an +understanding."</p> + +<p>"I do not see how, unless you consent to what I ask."</p> + +<p>"You are a judge of diamonds, since we have hitherto only bargained in +them."</p> + +<p>"That is true, I am a tolerable judge of them."</p> + +<p>"Here is one that is worth 100,000 crowns, take it."</p> + +<p>And he offered a small case of black shagreen.</p> + +<p>The Major eagerly seized it.</p> + +<p>"But," he objected, "how can I be certain that you are not deceiving +me?"</p> + +<p>"An affecting confession," the stranger observed laughingly.</p> + +<p>"Business is business, I risk my soul in serving you."</p> + +<p>"As for your soul, my dear sir, reassure yourself; in that quarter you +have nothing to risk. But I will give you the satisfaction you desire."</p> + +<p>And taking a dark lanthorn from under his cloak, he let the light play +on the diamond.</p> + +<p>The Major only required one glance to assure himself of the value of +the rich reward offered him.</p> + +<p>"Are you satisfied?" the stranger asked, as he placed the lanthorn +again under his cloak.</p> + +<p>"Here is the proof," the Major answered, as he concealed the box, and +handed him a bundle of papers.</p> + +<p>"What is this?" the stranger inquired.</p> + +<p>"Papers of great importance for you, in the sense that they will tell +you who the Count's friends are, and the means they can employ to +restore him to liberty."</p> + +<p>"Bravo!" the stranger exclaimed, as he eagerly took the bundle of +papers; "I no longer regret having paid so heavy a price for your +assistance. Now we have discussed every point, I think?"</p> + +<p>"I think so too."</p> + +<p>"In that case, farewell! When I want you, I will let you know."</p> + +<p>"Are you going already?"</p> + +<p>"What the deuce would you have me do longer in this owl's nest? It is +time for each of us to rejoin the persons waiting for us."</p> + +<p>And after giving the Major a slight wave of the hand, he turned away +and disappeared behind the ruins of the high altar.</p> + +<p>At the same moment the stranger was suddenly seized by several men, so +that not only was he unable to offer a useless resistance, but found +himself bound and gagged before he had recovered from the surprise this +attack had caused him.</p> + +<p>His silent aggressors then left him rolling on the ground with +convulsive bounds of impotent rage, and disappeared in the darkness +without paying any further attention to him.</p> + +<p>The Major, after a momentary hesitation, also resolved to leave the +place, and slowly proceeded in the direction of the shore. On arriving +within a certain distance, in obedience to skipper Nicaud's hint, he +cocked his pistol and flashed the powder in the pan; then he continued +to advance slowly.</p> + +<p>The boat had doubtless made haste to meet him, for at the same moment +as the Major reached the shore, its bows ran into the sand.</p> + +<p>The governor stepped silently into it; twenty minutes after he +found himself on board the lugger, where master Nicaud received him +respectfully cap in hand.</p> + +<p>The boat was hauled up to the davits, sail was set on the lugger, and +she stood out to sea before a fresh breeze.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE SEAGULL LUGGER.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>A lugger is a three mast vessel, with narrow lines aft and bulging +bows; it has a foremast, mainmast, and a driver greatly inclined over +the stern; its bowsprit is short; it carries large sails and at times +topsails.</p> + +<p>From this description it is easy to see that luggers have the same rig, +on a larger scale, as chasse-marées.</p> + +<p>Although the draft on water of these vessels is rather great aft, as +they are generally quick and good sea boats, they are largely employed +for smuggling purposes, in spite of the inconvenience of the large +sails which have to be shifted with each tack.</p> + +<p>The Seagull was a vessel of ninety tons, neatly fitted up, and carrying +four small iron guns of eight to the pound, which caused her to bear a +greater resemblance with a corsair than a peaceful coaster.</p> + +<p>Still, in spite of a rather numerous crew, and her rakish appearance, +during about a year since this vessel began frequenting the coast of +Provence and the Lerins islands, not a word of harm had been said +against her. Skipper Nicaud passed for an honest worthy man, although a +little rough and quarrelsome,—faults, by the way, peculiar to nearly +all sailors, and which in no way diminished the excellent reputation +which the master of the Seagull enjoyed.</p> + +<p>So soon as Major de l'Oursière had regained the lugger's deck, and the +vessel had stood off, after taking a parting glance at St. Honorat, +whose outline was gradually disappearing in the mist, he walked aft, +seized the manrope and went down into the cabin.</p> + +<p>But on entering the cabin, which he supposed to be unoccupied, as +the skipper was on deck, the Major with difficulty restrained an +exclamation of surprise.</p> + +<p>There was a man in the cabin, seated at a table, and contently imbibing +rum and water, while smoking an enormous pipe, and forming an aureole +around him of bluish smoke.</p> + +<p>In this man the Major recognised Michael the Basque, the fisherman.</p> + +<p>After a moment's hesitation, the Major walked in, although the presence +of this individual aboard the lugger was rather singular. Still there +was nothing in the thing that should terrify the Major, who had no +reason to suppose that Michael was hostile to him, or that he had +anything to apprehend from him.</p> + +<p>At the noise made by the Major on entering the cabin, the sailor half +turned to him, though without removing the pipe from his lips. After +taking a pull at the glass he held in his right hand, he said in a +bantering tone,—</p> + +<p>"Why, if I am not mistaken, it is our estimable governor of St. +Marguerite; delighted to see you, I am sure, Major."</p> + +<p>"Why," the Major replied, in the same key, "it's that worthy fellow, +Michael. By what chance do I find you here, when I had a right to +suppose you engaged fishing, at this moment, Lord knows where?"</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said Michael, with a laugh; "There's as good fishing here +as anywhere. Won't you take a seat, Major, or are you afraid of +compromising your dignity by sitting down by the side of a poor fellow +like me?"</p> + +<p>"You do not think that," the Major answered, as he seated himself.</p> + +<p>"Don't you smoke, eh?" Michael asked him.</p> + +<p>"No; that is a sailor's amusement."</p> + +<p>"It is so, Major. But I suppose you drink?"</p> + +<p>The Major held out a glass, which the sailor liberally filled.</p> + +<p>"Here's your health, Major. If I expected to meet anyone, it wasn't +you, I assure you."</p> + +<p>"I thought so."</p> + +<p>"Indeed I didn't."</p> + +<p>"Well, to tell you the truth, I did not expect to meet you, either."</p> + +<p>"I am aware of that. You have come from St. Honorat."</p> + +<p>"Hang it all! You cannot be ignorant of that fact, since I find you +here."</p> + +<p>"It was on your account, then, that we lost two hours in tacking +between the islands, at the risk of running on to a reef, instead of +attending to our business?"</p> + +<p>"What do you mean by business? Are you a smuggler at present?"</p> + +<p>"I am everything," Michael replied, laconically, emptying his glass.</p> + +<p>"But what the deuce are you doing here?" asked the Major.</p> + +<p>"What are you?" the sailor said, answering one question by another.</p> + +<p>"I—I?" the Major began, in embarrassment.</p> + +<p>"You hesitate!" Michael continued, banteringly. "Well, I will tell you, +if you like."</p> + +<p>"You, Michael?"</p> + +<p>"Why not? You went to St. Honorat to admire the beauties of nature," +and he burst into a hearty laugh. "Is it not so?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. I have always passionately admired the picturesque. But that +reminds me. I have forgotten to tell skipper Nicaud where I wish him to +land me."</p> + +<p>And he made a movement, as if to rise.</p> + +<p>"It is unnecessary," the sailor said, obliging him to sit down again.</p> + +<p>"How? Unnecessary! On the contrary, I must do it, without further +delay."</p> + +<p>"Still you have time, Major," the sailor said, peremptorily; "besides, +I must speak with you first."</p> + +<p>"You speak with me?" the Major exclaimed, in stupefaction.</p> + +<p>"So it is, Major," the other replied, sarcastically. "I have very +important matters to tell you. In your devil of a castle that is +impossible, because you have there a number of soldiers and gaolers, +who, at your slightest frown, interrupt the person addressing you, and +throw him without ceremony into some hole, where they unscrupulously +leave him to rot. That is discouraging, on my honour. But here it is +far more agreeable, as I am not afraid that you will have me locked up +—at least, not for the present. Hence, as the opportunity offers, I +wish to take advantage of it to empty my budget, and tell you what I +have on my heart."</p> + +<p>The Major felt internally anxious, without yet knowing positively what +he had to fear, so extraordinary to him seemed this way of speaking +on the part of a sailor, who had hitherto always displayed a servile +politeness toward him. Still, he did not allow anything of this to be +seen, but leaned carelessly over the table.</p> + +<p>"Very good, let us talk, since you feel so great an inclination for +it, my good Michael; for I have time, as I am in no hurry."</p> + +<p>The sailor made his chair turn half round on its hind legs, and finding +himself by this movement right facing M. de l'Oursière, he examined him +cunningly, for an instant, then drained the contents of his glass; and, +after banging the empty glass on the table, he said,—</p> + +<p>"It is really a charming passion of yours, Major, to go thus at night +to admire the ruins of the convent of St. Honorat in the darkness. It +is, really, a charming passion, and a very profitable one, from what I +have been able to learn."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?" the Major asked, turning pale.</p> + +<p>"I mean what I say, nothing else! Do you believe in hazard, Major?"</p> + +<p>"Why—"</p> + +<p>"No more, I fancy, in that which makes me meet you here, than in the +chance that makes you find on a desert island diamonds worth three +hundred thousand livres; because the one thing is as impossible as the +other?"</p> + +<p>This time the Major did not attempt to reply, for he felt he was caught +out.</p> + +<p>Michael continued in the same sneering and bantering tone—</p> + +<p>"It is certainly ingenious to act as you do. A man soon grows rich by +taking with both hands, but like all trades that are too good, this one +is rather risky."</p> + +<p>"You insult me, scoundrel!" the Major stammered. "Take care what you +say. If I call—"</p> + +<p>"Come, come," the sailor interrupted, with a coarse laugh; "I do not +intend to notice the insult you cast in my teeth, for I have something +else to do. As for calling out, just try it, and you will see what +will happen."</p> + +<p>"That—that is treachery!"</p> + +<p>"Hang it! Are we not all more or less traitors? You are one—I am one; +that is allowed: hence, believe me, it is useless to dwell any longer +on this subject, and we had better revert to our business."</p> + +<p>"Speak," the Major muttered in a gloomy voice.</p> + +<p>"But, stay. I wish to give you a proof of frankness, and show you once +for all how wrong you would be in keeping up, I will not say the least +hope, but the slightest illusion as to what is going on here."</p> + +<p>Then, tapping the table smartly with the heel of his glass, he +shouted,—</p> + +<p>"Come here, Nicaud, I want you."</p> + +<p>A heavy step resounded on the cabin stairs, and almost immediately +Skipper Nicaud's cunning face was framed by the doorway.</p> + +<p>"What do you want, Michael?" he asked, without seeming even to notice +the Major's presence.</p> + +<p>"Only a trifle, my lad," the sailor replied, pointing to the officer, +who had turned pale, through the emotion he felt. "Only a simple +question for the personal satisfaction of this gentleman."</p> + +<p>"Speak."</p> + +<p>"Who is the present commander of the Seagull lugger, in whose cabin we +are now seated?"</p> + +<p>"Why, you, of course."</p> + +<p>"Then everyone aboard, yourself included, must obey me?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly; and without the slightest observation."</p> + +<p>"Very good. Then supposing, Nicaud, I were to order you to take the +Major here present, fasten a couple of round shot to his feet, and +throw him overboard, what would you do, my lad?"</p> + +<p>"What would I do?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Obey."</p> + +<p>"Without any observation?"</p> + +<p>Skipper Nicaud shrugged his shoulders.</p> + +<p>"Shall I do it?" he asked, stretching out his huge fist towards the +Major, who shuddered.</p> + +<p>"Not yet," Michael answered. "Go back on deck, but do not go far, as I +shall probably want you soon."</p> + +<p>"Very good," said the master, and disappeared.</p> + +<p>"Are you now edified, Major?" Michael asked, turning carelessly to the +horrified governor; "And are you not beginning to understand that I, +poor chap as I am, compared with you, have you, temporarily, at any +rate, completely in my power?"</p> + +<p>"I allow it," the Major stammered, in a faint and choking voice.</p> + +<p>"In that case, I believe we shall come to an understanding."</p> + +<p>"Come to the facts, sir, without further circumlocution."</p> + +<p>"Good!" Michael exclaimed, coarsely; "That's how I like to see you. In +the first place, hand me the diamond which your accomplice gave you in +the ruins."</p> + +<p>"Then you mean robbery. I had hoped better things of you," the Major +answered, disdainfully.</p> + +<p>"Call it what you like, Major," the sailor said imperturbably; "the +name does not alter the thing—give me the diamond."</p> + +<p>"No," the Major answered coldly, "the diamond is my fortune, and you +shall only have it with my life."</p> + +<p>"That condition, illogical though it is, will not check me, I assure +you, for I will kill you, if necessary, and then take the diamond," and +he cocked a pistol.</p> + +<p>There was a silence.</p> + +<p>"Well, then, it is really this diamond you want?"</p> + +<p>"That and something else," said Michael.</p> + +<p>"I do not understand you."</p> + +<p>The sailor rose, placed the pistol to his chest, and said frowningly—</p> + +<p>"I will make you understand me."</p> + +<p>The Major felt he was lost, and that this man would kill him.</p> + +<p>"Stop!" he said.</p> + +<p>"Have you decided?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," he answered, in a voice choked with rage, and drawing the box +from his bosom, he muttered, "Curse you, take it!"</p> + +<p>Michael returned the pistol to his belt, opened the box, and +attentively examined the diamond.</p> + +<p>"It is the one," he said, as he closed the box again, and stowed it +away.</p> + +<p>The unlucky officer followed all these movements with a lack-lustre eye.</p> + +<p>Michael resumed his seat, poured himself out a glass of rum, swallowed +it at a draught, and then bending forward as he filled his pipe, said—</p> + +<p>"Now, let us talk."</p> + +<p>"What, talk?" asked the Major; "Have we not finished yet?"</p> + +<p>"Not yet—what a hurry you are in. At present we have said nothing."</p> + +<p>"What more do you want of me?"</p> + +<p>"That is meant for a reproach; but I allow for your ill temper, and +owe you no grudge for it. It is a sad thing for a man who has been +poor all his life to see himself robbed in a moment of a fortune which +he had only just secured. Well, then, listen to me, Major," he said, +assuming a consolatory air, and putting his elbows on the table, "it is +easy for you to regain the fortune you have lost, and it only depends +on yourself."</p> + +<p>The Major opened his eyes widely, not knowing whether to take what the +sailor said to him seriously; but as he risked nothing by permitting an +explanation, he prepared to give him the most earnest attention.</p> + +<p>The other continued—</p> + +<p>"No matter how I learned the fact—I know for certain, and the affair +of the diamond is an undeniable proof of it—that, while on one hand, +you feigned to feel the greatest interest for Count de Barmont, from +whom you have drawn large sums, though I don't say it in reproach, by +means of this feigned pity; on the other, you betray him without shame +to his enemies, whom you make pay for it heavily. I merely mention this +as a fact, and it is unnecessary to discuss it," Michael said, checking +the Major, who was about to speak. "Now, I have made up my mind that, +against wind and tide, and in spite of all the intrigues of his enemies +to prevent it, the Count shall be free, and free through me. This is my +plan: listen attentively to this, Mr. Governor, for the affair concerns +you' more nearly than you seem to suppose. The Count has learnt the +death of Cardinal de Richelieu, and I sent him the news in a letter +from the Duc de Bellegarde. You see that I know everything, or nearly +so: he at once requested to see you, and you granted his wish. What +took place at your interview? Speak, and before all, be frank: in my +turn, I will listen to you."</p> + +<p>"Of what use is it to repeat our conversation?" the Major asked, +ironically.</p> + +<p>"For my private satisfaction," Michael answered, "and your special +interest: do not be in too great a hurry to rejoice, Major, for you are +not out of my hands yet. Believe me, you had better yield with a good +grace, for your interest demands it."</p> + +<p>"My interest?" he repeated, in amazement.</p> + +<p>"Go on, Major; when the time arrives, be assured, I shall give you the +explanation you desire."</p> + +<p>The old officer reflected for a moment: at last he decided to speak, +resolved, if the opportunity offered itself hereafter, to make the +sailor pay dearly for all his agony and humiliation.</p> + +<p>"The Count," he said, "engaged me to go to Paris, and negotiate with +the Duc de Bellegarde, in order to bring him back his order of release, +which the duke is certain to obtain from the king."</p> + +<p>"That is good. And when do you intend to start for Paris?"</p> + +<p>"I have started."</p> + +<p>"Ah! Ah!" said Michael, with a laugh. "It appears that you have stopped +on the road, but that has nothing to do with the affair. Is that all?"</p> + +<p>"Nearly so."</p> + +<p>"Hum! then there is something else?"</p> + +<p>"Less than nothing."</p> + +<p>"No matter—out with it, for I am very curious. Did not the Count +promise you something?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"How much?"</p> + +<p>"Fifty thousand livres," the Major said, with repugnance.</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah, that is a tidy sum! And you were setting about earning it in +a strange fashion; but I do not wish to refer to that any more. Do +you wish to recover your diamond, and at the same time gain the fifty +thousand livres promised by the Count? Speak, it depends on yourself."</p> + +<p>"You are jesting with me, and not speaking seriously."</p> + +<p>"Never, on the contrary, have I been more serious. On the Count's +arrival at the castle you command, you were only a poor scrub of an +officer of fortune, who, during his whole life, had been struggling +against odds, and perched like an owl on an old wall, you were exposed +on your isle to die as you had lived; that is to say, without a rap. +During the last fifteen or eighteen months, things have completely +changed with you. With what you have extorted from the Count, and what +his enemies have given you, you have succeeded in getting together a +very decent sum. Admitting that you were to receive the Count's fifty +thousand livres, and I were to give you back the diamond, it would +produce you a perfectly independent fortune, enabling you to retire +when you pleased, and end your days in joy and abundance. Is not that +your opinion?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly, but I shall not touch the 50,000 livres, and the diamond +you have taken from me."</p> + +<p>"That is true, but," he added, "it is only dependent on yourself, +Major, to have it again in your possession."</p> + +<p>"What must I do for that?"</p> + +<p>"That is what I was waiting for, Major; you consent then, to enter into +an arrangement?"</p> + +<p>"I must; have I my free will at this moment?"</p> + +<p>"A man always has it when he likes, Major, you know that as well as I +do; the only thing is, that as you are a man endowed with a strong dose +of intelligence, and understand, that when a person has made a fortune +by means more or less honourable, he must keep it at all hazards, you +are beginning to lend a more attentive ear to the propositions which +you guess I am preparing to make you, for you are at length convinced +that it is to your interest to come to an understanding with me."</p> + +<p>"Suppose what you like, I do not care; but tell me your propositions, +so that I may know whether my honour allows me to accept them or forces +me to refuse them."</p> + +<p>Michael began laughing unceremoniously at this outburst, by which the +Major sought to mask his capitulation.</p> + +<p>"Instead of going to Paris," he said, "you will simply return to Sainte +Marguerite. You will go to the Count, tell him he is free, and then +return with him on board the lugger, which will wait for you. When the +Count and yourself are on board, the lugger will stand out to sea. +Then I will restore you your diamond and pay you the amount agreed on; +and as probably you will not care to resume the command of your castle +after such a frolic, I will convey you, and your wealth wherever you +like, in order to enjoy it without fear of being disturbed."</p> + +<p>"But," the Major observed, "what shall I tell the Count to persuade him +that he is free by the King's orders?"</p> + +<p>"That does not concern me, it is your affair; but hang it all, my dear +Major, you are unjust to yourself in raising any doubts as to the power +of your imagination. Now what do you think of my proposition, and do +you accept it?"</p> + +<p>"What security have I that you are not deceiving me, and that when I +have fulfilled the conditions of the bargain you impose on me, you keep +yours as strictly?"</p> + +<p>"The word of a honest man, sir, a word, which though that of a plain +sailor, is worth that of a gentleman."</p> + +<p>"I believe you, sir," the Major answered, lowering his eyes before +Michael's flashing glance.</p> + +<p>"Then, that is settled?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, it is."</p> + +<p>"All right. Hallo! Nicaud!" Michael shouted.</p> + +<p>The skipper arrived with a speed that proved he had not been far from +the two speakers.</p> + +<p>"Here I am, Michael, what do you want?"</p> + +<p>"Where are we at this moment?" the sailor asked.</p> + +<p>"About five leagues to windward of Sainte Marguerite."</p> + +<p>"Very good! Keep on the same course till daybreak; at sunrise we will +stand for the island, and anchor off it."</p> + +<p>"Very good, I understand."</p> + +<p>"Ah! Here is Mr. Governor, who I think, has great want of a little +rest; can't you put him up somewhere where he will be able to sleep for +two or three hours?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing easier, as I shall not turn in tonight, nor you, I suppose, +my cabin is at the Major's service, if he will do me the honour of +accepting it."</p> + +<p>The old officer was really worn out, not only by the fatigue of a long +watch, but also by the emotions he had suffered from during the night. +Certain that he had now no apprehensions about his safety, he heartily +accepted the skipper's offer, and withdrew into the cabin, the door of +which the other politely opened for him.</p> + +<p>The two sailors went up on deck again.</p> + +<p>"This time," said Michael, "I believe that we have manoeuvred cleverly, +and that our plan will succeed."</p> + +<p>"I am beginning to be of your opinion; but I say, wasn't that old +cormorant of a governor tough?"</p> + +<p>"Not very," Michael replied with a laugh, "besides, he had no choice; +he was obliged to give in, whether he liked it or not."</p> + +<p>As had been arranged, the lugger stood off and on from the island +during the whole night, at a distance of from four to five leagues from +the coast.</p> + +<p>At sunrise, they steered directly for St. Marguerite.</p> + +<p>The breeze had lulled nearer shore, so that it occupied some time ere +the light vessel reached the species of port serving as a landing place +in front of the castle.</p> + +<p>The lugger drew too much water for it to be possible to run alongside +the quay; hence it lay to a short distance off; and Nicaud had a boat +lowered, while Michael went down into the cabin to warn the Major.</p> + +<p>The latter was awake; refreshed and rested by sleep, he was no longer +the same man, he now regarded his position in its true light, and +understood that the means offered him to escape from the disagreeable +position in which he was placed by his double treachery, was more +advantageous than otherwise for him.</p> + +<p>It was almost with a smile that he wished Michael good day, and he made +no difficulty about accepting the hand the sailor offered to him.</p> + +<p>"Well," he asked him, "whereabouts are we, Michael?"</p> + +<p>"We have arrived, Major."</p> + +<p>"Already? Are you not afraid it is too early to go ashore?"</p> + +<p>"Not at all; it is nine o'clock."</p> + +<p>"So late? Hang it, it seems that I have slept soundly; in truth, I feel +quite jolly this morning."</p> + +<p>"All the better, Major, that is a good sign; I suppose you remember our +arrangements?"</p> + +<p>"Perfectly."</p> + +<p>"And you will play fairly with us?"</p> + +<p>"In my turn I pledge my honour to it, and I will keep it, whatever may +happen."</p> + +<p>"Come, I am glad to hear you talk like that; I am beginning to alter my +opinion about you."</p> + +<p>"Stuff," the Major remarked laughingly, "you do not know me yet."</p> + +<p>"You are aware that the boat is ready, it is only waiting for you to go +ashore."</p> + +<p>"If that is the case, I will follow you, Michael; I am now as eager as +you are to finish the affair."</p> + +<p>The Major went on deck and got into the boat, which was at once pushed +off, and set out for the landing place.</p> + +<p>Michael's heart beat ready to burst, while he followed with an anxious +eye, the light yawl which was rapidly leaving the lugger, and was +already close in shore.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a></h4> + +<h3>FRANCE, FAREWELL!</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>The Major had scarce landed at Sainte Marguerite, ere everything were +in commotion in the fort.</p> + +<p>On leaving the isle on the previous evening, the governor had stated +that he was going on a journey, and would be absent a week, perhaps two.</p> + +<p>The Lieutenant, intrusted with the command of the fort during his +absence, eagerly hastened to meet him, curious to learn the motive for +such a speedy return.</p> + +<p>The Major at first replied evasively, that news he had received on +landing on the mainland, had necessitated the immediate interruption +of his journey; and, while conversing thus, he entered the fort and +proceeded to his apartments, followed by the Lieutenant whom he had +invited to accompany him.</p> + +<p>"Sir," he said to him so soon as they were alone, "you will immediately +choose from the garrison ten resolute men; and proceed with them on +board the fishing vessel I noticed at anchor when I entered the fort. +The missive I entrust to you is most important, and if you carry it out +thoroughly, may have important results for you; it must be managed with +the most profound secrecy, however, for it is a secret of state."</p> + +<p>The Lieutenant bowed gratefully, evidently flattered at the confidence +his chief placed in him.</p> + +<p>The Major continued.</p> + +<p>"You will land on the coast a little below Antibes, and keep the boat, +which you will use for your return; you will manage so as not to enter +the town till nightfall, without attracting any attention, you will +lodge your men as best you can without arousing suspicions, but so as +to have them under hand at any moment. Tomorrow morning at ten o'clock, +you will present yourself to the town commandant, hand him a letter I +shall give you, and place yourself at his disposal. Have you understood +me thoroughly, sir?"</p> + +<p>"Perfectly, Mr. Governor."</p> + +<p>"Before all, I recommend you the most utter discretion; remember that +your fortune probably depends on the success of the mission."</p> + +<p>"I will obey you, Major, and I hope that you will only have compliments +to pay me on my return."</p> + +<p>"I trust so too, sir, but make haste, for you must be gone in half an +hour. During your preparations I will write the letter; it will be +ready when you come to take leave again."</p> + +<p>The lieutenant, after bowing respectfully, retired with a joyous heart, +not having the slightest suspicion of the treachery meditated by his +chief, and went off at full speed to make all the preparations for his +departure.</p> + +<p>The Major had under his orders a garrison of fifty men, commanded by +three officers, a captain and two lieutenants.</p> + +<p>This captain, the next in rank to him, would doubtless have greatly +impeded the success of the bold stroke he meditated, owing to the +pretext he would have been obliged to invent, in order to account for +the want of a release in writing for the Count.</p> + +<p>By sending him away, the Major had only to deal with two subalterns, +ranking too low in the military scale to venture to make observations, +or hesitate to accomplish his orders, the more so, because during +the ten or twelve years M. de l'Oursière had commanded Fort Sainte +Marguerite, nothing in his conduct had led to the slightest painful +suspicions about his honour.</p> + +<p>Forced by circumstances to betray his duty and quit his native land +forever, which he knew he should never see again after this audacious +scheme, the Major wished to leave nothing to chance, but turn his lost +position to the greatest possible advantage. He hoped that the measures +he had taken would protect him from any danger, when his treachery was +eventually discovered.</p> + +<p>But, through a very laudable feeling of justice, especially on the part +of such a man and under such circumstances, the Major desired alone to +bear the burden of his infamous conduct and not to attract suspicion of +complicity on his poor officers, whom duty compelled to obey him, in +what they considered a portion of their military service.</p> + +<p>Hence he wrote to the governor of Antibes a very circumstantial letter, +in which he narrated, without the slightest omission, the treason he +meditated, and which would be carried out at the time when the governor +read the strange missive; he explained the motives that obliged him to +act as he was doing, while taking on himself all the responsibility of +such a deed, and acquitting his officers and soldiers, not only of all +co-operation, but of all cognisance, even indirect, of his project.</p> + +<p>These duties scrupulously accomplished—for it was impossible for the +governor to be deceived as to the frankness of his confession, or +to doubt them for a moment—the Major folded the letter, sealed it +carefully, and laid it on the table while awaiting the return of his +second in command.</p> + +<p>Now, as his vessels were burnt, M. de l'Oursière could no longer +retreat; he must push on and succeed; the certainty of certain ruin if +his scheme were foiled, removed his last doubts, and restored him all +the necessary calmness to act with the coolness demanded by the strange +circumstances in which he found himself placed.</p> + +<p>The Captain entered.</p> + +<p>"Well?" the Major asked him.</p> + +<p>"I am ready to start, Mr. Governor; my soldiers are already on board +the fishing boat, and we shall have left the island in ten minutes."</p> + +<p>"Here is the letter you have to deliver into the hands of the Governor +of Antibes, sir; remember my instructions."</p> + +<p>"I will obey them in every point."</p> + +<p>"In that case, Heaven guard you! and good-bye," the Major said, as he +rose.</p> + +<p>The officer saluted, and left the room.</p> + +<p>The Major watched through the open window of his room; he saw him leave +the fort, go down to the shore, and on board the fishing vessel; the +sail was hoisted, and ere long the boat started, slightly heeling over +under the power of the breeze.</p> + +<p>"Ough!" said the Major, closing the window, with a sigh of +relief—"that's one, now for the other."</p> + +<p>But, before aught else, the old officer shut himself up in his room, +burnt certain papers, pocketed others, put some clothes in a small +valise, as he did not wish to take all belonging to him, through fear +of arousing suspicions, and carefully wrapping up in his cloak a small +and very heavy iron casket, which, doubtless, contained his ready +money, he assured himself by a glance around that everything was in +order, opened the door again, and called.</p> + +<p>A soldier appeared.</p> + +<p>"Beg Mess. de Castaix and de Mircey to come here," he said, "as I wish +to speak to them."</p> + +<p>They speedily arrived, greatly puzzled at this unexpected interview, +for usually the Governor talked but little with his officers.</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen," he said to them, after returning their salute, "an order +from the King caused me to return here in all haste. I have to take our +prisoner, M. de Barmont, to Antibes, where your Captain has preceded +me with a sufficient escort to prevent any attempt at escape on the +part of the prisoner. I have acted thus because it is the King's good +pleasure that this transference of the Count from one prison to another +may have the appearance of a liberation, and I shall explain it in that +sense to the prisoner, in order that he may have no suspicion of the +new orders I have received. Until my return, which will be in two days +at the least, you, Monsieur de Castaix, as senior officer, will assume +the command of the fortress. I am pleased to believe, gentlemen, that I +shall only have to praise the aptitude you will display in performing +your duties during my absence."</p> + +<p>The two officers bowed: accustomed to the Cardinal's tortuous and +mysterious policy, the Major's remarks did not at all surprise them, +for, although His Eminence was dead, the event had not occurred so +long that the King should have in any way modified his sullen mode of +governing.</p> + +<p>"Be kind enough to give orders for the prisoner to be brought into my +presence, while I inform him of his liberation," he added, with a +mocking smile, whose strange meaning the officers did not comprehend. +"You will have all the effects belonging to him placed in the boat of +the smuggling lugger on board which I came back. Go, gentlemen."</p> + +<p>The officers withdrew.</p> + +<p>The Count was greatly surprised when La Grenade opened the door of his +cell, and begged him to follow him, as the Governor wished to speak +with the prisoner.</p> + +<p>He fancied the Major on the road to Paris, as had been arranged between +them on the previous evening, and did not at all understand his +presence at the fort after the solemn promise he had made.</p> + +<p>Another thing also caused him great surprise—ever since he had been a +prisoner at Saint Marguerite the Governor had not once sent for him; on +the contrary, he had always put himself out of the way by visiting his +cell.</p> + +<p>But the thing that completely routed his ideas was La Grenade's +recommendation to him, to place all his belongings in a trunk, and take +the key.</p> + +<p>"Why this most unnecessary precaution?" the Count asked him.</p> + +<p>"No one ever knows what may happen, sir," the gaoler replied, +cunningly; "it is as well to take precautions; and stay, if I were you +I would put on my hat and take my cloak."</p> + +<p>And while speaking thus, the soldier actively helped him to pack his +trunk.</p> + +<p>"There, that's done," he said, with a grin of satisfaction, when the +Count had taken out the key; "here are your hat and cloak."</p> + +<p>"My hat, if you like," the young man remarked, laughingly, "but why +my cloak? I run no risk of catching a pleurisy in my short walk to the +Governor's presence."</p> + +<p>"Will you not take it?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly not."</p> + +<p>"Then I will; you'll see you will want it."</p> + +<p>The young gentleman shrugged his shoulders, without replying, and they +left the room, the door of which the gaoler did not take the trouble to +lock after him.</p> + +<p>The Major was walking up and down his room while awaiting the prisoner. +La Grenade showed him in, laid the cloak on a chair, and withdrew.</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah!" said the Major, with a laugh—"I see that you suspected +something."</p> + +<p>"I, Mr. Governor? What was it, if you please?"</p> + +<p>"Zounds! you appear to be dressed as if for a journey."</p> + +<p>"It is that ass of La Grenade, who, I know not for what reason, obliged +me to put on my hat, and insisted on bringing my cloak here."</p> + +<p>"He was right."</p> + +<p>"How so?"</p> + +<p>"My lord, I have the honour to inform you that you are a free man."</p> + +<p>"I free!" the Count exclaimed, turning pale with joy and emotion.</p> + +<p>"The King has deigned to sign your liberation, and I received the +orders on landing at Antibes."</p> + +<p>"At last!" the Count burst forth, but then immediately recovered +himself. "Can you show me the order, sir?"</p> + +<p>"Excuse me, my lord, that is forbidden."</p> + +<p>"Ah! For what reason?"</p> + +<p>"It is a general precaution, sir."</p> + +<p>"In that case I will not press it: at least, you are permitted to tell +me at whose request my liberty was granted me?"</p> + +<p>"I see no objection to that, sir—it was at the request of the Duc de +Bellegarde."</p> + +<p>"The dear Duke!—a real friend!" the Count cried, in great emotion.</p> + +<p>The Major, with the utmost coolness, handed him a pen, and pointed to a +blank space in the register.</p> + +<p>"Will you be kind enough, sir, to sign this register?"</p> + +<p>The Count hurriedly perused it, and saw that it was a species of +certificate of the honourable way he had been treated during the period +of his detention. He signed.</p> + +<p>"Now, sir, as I am free, for I presume I am so—" "Free as a bird, my +lord."</p> + +<p>"In that case I can retire. I know not why, but during the last instant +these thick, gloomy walls, seem to stifle me, and I shall not breathe +at my ease till I feel myself in the open air."</p> + +<p>"I understand that, sir. I have made every preparation, and we will +embark whenever you please."</p> + +<p>"<i>We?</i>" the Count asked, in surprise.</p> + +<p>"Yes, my lord, I shall accompany you."</p> + +<p>"For what reason, may I ask?"</p> + +<p>"To do you honour, sir—for no other reason."</p> + +<p>"Very good," he said, thoughtfully; "let us go, then; but I have some +traps here."</p> + +<p>"They are already on board: come, sir."</p> + +<p>The Major took up his valise and casket, and left the room, followed by +the Count.</p> + +<p>"Did I not tell you you would want your cloak?"</p> + +<p>La Grenade said to M. de Barmont, with a bow, as he passed—"Pleasant +voyage to you, sir, and good luck."</p> + +<p>They went down to the waterside. During the walk, which was not very +long, the Count's brow became more and more clouded; he fancied he +could notice a certain sorrow on the faces of the officers and soldiers +who were watching his departure—they whispered together, and pointed +to the Count in anything but a reassuring way, and it gave him much +cause for anxiety.</p> + +<p>Every now and then he took a side-glance at the Major, but he appeared +calm, and had a smile on his face.</p> + +<p>They at length reached the boat, and the Major stepped aside to let the +Count get into it first.</p> + +<p>As soon as they were both in, the boat was pushed off. During the whole +passage from the shore to the lugger the Count and the Major remained +silent.</p> + +<p>At length they came along side the little vessel, a rope was thrown to +them, and they went up the side.</p> + +<p>The yawl was immediately hauled up, all sail was set, and the lugger +stood out to sea.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" the Count exclaimed on perceiving Michael, "You are here, then I +am saved!"</p> + +<p>"I hope so," the latter replied; "but come, my lord, we have matters to +discuss."</p> + +<p>They went down into the cabin, followed by the Major.</p> + +<p>"There, now we can talk, Captain—the first thing is to settle our +accounts."</p> + +<p>"Our accounts?" M. de Barmont repeated, in surprise.</p> + +<p>"Yes, let us proceed regularly. You promised this gentleman 50,000 +livres?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I did."</p> + +<p>"And you authorize me to give them to him?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly."</p> + +<p>"Good; in that case he shall have them." Then, turning to the +Major—"You have scrupulously kept your promises, and we will keep ours +as loyally. Here, in the first place, is your diamond, which I give you +back: I will hand you over the money in a moment. I suppose you no more +wish to remain in France than we do—eh?"</p> + +<p>"I do not wish it the least in the world," the Major replied, delighted +at having regained possession of his diamond.</p> + +<p>"Where would you like to be landed? Will England suit you, or do you +prefer Italy?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I do not exactly know."</p> + +<p>"Do you like Spain better? 'Tis all the same to me."</p> + +<p>"Why not Portugal?"</p> + +<p>"Done for Portugal. We will drop you there in passing."</p> + +<p>The Count had listened with growing surprise to this conversation, +which was incomprehensible to him.</p> + +<p>"What is the meaning of all this?" he at length asked.</p> + +<p>"It means, Captain," Michael distinctly answered, "that the King has +not signed the pardon—that you are a prisoner, and would probably have +remained so all your life had not this gentleman, luckily for you, +consented to open the door."</p> + +<p>"Sir!" the Count exclaimed, making a movement toward the Major.</p> + +<p>Michael stopped him.</p> + +<p>"Do not be in a hurry to thank him," he said—"wait till he has told +you what has occurred, and in what way he found himself obliged to set +you at liberty, when he would probably have preferred not to do so."</p> + +<p>"Come, come!" said the Count, stamping his foot passionately—"Explain +yourself! I understand nothing of all this. I wish to know +everything—everything, I tell you!"</p> + +<p>"This man will tell you it, Captain; but he is afraid at present of the +consequences of his confession, and that is why he hesitates to make +it."</p> + +<p>M. de Barmont smiled disdainfully.</p> + +<p>"This man is beneath my contempt," he said; "whatever he may say I will +not take the slightest vengeance on him—he is pardoned beforehand, I +pledge him my word as a gentleman."</p> + +<p>"Now speak, Major," said Michael; "during that time I will go on deck +again with Skipper Nicaud, or, if you prefer it, Bowline, who has +played his part remarkably well throughout the affair."</p> + +<p>Michael left the cabin, and the two men remained alone.</p> + +<p>The Major understood that it was better to make a clean breast of it: +hence he told the Count, without any equivocation, the full details of +his treachery, and in what manner Michael had compelled him to save +him, when, on the contrary, he was paid to ruin him.</p> + +<p>Although the name of the Duc de Peñaflor had not once been mentioned +during the Major's narration, the Count divined that it was he alone +who had dealt him all the blows he had felt so severely during the last +eighteen months; however great his resolution might be, this depth +of hatred, this Machiavellian vengeance terrified him; but in this +extremely detailed narrative one point seemed to him obscure, and that +was, how Michael had discovered the final machinations of his enemies, +and done so opportunely enough to be able to foil them.</p> + +<p>All the questions the Count asked on this head the Major was unable to +answer, for he was ignorant.</p> + +<p>"Well," asked the sailor, suddenly entering the cabin, "are you now +informed, Captain?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," the latter replied, with a certain tinge of sadness, "except on +one point."</p> + +<p>"What is it, Captain?"</p> + +<p>"I should like to know in what manner you detected this cleverly +contrived plot."</p> + +<p>"Very simply, Captain, and I will tell you the whole affair in a couple +of words. Bowline and I, without the Major suspecting it, followed him +carefully into the ruins, while cautiously avoiding being seen; in this +way no part of his conversation with the stranger escaped us. When the +Major handed him the papers, and the stranger retired, I jumped at his +throat, and, with Bowline's help, took the papers from him—"</p> + +<p>"Where are these papers?" the Count interrupted him eagerly.</p> + +<p>"I will give them to you, Captain."</p> + +<p>"Thanks, Michael; now go on."</p> + +<p>"Well, my story's finished; I gagged him to prevent him calling out, +and after tying him up like a plug of tobacco to stop him running after +us, I left him there and went away."</p> + +<p>"What, you went away, Michael, leaving the man thus gagged and bound on +a desert isle?"</p> + +<p>"What would you have had me do with him, Captain?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, perhaps it would have been better to kill him, than leave him +exposed to such a horrible punishment."</p> + +<p>"He had been so precious tender to you, hadn't he, Captain? Stuff! Pity +for such a ferocious brute would be madness on your part; besides, the +fiend always protects his creatures, you may be sure, and I am certain +that he has escaped."</p> + +<p>"How so?"</p> + +<p>"Hang it, he didn't swim off to Saint Honorat; his people were probably +concealed somewhere: tired of not seeing him return, they will have +set out to seek him, and picked him up where I put him to bed; he will +probably have got off with gnawing the bit for two or three hours."</p> + +<p>"Well, that is possible, Michael, and even probable. Where are you +taking us?"</p> + +<p>"Zounds, you are the commander here, Captain; we will go wherever you +please."</p> + +<p>"I will tell you, but first let us land the Major, for I fancy he +wishes to be free of our company as much as we do of his."</p> + +<p>At this moment Bowline's voice was heard.</p> + +<p>"Hilloh, Michael," he shouted, "we have a large vessel to windward."</p> + +<p>"Confusion!" said the sailor, "Has she hoisted her colours?"</p> + +<p>"Yes; she is a Norwegian."</p> + +<p>"That will be a good opportunity for you, Major," said the Count.</p> + +<p>"Eh, helmsman," Michael shouted, without awaiting the Major's answer, +"steer down to the Norwegian."</p> + +<p>The Major considered it useless to protest.</p> + +<p>Two hours later the vessels were within speaking distance: the +stranger was bound for Helsingfors, and the captain consented to take +the passenger offered him.</p> + +<p>The Major was consequently transported on board, with everything +belonging to him.</p> + +<p>"Now, Captain," said Michael, when the boat had returned, "where shall +we steer?"</p> + +<p>"Let us go to the islands," the Count answered sadly, "henceforth we +shall only find a shelter there and taking a last glance at the coast +of France, whose outline was beginning to fade away in the distant +horizon," he muttered, with a sigh, and concealing his face sorrowfully +in his hands, "Farewell, France!"</p> + +<p>In these two words was exhaled the last human feeling that remained at +the bottom of the heart of this man who had been so tried by adversity, +and who, vanquished by despair, was going to ask of the new world the +vengeance which the old world so obstinately refused him.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE BEGINNING OF THE ADVENTURE.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>The seventeenth century was a period of transition between the middle +ages, that were exhaling their last sigh, and the modern era, which the +great thinkers of the eighteenth century were destined to constitute so +splendidly.</p> + +<p>Under the repeated blows of the implacable Cardinal de Richelieu, +that gloomy filler of the unity of the despotic power of kings, an +immense reaction had been effected in ideas. It was a silent reaction, +that from the outset sapped the minister's work, and he was far from +suspecting its causes or power. It was more especially in the latter +half of the seventeenth century that the world offered a strange +spectacle.</p> + +<p>At that period, the Spaniards, who were possessors, by the right of +force, of the greater part of America, where they had multiplied +colonies, were masters of the sea which the celebrated "broom of +Holland" had not yet swept. The English navy was only beginning to +be formed, and, in spite of the continuous efforts of Richelieu, the +French navy was not in existence.</p> + +<p>Suddenly several adventurers sprang up, no one knew whence, who, alone, +castaways of civilization, men of all classes, from the highest to +the most humble, belonging to all nations, but chiefly to the French, +perched themselves like vultures on an imperceptible islet in the +Atlantic, and undertook to contend against the Spanish power, after +declaring a merciless war on their private authority. Attacking the +Spanish fleet with unheard-of audacity, and, like a gadfly fastened to +a lion's flank, holding in check the Spanish Colossus, they compelled +it to treat with them on equal terms, with no other help but their +courage and their energetic will.</p> + +<p>In a few years their incredible exploits and audacious coups de main +inspired the Spaniards with such terror, and acquired for themselves +such a great and merited reputation, that the disinherited of fortune, +the seekers of adventures, flocked from all parts of the world to the +island that served them as a refuge, and their number was so enormously +augmented, that they almost succeeded in forming themselves into a +nationality by the sole force of their will, and their boldness. Let +us say in a few words, who these men were, and what was the origin of +their strange fortune.</p> + +<p>For this purpose we must return to the Spaniards.</p> + +<p>The latter, after their immense discoveries in the New World, had +obtained from Pope Alexander VI. a bull which conceded to them the +exclusive possession of the two Americas.</p> + +<p>Supported by this bull, and considering themselves the sole owners of +the New World, the Spaniards tried to keep all other nations away from +it, and began to treat as corsairs all the vessels they came across +between the two tropics.</p> + +<p>Their maritime power, and the important part they played at that time +on the American continent did not leave the governments the power of +protesting, as they would have desired, against this odious tyranny.</p> + +<p>Then it happened that English and French outfitters, excited by the +thirst of gain, and paying no heed to the Spanish pretensions, equipped +vessels which they dispatched to the so-coveted rich regions, to cut +off the Spanish transports, plunder the American coast, and fire the +town.</p> + +<p>Treated as pirates, these bold sailors frankly accepted the position +offered them, committed awful excesses wherever they landed, carried +off rich spoil, and despising the law of nations, and not caring +whether the Spaniards were at war or not with the countries to which +they belonged, they attacked them wherever they met them.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards, entirely engaged with rich possessions in Mexico, Peru, +and generally on the Continent, which were mines of inexhaustible +wealth for them, had committed the fault of neglecting the Antilles, +which stretch from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of Maracaibo, and +only established colonies in the four large islands of that archipelago.</p> + +<p>Hidden in bays behind the windings of the coast, the adventurers dashed +suddenly at the Spanish vessels, carried them by boarding, and then +returned ashore to share the plunder.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards, in spite of the great number of their vessels, and the +active watch they kept up, could no longer traverse the Caribbean Sea, +which the adventurers had selected as the scene of their exploits, +without running the risk of obstinate engagements with men, whom the +smallness and lightness of their vessels rendered almost intangible.</p> + +<p>This wandering life possessed such charms for the adventurers, who had +assumed the characteristic name of filibusters or freebooters, that +for a long time the idea did not occur to them of forming a permanent +settlement among the islands, which they employed as a temporary +retreat.</p> + +<p>Things were in this state when, in 1625, a cadet of Normandy, of the +name of d'Esnambuc, to whom the law of entail left no hope of fortune, +except what he could acquire by his industry or courage, fitted out at +Dieppe a brigantine of about seventy tons, on board which he placed +four guns and forty resolute men, and set out to chase the Spaniards +and try to enrich himself by some good prize.</p> + +<p>On arriving at the Caymans, small islands situated between Cuba and +Jamaica, he suddenly came across the track of a Spanish vessel bearing +thirty-five guns and a crew of three hundred and fifty men; it was a +critical situation for the corsair.</p> + +<p>D'Esnambuc, without giving the Spaniards time to look about them, +steered down and attacked them. The action lasted for three hours with +extraordinary obstinacy; the Dieppois defended themselves so well, that +the Spaniards despairing of conquest and having lost one-half their +crew, were the first to decline fighting, and shamefully fled from the +small vessel.</p> + +<p>Still, the latter had suffered severely, and could be hardly kept above +water, ten men had been killed, and the rest of the crew, being covered +with wounds, were not worth much more.</p> + +<p>As the isle of Saint Kitts was no great distance off, d'Esnambuc +reached it with much difficulty, and took refuge there to careen his +vessel, and cure his wounded. Then calculating, that, for the success +of his future expeditions, he required a sure retreat, he resolved to +establish himself on this island.</p> + +<p>St. Kitts, which the Caribs called Liamuiga, is situated in 17 to 18 +degrees N. latitude and 65 W. longitude. It is 23 leagues W.N.W. of +Antigua, and about 3 leagues to the N.W. of Guadeloupe, and is one of +the Caribbean Islands.</p> + +<p>The general aspect of this island is remarkably beautiful, it is +commanded by Mount Misery, an extinct volcano, three thousand five +hundred feet high, which occupies the whole northwest part, and +gradually descends in lower ranges, till it dies away on the South in +the plains of the Basse terre.</p> + +<p>The barrenness of the mountains forms a striking contrast with the +fertility of the plains.</p> + +<p>The valleys display a really extraordinary wealth of vegetation, while +the mountains only offer to the eye a confused chaos of broken rocks, +whose interstices are filled up with a clayey matter that checks all +vegetation.</p> + +<p>Water is rare, and of a bad quality, for the few streams that descend +from Mount Misery are strongly impregnated with saline particles, to +which strangers find a difficulty in growing accustomed.</p> + +<p>But a precious thing for the filibusters, Saint Kitts possesses two +magnificent ports, well sheltered and easy of defence, and its coasts +are serrated with deep bays, where, in case of danger, their light +vessels would easily find a shelter.</p> + +<p>D'Esnambuc, on landing, found several refugee Frenchmen who lived on +good terms with the Caribs, and who not only received him with open +arms, but joined him and selected him as their leader.</p> + +<p>By a singular chance, on the same day that the Dieppois landed at St. +Kitts, English freebooters commanded by Captain Warner, who had also +suffered in an engagement with the Spaniards, took refuge at another +point in it.</p> + +<p>The corsairs of the two nations who could not be separated by any +idea of conquest, agriculture, or commerce, and who pursued the same +object, fighting the Spaniards, and establishing a refuge against the +common enemy, easily came to an understanding; then, after dividing the +island, they settled down side by side, and lived for a long time on +excellent terms, which nothing disturbed.</p> + +<p>On one occasion they even combined their arms against the Caribs, who, +alarmed by the progress of their new settlement, attempted to expel +them.</p> + +<p>The filibusters made a horrible carnage among the Indians, and forced +them to implore for mercy.</p> + +<p>A few months after, Warner and d'Esnambuc put out to sea again; the +latter proceeded to Paris, the former to London, each for the purpose +of soliciting the protection of his government for the rising colony.</p> + +<p>As usual, these men, who at the beginning had only sought a temporary +refuge, now felt a desire to see the development of a settlement +founded by themselves, and which in a short time had assumed a real +importance.</p> + +<p>Cardinal de Richelieu, ever disposed to favour projects tending to +augment the foreign power of France, received the filibuster with the +greatest distinction, entered into his views, and formed a company, +called "The Company of the Islands," in order to promote the interests +of the colony.</p> + +<p>The capital was 45,000 livres, of which Richelieu subscribed for his +part 10,000.</p> + +<p>D'Esnambuc was invested with the supreme command.</p> + +<p>Among the claims stipulated in his commission there is one which we +must quote, owing to its strangeness, for it imposed on white men in +America a temporary slavery harsher even than that of the Negro.</p> + +<p>This is the clause, whose sinister consequences we shall see developed +during the course of this story.</p> + +<p>"No labourer intended for the colony will be allowed to embark, unless +he engages to remain for three years in the service of the company, +which will have the right to employ him on any task it thinks proper, +without granting him the right to complain or break the contract +entered into by him."</p> + +<p>These labourers were called Engagés or "thirty-six monthers," a polite +way of getting rid of the word slave.</p> + +<p>Captain Warner, who had been more highly favoured, returned with a +large body of colonists. Still the good understanding was kept up for +some time between the two nations; but the English took advantage of +the weakness of the French, who could not oppose their usurpations, to +encroach on their rights, and formed a fresh settlement at Nevis, the +next island to St. Kitts.</p> + +<p>Still d'Esnambuc did not despair of the fate of the colony. He +proceeded again to France, and solicited of the Cardinal help in men +and money, to repulse the undertakings of his troublesome neighbours.</p> + +<p>Richelieu granted his request.</p> + +<p>By his orders, Rear Admiral de Cussac arrived at St. Kitts, with six +heavily armed ships; he surprised ten English vessels in the roads, +captured three, sank three others, and put the rest to flight.</p> + +<p>The English made no further attempts to leave their boundaries, and +peace was re-established.</p> + +<p>M. de Cussac, after supplying the colony with rum and provisions, set +sail, and went to found a settlement on St. Eustache, an island four +leagues N. W. of St. Kitts.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards, however, who, since the appearance of the filibusters in +American waters, had suffered so greatly from their depredations, saw +them with great alarm settling permanently on the West India islands.</p> + +<p>They understood of what importance it was to them not to allow fixed +settlements in these regions, unless they wished to see their colonies +destroyed and their commerce ruined.</p> + +<p>They consequently resolved to act vigorously against those fellows whom +they regarded as pirates, and to utterly destroy their lurking places, +which had already acquired formidable proportions.</p> + +<p>In consequence Admiral don Fernando de Toledo, whom the court of +Madrid had placed at the head of a powerful fleet, sent in 1630 to +Brazil to fight the Dutch, received orders to destroy in passing, the +viper's nest formed by the filibusters at St. Kitts.</p> + +<p>The sudden apparition of this immense force off the island filled the +inhabitants with stupor. The united resources of the English and French +adventurers and their desperate courage were not sufficient to avert +the danger that menaced them, and repulse so formidable an attack.</p> + +<p>After a desperate fight, in which a great number of filibusters, +especially Frenchmen, were killed, the others got into their light +canoes and fled to the adjacent isles of St. Bartholomew, Antigua, St. +Martin, and Montserrat, or to any place in short where they hoped to +find a temporary refuge.</p> + +<p>The English, we are unfortunately compelled to state, shamefully +fled at the beginning of the action, and eventually asked leave to +capitulate.</p> + +<p>One half of them were sent to England on board Spanish ships, while the +rest engaged to evacuate the island as soon as possible,—a promise +which was forgotten immediately after the departure of the Spanish +fleet.</p> + +<p>This expedition was the only one that Spain seriously attempted against +the filibusters.</p> + +<p>The French soon left the islands where they had sought refuge, and +returned to St. Kitts, where they re-established themselves, though +not without a quarrel with the English, who had taken advantage of the +opportunity to seize their land, but whom they forced again beyond +their old borders.</p> + +<p>It is a singular fact, which proves that the filibusters were not +bandits and nameless men, as attempts have been made to brand them, +that the inhabitants of St. Kitts were remarkable beyond all the +other colonists for the gentleness and urbanity of their manners; the +traditions of politeness left by the first Frenchmen who settled there, +have been maintained even to the present day; in the eighteenth century +it was called the Gentle Island, and there is a proverb in the Antilles +to the effect, that "the nobility were at St. Kitts, the citizens at +Guadeloupe, the soldiers at Martinique, and the peasants at Grenada."</p> + +<p>Things remained for a long time in the state we have just described; +the filibusters, growing bolder and bolder through the Spanish +cowardice, enlarged the scene of their exploits, and retaining a bitter +memory of the sack of their island, felt a double hatred for the +Spaniards, who had branded them with the name of Ladrones (robbers). +They no longer displayed any moderation, and seated in the light canoes +that composed their entire fleet, they watched for the rich transports +from Mexico, dashed boldly aboard them, carried them, and returned to +St. Kitts loaded with plunder.</p> + +<p>The colony prospered, the land was well cultivated, and the plantations +were carefully made.</p> + +<p>For these men, the majority of whom had no hope left of ever returning +to their native land, had performed their work with the feverish +ardor of people who are creating for themselves a new nationality +and preparing a last asylum, so that only a few years after the +destruction of the colony by the Spaniards, St. Kitts had again become +a flourishing colony, thanks in the first instance to its fertility and +the energy and intelligence of its inhabitants, but above all to the +incessant toil of the engagés of the company.</p> + +<p>We have now to explain what these poor fellows were and the fate they +met with at the hands of the colonists.</p> + +<p>We have already stated that the company sent to the islands, men whom +they had engaged for three years.</p> + +<p>They accepted anybody, workmen belonging to all trades, even surgeons +who, persuading themselves that they were destined to carry on their +own profession in the colonies, allowed themselves to be seduced by the +fair promises which the company did not hesitate to lavish.</p> + +<p>But once their consent was given, that is to say, signed, the company +regarded them as men belonging to it body and soul; and when they +reached the colonies, agents <i>sold</i> then for three years to the +planters, at the rate of thirty or forty crowns a head, and did so in +the broad daylight and in the governor's presence.</p> + +<p>They thus became real slaves, subject to the adventurers of the colony, +and condemned to the rudest tasks.</p> + +<p>Hence, the poor wretches, so unworthily abused, beaten terribly and +worn out by a fatigue under a deadly climate, generally succumbed ere +they had attained the third year, which was to set them at liberty.</p> + +<p>This was carried so far that the masters at last attempted to prolong +the stipulated slavery beyond three years. Toward the end of 1632, the +colony of St. Kitts incurred great dangers, for the engagés whose time +was up and whom their masters refused liberty, took up arms, organized +a resistance, and prepared to attack the colonists with that energy of +desperation which no force can resist. M. d'Esnambuc only succeeded in +making them lay down their arms and arrest bloodshed by conceding their +just demands.</p> + +<p>At a later date, when the sad condition in which the company's agents +placed the engagés, became known in France, it became almost impossible +for the latter to find volunteers; hence they were obliged to go about +the roads and highways to enlist vagabonds whom they intoxicated and +induced to sign, while in that condition, an engagement which it was +impossible to break.</p> + +<p>We will dwell the more earnestly on this point, because during the +course of our narrative, we shall have frequently to revert to the +engagés. We will only add one word about the wretches whom England sent +to the colonies under the same conditions.</p> + +<p>If the fate of the French engagés was frightful, that of the English, +history proves to us, was horrible.</p> + +<p>They were treated with the most atrocious barbarity. They formed an +engagement for seven years, and then, at the end of that time, when +the moment to regain their liberty had at length arrived, they were +intoxicated, and advantage was taken of their condition to make them +sign a second engagement for the same period.</p> + +<p>Cromwell, after the sack of Drogheda, sold more than 30,000 Irish for +Jamaica and Barbados.</p> + +<p>Nearly two thousand of these wretched succeeded in escaping on board a +vessel, which, in their ignorance of navigation, they allowed to drift +and the current cast it ashore at Saint Domingo. The poor fellows, not +knowing where they were, and being without food or resources, all died +of hunger. Their piled-up bones, bleached by time, remained for several +years on Cape Tiburón, at a spot which was called Irish Bay on account +of the terrible catastrophe, and still bears the name.</p> + +<p>The reader will pardon us for having entered into such lengthened +details about the establishment of the filibusters of St. Kitts; but +as it was on this little island that the terrible association of +adventurers, whose history we have undertaken to tell, had its birth, +it is necessary to make the reader fully acquainted with these facts, +so that we might not be obliged to return to them hereafter. Now, we +will resume our narrative to which the preceding chapters serve, so to +speak, as a prologue, and leaping at one bound across the space that +separates Sainte Marguerite from the Caribbean islands, we will proceed +to St. Kitts a few months after the escape, for we dare not say the +liberation, of Count Ludovic de Barmont Senectaire.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE COUNCIL OF THE FILIBUSTERS.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Several years elapsed without producing any notable changes in the +colony.</p> + +<p>The adventurers still continued, with the same obstinacy, their +expeditions against the Spaniards; but as their expeditions were +isolated, and had no sort of organization, the losses experienced by +the Spaniards, though very great, were much less considerable than +might be anticipated.</p> + +<p>About this time, a lugger manned by forty resolute men, and armed with +four iron guns, anchored off St. Kitts, proudly displaying the French +flag at its stern.</p> + +<p>This vessel brought to the colony a fresh contingent of brave +adventurers.</p> + +<p>Immediately after their arrival, they landed, formed the acquaintance +of the inhabitants, and testified a desire to settle on the island.</p> + +<p>The chief, to whom his comrades gave the name of Montbarts, and +for whom they appeared to have an unbounded devotion, informed the +colonists, that like them, he professed a profound hatred for the +Spaniards, and that he was followed by two ships of that nation, which +he had captured, and had given the prize masters orders to steer for +St. Kitts.</p> + +<p>These good men were received with shouts of joy by the inhabitants, and +Montbarts had a narrow escape from being carried in triumph.</p> + +<p>As he had announced, three or four days later two Spanish vessels +anchored at St. Kitts. They bore at their stern the Castilian flag +reversed, in sign of humiliation, while above it proudly fluttered the +French ensign.</p> + +<p>There was one horrible circumstance, however, which chilled even the +bravest with horror. These vessels bore at their bowsprit, and at their +cross-jack, as well as at the main and foreyard, groups of corpses. By +Montbarts order, the crews of the two vessels had been hung, without +showing mercy even to a boy.</p> + +<p>The chief of the adventurers generously gave the cargo of the two ships +to the colonists, only asking for sufficient land in return, on which +to build a house.</p> + +<p>This request was at once granted; the newcomers then disarmed their +lugger, came ashore, and began their installation.</p> + +<p>Montbarts was a young man of about seven or eight-and-twenty, with +manly and marked features, and a fixed and piercing eye. The expression +of his face was essentially sad, mocking, and cruel: a dead pallor; +spread over his face, added, were it possible, a strangeness to his +whole person. Tall and powerfully built, though supple and graceful, +his gestures were elegant and noble, while his speech was soft, and +the terms he employed were carefully chosen. He exercised a singular +fascination over those who approached him, or whom accident brought +into relation with him. They felt at once repulsed and attracted by +this singular man, who seemed the only one of his species on the earth, +and who, without appearing to be anxious for it, imposed his will upon +all, gained obedience by a sign or a frown, and who only seemed to live +when he was in the thick of a fight, when fires crossed above his head, +forming him an aureole of flame, when corpses were piled up around him, +when blood flowed beneath his feet, and when bullets whistled in his +ears, and when he rushed drunk with powder and carnage upon the deck of +a Spanish ship.</p> + +<p>Such was what was said of him by his comrades, and by those who had +been struck by his singular countenance, and wished to know him: but +beyond this moral and physical portrait of the man, it was impossible +to obtain the slightest information as to his past life. Not one of the +sailors who came with him knew the slightest episode of it, or, as was +probable, refused to discover anything.</p> + +<p>Hence, when the colonists perceived that all their questions would +remain unanswered, they gave up the useless task of asking them. They +accepted Montbarts for what it pleased him to be, the more so, as his, +former life not only did not concern them, but also interested them +very slightly.</p> + +<p>The adventurer only remained ashore for the period strictly necessary +to establish his household comfortably; then, one day, without warning +anybody, he went on board his lugger with the crew he had brought +with him, only leaving five or six men at St. Kitts to manage his +plantation, and set sail. A month after, he returned, having in tow +a richly laden Spanish vessel, with the crew hanging to the yards as +before.</p> + +<p>Montbarts went on thus for a whole year, never remaining more than two +or three days ashore, then going off, and returning with a prize with +its entire crew suspended from the yards.</p> + +<p>Matters attained such a pitch, the audacity of the daring corsair was +crowned with such success, that the rumour of it reached France. Then, +the Dieppe adventurers, comprehending all the profit they might derive +from this interloping war, fitted out vessels, and went to join the +colonists of St. Kitts, for the purpose of organising a hunt of the +Spaniards, and carrying it out on a grand scale.</p> + +<p>Filibusterism was about to enter on its second phase, and become a +regular association.</p> + +<p>Montbarts had built his hatto, or principal residence, at the spot +where the English afterwards formed Sandy-point battery.</p> + +<p>It was an excellently chosen position, militarily speaking, where, in +case of attack, it was easy not only to act on the defensive, but also +to repulse the enemy with serious loss.</p> + +<p>This hatto, built of trunks of trees, and covered with palm leaves, +stood nearly at the extremity of a cape, whence the greater part of +the island and the sea for a considerable distance on the right and +left could be commanded. This cape, which was nearly precipitous, +and one hundred and fifty feet high seawards, could only be reached +by a narrow, rough path, intersected at regular distances by strong +palisades, and wide, deep ditches, which had to be crossed on planks, +that were easy to remove. Two four-pounder guns, placed in position at +the head of the path guarded the approaches.</p> + +<p>This hatto was divided into four rather large rooms, furnished with a +luxury and comfort rather singular in an out-of-the-way island like St. +Kitts, but which was fully justified by the usual occupation of the +owner, who merely required to take any furniture that suited him out of +his prizes.</p> + +<p>A long pole, serving as a flagstaff, planted in front of the door of +the hatto, displayed in the breeze a white ensign with a red jack in +the right hand top corner. This flag was that of the corsairs, which +Montbarts sometimes changed for one all black, having in its centre a +death's head and crossbones, all white. This was an ill-omened flag, +which, when hoisted at the peak, signified that the conquered had no +hope of mercy to expect.</p> + +<p>It was a warm day towards the end of May, about eighteen months after +Montbarts' arrival at St. Kitts. Several persons, stern looking and +rough mannered, almost armed to the teeth, were conversing together as +they followed the path that led from the plain to the platform on which +Montbarts' hatto stood.</p> + +<p>It was nearly ten o'clock at night, and the sky was transparent and +clear. Thousands of stars sparkled in the heavens, the moon profusely +shed her white light, and the atmosphere was so pellucid, that the +smallest objects were visible at a long distance. There was not a +breath in the air, or a rustle among the leaves; the sea, calm as +a mirror, died away with a soft and mysterious murmur on the sandy +beach; the fireflies buzzed noisily, and at times dashed against the +pedestrians, who contented themselves with driving them away with their +hands, without, on that account, interrupting a conversation which +seemed greatly to interest them.</p> + +<p>These men were five in number, and all in the prime of life. Their +features were energetically marked, and their faces revealed audacity +and resolution carried to the highest pitch. Their slightly curved +shoulders, and the way in which they straddled their legs in walking, +while swaying their arms, would have caused them to be recognised as +sailors at the first glance, had not their dress sufficiently proved +the fact.</p> + +<p>They were talking in English.</p> + +<p>"Stuff!" one of them was saying at the moment when we join in their +conversation; "We must see. All that glistens is not gold, as they say +down there. Besides, I wish for nothing better than to be mistaken, +after all."</p> + +<p>"No matter," another replied; "in accordance with your laudable custom, +you begin by expressing a doubt."</p> + +<p>"Not at all," the first speaker sharply interposed; "a fear, at the +most."</p> + +<p>"Well," a third said; "we shall soon know what we have to expect, for +here we are halfway up the path, thank Heaven!"</p> + +<p>"That demon of a Montbarts," the first went on, "has famously chosen +his position. His hatto is impregnable, on my word as a man."</p> + +<p>"Yes. I do not think that the <i>gavachos</i><a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> will ever venture to +attempt an escalade. But, by the way," he added suddenly, and halted; +"suppose we are taking a useless walk, and Montbarts is not at home?"</p> + +<p>"I will answer for your finding him at home, Red Stocking, so set your +mind at rest."</p> + +<p>"How do you know?" asked the man addressed by this singular name.</p> + +<p>"My God! Don't you see his flag hoisted at the masthead?"</p> + +<p>"That is true. I had not noticed it."</p> + +<p>"But now you see it, I suppose?"</p> + +<p>"I should be blind if I didn't."</p> + +<p>"Well," one of the filibusters said, who had hitherto maintained +silence; "all this does not tell us why the meeting is to be held. Do +you know anything about it, brother?"</p> + +<p>"No more than you," Red Stocking replied. "It is probably some daring +project which Montbarts is meditating, and wishes us to take a part in."</p> + +<p>"But you know that he has not only summoned us, but also the principal +French filibusters?"</p> + +<p>"In that case I am quite at sea," Red Stocking remarked. "However, it +is of little consequence at present, as I presume we shall soon know +what is wanted of us."</p> + +<p>"That is true, because we have arrived."</p> + +<p>In fact, they reached at this moment the head of the path, and found +themselves on the platform exactly facing the hatto, whose door was +open as if inviting them to enter.</p> + +<p>A very bright light poured through the doorway, and the sound of loud +talking testified that there was a rather large gathering inside the +hatto.</p> + +<p>The Englishmen continued to advance, and soon found themselves on the +threshold.</p> + +<p>"Come in, brothers," Montbarts' harmonious voice was heard saying from +the interior; "come in, we are waiting for you."</p> + +<p>They entered.</p> + +<p>Six or seven persons were assembled in the room, which they entered: +they were the most renowned chiefs of the filibusters. Among them were +Belle Tête (handsome head), the ferocious native of Dieppe, who had +murdered more than three hundred of his engagés, whom he accused of +dying of indolence; Pierre le Grand, the Breton, who always boarded +the Spanish galleons in the disguise of a female; Alexandre Bras de +fer (iron arm), a young and apparently frail and delicate man, with +effeminate features, but in reality endowed with a prodigious and +herculean vigour, and destined hereafter to become one of the heroes of +the buccaneering trade; Roc, surnamed the Brazilian, although born at +Groningen, a town in East Friesland; and lastly, two old acquaintances +of ours, Bowline and Michael the Basque, who both arrived at St. Kitts +at the same time as Montbarts, and whose reputation as filibusters was +already great.</p> + +<p>As for the English, who had just entered the hatto, five in number; +they were Red Stocking, whose name was mentioned in the preceding +conversation; Morgan, a young man hardly eighteen years of age, with +a haughty face and aristocratic manners; Jean David, a Dutch sailor, +settled in the eastern part of the island; Bartholomew, a Portuguese, +also settled in the English colony; and lastly, William Drake, who had +taken an oath never to attack the Spaniards, unless they were in the +proportion of fifteen to one, so great was the contempt he professed +for the proud nation.</p> + +<p>It was, as we see, a select gathering of all the great filibusters of +the day.</p> + +<p>"You are welcome, brothers," said Montbarts; "I am glad to see you, for +I was awaiting you impatiently. Here are pipes, tobacco, and spirits; +smoke and drink," he added, pointing to a table placed in the centre +of the room.</p> + +<p>The filibusters sat down, lighted pipes, and filled glasses.</p> + +<p>"Brothers," Montbarts resumed a moment later, "I have requested you to +come to my hatto for two reasons of great importance, and of which the +second necessarily depends on the first: are you prepared to listen to +me?"</p> + +<p>"Speak, Montbarts," William Drake answered in the name of all; "you, +whom the gavachos have surnamed the Exterminator, a name I envy you, +brother, for you can only wish the good of filibustering."</p> + +<p>"That is the very subject," Montbarts answered.</p> + +<p>"I was sure of it, brother. Speak, we will listen to you religiously."</p> + +<p>They prepared to listen attentively. All these energetic men, who +recognised no laws but those themselves had made, knew not what envy +was, and were ready to discuss with the most entire good faith the +proposals which they foresaw Montbarts desired to make to them.</p> + +<p>The latter reflected for a moment, and then spoke in a gentle voice, +whose sympathetic accent soon captivated his audience.</p> + +<p>"Brothers," he said, "I will be brief, for you are picked men, with +warm hearts and firm hands, with whom a long speech is not only +useless, but also ridiculous Since my arrival at St. Kitts, I have +been studying filibustering, its life, manners, and aspirations, and +I have recognised with sorrow that the results do not justify its +efforts. What are we doing? Nothing, or almost nothing. In spite of our +indomitable courage, the Spaniards laugh at us; too weak, owing to +our isolation, to inflict serious losses on them, we expend our energy +in vain; we shed our blood, to take from them a few wretched vessels. +It is not thus that matters ought to go on; this is not the vengeance +which each of us dreamed of. What is the cause of our relative weakness +toward our formidable enemy? The isolation, to which I alluded just +now, and which will forever paralyze our efforts."</p> + +<p>"That is true," Red Stocking muttered.</p> + +<p>"But how can we alter it?" David asked.</p> + +<p>"Alas!" William Drake added, "The remedy is unfortunately impossible."</p> + +<p>"We are adventurers merely, and not a power," said Belle Tête.</p> + +<p>Montbarts smiled—that pale, peculiar smile of his, which turned the +heart cold.</p> + +<p>"You are mistaken, brothers," he said, "the remedy is found; if we +like, we shall soon be a power."</p> + +<p>"Speak, speak, brother," all the adventurers exclaimed, springing up.</p> + +<p>"This is my plan, brothers," he continued; "we are here twelve, of all +nations, but with one heart; the flower of filibusterism, I declare +loudly; without fear of contradiction, for each of us has furnished +proofs of it, and what proofs! Well, let us join and form a family; +from our share of the prizes let us set aside a sum intended to form +the common treasury, and while remaining at liberty to organize private +expeditions, let us swear never to injure or thwart one another, to +offer mutual help when needed, to labour with all our power to the +ruin of Spain, and while keeping our association secret from our +comrades and brothers, to combine our forces when the moment arrives to +crush our implacable enemy at one blow. Such, brothers, is the first +proposal I have to make to you. I await your answer."</p> + +<p>There was a momentary silence; the filibusters understood the +importance of their brother's proposal, and the strength it would give +them in the future. They exchanged glances, whispered together, and at +length William Drake replied in the name of all—</p> + +<p>"Brother," he said, "you have just elucidated in a few words a question +which has hitherto remained in obscurity. You have perfectly defined +the cause of our weakness, by finding at the same time, as you promised +us, not the remedy, but the means to render an association hitherto due +to accident and almost useless, really formidable and useful: but this +is not all. This association, to which you allude, requires a head to +direct it, and ensure the success of its efforts at the right moment. +It is therefore necessary that while our association remains secret, +and, as it were, not in existence at all, in every point that does +not affect its object, one of us should be appointed chief; a chief, +the more powerful, because we shall be devoted to him, and aid him in +working for the general good."</p> + +<p>"Is this really your opinion, brothers?" Montbarts asked. "Do you +accept my proposal such as I made it, and as William Drake has modified +it?"</p> + +<p>"We accept it so," the filibusters replied with one voice.</p> + +<p>"Very good. Still I think that this chief, to whom you refer, should +be unanimously elected by us; that his authority may be taken from him +at a meeting of the assembly by a majority of voices, if he do not +strictly fulfil the conditions he has accepted; that, as guardian of +the treasury, he must always be ready to furnish his accounts, and +that his appointment should not exceed five years, unless renewed."</p> + +<p>"All that is fair," said Red Stocking; "no one can understand the +general good better than you, brother."</p> + +<p>"Hence," David remarked, "we shall be partners; no quarrel, no +dissension can well be possible among us."</p> + +<p>"While ostensibly retaining our free will and most complete +independence," Belle Tête reminded.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Montbarts replied.</p> + +<p>"Now, brothers," said Drake, rising, and doffing his cap, "listen to +me: I, William Drake, swear on my faith and honour, the most complete +devotion to the association of the Twelve, submitting myself beforehand +to undergo the punishment my brothers may please to inflict on me, even +death, if I were to betray the secret of the Association, and break my +oath. Heaven help me!"</p> + +<p>After Drake each filibuster uttered the same oath in a firm voice, and +with a solemn accent.</p> + +<p>They resumed their seats.</p> + +<p>"Brothers," said Montbarts, "what we have hitherto done is nothing; +it is only the dawn of the new era which is about to open, for the +glorious days of filibustering are beginning—twelve men like us, +united by the same thought, must perform miracles."</p> + +<p>"We will do so, be assured, brother," Morgan said, as he carelessly +picked his teeth with a gold pin.</p> + +<p>"Now, brothers, before I submit my second proposal to you, I believe we +had better elect a president."</p> + +<p>"That is true," said David; "as the company is formed, let us elect the +president."</p> + +<p>"One word first," said Michael the Basque, stepping into the centre of +the circle.</p> + +<p>"Speak, brother."</p> + +<p>"I wish to add this: every member of the Association who falls into the +hands of the gavachos shall be delivered by the other members, whatever +perils they may have to incur in doing so."</p> + +<p>"We swear it!" the filibusters shouted enthusiastically.</p> + +<p>"Unless it is impossible," Morgan said.</p> + +<p>"Nothing is impossible for us," William Drake remarked, rudely.</p> + +<p>"That is true, brother. You are right, I was mistaken," Morgan replied, +with a smile.</p> + +<p>"The society will be called that of The Twelve; only the death of +a member will allow another to be admitted, and he must be chosen +unanimously," Michael continued.</p> + +<p>"We swear it!" the filibusters exclaimed once more.</p> + +<p>"Now, brothers," said Bartholomew, "let us proceed to the election, by +ballot, in order to protect the liberty of the vote."</p> + +<p>"There are pens, ink, and paper on that table, brothers," Montbarts +remarked.</p> + +<p>"And here is my cap," Red Stocking said, with a laugh; "throw your +votes into it."</p> + +<p>And, removing his beaver skin cap, the filibuster laid it on the ground +in the middle of the room.</p> + +<p>Then the adventurers, with perfect order, rose one after the other, and +in turn went to write their vote, which they deposited, after rolling +up the paper, in Red Stocking's cap.</p> + +<p>Then all the adventurers returned to their seats:</p> + +<p>"Have we all voted?" David asked.</p> + +<p>"All!" the filibusters replied, in chorus.</p> + +<p>"Now, brother," Drake said to David, "since you hold the cap, proclaim +the result."</p> + +<p>David questioned his comrades with a glance, and they bowed their heads +in affirmation; then he took up the first roll that came to hand, +opened it, and read—</p> + +<p>"Montbarts, the Exterminator."</p> + +<p>And passed on to a second.</p> + +<p>"Montbarts, the Exterminator," he read again.</p> + +<p>It was the same with the third, fourth, and so on up to the twelfth and +last—all bore the words—</p> + +<p>"Montbarts, the Exterminator."</p> + +<p>It was a sinister challenge given to the Spanish nation, of whom this +man was the most obstinate enemy.</p> + +<p>Montbarts rose, took off his hat, and bowed gracefully to his comrades.</p> + +<p>"Brothers," he said, "I thank you—the confidence you place in me shall +not be disappointed."</p> + +<p>"Long live Montbarts, the Exterminator!" all the filibusters shouted, +impulsively.</p> + +<p>The terrible company of The Twelve was created. Filibusterism then +really became a formidable power.</p> + + +<div class="footnote"> + +<p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Term of contempt for the Spaniards.</p></div> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE SECOND PROPOSAL.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Montbarts allowed the enthusiasm of his comrades time to calm, and then +spoke again.</p> + +<p>There was no change in his appearance; nothing in his face denoted +the joy of triumph or of satisfied ambition; still the vote of his +companions, by nominating him Chief of the filibusters, had rendered +him in a moment a man more powerful than many a prince. His face was +just as impassive, his voice equally firm.</p> + +<p>"Brothers," he said, "do you remember that I had a second proposal to +make to you?"</p> + +<p>"That is true," William Drake replied—"speak, brother, we are +listening to you."</p> + +<p>"The second proposal is as follows: still, I must request you before +answering me to reflect fully on it. Your opinion must not be lightly +expressed, for, I repeat to you, and dwell on it in order that you may +thoroughly understand me, this proposition is most serious and grave. +In a word, it is this:—I propose to you to abandon the island of St. +Kitts, and choose another place of refuge, more convenient, and, above +all, safer for you."</p> + +<p>The filibusters gazed at him in amazement.</p> + +<p>"I will explain," he said, stretching out his arms as if to request +silence; "listen to me carefully, brothers, for what you are going to +hear interests you all. Our refuge is badly chosen, and too remote from +the centre of our expeditions; the difficulties we have to surmount in +returning to it, in consequence of the currents that make our ships +drift, and the contrary winds that oppose their speed, make us lose +precious time. Now, the Caribbean archipelago is composed, of more +than thirty islands, among which it is easy for us, it seems to me, to +choose the one that suits us best. This idea which I bring before you +today I have been revolving in my mind for a long time. I have not +limited my expeditions to the pursuit of the gavachos. I have also made +a voyage of discovery, and believe that I have found the spot suited +for us."</p> + +<p>"Whereabouts is it, brother?" David asked, making himself spokesman for +his companions.</p> + +<p>"I mean the island which the Spaniards call Hispaniola, and you know as +St. Domingo."</p> + +<p>"But, brother," Bartholomew here interposed, "that island, which, I +allow, is immense, and covered with magnificent forests, is inhabited +by the Spaniards; if we went there it would be really placing ourselves +in the wolf's throat."</p> + +<p>"I thought as you do before I had assured myself of the reality of the +fact, but now I am certain of the contrary; not alone is the island +only partially occupied by the gavachos, but we shall also find allies +in the parties they have despised."</p> + +<p>"Allies!" the filibusters exclaimed, in surprise.</p> + +<p>"Yes, brothers, and in this wise.—When Don Fernando de Toledo attacked +St. Kitts, the French who succeeded in escaping from the massacre +took refuge on the adjacent islands, as you are aware; many of them +went further, and reached St. Domingo, where they found a refuge. +That was bold, was it not? But, I repeat to you, the Spaniards occupy +scarce one-half of it. At the period of the discovery they left some +horned cattle on the island; these beasts have propagated, and now +exist in herds. The immense savannahs of St. Domingo are covered with +innumerable herds of wild oxen which graze on all the uninhabited part; +these herds, as you are aware, are a certain resource for revictualling +our ships, and, moreover, the vicinity of the Spanish colonists offers +us the means to satiate our hatred upon them; besides, our companions +who have been established on the island for some years past wage an +incessant and obstinate war upon them."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," said Belle Tête, pensively; "I understand what you are +saying to us, brother. You are right up to a certain point; but let us +discuss the matter quietly and coolly, like serious men."</p> + +<p>"Speak," Montbarts replied; "each of us has the right to express his +opinion when the common interest is concerned."</p> + +<p>"Brave though we are, and we may boast of it frankly, for, thank +heaven, our courage is well known, we are not strong enough for all +that—at present at least—to measure ourselves against the Spanish +power on land; there is a difference between capturing a ship and +facing an entire population. You allow that, I suppose, brother?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly I do."</p> + +<p>"Very good, I will go on. It is evident that the Spaniards, who up to +the present have probably not noticed them, or, at any rate, owing +to their small number and slight importance, have disdained the +adventurers established on the desert part of the island; when they see +that this establishment, which they supposed to be temporary, and due +to the caprice of our brothers, is becoming permanent, and assuming the +menacing proportions of a colony, they will refuse to permit it—what +will happen then? This: they will collect all their forces, assail us +suddenly, destroy us after a desperate resistance, and ruin at one +blow, not only our new colony, but also our hopes of vengeance."</p> + +<p>These remarks of Belle Tête, which displayed close logic, produced a +certain effect on the filibusters, who began exchanging meaning looks; +but Montbarts did not allow the spirit of opposition time to spread, +and at once went on to say—</p> + +<p>"You would be right, brother, if, as you suppose, we were to place our +principal establishment on St. Domingo; it is evident that we should be +crushed by numbers, and forced to retire disgracefully; but a man would +know me badly if he supposed that I, who have an implacable hatred of +these infamous gavachos, could possibly conceive such a plan for a +moment, if I had not previously assured myself about its success, and +the profit we shall derive from it."</p> + +<p>"Come, brother," Drake said, "explain yourself clearly; we are +listening to you with the most earnest attention."</p> + +<p>"To the northwest of St. Domingo, and only separated from it by a +narrow channel, there is an island about eight leagues long, surrounded +by rocks called the iron coast, which render any landing impossible, +except at the south, where there is a fine port, whose bottom is +composed of sand, and where vessels are sheltered from all winds, +which, besides, are not violent in those parts; there are also a few +sandy bays scattered along the coast, but they are only approachable +by canoes. This island is called Tortuga or Tortoise Island, owing +to its shape, which slightly resembles that animal. Here it is, +brothers, I propose that we should form our principal establishment, +or, if you prefer it, our headquarters. The Port of Peace, and Port +Margot, situated facing Tortoise Isle, will enable us to keep up an +easy communication with St. Domingo: sheltered in our island, as in +an impregnable fortress, we shall brave the efforts of the whole +Spanish power. But I do not wish to deceive you, and must tell you +everything; the Spaniards are on their guard; they have foreseen that +if buccaneering goes on, that is to say, if they do not succeed in +destroying us, the excellent position of that island would not escape +our notice, and that we should probably attempt to seize on it: hence +they have had it occupied by twenty-five soldiers, commanded by an +alférez. Do not smile, brothers; although the garrison is small, it +is sufficient, owing to the manner in which it is entrenched, and the +difficulties a landing offers; and then, too, it can easily obtain +reinforcements from the Grande Terre in a very short time. I have often +landed in disguise on Tortoise Isle. I have inspected it with the +greatest care, and hence you can attach the most entire confidence to +the information I am giving you."</p> + +<p>"Montbarts is right," Yoc, the Brazilian, said at this moment; "I know +Tortoise Isle, and, like him, I am persuaded that island will offer us +a far surer and more advantageous shelter than St. Kitts."</p> + +<p>"Now, brothers," Montbarts resumed, "reflect, and answer yes or no. If +you accept my offer I will prepare to realize my plan by seizing the +island; if you refuse, I will never mention it again."</p> + +<p>And, in order by his absence to give more liberty for discussion, the +adventurer left the room, and proceeded to the terrace in front of the +hatto, where he began walking up and down, apparently indifferent to +what was going on, but in his heart very anxious as to the result of +the deliberation.</p> + +<p>He had only been walking up and down for a few minutes, when a slight +whistle was audible a short distance off, so gently modulated, that +it needed all the sharpness of hearing with which the filibuster was +endowed, to catch it.</p> + +<p>He walked rapidly in the direction where this species of signal had +been heard. At the same moment, a man lying on the ground, and so +thoroughly concealed by the gloom that it was impossible to perceive +him unless he was known to be there, raised his head, and displayed +in the white moonbeams the copper face, and delicate and intelligent +features of a Carib.</p> + +<p>"Omopoua?" the filibuster said.</p> + +<p>"I am waiting!" the Indian laconically answered, as he sprang up at one +bound, and stood erect before him.</p> + +<p>Omopoua, that is to say, the leaper, was a young man of twenty-five +years of age at the most, of a tall and admirably proportioned stature, +whose skin had the gilded shade of Florentine bronze. He was naked, +with the exception of thin canvas drawers, fastening round his hips, +and falling nearly to his knees. His long, black hair, parted in the +centre of his head, fell on his shoulders on either side. He had no +other weapons but a long knife, and a bayonet passed through a cowhide +belt.</p> + +<p>"Has the man arrived?" Montbarts asked.</p> + +<p>"He has."</p> + +<p>"Has Omopoua seen him?"</p> + +<p>"Yes."</p> + +<p>"Does he fancy himself recognised?"</p> + +<p>"Only the eye of a determined foe could guess him beneath his disguise."</p> + +<p>"That is well! My brother will conduct me to him?"</p> + +<p>"I will lead the pale chief."</p> + +<p>"Good! Where shall I find Omopoua an hour after sunrise?"</p> + +<p>"Omopoua will be in his hut."</p> + +<p>"I will come there;" and, hearing several voices calling him from the +interior of the hatto, he said, "I reckon on the Indian's promise."</p> + +<p>"Yes, if the chief keeps his."</p> + +<p>"I shall keep it."</p> + +<p>After exchanging a last meaning look with the filibuster, the +Carib glided down the face of the cliff, and disappeared almost +instantaneously.</p> + +<p>Montbarts remained for a moment motionless, plunged in deep thought; +then, giving a sudden start, and passing his hand over his forehead, as +if to efface any sign of emotion, he hastily re-entered the hatto.</p> + +<p>The deliberation was ended. The filibusters had returned to their +seats, and Montbarts went back to his, and waited with affected +indifference, till one of his comrades thought proper to speak.</p> + +<p>"Brother," David then said, "we have thoroughly discussed your +proposal. My comrades authorize me to tell you that they accept it, but +they merely desire to know what means you intend to employ in carrying +out your plan, and insuring its success?"</p> + +<p>"Brothers, I thank you," Montbarts replied, "for giving me your +consent. As to the means I intend to employ in seizing Tortoise Isle, +permit me, for the present, to keep them secret, as the success of the +expedition depends on it. You need only be told that I do not wish to +compromise the interests of anyone, and that I intend to run all the +risk alone."</p> + +<p>"You do not understand me, brother, or else I have explained myself +badly," David replied. "If I asked you in what way you proposed to act, +I was not at all impelled by a puerile curiosity, but because, in so +serious a question, which interests the entire association, we have +resolved to accompany you, and to die or conquer with you. We wish +to share the honour of the triumph, or assume a part of the defeat." +Montbarts felt involuntarily affected by these generous words, so nobly +pronounced; and by a spontaneous movement he held out his hands to the +filibusters, who pressed them energetically, and said,—</p> + +<p>"You are right, brothers. We must all share in the great work which, I +hope, will at length place us in the position to achieve great things. +We will all go to Tortoise Island. But I will ask you—and believe me +that I am not speaking thus through any ambitious motive—to let me +conduct the expedition."</p> + +<p>"Are you not our chief?" the filibusters exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"We will obey you according to the laws of buccaneering," David added. +"The man who conceives an expedition has alone the right to command. We +will be your soldiers."</p> + +<p>"That is settled, brothers. Tomorrow morning, at eleven, after +attending the sale of the new engagés, who arrived from France the +day before yesterday, I will go to the governor, and tell him I am +preparing a fresh expedition, and enlistment can begin at once."</p> + +<p>"Not one of us will be missing at the rendezvous," said Belle Tête. "I +must buy two engagés to fill the places of two idlers, who have just +died of sheer idleness."</p> + +<p>"That is settled," said Bartholomew. "At eleven o'clock we will all be +at Basse Terre."</p> + +<p>They then rose and prepared to retire: for the whole night had passed +away in these discussions, and the sun, although still beneath the +horizon, was already beginning to tinge it with a purple hue, that +testified it would soon appear.</p> + +<p>"By the way," Montbarts said, with an indifferent air to Morgan, whom +with the rest he accompanied to the head of the path; "if you are not +greatly attached to your Carib—I forget how you call him—"</p> + +<p>"Omopoua?"</p> + +<p>"Ah! yes. Well, I was saying that if you were not indisposed to part +with him, I should feel obliged by your letting me have him."</p> + +<p>"Do you want him?"</p> + +<p>"Yes. I think he will be useful to me."</p> + +<p>"In that case, take him, brother. I yield him to you, although he is a +good workman, and I am satisfied with him."</p> + +<p>"Thanks, brother. What value do you set on him?"</p> + +<p>"Well, I will not bargain with you, brother. I saw a rather handsome +fusil in your house. Give it to me, and take the Indian, and we shall +be quits."</p> + +<p>"Wait a minute, then."</p> + +<p>"Why?"</p> + +<p>"Because I will give you the fusil at once. You will send me the +Indian; or, if I have time, I will call and fetch him during the day."</p> + +<p>The filibuster returned to the hatto, took down the fusil, and carried +it to Morgan, who threw it on his shoulder with a movement of joy.</p> + +<p>"Well, that is settled," he said. "Good-bye, for the present."</p> + +<p>"We shall meet again soon," Montbarts answered, and they separated.</p> + +<p>Montbarts threw a thick cloak over his shoulders, put on a broad +brimmed hat, whose brim fell over his face, and concealed his features, +and then turning to Michael, said:</p> + +<p>"Mate, an important matter obliges me to go to Basse Terre; you will +go to our governor, the Chevalier de Fontenay, and without entering +into any details, and being very careful not to betray our secret, you +will simply warn him that I am preparing a fresh expedition."</p> + +<p>"Very good, mate, I will go," Michael answered.</p> + +<p>"You will then examine the lugger, and occupy yourself with Bowline, in +getting her ready to put to sea."</p> + +<p>After giving these instructions to the two sailors, Montbarts left the +house, and descended the cliff.</p> + +<p>The Chevalier de Fontenay, like M. d'Esnambuc, whom he had succeeded +two years before as governor of St. Kitts, was a cadet of Normandy, who +had come to the isles to try his fortune, and before becoming governor +had joined in many buccaneering expeditions. He was exactly the man +they wanted; he left them at liberty to act as they pleased, never +asked them for any accounts, understood at half a word, and contented +himself with raising a tithe on the prizes—a voluntary tribute which +the adventurers paid him in return for the protection he was supposed +to give them in the king's name by legitimating their position.</p> + +<p>The sun had risen, a fresh sea breeze caused the leaves to rustle, and +the birds were singing on the branches. Montbarts walked on hurriedly, +looking neither to the right nor left, and apparently plunged in deep +thought.</p> + +<p>On reaching the entrance of the village of Basse Terre, instead of +entering it, he skirted it, and going along a narrow path that crossed +a tobacco plantation, he went toward the interior of the island, +proceeding in the direction of Mount Misery, whose rise was already +perceptible beneath his feet.</p> + +<p>After a very long walk, the filibuster at length stopped at the +entrance of a dry gorge, on one of the slopes of which stood a wretched +hut of tree trunks, poorly covered with palm leaves. A man was standing +in the doorway of this cabin: on perceiving Montbarts he uttered a cry +of joy and rushed toward him, running over the rocks with the rapidity +and lightness of a deer.</p> + +<p>This man was Omopoua, the Carib; on coming up to the filibuster, he +fell on his knees.</p> + +<p>"Rise," the adventurer said to him, "what have you to thank me for?"</p> + +<p>"My master told me an hour ago that I no longer belonged to him, but to +you."</p> + +<p>"Well, did I not promise it to you?"</p> + +<p>"That is true, but the white men always promise, and never keep their +word."</p> + +<p>"You see a proof of the contrary; come, get up, your master has sold +you to me, it is true, but I give you your liberty; you have now but +one master, God."</p> + +<p>The Indian rose, laid his hand on his chest, tottered, his features +were contracted, and for a moment he seemed suffering from a violent +internal emotion, which in spite of all the power he had over himself, +he could not succeed in mastering.</p> + +<p>Montbarts, calm and gloomy, examined him attentively, while fixing a +scrutinizing glance upon him.</p> + +<p>At length the Indian succeeded in speaking, though his voice issued +from his throat like a whistle.</p> + +<p>"Omopoua was a renowned chief among his people," he said; "a Spaniard +had degraded him by making him a slave, through treachery, and selling +him like a beast of burden: you restore Omopoua to the rank from which +he ought never to have descended. It is well, you lose a bad slave, +but gain a devoted friend; were it not for you I should be dead—my +life belongs to you."</p> + +<p>Montbarts offered the Carib his hand, which he kissed respectfully.</p> + +<p>"Do you intend to remain at Saint Kitts, or would you like to return to +Haiti?"</p> + +<p>"The family of Omopoua," the Indian replied, "and what remains of his +people, are wandering about the savannahs of Bohis, but where you go, I +will go."</p> + +<p>"Very good, you shall follow me; now lead me to the man, you know whom."</p> + +<p>"At once."</p> + +<p>"Are you certain he is a Spaniard?"</p> + +<p>"I am."</p> + +<p>"You do not know for what motives he has entered the island?"</p> + +<p>"I do not."</p> + +<p>"And at what place has he sought shelter?"</p> + +<p>"With an Englishman."</p> + +<p>"In the English colony there?"</p> + +<p>"No; at Basse Terre."</p> + +<p>"All the better. What is the Englishman's name?"</p> + +<p>"Captain William Drake."</p> + +<p>"Captain Drake!" Montbarts exclaimed with surprise, "It is impossible."</p> + +<p>"It is so."</p> + +<p>"In that case, the Captain does not know him."</p> + +<p>"No; the man entered his house and asked for hospitality, and the +Captain could not refuse it to him."</p> + +<p>"That is true; go up to my hatto, take clothes, a fusil—in short, what +weapons you like, and come to me at Captain Drake's; if I am no longer +there, you will find me on the port; begone."</p> + +<p>Montbarts then turned back, and proceeded toward Basse Terre, while the +Carib went towards the hatto as the bird flies, according to Indian +custom.</p> + +<p>Basse Terre was the entrepôt, or to speak more correctly, the +headquarters of the French colony: at the period when our story is laid +it was only a miserable township, built without order, according to the +caprice or convenience of each owner, an agglomeration of huts, rather +than a town, but producing at a distance a most picturesque effect +through this very chaos of houses of all shapes and sizes, thus grouped +along the seashore, in front of magnificent roads, filled with vessels +swinging at their anchors, and constantly furrowed by an infinite +number of canoes.</p> + +<p>A battery of six guns, built on an advanced point, defended the +entrance of the roads.</p> + +<p>But in this town, apparently so mean, dirty, and wretched, it was +possible to watch the circulation of the life full of sap, vigour, and +violence belonging to the strange inhabitants, unique in the world, who +formed its heterogeneous population. The narrow gloomy streets were +crowded with people of every description and colour, who came and went +with a busy air.</p> + +<p>There were pothouses at the corner of all the streets and squares, +perambulating dealers shouted their goods in a ropy voice, and public +criers, followed by a crowd which was swelled at every step by all the +idlers, announced with a mighty noise of trumpets and drums, the sale +on that very day of the engagés, who had just arrived in a Company's +vessel.</p> + +<p>Montbarts passed unnoticed through the crowd, and reached the door +of Captain Drake's house—a rather handsome looking and cleanly kept +house, which stood on the seashore at no great distance from the +governor's residence.</p> + +<p>The filibuster pushed the door, which, according to the custom of the +country, was not locked, and entered the house.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE SPY.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Montbarts, as we said, walked into the house.</p> + +<p>There were two persons in the first room, which was contrived a double +debt to pay, as half sitting room, half kitchen.</p> + +<p>These two persons were an engagé of Captain Drake and a stranger.</p> + +<p>As for the Captain, he was absent at the moment.</p> + +<p>The filibuster's eye flashed at the sight of the stranger, and an +ill-omened smile curled his pale lips.</p> + +<p>As for the latter, he was seated at a table in the middle of the room, +and quietly breakfasting on a piece of cold bacon, washed down by a +bottle of Bordeaux,—a wine, let us remark, parenthetically, which, +though unknown in Paris till the reign of Louis XV., when the Duc de +Richelieu brought it into fashion on his return from the government of +Guyenne—had been for a long time appreciated in America.</p> + +<p>The stranger was of rather tall stature, with a pale face, and ascetic +features, thin, bony, and angular; but his noble manners indicated a +high rank in society, which rank his simple and even more than modest +costume tried in vain to conceal.</p> + +<p>On the filibuster's entrance, the stranger, without raising his head, +took a side-glance at him from under his long velvety eyelashes, and +again became absorbed or appeared to be so, in the contemplation of +the capital breakfast set before him.</p> + +<p>Everything was in common among the filibusters, everyone took from +the other, whether he was at home or not, anything he wanted, arms, +gunpowder, clothes or food, and the person from whom it was taken had +no right to protest or make the slightest observation; this was not +merely admitted and tolerated, but was regarded as a right which all +took advantage of without the slightest scruple.</p> + +<p>Montbarts, after looking round the room, took a chair, seated himself +unceremoniously opposite the stranger, and turning to the engagé, said—</p> + +<p>"Bring me some breakfast—I am hungry."</p> + +<p>The other, without venturing the slightest remark, immediately prepared +to obey.</p> + +<p>In a very short time he had served up an excellent breakfast for the +filibuster, and then took his place behind his chair to wait on him.</p> + +<p>"My friend," the filibuster said, carelessly, "I thank you; but when I +take my meals I do not like to have anybody behind me. Leave the room, +but remain in front of the house door;" and he added, with a singularly +meaning glance, "let no one enter here without my orders: no one—you +understand me?" he said, laying a stress on the words; "Not even your +master, were he to come. Can I depend on you?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Montbarts," said the engagé, and left the room.</p> + +<p>At the name of Montbarts, uttered by the servant, the stranger gave +an almost imperceptible start, and fixed an anxious glance on the +filibuster; but immediately recovering himself, he began eating again +in the most perfect tranquillity, or at least apparently so.</p> + +<p>For his part, Montbarts went on eating without troubling himself, or +seeming to trouble himself, about the guest seated just opposite to him.</p> + +<p>This performance went on for some minutes; no other sound was heard +in the room, where such violent passions were smouldering, but that +produced by the knives and forks scratching on the platters.</p> + +<p>At length Montbarts raised his head and looked at the stranger.</p> + +<p>"You are very taciturn, sir," he said to him, with the simple air of +a man who is wearied at a lengthened silence, and wishes to get up a +conversation.</p> + +<p>"I, sir?" the stranger replied, as he looked up in his turn with the +calmest air; "Not that I am aware of."</p> + +<p>"Still, sir," the filibuster resumed, "I would remark, that during the +quarter of an hour I have had the honour of passing in your company, +you have not once addressed a syllable to me, not even in greeting."</p> + +<p>"Pray excuse me, sir," the stranger said, with a slight bow; "the +fault is entirely involuntary: besides, as I have not the advantage of +knowing you—?</p> + +<p>"Are you quite sure of that, sir?" the adventurer interrupted, +ironically.</p> + +<p>"At least, I think so; hence, having nothing to say to you, I suppose +that it would be useless to begin a conversation which would have no +object."</p> + +<p>"Who knows, sir?" the filibuster remarked, jeeringly; "Conversations +the most frivolous at the outset, frequently become very interesting at +the expiration of a few minutes."</p> + +<p>"I doubt whether that would be the case with ours, sir. Permit me, +therefore, to break it off at once. Besides, I have finished my +meal," the stranger said, rising; "and some serious business claims +my attention. Pray forgive me, therefore, for parting company so +hurriedly, and believe in the sincerity of my regret."</p> + +<p>The adventurer did not leave his seat, but throwing himself back in it +with a graceful nonchalance, while playing with the knife he held in +his hand, he said in his gentle insinuating voice—</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, my dear sir; only one word, pray."</p> + +<p>"In that case make haste, sir," the stranger replied, as he stopped, +"for I am greatly pressed for time, I assure you."</p> + +<p>"Oh! You will certainly grant me a few minutes," the adventurer +remarked, with the old sarcasm.</p> + +<p>"As you desire it so eagerly, I will not refuse it you, sir. But I +really am in a hurry."</p> + +<p>"I have no doubt on that point, sir; more especially hurried to leave +this house—is it not so?"</p> + +<p>"What do you mean, sir?" the stranger asked, haughtily.</p> + +<p>"I mean," the adventurer replied, as he rose and placed himself between +the stranger and the door, "that it is useless to feign any longer, and +that you are recognized."</p> + +<p>"I recognized? I do not understand you. What does this language mean?"</p> + +<p>"It means," Montbarts said brutally, "that you are a spy and a traitor, +and that you will be hanged within ten minutes."</p> + +<p>"I?" the stranger replied, with very cleverly assumed surprise; "Why, +you must be mad, sir, or suffering under a strange mistake. Let me +pass, I request."</p> + +<p>"I am not mad or mistaken, Señor Don Antonio de la Ronda."</p> + +<p>The stranger started, a livid pallor covered his face, but he +immediately recovered himself.</p> + +<p>"Why, this is madness!" he said.</p> + +<p>"Sir," Montbarts remarked, still calm, but remaining in front of the +door, "when I affirm, you deny. It is evident that one of us lies, or +is mistaken. Now I declare that it is not I, hence it must be you; and +to remove your last doubts on this point, listen to this, but first be +good enough to resume your seat. We shall have, however much it may +annoy you, to converse for some time and I will remark, that it is a +very bad taste to talk standing face to face like two gamecocks ready +to fly at each other's combs, when it is possible to act otherwise."</p> + +<p>Mastered, in spite of himself, by the adventurer's flashing glance +obstinately fixed on him, and by his sharp, imperative accent, the +stranger returned to his seat, and fell into it rather than sat down.</p> + +<p>"Now, sir," the filibuster continued, in the same calm voice, as he +reseated himself and placed his elbows on the table, "in order at once +to dissipate all the doubts you may have, and to prove to you that I +know more about you than you will doubtless like, let me tell you your +history in a couple of words."</p> + +<p>"Sir!" the stranger interrupted.</p> + +<p>"Oh, fear nothing," he added, with studied sarcasm, "I shall be brief: +I no more like than you do to waste my time in idle discourses; but +just notice, by the bye, that, as I prophesied, our conversation, at +first frivolous, has suddenly grown interesting. Is not this singular, +I ask you?"</p> + +<p>"I am awaiting your explanation, sir," the stranger replied, coolly; +"for, up to the present, whatever you may say, I do not comprehend a +word of all that it pleases you to say to me."</p> + +<p>"By Heavens! You are a man after my heart. I was not mistaken about +you. Brave, cold, and crafty, you are worthy to be a filibuster, and to +lead an adventurous life with us."</p> + +<p>"You do me a great honour, sir; but all this does not tell me—"</p> + +<p>"Zounds! I am coming to it, sir—a little patience. How quick you are! +Take care: in your profession a man must be cool before all else, and +you are not so at this moment."</p> + +<p>"You are very witty, sir," the stranger said, bowing ironically to his +opponent.</p> + +<p>The latter was offended by this sudden attack, and smote the table with +his fist.</p> + +<p>"Here is your history in two words, sir," he said. "You are an +Andalusian, born at Malaga, a younger son, and consequently destined to +take orders. One fine day, not feeling any liking for the tonsure, you +fled from the paternal roof and embarked on a Spanish vessel bound for +Hispaniola. Your name is Don Antonio de la Ronda. You see, sir, that up +to this point I am well informed, am I not?"</p> + +<p>"Pray go on, sir," the stranger replied, with perfect coolness; "your +remarks are most interesting." Montbarts shrugged his shoulders, and +went on.</p> + +<p>"On arriving at Hispaniola, you contrived, in a short time, thanks to +your good looks and polished manners, to secure powerful protectors; +and thus, though you only left Europe three years ago, you have +made such rapid progress, that you are at present one of the most +influential men in the colony. Unluckily—"</p> + +<p>"Do you say unluckily?" the stranger interrupted with a jeering smile.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," the adventurer replied imperturbably; "unluckily your +fortune turned your head so thoroughly—"</p> + +<p>"So thoroughly?"</p> + +<p>"That in defiance of your friends, you were arrested and threatened +with a trial for embezzling a sum of nearly two million piastres; a +noble amount, on which I compliment you. Any other man but you, sir, I +feel a pleasure in allowing the fact, would have been ruined, or nearly +so, as the case was very serious; and the Council of the Indies does +not joke on money matters."</p> + +<p>"Permit me to interrupt you, my dear sir," the stranger said with the +most perfect ease; "you are telling this story in a very talented +manner, but if you go on so, it threatens to last indefinitely. If you +permit it, I will finish it in a few words."</p> + +<p>"Ah! Ah! Then you allow its truth now?"</p> + +<p>"Of course," the stranger said with admirable coolness.</p> + +<p>"You acknowledge yourself to be Don Antonio de la Ronda?"</p> + +<p>"Why should I deny it longer, when you are so well informed?"</p> + +<p>"Better still; so that you confess to fraudulently entering the colony +for the object of—"</p> + +<p>"I confess anything you like," the Spaniard said quickly.</p> + +<p>"Well, that being well established, you deserve to be hung, and you +will be so in a few minutes."</p> + +<p>"Well, no," he replied without losing any of his coolness; "that is +where we differ essentially in opinion, sir, your conclusion is not in +the least logical."</p> + +<p>"What?" the adventurer exclaimed, surprised at this sudden change of +humour which he did not expect.</p> + +<p>"I said that your conclusion was not logical."</p> + +<p>"I heard you perfectly."</p> + +<p>"And I am going to prove it," he continued; "grant me in your turn a +few moments' attention."</p> + +<p>"Very good; we must be merciful to those who are about to die."</p> + +<p>"You are very kind; but thank Heaven I am not there yet. There's many a +slip between the cup and the lip, as a very sensible proverb says."</p> + +<p>"Go on," the filibuster said with an ominous smile.</p> + +<p>But the Spaniard was not affected.</p> + +<p>"It is evident to me, sir, that you have some business or bargain to +propose to me."</p> + +<p>"I?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly, and for this reason; having recognized me as a spy, for +I must allow that I am really one (you see that I am frank in my +confession), nothing was easier for you than to have me strung up to +the nearest tree, without any form of trial."</p> + +<p>"Yes, but I am going to do so."</p> + +<p>"No, you will not do it now, and for this reason. You believe for +reasons I am ignorant of, for I will not insult you by supposing that +you had a feeling of pity for me, you who are so justly called by my +countrymen the Exterminator—you believe, I say, that I can serve you, +be useful to you in the success of one of your plans; consequently +instead of having me hanged, as you would have done under any other +circumstances, you came straight to find me here, where I fancied +myself well hidden, in order to converse with me, like one friend with +another. Well, I ask for nothing better, come, speak, I am listening; +what do you want of me?"</p> + +<p>And after uttering these words with the most easy air he could assume, +Don Antonio threw himself back in his chair delicately rolling a +cigarette between his fingers.</p> + +<p>The filibuster gazed for a moment at the Spaniard with a surprise which +he did not attempt to conceal, and then burst into a laugh.</p> + +<p>"That will do," he said, "I prefer that; at least there will be no +misunderstanding between us. Yes, you have guessed correctly, I have a +proposal to make to you."</p> + +<p>"That was not difficult to discover, sir; and pray what is the nature +of the proposal?"</p> + +<p>"Well, it is very simple, I only require you to act exactly in the +opposite way to what you intended, to change sides, in short."</p> + +<p>"Very good, I understand, that is to say, instead of betraying you for +the advantage of Spain, I am to betray Spain for your profit."</p> + +<p>"Yes, you see it is easy."</p> + +<p>"Very easy, in fact, but decidedly shabby; and supposing that I consent +to your request, what advantage shall I derive from it?"</p> + +<p>"In the first place I need hardly say that you will not be hung."</p> + +<p>"Pooh! To die by hanging, drowning, or a musket ball, is always much +the same thing. I should desire a more distinct benefit, with your +leave."</p> + +<p>"Confound it, you are difficult to satisfy, then it is nothing to save +one's neck from a slip knot?"</p> + +<p>"My dear sir, when, as in my case, a man has nothing to lose and +consequently everything to gain by any change in his position, death is +rather a comfort than a calamity."</p> + +<p>"You are a philosopher, so it seems."</p> + +<p>"No, confound it! such absurdity never troubled me, I am merely a +desperate man."</p> + +<p>"That is often the same thing; but let us return to our matter."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that will be better."</p> + +<p>"Well! I offer you my whole share of the first ship I take; does that +suit you?"</p> + +<p>"That is something better; but unluckily the ship to which you refer is +like the bear in the fable, not caught yet; I should prefer something +more substantial."</p> + +<p>"Well, I see I must yield to you; serve me well and I will reward you +so generously that the King of Spain himself could not do more."</p> + +<p>"Well, that is agreed, I'll run the risk; now be kind enough to tell me +the nature of the service you expect from me?"</p> + +<p>"I wish you to help me in taking by surprise Tortoise Island, where +you lived for a long time, and where, if I do not err, you still have +friends."</p> + +<p>"I see no inconvenience in trying that, although I will begin by making +my reservations."</p> + +<p>"What are they?"</p> + +<p>"That I do not pledge myself to insure the success of your hazardous +undertaking."</p> + +<p>"That remark is fair, but do not alarm yourself, if the Island is well +defended, it shall be well attacked."</p> + +<p>"I am convinced; now for the next matter."</p> + +<p>"I will let you know it when the time arrives, señor; for the present, +other business engages our attention."</p> + +<p>"As you please, sir, you will be the best judge of the opportunity."</p> + +<p>"Now, sir, as I had the honour of telling you at the outset, since I +know you to be a very sharp hand, and very capable of slipping through +my fingers like an eel, without the slightest scruple, and as I wish to +avoid that eventuality, and save you any notion of the sort, you will +do me the pleasure of going at once aboard my lugger."</p> + +<p>"A prisoner!" the Spaniard said with a gesture of ill humour.</p> + +<p>"Not as a prisoner, my dear Don Antonio, but regarded as a hostage, and +treated as such, that is to say, with all the attention compatible with +our common security."</p> + +<p>"Still, the word of a gentleman—"</p> + +<p>"Is valued between gentlemen, I allow, but with us <i>Ladrones</i>, as you +call us, it has no value in my opinion; you hidalgos of old Spain, +even make it a case of conscience to violate it without the slightest +scruple, when your interest invites you to do so."</p> + +<p>Don Antonio hung his head; recognizing in his heart, though unwilling +to allow it, the exact truth, of the filibuster's words.</p> + +<p>The latter enjoyed for a moment the Spaniard's discomfiture, and then +rapped the table twice or thrice with the handle of his knife.</p> + +<p>The captain's engagé at once entered the room.</p> + +<p>"What do you want of me, Montbarts?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Tell me, my good fellow," the adventurer asked, "have you not seen a +red Carib prowling round this house?"</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, Montbarts, a Carib asked me only a moment ago, whether you +were here, and I answered in the affirmative, but I did not like to +transgress the orders I had received from you, and allow him to enter +as he desired."</p> + +<p>"Very good. Did not the man mention his name?"</p> + +<p>"On the contrary, that was the very first thing he did; it is Omopoua."</p> + +<p>"The very man I was expecting; tell him to come in, pray, for he is +sure to be hanging about the door; and come with him."</p> + +<p>The engagé went out.</p> + +<p>"What do you want with this man?" the Spaniard asked with a shade of +anxiety, which did not escape the adventurer's sharp eye.</p> + +<p>"This Indian is simply intended to be your guard of honour," he said.</p> + +<p>"Hum! It really seems as if you are anxious to keep me."</p> + +<p>"Extremely so, señor."</p> + +<p>At this moment, the engagé returned followed by the Carib, who had +made no change in his primitive costume; but had taken advantage of +Montbarts' permission to arm himself to the teeth.</p> + +<p>"Omopoua and you, my friend, listen attentively to what I am going to +say to you; you see this man?" he said pointing to the Spaniard who was +still perfectly impassive.</p> + +<p>"We see him," they answered.</p> + +<p>"You will take him on board the lugger and hand him over to my mate, +Michael the Basque, recommending him to watch over his guest most +attentively! If, during the passage from here to the vessel, this man +attempts to take to flight, blow out his brains without mercy. Have you +understood me thoroughly?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," said the engagé, "trust to us, we answer for him with our heads."</p> + +<p>"That is well, I accept your word; and now, sir," he added, addressing +Don Antonio, "be good enough to follow these two men."</p> + +<p>"I yield to force, sir."</p> + +<p>"Very good, that is how I regard the matter, but reassure yourself, +your captivity will be neither harsh nor long, and I shall keep the +promises I have made you, if you keep yours. Now, go and farewell for +the present."</p> + +<p>The Spaniard, without replying, placed himself between his two keepers +voluntarily and left the room.</p> + +<p>Montbarts remained alone.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE SLAVE SALE.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>A moment after Montbarts rose, put on his cloak, which he had thrown on +a chair when he came in, and prepared to quit the house.</p> + +<p>On the threshold he found himself face to face with Captain Drake.</p> + +<p>"Ah," said the latter, "here you are."</p> + +<p>"Yes! I have been breakfasting at your house."</p> + +<p>"You did well."</p> + +<p>"Will you accompany me to the sale?"</p> + +<p>"I do not want any hired man."</p> + +<p>"Nor I, but you know the enlistment will commence immediately +afterwards."</p> + +<p>"That is true; let me say a word first to my engagé, and I will follow +you."</p> + +<p>"He has gone out."</p> + +<p>"Why! I ordered him not to leave the house."</p> + +<p>"I have given him a commission."</p> + +<p>"Oh! That is different."</p> + +<p>"You do not ask me what the commission is I have given your engagé," +Montbarts remarked a moment later.</p> + +<p>"Why should I? It does not concern me, I suppose."</p> + +<p>"More than you imagine, brother."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense, how so?"</p> + +<p>"You offered hospitality to a stranger, did you not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but what of that?"</p> + +<p>"You shall see. This stranger, whom you do not know, for of course you +do not—"</p> + +<p>"No more than Adam; what do I care who he is? hospitality is one of +those things which cannot be refused."</p> + +<p>"That is true, but I recognized the man."</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah, and who is he then?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing less than a Spanish spy, brother."</p> + +<p>"My God!" the captain said, stopping dead short.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter with you now?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing, nothing, except that I will go and blow out his brains, +unless you have done so already."</p> + +<p>"Pray, do nothing of the sort; this man, I feel convinced, brother, +will prove very useful to us."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense, how so?"</p> + +<p>"Leave me to act; if we manage properly, we may draw profit even from a +Spanish spy; in the meanwhile, I have had him taken on board the lugger +by your engagé, and a man of my own, where he will be watched so that +he cannot part company."</p> + +<p>"I trust to you for that, and thank you, brother, for having freed me +from the scoundrel."</p> + +<p>While talking thus, the two men arrived at the spot where the sale of +the engagés to the colonists was to take place.</p> + +<p>On the right of the square was a spacious shed, built of clumsily +planed planks, and open to the wind and rain; in the centre of the shed +was a table for the officials and secretaries of the company, who had +to manage the sale and draw up the contracts; an easy chair had been +set apart for the governor, by the side of a rather lofty platform, +on which each engagé, male or female, mounted in turn, so that the +purchasers might examine them at their ease.</p> + +<p>These wretches, deceived by the company's agents in Europe, had +contracted engagements, whose consequences they did not at all +understand, and were convinced that, on their arrival in America, +with the exception of a certain tax they had to pay the company for a +certain period, they would be completely free to earn their livelihood +as they thought proper. The majority were carpenters, masons and +bricklayers, but there were also among them ruined gentlemen and +libertines who detest work and who imagined that in America, the +country of gold, fortune would visit them while they slept.</p> + +<p>A company's ship had arrived a few days previously and brought one +hundred and fifty engagés, among them were several young and pretty +women, thoroughly vitiated, however, and who, like the Manon Lescault +of the Abbé Prevost, had been picked up by the police in the streets of +Paris, and shipped off without further formality.</p> + +<p>These women were also sold to the colonists, not apparently as slaves, +but as wives.</p> + +<p>These unions contracted in the gipsy fashion, were only intended to +last a settled time which must not exceed seven years, unless with +the mutual consent of the couple, though the clause was hardly ever +appealed to by them; at the end of that time they separated, and each +was set at liberty to form a fresh union.</p> + +<p>The engagés had been landed two days before; these two days had been +granted them, that they might slightly recover from the fatigue of a +long sea voyage, walk about and breathe the reviving land breeze, of +which they had so long been deprived.</p> + +<p>At the moment when the two adventurers arrived, the sale had been going +on for half an hour; the shed was crowded with colonists who desired to +purchase slaves, for we are compelled to use that odious term, for the +poor creatures were nothing else.</p> + +<p>At the sight of Montbarts, however, whose name was justly celebrated, +a passage was opened, and he thus succeeded in reaching the side of +the governor, Chevalier de Fontenay, round whom the most renowned +adventurers were collected, among them being Michael the Basque.</p> + +<p>Monsieur de Fontenay received Montbarts with distinction; he even +rose from his chair and walked two or three steps to meet him, which +the filibusters considered in very good taste, and felt grateful to +him for it; this honour paid to the most celebrated among them cast a +reflection on them all.</p> + +<p>After exchanging a few compliments with the governor, Montbarts bent +down to Michael's ear.</p> + +<p>"Well, mate?" he said to him.</p> + +<p>"The Spaniard is aboard," Michael replied, "and carefully watched by +Bowline."</p> + +<p>"In that case I can be at my ease?"</p> + +<p>"Perfectly."</p> + +<p>During this aside, the sale had been going on.</p> + +<p>All the male engagés had been sold, with the exception of one who was +standing at this moment on the platform, by the side of a company's +agent, who acted as auctioneer, and praised the qualities of the human +merchandise he offered.</p> + +<p>This engagé was a short, stout, powerfully built man, from twenty-five +to twenty-six years of age, with harsh, energetic, but intelligent +features, whose grey eyes sparkled with audacity and good humour.</p> + +<p>"Pierre Nau, native of the sands of Olonne," said the company's agent, +"twenty-five years of age, powerful and in good health, a sailor. +Who'll say forty crowns for the Olonnais, forty crowns for three years, +gentlemen."</p> + +<p>"Come, come," said the engagé, "if the person who buys me is a man, he +will have a good bargain."</p> + +<p>"Going for forty crowns," the company's agent repeated, "forty crowns, +gentlemen."</p> + +<p>Montbarts turned to the engagé.</p> + +<p>"What, you scoundrel," he said to him, "you a sailor and sell yourself +instead of joining us? You have no pluck."</p> + +<p>The Olonnais began laughing.</p> + +<p>"You know nothing about it. I have sold myself, because I must do so," +he answered, "so that my mother may be able to live during my absence."</p> + +<p>"How so?"</p> + +<p>"How does it concern you? You are not my master, and even if you were, +you would have no right to inquire into my private affairs."</p> + +<p>"You seem to me a bold fellow," Montbarts remarked.</p> + +<p>"Indeed, I believe I am; besides, I wish to become an adventurer like +you fellows, and for that purpose I must serve my apprenticeship to the +trade."</p> + +<p>"Going for forty crowns," cried the agent.</p> + +<p>Montbarts examined with the most serious attention the engagé, whose +firm glance he could hardly manage to quell; then, doubtless satisfied +with his triumph, he turned to the agent.</p> + +<p>"That will do," he said, "hold your row: I buy this man."</p> + +<p>"The Olonnais is adjudged to Montbarts the exterminator, for forty +crowns," the agent said.</p> + +<p>"Here they are," the adventurer answered as he threw a handful of +silver on the table; "now come," he ordered the Olonnais, "you are now +my engagé."</p> + +<p>The latter leapt joyously off the platform and ran up to him.</p> + +<p>"So you are Montbarts the exterminator?" he asked him curiously.</p> + +<p>"I think you are questioning me," the adventurer said with a laugh, +"still, as your question appears to me very natural, I will answer it +this time; yes, I am Montbarts."</p> + +<p>"In that case I thank you for buying me, Montbarts; with you I am +certain soon to become a man."</p> + +<p>And at a sign from his new master, he respectfully placed himself +behind him.</p> + +<p>The most curious part of the sale for the adventurers then began, that +is to say, the sale of the women.</p> + +<p>The poor wretches, mostly young and pretty, mounted the platform +trembling, and in spite of their efforts to keep a good countenance, +they blushed with shame, and burning tears ran down their cheeks on +seeing themselves thus exposed before all these men, whose flashing +eyes were fixed upon them.</p> + +<p>The company made its greatest profit by the women, and it was the more +easy to realise, because they were got for nothing, and sold at the +highest possible figure.</p> + +<p>The men were generally knocked down at a price varying from thirty +to forty dollars, but never went beyond that; with the women it was +different, they were put up to auction, and the governor alone had the +right to stop the sale, when the price appeared to him sufficiently +high. These women were always sold amid cries, shouts and coarse jests, +generally addressed to the adventurers who did not fear running the +risk of venturing on the shoal-beset ocean of marriage.</p> + +<p>Belle Tête, that furious adventurer to whom we have already referred, +and whom we saw at the meeting at the hatto, had, as he had resolved, +purchased two engagés to take the place of the two who had died, so he +said, of indolence, but, in reality of the blows he dealt them; then, +instead of returning home he had confided the engagés to his overseer; +for the adventurers, like the slave owners, had overseers, whose duty +it was to make the white slaves toil; and the adventurer remained in +the shed watching the sale of the women with the most lively interest.</p> + +<p>His friends did not fail to cut jokes at his expense, but he contented +himself with shrugging his shoulders disdainfully, and stood with +his hands crossed on the muzzle of his long fusil, and with his eyes +obstinately fixed on the platform.</p> + +<p>A young woman had just taken her place there in her turn; she was a +frail delicate girl, with light curling hair that fell on her white +rather thin chest. Her smooth and pensive forehead, her large blue +eyes full of tears, her fresh cheeks, her little mouth, made her appear +much younger than she in reality was; she was eighteen years of age, +and her delicate waist, her well-turned lips, her decent appearance, +in short everything about her delicious person had a seductive charm, +which formed a complete contrast with the decided air and vulgar +manners of the women who had preceded her on the platform, and those +who would follow her.</p> + +<p>"Louise, born at Montmartre, aged eighteen years; who will marry her +for three years, at the price of fifteen crowns?" the company's agent +asked in his sarcastic voice.</p> + +<p>The poor girl buried her face in her hands and wept bitterly.</p> + +<p>"Twenty crowns for Louise," an adventurer shouted, drawing nearer.</p> + +<p>"Twenty-five," another said immediately.</p> + +<p>"Make her hold her head up so that we can have a look at her," a third +cried brutally.</p> + +<p>"Come, little one," the agent said, as he obliged her to remove her +hands from her face; "be polite and let them look at you, it is for +your own good, hang it all! Twenty-five crowns."</p> + +<p>"Fifty," said Belle Tête, without moving from the spot.</p> + +<p>All eyes were turned to him; up to this moment Belle Tête had professed +a profound hatred for marriage.</p> + +<p>"Sixty," shouted an adventurer who did not desire to buy the girl, but +wished to annoy his comrade.</p> + +<p>"Seventy," said another with the same charitable intention.</p> + +<p>"One hundred," Belle Tête shouted angrily.</p> + +<p>"One hundred crowns, gentlemen, one hundred for Louise for three +years," the stoical agent said.</p> + +<p>"One hundred and fifty."</p> + +<p>"Two hundred."</p> + +<p>"Two hundred and fifty."</p> + +<p>"Three hundred," several adventurers shouted, almost simultaneously, as +they drew nearer to the platform.</p> + +<p>Belle Tête was pale with rage, for he feared lest she might escape him.</p> + +<p>The adventurer had persuaded himself, rightly or wrongly, that he +wanted a wife to manage his household; now he had seen Louise, Louise +pleased him, she was for sale, and he resolved to buy her.</p> + +<p>"Four hundred crowns!" he said with an air of defiance.</p> + +<p>"Four hundred crowns," the company's agent repeated in his monotonous +voice.</p> + +<p>There was a silence.</p> + +<p>Four hundred crowns is a large sum; Belle Tête triumphed.</p> + +<p>"Five hundred!" a sharp shrill voice suddenly shouted.</p> + +<p>The contest was beginning again; the adversaries had only stopped to +regain their strength.</p> + +<p>The company's agent rubbed his hands with a jubilant air, while +repeating,—</p> + +<p>"Six hundred, seven, eight, nine hundred crowns!"</p> + +<p>A species of frenzy had seized on the spectators, and all bid +furiously; the girl was still weeping.</p> + +<p>Belle Tête was in a state of fury which approached to madness; +clutching his fusil frenziedly in his clinched hand, he felt a +wild temptation to send a bullet into the most determined of his +competitors. Only the presence of M. de Fontenay restrained him.</p> + +<p>"A thousand," he shouted in a hoarse voice.</p> + +<p>"One thousand two hundred!" the most obstinate competitor immediately +yelled.</p> + +<p>Belle Tête stamped savagely, threw his fusil on his shoulder, drew his +cap on to his head with a blow of his fist, and then with a step as +slow and solemn as that of a statue would be, if a statue could walk, +he went to place himself by the side of his unendurable rival, and +letting the butt of his fusil fall heavily on the ground, scarce an +inch from the man's foot, he looked him in the face for a moment with a +defiant air, and shouted in a voice choked by emotion,—</p> + +<p>"Fifteen hundred!"</p> + +<p>The adventurer regarded him in his turn fiercely, fell back a step, +and, after renewing the powder in the pan of his fusil, said, in a calm +voice—</p> + +<p>"Two thousand!"</p> + +<p>Before these two obstinate adversaries the other bidders had prudently +withdrawn; the competition was turning into a quarrel, and threatened +to become sanguinary.</p> + +<p>A deadly silence brooded over the shed; the over-excited passions of +these two men had spoiled all the pleasures of the spectators, and +silenced all their jokes.</p> + +<p>The Governor followed with interest the different incidents of this +struggle, ready to interfere at any moment.</p> + +<p>The adventurers had gradually fallen back, and left a large free space +between the two men.</p> + +<p>Belle Tête recoiled a few paces in his turn, suddenly examined the +priming of his fusil, and then, pointing the latter at his adversary, +shouted—</p> + +<p>"Three thousand!"</p> + +<p>The other raised his fusil at the same moment to his shoulder.</p> + +<p>"Three thousand five hundred crowns!" he shouted, as he pulled the +trigger—the fusil was discharged.</p> + +<p>But the Governor, with a movement rapid as thought, threw up the barrel +with the end of his cane, and the ball lodged in the roof.</p> + +<p>Belle Tête remained motionless, though, on hearing the shot, he lowered +his fusil.</p> + +<p>"Sir," the Governor exclaimed, indignantly, addressing the adventurer +who had fired, "You have acted in a dishonourable way, and almost +committed a murder."</p> + +<p>"Governor," the adventurer coolly replied, "when I fired he had his gun +pointed at me, and hence it is a duel."</p> + +<p>The Governor hesitated, for the answer was specious.</p> + +<p>"No matter, sir," he continued, a moment later, "the laws of duelling +were not respected; to punish you I put you out of the bidding. Sir," +he said, addressing the company's agent, "I order that the woman, who +was the cause of this deplorable aggression, be knocked down to Señor +Belle Tête for three thousand crowns."</p> + +<p>The agent bowed with rather an angry look, for the worthy man had +hoped, from the way things were going on, to reach a much higher +figure; but he dared not make any observations to Chevalier de +Fontenay; he must yield, and so he did.</p> + +<p>"Louise is adjudged for three thousand crowns," he said, with a sigh of +regret—not for the woman, but for the money—"to M. Belle Tête."</p> + +<p>"Very good, Governor," the baffled adventurer said, with an ugly smile, +"I must bow to your final sentence; but Belle Tête and I will meet +again."</p> + +<p>"I hope so, too, Picard," Belle Tête answered, coldly; "there must be +bloodshed between us now." During this time Louise had come down from +the platform, when another woman took her place, and had stationed +herself, still weeping, by the side of Belle Tête, who was henceforth +her lord and master.</p> + +<p>M. de Fontenay gave a commiserating glance at the poor girl, who was +about, in all probability, to endure such a cruel existence with so +harsh a man, and then gently said to her—</p> + +<p>"Madame, from this day you are for three years the legitimate wife of +M. Belle Tête, and owe him obedience, affection, and fidelity; such are +the laws of the colony: in three years you will be your own mistress, +at liberty to leave him or to continue to live with him, if he desire +it; be good enough to sign this paper."</p> + +<p>The unhappy woman, blinded by her tears, and crushed by despair, +signed, without looking at it, the paper which the Governor offered +her; then she cast a heart-broken glance at this silent and indifferent +crowd, in which she knew that she could not find a friend.</p> + +<p>"Now, sir," she asked, in a gentle and trembling voice, "what must I +do?"</p> + +<p>"You must follow this man, who will be your husband for three years," +M. de Fontenay answered, with a touch of pity, which he could not +overcome.</p> + +<p>At this moment Belle Tête laid his hand on the girl's shoulder; she +shuddered all over, and looked wildly at him.</p> + +<p>"Yes," he said, "my girl, you must follow me; for, as the Governor has +told you, I am your husband for three years, and till the expiration of +that time, you will have no other master but me. Now, listen to this, +my darling, and engrave it carefully on your mind, so as to remember it +at the right moment: what you have done, what you have been, until now, +does not concern me, and I care little about it; but," he added, in a +hollow, ferocious voice, which chilled the poor girl with horror, "from +this day, from this moment, you belong to me—to me alone: I intrust +to you my honour, which becomes yours, and if you compromise that +honour—if you forget your duties," he said, as he dashed the butt end +of his musket on the ground, so harshly, that the hammer rattled with +an ill-omened sound, "this will remind you of them; now, follow me."</p> + +<p>"Be gentle to her, Belle Tête," M. de Fontenay could not help +saying—"she is so young."</p> + +<p>"I shall be just, Governor: now, thanks for your impartiality, it is +time for me to retire. Picard, my old friend, you know where to find +me."</p> + +<p>"I shall not fail to come and see you, but I do not, wish to trouble +your honeymoon," Picard replied, with a growl.</p> + +<p>Belle Tête withdrew, followed by his wife.</p> + +<p>The sale henceforth offered nothing of interest; the few women +remaining were sold at prices far inferior to that which Louise had +fetched, to the great regret, we are bound to add, of the Company's +agent.</p> + +<p>The adventurers were preparing to leave the shed where they imagined +there was nothing more to see; but at this moment Montbarts mounted the +platform, and addressed the crowd in a sonorous voice—</p> + +<p>"Brothers," he said, "stay, I have an important communication to make +to you."</p> + +<p>The adventurers remained motionless.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE ENLISTMENT.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>All the adventurers assembled round the platform, anxiously awaiting +what Montbarts had to tell them.</p> + +<p>"Brothers," he said, a moment after, "I am preparing a new expedition, +for which I require three hundred resolute men; who among you will +follow Montbarts the Exterminator?"</p> + +<p>"All, all!" the adventurers shouted, enthusiastically.</p> + +<p>The Governor prepared to withdraw.</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, Chevalier de Fontenay," Montbarts said, "be kind enough to +remain a few minutes longer; the expedition I have projected is most +serious: I am about to dictate a charter party, to which I will ask +you, as Governor of the colony, to append your signature before that of +our companions—moreover, I have a bargain to propose to you."</p> + +<p>"I will remain, since you desire it, Montbarts," the Governor replied, +as he returned to his seat; "now be kind enough to inform me of the +bargain you wish to propose."</p> + +<p>"You are the owner, sir, I think, of two brigantines of eighty tons +each?"</p> + +<p>"I am."</p> + +<p>"These brigantines are useless to you at this moment, as you appear, at +least until fresh orders, to have given up cruising, while they will be +very useful to me."</p> + +<p>"In that case, sir, they are at your service from this moment," the +Governor replied, gallantly.</p> + +<p>"I thank you, as I ought, for your politeness, sir, but that is not +my meaning; in an expedition like the one I meditate, no one can +foresee what may happen, hence I propose to buy your two ships for four +thousand crowns cash."</p> + +<p>"Very good, sir, since you wish it; I am delighted to be of service to +you; the two ships are yours."</p> + +<p>"I shall have the honour of handing you the four thousand crowns within +an hour."</p> + +<p>The two men bowed; and then the filibuster turned to the adventurers, +who were waiting, panting with, impatience, and whose curiosity had +been heightened by the purchase of the two vessels.</p> + +<p>"Brothers," he said, in his sonorous and sympathetic voice, "for two +months past no expedition has been attempted, and no ship has put to +sea; are you not beginning to grow tired of this idle life which you +and I are leading? Are you not beginning to run short of money, and +are not your purses light? Zounds, comrades, come with me, and within +a fortnight your pockets shall be full of Spanish doubloons, and +the pretty girls, who today are so coy, will then lavish their most +charming smiles on you—down with the Spaniards, brothers! Those of +you who are willing to follow me can give their names to Michael the +Basque, my mate. Still, as the shares will be large, the danger will +be great; to obtain them I only want men resolved to conquer or to +die bravely, without asking quarter of the enemy or granting it; I am +Montbarts the Exterminator—I grant no mercy to the Spaniards, nor do I +ask it of them."</p> + +<p>Enthusiastic shouts greeted these words, uttered with that accent which +the celebrated filibuster knew so well how to assume when he wished to +seduce the individuals he was addressing.</p> + +<p>The enlistment began; Michael the Basque had seated himself at the +table previously occupied by the Company's agent, and wrote down the +names of the adventurers, who pressed round him in a crowd, and who +all wished to join in an expedition which they foresaw would be most +lucrative.</p> + +<p>But Michael had received strict instructions from his master: convinced +that he should not want for men, and that more would offer than he +needed, he carefully selected those whose names he took, and pitilessly +rejected those adventurers whose reputation for, we will not say +bravery, for all were brave as lions, but for reckless daring, was not +thoroughly established.</p> + +<p>Still in spite of Michael's intended strictness, the number of three +hundred was soon complete. We need scarce say they were the flower +of the filibusters, all adventurers, the least renowned of whom +had performed deeds of incredible daring, men with whom attempting +impossibilities and achieving them had become but mere child's play.</p> + +<p>The first inserted were, as had been agreed on the preceding night, the +members of the society of the Twelve.</p> + +<p>Hence M. de Fontenay, who, an old filibuster himself, knew all these +men, not only by reputation, but from having seen them at work, could +not recover from his surprise, and incessantly repeated to Montbarts, +who was standing, calm and smiling at his side, "What can you be after? +Do you mean to seize on Hispaniola?"</p> + +<p>"Who knows?" the filibuster replied sportively.</p> + +<p>"Still, I think I have a right to your confidence," the governor said +in an offended tone.</p> + +<p>"The most entire, Sir; still, you are aware that the first condition +of security in an expedition is secrecy."</p> + +<p>"That is true."</p> + +<p>"I cannot tell you anything, but do not prevent you from guessing."</p> + +<p>"Guessing! But how?"</p> + +<p>"Well, perhaps the charter party will set you on the right track."</p> + +<p>"Well, let me hear it."</p> + +<p>"A little patience still; but stay, here is Michael coming toward me. +Well," he asked him, "have you completed our number?"</p> + +<p>"I should think so; I have three hundred and fifty men."</p> + +<p>"Hang it, that is a great number."</p> + +<p>"I could not do otherwise than accept them; when it is a question about +going with Montbarts, it is impossible to keep them back."</p> + +<p>"Well, we will take them, if it must be so," Montbarts said with a +smile, "give me your list."</p> + +<p>Michael handed it to him; the filibuster looked round him, and +perceived an agent of the Company, whom curiosity had kept back, and +who had remained in the shed to witness the enlistment.</p> + +<p>"You are a Company's agent, I think, sir?" he said to him, politely.</p> + +<p>"Yes, sir," the agent replied with a bow, "I have that honour."</p> + +<p>"In that case, may I ask you to do me a service?"</p> + +<p>"Speak, sir, I shall be only too glad to oblige you."</p> + +<p>"My companions and myself are no great clerks, and we can use a hatchet +better than a pen; would it be presuming too much on your kindness to +ask you to be good enough to serve as my secretary for a few minutes, +and write down the charter party I shall dictate to you, and which my +comrades will sign, after having it read to them?"</p> + +<p>"I am only too happy, sir, that you deign to honour me with your +confidence," the agent said with a bow.</p> + +<p>Then he seated himself at the table, selected some paper, mended a pen +and waited.</p> + +<p>"Silence, if you please, gentlemen," said the Chevalier de Fontenay, +who had exchanged a few words in a low voice with Montbarts.</p> + +<p>The private conversations were checked, and a profound silence was +established almost instantaneously. M. de Fontenay continued.</p> + +<p>"A filibustering expedition, composed of three ships, two brigantines +and a lugger, is about to leave St. Kitts, under the command of +Montbarts, whom I appoint, in the name of His most Christian Majesty, +Louis, fourteenth of that name, admiral of the fleet. This expedition, +whose object remains secret, has been joined by 350 men, the flower of +the filibusters. The three captains chosen to command the ships are, +Michael the Basque, William Drake, and John David. They are ordered to +obey in every point the commands they will receive from the admiral, +and each captain will himself appoint his officers." Then, turning to +Montbarts, he added, "Now admiral, dictate the charter party."</p> + +<p>The adventurer bowed, and addressing the Company's agent, who was +watching with head and pen erect, he said to him—</p> + +<p>"Are you ready, sir?"</p> + +<p>"I await your orders."</p> + +<p>"In that case write as I dictate."</p> + +<p>No expedition ever left port without having previously proclaimed the +charter party: this document, in which the rights of each man were +rigorously stipulated, served as the supreme law for these men, who, +undisciplined though they were ashore, bowed without a murmur to the +strictest decrees of the naval code: so soon as they had set foot on +the vessel for which they were engaged, the captain of yesterday became +a sailor today, accepted without grumbling the eventual inferiority +which the duration of the cruise alone maintained, and which ended on +the return to port, by placing each member of the expedition on the +same level, and on a footing of the most perfect equality.</p> + +<p>We quote literally the charter party our readers are about to peruse, +because from this authentic act they will understand more easily the +range and power of this strange association, and the manner in which +the filibusters treated each other.</p> + +<p>Montbarts dictated what follows in a calm voice amid the religious +silence of his auditors, who only interrupted him at intervals, by +shouts of approbation.</p> + +<p>"Charter party decreed by Admiral Montbarts, Captains Michael the +Basque, William Drake, John David, and the Brethren of the Coast, who +have voluntarily placed themselves under their orders, and which is +fully consented to by them."</p> + +<p>"The admiral will have a right, in addition to his share, to one man +per hundred."</p> + +<p>"Each captain will receive twelve shares."</p> + +<p>"Each brother four shares."</p> + +<p>"These shares will only be counted after the king's part has been +deducted from all the shares."</p> + +<p>"The surgeons will receive, in addition to their share, two hundred +dollars each, as payment for their medicaments."</p> + +<p>"The carpenters, in addition to their share, will each, have a claim +for one hundred dollars, in remuneration of their labours."</p> + +<p>"Any disobedience will be punished by death, whatever be the name or +rank of the culprit."</p> + +<p>"The brothers who distinguish themselves in the expedition will be +rewarded in the following manner—The man who pulls down the enemy's +flag from a fortress, and hoists the French one, will have a claim, in +addition to his share, to fifty piastres."</p> + +<p>"The man who takes a prisoner, when out in search of news of the enemy, +will have, in addition to his share, one hundred piastres."</p> + +<p>"The grenadiers, for each grenade thrown into a fort, five piastres."</p> + +<p>"Any man, who in action captures a high officer of the enemy, will be +rewarded by the admiral, if he has risked his life, in a generous way."</p> + +<p>"Rewards offered, in addition to their share, to the wounded and +mutilated."</p> + +<p>"For the loss of both legs, fifteen hundred crowns, or fifteen slaves, +at the choice of the recipient: if there are enough slaves."</p> + +<p>"For the loss of both arms, eighteen hundred piastres or eighteen +slaves, at choice."</p> + +<p>"For a leg, no distinction between right and left, five hundred +piastres or five slaves."</p> + +<p>"For an eye, one hundred piastres or a slave; for an arm or a hand, +no distinction between right and left, four hundred piastres or four +slaves."</p> + +<p>"For both eyes, two thousand piastres, or twenty slaves."</p> + +<p>"For a finger, one hundred piastres or one slave: if any man be +dangerously wounded in the body he will have five hundred piastres or +five slaves."</p> + +<p>"It is already understood, that, in the same way, as with the king's +part, all these rewards will be raised on the whole of the booty, +before dividing the shares."</p> + +<p>"Any enemy's vessel captured either at sea or at anchor, will be +divided between all the members of the expedition, unless it be +valued at more than ten thousand crowns, in which case one thousand +crowns will be set apart for the first ship's crew that boarded: the +expedition will hoist the royal flag of France, and the admiral bear in +addition the <i>red, white, and blue</i> flag."</p> + +<p>"No officer or sailor of the expedition will be allowed to remain +ashore anywhere unless he has previously obtained the admiral's +permission, under penalty of being declared a maroon, and prosecuted as +such."</p> + +<p>When this last paragraph which, like all that preceded it, had been +listened to in the most profound silence, had been recorded by the +Company's agent, Montbarts took the charter party, and read it through +in a loud clear voice—</p> + +<p>"Does this charter party suit you, brethren?" he then asked the +filibusters.</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," they shouted, waving their caps, "long live Montbarts! Long +live Montbarts!"</p> + +<p>"And you swear, as my officers and myself swear, to obey without a +murmur, and strictly carry out all the clauses of this charter party?"</p> + +<p>"We swear it," they repeated.</p> + +<p>"Very good," Montbarts continued; "the embarkation will commence at +sunrise tomorrow, and all the crews must be on board the fleet before +ten o'clock."</p> + +<p>"We will be there."</p> + +<p>"Now, brethren, let me remind you that each of you must be armed with a +fusil, and a cutlass, have a bag of bullets, and at least three pounds +of gunpowder: I repeat that the expedition we are about to undertake +is most serious, so that you may not forget to choose your chums, that +they may aid you in the case of illness or wounds, and make your wills, +as otherwise your shares would lapse to the king. You have understood +me, brothers? Employ as you please the few hours' liberty left you, but +do not forget that I expect you on board at day break tomorrow."</p> + +<p>The filibusters replied by shouts, and left the shed, where there only +remained the governor, Montbarts, his captains, and the new engagé +called the Olonnais, whom the adventurer had bought by auction a few +hours previously, and who, far from being sad, seemed, on the contrary, +extremely pleased at all that was going on in his presence.</p> + +<p>"As for you, gentlemen," Montbarts said, "I have no orders to give +you, for you know as well as I what you have to do. Draw lots for your +commands, then go on board, inspect the masts and rigging, and get +ready to sail at the first signal. These are the only recommendations, +I think, I need make you. Good-bye."</p> + +<p>The three captains bowed, and at once withdrew.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" Chevalier de Fontenay said, with an accent of regret, "My dear +Montbarts, I never see an expedition preparing without having a lively +feeling of sorrow, and almost of envy."</p> + +<p>"Do you regret your adventurous life, sir? I understand that feeling, +although each expedition brings you an augmentation of wealth."</p> + +<p>"What do I care for that? Do not believe that I make an avaricious +calculation. No! My thoughts are of a higher order. But the moment is +badly chosen to chatter with you. Go, sir! And if you succeed, as I do +not doubt—and yet, who knows? On your return we shall perhaps be able +to come to an understanding; and then we will attempt an expedition +together, which I hope will be talked about for a long time."</p> + +<p>"I shall be glad," the filibuster replied, politely, "to have you as a +partner. Your brilliant courage, and far from ordinary merit, are to +me certain guarantees of success. I shall therefore have the honour to +hold myself at your orders, if it please Heaven that I succeed this +time, and return safe and sound from the expedition I meditate."</p> + +<p>"Good luck, sir; and let us hope to meet again soon."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, sir."</p> + +<p>They shook hands; and as, while conversing, they had left the shed, +they went different roads, after a parting bow.</p> + +<p>The filibuster, followed by the engagé, proceeded slowly towards his +house.</p> + +<p>At the moment when he left the town, a man placed himself before him, +and bowed.</p> + +<p>"What do you want with me?" the adventurer asked, giving him a +scrutinizing glance.</p> + +<p>"To say a word to you."</p> + +<p>"Say on."</p> + +<p>"Are you Captain Montbarts?"</p> + +<p>"You must be a stranger, to ask that question."</p> + +<p>"No matter. Answer."</p> + +<p>"I am Captain Montbarts."</p> + +<p>"In that case, this letter is for you."</p> + +<p>"A letter for me!" he exclaimed, in surprise.</p> + +<p>"Here it is," the stranger said, as he presented it.</p> + +<p>"Give it to me."</p> + +<p>And he took it from him.</p> + +<p>"Now my commission is performed, farewell."</p> + +<p>"A word, in your turn."</p> + +<p>"Speak."</p> + +<p>"From whom comes this letter?"</p> + +<p>"I do not know; but you will probably learn by reading the contents."</p> + +<p>"That is true."</p> + +<p>"Then I may retire?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing prevents you."</p> + +<p>The stranger bowed, and went away.</p> + +<p>Montbarts opened the letter, hurriedly perused it, and turned pale. +Then he re-read it; but this time slowly, and as if he wished to dwell +on each sentence.</p> + +<p>A moment later he seemed to form a resolution, and turned to his +engagé, who was standing a few paces from him.</p> + +<p>"Come here," he said to him.</p> + +<p>"Here I am," said the other.</p> + +<p>"You are a sailor?"</p> + +<p>"A 1, I fancy."</p> + +<p>"That is well. Follow me."</p> + +<p>The filibuster turned back, hastily re-entered the town, and proceeded +toward the sea.</p> + +<p>He seemed to be seeking something. A moment later, his gloomy face grew +brighter.</p> + +<p>He had just seen a light canoe pulled up on the beach.</p> + +<p>"Help me to float this canoe," he said to the engagé.</p> + +<p>The latter obeyed.</p> + +<p>So soon as the canoe was afloat, Montbarts leaped in, closely followed +by his engagé; and seizing the paddles, they put off from the shore.</p> + +<p>"Step the mast, so that we may hoist a sail so soon as we are free of +the ships."</p> + +<p>The Olonnais, without answering, did as he was ordered.</p> + +<p>"Good!" Montbarts continued. "Now haul the sheets aft, and hand them to +me, my lad."</p> + +<p>In a second the sail was hoisted, set, and the light canoe bounded like +a petrel over the crest of the waves.</p> + +<p>They ran thus for some time without exchanging a word. They had left +the ships far behind them, and passed out of the roads.</p> + +<p>"Do you speak Spanish?" Montbarts suddenly asked the engagé.</p> + +<p>"Like a native of Old Castile," the other answered.</p> + +<p>"Ah! Ah!" said Montbarts.</p> + +<p>"It is easy to understand," the Olonnais continued. "I went whaling +with the Basques and Bayonnese, and for several years smuggled along +the Spanish coast."</p> + +<p>"And do you like the Spaniards?"</p> + +<p>"No!" the other answered, with a frown.</p> + +<p>"You have a motive, of course?"</p> + +<p>"I have one."</p> + +<p>"Will you tell it me?"</p> + +<p>"Why not?"</p> + +<p>"Out with it, then."</p> + +<p>"I had a boat of my own, in which, as I told you, I smuggled. I worked +six years to save up the money to buy this boat. One day, while seeking +to land prohibited goods in a bay to windward of Portugalete, I was +surprised by a Spanish revenue lugger. My boat was sunk, my brother +killed, myself dangerously wounded, and I fell into the hands of the +Gavachos. The first bandage they placed on my wounds was a bastinado, +which left me for dead on the ground. Believing, doubtless, that +they had killed me, they abandoned me then, and paid no further +attention to me. I succeeded by boldness and cunning, after enduring +indescribable tortures from hunger, cold, fatigue, &c., too lengthy to +enumerate, in at length leaping across the frontier, and finding myself +once again on French soil. I was free, but my brother was dead. I was +ruined, and my old father ran a risk of dying of hunger—thanks to the +Spaniards. Such is my history. It is not long.—How do you like it?"</p> + +<p>"It is a sad one, my good fellow; but it is as much hatred as the +desire of growing rich which has brought you among us?"</p> + +<p>"It is hatred, before everything."</p> + +<p>"Good! Take the helm in my place, while I reflect. We are going to +Nevis. Steer to windward of that point which juts out down there to the +southeast."</p> + +<p>The engagé seized the helm. Montbarts wrapped himself in his cloak, +pulled his hat over his eyes, let his head sink on his chest, and +remained motionless as a statue. The canoe still advanced, vigorously +impelled by the breeze.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII.</a></h4> + +<h3>NEVIS.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Nevis is only separated from St. Kitts by a channel half a league in +width at the most.</p> + +<p>This charming little island, whose fertility is remarkable, is, +according to all probability, the result of a volcanic explosion; and +this assertion is nearly proved by a crater containing a spring of hot +water strongly impregnated with sulphur.</p> + +<p>Seen from a distance, it offers the appearance of a vast cone; it is, +in fact, only a very lofty mountain, whose base is watered by the sea; +its sides at first offering an easy incline, become, at a certain +height, excessively abrupt; all vegetation ceases, and its snow covered +peak is lost in the clouds.</p> + +<p>During the attack of the Spaniards on St. Kitts, several adventurers +had sought shelter on this isle. Some of them, seduced by attractive +sites, permanently settled there, and commenced forming plantations; +few in number, it is true, and too far apart for the inhabitants to +aid each other in the event of an attack from an external foe, but +which prospered, and promised, ere long, to acquire a certain amount of +importance.</p> + +<p>The filibuster, although his little skiff was impelled by a good +breeze, took some time in reaching the island, because he was obliged +to go along the entire length of the channel ere he reached the spot +where he wished to go.</p> + +<p>The sun was already beginning to decline, when the canoe at length put +into a small sandy creek.</p> + +<p>"Pull up the canoe, hide the paddles among the reeds," said Montbarts, +"and follow me."</p> + +<p>The Olonnais obeyed with the punctuality and intelligent vivacity which +he displayed in everything, and then said to his master—</p> + +<p>"Shall I take my fusil?"</p> + +<p>"There is no harm in doing so," the latter replied; "an adventurer +should never go unarmed."</p> + +<p>"Very good; I will remember that."</p> + +<p>They proceeded inland, following a scarce-traced path, which ran with +a gentle incline from the beech, wound round a rather steep hill, +and after passing through a leafy mahogany forest, led to a narrow +esplanade, in the centre of which a light canvas tent had been pitched, +not far from a rock.</p> + +<p>A man, seated before the entrance of the tent, was reading a Breviary. +He was dressed in the strict attire of the Franciscans, and seemed +to have passed middle life. He was pale and thin, his features were +ascetic and stern, his countenance was intelligent, and a marked +expression of gentleness was spread over it. At the sound of the +adventurers' footsteps he raised his head quickly, turned towards them, +and a melancholy smile played round his lips.</p> + +<p>Hurriedly closing his book, he rose and walked a few steps toward the +newcomers.</p> + +<p>"Heaven be with you, brothers!" he said in Spanish, "If you come with +pure intentions; if not, may it inspire you with better thoughts."</p> + +<p>"My father," the filibuster said, returning his salutation, "I am the +man whom the adventurers of St. Kitts call Montbarts, and my intentions +are pure, for in coming here I have only yielded to the desire you +expressed to see me, if you are really Fray Arsenio Mendoza, from whom +I received a letter a few hours ago."</p> + +<p>"I am the person who wish to see you, brother; and that is really my +name."</p> + +<p>"In that case speak, I am ready to hear you."</p> + +<p>"Brother," the monk answered, "the things I have to communicate to you +are of the highest importance, and concern you alone. Perhaps it would +be better that you alone should hear them."</p> + +<p>"I do not know what important matters you can have to tell me, father; +but in any case, learn that this man is my engagé, and, as such, it is +his duty to be deaf and dumb when I order him."</p> + +<p>"Very good, I will speak in his presence, since you demand it; still, I +repeat to you, that it would be better for us to be alone."</p> + +<p>"I will act in accordance with your wish. Retire out of hearing, but +keep in sight," he said to his engagé.</p> + +<p>The latter retired about one hundred yards down the path, and leant on +his fusil.</p> + +<p>"Do you fear any treachery on the part of a poor monk like me?" the +Franciscan asked, with a sad smile; "That would be very gratuitously +imputing to me intentions very remote from my thoughts."</p> + +<p>"I suppose nothing, father; still, I am accustomed," the filibuster +coarsely answered, "always to be on my guard when I am in the presence +of a man of your nation, whether he be priest or layman."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes," he said, in a sorrowful voice, "you profess an implacable +hatred for my unhappy country, and for that reason are called the +Exterminator."</p> + +<p>"Whatever be the feelings I profess for your countrymen and the name +it has pleased them to give me, it is not, I suppose, to discuss this +point with me that you have come here at a serious risk, and requested +me to meet you."</p> + +<p>"Indeed, it was not for that motive, you are right, my son, though, +personally, I might have a good deal to say on that subject."</p> + +<p>"I would observe, father, that the hour is advancing—I have but little +time at your service, and if you do not hasten to explain yourself, I +shall be, to my great regret, constrained to leave you."</p> + +<p>"You would regret it for your whole life, brother, were it as long as a +patriarch's."</p> + +<p>"That is possible, though I greatly doubt it. I can only receive bad +news from Spain."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps so; in any case, these are the news of which I am the bearer."</p> + +<p>"I am listening to you."</p> + +<p>"I am, as my gown shows you, a monk of the order of San Francisco de +Asís."</p> + +<p>"At least, you have the look of one," the adventurer remarked, with an +ironical smile.</p> + +<p>"Do you doubt it?"</p> + +<p>"Why not? Would you be the first Spaniard who was not afraid to profane +a sacred dress, in order to spy our movements the more easily?"</p> + +<p>"Unfortunately what you say is true, and it has happened only too +often; but I am merely a monk."</p> + +<p>"I believe you, till I have proof of the contrary; so go on."</p> + +<p>"Very good. I am the spiritual director of several ladies of quality in +the island of Hispaniola: one among them, young and beautiful, who only +arrived in the West Indies a short time ago with her husband, appears +to be devoured by an incurable grief."</p> + +<p>"Indeed! And what can I do to prevent it, father?"</p> + +<p>"I know not: still, this is what took place between this lady and +myself. The lady, who, as I told you, is young and fair, and whose +charity and goodness are inexhaustible, spends the greater part of +her days in her oratory, kneeling before a picture representing our +Lady of Mercy, imploring her with tears and sobs. Interested, in spite +of myself, by this so true and so profound grief, I have on several +occasions employed the right which my sacred office gives me, to try +and penetrate into this ulcerated heart, and obtain from my penitent a +confession, which would permit me to give her some consolation."</p> + +<p>"And I presume that you have not succeeded, father?"</p> + +<p>"Alas! No, I have not."</p> + +<p>"Allow me to repeat to you, that, up to the present I do not see in +this very sad story, which is to some extent, however, that of most +women, anything very interesting to me."</p> + +<p>"Wait, brother, I am coming to that."</p> + +<p>"In that case, proceed."</p> + +<p>"One day, when this lady appeared to me to be more sad than usual, and +I redoubled my efforts to induce her to open her heart to me—doubtless +overcome by my solicitations, she said these words to me, which I +repeat to you exactly:—'My father, I am an unhappy, cowardly, and +infamous creature, and a terrible malediction weighs on me. Only one +man has the right to know the secret which I try, in vain, to stifle in +my heart. Upon this man depends my salvation. He can condemn or acquit +me: but whatever be the sentence he may pronounce, I will bow without a +murmur beneath his will, too happy to expiate at this price the crime +of which I have been guilty.'"</p> + +<p>While the monk was pronouncing these words, the usually pale face of +the adventurer had turned livid, a convulsive trembling agitated his +limbs, and, in spite of his efforts to appear calm, he was constrained +to lean against one of the tent pickets, lest he should fall on the +ground.</p> + +<p>"Go on!" he said, in a hoarse voice. "Did this woman tell you the man's +name?"</p> + +<p>"She did, brother. 'Alas!' she said to me, 'Unfortunately the man on +whom my destiny depends is the most implacable enemy of our nation. He +is one of the principal chiefs of those ferocious adventurers who have +vowed a merciless war against Spain. I shall never meet him, except +in the horrors of a combat, or during the sack of a town fired by his +orders. In a word, the man I am speaking to you about is no other than +the terrible Montbarts the Exterminator.'"</p> + +<p>"Ah!" the adventurer muttered, in a choking voice, as he pressed his +hand forcibly against his chest, "The woman said that?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, brother; such are the words she uttered."</p> + +<p>"And then?"</p> + +<p>"Then, brother, I, a poor monk, promised her to seek you, to find you, +no matter where you were, and repeat her words to you. I had only death +to fear in trying to see you, and I long ago offered God the sacrifice +of my life."</p> + +<p>"You have acted like a noble-hearted man, monk; and I thank you for +having had confidence in me. Have you nothing to add?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, brother, I have. When the lady saw me fully resolved to brave all +perils for the sake of finding you, she added, 'Go, then, my father: +it is doubtless Heaven that takes pity on me, and inspires you at this +moment. If you succeed in reaching Montbarts, tell him that I have a +secret to confide to him, on which the happiness of his whole life +depends; but that he must make haste, if he wish to learn it, for I +feel that my days are numbered, and that I shall soon die.' I promised +her to accomplish her wishes faithfully, and I have come."</p> + +<p>There was a silence for some minutes. Montbarts walked up and down with +hanging head, and arms folded on his chest, stopping every now and then +to stamp his foot savagely: then, resuming his hurried walk, while +muttering unconnected words in a low voice.</p> + +<p>All at once he stopped before the monk, and looked him straight in the +face.</p> + +<p>"You have not told me all," he said to him.</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, brother; everything, word by word."</p> + +<p>"Still there is an important detail, which you have doubtless +forgotten, as you have passed it over in silence?"</p> + +<p>"I do not understand to what you are alluding, brother," the monk +replied, gravely.</p> + +<p>"You have forgotten to reveal to me the name and position of this +woman, father."</p> + +<p>"That is true: but it is not forgetfulness on my part. In acting thus, +I have obeyed the orders I received. The lady implored me to tell you +nothing touching her name or position. She reserves that for herself, +when you are alone together: and I swore to keep her secret."</p> + +<p>"Ah! Ah! Señor monk," the adventurer exclaimed, with a wrath the more +terrible because it was concentrated; "You have taken that oath?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, brother, and will keep it at all risks," he answered firmly.</p> + +<p>The adventurer burst into a hoarse laugh.</p> + +<p>"You are doubtless ignorant," he said, in a hissing voice, "that we +<i>ladrones</i>, as your countrymen call us, possess marvellous secrets to +untie the most rebel tongues, and that you are in my power."</p> + +<p>"I am in the hands of God, brother—try it. I am only a poor +defenceless man, incapable of resisting you. Torture me, then, if such +be your good pleasure; but know that I will die, without revealing my +secret."</p> + +<p>Montbarts bent a flashing glance on the monk who stood so calm before +him; and then, a moment after, struck his forehead angrily.</p> + +<p>"I am mad!" he exclaimed: "What do I care for this name—do I not +know it already? Listen, father. Forgive me what I said to you, for +passion blinded me. You came to this island freely, and shall leave it +freely—in my turn I swear it to you; and I am not more accustomed to +break any oaths I take—no matter their nature—than you are."</p> + +<p>"I know it, brother. I have nothing to forgive you. I see that grief +led you astray, and I pity you, for Heaven has chosen me, I feel a +presentiment of it, to bring a great misfortune upon you."</p> + +<p>"Yes, you speak truly. I did not seek this woman—I tried to forget +her, and it is she who voluntarily places herself in my path. It is +well, Heaven will judge between her and me. She demands that I will +go and see her, and I will do so, but she must only blame herself for +the terrible consequences of our interview. Still, I consent to leave +her yet one chance of escape. When you return to her, urge her not to +try to see me again. You see, that I have a little pity for her in my +heart, in spite of all she made me suffer; but if, in spite of your +entreaties, she persists in meeting me, in that case her will be done. +I will go to the place of meeting she may select."</p> + +<p>"I know where it is, brother, and am ordered to point it out to you +today."</p> + +<p>"Ah," the filibuster said, suspiciously, "she has forgotten nothing. +Well, where is it?"</p> + +<p>"The lady, you can understand, cannot quit the island, even if she +wished to do so."</p> + +<p>"That is true. So we are to meet in Hispaniola itself?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, brother."</p> + +<p>"And what spot has she selected?"</p> + +<p>"The great Savannah, that separates Mirebalais from San Juan de Goava."</p> + +<p>"Ah! The spot is famously chosen for an ambuscade," the filibuster +said, with a sneering laugh, "for if I remember rightly, it is on +Spanish territory."</p> + +<p>"It forms the extreme limit, brother. Still, I will try to induce the +lady to choose another spot, if you are afraid about your safety at +this one."</p> + +<p>Montbarts shrugged his shoulders with a contemptuous laugh.</p> + +<p>"I afraid!" he said. "Nonsense, monk, you must be mad! What do I care +for the Spaniards, if five hundred of them were ambushed to surprise +me, I should be able to get away from them! It is settled, then, that +if the lady persist in her intention of having an explanation with me, +I will go to the Savannah, which extends between Mirebalais and San +Juan de Goava, at the confluence of the great river and the Artibonite."</p> + +<p>"I will do what you desire, brother; but if the lady insist, in spite +of my remonstrances and entreaties, on the interview taking place, how +am I to warn you?"</p> + +<p>"As it is possible for you to come here, you will be the better able; +without attracting suspicion, to enter the French part of St. Domingo."</p> + +<p>"I will try, at any rate, brother, since it must absolutely be so."</p> + +<p>"You will light a large fire on the coast in the vicinity of Port +Margot, and I shall know what it means."</p> + +<p>"I will obey you, brother: but when am I to light the fire?"</p> + +<p>"How long do you propose remaining here?"</p> + +<p>"I intend to leave immediately after our interview."</p> + +<p>"This evening, then?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, brother."</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah, then there is a Spanish vessel in the neighbourhood?"</p> + +<p>"Probably so, brother; but if you discover it and capture it, how shall +I succeed in returning to Hispaniola?"</p> + +<p>"That is true; this consideration saves the Gavachos: but believe, +after due reflection, I think it my duty to give you some advice."</p> + +<p>"Whatever it may be, brother, coming from you, I shall receive it with +pleasure."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, carry out your intention. Start at once; tomorrow it will +not be pleasant for you in these waters, and I would not answer for +your safety or that of your vessel. Do you comprehend me?"</p> + +<p>"Perfectly, brother; and for the signal?"</p> + +<p>"Light it fifteen days from today, and I will arrange so as to arrive +at St. Domingo about that time."</p> + +<p>"Very good, brother."</p> + +<p>"And now, monk, farewell till we meet again, as it is probable we shall +do."</p> + +<p>"It is probable, indeed, brother. Farewell, and may the merciful Lord +be with you!"</p> + +<p>"So be it," the filibuster said, with an ironical laugh.</p> + +<p>He gave a parting wave of his hand to the monk, threw his fusil on his +shoulder, and went off, but a few minutes after stopped and went back.</p> + +<p>The Franciscan had remained motionless at the same spot.</p> + +<p>"One last word, father," he said.</p> + +<p>"Speak, brother," he answered, gently.</p> + +<p>"Take my advice, employ all your power over the lady to induce her to +give up this meeting, whose consequences may be terrible."</p> + +<p>"I will try impossibilities to succeed, brother," the monk replied; "I +will pray to Heaven to permit me to persuade my penitent."</p> + +<p>"Yes," Montbarts added, in a gloomy voice, "it would be better for her +and for me, perhaps, if we never met again."</p> + +<p>And roughly turning his back on the monk, he hurried along the track, +where he speedily disappeared.</p> + +<p>When Fray Arsenio felt certain that this time the adventurer had really +gone, he gently raised the curtain of the tent and stepped inside.</p> + +<p>A woman was kneeling there on the bare ground, with her head buried in +her hands, and praying with stifled sobs.</p> + +<p>"Have I punctually accomplished your orders, my daughter?" the monk +said.</p> + +<p>The woman drew herself up and turned her lovely pale and tear-swollen +face toward the monk.</p> + +<p>"Yes, padre," she murmured, in a low and trembling voice. "Bless you +for not abandoning me in my distress."</p> + +<p>"Is this really the man with whom you desire an interview?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, it is he, father."</p> + +<p>"And you still insist on seeing him?"</p> + +<p>She hesitated for a moment, a shudder ran over her whole person, and +then she murmured in a hardly intelligible voice—</p> + +<p>"I must, father."</p> + +<p>"You will reflect between this and then, I hope," he continued.</p> + +<p>"No, no," she said, with a sorrowful shake of the head; "if that +man were to plunge his dagger into my heart, I must have a final +explanation with him."</p> + +<p>"Your will be done," he said</p> + +<p>At this moment, a slight sound was heard outside.</p> + +<p>The monk went out, but returned almost immediately.</p> + +<p>"Get ready, madam," he said; "our crew have come to fetch you. Remember +the parting advice that <i>ladrón</i> gave me, and let us be gone as soon as +possible."</p> + +<p>Without replying, the lady rose, wrapped herself carefully in her +mantilla, and went out.</p> + +<p>An hour later, she left Nevis, accompanied by Fray Arsenio Mendoza.</p> + +<p>Montbarts had reached St. Kitts long before.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE EXPEDITION.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>During the entire passage from Nevis to St. Kitts Montbarts was in a +strange state of excitement.</p> + +<p>The interview he had held with the monk had rearoused in his heart a +profound sorrow which time had deadened but not cauterized, and at the +first word that fell in this hour's conversation the wound burst open +again, bleeding and livid as on the day of its receipt.</p> + +<p>How had this woman, whom he would not name, of whose presence in +America he was ignorant, whom, in short, he fancied he had escaped by +hiding himself among the filibusters, succeeded in so short a time, not +only in learning his presence in the islands, but also in finding him +again? For what object did she insist on finding him? What interest +could she have in seeing him?</p> + +<p>All these questions, which he asked himself in turn, necessarily +remained unanswered, and for that very reason augmented his anxiety.</p> + +<p>For a moment he thought of laying an ambush in the straits of Nevis +and St. Eustache, the two islands between which St. Kitts is situated, +capturing the Spanish vessel, and obtaining by torture the information +the monk had refused to give him.</p> + +<p>But he gave up this plan almost immediately; he had pledged his word of +honour, and would not break it for anything in the world.</p> + +<p>In the meanwhile, night had set in, and the canoe was still advancing.</p> + +<p>Montbarts steered for the lugger, which was anchored a short distance +from land.</p> + +<p>When the light boat was under the vessel's counter, the filibuster made +his engagé a sign to lay on his oars, and shouted in a loud voice—</p> + +<p>"Lugger, ahoy!"</p> + +<p>At once, a man whose black outline was designed on the dark blue +horizon, leant over.</p> + +<p>"Boat ahoy!" he shouted.</p> + +<p>"Is that you, Bowline?" Montbarts continued.</p> + +<p>"All right."</p> + +<p>"Is Michael aboard?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, admiral."</p> + +<p>"Ah, you have recognised me, my lad?"</p> + +<p>"Of course," said the Breton.</p> + +<p>"I suppose you are watching over my prisoner?"</p> + +<p>"I answer for him."</p> + +<p>"But do not annoy him unnecessarily."</p> + +<p>"All right, admiral, we will be gentle with him."</p> + +<p>"Is Omopoua aboard at this moment?"</p> + +<p>"Here I am, master," a second voice immediately replied.</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah," the filibuster said with satisfaction, "all the better. I +want you—come ashore."</p> + +<p>"Are you in a hurry, master?"</p> + +<p>"A great hurry."</p> + +<p>"In that case, wait a moment."</p> + +<p>And ere the filibuster could guess the Carib's intention, the noise of +a body falling in the water could be heard, and two or three minutes +later the Indian rested his hands on the gunwale of the canoe.</p> + +<p>"Here I am," he said.</p> + +<p>Montbarts could not refrain from smiling on seeing with what +promptitude the savage obeyed his orders. He held out his hand, and +helped him to get into the boat.</p> + +<p>"Why such a hurry?" he said to him in a tone of friendly reproach.</p> + +<p>The Indian shook himself like a drowned poodle.</p> + +<p>"Nonsense," he said, "I am all right."</p> + +<p>"Have you got the Indian?" Bowline asked.</p> + +<p>"Yes: now good night; you will see me tomorrow."</p> + +<p>"Tomorrow?"</p> + +<p>"Pull," the filibuster said to the engagé.</p> + +<p>The latter dipped his paddles, and the canoe resumed its course.</p> + +<p>Ten minutes later, it ran aground at the very spot where Montbarts had +seized it for the purpose of going to Nevis. The three men landed on +the beach, pulled up the canoe, and went off in the direction of the +hatto.</p> + +<p>They passed through the town and a swarm of filibusters, who were +celebrating by songs, shouts, and libations their last hours of liberty.</p> + +<p>They went on in silence. When the three men reached the hatto, +Montbarts lit a candle, and searched the house with the greatest care, +to make sure that no stranger was present; then he returned to his two +comrades, who were waiting for him in the Esplanade.</p> + +<p>"Come in," he merely said to them.</p> + +<p>They followed him.</p> + +<p>Montbarts sat down in a chair, and then turned to the Carib.</p> + +<p>"I have to talk with you, Omopoua," he said.</p> + +<p>"Good," the Indian remarked, joyously; "in that case you have need of +me."</p> + +<p>"If that were true you would be satisfied, then?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I should be."</p> + +<p>"For what reason?"</p> + +<p>"Because, since I have found a white man who is good and generous, I +am anxious to prove to you that all the Caribs are not ferocious and +untameable, but know how to be grateful."</p> + +<p>"I promised you, I think, to take you back to your country?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, you made me that promise."</p> + +<p>"Unfortunately, as I am appointed chief of an important expedition, +which will probably last some time, it is impossible for me at this +moment to take you back to Haiti."</p> + +<p>The Indian's face grew dark on hearing this.</p> + +<p>"Do not grieve, but listen to me attentively," the filibuster +continued, who had noticed the change that took place in the Indian's +face.</p> + +<p>"I am listening to you."</p> + +<p>"What I cannot do you are able to effect by yourself, if I supply you +with the means."</p> + +<p>"I do not exactly understand what the white Chief means; I am only a +poor Indian, with limited ideas. I require to have things explained to +me very clearly before I understand them; but it is true, that when I +do understand I never forget."</p> + +<p>"You are a Carib, hence you know how to manage a canoe?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," the Indian answered, with a proud smile.</p> + +<p>"Suppose I gave you a canoe, do you believe that you could fetch Haiti?"</p> + +<p>"The great land is very far away," he said, in a sorrowful voice, "the +voyage very long for a single man, however brave he may be."</p> + +<p>"Agreed; but suppose I placed in the canoe not only provisions, but +cutlasses, axes, daggers, and four fusils, with powder and ball?"</p> + +<p>"The pale Chief would do that!" he said, with an incredulous air. "Thus +armed, who could resist Omopoua?"</p> + +<p>"Suppose I did more?" the adventurer continued, with a smile.</p> + +<p>"The Chief is jesting; he is very gay. He says to himself, the Indians +are credulous; I will have a laugh at the expense of Omopoua."</p> + +<p>"I am not jesting, Chief—on the contrary, I am very serious; I will +give you the things I have enumerated to you, and, in order that you +may reach your country in safety, I will lend you a comrade, a brave +man, who will be your brother, and defend you as you would defend +yourself."</p> + +<p>"And that companion?"</p> + +<p>"Is here," said Montbarts, pointing to his engagé, who was standing +calm and motionless by his side.</p> + +<p>"Then I am not to make the expedition with you, Montbarts?" the latter +said, in a sad voice, and with a reproachful accent.</p> + +<p>"Reassure yourself," said Montbarts, tapping him gently on the +shoulder; "the mission I send you on is most confidential, and even +more perilous than the expedition I am undertaking. I wanted a devoted +man—another self—and I have chosen you."</p> + +<p>"You have done well, in that case; I will prove to you that you are not +mistaken about me."</p> + +<p>"I am convinced of that already, my lad. Do you accept this companion, +Omopoua? He will help you to pass without being insulted through the +filibusters you may meet on your route."</p> + +<p>"Good! The pale Chief really loves Omopoua. What is the Indian to do on +arriving in his country?"</p> + +<p>"Omopoua's brothers have sought shelter, I think, in the neighbourhood +of the Artibonite?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, in the great savannahs to which the French have given the name of +Mirebalais."</p> + +<p>"Good! Omopoua will go and join his friends; he will tell them in what +way the filibusters treat the Caribs: he will present his companion to +them, and wait."</p> + +<p>"I will wait: the pale Chief, then, is coming to Haiti?"</p> + +<p>"Probably," said Montbarts, with a smile of indefinable meaning; "and +the proof is, that my engagé will remain with your tribe till my +arrival."</p> + +<p>"Good! I will await the coming of the pale Chief. When am I start?"</p> + +<p>"This very night. Go down to the beach; go in my name to the owner of +the canoe which brought us ashore—here is money," and he gave him +several piastres; "tell him that I buy his boat exactly as it stands. +You will lay in provisions at the same time, and then wait for your +comrade, to whom I have a few words to say—but he will rejoin you +soon."</p> + +<p>"I will go, then; gratitude is in my heart, and not on my lips. On the +day when you ask for my life I will give it you, because it is yours, +as well as that of all those who love me. Farewell!"</p> + +<p>And he made a movement to leave the room.</p> + +<p>"Where are you going?" Montbarts asked him.</p> + +<p>"I am off; did you not give me leave to go?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, but you are forgetting something."</p> + +<p>"What is it?"</p> + +<p>"The arms I promised you. Take from the rack a fusil for yourself, and +four others, which you can dispose of as you please, six cutlasses, +six daggers, and six hatchets; when you leave port, on passing the +lugger, you will ask Michael the Basque, in my name, for two barrels of +gunpowder and two bags of bullets—he will give them to you. Now go, +and I wish you all good fortune."</p> + +<p>The Carib, overcome by this generosity, so simple and so full of +grandeur, knelt to the adventurer, and seizing his feet, which he +placed on his head, he exclaimed, in a deeply affected voice—</p> + +<p>"I pay you homage as to the best of men. I and mine are henceforth and +eternally your devoted slaves." He got up, placed on his shoulder the +arms which the engagé handed him, and quitted the hatto.</p> + +<p>For some minutes his footsteps could be heard resounding on the path; +but this sound gradually died away, and a complete silence returned.</p> + +<p>"Now for us two, Olonnais!" Montbarts then said, addressing the engagé.</p> + +<p>The latter drew nearer.</p> + +<p>"I am listening, master," he said.</p> + +<p>"I saw you today for the first time, and yet you pleased me at the very +first glance," the adventurer continued. "I fancy myself a tolerable +physiognomist. Your frank and open face, your bold-looking eyes, and +the expression of audacity and intelligence spread over your features, +disposed me in your favour. That is the reason why I bought you. I +trust that I am not deceived about you; but I wish to make trial of +you. You know that I am at liberty to shorten your engagement, or even, +if I like, restore you your freedom tomorrow, so think of that, and act +accordingly."</p> + +<p>"Whether engaged or free I shall always be devoted to you, Montbarts," +the Olonnais said, "hence do not speak to me of recompense, for it is +useless with me: make your trial, and I hope to emerge from it with +honour."</p> + +<p>"That is speaking like a man and a frank adventurer: listen to me, +then, and do not let a word of what you are about to hear escape your +lips."</p> + +<p>"I shall be dumb."</p> + +<p>"In ten days at the most I shall anchor in Port Margot in St. Domingo; +the expedition I command is intended to take Tortoise Isle by surprise; +but while we are occupied on our side in surprising the Spaniards, they +must not be able to attack us in the rear, and ruin our establishments +at Grande Terre."</p> + +<p>"I understand; Omopoua's Caribs are scattered along the Spanish +frontier, and must be converted into allies of the expedition."</p> + +<p>"The very thing—you have understood me perfectly. Such is your +missive; but you must act with extreme cleverness and considerable +prudence, in order not to give the alarm to the Gavachos on one hand, +or arouse the suspicious of the Caribs on the other; the Indians are +susceptible and mistrustful, especially with white men, against +whom they have so many causes of complaint. The part you have to +play is rather difficult, but I think you will succeed—thanks to +the influence of Omopoua; besides, two days after my arrival at Port +Margot, I will proceed to the savannahs of the Artibonite, in order +to have an understanding, and to make the arrangements I may consider +necessary. You see that I act toward you with perfect frankness, and +rather as with a brother than an engagé."</p> + +<p>"I thank you for it; you shall have no cause to repent it."</p> + +<p>"I am glad to believe it—ah! A final recommendation, of secondary +importance, but, for all that, serious."</p> + +<p>"What is it?"</p> + +<p>"The Spaniards frequently hunt, or make excursions in the savannahs of +the Artibonite; watch them, though without letting them perceive you; +let them not have the slightest suspicion of what we are meditating +against them, for the least imprudence might have excessively grave +consequences for the success of our plans."</p> + +<p>"I will act with prudence, be assured."</p> + +<p>"Now, my lad, I have only to wish you a pleasant trip, and successful +result."</p> + +<p>"Will you allow me, in my turn, to ask you a question before departing?"</p> + +<p>"Speak, I allow it."</p> + +<p>"For what reason have you, who possess so many brave and devoted +friends, instead of applying to one of them, chosen an obscure +engagé, whom you hardly know, to confide to him so difficult and so +confidential a mission?"</p> + +<p>"Are you anxious to know?" the adventurer asked, laughingly.</p> + +<p>"Yes, if you do not consider the question indiscreet."</p> + +<p>"Not the least in the world, and you shall be satisfied in a couple +of words. Apart from the good opinion I have of you, and which is +only personal, I have chosen you, because you are only a poor engagé, +who arrived from France but two days ago—no one knows you, or is +aware that I have purchased you: for this reason no one will dream of +suspecting you, and consequently you will be a more valuable agent to +me, as no one will imagine that you are my plenipotentiary, and acting +under my orders. Now do you understand, my lad?"</p> + +<p>"Perfectly, and I thank you for the explanation you have given me. +Good-bye; within an hour the Carib and I will have left St. Kitts."</p> + +<p>"Allow him to guide you during the voyage, that man is very clever, +though an Indian, and he will conduct you so that you will both reach +port in safety."</p> + +<p>"I shall not fail to do so; besides, the deference I shall show him +will dispose him in my favour, and further advance the success of our +projects."</p> + +<p>"Come, come," the adventurer said, with a laugh, "I see that you are a +sharp lad, and I now have good hopes of the issue of your mission."</p> + +<p>The Olonnais armed himself as the Carib had done, then took leave of +his master, and went away.</p> + +<p>"Come," Montbarts muttered, when he was alone, "I believe that my plans +are beginning to assume consistency, and that I shall soon be able to +deal a grand stroke."</p> + +<p>The next morning at sunrise an unusual agitation prevailed in the +township, which, however, was never very tranquil.</p> + +<p>The filibusters, armed to the teeth, were taking leave of their +friends, and preparing to proceed on board the vessels for which they +had enlisted on the previous day.</p> + +<p>The roads were cut up in all directions by a prodigious number of +canoes which passed to and fro, carrying men and provisions to the +departing ships.</p> + +<p>The Chevalier de Fontenay, surrounded by a numerous staff of renowned +filibusters, and having at his side Montbarts, David Drake, and Michael +the Basque, was standing at the end of the wooden mole that served as a +landing place, and witnessing thence the departure of the adventurers.</p> + +<p>These men with bronzed complexion, energetic and ferocious features, +and vigorous limbs, scarce clad in canvas drawers and old hats or caps, +but armed with long fusils, manufactured at Dieppe expressly for them, +having a heavy sharpened cutlass hanging from their belt, and carrying +their stock of powder and bullets, had a strange and singularly +formidable appearance, rendered even more striking by the expression of +carelessness and indomitable audacity spread over their faces.</p> + +<p>On seeing them it was easy to understand the terror with which they +must inspire the Spaniards, and the incredible exploits they achieved +almost as if in play, reckoning their lives as nothing, and only seeing +the object, that is to say, plunder.</p> + +<p>As they defiled before the governor and the officers elected to command +them, they saluted them respectfully, because discipline demanded it, +but the salute had nothing low or servile about it, it was that of men +fully conscious of their value, and aware that though sailors today, +they might, as they liked, be captains tomorrow.</p> + +<p>Towards midday the crews were complete, and only the Admiral and three +captains were still ashore.</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen," Montbarts said to his officers, "so soon as we are out +to sea, each of you will sail as you like; we have but a small stock +of provisions on board, but the islands we pass will supply us, do +not hesitate to pillage the corales of the Gavachos, for that will be +so much taken from the enemy. Hence it is settled that we will each +proceed separately to the general meeting place, for prudence urges +us not to let the enemy suspect our strength; our meeting place is +the northern island of the Grand Key; the first to arrive will await +the two others, there I will give you my final instructions about the +object of the expedition, of which you already know a part."</p> + +<p>"So then," said M. de Fontenay, "you insist on keeping your secret?"</p> + +<p>"If you absolutely demand, sir," Montbart replied, "I will—"</p> + +<p>"No, no," he interrupted him with a laugh; "keep it, for I do not know +what to do with it; besides, I have pretty nearly guessed your secret."</p> + +<p>"Ah," Montbarts said with an air of incredulity.</p> + +<p>"Confound it, I am greatly mistaken or you mean to make some attempt on +St. Domingo."</p> + +<p>The adventurer only answered by a crafty smile, and took leave of the +governor, who rubbed his hands joyously, for he was persuaded that he +had guessed the secret which it was attempted to conceal from him. An +hour later the three vessels raised their anchors, set sail, and went +off after giving a parting salute to the land, which was immediately +answered by the battery at the point.</p> + +<p>They soon became confounded with the white mist on the horizon, and ere +long disappeared.</p> + +<p>"Well," M. de Fontenay said to his officers as he returned to the +government house, "you will see that I am not mistaken, and that this +demon of a Montbarts really has a design on St. Domingo. Lord help the +Spaniards!"</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE HATTO.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>We will leave the filibustering flotilla steering through the +inextricable labyrinth of the Antilles, and transport ourselves to St. +Domingo, as the French call it, Hispaniola as Columbus christened it, +or Haiti as the Caribs, its first and only true owners, called it.</p> + +<p>And when we speak of the Caribs, we mean the black as well as the red, +for it is a singular fact, of which many persons are ignorant, that +some Caribs were black, and so thoroughly resembled the African race, +that when the French planters settled at St. Vincent, and brought +with them Negro slaves, the black Caribs, indignant at resembling men +degraded by slavery, and fearful too lest at a later date their color +might serve as a pretext to make them endure the same fate, fled into +the wildest recesses of the forest, and in order to create a visible +distinction between their race and the slaves brought to the island, +they compressed the foreheads of their new born infants, so that they +became completely flattened, which in the ensuing generation produced, +as it were, a new race, and afterwards became the symbol of their +independence.</p> + +<p>Before resuming our narrative, we ask the reader's permission to +indulge in a little geography: as many of the incidents of the history +of filibustering will take place at St. Domingo; it is indispensable +that this island should be well known.</p> + +<p>St. Domingo, discovered on December 6, 1492, by Christopher Columbus, +is, by the general verdict, the most lovely of all the Antilles. From +the centre of the island rises a group of mountains, springing one from +the other, from which issue three chains, running in three different +directions. The longest stretches to the west, and passes through +the middle of the island, dividing it into two nearly equal parts. +The second chain runs north, and ends at Cape Fou. The third, less +extensive than the preceding, at first follows the same direction, but +ere long taking a curve to the south, terminates in Cape St. Mark.</p> + +<p>In the interior of the island there are several other mountain ranges, +though much less considerable. The result of this multiplicity of +mountains is that communication, especially at the time when our story +is laid, was excessively difficult between the north and south of the +isle.</p> + +<p>At the foot of all these mountains are immense plains covered with a +luxurious vegetation; the mountains are intersected by ravines, which +keep up a constant and beneficent humidity; they contain different +metals, in addition to rock crystal, coal, sulphur, and quarries of +porphyry, slate and marble, and are covered with forests of bananas, +palms and mimosas of every species.</p> + +<p>Although the rivers are numerous, the largest are unfortunately +scarcely navigable, and cannot be ascended by canoes for more than a +few leagues; the principal ones are the Neyva, the Macoris, the Usaque, +or river of Montecristo, the Ozama, the Juna and the Artibonite, the +most extensive of all.</p> + +<p>Seen from the offing, the appearances of this island is enchanting; it +resembles an immense bouquet of flowers rising from the bosom of the +sea.</p> + +<p>We are not going to write the history of the colony of St. Domingo, but +will merely say that this island so rich and fertile had, through the +carelessness, cruelty and avarice of the Spaniards, fallen, one hundred +and fifty years after its discovery, into such a state of wretchedness +and misery, that the Spanish Government was compelled to send to this +colony, which became not only unproductive but burdensome, funds to pay +the troops and officials.</p> + +<p>While St. Domingo was thus slowly decaying, new colonists, brought by +accident, established themselves on the north west of the island, and +took possession of it, in spite of the resistance and opposition of the +Spaniards.</p> + +<p>These new colonists were French adventurers, most of them expelled from +St. Christopher on the descent of Admiral de Toledo on that colony, and +who were wandering about the Antilles in search of a refuge.</p> + +<p>At the period of the discovery, the first Spaniards had left on the +island some forty head of cattle; these animals, restored to liberty, +rapidly multiplied and traversed the savannahs of the interior in +immense herds; the French adventurers, on their arrival, did not dream +of cultivating the soil, but, seduced by the attractions of a perilous +chase, they occupied themselves exclusively in pursuing the bulls and +the wild boars, which were also very numerous and extremely formidable.</p> + +<p>The sole occupation of these adventurers then was the chase; they +preserved the hides of cattle and dried the meat by smoke in the Indian +fashion. Hence comes the name of buccaneers, for the Caribs gave the +name of <i>boucans</i> to the spot where they smoked the flesh of the +prisoners taken in war, and whom they ate after fattening them.</p> + +<p>We shall soon have occasion to return to this subject and enter into +fuller details about these singular men.</p> + +<p>Still, in spite of their love of independence, these adventurers had +understood the necessity of creating outlets for the sale of their +hides. Hence they established several counters at Port Margot and Port +de la Paix, which they regarded as the capital of their establishments; +but their position was most precarious owing to the proximity of the +Spaniards, who had hitherto been sole masters of the island, and would +not consent to have them as such near neighbours; hence they constantly +waged a savage war, which was the more cruel because quarter was not +granted on either side.</p> + +<p>Such was the situation of St. Domingo at the time when we resume our +narrative, about a fortnight after the departure of the filibustering +fleet from St. Kitts under the command of Montbarts the Exterminator.</p> + +<p>The sun, already low on the horizon, was enormously lengthening the +shadows of the trees, the evening breeze was rising, gently agitating +the leaves and tall grass, when a man mounted on a powerful horse, +and wearing the costume of the Spanish Campesinos, followed a scarce +traced path which wound through the centre of a vast plain covered +with magnificent plantations of sugar cane and coffee, and led to an +elegant hatto, whose pretty mirador commanded the country for a long +distance.</p> + +<p>This man appeared to be five and twenty years of age at the most; +his features were handsome, but imprinted with an expression of +insupportable pride and disdain; his very simple dress was only +relieved by a long rapier, whose hilt of carved silver hung on his left +hip and showed him to be a gentleman, as the nobility alone had the +right to wear a sword.</p> + +<p>Four black slaves, half naked, and whose bodies glistened with +perspiration, ran behind his horse, one carrying a richly damascened +fusil, the second a game bag, and the two others a dead boar, whose +tied feet were resting on a bamboo supported by the shoulders of the +poor fellows.</p> + +<p>But the rider seemed to trouble himself but little about his +companions, or rather his slaves, toward whom he did not deign to turn +his head, even when speaking to them, which he did sometimes to ask +them for directions in a harsh and contemptuous voice.</p> + +<p>He held in his band an embroidered handkerchief, with which he wiped +away every moment the perspiration that inundated his forehead, and +looked savagely around him, while urging his horse with the spur, to +the great sorrow of the slaves who were forced to double their efforts +to follow him.</p> + +<p>"Well," he at length asked in an ill-tempered tone, "shall we never +arrive at this accursed hatto?"</p> + +<p>"In half an hour at the furthest, <i>mi amo</i>," a Negro answered +respectfully, "there is the mirador over there."</p> + +<p>"What a deuce of a notion it was of my sister, to come and bury herself +in this frightful hole instead of remaining quietly at her palace in +St. Domingo. Women are mad, on my honour," he grumbled between his +teeth.</p> + +<p>And he spiced this most ungallant observation by furiously digging the +spurs into his horse, which started at a gallop.</p> + +<p>Still, he was rapidly approaching the hatto, all the details of which +it was already easy to distinguish.</p> + +<p>It was a pretty and rather large mansion with a terraced roof, +surmounted by a mirador and with a peristyle in front formed by four +columns supporting a verandah.</p> + +<p>A thick hedge surrounded the house, which could only be reached by +crossing a large garden; behind were the corrals to shut in the beasts, +and the cottages of the Negroes, miserable, low and half ruined huts, +built of clumsily intertwined branches and covered with palm leaves.</p> + +<p>This hatto, tranquil and solitary, in the midst of this plain of +luxuriant vegetation, and half concealed by the trees that formed a +screen of foliage, had a really enchanting aspect, which, however, did +not seem to produce on the traveller's mind any other effect but that +of profound weariness and lively annoyance.</p> + +<p>The arrival of the stranger had doubtless been signalled by the sentry +stationed on the mirador to watch the surrounding country, for a +horseman emerged at a gallop from the hatto, and came toward the small +party composed of the gentleman we have described and the four slaves +who still ran behind him, displaying their white, sharp teeth, and +blowing like grampuses.</p> + +<p>The newcomer was a man of short stature, but his wide shoulders and +solid limbs denoted far from common muscular strength, he was about +forty years of age, his features were harsh and marked, and the +expression of his countenance was sombre and crafty. A broad-brimmed +straw hat nearly concealed his face, a cloak called a poncho, made +of one piece, and with a hole in the middle to pass his head through, +covered his shoulders; the hilt of a long knife peeped out of his right +boot, a sabre hung on his left side, and a long fusil was lying across +the front of his saddle. When he arrived within a few paces of the +gentleman, he stopped his horse short on its hind legs, uncovered, and +bowed respectfully.</p> + +<p>"<i>Santas tardes</i>, Señor Don Sancho," he said in an obsequious voice.</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah! It is you, Birbomono," the young man said, as he carelessly +touched his hat; "what the deuce are you doing here? I fancied you were +hung long ago."</p> + +<p>"Your Excellency is jesting," the other replied, with an ill-tempered +grimace, "I am the Señora's Major-domo."</p> + +<p>"I compliment her on it, and you, too."</p> + +<p>"The Señora was very anxious about your Excellency, and I was +preparing, by her orders, to make a battue in the neighbourhood. She +will be delighted to see you arrive without misadventure."</p> + +<p>"What misadventure?" the young man said, as he loosened his rein; "What +do you mean, scamp? And what had I to fear on the roads?"</p> + +<p>"Your Excellency cannot be ignorant that the ladrones infest the +savannahs."</p> + +<p>The young man burst into a laugh.</p> + +<p>"The ladrones! What a pleasant story you are telling me, too; come, run +and announce my arrival to my sister, without further chattering."</p> + +<p>The Major-domo did not let the order be repeated, but bowed, and set +off at a gallop.</p> + +<p>Ten minutes later, Don Sancho dismounted in front of the peristyle of +the hatto, where a young lady of rare beauty, but cadaverous pallor, +and who appeared hardly able to keep up, as she was so weak and ill, +was awaiting his arrival.</p> + +<p>This lady was the sister of Señor Don Sancho, and the owner of the +hatto.</p> + +<p>The two young people embraced each other for a long while without +exchanging a word, and then Don Sancho offered his arm to his sister, +and entered the house with her, leaving the Major-domo to look after +his horse and baggage.</p> + +<p>The young gentleman led his sister to an easy chair, fetched one for +himself, rolled it up to her side, and sat down.</p> + +<p>"At last," she said a moment later, in an affectionate voice, as +she took one of the young man's hands in her own, "I see you again, +brother; you are here, near me—how glad I am to see you."</p> + +<p>"My dear Clara," Don Sancho replied, as he kissed her forehead, "we +have been separated for nearly a year."</p> + +<p>"Alas!" she murmured.</p> + +<p>"And during that year many things have doubtless happened, of which you +will inform me?"</p> + +<p>"Alas! My life during this year may be summed up in two words—I have +suffered."</p> + +<p>"Poor sister, how changed you are in so little time, I could hardly +recognize you; I came to St. Domingo with such joy, and no sooner had I +landed than I went to your palace; your husband, who has not altered, +and whom I found as heavy and silent as usual, with an increased dose +of importance, doubtless the result of his high position, told me that +you were not very well, and that the physicians had ordered you country +air."</p> + +<p>"It is true," she said, with a sad smile.</p> + +<p>"Yes; but I fancied you merely indisposed, and I find you dying."</p> + +<p>"Let us not talk of that, Sancho, I implore you; what matter if I am +ill? Did you receive my letter?"</p> + +<p>"Had I not, should I be here? Two hours after its receipt I set out; +for three days," he continued with a smile, "I have been going uphill +and down dale, along frightful roads, to reach you the sooner."</p> + +<p>"Thanks, oh thanks, Sancho; your presence renders me very happy—you +will remain for a while with me, will you not?"</p> + +<p>"As long as you like, dear sister, for I am a free man."</p> + +<p>"Free!" she repeated, looking at him with an air of amazement.</p> + +<p>"Well, yes; his Excellency, the Duc de Peñaflor, my illustrious father +and yours, the Viceroy of New Spain, has deigned to grant me an +unlimited leave."</p> + +<p>At her father's name a slight shudder ran over the young lady's person, +and her eyes became dimmed with tears.</p> + +<p>"Ah," she said, "my father is well?"</p> + +<p>"Better than ever."</p> + +<p>"And has he spoken about me?"</p> + +<p>The young man bit his lips.</p> + +<p>"He spoke to me about you very little," he said; "but I in revenge, +said a good deal about you, which re-established the balance: I even +believe that he granted me the leave I asked in great measure to free +himself from my chattering."</p> + +<p>Doña Clara hung her head without replying, and her brother fixed upon +her a glance full of tender pity.</p> + +<p>"Let us talk about yourself," he said.</p> + +<p>"No, no, Sancho; we had better talk about <i>him</i>." she replied +hesitatingly.</p> + +<p>"Of <i>him!</i>" he said in a hollow voice, and with a groan; "Alas, poor +sister, what can I tell you? All my efforts have been vain; I have +discovered nothing."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes;" she murmured, "his measures were well taken to make him +disappear. Oh, Heaven! Heaven!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands +wildly, "Will you not take pity on me?"</p> + +<p>"Calm yourself, I implore you, sister; I will see, I will seek—I will +redouble my efforts, and perhaps I shall at length succeed—"</p> + +<p>"No," she interrupted him, "never, never shall we be able to effect +anything; he is condemned, condemned by my father; that implacable man +will never restore him to me! Oh! I know my father better than you do; +you are a man, Sancho, you can try to struggle against him, but he has +crushed me, crushed me at a single blow; he broke my heart by a deadly +pressure in making me the innocent accomplice of an infernal vengeance! +Then he coldly reproached me with a dishonour which is his work, and +at the same blow eternally destroyed the happiness of three beings who +would have loved him, and whose future he held in his hands."</p> + +<p>"And you, my dear Clara, do you know nothing—have you discovered +nothing?"</p> + +<p>"Yes," she replied, looking at him fixedly, "I have made a horrible +discovery."</p> + +<p>"You terrify me, Clara; what do you mean? Explain yourself."</p> + +<p>"Not at present, my dear Sancho, not at present, for the time has not +arrived; so be patient. You know that I never had any secrets from you, +for you alone have always loved me. I wrote to you to come that I +might reveal this secret to you: in three days at the latest you shall +know all, and then—"</p> + +<p>"Then?" he said, looking at her intently.</p> + +<p>"Then you shall measure, as I do, the immense depth of the gulf into +which I have fallen; but enough of this subject for the present, I am +suffering terribly, so let us talk of something else."</p> + +<p>"Most willingly, my dear Clara; but what shall we talk about?"</p> + +<p>"Well, whatever you like, dear, the rain, the fine weather, your +journey, or anything of that sort."</p> + +<p>Don Sancho understood that his sister was suffering from extreme +nervous excitement, and that he would aggravate her already very +serious condition by not acceding to her wishes; hence he made no +objection, but readily yielded to her caprice.</p> + +<p>"Well then," he said, "my dear Clara, since that is the case, I +will take advantage of the opportunity to ask you to give me some +information."</p> + +<p>"What is it brother? I live in great seclusion as you see, and doubt +whether I can satisfy you, but speak all the same."</p> + +<p>"You know, little sister, that I am a stranger in Hispaniola, where I +only arrived four days ago, and then for the first time."</p> + +<p>"That is true; you have never visited the island; what do you think of +it?"</p> + +<p>"It is frightful, that is to say admirable; frightful as regards roads, +and admirable for scenery: you see that my proposition is not so +illogical as it at first appeared."</p> + +<p>"In truth the roads are not convenient."</p> + +<p>"Say that there are none, and you will tell the truth.";</p> + +<p>"You are severe."</p> + +<p>"No, I am only just; if you had seen what magnificent roads we possess +in Mexico, you would be of my opinion; but that is not the point at +present."</p> + +<p>"What is it then?"</p> + +<p>"Why, the information I want of you."</p> + +<p>"Ah, that is true, I forgot it; but explain yourself, I am listening."</p> + +<p>"This is it. Just imagine when I embarked at Veracruz to come here, all +the persons to whom I announced my departure invariably answered me +with a desperate agreement:—'Ah! you are going to Hispaniola, Señor +Don Sancho de Peñaflor, hum, hum, take care.' On board the vessel I +constantly heard the officers muttering among themselves 'keep a good +watch, take care.' At last I reached St. Domingo; my first care was, +as I told you, to go to the Count de Bejar, your husband, who received +me as kindly as he is capable of doing; but when I announced my +intention of coming to join you here, he frowned, and his first words +were 'the deuce, Don Sancho, you want to go to the hatto, take care, +take care.' It was enough to drive me mad; this sinister warning which +everywhere and at all hours echoed in my ears infuriated me. I did +not try to obtain any explanation from your husband, as I should not +have succeeded; but I inwardly resolved to get to the bottom of this +ill-omened phrase so soon as the opportunity presented itself. It did +present itself soon, but I am no further advanced than I was before, +and hence apply to you to solve the riddle."</p> + +<p>"But I am waiting for your explanation, for I confess that up to the +present I have not understood a word you have been saying."</p> + +<p>"Very good, let me finish. I had scarce set out with the slaves your +husband lent me, when I saw the scamps constantly turn their heads +to the right and left, with a look of terror. At first I attached no +great importance to this; but they ran away on seeing a magnificent +wild boar. I felt a fancy to shoot it, which I did by the way, and have +brought it here. When these unlucky Negroes saw me cock my fusil they +fell at my knees, clasping their hands with terror, and exclaiming in +a most lamentable voice,—'Take care, Excellency, take care!' 'What +must I take care of, you scoundrels?' I exclaimed in exasperation. +'The <i>ladrones</i>, Excellency, the <i>ladrones</i>!' I could obtain no other +explanation from them but this; but I hope, little sister, that you +will be kind enough to tell me who these formidable ladrones are."</p> + +<p>He bent over her; but Doña Clara, with her eyes widely dilated, her +arms stretched out and her features distorted, fixed upon him such an +extraordinary look, that he recoiled in horror.</p> + +<p>"The ladrones, the ladrones!" she twice repeated in a shrill voice; +"Oh! have pity, brother."</p> + +<p>She rose to her full height, advanced a few paces mechanically, and +fell fainting on the floor.</p> + +<p>"What is the meaning of this?" the young man asked himself, as he +rushed forward to raise her.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI">CHAPTER XXI.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE MAJOR-DOMO'S STORY.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Don Sancho, feeling very anxious about the state in which he saw his +sister, hastily summoned her women who at once flocked around her. He +confided her to their care, and retired to the apartment prepared for +him, while ordering that he should be immediately warned so soon as +Doña Clara displayed any signs of recovery.</p> + +<p>Don Sancho de Peñaflor was a charming cavalier, gay, merry, enjoying +life and repulsing with the egotism of his age and rank, every grief +and even every annoyance.</p> + +<p>Belonging to one of the first families of the Spanish aristocracy, +destined to be one day immensely rich, and through his name to hold +the highest offices and make one of those magnificent marriages of +convenience, which render diplomatists so happy, by leaving their minds +perfectly free for grand political combinations,—he strove, as far +as lay in his power, to check the beating of his heart, and not to +trouble by any unusual passion, the bright serenity of his existence. +Captain in the army, while awaiting something better, and to have the +air of doing something, he had followed his father as aide-de-camp to +Mexico, when the latter was appointed viceroy of New Spain. But, being +yet too young to regard life seriously and be ambitious, he had turned +his attention to gambling and flirtations since his arrival in America, +which greatly annoyed the Duke, for as the latter had passed the age of +love, he had no mercy for young men sacrificing to the idol which he +had himself worshipped for so long.</p> + +<p>Don Sancho was generally an excellent hearted fellow and good +companion, but affected, like all the Spaniards of that period, and +perhaps of the present, by caste prejudices, regarding the Negroes and +Indians as beasts of burden, created for his use, and disdaining to +conceal the contempt and disgust he felt for these disinherited races.</p> + +<p>In a word, Don Sancho, in accordance with the precept of his family, +always looked above him and never below; he endured his equals, but +established an impassable barrier of pride and disdain between himself +and his inferiors.</p> + +<p>Still, perhaps unconsciously,—for we will not give him the merit of +it,—a tender feeling had glided into the cold atmosphere in which +he was condemned to live, had penetrated to his heart, and at times +threatened to overthrow all his transcendental theories about egotism.</p> + +<p>This feeling was nothing else than the affection he felt for his +sister,—an affection which might pass for adoration, for it was so +truly devoted, respectful and disinterested; to please his sister he +would have attempted impossibilities; a simple word that fell from +her lips rendered him pliant and obedient as a slave; a desire she +manifested became at once an order for him as serious, and perhaps more +so, than if it had emanated from the King of Spain and the Indies, +although that magnificent potentate haughtily flattered himself that +the sun never set on his dominions.</p> + +<p>The first words the Count uttered so soon as he found himself alone in +his apartment, will show his character better than anything we can add.</p> + +<p>"Well," he exclaimed as he sank despairingly into an easy chair, +"instead of passing a few days agreeably here as I expected, I shall +be obliged to listen to Clara's complaints and console her; the deuce +take unhappy people, it really seems as if they had made agreement to +trouble my tranquillity."</p> + +<p>At the expiration of about three-quarters of an hour, a black slave +came to inform him that Doña Clara had regained her senses, but still +felt so weak and faint, that she begged him to refrain from seeing her +that evening.</p> + +<p>The young man was in his heart well pleased at the liberty granted him +by his sister, and which dispensed him from recurring to a conversation +which possessed no charm for him.</p> + +<p>"Very good," he said to the slave, "give my respects to my sister, and +order my supper to be served here; you will at the same time request +the Major-domo to come to me as I want to speak to him. Begone!"</p> + +<p>The slave went out and left him alone.</p> + +<p>The young Count then threw himself back in his chair, stretched out +his legs and plunged, not into any reverie, but into that state of +somnolency which is neither waking or sleeping, during which the mind +seems to wander in unknown regions, and which the Spaniards call a +siesta.</p> + +<p>While he was in this state, the slaves laid the table, being careful +not to disturb him, and covered it with exquisite dishes.</p> + +<p>But soon the steam of the dishes placed before him recalled the young +man to the reality, he drew himself up and seated himself at the table.</p> + +<p>"Why has not the Major-domo come," he asked, "have you neglected to +tell him?"</p> + +<p>"Pardon, Excellency, but the Major-domo is absent at this moment," a +slave respectfully answered.</p> + +<p>"Absent—for what motive?"</p> + +<p>"He is paying his usual evening visit to the grounds, but will soon +return; if your Excellency will be good enough to have a little +patience, you will soon see him."</p> + +<p>"Very good, although I do not understand the urgency of this visit. +There are no wild beasts here, I suppose?"</p> + +<p>"No, Excellency, thank heaven!"</p> + +<p>"Then, what is the meaning of these precautions?"</p> + +<p>"They are meant to guard the house from the attacks of the ladrones, +Excellency."</p> + +<p>"The ladrones again," he exclaimed, bounding from his seat, "why, it +must be a wager! Everybody seems to have agreed to mystify me, heaven +forgive me."</p> + +<p>At this moment spurs could be heard clattering outside the room.</p> + +<p>"Here is the Major-domo, Excellency," one of the Negroes said.</p> + +<p>"That is lucky, let him come in."</p> + +<p>Birbomono appeared, took off his hat, bowed respectfully to the Count, +and waited to be addressed.</p> + +<p>"Confound it," the young man said to him, "I asked for you an hour or +more ago."</p> + +<p>"I am in despair at it, Excellency, but I was only told of it this very +instant."</p> + +<p>"I know, I know. Have you dined?"</p> + +<p>"Not yet, Excellency."</p> + +<p>"Well then, seat yourself there, opposite to me."</p> + +<p>The Major-domo who knew the Count's haughty character, hesitated; he +did not at all understand the condescension on his part.</p> + +<p>"Sit down, I say," the young man replied; "we are in the country, so it +is of no consequence; besides, I want to talk with you."</p> + +<p>The Major-domo then took the place pointed out to him, without further +pressing.</p> + +<p>The meal was short—for the Count ate without uttering a single word; +when it was ended, he thrust away his plate, drank a glass of water +after the Spanish fashion, lit an excellent cigar and gave another to +the Major-domo.</p> + +<p>"Smoke, I permit it," he said.</p> + +<p>Birbomono gratefully accepted; but feeling more and more astonished, he +could not refrain from asking himself mentally, what important motive +his young master could have for treating him so condescendingly. +When the table was cleared and the slaves had withdrawn, the two +men remained alone. The night was magnificent and the atmosphere +marvellously clear; a multitude of stars floated in æther, a sweet warm +breeze penetrated through the windows, left expressly open, a profound +silence lay over the landscape, and from the spot where the two men +were seated, they perceived the dark mass of forest trees that closed +the horizon.</p> + +<p>"Now," said the Count, as he puffed out a cloud of bluish smoke, "let +us talk."</p> + +<p>"Very good, Excellency," the Major-domo replied.</p> + +<p>"I have several things to ask you, Birbomono; you know me, I think, and +that whether I threaten or promise, I always carry out what I say?"</p> + +<p>"I am aware of it, Excellency!"</p> + +<p>"Very good, that being settled, I will come to the fact without +further preamble. I have certain very important information to ask of +you; answering my questions is not betraying your mistress, who is my +sister, and whom I love before all else; on the contrary, it is perhaps +rendering her a service indirectly. Besides, if you refused to tell +me what I want to know, I should learn it from another quarter, and +you would forfeit any advantage to be derived from your frankness; you +understand me, I suppose?"</p> + +<p>"Perfectly, Excellency."</p> + +<p>"Well then, what do you intend doing."</p> + +<p>"My lord, I am devoted body and soul to your family, hence, I shall +consider it a duty to answer, as best I can, all the questions you may +deign to ask me, for I feel convinced that in questioning me, you have +no other motive but that of being agreeable to my mistress."</p> + +<p>"It is impossible to argue more correctly, Birbomono, I have always +said that you were an intelligent man; and this answer proves to +me that I was not mistaken. Now, I will begin, but let us proceed +regularly, so inform me of what occurred between my sister and her +husband, up to her arrival here; and the motives for her quitting St. +Domingo."</p> + +<p>"You know, Excellency, my lord Count de Bejar of Sousa, the husband of +your lady sister and my master, is a gentleman not naturally given to +speaking, but kind and sincerely attached to his wife, whose every wish +he strives to satisfy, without even venturing a remark. At St. Domingo +the Countess lived in the most absolute retirement, constantly shut +up in her remotest apartments, to which only her women, her confessor +and her physician had access. The Count visited her every morning and +evening, remained about a quarter of an hour with her, conversing on +indifferent subjects, and then withdrew."</p> + +<p>"Hum! This mode of life of my dear sister appears to me rather +monotonous; did it last long?"</p> + +<p>"For several months, Excellency, and it would doubtless still be going +on, had it not been for an event which no one but myself knows, and +which induced her to come here."</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah, and what was the event, if you please?"</p> + +<p>"I will tell you, Excellency; one day a ship of our nation arrived +at St. Domingo; during its passage through the islands, it had been +attacked by the ladrones, from whom it had escaped by a miracle, +capturing several of them."</p> + +<p>"Ah! I must stop you here," the Count exclaimed suddenly sitting up; +"before going further, one word about these ladrones, of whom persons +are incessantly talking, and no one knows. Do you know what they are?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly I do, Excellency."</p> + +<p>"At last," the Count added joyously, "I have at length found what I +wanted. As you know, I suppose you will tell me?"</p> + +<p>"Most willingly, Excellency."</p> + +<p>"Go on."</p> + +<p>"Oh! It will not be long, Excellency."</p> + +<p>"All the worse."</p> + +<p>"But I believe that it will be interesting."</p> + +<p>"All the better then, make haste."</p> + +<p>"These ladrones are English and French adventurers, whose courage +exceeds all belief; lying in ambush among the rocks in the straits +through which our vessels must pass, for they have vowed a war of +extermination against our nation, they dart out in wretched canoes half +full of water, leap on board the ship they have surprised, capture +it and carry it off. The injury done our marine by these ladrones is +immense; any ship attacked by them, with but few exceptions, may be +regarded as lost."</p> + +<p>"Confusion! That is very serious; has nothing been done to clear the +seas from these daring pirates?"</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, Excellency; Don Fernando de Toledo, admiral of the fleet, +sacked, by the king's orders, the island of St. Christopher, the refuge +of the ladrones, carried off all he could seize, and did not leave one +stone on the other in the colony they had founded."</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah!" said the Count, rubbing his hands, "That was well done, it +appears to me."</p> + +<p>"No, Excellency, and for this reason. These ladrones, scattered but not +destroyed, spread over the other islands; some of them, it is true, +returned to St. Christopher, but the greater part of them had the +audacity to seek a refuge in Hispaniola itself."</p> + +<p>"Yes, but they have been expelled, I hope."</p> + +<p>"It has been tried, at any rate, Excellency, but without success; since +that period they have managed to maintain themselves in the part of +the island they invaded, and have resisted all the forces sent against +them. Instead of being assailed they have become assailants, and pushed +on to the Spanish frontier, burning, plundering and sacking everything +they met on their passage; they did this the more easily, because they +inspire our soldiers with extreme terror, who as soon as they see them +or even hear them, take to flight without looking behind them. This +has reached such a pitch, Excellency, that the Count de Bejar, our +governor, has been compelled to take their fusils from the detachments +called the Fifties, ordered to protect the frontiers, and arm them with +lances."</p> + +<p>"What! Take away their fusils! And for what motive? Great heaven! this +seems to me almost too incredible."</p> + +<p>"Still, it can be easy understood, Excellency—the soldiers feel so +great a terror of the ladrones, that when they found themselves in +regions frequented by them, and were consequently afraid of meeting +them, they discharged their fusils, expressly to warn them of their +presence, and thus invite them to retire, which the ladrones never +failed to do; and knowing in this way the position of the soldiers, +they went off to plunder in another direction, certain of not being +disturbed."</p> + +<p>"It is almost incredible. Do you fear their visit here?"</p> + +<p>"They have not yet come on this side; still, it is as well to be on +one's guard."</p> + +<p>"I believe so—that is excessively prudent, and I approve of it; but +now let us return to the story you were telling me when I interrupted +you to give me this valuable information; you were saying that a +Spanish man-o'-war had arrived at Saint Domingo, having on board +several ladrones as prisoners."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Excellency. Now, you must know that the ladrones are hung so soon +as they are caught."</p> + +<p>"That measure is very wise."</p> + +<p>"These were reserved to make an example of on the island itself, and +terrify their accomplices; they were, therefore, landed, and placed +in Capilla, while awaiting their execution. It was Fray Arsenio who +undertook to reconcile the wretches with Heaven if it were possible."</p> + +<p>"A rude task; but who is Fray Arsenio?"</p> + +<p>"The confessor of my lady Countess."</p> + +<p>"Very good; proceed."</p> + +<p>"Just imagine, Excellency, that these ladrones are very pious men; +they never attack a vessel without offering up prayers to Heaven, +and sing the Magnificat and other church hymns while boarding; hence +Fray Arsenio had no difficulty in making them perform their religious +duties. The Governor had decided that, in order that the example +should benefit the rest, these ladrones should be hung on the Spanish +frontier; they were, therefore, taken out of prison, securely bound, +and traversed the town in carts, guarded by a numerous escort, and +passing through the crowds, who overwhelmed them with maledictions +and cries of anger and threatening. But the ladrones seemed to pay +no attention to this manifestation of the public hatred; they were +five in number, young, and apparently very powerful. All at once, at +the moment when the carts, which were going very slowly, owing to the +crowd, arrived in front of the Governor's palace, the ladrones rose +altogether, uttered a loud cry, and, leaping into the street, took +refuge in the palace, whose guard they disarmed, and closed the gates +after them; they had succeeded in cutting their bonds, no one knew +how. There was at first a moment of profound stupor among the crowd on +seeing such a desperate deed, but ere long the soldiers regained their +courage, and marched boldly on the palace, where the ladrones received +them with musket shots. The fight was bravely carried on on both sides, +but all the disadvantage was on the side of our men, who were exposed +to the shots of invisible enemies, and renowned marksmen, every shot +from whom brought down a victim. Some twenty dead, and as many wounded, +were already lying on the square; the soldiers hesitated to continue +this deadly contest, when the Governor, warned of what was going on, +came up at full speed, followed by his officers. Fortunately for him, +the Count was not at home when the ladrones seized his palace; but the +Countess was there, and the Count trembled lest she should fall into +the hands of these villains. He summoned them to surrender; they only +replied by a discharge, which killed several persons by the Governor's +side, and slightly wounded himself."</p> + +<p>"The daring villains!" the Count muttered—"I hope they were hung."</p> + +<p>"No, Excellency; after holding all the forces of the town in check for +two hours, they proposed a capitulation, which was accepted."</p> + +<p>"What!" the Count exclaimed, "Accepted! Oh! This is too much."</p> + +<p>"It is the exact truth, however, Excellency; they threatened, unless +they were allowed to retire in peace, to blow themselves up with the +palace, which would have entailed the general ruin of the town, and to +cut the throats of the prisoners in their power—that of the Countess +first of all; the Governor tore out his hair with rage, but they only +laughed."</p> + +<p>"Why they are not men!" the Count exclaimed, stamping his foot +passionately.</p> + +<p>"No, Excellency, I told you, they are demons. The Count's officers +persuaded him to accept the capitulation; the bandits insisted that the +streets should be cleared for their passage; they had horses brought +for them, and two for the Countess and one of her servants, whom they +retained as hostages till they were in safety; and they went out well +armed, leading in their midst my poor mistress, trembling with terror, +and more dead, than alive. The ladrones did not hurry, they went at +a foot pace, laughing and talking together, turning round, and even +stopping now and then to stare at the crowd, which followed them at a +respectful distance. They left the town in this way, but religiously +kept their promise; two hours later, my lady the Countess, to whom they +had behaved with great courtesy, returned to Saint Domingo, accompanied +to the palace by the acclamations and glad shouts of the populace, +who fancied her lost. The next day the Count ordered me to accompany +the Countess here, where the physicians recommended her to live for a +while, in order to rest from the terrible emotions she had doubtless +experienced while she was in the power of the bandits."</p> + +<p>"And since your installation at the hatto I presume nothing +extraordinary has occurred?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Excellency, something has happened, and that is why I told +you at the beginning that I alone knew the event which had modified +my mistress's mode of living. One of the ladrones had a very long +interview with her before they left her, an interview I saw, too far +off to hear what was said, it is true, but near enough to judge of the +interest she felt in it, and the impression it produced on her, for I +had followed my mistress, resolved not to abandon her, and help her, +were it necessary, at the risk of my life."</p> + +<p>"That is the behaviour of a good servant, Birbomono, and I thank you +for it."</p> + +<p>"I only did my duty, Excellency; so soon as the ladrones left her +alone I approached my mistress, and escorted her back to the town. A +few days after our arrival here my mistress dressed herself in man's +clothes, left the hatto unseen, only followed by myself and Fray +Arsenio, who had refused to leave her, and led us to a secluded bay +on the coast, where one of the ladrones was awaiting us. This man had +another long conversation with my mistress, then, bidding us get into +a canoe, he took us to a Spanish brigantine, tacking in sight of the +coast. I afterwards learnt that this brigantine had been freighted by +Fray Arsenio by my mistress's orders. So soon as we were on board this +vessel, sail was set, and we put out to sea; the <i>ladrón</i> had returned +ashore in the canoe."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense!" the young man violently interjected; "What fables are you +telling me, Birbomono?"</p> + +<p>"Excellency, I am only telling you the truth you asked of me, without +adding or omitting anything."</p> + +<p>"Well, I am willing to believe you, incredible though the whole affair +appears."</p> + +<p>"Shall I break off here, Excellency, or continue my narration?"</p> + +<p>"Go on, in the Fiend's name! Perhaps some light will eventually issue +from all this chaos."</p> + +<p>"Our brigantine began tacking between the islands, at a great risk +of being snapped up as it passed by the ladrones; but, through some +incomprehensible miracle, it succeeded in passing unseen, so that in +eight days it reached an island in the form of a mountain, called +Nevis, I believe, and only separated by a narrow channel from St. +Kitts."</p> + +<p>"But, from what you told me yourself, St, Christopher is the den of the +ladrones."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Excellency, and so it is; the brigantine did not anchor, it +merely backed sails, and lowered a boat. My mistress, the monk, and +I, got into it, and we were landed on the island; but, as she put her +little foot on land, the Countess turned to me, and fixing on me a +glance which nailed me to the boat I was on the point of leaving, she +said—'Here is a letter, which you will carry to St. Christopher, there +you will inquire for a celebrated Chief of the ladrones, whose name +is Montbarts: you will have him pointed out to you; follow him, and +place this letter in his own hands. Go, I count on your fidelity.' What +could I do? Only obey: you will agree with me, Excellency. The sailors +in the boat, as if warned beforehand, conveyed me to St. Christopher, +where I landed unseen: I was lucky enough to meet this Montbarts, and +hand him the letter, and then I slipped away; the boat which had been +waiting for me took me back to Nevis, and the Señora thanked me. At +sunset Montbarts arrived at Nevis; he talked for nearly an hour with +the monk, while Doña Clara was concealed in a tent, and then went away: +a few minutes later, the Countess and Fray Arsenio returned aboard the +brigantine, which conveyed us back to Hispaniola with the same good +fortune. The monk remained in the French part of the island, for some +reason I do not know, while my mistress and I, as soon as we landed, +returned to the hatto, where we arrived just ten days ago."</p> + +<p>"And then?" the Count asked, seeing that the Major-domo was silent.</p> + +<p>"That is all, Excellency," he answered; "since then Doña Clara has +remained shut up in her apartments, and nothing has happened to trouble +the monotony of our existence."</p> + +<p>The Count rose without replying, walked up and down the room in +considerable agitation, and then turned to Birbomono.</p> + +<p>"Very good, Major-domo," he said to him—"I thank you; keep your mouth +shut about this, and now you can retire. Remember, that no one in the +household must suspect the importance of the conversation we have had +together."</p> + +<p>"I shall be dumb, Excellency," the Major-domo answered, and retired +with a respectful bow.</p> + +<p>"It is evident," the young man muttered, so soon as he was alone, "that +there is at the bottom of this affair a frightful secret, of which my +sister in all probability will condemn me to take my share. I am afraid +that I have fallen into a trap. Hang it all! Why could not Clara let me +live at my ease in Saint Domingo?"</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXII" id="CHAPTER_XXII">CHAPTER XXII.</a></h4> + +<h3>ACROSS COUNTRY.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>On the morrow, Doña Clara appeared, if not completely recovered from +her previous emotion, at least in a far more satisfactory state of +health than her brother had dared to hope after the fainting fit of +which he had been witness.</p> + +<p>No allusion was made, however, by one or the other to the previous +evening's conversation. Doña Clara, although very pale, and excessively +weak, affected gaiety and even merriment; she carried matters so far as +even to take a short walk in the garden, leaning on her brother's arm.</p> + +<p>But the latter was not deceived by this conduct; he understood that +his sister, vexed at having talked to him too frankly, was trying +to lead him astray as to her condition, by affecting a gaiety far +from her heart. Still, he did not let anything be seen, and when the +great heat of the day had passed, he pretended a desire to visit the +surrounding country, in order to give his sister a little liberty: +taking his fusil, he mounted his horse, and rode out, accompanied by +the Major-domo, who offered to act as his guide during his excursion.</p> + +<p>Doña Clara made but a faint effort to keep him at home; in her heart +she was pleased to be alone for a few hours.</p> + +<p>The young man galloped across country with a feverish impatience. +He was in a state of excitement, for which he could not account to +himself; in spite of his egotism, he felt himself interested in his +sister's misfortune; so much humble resignation involuntarily affected +him, and he would have been happy to infuse a little joy into this +heart crushed by grief; on the other hand, the Major-domo's singular +story incessantly returned to his mind, and aroused his curiosity +in the highest degree. Still he would not for anything in the world +have questioned his sister about the obscure parts of this narrative, +or merely let her know that he was aware of her relations with the +filibusters of St. Kitts.</p> + +<p>The two men had entered the savannah territory, and talking of +indifferent topics; but as the Count could not get rid of the +recollection of what the Major-domo had told him, he turned sharply +toward him at a certain moment.</p> + +<p>"By the way," he asked him sharply, "I have not yet seen my sister's +confessor. How do you call him?"</p> + +<p>"Fray Arsenio, Excellency; he is a Franciscan monk."</p> + +<p>"Yes, that's it, Fray Arsenio. Well, why does he persist in remaining +invisible?"</p> + +<p>"For an excellent reason, Excellency; the reason I had the honour of +explaining to you last evening."</p> + +<p>"That is possible—I do not say you did not; but everything is so +confused in my mind," he said, with feigned indifference, "that I no +longer remember what you told me on the subject; you will therefore +oblige me by repeating it."</p> + +<p>"That is easy, Excellency. Fray Arsenio left us at the moment when we +landed, and has not reappeared at the hatto since."</p> + +<p>"That is singular: and does not Doña Clara appear alarmed and vexed at +so long an absence?"</p> + +<p>"Not at all, Excellency; the señora never speaks of Fray Arsenio, and +does not inquire whether he has returned or not."</p> + +<p>"It is strange," the young man muttered to himself; "what is the +meaning of this mysterious absence?"</p> + +<p>After this aside, the Count suddenly broke off the conversation and +resumed the chase. They had been absent from the hatto for some hours, +and had insensibly gone a very considerable distance; the sun was +nearing the horizon, and the Count was preparing to turn back, when +suddenly a great noise of breaking branches was heard at the skirt of +the forest, from which they were only separated by a few shrubs, and +several wild oxen dashed on to the savannah, pursued, or, to speak more +correctly, hunted, by a dozen hounds, which barked furiously while +snapping at them.</p> + +<p>The oxen, seven or eight in number, passed like a tornado two horse +lengths from the Count, to whom this unexpected apparition caused such +a surprise, that he remained for a moment motionless, not knowing what +to do.</p> + +<p>The savage animals, still harassed by the hounds, which did not leave +them, made a sudden wheel, and turning back, seemed trying to enter the +forest at the spot where they had left it; but they had hardly resumed +their flight in that direction, when a fusil was discharged, and a +bull, struck in the head, fell dead on the ground.</p> + +<p>At the same instant a man emerged in his turn from the forest, and +walked up to the animal, which was lying motionless and nearly hidden +in the tall grass, without appearing to notice the two Spaniards, and +reloading as he walked along the long fusil he had, in all probability, +just employed so adroitly.</p> + +<p>This hunting episode was accomplished more quickly than it has taken +us to describe it, so that Don Sancho had not quite recovered from his +surprise, when the Major-domo bent down to his side and said in a low +voice, half choked with terror—</p> + +<p>"Excellency, you wanted to see a <i>ladrón</i>. Well, look carefully at that +man, he is one."</p> + +<p>Don Sancho was endowed with undaunted courage. When his first surprise +had passed, he became again completely master of himself, and regained +all his coolness.</p> + +<p>After securing his seat on the saddle, he advanced slowly toward the +stranger, while examining him curiously. He was a man still young, of +middle height, but well and powerfully built; his regular, majestic, +and rather handsome features displayed boldness and intelligence. Cold, +heat, rain, and sunshine to which he had doubtless for a long time been +exposed, had given his face a decided bistre hue; and although he wore +his full beard, it was cut rather short.</p> + +<p>His dress, of almost primitive simplicity, so to speak, was composed of +two shirts, breeches, and jacket, all of canvas, but so covered with +spots of blood and grease, that it was impossible to recognise its +original colour. He wore a leathern belt, from which hung on one side +a case of crocodile skin, containing four knives and a bayonet; on the +other, a large calabash, stopped with wax, and a hide bag containing +bullets. He wore across his shoulders a small coat of fine canvas, +rolled up and reduced to its smallest compass; and in lieu of shoes, +boots made of untanned oxhide. His long hair, fastened with a <i>víbora</i> +skin, escaped from under a fur cap which covered his head, and was +protected by a peak in front.</p> + +<p>His fusil, whose barrel was four and a half feet in length, could be +easily recognized through the strange form of its stock, as turned out +by Brachie, of Dieppe, who with Gélin, of Nantes, had the monopoly of +manufacturing arms for the adventurers. This fusil was of the calibre +of sixteen to the pound.</p> + +<p>The appearance of this man, thus armed and accoutred, had really +something imposing and formidable about it.</p> + +<p>You instinctively felt yourself in face of a powerful nature, of a +chosen organization, accustomed only to reckon on oneself, and which no +danger was great enough to astound or even affect.</p> + +<p>While continuing to advance toward the bull, he took a side glance at +the two horsemen; then, without paying any further attention to them, +he whistled to his dogs, which at once gave up their pursuit of the +herd, and after drawing a knife from his sheath, he began skinning the +animal lying at his feet.</p> + +<p>At this moment the Count came up to his side.</p> + +<p>"Eh," he said to him in a sharp voice, "who are you, and what do you +here?"</p> + +<p>The buccaneer, for he was one, raised his head, looked sarcastically +at the man who addressed him so peremptorily, and then shrugged his +shoulders with disdain.</p> + +<p>"Who I am?" he replied, mockingly; "You see that I am a buccaneer, and +what I am doing. I am flaying a bull I have slain. What next?"</p> + +<p>"I want to know by what right you hunt on my land?"</p> + +<p>"Ah! This land is yours? I am very glad to hear it. Well, I am hunting +here because I think proper. If that does not suit you, I feel sorry +for it, my pretty gentleman."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?" the Count continued, haughtily; "And how do you +dare to assume such a tone with me?"</p> + +<p>"Probably, because it is the one that suits me best," the buccaneer +replied, drawing himself up quickly; "go your road, my fine sir, and +take some good advice; if you do not wish your handsome jerkin to be +filled with broken bones within five minutes, do not trouble yourself +about me more than I do about you, and leave me to attend to my +business."</p> + +<p>"I will not allow it," the young man answered, violently; "the land you +are trespassing on so impertinently belongs to my sister, Doña Clara de +Bejar; I will not suffer it to be invaded with impunity by vagabonds +of your description. <i>¡Viva Dios!</i> You will decamp at once, my master, +or, if not—"</p> + +<p>"If not?" the buccaneer asked, with eyes flashing fire, while the +Major-domo, foreseeing a catastrophe, prudently glided behind his +master.</p> + +<p>As for the latter, he stood cool and impassive before the buccaneer, +resolved to take the offensive vigorously, if he saw him make the +slightest suspicious gesture. But, contrary to all expectation, the +adventurer's menacing look became almost suddenly calm, his features +resumed their usual expression of nonchalance; and it was in an almost +friendly tone, in spite of its roughness, that he said—</p> + +<p>"Halloh! What name was that you mentioned, if you please?"</p> + +<p>"That of the owner of this savannah."</p> + +<p>"I suppose so," the adventurer replied, laughing; "but may I ask you to +repeat the name?"</p> + +<p>"That is of no consequence, my master," the young man said +disdainfully, for he fancied that his adversary was backing out of the +quarrel; "the name I uttered is that of Doña Clara de Bejar of Sousa."</p> + +<p>"Et cetera," the buccaneer said, with a laugh, "these devils of +gavachos have names for every day in the year. Come, don't be angry, +my young cock," he added, remarking the flush which the expression he +had employed spread over the Count's face; "we are, perhaps, nearer an +understanding than you imagine—what would you gain by a fight with me? +Nothing; and you might, on the contrary, lose a great deal."</p> + +<p>"I do not understand your words," the young man answered drily, "but I +hope you are about to explain them."</p> + +<p>"It will not take long, as you shall see," the other said tauntingly, +and, turning to the forest, he raised his hands to his mouth in the +shape of a speaking trumpet.</p> + +<p>"Eh! L'Olonnais!" he shouted.</p> + +<p>"Hola!" a man immediately answered, whom the denseness of the forest in +which he was hidden rendered invisible.</p> + +<p>"Come here, my son," the buccaneer continued, "I believe we have found +your little matter."</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah!" L'Olonnais, still invisible, replied, "I must have a look at +it."</p> + +<p>The young Count did not know what to think of this new incident which +seemed about to change the state of affairs; he feared a coarse jest +on the part of these half-savage men. He hesitated between giving way +to the passion that was boiling within him, or patiently awaiting the +result of the buccaneer's summons; but a secret foreboding urged him to +restrain himself and act prudently with these men, who did not appear +animated by an evil design against him, and whose manners, though quick +and rough, were still friendly.</p> + +<p>At this moment L'Olonnais appeared; he wore the same dress as the +buccaneer: he advanced hurriedly toward the latter, and without +troubling himself about the two Spaniards, asked him what he wanted, +while throwing on the ground a wild bull's hide, which he was carrying +on his shoulders.</p> + +<p>"Did you not tell me something about a letter which Bowline sent you +this morning by the hands of Omopoua?"</p> + +<p>"It is true, Lepoletais. I spoke to you about it," he said, "and it was +settled between us that as you know the country, you were to lead me to +the person to whom I have to deliver this accursed slip of paper."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, my son, if you like, your commission is performed," +Lepoletais continued, as he pointed to Don Sancho, "he is the brother, +or at least calls himself so, of the person in question."</p> + +<p>"Stuff," L'Olonnais replied, fixing alight glance on the young man, +"that gay springald?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, he says so; for as you know, the Spaniards are such liars, that +it is not possible even to trust to their word."</p> + +<p>Don Sancho blushed with indignation.</p> + +<p>"Who gave you the right to doubt mine?" he exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"Nothing has done so up to the present, hence I am not addressing +myself to you, but speaking generally."</p> + +<p>"So," L'Olonnais asked him, "you are the brother of Doña Clara de +Bejar, the mistress of the hatto del Rincón?"</p> + +<p>"Once again, yes, I am her brother."</p> + +<p>"Good! And how will you prove it to me?"</p> + +<p>The young man shrugged his shoulders.</p> + +<p>"What do I care whether you believe me or not?" he said.</p> + +<p>"That is possible, but it is of great consequence to me to be certain +of the fact; I am entrusted with a letter for that lady, and wish to +perform my commission properly."</p> + +<p>"In that case hand me the letter, and I will deliver it myself."</p> + +<p>"You found that out all by yourself," the engagé said mockingly, "a +likely notion that I should give you the note on your demand," and he +burst into a hearty laugh, in which Lepoletais joined.</p> + +<p>"These Spaniards doubt nothing," the buccaneer said.</p> + +<p>"In that case go to the deuce, you and your letter," the young man +exclaimed passionately, "it does not make any difference to me if you +keep it."</p> + +<p>"Come, come, don't be savage, hang it all," L'Olonnais continued in a +conciliatory tone; "there is possibly a means of arranging matters to +the general satisfaction; I am not so black as I look, and I have good +intentions, but I do not wish to be duped, that is all."</p> + +<p>The young man, in spite of the visible repugnance with which the +adventurers inspired him did not dare to break suddenly with them; the +letter might be very important, and his sister, doubtless would not +pardon him if he acted petulantly in this matter.</p> + +<p>"Come," he said, "speak, but make haste; it is late—I am far from the +hatto, where I wish to return before sunset, so as not to alarm my +sister unnecessarily."</p> + +<p>"That is the conduct of a good brother," the engagé answered with an +ironical smile; "this is what I propose to you: tell the little lady in +question that Montbart's engagé has orders to deliver a letter to her, +and that if she wishes to have it, she need only come and fetch it."</p> + +<p>"What! Fetch it, where?"</p> + +<p>"Here; zounds! Lepoletais and I will set up a boucan at this spot; we +will wait for the lady all tomorrow here: it seems to me that what I +propose is simple and easy."</p> + +<p>"And do you believe," he answered ironically, "that my sister will +consent to accept such an appointment made by a wretched adventurer? +why, you must be mad!"</p> + +<p>"I do not believe anything, I make you a proposal, which you are free +to accept or refuse, that is all: as for the letter, she shall only +have it by coming to fetch it herself."</p> + +<p>"Why not accompany me to the hatto, that would be more simple, I fancy?"</p> + +<p>"It is possible, and that was my intention at first, but I have changed +my mind; so settle what you will do."</p> + +<p>"My sister respects herself too much to take such a step, I am certain +beforehand that she will indignantly refuse."</p> + +<p>"Well, you may be mistaken, my friend," the engagé said, with a knowing +smile, "who ever knows what women think!"</p> + +<p>"Well, to cut short an interview which has already lasted too long, I +will inform her of what you have said to me; still, I do not conceal +from you that I shall make every effort to prevent her coming."</p> + +<p>"You can do as you please, it does not concern me; but be assured that +if it be her wish to come, as I believe, your arguments will be of no +use."</p> + +<p>"We shall see."</p> + +<p>"Mind not to forget to tell her that the letter is from Montbarts."</p> + +<p>During this conversation, which possessed no interest for him, +Lepoletais, with the characteristic coolness and carelessness of +buccaneers, was engaged in cutting down branches, and planting stakes +to make the <i>ajoupa</i> under which they would camp for the night.</p> + +<p>"You see," the engagé added, "that my comrade has already set to work; +so good-bye till tomorrow, as I have no time for further talk, I must +help to prepare the boucan."</p> + +<p>"Do as you please, but I am persuaded that you are wrong in reckoning +on the success of the commission I have undertaken."</p> + +<p>"Well, you will see; at any rate mention it to the Señora. Ah! By the +way, one word more, mind, no treachery."</p> + +<p>The young man did not condescend a reply: he shrugged his shoulders +disdainfully, leaped on his horse, and galloped off in the direction of +the hatto, closely followed by the Major-domo.</p> + +<p>On getting some distance away, he looked back: the ajoupa was already +finished, and, as L'Olonnais had said, the two buccaneers were busily +engaged in establishing their boucan, without paying any more attention +to the Spaniards, who were doubtless prowling about the neighbourhood, +than if they had been five hundred leagues from any habitation.</p> + +<p>Then he continued to advance thoughtfully in the direction of the hatto.</p> + +<p>"Well, Excellency," the Major-domo said presently, "you have seen the +ladrones, what do you think of them now?"</p> + +<p>"They are rough men," he said, shaking his head sadly, "possessing +brutal and indomitable natures, but relatively frank and honest, at +least from their point of view."</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, you are right, Excellency; and thus they gain more ground +every day, and if they were left alone, I am afraid that the whole +island would soon belong to them."</p> + +<p>"Oh, we have not reached that point yet," he said with a smile.</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, Excellency, for asking you the question, but do you intend +to inform the Señora of this meeting?"</p> + +<p>"I should like not to do so; unfortunately, after what you had told me +of the things that have taken place between my sister and these men, +my silence might have very serious consequences for her. Hence it is +better, I believe, to tell her frankly all about it, and she will be a +better judge than I of the line of conduct she should pursue."</p> + +<p>"I believe you are right, Excellency. The Señora has perhaps a great +interest in knowing the contents of that letter."</p> + +<p>"Well, let us trust in Heaven!"</p> + +<p>It was an hour past nightfall when they reached the hatto.</p> + +<p>They noticed with surprise an unusual movement round the house. Several +fires lighted on the plain illumined the darkness. On approaching, +the Count perceived that these fires were lit by soldiers, who had +established their bivouac there.</p> + +<p>A confidential servant was watching for the Count's arrival. So soon as +he saw him, he handed him several letters that had arrived for him, and +begged him to go at once to the Señora, who was impatiently expecting +him.</p> + +<p>"What is there new here?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Two fifties arrived at sunset, Excellency," the servant answered.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" he remarked, with a slight frown. "Very good. Inform my sister +that I shall be with her in an instant."</p> + +<p>The domestic bowed and retired. The young gentleman dismounted, and +went to the apartments of Doña Clara, considerably puzzled by the +unforeseen arrival of these troops at a spot which apparently enjoyed +great tranquillity, and where their presence was unnecessary.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXIII">CHAPTER XXIII.</a></h4> + +<h3>COMPLICATIONS.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>We must now return to one of our characters, who up to the present has +played but a secondary part in this story; but, as frequently happens, +is now called on by the exigencies of our narrative to take his place +in the foreground.</p> + +<p>We refer to Count Don Stenio de Bejar y Sousa, grandee of Spain of the +first class, <i>caballero cubierto</i>, governor for His Majesty Philip II. +of Spain and the Indies, of the island of Hispaniola, and husband of +Doña Clara de Peñaflor.</p> + +<p>Count Don Stenio de Bejar was a true Spaniard of the age of Charles V., +dry, stiff, full of pride and self-sufficiency, always with his hand +on his hip, and his head thrown back when he deigned to speak, which, +happened to him as rarely as possible, not through any want of sense, +as he was far from being a fool; but through indolence and contempt of +other men, whom he never looked at without half closing his eyes, and +raising the corners of his lips disdainfully.</p> + +<p>Tall, well built, possessed of noble manners, and a very handsome face, +the Count, apart from his determined silence, was one of the most +accomplished cavaliers of the Spanish court, which, however, at that +period, possessed a great number of them.</p> + +<p>His marriage with Doña Clara had been at the outset an affair of +convenience and ambition, but gradually, through admiring the charming +face of the woman he had married, seeing her gentle eyes fixed on +him, and hearing her melodious voice resound in his ear, he had grown +to love her—love her madly. Like all men accustomed to shut up and +concentrate in their hearts the feelings that possessed them, the +passion he experienced for Doña Clara had acquired proportions the more +formidable, because the unhappy man had the desperate conviction that +it would never be shared by the woman who was the object of it. All Don +Stenio's advances had been so peremptorily rejected by his wife, that +he at last made up his mind to abstain from them.</p> + +<p>But, like all disappointed lovers, this gentleman, who was at the same +time the husband—a very aggravating fact in the species, was naturally +too infatuated with his own merit, to attribute his defeat to himself, +and hence had looked around to discover the fortunate rival who had +robbed him of his wife's heart.</p> + +<p>Naturally the Count had not succeeded in finding this fancied rival, +who only existed in his own imagination, and this had grown into a +jealousy, the more ferocious because, as it did not know whom to settle +on, it attacked everybody.</p> + +<p>The Count was jealous, then, not like a Spaniard, for the Spaniards +generally, whatever may be said to the contrary, are not affected by +that stupid malady, but like an Italian; and this jealousy made him +suffer the more, because, like his love, he was unable to show it; +through fear of ridicule, he was compelled to lock it up carefully in +his heart.</p> + +<p>When, owing to his protection—as had been arranged on his marriage +with Doña Clara, of whose previous union with the Count de Barmont +he was ignorant—his father-in-law, the Duc de Peñaflor, was +appointed viceroy of New Spain, and himself obtained the government +of Hispaniola, the Count experienced a feeling of indescribable joy, +and an immense comfort inundated his mind. He was persuaded that in +America, his wife, separated from her friends and relatives, forced, +to live alone, and consequently to undergo his influence, would be +driven through weariness and want of something better to do, to share +his love, or at least accept it: and then again, on the islands there +was no rivalry to fear among a half savage population entirely absorbed +by a passion far more powerful than love—a passion for money.</p> + +<p>Alas! This time too, he was deceived. Doña Clara, it is true, gave him +no more pretext for jealousy than she had done in Spain, but he did not +any the more succeed in winning her affections. From the first day of +her arrival at Saint Domingo, she manifested the desire to live alone +and in retirement, engaged in religious practices; and the Count was +constrained, in spite of his fury, to bow before a resolution which he +recognised as irrevocable.</p> + +<p>He resigned himself; his jealousy however was not extinct, it was +smouldering beneath the ashes, and a spark would suffice to make it +burst into a more terrible flame than before.</p> + +<p>Still, in spite of this slight annoyance, the life the Count led at +Saint Domingo was most agreeable; in the first place he ruled there in +his quality of governor, saw everybody bend beneath his will, always +excepting his wife, the only one perhaps he would have cared to reduce. +He had his flatterers, and played the master and suzerain over all +who surrounded him; moreover, a thing not to be at all despised, his +position as governor secured certain imposts that rapidly augmented his +fortune, which various youthful follies had considerably reduced, and +he now worked hard, not only to repair the breaches, but to render them +as if they had never been.</p> + +<p>By degrees, however, the Count succeeded in lulling, if not subduing, +his love; he employed one passion to uproot the other; the care +of augmenting his fortune made him endure patiently the calculated +indifference of the Countess. He had almost come himself to believe +that he only felt for her a frank and sincere friendship; the more +so because Doña Clara for her part, was charming in everything that +did not touch on her husband's passion for her; she took an interest, +or at least pretended to do so, in the commercial speculations which +the Count did not hesitate to engage in under suppositious names, and +at times she would give him, with that clear judgment so eminently +possessed by women whose heart is free, excellent advice on very +difficult points, by which the Count profited, and naturally took all +the glory.</p> + +<p>Things were in this state when the episode with the filibusters +occurred, which the Major-domo described to Don Sancho de Peñaflor.</p> + +<p>This mad struggle of five men against an entire town, a struggle from +which they emerged victorious, had caused the Count a rage all the +greater, because the filibusters, on leaving the town, had taken the +Countess off with them as a hostage. He had then understood how greatly +he erred, in supposing that his love and jealousy were extinguished. +During the two hours that the Countess remained absent, the Count +suffered a horrible torture, the more horrible because the rage he felt +was impotent, and vengeance impossible, at least for the present.</p> + +<p>Hence, from this moment, the Count vowed an implacable hatred against +the adventurers, and swore to carry on a merciless war against them.</p> + +<p>The return of the Countess safe and sound, and treated with the +greatest respect by the adventurers, during the time she remained in +their power, calmed the Count's wrath from a marital point of view, +but the insult he had received in his quality as governor, was too +grave for him to renounce his vengeance.</p> + +<p>From this moment the most formal orders were sent to the leaders of +corps to redouble their surveillance, and chase the adventurers, +wherever they met them; fresh Fifties, formed of resolute men, were +organized, and the few adventurers they contrived to catch, were +mercilessly hung. Tranquillity was re-established in the colonies, the +confidence of the colonists, momentarily disturbed, reappeared, and +everything apparently returned to its accustomed state.</p> + +<p>The Countess had expressed a desire to restore her health by a stay +of several weeks at the hatto del Rincón, and the Count, to whom her +physician had expressed this wish, found it only very natural; he had +seen his wife go away with an easy mind, for he was convinced that at +the spot whither she was going, she would have no danger to fear, and +felt persuaded in his heart that this condescension on his part, would +be appreciated by the Countess, and that she would feel thankful to him +for it.</p> + +<p>She had left therefore, only accompanied by a few servants and +confidential slaves, delighted to escape for some time from the +restraint she was obliged to impose on herself at Saint Domingo, +and fostering the bold scheme which we have seen her carry out so +successfully.</p> + +<p>It was about an hour after the departure of Don Sancho de Peñaflor, +to go and join his sister at the hatto; the Count was finishing his +breakfast, and preparing to retire to the inner boudoir to enjoy his +siesta, when an usher came into the dining room, and after apologizing +for disturbing His Excellency at this moment, informed him that a man +who refused to give his name, but declared that he was well known to +the governor, insisted on being introduced into his presence, as he had +most important communications to make to him.</p> + +<p>The moment was badly chosen to ask for an audience, as the Count felt +inclined to sleep; he answered the usher that, however important the +stranger's communications might be, he did not believe them of such +importance that he should sacrifice his siesta for them; he therefore +Sent a message to the effect that the governor would not be at liberty +till four in the afternoon, and if the stranger liked to return then he +would be received.</p> + +<p>The Count dismissed the usher, and rose, muttering to himself as he +walked towards the boudoir,—</p> + +<p>"<i>Dios me salve</i>, if I were to believe all these scamps, I should not +have a moment's rest."</p> + +<p>Whereupon he stretched himself in a large hammock, hung right across +the room, closed his eyes and fell asleep.</p> + +<p>The Count's siesta lasted three hours, and this delay was the cause of +serious complications.</p> + +<p>On waking, Don Stenio quite forgot all about the stranger; it so often +happened that he was disturbed for nothing by people who declared they +had urgent matters to discuss with him, that he did not attach the +slightest importance to their requests for an audience, and the usher's +words had completely slipped his memory.</p> + +<p>At the time when he entered the room where he usually granted his +audiences, and which at this moment was quite empty, the usher +presented himself again.</p> + +<p>"What do you want?" he asked him.</p> + +<p>"Excellency," the usher replied with a respectful bow, "the man has +returned."</p> + +<p>"What man?"</p> + +<p>"The man who came this morning."</p> + +<p>"Oh yes, well, what does he want?" the Count continued, who did not +know what all this was about.</p> + +<p>"He desires, my lord, that you will do him the honour of receiving him, +as he states that he has matters of the utmost gravity to tell you."</p> + +<p>"Ah, very good, I remember now; it is the same man you announced this +morning."</p> + +<p>"Yes, Excellency, the same."</p> + +<p>"And what is his name?"</p> + +<p>"He will only tell it to your Excellency."</p> + +<p>"Hum! I do not like such precautions, for they never forbode anything +good; listen, José! When he arrives, tell him I never receive people +who insist on keeping their incognito."</p> + +<p>"But he is here, my lord."</p> + +<p>"Ah! well then, it will be all the more easy, tell him so at once."</p> + +<p>And he turned his back. The usher bowed and left the room, but returned +almost immediately.</p> + +<p>"Well! Have you sent him away?" the Count asked.</p> + +<p>"No, my lord, he gave me this card requesting me to hand it your +Excellency. He declares that, in default of his name, it will be +sufficient to secure his admission to your presence."</p> + +<p>"Oh! Oh!" said the Count, "That is curious, let me see this famous +talisman."</p> + +<p>He took the card from the usher's hand and looked at it absently; but +all at once he started, frowned and said to the usher,</p> + +<p>"Show the man into the yellow room, let him wait for me there, I will +be with him in a moment. The deuce," he muttered to himself when he was +alone, "it is a long time since this scoundrel let me hear anything of +him, I fancied him hung or drowned; he is a clever scamp, can he really +have any important information to give me? We shall see."</p> + +<p>Then, leaving the room in which he was, he hastened to the yellow +saloon where the man with the card already was.</p> + +<p>On seeing the governor, the latter hastily rose, and made him a +respectful bow.</p> + +<p>The Count turned to the valet who had followed him to open the doors.</p> + +<p>"I am not at home to anybody," he said; "you can go."</p> + +<p>The valet left the room, and shut the door after him.</p> + +<p>"Now for us two," the Count said, as he sank into his chair, and +pointed to another.</p> + +<p>"I am awaiting your lordship's orders," the stranger said respectfully.</p> + +<p>Don Stenio remained for a moment silent, and scratching his forehead.</p> + +<p>"You have been away for a very long time," he said at last, "well, what +has become of you during the last two months?"</p> + +<p>"I have been executing your Excellency's orders," the man answered.</p> + +<p>"My orders? I do not remember having given you any."</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, my lord, if I venture to remind you of certain facts, which +appear to have escaped your memory."</p> + +<p>"Do so, my good fellow, I shall be delighted at it; still, I would +remark that my time is valuable, and that others besides yourself are +awaiting an audience."</p> + +<p>"I will be brief, Excellency."</p> + +<p>"That is what I wish. Go on,"</p> + +<p>"A few days after the affair of the ladrones, does not your Excellency +remember saying to me in a moment of anger or impatience, that you +would give ten thousand piastres to obtain positive information about +the adventurers, their strength, plans, &c.?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I remember saying that; what then?"</p> + +<p>"Well, Excellency, I was present when you made that promise. Your +Excellency had deigned to employ me several times before; as you looked +at me while speaking, I supposed that you were addressing me, and I +have acted accordingly."</p> + +<p>"That is to say?"</p> + +<p>"In my devotion to your Excellency, in spite of the numberless dangers +I should have to incur, I resolved to go and seek the information you +appeared to desire so ardently, and—"</p> + +<p>"And you went to seek it," the Count exclaimed with an eager start, +though hitherto he had paid but very slight attention to the stranger's +remarks.</p> + +<p>"Well, yes, Excellency."</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah," he said, stroking his chin; "and have you learnt anything?"</p> + +<p>"An infinity of things, my lord."</p> + +<p>"Well, let me hear some of them. But mind," he added, checking himself, +"no hearsays or suppositions, for I have my ears stuffed with them."</p> + +<p>"The information I shall have the honour of giving your Excellency, is +derived from a good source, since I went to seek it in the very den of +the ladrones."</p> + +<p>The Count gazed with admiration at this man who had not feared to +expose himself to so great a danger.</p> + +<p>"If such is the case, pray continue, señor."</p> + +<p>"My lord," the spy resumed, for we may henceforth give him that name; +"I come from St. Christopher."</p> + +<p>"Ah! Is not that the Island where the bandits take shelter?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, my lord, and more than that, I returned in one of their vessels."</p> + +<p>"Oh, oh," said the governor, "pray tell me all about it, my dear Don +Antonio: that is your name, I believe?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, my lord; Don Antonio de la Ronda."</p> + +<p>"You see," the Count added with a smile; "that I have a good memory +sometimes," and he laid a stress on these words, which made the spy's +heart bound with joy.</p> + +<p>The latter told him in what way he had entered the island, how he had +been discovered and made prisoner by Montbarts, who put him on board +one of his vessels; how a great expedition had been decided on by the +adventurers against the island of Saint Domingo, in the first place, +and then against Tortuga, which the ladrones had a plan for surprising, +and on which they intend to establish themselves; and in what way, on +reaching Port Margot, he had succeeded in escaping, and had hastened to +bear the news to his Excellency the governor.</p> + +<p>The Count listened with the most serious attention to Don Antonio's +narrative, and in proportion as it progressed, the governor's brow +became more anxious; in fact, the spy had not deceived him. The news +was of the utmost gravity.</p> + +<p>"Hum!" he answered; "And is it long since the ladrones arrived at Port +Margot?"</p> + +<p>"Eight days, Excellency."</p> + +<p>"<i>¡Sangre de Cristo!</i> so long as that, and I had not been informed of +it?"</p> + +<p>"In spite of the utmost diligence, as I was constrained to take the +greatest precaution lest I should fall again into the hands of the +ladrones, who doubtless started in pursuit of me. I only arrived this +morning, and came straight to the palace."</p> + +<p>The Count bit his lips, several hours had been lost through his fault; +still he did not notice the indirect reproach addressed to him by the +spy, for he comprehended all its justice.</p> + +<p>"You have fairly earned the ten thousand piastres promised, Don +Antonio," he said.</p> + +<p>The spy gave a start of pleasure.</p> + +<p>"Ah, that is not all," he answered, with a meaning smile.</p> + +<p>"What else is there?" the Count remarked; "I believed that you had +nothing further to tell me."</p> + +<p>"That depends, Excellency. I have made my official report to the +Governor-General of Hispaniola, it is true—a very detailed report +indeed—in which I have forgotten nothing that might help him to defend +the island entrusted to his care."</p> + +<p>"Well?"</p> + +<p>"Well, my lord, I have now to give the Count de Bejar, of course, if he +desire it, certain information which I believe will interest him."</p> + +<p>The Count fixed on the man an investigating glance, as if he wished to +read his very soul.</p> + +<p>"The Count de Bejar?" he said with studied coldness; "What can you have +to say that interests him privately, as a simple gentleman? I have not, +as far as I am aware, anything to settle with the ladrones."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps so, my lord; however, I will only speak, if your Excellency +orders me, and before doing so, will beg you to forgive anything that +may seem offensive to your honour in what I may say to you."</p> + +<p>The Count turned pale and frowned portentously.</p> + +<p>"Take care," he said to him in a threatening voice, "take care lest +you go beyond your object, and in trying to prove too much, fall into +the contrary excess. The honour of my name is not to be played with, +and I will never allow the slightest stain to be imprinted on it."</p> + +<p>"I have not the slightest intention to insult your Excellency; my zeal +on your behalf has alone urged me to speak as I have done."</p> + +<p>"Very good—I am willing to believe it; still, as the honour of my name +regards myself alone, I do not allow any person the right to assail it, +not even in a good intention."</p> + +<p>"I ask your Excellency's pardon, but I have doubtless explained myself +badly. What I have to tell you relates to a plot, formed, doubtless, +without her knowledge, against the Countess."</p> + +<p>"A plot formed against the Countess!" Don Stenio exclaimed, violently; +"What do you mean, señor? Explain at once—I insist on it."</p> + +<p>"My lord, since it is your wish, I will speak. Is not her ladyship, the +Countess, at this moment in the vicinity of the small town of San Juan?"</p> + +<p>"She is; but how do you know it, since, as you told me you have only +been back to Saint Domingo for a few hours?"</p> + +<p>"I presumed so, because on board the vessel in which I returned to +Hispaniola, I heard something about an interview which the chief of +the adventurers was to have in a few days in the neighbourhood of the +Artibonite."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" the Count exclaimed; "You lie, scoundrel!"</p> + +<p>"For what object, my lord?" the spy answered, coolly.</p> + +<p>"How do I know? through hatred, envy, perhaps."</p> + +<p>"I," he said, with a shrug of his shoulders. "Nonsense, my lord. Men +like me—spies, if things must be called by their proper name—are only +led away by one passion—that of money."</p> + +<p>"But what you tell me is impossible," the Count observed, with +agitation.</p> + +<p>"What prevents you from assuring yourself that I speak the truth, my +lord?"</p> + +<p>"I will do so, <i>¡Viva Dios!</i>" he exclaimed, stamping his foot furiously.</p> + +<p>Then he walked up to the spy, who was standing calm and motionless in +the centre of the room, and fixed on him a glance full of rage, but +impossible to describe.</p> + +<p>"Listen, villain!" he said in a hollow voice, half choked with passion; +"If you have lied, you shall die!"</p> + +<p>"Agreed, my lord," the spy replied, coldly; "but if I have spoken the +truth?"</p> + +<p>"If you have spoken the truth," he exclaimed, but suddenly broke off, +"but no, it is impossible, I repeat!" and seeing a fugitive smile +playing round the lips of his companion, he added, "well, be it so; if +you have spoken the truth, you shall fix your own reward, and whatever +it may be, on my word as a gentleman, you shall have it."</p> + +<p>"Thanks, my lord," he replied, with a bow; "I hold you to your word."</p> + +<p>The Count walked several times up and down the saloon, suffering from +intense agitation, appearing to have completely forgotten the presence +of the spy, muttering unconnected words, breaking out into passionate +gestures, and in all probability revolving in his head sinister +projects of vengeance. At length he stopped and addressed the spy again.</p> + +<p>"Withdraw," he said to him, "but do not leave the palace; or, stay, +wait a moment."</p> + +<p>Seizing a bell on the table, he rang it violently.</p> + +<p>A valet appeared.</p> + +<p>"A corporal and four men," he said.</p> + +<p>The spy shrugged his shoulders.</p> + +<p>"Why all these precautions, my lord?" he asked; "is it not contrary to +my interest to go away?"</p> + +<p>The Count examined him for a moment attentively, and then made the +valet a sign to withdraw.</p> + +<p>"Very good," he then said, "I trust to you, Don Antonio de la Ronda. +Await my orders, I shall soon have need of you."</p> + +<p>"I shall not go away far, my lord."</p> + +<p>And after bowing respectfully, he took his leave, and withdrew.</p> + +<p>The Count, when left alone, gave way for some minutes to all the +violence of a rage so long restrained, but he gradually regained his +coolness and the power of reflection.</p> + +<p>"Oh! I will avenge myself!" he exclaimed.</p> + +<p>Then he gave, with feverish activity, the necessary orders that +numerous bodies of troops should be sent off to different points, so as +to completely invest the hatto del Rincón, to which spot two Fifties +were sent, commanded by experienced and resolute officers.</p> + +<p>These measures taken, the Count, wrapped in a large cloak, mounted his +horse an hour after sunset, and followed by Don Antonio de la Ronda, +who had not the slightest desire to leave him, and a few confidential +officers, he left his palace incognito, rode through the town +unrecognized, and reached the open country.</p> + +<p>"Now, caballeros," he said in a hollow voice, "gallop your hardest, +and do not be afraid of foundering your horses. Relays are prepared at +regular distances along the road."</p> + +<p>He dug his spurs into the flanks of his horse, which snorted with pain, +and the party set out with the headlong speed of a whirlwind.</p> + +<p>"Ah, Santiago! Santiago;" the Count exclaimed at times while urging on +his steed, whose efforts were superhuman, "shall I arrive in time?"</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXIV">CHAPTER XXIV.</a></h4> + +<h3>PORT MARGOT.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing +freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, +owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island +of the Tortoise.</p> + +<p>According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the +adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of +ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they +intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must +pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them. This was +exactly what happened. The filibusters left behind them a long train of +fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who +were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing +their houses after they had plundered them.</p> + +<p>The first vessel to anchor off the Great Key was the lugger with +Montbarts on board, and commanded by Michael le Basque; on the next day +the two brigantines arrived, a few hours after one another.</p> + +<p>They came to anchor on the right and left of the admiral, about two +cables' length from the coast.</p> + +<p>At this period the Great Key was inhabited by red Caribs, expelled from +St. Domingo by the cruelty of the Spaniards, and who had taken refuge +on this island, where they lived rather comfortably, owing to the +fertility of the soil, and the alliance they had contracted with the +filibusters.</p> + +<p>The three vessels had scarce cast anchor, ere they were surrounded by a +great number of canoes, manned by Caribs, who brought them refreshments +of every description.</p> + +<p>The same evening the admiral went ashore with the greater part of his +crew: the other captains imitated him, and only left behind the men +absolutely necessary to guard the ships.</p> + +<p>At a signal from the admiral, the crews arranged themselves in a +semicircle round him; the captains standing in front of the first line.</p> + +<p>Behind them were the Caribs, alarmed in their hearts at this formidable +landing, whose motive they could not divine, anxiously awaiting what +was going to happen, and not at all comprehending this display of +strength.</p> + +<p>Montbarts, holding in one hand the staff of a white flag, whose folds +floated on the breeze above his head, and his long sword in the other, +looked round at the men gathered before him.</p> + +<p>Most of them were scarce clad, but all were well armed. They had +weather-beaten complexions, vigorous limbs, huge muscles, energetic +features, and a defiant glance. The adventurers thus collected +around this man, who stood haughtily in front of them, with his head +thrown back, quivering lips, and a flashing eye, offered a striking +spectacle; their savage grandeur and rough gestures were not deficient +in a certain majesty, which was rendered still more imposing by the +primitive landscape that formed the background of the picture, and the +picturesque group of Indians, whose anxious faces and characteristic +poses added to the effect of the scene.</p> + +<p>For some time the rustling of the crowd was audible, like the sound of +the sea breaking on a beach, but gradually the noise died away, and a +profound silence fell on all.</p> + +<p>Montbarts then advanced a step, and in a firm and sonorous voice, whose +manly accents soon captivated all these men who listened eagerly to his +words, he revealed to them the purpose of the expedition, which up to +this time was unknown to them.</p> + +<p>"Brothers of the coast," he said; "messmates and friends, the moment +has arrived to reveal to you what I await from your courage and your +devotion to the common cause. You are not mercenaries, who, for scanty +pay, let themselves be killed like brutes, ignorant for what or from +whom they are fighting. No! You are picked men, who wish to know to +what object you are advancing, and what profit you will derive from +your efforts. Several of our most renowned comrades and myself have +resolved to attack in the heart of their richest possessions these +cowardly Spaniards, who believed they dishonoured us by branding us +with the name of <i>ladrones</i>, and whom the merest sight of our smallest +canoes puts to flight like a flock of startled seagulls. But in order +that our vengeance may be certain, and that we succeed in seizing the +wealth of our enemies, we must possess a point sufficiently near the +centre of our operations, to enable us to rush upon them unawares, and +so strong that the whole power of Castile may be broken against it in +impotent efforts. St. Christopher is too remote. Moreover, the descent +of Admiral Don Fernando of Toledo is a proof to us, that however brave +we may be, we shall never succeed in fortifying ourselves strongly +enough there to defy the rage of our enemies. It was, therefore, +absolutely necessary to find a spot more favourable to our projects, +a point which could easily be rendered impregnable. Our friends, and +myself set to work. For a long time we sought with the perseverance +of men resolved to succeed. Heaven has at length deigned to bless our +efforts. We have found this refuge under the most fortunate conditions."</p> + +<p>Here Montbarts made a pause for several seconds.</p> + +<p>An electric quiver ran along the ranks of the adventurers; their eyes +flashed fire, they grasped their fusils in their powerful hands, as if +they were impatient to commence the struggle promised them.</p> + +<p>A smile of satisfaction illumined for a moment the adventurer's pale +face. Then, waving his hand to command attention, he resumed;—</p> + +<p>"Brethren, before us is Saint Domingo;" and he stretched out his +hand towards the sea. "Saint Domingo, the loveliest and wealthiest +of all the isles possessed by Spain. On this island several of our +brothers, who escaped the massacre of St. Christopher, have established +themselves, and are contending energetically against the Spaniards, to +hold the ground wrested from them. Unfortunately too few in number, in +spite of their bravery, to resist for any length of time the enemy's +troops, they would soon be forced to quit the island, if we did not +go to their assistance. They have summoned us. We have responded to +this appeal of our brothers, whom honour ordered us to succour in +the hour of danger. While doing a good deed, we are carrying out the +plan so long resolved by ourselves, and at last we have found the +impregnable spot we have so long desired. You all know the island +of Tortuga, brethren? Separated only by a narrow channel from Saint +Domingo, it rises like an advanced sentry in the middle of the sea. It +is the eagle's nest, whence we will laughingly brave the fury of the +Spaniards. To Tortuga, brethren!"</p> + +<p>"To the island of the Tortoise!" the adventurers shouted, brandishing +their weapons enthusiastically.</p> + +<p>"Good!" Montbarts continued. "I knew that you were men who would +understand me, and that I could reckon upon you. Before seizing on +Tortuga, however, which is only defended by an insignificant garrison +of twenty soldiers, who will fly at the first blow, we must, by +protecting our brethren at Saint Domingo, and securing them the +territory they occupy, obtain for ourselves useful ports, advantageous +outlets, and, before all, the means of easily injuring the Spaniards, +and, if it be possible, expelling them entirely from the island, of +which they have already lost a portion. Tomorrow, we will proceed to +Port Margot, come to an understanding there with our brethren, and +arrange our plans, so as to derive both honour and profit from our +expedition. And now, brethren, let each crew go aboard. Tomorrow, at +sunrise, we will set sail for Port Margot, and in a few days I promise +you glorious fights, and a rich booty to divide among you all. Long +live France, and death to Spain!"</p> + +<p>"Long live France! Death to Spain! Long live Montbarts!" the +adventurers exclaimed.</p> + +<p>"Let us embark, brethren," Montbarts added. "Do not forget that the +poor Indians of this island are our friends, and must be treated as +such by you."</p> + +<p>The adventurers then followed their officers, and embarked in the most +perfect order.</p> + +<p>At sunrise, the squadron raised anchor. We need not say that all the +refreshments purchased of the Indians were scrupulously paid for, and +that no one had reason to complain of their stay at the Great Key. +A few hours later the flotilla entered the channel separating Saint +Domingo from Tortuga, and anchored off Port Margot.</p> + +<p>The Spanish island lay before them with its large mounds, tall cliffs, +and its mountains, whose peaks seemed hidden in the clouds, while on +the starboard, Tortuga, with its dense, verdant forests, seemed a +basket of flowers rising from the bottom of the sea.</p> + +<p>They had scarce landed ere a canoe, manned by four men, hailed the +lugger. These four men were Lepoletais, whom we have already caught a +glimpse of; one of his apprentices, L'Olonnais, and Omopoua, the Carib +chief.</p> + +<p>The Indian had nearly got rid of the European dress, and resumed that +of his nation.</p> + +<p>Montbarts went to meet his visitors, saluted them, and led them down to +the cabin.</p> + +<p>"You are welcome," he said to them. "In a few minutes the other +leaders of the expedition will be here, and then we will talk. In the +meanwhile, take some refreshment."</p> + +<p>And he gave an engagé orders to bring in spirits.</p> + +<p>Lepoletais and Omopoua sat down without pressing, but L'Olonnais +remained modestly standing. In his quality of apprentice he dared not +place himself on a footing of equality with the adventurers. At this +moment Michael the Basque entered the cabin.</p> + +<p>"Messmate," he said to Montbarts, "Captain Drake and David have just +come aboard. They are waiting on deck."</p> + +<p>"Tell them to come below. I want to talk with them.".</p> + +<p>Michael went out. A few minutes after, he returned, accompanied by the +two captains.</p> + +<p>After the first compliments, the two officers drank a bumper, then +took their seats, and awaited the communication which their chief was +evidently about to make to them.</p> + +<p>Montbarts knew the value of time, hence he did not put their patience +to a long trial.</p> + +<p>"Brothers," he said, "I present to you Lepoletais, whom you doubtless +know already by reputation."</p> + +<p>The adventurers bowed smilingly, and spontaneously offered their hand +to the buccaneer.</p> + +<p>The latter cordially returned the pressure, delighted in his heart at +so frank a reception.</p> + +<p>"Lepoletais," Montbarts continued, "is sent to me as a delegate by our +brethren, the buccaneers of Port Margot and Port de Paix; I prefer to +let him himself explain what he expects from us—in this manner we +shall more easily arrive at an understanding. Speak, then, I pray, +brother, we are listening."</p> + +<p>Lepoletais first poured out a glass of rum, which he swallowed at a +draught, no doubt for the purpose of clearing his ideas; then, after +two or three sonorous "hums!" he resolved to speak.</p> + +<p>"Brethren," he said, "whatever be the name given us—filibusters, +buccaneers, or habitants—our origin is the same, is it not? And we are +all adventurers. Hence, we are bound to assist and protect one another, +like the free companions we are; but, in order that this protection may +be efficient—that nothing may weaken in the future the alliance we +contract today—we must, like yourselves, find some real profit in the +alliance. Is not this the case?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly," Michael said, to encourage him.</p> + +<p>"This, then, is what is happening," Lepoletais continued; "we +buccaneers and habitants are here something like the bird on the +tree, continually pursued by the gavachos, who track us like wild +beasts, wherever they surprise us, sustaining an unequal contest, in +which we must eventually succumb, not knowing today if we shall be +alive tomorrow, and gradually losing all the ground which we gained +at the outset. This deplorable state of things could not go on much +longer without entailing a catastrophe, which, with your aid, we hope +not only to avert, but to prevent definitively; by seizing Tortuga, +which is badly guarded, and will be badly defended, you procure us +a sure shelter in case of danger, an ever open refuge in the event +of a crisis. But this is not all; we must secure frontiers, so that +tranquillity may prevail in our country, that merchant vessels may +not fear to enter our ports, and that we may find an outlet for our +hides, our boucaned meat, and our tallow. These frontiers can be easily +secured; the only thing wanting is to seize on two points, one in the +interior, which the Spaniards call the Great Savannah of San Juan, and +which we have christened the Grand Fond. The town of San Juan is but +poorly fortified, and merely inhabited by mulattos, or men of mixed +blood, whom we could easily conquer."</p> + +<p>"Is not the Grand Fond, as you call it, traversed by the Artibonite?" +Montbarts asked, while exchanging a meaning glance with L'Olonnais, who +was standing by his side.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Lepoletais replied; "and in the centre is a hatto called the +Rincón, belonging, I believe, to the Spanish Governor."</p> + +<p>"It would be a master stroke to seize that man," Michael the Basque +observed.</p> + +<p>"Yes, but there is little probability of succeeding in capturing him, +for he is at Saint Domingo," Lepoletais replied.</p> + +<p>"It is possible; but go on."</p> + +<p>"The other point is a port called Leogane, or, as the Spaniards term +it, <i>la Iguana</i>, or the Lizard, from the shape of the tongue of land on +which it is built; the possession of this port would render us masters +of the whole western part of the island, and allow us to establish +ourselves there securely."</p> + +<p>"Is Leogane defended?" David inquired.</p> + +<p>"No," Lepoletais answered, "the Spaniards let it fall into ruins, as +they do, indeed, with nearly all the points they occupy; through the +want of labourers, since the almost utter extinction of the Indian +race of the island, they gradually abandon the old establishments, and +retire to the East."</p> + +<p>"Very good," said Montbarts; "is that all you desire?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, all," Lepoletais answered.</p> + +<p>"Now, what do you propose, brother?"</p> + +<p>"This: we buccaneers will hunt for you wild oxen and boars, and +provision your ships at a price agreed on between us, but which must +never be higher than one-half the price we ask of foreign vessels that +come to trade with us; in addition, we will defend you if attacked, and +in great expeditions you will have the right to claim one man in five +to accompany you, when you require it. The habitants will cultivate +the land, and supply you with vegetables, tobacco, and wood to repair +your vessels, on the same conditions as the provisions. This is what +I am ordered to propose to you, brothers, in the name of the French +habitants and buccaneers of Saint Domingo; if these conditions please +you, and I consider them just and equitable, accept them, and you will +have no cause to repent having negotiated with us."</p> + +<p>These propositions the filibusters were already acquainted with, +and had discussed their advantages; hence they did not take long +to deliberate, for they had made up their mind beforehand, as their +presence at Port Margot proved.</p> + +<p>"We accept your propositions, brother," Montbarts answered—"here is my +hand, in the name of the filibusters I represent."</p> + +<p>"And here is mine," Lepoletais said, "in the name of the habitants and +buccaneers."</p> + +<p>There was no other treaty but this honest shake of the hand between +the adventurers; thus was concluded an alliance, which remained up to +the dying day of buccaneering, as fresh and lively as when first made +between the adventurers.</p> + +<p>"Now," Montbarts continued, "let us proceed orderly. How many brothers +have you capable of fighting?"</p> + +<p>"Seventy," Lepoletais answered.</p> + +<p>"Very good; we will add to these one hundred and thirty more from the +fleet, which will give us an effective strength of two hundred good +fusils. And you, Chief, what can you do for us?"</p> + +<p>Up to this moment Omopoua had remained silent, listening to what was +said with Indian gravity and decorum, and patiently waiting till his +turn to speak arrived.</p> + +<p>"Omopoua will add two hundred Carib warriors, with long fusils, to the +palefaces," he replied; "his sons are warned; they await the order of +the Chief—L'Olonnais has seen them."</p> + +<p>"Good! These four hundred men will be commanded by myself; as this +expedition is the most difficult and dangerous, I will undertake it. +Michel le Basque will accompany me. I have aboard a guide, who will +conduct us to Grand Fond. You, Drake, and you, David, will attack +Leogane with your ships, while Bowline, with only fifteen men, will +seize on Tortuga. Let us combine our movements, brothers, so that our +three attacks may be simultaneous, and the Spaniards, surprised on +three points at once, may not be able to assist one another. Tomorrow +you will sail, gentlemen, taking with you one hundred and eighty-five +men, more than sufficient, I believe, to capture Leogane. As for you, +Bowline, you will keep the lugger with the fifteen men left you, and +remain here, while watching Tortuga closely. This is the fifth of the +month, brothers; on the fifteenth we will attack, as ten days will be +sufficient for all of us to reach our posts, and take all the necessary +measures. Now, gentlemen, return aboard your vessels, and send ashore, +under orders of their officers, the contingents I intend to take with +me."</p> + +<p>The two Captains bowed to the Admiral, left the cabin, and returned to +their ships.</p> + +<p>"As for you," Montbarts added, turning to Lepoletais, "this is what +you will do, brother. You will go with Omopoua to the Grand Fond, as +if hunting, but you will carefully watch the town of San Juan, and the +hatto del Rincón; we must, if possible, make sure of the inhabitants +of that hatto; they are rich and influential, and their capture may be +of considerable importance to us. You will arrange with Omopoua on the +subject of the allies he promises to bring us; perhaps it will be as +well for the Chief to try and lead the Spaniards on to his track, and +force them to quit their positions: by managing cleverly we might then +be able to defeat them in detail. Have you understood me, brother?"</p> + +<p>"Zounds!" Lepoletais answered, "I should be an ass if I did not. All +right! I will manoeuvre as you wish."</p> + +<p>Montbarts then turned to the engagé, and made him a sign.</p> + +<p>L'Olonnais drew nearer.</p> + +<p>"Go ashore with the Carib and Lepoletais," the Admiral whispered in his +ear—"look at everything, hear everything, watch everything; in an hour +you will receive through Bowline a letter, which you must deliver into +the hands of Doña Clara de Bejar, who resides in the hatto on the Grand +Fond."</p> + +<p>"That is easy," L'Olonnais answered, "if it must be, I will hand it to +her in the midst of all her servants, in the hatto itself."</p> + +<p>"Do nothing of the sort; arrange it so that she must come and fetch the +letter."</p> + +<p>"Hang it! That is more difficult! Still, I will try to succeed."</p> + +<p>"You must succeed!"</p> + +<p>"Ah! In that case, on the word of a man, you may reckon on it—though, +hang me if I know how I shall manage it!"</p> + +<p>Lepoletais had risen.</p> + +<p>"Farewell, brother," he said; "when you land tomorrow I shall be on my +way to the Grand Fond; I shall, therefore, not see you again till we +meet there; but do not be alarmed—you shall find everything in order +when you arrive. Ah! By the way, shall I take my body of buccaneers +with me?"</p> + +<p>"Certainly; they will be of the greatest use to you in watching the +enemy; but hide them carefully."</p> + +<p>"All right," he said.</p> + +<p>At this moment Michael the Basque rushed suddenly into the cabin, with +his features distorted by passion.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter, messmate? Come, recover yourself," Montbarts said +coolly to him.</p> + +<p>"A great misfortune has happened to us," Michael exclaimed, as he +passionately pulled out a handful of hair.</p> + +<p>"What is it? Come, speak like a man, messmate."</p> + +<p>"That villain, Antonio de la Ronda—"</p> + +<p>"Well?" Montbarts interrupted, with a nervous tremor.</p> + +<p>"He has escaped!"</p> + +<p>"Malediction!"</p> + +<p>"Ten men have set out in pursuit."</p> + +<p>"Stuff! It is all up now; they will not catch him. What is to be done?"</p> + +<p>"What has happened?" Lepoletais asked.</p> + +<p>"Our guide has escaped."</p> + +<p>"Is it only that? I promise to find you another."</p> + +<p>"Yes, but this one is probably the cleverest spy the Spaniards possess; +he knows enough of our secrets to make our expedition fail."</p> + +<p>"Heaven preserve us from it! Stuff!" the buccaneer added, +carelessly—"Think no more about it, brother; what is done is done—let +us go ahead all the same."</p> + +<p>And he left the cabin, apparently quite unaffected by the news.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXV" id="CHAPTER_XXV">CHAPTER XXV.</a></h4> + +<h3>FRAY ARSENIO.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Let us now tell the reader who these buccaneers were of whom we have +several times spoken, and what was the origin of the name given them, +and which they gave themselves.</p> + +<p>The red Caribs of the Antilles were accustomed, when they made +prisoners in the obstinate contests they waged with each other, or +which they carried on against the whites, to cut their prisoners into +small pieces, and lay them upon a species of small hurdles, under which +they lit a fire.</p> + +<p>These hurdles were called <i>barbacoas</i>, the spot where they were set up +<i>boucans</i>, and the operation <i>boucaning</i>, to signify at the same time +roasting and smoking.</p> + +<p>It was from this that the French boucaniers (anglicised into +buccaneers) derived their name, with this difference, that they did to +animals what the others did to men.</p> + +<p>The first buccaneers were Spanish settlers on the Caribbean islands, +who lived on intimate terms with the Indians; hence when they turned +their attention to the chase, they accustomed themselves without +reflection to employ these Indian terms, which were certainly +characteristic, and for which it would have been difficult to +substitute any others.</p> + +<p>The buccaneers carried on no other trade but hunting; they were divided +into two classes, the first only hunting oxen to get their hides, the +second killing boars, whose flesh they salted and sold to the planters.</p> + +<p>These two varieties of buccaneers were accoutred nearly in the same +way, and had the same mode of life.</p> + +<p>The real buccaneers were those who pursued oxen, and they never called +the others by any name but hunters.</p> + +<p>Their equipage consisted of a pack of twenty-four dogs, among which +were two bloodhounds, whose duty it was to discover the animal; the +price of these dogs, settled among themselves, was thirty livres.</p> + +<p>As we have said, their weapon was a long fusil, manufactured at Dieppe +or Nantes; they always hunted together, two at the least, but sometimes +more, and then everything was in common between them. As we advance in +the history of these singular men, we shall enter into fuller details +about their mode of life and strange habits.</p> + +<p>When Don Sancho and the Major-domo left them, Lepoletais and L'Olonnais +had for a long time looked with a mocking glance after the two +Spaniards, and then went on building their ajoupa and preparing their +boucan, as if nothing had happened. So soon as the boucan was arranged, +the fire lit, and the meat laid on the barbacoas, L'Olonnais set about +curing the hide he had brought with him, while Lepoletais did the same +to that of the bull which he had killed an hour previously.</p> + +<p>He stretched the hide out on the ground, with the hairy side up, +fastened it down by sixty-four pegs, driven into the earth, and then +rubbed it vigorously with a mixture of ashes and salt, to make it dry +more quickly.</p> + +<p>This duly accomplished, he turned his attention to supper, the +preparations for which were neither long nor complicated. A piece of +meat had been placed in a small cauldron, with water and salt, and soon +boiled; L'Olonnais drew it out by means of a long pointed stick, and +laid it on a palm leaf in lieu of a dish; then he collected the grease +with a wooden spoon, and threw it into a calabash. Into this grease +he squeezed the juice of a lemon, added a little pimento, stirred +it all up, and the sauce, the famous <i>pimentado</i>, so liked by the +buccaneers, was ready. Placing the meat in a pleasant spot in front +of the ajoupa, with the calabash by its side, he called Lepoletais, +and the men sitting down facing each other, armed themselves with +their knife and a wooden spit instead of a fork, and began eating +with a good appetite, carefully dipping each mouthful of meat in the +pimentado, and surrounded by their dogs, which, though not daring to +ask for anything, fixed greedy glances on the provisions spread out +before them, and followed with eager eyes every morsel swallowed by the +adventurers.</p> + +<p>They had been eating this in silence for some time, when the +bloodhounds raised their heads, inhaling the air restlessly, and then +gave several hoarse growls; almost immediately the whole pack began +barking furiously.</p> + +<p>"Eh, eh!" Lepoletais said, after drinking a mouthful of brandy and +water, and handing the gourd to the engagé, "What is the meaning of +this?"</p> + +<p>"Some traveller, no doubt," L'Olonnais answered carelessly.</p> + +<p>"At this hour," the buccaneer went on, as he raised his eyes to the +sky, and consulted the stars, "why hang it all, it is past eight +o'clock at night."</p> + +<p>"Zounds! I do not know what it is. But stay, I do not know whether I am +mistaken, for I fancy I can hear a horse galloping."</p> + +<p>"It is really true, my son, you are not mistaken," the buccaneer +continued, "it is indeed a horse; come, quiet, you devils," he shouted, +addressing the dogs, which had redoubled their barking, and seemed +ready to rush forward, "quiet, lie down, you ruffians."</p> + +<p>The dogs, doubtless accustomed for a long time to obey the imperious +accents of this voice, immediately resumed their places, and ceased +their deafening clamour, although they still continued to growl dully.</p> + +<p>In the meanwhile the galloping horses which the dogs had heard a great +distance off, rapidly drew nearer; it soon became perfectly distinct, +and at the end of a few minutes a horseman emerged from the forest, and +became visible, although owing to the darkness it was not yet possible +to see who this man might be.</p> + +<p>On turning into the savannah, he stopped his horse, seemed to look +around him, with an air of indecision, for some minutes, then, +loosening the rein again, he came up toward the boucan at a sharp trot.</p> + +<p>On reaching the two men, who continued their supper quietly, while +keeping an eye on him, he bowed, and addressed them in Spanish—</p> + +<p>"Worthy friends," he said to them, "whoever you may be, I ask you, +in the name of the Lord, to grant a traveller, who has lost his way, +hospitality for this night."</p> + +<p>"Here is fire, and here is meat," the buccaneer replied, laconically, +in the same language the traveller had employed; "rest yourself, and +eat."</p> + +<p>"I thank you," he said.</p> + +<p>He dismounted: in the movement he made to leave the saddle, his cloak +flew open, and the buccaneers perceived that the man was dressed in +a religious garb. This discovery surprised them, though they did not +allow it to be seen.</p> + +<p>On his side the stranger gave a start of terror, which was immediately +suppressed, on perceiving that in his precipitation to seek a shelter +for the night, he had come upon a boucan of French adventurers.</p> + +<p>The latter, however, had made him a place by their side, and while he +was hobbling his horse, and removing its bridle, so that it might graze +on the tall close grass of the savannah, they had placed for him, on a +palm leaf, a lump of meat sufficient to still the appetite of a man who +had been fasting for four and twenty hours.</p> + +<p>Somewhat reassured by the cordial manner of the adventurers, and, in +his impossibility to do otherwise, bravely resolving to accept the +awkward situation in which his awkwardness had placed him, the stranger +sat down between his two hosts, and began to eat, while reflecting on +the means of escaping from the difficult position in which he found +himself.</p> + +<p>The adventurers, who had almost completed their meal before his +arrival, left off eating long before him; they gave their dogs the food +they had been expecting with so much impatience, then lit their pipes, +and began smoking, paying no further attention to their guest beyond +handing him the things he required.</p> + +<p>At length the stranger wiped his mouth, and, in order to prove to his +hosts that he was quite as much at his ease as they, he produced a leaf +of paper and tobacco, delicately rolled a cigarette, lit it, and smoked +apparently as calmly as themselves.</p> + +<p>"I thank you for your generous hospitality, señores," he said, +presently, understanding that along silence might be interpreted to his +disadvantage, "I had a great necessity to recruit my strength, for I +have been fasting since the morning."</p> + +<p>"That is very imprudent, señor," Lepoletais answered, "to embark thus +without any biscuit, as we sailors say; the savannah is somewhat like +the sea, you know when you start on it, but you never know when you +will leave it again."</p> + +<p>"What you say is perfectly true, señor; had it not been for you, I am +afraid I should have passed a very bad night."</p> + +<p>"Pray say no more about that, señor; we have only done for you what we +should wish to be done for us under similar circumstances. Hospitality +is a sacred duty, which no one has a right to avoid: besides, you are a +palpable proof of it."</p> + +<p>"How so?"</p> + +<p>"Why, you are a Spaniard, if I am not mistaken, while we, on the +contrary, are French. Well, we forget for the moment our hatred of your +nation, to welcome you at our fireside, as every guest sent by Heaven +has the right to be received."</p> + +<p>"That is true, señor, and I thank you doubly, be assured."</p> + +<p>"Good Heavens!" the buccaneer replied, "I assure you that you act +wrongly in dwelling so much on this subject. What we are doing at this +moment is as much for you as in behalf of our honour, hence I beg you, +señor, not to say any more about it, for it is really not worth the +trouble."</p> + +<p>"Bless me, señor," L'Olonnais said with a laugh, "why, we are old +acquaintances, though you little suspect it, I fancy."</p> + +<p>"Old acquaintances!" the stranger exclaimed, in surprise; "I do not +understand you, señor."</p> + +<p>"And yet what I am saying is very clear."</p> + +<p>"If you would deign to explain," the stranger replied, completely +thrown on his beam ends, as Lepoletais would have said, "perhaps I +shall understand, which, I assure you, will cause me great pleasure."</p> + +<p>"I wish for nothing better than to explain myself, señor," L'Olonnais +said, with a bantering air; "and in the first place, permit me to +observe, that, though your cloak is so carefully buttoned, it is not +sufficiently so to conceal the Franciscan garb you wear under it."</p> + +<p>"I am indeed a monk of that order," the stranger answered, rather +disconcerted; "but that does not prove that you know me."</p> + +<p>"Granted, but I am certain that I shall bring back your recollection by +a single word."</p> + +<p>"I fancy you are mistaken, my dear señor, and that we never saw each +other before."</p> + +<p>"Are you quite sure of that?"</p> + +<p>"Man, as you are aware, can never be sure of anything; still, it seems +to me—"</p> + +<p>"And yet, it is so long since we met; it is true that you possibly did +not pay any great attention to me."</p> + +<p>"On my honour, I know not what you mean," the monk remarked after +attentively examining him for a minute or two.</p> + +<p>"Come," the engagé said with a laugh, "I will take pity on your +embarrassment; and, as I promised you, dissipate all your doubts by a +single word; we saw each other on the island of Nevis. Do you remember +me?"</p> + +<p>At this revelation, the monk turned pale; he lost countenance, and for +some minutes remained as if petrified; still the thought of denying the +truth did not come to him for a second.</p> + +<p>"Where," L'Olonnais added, "you had a long conversation with Montbarts."</p> + +<p>"Still," the monk said with a hesitation that was not exempt from +terror, "I do not understand—"</p> + +<p>"How I knew everything," L'Olonnais interrupted him laughingly, "then, +you have not got to the end of your astonishment."</p> + +<p>"What, I am not at the end?"</p> + +<p>"Bah, Señor Padre, do you fancy that I should have taken the trouble to +bother you about such a trifle? I know a good deal more."</p> + +<p>"What do you say?" the monk exclaimed, recoiling instinctively from +this man whom he was not indisposed to regard as a sorcerer, the more +so because he was a Frenchman, and a buccaneer to boot, two peremptory +reasons why Satan should nearly be master of his soul, if by chance he +possessed one, which the worthy monk greatly doubted.</p> + +<p>"Zounds!" the engagé resumed, "You suppose, I think, that I do not know +the motive of your journey, the spot where you have come from, where +you are going, and more than that, the person you are about to see."</p> + +<p>"Oh, come, that is impossible," the monk said with a startled look.</p> + +<p>Lepoletais laughed inwardly at the ill-disguised terror of the Spaniard.</p> + +<p>"Take care, father," he whispered mysteriously in Fray Arsenio's ear, +"that man knows everything; between ourselves, I believe him to be +possessed by the demon."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" he exclaimed, rising hastily and crossing himself repeatedly, +which caused the adventurers a still heartier laugh.</p> + +<p>"Come, resume your seat and listen to me," L'Olonnais continued as he +seized him by the arm, and obliged him to sit down again, "my friend +and I are only joking."</p> + +<p>"Excuse me, noble caballeros," the monk stammered, "I am in an +extraordinary hurry, and must leave you at once, though most +reluctantly."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense! Where could you go alone at this hour? Fall into a bog. Eh?"</p> + +<p>This far from pleasant prospect caused the monk to reflect; still, the +terror he felt was the stronger.</p> + +<p>"No matter," he said, "I must be gone."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense, you will never find your road to the hatto del Rincón in +this darkness."</p> + +<p>This time the monk was fairly conquered, this new revelation literally +benumbed him, he fancied himself suffering from a terrible nightmare, +and did not attempt to continue an impossible struggle.</p> + +<p>"There," the engagé resumed, "now, you are reasonable; rest yourself, +I will not torment you any more, and in order to prove to you that I am +not so wicked as you suppose me, I undertake to find you a guide."</p> + +<p>"A guide," Fray Arsenio stammered, "Heaven guard me from accepting one +at your hand."</p> + +<p>"Reassure yourself, señor Padre, it will not be a demon, though he may +possibly have some moral and physical resemblance with the evil spirit; +the guide I refer to is very simply a Carib."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said the monk drawing a deep breath, as if a heavy weight had +been removed from his chest, "If he is really a Carib."</p> + +<p>"Zounds! Who the deuce would you have it be?" Fray Arsenio crossed +himself devoutly.</p> + +<p>"Excuse me," he said, "I did not wish to insult you."</p> + +<p>"Come, come, have patience, I will go myself and fetch the promised +guide, for I see that you are really in a hurry to part company."</p> + +<p>L'Olonnais rose, took his fusil, whistled to a bloodhound, and went off +at a rapid pace.</p> + +<p>"You will now be able," said Lepoletais, "to continue your journey +without fear of going astray."</p> + +<p>"Has that worthy caballero really gone to fetch me a guide, as +he promised?" Fray Arsenio asked, who did not dare to place full +confidence in the engagé's word.</p> + +<p>"Hang it! I know no other reason why he should leave the boucan."</p> + +<p>"Then you are really a buccaneer, señor?"</p> + +<p>"At your service, padre."</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah! And do you often come to these parts?"</p> + +<p>"Deuce take me if I do not believe you are questioning me, monk," +Lepoletais said with a frown, and looking him in the face; "how does +it concern you whether I come here or not?"</p> + +<p>"Me? Not at all."</p> + +<p>"That is true, but it may concern others, may it not? And you would not +be sorry to know the truth."</p> + +<p>"Oh? can you suppose such a thing?" Fray Arsenio hastily said.</p> + +<p>"I do not suppose, by Heaven, I know exactly what I am saying, +but, believe me, señor monk, you had better give up this habit of +questioning, especially with buccaneers, people who through their +character, do not like questions, or else you might some day run the +risk of being played an ugly trick. It is only a simple piece of advice +I venture to give you."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, señor, I will bear it in mind, though in saying what I did, +I had not the intention you suppose."</p> + +<p>"All the better, but still profit by my hint."</p> + +<p>Thus rebuffed, the monk shut himself up in a timid silence; and in +order to give a turn to his thoughts which, we are bound to say, were +anything but rosy colored at this moment, he took up the rosary hanging +from his girdle, and began muttering prayers in a low voice.</p> + +<p>Nearly an hour passed then without a word being exchanged between the +two men; Lepoletais cut up tobacco, while humming a tune, and the monk +prayed, or seemed to be doing so.</p> + +<p>At length a slight noise was heard a short distance off, and a few +minutes later the engagé appeared, followed by an Indian, who was no +other than Omopoua, the Carib chief.</p> + +<p>"Quick, quick, señor monk," L'Olonnais said gaily; "here is your guide, +I answer for his fidelity; he will lead you in safety within two gun +shots of the hatto."</p> + +<p>The monk did not let the invitation be repeated, for anything seemed +to him preferable to remaining any longer in the company of these two +reprobates; besides, he thought that he had nothing to fear from an +Indian.</p> + +<p>He rose at one bound, and bridled his horse again, which had made an +excellent supper, and had had all the time necessary to rest.</p> + +<p>"Señores," he said, so soon as he was in the saddle, "I thank you for +your generous hospitality, may the blessing of the Lord be upon you!"</p> + +<p>"Thanks," the engagé replied with a laugh, "but one last hint before +parting; on arriving at the hatto, do not forget to tell Doña Clara +from me, that I shall expect her here tomorrow; do you hear?"</p> + +<p>The monk uttered a cry of terror; without replying, he dug his spurs +into his horse's flanks, and set off at a gallop, in the direction +where the Carib was already going, with that quick, elastic step, with +which a horse has a difficulty in keeping up.</p> + +<p>The two buccaneers watched his flight with a hearty laugh, then, +stretching out their feet to the fire, and laying their weapons within +reach, they prepared to sleep, guarded by their dogs, vigilant sentries +that would not let them be surprised.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXVI" id="CHAPTER_XXVI">CHAPTER XXVI.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE CONSEQUENCES OF A MEETING.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Fray Arsenio followed his silent guide delightedly, although he was +surrendered into the hands of an Indian, who must instinctively hate +the Spaniards, those ferocious oppressors of his decimated and almost +destroyed race. Still, the monk was glad at having escaped safe and +sound from the clutches of the adventurers, whom he feared not only as +ladrones, that is to say, men without faith and steeped in vice, but +also as demons, or at the least sorcerers in regular connection with +Satan, for such were the erroneous ideas which the most enlightened of +the Spaniards entertained about the filibusters and buccaneers.</p> + +<p>It had needed all the devotion which the monk professed for Doña Clara, +and all the ascendancy that charming woman possessed over those who +approached her, to make him consent to execute a plan so mad in his +opinion, as that of entering into direct relation with one of the most +renowned chiefs of the filibusters, and it was with a great tremor that +he had accompanied his penitent to Nevis.</p> + +<p>When we met him, he was proceeding to the hatto, to inform Doña Clara, +as had been arranged between them, of the arrival of the filibustering +squadron at Port Margot, and consequently of Montbart's presence in the +island of Saint Domingo.</p> + +<p>Unfortunately the monk, but little used to night journeys, across +untrodden roads which he must guess at every step, lost himself on the +savannah; overcome with terror, almost dead with hunger, and worn out +by fatigue, the monk had seen the light of a fire flashing a short +distance off; the sight of this had restored him hope, if not courage, +and he had consequently ridden as fast as he could toward the fire, and +tumbled headlong into a boucan of French adventurers.</p> + +<p>In doing this, he unconsciously followed the example of the silly moth, +which feels itself irresistibly attracted to the candle in which it +singes its wings.</p> + +<p>More fortunate than these insects, the monk had burned nothing at +all; he had rested, eaten and drunk well, and, apart from a very +honest terror at finding himself so unexpectedly in such company, he +had escaped pretty well, or at least he supposed so, from this great +danger, and had even succeeded in obtaining a guide. Everything, then, +was for the best, the Lord had not ceased to watch over His servant, +and the latter only needed to let himself be guarded by Him. Moreover +the monk's confidence was augmented by the taciturn carelessness of his +guide who, without uttering a syllable, or even appearing to trouble +himself about him the least in the world, walked in front of his +horse, crossing the savannah obliquely, making a way through the tall +grass, and seemed to direct himself as surely amid the darkness that +surrounded him, as if he had been lit by the dazzling sunbeams.</p> + +<p>They went on thus for a long time following each other without the +interchange of a word; like all the Spaniards, Fray Arsenio professed +a profound contempt for the Indians, and it was much against his will +that he ever entered into relations with them. For his part, the Carib +was not at all anxious to carry on with this man, whom he regarded as a +born foe of his race, a conversation which could only be an unimportant +gossip.</p> + +<p>They had reached the top of a small hill, from which could be seen +gleaming in the distance, like so many luminous dots, the watch fires +of the soldiers encamped round the hatto, when all at once, instead +of descending the hill and continuing his advance, Omopoua stopped, +and looked round him anxiously, while strongly inhaling the air, and +ordering the Spaniard by a wave of his hand to halt.</p> + +<p>The latter obeyed and remained motionless as an equestrian statue, +while observing with a curiosity blended with a certain amount of +discomfort, the manoeuvres of his guide.</p> + +<p>The Carib had laid himself down and was listening with his ear to the +ground.</p> + +<p>At the end of a few minutes he rose again, though he did not cease +listening.</p> + +<p>"What is the matter?" the monk, whom this conduct was beginning +seriously to alarm, asked.</p> + +<p>"Horsemen are coming towards us at full speed."</p> + +<p>"Horsemen at this hour of night on the savannah?" Fray Arsenio remarked +incredulously; "It is impossible."</p> + +<p>"Why, you are here?" the Indian said with a jeering smile.</p> + +<p>"Hum! That is true," the monk muttered, struck by the logic of the +answer; "who can they be!"</p> + +<p>"I do not know, but I will soon tell you," the Carib answered.</p> + +<p>And before the monk had the time to ask him what his scheme was, +Omopoua glided through the tall grass and disappeared, leaving Fray +Arsenio greatly disconcerted at this sudden flight, and extremely +annoyed at finding himself thus left alone in the middle of the desert.</p> + +<p>A few minutes elapsed, during which the monk tried, though in vain, to +hear the sound which the Indian's sharp sense of hearing had caused him +to catch long before, amid the confused rumours of the savannah.</p> + +<p>The monk, believing himself decidedly deserted by his guide, was +preparing to continue his journey, leaving to Providence the care of +bringing him safely into port, when he heard a slight rustling in the +bushes close to him, and the Indian reappeared.</p> + +<p>"I have seen them," he said.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" the monk replied; "And who are they?"</p> + +<p>"White men like you."</p> + +<p>"Spaniards in that case?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Spaniards."</p> + +<p>"All the better," Fray Arsenio continued, whom the good news completely +reassured; "are they numerous?"</p> + +<p>"Five or six at least; they are proceeding like yourself, towards the +hatto, where, as far as I could understand, they are very eager to +arrive."</p> + +<p>"That is famous; where are they at this moment?"</p> + +<p>"Two stones' throw at the most. According to the direction they are +following, they will pass the spot where you are now standing."</p> + +<p>"Better still. In that case we have only to wait."</p> + +<p>"You can do so, if you think proper; but I have no wish to meet them."</p> + +<p>"That is true, my friend," the monk remarked, with a paternal air. "And +possibly such a meeting would not be agreeable to you; so pray accept +my thanks for the manner in which you have guided me hitherto."</p> + +<p>"You are quite resolved on waiting for them, then? If you like, I can +enable you to avoid them."</p> + +<p>"I have no motive for concealing myself from men of my own colour. +Whoever they may be, I feel sure that I shall find friends in them."</p> + +<p>"Very good. Your affairs concern yourself, and I have nothing to do +with them. But the sound is drawing nearer, and as they will speedily +arrive, I will leave you, for it is unnecessary for them to find me +here."</p> + +<p>"Farewell."</p> + +<p>"One last recommendation: if by chance they had a fancy to ask who +served as your guide, do not tell them."</p> + +<p>"It is not at all probable they will ask this."</p> + +<p>"No matter. Promise me, if they do, to keep my secret."</p> + +<p>"Very good. I will be silent, since you wish it; although I do not +understand the motive for such a recommendation."</p> + +<p>The monk had not finished the sentence, ere the Indian disappeared.</p> + +<p>The horsemen were rapidly approaching. The galloping of their steeds +echoed on the ground like the rolling of thunder. Suddenly several +shadows, scarcely distinguishable in the obscurity, rose as it were in +the midst of the darkness, and a sharp voice shouted—</p> + +<p>"Who goes there?"</p> + +<p>"A friend!" the monk answered.</p> + +<p>"Tell your name, <i>¡sangre de Dios!</i>" the voice repeated, passionately, +while the dry snap of a pistol being cocked, sounded disagreeably in +the monk's ears. "At night there are friends in the desert!"</p> + +<p>"I am a poor Franciscan monk, proceeding to the hatto del Rincón; and +my name is Fray Arsenio Mendoza."</p> + +<p>A hoarse cry replied to the monk's words—a cry whose meaning he had +not the time to conjecture; that is to say, whether it was the result +of pleasure or anger; for the horsemen came up with him like lightning, +and surrounded him even before he could understand the reason of such a +headlong speed to reach him.</p> + +<p>"Why, señores," he exclaimed, in a voice trembling with emotion, "what +is the meaning of this? Have I to do with the <i>ladrones?</i>"</p> + +<p>"Good! Good! Calm yourself, Señor Padre," a rough voice answered, which +he fancied he recognised. "We are not <i>ladrones</i>, but Spaniards like +yourself; and nothing could cause us more pleasure than meeting you at +this moment."</p> + +<p>"I am delighted at what you say to me, caballero. I confess that +at first the suddenness of your movements alarmed me; but now I am +completely reassured."</p> + +<p>"All the better," the stranger replied, ironically; "for I want to talk +with you."</p> + +<p>"Talk with me, señor?" he said, with surprise.</p> + +<p>"The spot and the hour are badly chosen for an interview, I fancy. If +you will wait till we reach the hatto, I will place myself at your +disposal."</p> + +<p>"Enough talking. Get off your horse," the stranger observed, roughly; +"unless you wish me to drag you off."</p> + +<p>The monk took a startled glance around him, but the horsemen looked at +him savagely, and did not appear disposed to come to his help.</p> + +<p>Fray Arsenio, through profession and temperament, was quite the +opposite of a brave man. The way in which the adventure began was +commencing seriously to alarm him. He did not yet know into what +hands he had fallen, but everything led him to suppose that these +individuals, whoever they might be, were not actuated by kindly +feelings towards him. Still any resistance was impossible, and he +resigned himself to obey; but it was not without a sigh of regret, +intended for the Carib, whose judicious advice he had spurned, that he +at length got off his horse, and placed himself in front of his stern +questioner.</p> + +<p>"Light a torch!" the strange horseman said. "I wish this man to +recognise me, so that, knowing who I am, he may be aware that he cannot +employ any subterfuge with me, and that frankness alone will save him +from the fate that menaces him."</p> + +<p>The monk understood less and less. He really believed himself suffering +from an atrocious nightmare.</p> + +<p>By the horseman's orders, however, one of his suite had lighted a torch +of ocote wood.</p> + +<p>So soon as the flame played over the stranger's feature, and illumined +his face, the monk gave a start of surprise, and clasped his hands at +the same time as his countenance suddenly reassumed its serenity.</p> + +<p>"Heaven be praised!" he said, with an accent of beatitude impossible +to render. "Is it possible that it can be you, Don. Stenio de Bejar? I +was so far from believing that I should have the felicity of meeting +you this night, Señor Conde, that, on my faith, I did not recognise +you, and felt almost frightened."</p> + +<p>The Count, for it was really he whom the monk had so unfortunately met, +did not answer for the moment, but contented himself with smiling.</p> + +<p>Don Stenio de Bejar, who had left Saint Domingo at full speed, for the +purpose of going to the hatto del Rincón, in order to convince himself +of the truth of the information given him by Don Antonio de la Ronda, +thus found himself, by the greatest accident, just as he was reaching +his destination, and when he least expected it, face to face with Fray +Arsenio Mendoza; that is to say, with the only man capable of proving +to him peremptorily the truth or falsehood of the assertions of the +spy, who had denounced Doña Clara to her husband.</p> + +<p>Fray Arsenio's reputation for poltroonery had long been current among +his countrymen, and hence nothing seemed more easy than to obtain from +him the truth in its fullest details.</p> + +<p>The Count believed himself almost certain, by employing intimidation, +to make Fray Arsenio confess what he knew: hence, so soon as the latter +had mentioned his name, Don Stenio, warned by the spy, who rode at his +side, resolved to terrify the monk, and thus render it impossible for +him to resist the orders he might intimate to him.</p> + +<p>We take pleasure in believing that in acting thus, the Count had not +the slightest intention of treating the monk with a violence, which +in any case would be deplorable, but dishonourable on the part of +a man in his position. Unfortunately, through the unforeseen and +incomprehensible resistance which, contrary to all probability, the +monk offered him, the Count was led away by his passion, and gave +orders against his better judgment, when harshness and even cruelty +could in no case be justified.</p> + +<p>After a silence of some seconds, Don Stenio fixed a piercing glance on +the monk, as if he wished to read his very soul, and then seized him +brutally by the arm.</p> + +<p>"Where have you come from?" he asked him, in a rough voice. "Is it the +custom for monks of your order to ramble about the country at this hour +of the night?"</p> + +<p>"My lord!" Fray Arsenio stammered, thrown off his guard by this +question, which he was far from expecting.</p> + +<p>"Come, come!" the Count continued; "Answer at once, and let us have no +subterfuge or tergiversation."</p> + +<p>"But, my lord, I do not at all understand this great anger which you +appear to have with me. I am innocent, I vow!"</p> + +<p>"Ah! ah!" he said, with an ironical laugh; "You are innocent! <i>¡Viva +Dios!</i> you make haste to defend yourself before you are accused; hence +you feel yourself guilty."</p> + +<p>Fray Arsenio was aware of the Count's jealousy, which he concealed so +poorly, that, in spite of all his efforts, it was visible to everybody. +Hence he understood that Doña Clara's secret had been revealed to her +husband; and he foresaw the peril that menaced him for having acted as +her accomplice. Still, he hoped that the Count had only learnt certain +facts, while remaining ignorant of the details of the Countess' voyage; +and hence, though he trembled at heart at the thought of the dangers to +which he was doubtless exposed, alone and defenceless, in the hands of +a man blinded by passion and the desire of avenging what he regarded +as a stain on his honour, he resolved, whatever might happen, not to +betray the confidence which a woman had unhappily placed in him.</p> + +<p>He raised his head and replied with a firm voice, and with an accent at +which he was himself astonished—</p> + +<p>"My lord, you are governor of Saint Domingo; you have a right to +exercise justice over those placed under your rule. You possess almost +sovereign power, but you have no right, as far as I know, to ill treat +me, either by word or deed, or to make me undergo an examination at +your caprice. I have superiors on whom I am dependant; have me taken +before them; hand me over to their justice, if I have committed any +fault they will punish me, for they alone have the right of condemning +or acquitting me."</p> + +<p>The Count had listened to the monk's long answer, while biting his lips +savagely and stamping his foot with passion. He had not thought to find +such resistance in this man.</p> + +<p>"So, then," he exclaimed, when Fray Arsenio at length ceased speaking, +"you refuse to answer me?"</p> + +<p>"I refuse, my lord," he coldly replied, "because you have no right to +question me."</p> + +<p>"You forget, however, Señor Padre, that if I have not the right, I have +the might, at least, at this moment."</p> + +<p>"You are at liberty, my lord, to abuse that might, by applying it to an +unhappy and defenceless man. I am no soldier, and physical suffering +frightens me. I do not know how I shall endure the tortures you will +perhaps inflict on me, but there is one thing of which I am certain."</p> + +<p>"What is it, may I ask, Señor Padre?"</p> + +<p>"That I will die, my lord, before answering any of your questions."</p> + +<p>"We shall see that," he said, sarcastically, "if you compel me to have +recourse to violence."</p> + +<p>"You will see," he replied, in a gentle but firm voice, which denoted +an irrevocable determination.</p> + +<p>"For the last time, I deign to warn you: take care—reflect."</p> + +<p>"All my reflections are made, my lord; I am in your power. Abuse my +weakness as you may think proper, I shall not even attempt a useless +defence. I shall not be the first monk of my order who has fallen a +martyr to duty: others have preceded me, and others will doubtless +follow me in this painful track."</p> + +<p>The Count stamped his foot savagely; the spectators, dumb and +motionless, exchanged terrified glances, for they foresaw that this +scene would soon have a terrible denouement, between two men, neither +of whom would make concessions; while the first of them, blinded by +rage, would soon not be in a condition to listen to the salutary +counsels of reason.</p> + +<p>"My lord," Don Antonio de la Ronda murmured, "the stars are beginning +to turn pale, and the day will soon dawn; we are still far from the +hatto, would it not be better to set out without further delay?"</p> + +<p>"Silence!" the Count answered, with a smile of contempt. "Pedro," he +added, addressing one of his domestics, "a match."</p> + +<p>The valet dismounted and advanced with a long sulphured match in his +hand.</p> + +<p>"The two thumbs," the Count said, laconically.</p> + +<p>The domestic approached the monk; the latter offered his hands without +hesitation, although his face was fearfully pale, and his whole body +trembled.</p> + +<p>Pedro coolly rolled the match between his two thumbs, passing it +several times under his nails, and then turned to the Count.</p> + +<p>"For the last time, monk," the latter said, "will you speak?"</p> + +<p>"I have nothing to say to you, my lord," Fray Arsenio replied, in a +soft voice.</p> + +<p>"Light it," the Count commanded, biting his lips till they bled.</p> + +<p>The valet, with the passive obedience distinguishing men of this class, +set fire to the match.</p> + +<p>The monk fell on his knees and raised his eyes to Heaven. His face had +assumed an earthy tint, a cold perspiration beaded on his temples, and +his hair stood on end. The suffering he experienced must be horrible, +for his chest heaved violently, although his parched lips remained dumb.</p> + +<p>The Count watched him anxiously.</p> + +<p>"Will you speak now, monk?" he said to him in a hollow voice.</p> + +<p>Fray Arsenio turned toward him a face whose features were distorted by +pain, and gave him a look full of ineffable gentleness.</p> + +<p>"I thank you, my lord," he said, "for having taught me that pain does +not exist for a man whose faith is lively."</p> + +<p>"My curses on you, wretch!" the Count exclaimed, as he hurled him down +with a blow on the chest. "To horse, señores, to horse, so that we may +reach the hatto before sunrise."</p> + +<p>The cavaliers remounted, and went off at full speed, leaving, without +a glance of compassion, the poor monk, who, vanquished by pain, had +rolled fainting on the ground.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXVII" id="CHAPTER_XXVII">CHAPTER XXVII.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COLONY.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>A triple expedition, so serious as that conceived by Montbarts, +demanded, for its success, extreme care and precautions.</p> + +<p>The few points occupied by the buccaneers on the Spanish isles, did not +at all resemble towns; they were agglomerations of houses built without +order, according to the liking or caprice of the owner, and occupying a +space twenty-fold larger than they should have taken in accordance with +the population. Hence, these points were spots almost impossible to +defend against a well-combined attack of the Spaniards, if the thought +occurred to the latter of finishing once for all with their formidable +neighbours.</p> + +<p>Port Margot, for instance, the most important point in the French +possessions as a strategic position, was only a miserable hamlet, open +to all comers, without police or organization, where every language +was spoken, and which Spanish spies entered with the greatest facility +without incurring a risk of discovery, and thus scented the plans of +the filibusters.</p> + +<p>Montbarts, before advancing and attacking the Spaniards, whom he +correctly suspected of being already acquainted with the motive of +his presence on the island, either through Don Antonio de la Ronda, +or other spies, and not wishing, when he was preparing to surprise +the enemy, to be himself surprised and see his retreat cut off by an +unforeseen attack, resolved to shelter Port Margot from a <i>coup de +main.</i></p> + +<p>The grand council of the filibusters was convened on board the +admiral's lugger. In this way the resolutions formed by the council +would not transpire outside, and not reach hostile ears, ever open to +hear them.</p> + +<p>Two days after the departure of Lepoletais, the council therefore +assembled on the deck of the vessel, which had been prepared for the +purpose, as the admiral's cabin had been judged too small to contain +all those whom their wealth or their reputation authorized in being +present at the meeting.</p> + +<p>At ten in the morning, numerous skiffs left the shore and pulled +alongside the lugger, boarding it on all sides simultaneously.</p> + +<p>Montbarts received the delegates as they presented themselves, and led +them beneath the awning prepared for them.</p> + +<p>Ere long, all the delegates were assembled on board: they were forty +in number; filibusters, buccaneers, and habitants, all adventurers who +had lived for several years on the isles, and desperate enemies of +the Spaniards. Their complexion, bronzed by the tropical sun, their +energetic features, and flashing glances, made them resemble bandits +rather than peaceful colonists; but their frank and decided manners +allowed a guess at the prodigies of incredible daring which they had +already accomplished, and were ready to accomplish again, when the +moment for action arrived.</p> + +<p>When all the members of the council were on board, Michael the Basque +gave the skiffs orders to return ashore, and to come alongside again +when they saw a large black and red flag hoisted at the mainmast of the +lugger. A splendid lunch preceded the council, which, was held at table +and during the dessert, so as to foil any indiscreet glances, which +were doubtless watching what was going on aboard from the top of the +cliffs.</p> + +<p>When the repast was ended, and spirits, pipes, and tobacco had +been laid on the table by the engagés, an order was given to remove +the awning; the whole of the lugger's crew retired to the bows, and +Montbarts, without leaving his seat, struck the table with his knife to +request silence.</p> + +<p>The delegates vaguely knew that grave interests were about to be +discussed, hence they had only eaten and drunk for form's sake, and +though the table offered all the appearances of a true filibustering +orgy, their brains were perfectly clear, and their heads cool.</p> + +<p>The road of Port Margot offered at this moment a strange spectacle, +which was not deficient, however, in a certain picturesque and wild +grandeur.</p> + +<p>Thousands of canoes were lying on their oars, forming an immense +circle, of which the filibustering squadron was the centre.</p> + +<p>On shore, the cliffs and rocks were literally hidden by the confused +and dense mass of spectators who had flocked from all the houses to +watch, at a distance, this gigantic and Homeric feast, whose serious +motive they were far from suspecting, beneath its frivolous appearance.</p> + +<p>Montbarts, after calling his friends' attention in a few words, to +the enormous crowd of spectators who surrounded them, and showing how +correct he had been in taking his precautions in consequence, filled +his glass, and rose, shouting in a sonorous voice—</p> + +<p>"Brethren, the health of the king!"</p> + +<p>"The health of the king!" the filibusters responded, as they rose, and +clinked their glasses together.</p> + +<p>At the same moment, all the guns of the lugger were discharged with a +formidable noise; a loud clamour that rose from the beach proved that +the spectators heartily joined in this patriotic toast.</p> + +<p>"Now," the admiral continued, as he sat down, which movement was +imitated by his companions, "let us talk of our business, and be +careful in doing so, that our gestures may not allow a suspicion of +what is occupying us, since our words cannot be overheard."</p> + +<p>The council commenced its session. Montbarts, with the lofty views and +clearness of expression he possessed, explained, in a few words, the +critical position in which the colony would find it, unless energetic +measures were taken, not only to place it in a position to defend +itself, but also to hold out during the absence of the expedition.</p> + +<p>"I can understand," he said in conclusion, "that so long as we merely +purposed to hunt wild bulls, such precautions were unnecessary, for our +breasts were a sure rampart for our habitations; but from today the +position is changed, we wish to create for ourselves an impregnable +refuge; we are going to attack the Spaniards in their homes, and must +consequently expect terrible reprisals from enemies, who, from the way +in which we act towards them, will soon comprehend that we wish to +remain the sole possessors of this land, which they have accustomed +themselves to regard as belonging to them legitimately; we must, +therefore, be in a position, not alone to resist them, but to inflict +on them such a chastisement for their audacity, that they will be for +ever disgusted with any fresh attempts to regain the territory we have +conquered. To effect this, we must build a real town, in the place of +the temporary camp which has, up to the present, sufficed us; and, with +the exception of the members of our association, no stranger must be +allowed to introduce himself among us, for the sake of spying us, and +repeating to our enemies our secrets, whatever their nature may be."</p> + +<p>The filibusters warmly applauded these remarks, whose truth they +recognized. They at length saw the necessity of setting order in their +disorder, and entering the great human family, by themselves accepting +some of those laws, from which they fancied they had enfranchised +themselves for ever, and which are the sole condition of the vitality +of society.</p> + +<p>Under the omnipotent influence of Montbarts and the members of the +association of the Twelve, who were scattered about the meeting, the +urgent measures were immediately discussed and settled; but when +everything was arranged, the council suddenly found itself stopped +short by a difficulty of which it had not thought at all—who was to be +entrusted with the duty of carrying out the measures, as no buccaneer +had a recognized authority over the rest?</p> + +<p>The difficulty was great; almost insurmountable. Still it was Montbarts +who again smoothed down the difficulty to the general satisfaction.</p> + +<p>"Nothing is more easy," he said, "than to find the man we want; this +is an exceptional case, and we must act according to circumstances. +Let us elect a chief, as for a dangerous expedition, let us choose +one who is energetic and intelligent, which will be a trifle, as the +only difficulty will be the choice among so many equally good. This +chief will be elected by us, the first for a year, his successor for +only six months, in order to guard against any abuse of power they +might eventually be attempted to try. This chief will assume the +title of governor, and in reality govern all civil matters, assisted +by a council of seven members, chosen by the habitants, as well as +by subaltern agents, nominated by himself. The laws he will employ +exist, for they are those of our association; it is understood that the +governor will watch, like a captain aboard his ship, over the safety +of the colony, and, in the event of treachery, will be punishable with +death. This proposition is, I believe, the only one that we can take +into consideration; does it suit you, brothers? Do you accept it?"</p> + +<p>The delegates replied by a universal affirmation,</p> + +<p>"In that case let us at once proceed to the election."</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, brothers," Belle Tête said, "with your permission, I have a +few remarks to submit to the council."</p> + +<p>"Speak, brother, we will hear you," Montbarts answered him.</p> + +<p>"I offer myself," Belle Tête said frankly, "as governor, not through +ambition, for that would be absurd, but because I believe that I am at +this moment the best man for the place; you all know me, and hence I +will not put forward my qualifications. Certain reasons urge me to try, +if possible, to withdraw my promise, and not follow the expedition; to +which, however, I feel convinced that I shall render great services, if +you choose me as governor."</p> + +<p>"You have heard, brethren," Montbarts said, "consult together, but fill +your glasses first, you have ten minutes to reflect; at the end of that +time all the glasses that have not been emptied will be considered as +adverse votes."</p> + +<p>"Ah, traitor," Michael the Basque said, leaning over to Belle Tête's +ear, by whose side he was seated, "I know why you want to stop at Port +Margot."</p> + +<p>"You? Stuff," he answered with embarrassment.</p> + +<p>"Zounds, it is not difficult to guess, you are caught, mate."</p> + +<p>"Well, it is true, and you are right, that little devil of a woman I +bought at St. Kitts has turned my head; she turns me round her little +finger."</p> + +<p>"Ah! love!" Michael said ironically.</p> + +<p>"The deuce take love, and the woman too; a girl no bigger than that, +whom I could smash with one blow."</p> + +<p>"She is very pretty, you showed good taste; her name is Louise, is it +not?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, Louise; it was a bad bargain I made."</p> + +<p>"Nonsense!" Michael said, with the utmost seriousness, "well, there is +a way of arranging the matter."</p> + +<p>"Do you think so?"</p> + +<p>"Zounds, I am sure of it."</p> + +<p>"I should like to know it, for I confess to you that she has completely +upset my ideas; the confounded girl, with her bird's voice, and sly +smile, turns me about like a whirligig: by Heaven, I am the most +unfortunate of men—tell me your plan, brother."</p> + +<p>"Why, sell her to me."</p> + +<p>Belle Tête suddenly turned pale at this blunt offer, which, indeed, +settled everything; but which, though he did not suspect it, Michael +only made in a joke, and to try him; he frowned, and angrily replied in +a voice trembling with emotion, and striking the table with his fist—</p> + +<p>"Zounds, mate, that is a magnificent way you have found, but the fiend +take me if I accept it; no, no, whatever sorrow the little witch causes +me—have I not told you that she has bewitched me?—I love her! Blood +and thunder, do you understand that?"</p> + +<p>"Of course I understand it; but come, reassure yourself, I have not +the slightest intention of depriving you of your Louise; what should I +do with a wife? Besides, what I have seen of other men's love affairs, +does not offer me the slightest inducement to try it on my own account."</p> + +<p>"All right," Belle Tête replied, reassured by this frank declaration, +"that is speaking like a man; and, after all, you are right, brother; +although I would not consent for anything in the world to part with my +Louise, still, after the experience I have of her, if the bargain was +to be made again, hang me if I would purchase her."</p> + +<p>"Stuff!" said Michael, with a shrug of his shoulders, "Men always say +that, and when the moment arrives, they never fail to begin the same +folly over again."</p> + +<p>Belle Tête reflected for a moment, and then tapped Michael amicably on +the shoulder, at the same time saying with a laugh—</p> + +<p>"On my word that is true, brother; you are right, I believe that I +should really behave as you say."</p> + +<p>"I am certain of it," Michael replied, with another shrug of his +shoulders.</p> + +<p>During this aside, between the two adventurers, the ten minutes had +elapsed.</p> + +<p>"Brethren," said Montbarts, "we are about to proceed to an examination +of the votes."</p> + +<p>He looked: all the glasses were empty.</p> + +<p>"You are unanimous," he said, "and that is well. Brother Belle Tête, +you are elected governor of Port Margot."</p> + +<p>"Brethren," the latter said, bowing all round, "I thank you for having +given me your votes. I shall not deceive your expectations; our colony, +even though I was obliged to bury myself beneath its ruins, shall never +fall into the hands of the Spaniards, and you know me well enough not +to doubt my oath. I intend to set to work this very day; for, as our +admiral has very justly said, we have not a moment to lose. Confide the +duty of guarding your interests to me."</p> + +<p>"Before we separate," said Montbarts, "it would be as well, I fancy, to +agree to keep our deliberations secret for a few days."</p> + +<p>"You may divulge them tomorrow without danger," Belle Tête continued; +"but allow me, brethren, to choose from among you the few assistants I +shall require."</p> + +<p>"Do so," the filibusters answered.</p> + +<p>Belle Tête named eight adventurers, whose blind bravery he knew, and +then addressed the delegates for the last time, who were already rising +and preparing to leave the ship.</p> + +<p>"You remember, I trust that I am considered by you the leader of an +expedition."</p> + +<p>"Yes," they replied.</p> + +<p>"Consequently you owe me the most perfect obedience to all the orders I +shall give you in the common interest."</p> + +<p>"Yes," they repeated.</p> + +<p>"You swear, then, to obey me without any hesitation or murmuring?"</p> + +<p>"We do."</p> + +<p>"Very good; now farewell for the present, brothers."</p> + +<p>The boats had been recalled by a flag hoisted at the main yard, and a +few minutes after all the delegates had left the ship, except Belle +Tête and the eight officers chosen by him.</p> + +<p>Montbarts and Belle Tête remained shut up for some hours, doubtless +settling the measures which must be adopted in order to obtain the +desired result as soon as possible; then, a little before sunset, +the new Governor took leave of the Admiral, entered a boat prepared +expressly for him, and returned ashore, followed by his officers.</p> + +<p>About eleven o'clock in the evening, when the town appeared completely +asleep, when all doors were shut, and lights extinguished, an observer +in a position to see what was going on, would have noticed a strange +spectacle.</p> + +<p>Armed men glided gently out of the houses, casting inquiring glances +to the right and left, that seemed trying to pierce the profound +darkness by which they were surrounded. They proceeded separately on +tiptoe to the principal square, where they joined other men armed like +themselves, who, having arrived first, were waiting.</p> + +<p>Ere long the number of these men, which was augmented every moment, +became considerable; at an order, given in a low voice, they broke up +into several parties, left the square by different outlets, went out of +the town, and formed a wide circle all round it.</p> + +<p>One last band of about forty men had remained in the square, however; +this party was broken up in its turn, but, instead of also leaving the +town, platoons, composed of ten men each, went from the square in four +different directions, and entered the streets.</p> + +<p>The latter were proceeding to pay domiciliary visits; no house escaped +their vigilance, they entered all, searching them with the most +scrupulous exactness, sounding the walls and flooring, and even opening +cupboards and chests.</p> + +<p>Such minute researches necessarily occupied a long time, and did not +terminate till sunrise.</p> + +<p>Eight Spanish spies had been discovered in the houses, and three +arrested by the sentries at the moment when they attempted flight, or +eleven in all.</p> + +<p>The Governor had them temporarily put in irons aboard the lugger, so +that they could not escape.</p> + +<p>At sunrise, buccaneers, habitants, engagés, and filibusters, all armed +with spades, pickaxes, and hatchets, set about digging a trench round +the town.</p> + +<p>This job, which was performed with extraordinary ardor, lasted three +days; the trench was twelve feet wide, by fifteen deep, and the earth +was thrown up on the side of the town; on this <i>talus</i> stakes were +planted, bound together with strong iron bands, embrasures being left +to place guns, and for loopholes.</p> + +<p>While the entire population thus laboured with the feverish ardor that +accomplishes prodigies, large clearings had been effected in the woods +surrounding the port; then the forest was fired, care being taken that +the fire should not extend beyond a demi-league in all directions.</p> + +<p>These gigantic works, which, in ordinary times, would demand a +lengthened period, were finished at the end of ten days, which would +seem incredible were not the fact stated in several records worthy of +belief.</p> + +<p>Port Margot was thus, thanks to the energy of its Governor, and the +passive obedience with which the filibusters executed his orders, +not only protected against a <i>coup de main</i>, but also rendered +capable of resisting a regular siege. And this had been effected with +such secrecy, that nothing had transpired abroad; and owing to the +precautions taken at the outset, the Spaniards had no suspicion of the +change so menacing to them, and which presaged an internecine war.</p> + +<p>When the fortifications were finished, the Governor had eleven gallows +erected, at a certain distance from each other, on the glacis. The +unhappy Spanish spies were suspended from them, and their bodies were +fastened to the gallows by iron chains, so that, as Belle Tête said, +with an ill-omened smile, the sight of the corpses might terrify those +of their compatriots, who might be tempted to follow their example, +and introduce themselves into the town.</p> + +<p>All the habitants were then convoked in the chief square, and Belle +Tête mounted a platform erected for the purpose, and announced to them +the determinations formed aboard the lugger, his nomination to the post +of Governor, the measures he had thought it his duty to take for the +general welfare, and ended by asking their approbation.</p> + +<p>This approbation the inhabitants most willingly granted, because they +found themselves in presence of accomplished facts, which did not in +any way injure them.</p> + +<p>The Governor, thus finding his undertakings sanctioned, invited the +inhabitants to nominate a council of seven members chosen from among +themselves; and this proposition they joyfully accepted, because they +justly anticipated that these councillors would defend their interests.</p> + +<p>The seven municipal councillors were therefore elected at once, and, by +the Governor's invitation, took their seat by his side on the platform.</p> + +<p>Then the Governor informed his audience that nothing was changed in the +colony, which would continue to be governed by the laws in force among +the filibusters, that everyone would live in the same liberty as in the +past, and that the measures taken were solely intended to protect the +interests of all, and in no way to annoy the colonists, or subject them +to a humiliating yoke.</p> + +<p>This final assurance produced the best effect on the crowd, and the +Governor retired, amid shouts and the warmest protestations of devotion.</p> + +<p>Although Montbarts had chosen to remain obstinately in the background, +all these ameliorations were solely due to him; Belle Tête had merely +been a passive and submissive agent in his hands.</p> + +<p>When the Admiral, saw matters in the state he desired, he resolved +to depart, and after a final interview with the Governor, he placed +himself at the head of his filibusters, and left the town.</p> + +<p>Michael the Basque had departed several hours previously, entrusted +with a secret mission, and accompanied by ninety resolute men.</p> + +<p>From this moment the expedition commenced; but what its result would be +no one could as yet foretell.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXVIII" id="CHAPTER_XXVIII">CHAPTER XXVIII.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE FLIGHT FROM THE HATTO.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>Without taking the time to peruse the letters that were handed him, +Don Sancho concealed them in his doublet, and proceeded hastily to his +sister's apartment.</p> + +<p>She was anxiously awaiting him.</p> + +<p>"Here you are at last, brother," she exclaimed on perceiving him.</p> + +<p>"What," the young man replied, as he kissed her hand, "were you +expecting me?"</p> + +<p>"Oh, yes, that I was; but you are very late—what has kept you so +long?" she asked, in agitation.</p> + +<p>"Where have I been? Why, s'death! I have been hunting, the only +pleasure allowed a gentleman in this horrible country."</p> + +<p>"What, at this hour?"</p> + +<p>"Zounds, my dear Clara, a man gets home when he can, especially in this +country, where we ought to feel very happy at reaching home again at +all."</p> + +<p>"You are speaking in enigmas, brother, and I do not at all understand +you; be kind enough, therefore, to explain yourself clearly—have you +fallen into bad company?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and very bad, too; but forgive me, my dear Clara, if you have no +objection, let us proceed regularly. You desired to see me immediately +on my return, and here I am at your orders; be kind enough, therefore, +to tell me how I can possibly be of service to you, and then I will +narrate the series of singular events with which my today's sport +has been diversified. I will not hide from you that I have certain +questions to ask of you, and certain explanations, which I feel sure +you will not refuse to give me."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean, Sancho?"</p> + +<p>"Nothing at present; do you speak first, sister."</p> + +<p>"Well, if you insist on it—"</p> + +<p>"I do not insist at all, sister—I only request it."</p> + +<p>"Very good, I yield to your request; I have received several letters."</p> + +<p>"So I have; but I confess that I have not read them yet, and do not +think they are of any great importance."</p> + +<p>"I have read mine, and do you know what they tell me beside other news?"</p> + +<p>"Indeed, no, unless it be my appointment to the post of Alcade Mayor +of Hispaniola, which, I allow, would greatly surprise me," he said, +laughingly.</p> + +<p>"Do not jest so, Sancho; the matter is very serious."</p> + +<p>"Really? In that case speak, little sister. You see I have as solemn a +face as your dear husband."</p> + +<p>"It is exactly to him I refer."</p> + +<p>"Stuff! My brother-in-law? Has any accident happened to him in the +performance of his noble and wearisome duties?"</p> + +<p>"No, on the contrary, he is in better health than usual."</p> + +<p>"In that case, all the better for him; I wish him no harm, though he is +the most fastidious gentleman of my acquaintance."</p> + +<p>"Will you listen to me—yes or no?" she asked, impatiently.</p> + +<p>"Why, I am doing so, dear sister."</p> + +<p>"You are really insupportable."</p> + +<p>"Come, do not be angry—I have done; I will not laugh anymore."</p> + +<p>"Have you seen the two Fifties encamped in front of the hatto?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, and I must allow that I was greatly surprised to see them."</p> + +<p>"You will be much more surprised on hearing that my husband is coming +here."</p> + +<p>"He? Impossible, sister! He did not say a word to me about the journey."</p> + +<p>"Because it is secret."</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah!" the young man remarked, with a frown; "And are you sure that +he is coming?"</p> + +<p>"Certain. The person who writes me so was present at his departure, +which no one suspects; the courier who brought me the news, and to whom +the greatest diligence was recommended, is only a few hours ahead of +him."</p> + +<p>"This is, indeed, serious," the young man muttered.</p> + +<p>"What is to be done?"</p> + +<p>"S'death!" the young man replied, carelessly, but gazing fixedly at +Doña Clara—"Welcome him."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" the lady exclaimed, twisting her hands despairingly, "I have been +betrayed—he is coming to avenge himself!"</p> + +<p>"Avenge himself? For what, sister?"</p> + +<p>She gave him a look of strange significance, and then bent over him.</p> + +<p>"I am ruined, brother," she said, in a hollow voice, "for this man +knows everything, and will kill me."</p> + +<p>Don Sancho, in spite of himself, was affected by this sorrow; he adored +his sister, and felt ashamed of the part he was playing at this moment +before her.</p> + +<p>"And I, too, Clara," he said to her, "know everything."</p> + +<p>"You! Oh, you are jesting, brother."</p> + +<p>"No, I am not; I love you, and wish to save you, even if I gave my life +to do so: hence, reassure yourself, and do not fix upon me eyes haggard +with grief."</p> + +<p>"What do you know, in heaven's name?"</p> + +<p>"I know that which probably a traitor, as you called him, has sold to +your husband, that is to say, that you left the hatto, went aboard a +vessel, which conveyed you to Nevis, and there—"</p> + +<p>"Oh! Not a word more, brother," she exclaimed as she fell into his +arms; "you are really well informed, but I swear to you, brother, +in the name of what is most sacred in the world, that, although +appearances condemn me, I am innocent."</p> + +<p>"I know it, sister, and never doubted it; what is your intention, will +you await your husband here?"</p> + +<p>"Never, never! Did I not tell you he would kill me?"</p> + +<p>"What is to be done then?"</p> + +<p>"Fly, fly without delay; at once."</p> + +<p>"But where shall we go?"</p> + +<p>"How do I know? To the cliff or the forest, live among the wild beasts +sooner than remain any longer here."</p> + +<p>"Very good, we will go, I know where to take you."</p> + +<p>"You?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, did I not tell you that sundry accidents happened to me today +while hunting?"</p> + +<p>"So you did; but what has that to do with it?"</p> + +<p>"A great deal," he interrupted; "the Major-domo, who accompanied me, +and I tumbled over an encampment of filibusters."</p> + +<p>"Ah," she said, turning paler than she had been before.</p> + +<p>"Yes, and I intend to conduct you to that encampment; besides, one of +the buccaneers entrusted me with a message for you."</p> + +<p>"What do you mean?"</p> + +<p>"Exactly what I am saying, sister."</p> + +<p>She appeared to reflect for an instant, and then turned resolutely to +the young man.</p> + +<p>"Well, be it so, brother, let us go to those men, though they are +represented as so cruel; perhaps every human feeling has not been +extinguished in their hearts, and they will take pity on me."</p> + +<p>"When shall we go?"</p> + +<p>"As speedily as possible."</p> + +<p>"That is true, but the hatto is probably watched and the soldiers have +doubtless secret orders, you may be a prisoner without suspecting it, +my poor sister; for what other reason would the two Fifties be here?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! In that case I am lost."</p> + +<p>"Perhaps there is one way, and the orders given doubtless only affect +you; but unfortunately the journey will be long, fatiguing, and beset +with numberless perils."</p> + +<p>"What matter, brother? I am strong, do not be anxious about me."</p> + +<p>"Very good, we will try; you are absolutely determined on flight?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, whatever may befall me."</p> + +<p>"Well then, we will put our trust in heaven, wait for me a moment."</p> + +<p>The young man left the room and returned a few minutes later, bearing a +rather large bundle under his arm.</p> + +<p>"Here are my page's clothes, I do not know how they happen to be in +my possession, but my valet probably placed them in my portmanteau by +mistake, for they are new, and I remember that the tailor brought them +home a few minutes before my departure from Saint Domingo, but I thank +accident for causing it to be so. Dress yourself, wrap yourself up +in a cloak, put this hat on your head, I will answer for everything. +Besides, this costume is preferable to your woman's clothes for +crossing the savannah; mind and not forget to place these pistols and +this dagger in your belt, for there is no knowing what may happen."</p> + +<p>"Thanks brother! I shall be ready in a quarter of an hour."</p> + +<p>"Good; during that time I will go and reconnoitre; do not open the door +to anyone but me."</p> + +<p>"You may depend upon me."</p> + +<p>The young man lit a cigarette and left the apartment with the most +careless air he could assume.</p> + +<p>On entering the zaguán, the Count found himself face to face with the +Major-domo. Señor Birbomono had such an anxious look that it did not +escape Don Sancho; still he continued to advance, pretending not to +notice it.</p> + +<p>But the Major-domo came straight up to him.</p> + +<p>"I am glad to meet you, Excellency," he said, "if you had not come +within ten minutes, I should have knocked at the door of your +apartment."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" Don Sancho observed, "What pressing motive was there to urge you +to such a step?"</p> + +<p>"Is your Excellency aware of what is taking place?" the Major-domo +continued, without appearing to notice the young man's ironical tone.</p> + +<p>"What! Is there really anything happening?"</p> + +<p>"Does not your Excellency know it?"</p> + +<p>"Probably not, as I ask you; after all, as the news, I am sure, +interests me but very slightly, you are quite at liberty not to tell it +to me."</p> + +<p>"On the contrary, Excellency, it interests you as well as all the +inhabitants of the hatto."</p> + +<p>"Oh! oh! What is it then?"</p> + +<p>"It appears that the commander of the two Fifties, has placed sentries +all round the hatto."</p> + +<p>"Very good, in that case, we need not fear being attacked by the +buccaneers, of whom you are so afraid, and I will thank the commandant +for it."</p> + +<p>"You are at liberty to do so, Excellency, but I fancy you will find it +difficult."</p> + +<p>"Why so?"</p> + +<p>"Because orders are given to let anyone enter the hatto but nobody +leave it."</p> + +<p>A shudder ran through the young man's veins on hearing this; he turned +frightfully pale, but recovering himself almost immediately, remarked +carelessly,</p> + +<p>"Stuff! that order cannot affect me."</p> + +<p>"Pardon me, Excellency, it is general."</p> + +<p>"In that case, you think that, if I tried to go out—"</p> + +<p>"You would be stopped."</p> + +<p>"Confound it, that is very annoying, not that I have any intention of +going out, but as by my character, I am very fond of doing things which +are prohibited—"</p> + +<p>"You would like to take a walk, I suppose, Excellency?"</p> + +<p>Don Sancho looked at Birbomono, as if trying to read his thoughts.</p> + +<p>"And suppose such were my intention?" he resumed presently.</p> + +<p>"I would undertake to get you out."</p> + +<p>"You?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, I; am I not the Major-domo of the hatto?"</p> + +<p>"That is true; thus, the prohibition does not extend to you?"</p> + +<p>"To me, as to the rest, Excellency; but the soldiers do not know the +hatto as I know; I could Slip between their fingers, whenever I liked."</p> + +<p>"I have strong inclination to try it."</p> + +<p>"Do so, Excellency; I have three horses at a spot where no one but +myself could find them."</p> + +<p>"Why, three horses?" the young man asked, pricking up his ears.</p> + +<p>"Because, doubtless, you do not wish to ride with me only, but will +take someone with you."</p> + +<p>Don Sancho, understanding that the Major-domo had penetrated his +thoughts, made up his mind at once.</p> + +<p>"Let us play fairly," he said, "can you be faithful."</p> + +<p>"I am so, and devoted too, Excellency, as you have a proof."</p> + +<p>"What assures me that you are not laying a trap for me?"</p> + +<p>"With what object?"</p> + +<p>"That of obtaining a reward from the Count."</p> + +<p>"No, Excellency, no reward would induce me to betray my mistress; I may +be anything you please, but I love Doña Clara, who has always been kind +to me, and has often protected me."</p> + +<p>"I am willing to believe you, and indeed have no time to discuss the +point, but here are my conditions: a bullet through the head if you +betray me, a thousand piastres if you are faithful; do you accept them?"</p> + +<p>"I do, Excellency, the thousand piastres are gained."</p> + +<p>"You know that I do not threaten in vain."</p> + +<p>"I know you."</p> + +<p>"Very good, what must we do?"</p> + +<p>"Follow me, that is all; our flight will be most easy, for I prepared +everything on my return; I had my suspicions on seeing those demons +of soldiers, suspicions which were soon changed into certainty, after +some skilful inquiries here and there; my devotion to my mistress +rendered me clear sighted, and you see that I acted wisely in taking my +precautions."</p> + +<p>The accent with which the Major-domo pronounced these words, had such a +stamp of truth, his face was so frank and open, that the young Count's +last suspicions were dissipated.</p> + +<p>"Wait for me," he said, "I will go and fetch my sister."</p> + +<p>And he hurried away.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said Birbomono, with a grin, so soon as he was alone, "I do not +know whether Señor don Stenio de Bejar will be pleased at seeing his +wife escape in this way, when he felt so certain of holding her; poor +señora! She is so good to us all, that it would be infamous to betray +her, and then, after all, this is a good deed which brings me one +thousand piastres," he added, rubbing his hands, "that is a very decent +amount."</p> + +<p>It was about eleven o'clock at night, all the lights in the hatto +were extinguished by orders of the Major-domo, who had provided for +everything; the slaves had been dismissed to their huts, and a solemn +silence brooded over the landscape, a silence solely interrupted at +regular intervals, by the sentries who challenged each other in a +monotonous voice.</p> + +<p>Don Sancho soon returned, accompanied by his sister, wrapped up like +himself, in a long mantle.</p> + +<p>Doña Clara did not speak, but on joining the Major-domo, she +gracefully held out her right hand to him, on which he respectfully +impressed his lips.</p> + +<p>Although the officers had told the soldiers to keep a good guard, and +watch carefully, not only the hatto, but its environs, the latter, +slightly reassured by the darkness on one hand, and on the other, +by the gloomy and mysterious depths of the forests that surrounded +them, stood motionless behind the trees, contenting themselves with +responding to the challenge, every half hour, but not venturing to go +even a few yards from the shelter they had chosen.</p> + +<p>The reasons for this apparent cowardice, were simple, and although we +have explained them, we will repeat them here, for the sake of greater +clearness.</p> + +<p>In the early times of the buccaneers landing on Saint Domingo, the +Fifties sent by the governor in pursuit of them, were armed with +muskets; but after several encounters with the French, in which the +latter gave them an awful thrashing, their terror of the adventurers +became so great that, whenever they were sent on an expedition against +these men, whom they almost regarded as demons, no sooner did they +enter the forests, or the mountain gorges, or even the savannahs, where +they might suppose the buccaneers to be ambushed, than they began +to fire their pieces right and left, for the purpose of warning the +enemies, and inducing them to withdraw.</p> + +<p>The result of this clever manoeuvre was that the adventurers, thus +warned, decamped in reality, and thus became intangible; the governor +noticing this result, eventually guessed its cause, and hence, in order +to avoid such a thing in future, he took the muskets away from the +soldiers and substituted lances. This change, let us hasten to add, was +not at all to the liking of these brave soldiers, who thus saw their +ingenious scheme foiled, and were even more exposed to the blows of +their formidable enemies.</p> + +<p>It was almost without being obliged to take any other precaution than +that of walking noiselessly and not speaking, that the Major-domo and +the two persons he served as guide, succeeded in quitting the hatto on +the opposite side to that on which the Fifties had established their +bivouac.</p> + +<p>Once the line of sentries was passed, the fugitives hurried on more +rapidly, and soon reached a thicket in the midst of which three fully +accoutred horses were so thoroughly hidden that unless known to be +there, it would have been impossible to find them; for a greater +precaution, and to prevent them from neighing, the Major-domo had +fastened a cord round their nostrils.</p> + +<p>So soon as the three were mounted, and before starting, Birbomono +turned to Don Sancho,—</p> + +<p>"Where are we going, Excellency?" he asked.</p> + +<p>"Do you know the spot where the buccaneers we met today are +bivouacked?" the young man replied.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Excellency."</p> + +<p>"Do you think you could succeed in finding the bivouac in the midst of +the darkness?"</p> + +<p>The Major-domo smiled.</p> + +<p>"Nothing is more easy," he said.</p> + +<p>"In that case lead us to those men."</p> + +<p>"Very good; but, Excellency, be good enough not press your horse on at +present, for we are still near the house, and the slightest imprudence +would be sufficient to give an alarm."</p> + +<p>"Do you think, then, that they would venture to pursue us?"</p> + +<p>"Separately, certainly not; but as they are so numerous, they would +not hesitate; the less so, because from what I heard them say, they +feel certain that the buccaneers have never come into these parts. This +redoubles their bravery, and they would perhaps not be sorry to furnish +a proof of it at our expense."</p> + +<p>"Excellent reasoning; regulate our pace, therefore, as you think +proper, and we will only act in accordance with your judgment."</p> + +<p>They set out; with the exception of the precautions they were obliged +to take not to be discovered, the journey had nothing disagreeable +about it, on a bright and perfumed night, beneath a sky studded with +brilliant stars, and in the midst of a most delightful scenery, whose +slightest diversities the transparency of the atmosphere allowed to be +seen.</p> + +<p>After an hour spent in a moderate trot, their pace became insensibly +more rapid, and the horses growing gradually more excited, eventually +broke into a gallop, at which their riders kept them for a considerable +period.</p> + +<p>Doña Clara bent over her horse's neck, and with her eyes eagerly fixed +ahead, seemed to upbraid the slowness of this ride, which, however, had +assumed the headlong speed of a pursuit: at times she leant over to her +brother, who constantly kept by her side, and asked him in a choking +voice—</p> + +<p>"Shall we soon arrive?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, have patience, sister," the young man said, suppressing a sigh of +pity for the agony which preyed on his sister's heart.</p> + +<p>And their pace grew more rapid than ever.</p> + +<p>The stars were already expiring in the heavens, the atmosphere was +growing refreshed, the horizon was striped by long mother-o'-pearl +coloured bands, a light sea breeze brought up to the travellers its +alkaline odours, and the night had passed. Suddenly, at the moment +when the three riders were about to emerge from a thick wood, in which +they had been following a track made by the wild cattle for nearly an +hour, the Major-domo, who was a few yards ahead, pulled up his horse +and leant back.</p> + +<p>"Stop, in Heaven's name!" he exclaimed, in a low voice.</p> + +<p>The young couple obeyed, though they did not comprehend this order.</p> + +<p>The Major-domo went up to them.</p> + +<p>"Look!" he muttered, and stretched out his arm toward the savannah.</p> + +<p>A rapid gallop, that drew nearer every second, but which the noise of +their own march had prevented them from hearing, now smote their ears, +and almost at the same moment they saw through the screen of foliage +which hid them from sight, several horsemen pass as if borne along by a +hurricane.</p> + +<p>A branch struck off the hat of one of the riders as he passed.</p> + +<p>"Don Stenio!" Doña Clara exclaimed in horror.</p> + +<p>"Zounds!" Don Sancho said, "We were just in time."</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXIX" id="CHAPTER_XXIX">CHAPTER XXIX.</a></h4> + +<h3>EVENTS ACCUMULATE.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>The horsemen had continued their wild course without perceiving the +fugitives: one of them, indeed, at the cry uttered by Doña Clara, had +made a gesture as if to stop his steed, but doubtless supposing that +he had been mistaken, he followed his companions after a moment's +hesitation, which was very fortunate for him, as Don Sancho had already +drawn a pistol, with the resolution of blowing out his brains.</p> + +<p>For some minutes the fugitives remained motionless, anxiously listening +to the galloping of the horses, whose sound rapidly retired, and was +soon lost in the distance, when it became confounded with the other +noises of the night.</p> + +<p>Then they breathed again, and Don Sancho put back in his holster the +pistol which he had held in his hand up to this moment.</p> + +<p>"Hum!" he muttered; "Only the thickness of a bush saved us from being +discovered."</p> + +<p>"Heaven be thanked!" Doña Clara said; "We are saved!"</p> + +<p>"That is to say, my little sister, we are not caught," the young man +replied, incapable of maintaining his seriousness for five minutes, +however grave circumstances might be.</p> + +<p>"They are going at a tremendous pace," the Major-domo now remarked; "we +have nothing more to fear from them."</p> + +<p>"In that case, let us be off," Don Sancho replied.</p> + +<p>"Yes, yes, let us go," Doña Clara murmured.</p> + +<p>They dashed out of the thicket which had offered them so sure a +protection, and entered the plain.</p> + +<p>The sky became lighter every moment; and although the sun was still +beneath the horizon, its influence was beginning to be felt. Nature +appeared to shake off her nocturnal sleep; some birds were already +awake under the soft leaves, and preluding, by soft twittering, their +matin chant; the dark outlines of savage animals bounded through the +tall dew-laden grass; and the birds of prey, expanding their mighty +wings, rose high in æther, as if they wished to go and meet the sun, +and salute its advent: in a word, it was no longer night, without being +fully day.</p> + +<p>"Ah! What I do see at the foot of that mound?" Don Sancho suddenly said.</p> + +<p>"Where?" Birbomono asked.</p> + +<p>"There, straight in front of us."</p> + +<p>The Major-domo placed his hands over his eyes, and looked attentively.</p> + +<p>"<i>¡Viva Dios!</i>" he exclaimed, at the end of a moment, "It is a man!"</p> + +<p>"A man?"</p> + +<p>"On my word, yes, Excellency; and, as far as I can distinguish at this +distance, a Carib savage."</p> + +<p>"Zounds! What is he doing on that mound?"</p> + +<p>"We shall be able to assure ourselves of that more easily directly, +unless he thinks proper to keep out of our way."</p> + +<p>"Well, let us go to him, in Heaven's name."</p> + +<p>"Brother," Doña Clara objected, "what is the use of lengthening our +journey, when we are so hurried?"</p> + +<p>"That is true," the young man said.</p> + +<p>"Reassure yourself, señora," the Major-domo observed; "that hillock is +exactly on the road we must follow, and we cannot help passing it."</p> + +<p>Doña Clara said no more, and the trio set out again.</p> + +<p>They soon reached the mound, which they ascended at a gallop.</p> + +<p>The Carib had not quitted the spot, but the riders stopped in stupor on +perceiving that he was not alone.</p> + +<p>The Indian, kneeling on the ground, appearing to be attending to a man +stretched out before him, and who was beginning to regain his senses.</p> + +<p>"Fray Arsenio!" Doña Clara exclaimed at the sight of this man. "Great +Heavens! He is dead!"</p> + +<p>"No," the Indian answered in a gentle voice, as he turned to her, "but +he has been most horribly tortured."</p> + +<p>"He! Tortured?" his hearers exclaimed, unanimously.</p> + +<p>"Look at his hands," the Carib continued.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards uttered a cry of horror and pity at the sight of the poor +monk's bleeding and swollen thumbs.</p> + +<p>"Oh, it is frightful!" they murmured, sadly.</p> + +<p>"Wretch," Don Sancho said in his indignation, "you have brought him to +this state!"</p> + +<p>The Carib shrugged his shoulders disdainfully.</p> + +<p>"The paleface is mad!" he replied; "My brothers do not torture the +chiefs of prayer—they respect them. White men, like himself, have +inflicted this atrocious punishment upon him."</p> + +<p>"Explain yourself, in Heaven's name," Doña Clara continued; "how is it +that we find this worthy monk here in such a pitiable state?"</p> + +<p>"It will be better to let him explain himself when he has regained his +senses. Omopoua knows but little."</p> + +<p>"That is true," Doña Clara said, as she dismounted and knelt by the +side of the wounded man. "Poor fellow! What frightful suffering he must +be enduring."</p> + +<p>"Can you not tell us anything, then?" Don Sancho asked.</p> + +<p>"Almost nothing," the chief replied, "this is all that I know."</p> + +<p>And he narrated in what way the monk had been confided to him, and how +he had served as his guide, till they met the white men, when the monk +discharged him for the purpose of joining them.</p> + +<p>"But," he added, "I know not why, some secret foreboding seemed to +warn me not to leave him: hence, instead of going away I hid myself in +the shrubs, and witnessed, unseen, the tortures they had him undergo, +while insisting on his revealing to them a secret, which he refused to +divulge. Conquered by his constancy, they at length abandoned him half +dead. Then I rushed from my hiding place, and flew to his help. That is +all I know; I am a chief, I have no forked tongue, and a falsehood has +never sullied the lips of Omopoua."</p> + +<p>"Forgive me, Chief, the improper language I used at the first moment; I +was blinded by anger and sorrow," said Don Sancho, holding out his hand.</p> + +<p>"The paleface is young," the chief replied with a smile; "his tongue +moves more quickly than his heart;" then he took the hand so frankly +offered him, and pressed it cordially.</p> + +<p>"Oh, oh!" the Major-domo said, with a shake of his head, and leaning +over to Don Sancho's ear, "If I am not greatly mistaken, Don Stenio is +mixed up in this affair."</p> + +<p>"It is not possible," Don Sancho replied, with horror.</p> + +<p>"You do not know your brother-in-law, Excellency; his is a weak nature, +and all such are cruel; believe me, I am certain of what I state."</p> + +<p>"No, no, it would be too frightful."</p> + +<p>"Good Heaven," Doña Clara said, at this moment, "we cannot remain here +any longer, and yet I should not like to abandon the poor man."</p> + +<p>"Let us take him with us," Don Sancho quickly remarked.</p> + +<p>"But will his wounds permit him to endure the fatigue of a long ride?"</p> + +<p>"We are almost at our journey's end," the Major-domo said, and then, +turning to the Carib, added—</p> + +<p>"We are going to the bivouac of the two buccaneers, who were hunting on +the savannah yesterday."</p> + +<p>"Very good;" said the chief, "I will lead the palefaces by a narrow +road, and they will arrive ere the sun reaches the edges of the +horizon."</p> + +<p>Doña Clara and her brother remounted. The monk was cautiously placed in +front of the Major-domo, and the small party set out again at a foot +pace, under the guidance of the Carib chief.</p> + +<p>Poor Fray Arsenio gave no other signs of existence but deep sighs, +which at intervals heaved his chest, and stifled groans torn from him +by suffering.</p> + +<p>At the end of three quarters of an hour they reached the boucan, by the +near cut, which Omopoua indicated to them.</p> + +<p>It was empty, but not deserted, as was proved by the bull hides, still +stretched out on the ground, and held down by pegs, and the boucaned +meat suspended from the forks of the branches.</p> + +<p>The adventurers were probably away, hunting.</p> + +<p>The travellers were considerably annoyed by this contretemps, but +Omopoua relieved them of their embarrassment.</p> + +<p>"The palefaces need not be anxious," he said, "the chief will warn his +friends, the white <i>franiis</i>—in their absence the paler faces can use, +without fear, everything they find here."</p> + +<p>And, joining example to precept, the Carib prepared a bed of dry +leaves, which he covered with skins, and, with the Major-domo's aid, +carefully laid the wounded man upon it; then he lit a fire, and after, +for the last time repeating to the fugitives the assurance that they +had nothing to fear, he went off, gliding like a snake through the tall +grass.</p> + +<p>The Major-domo, who was tolerably well acquainted with the manners of +the adventurers, with whom he had had some relations, though always +against his will, for, brave though he was, or boasted of being, +they inspired him with a superstitious terror—reassured the others +as to their position, by declaring to them, that hospitality was so +sacred with the buccaneers, that, if they were their most inveterate +foes instead of quasi guests, as they had only come on their formal +invitation, they would have nothing to apprehend from them.</p> + +<p>In the meanwhile, thanks to the attention which Doña Clara had not +ceased to bestow on him, the poor monk had returned to his senses. +Although very weak at first, he gradually regained sufficient +strength to impart to Doña Clara all that happened to him since their +separation. This narration, whose conclusion coincided in the minutest +details with that previously made by the Carib, plunged Doña Clara +into a state of stupefaction, which soon changed into horror, when she +reflected on the terrible dangers that menaced her.</p> + +<p>In truth, what help could she expect? Who would dare to protect +her against her husband, whose high position and omnipotence would +annihilate every effort she might make to escape from his vengeance.</p> + +<p>"Courage," the monk murmured, with a tender commiseration, "courage, +my daughter, above man there is God. Have confidence in Him; He will +not abandon you: and if everything fail you, He will come to your +assistance, and interfere in your favour."</p> + +<p>Doña Clara, in spite of her perfect faith in the power of Providence, +only replied to this consolation by tears and sobs; she felt herself +condemned.</p> + +<p>Don Sancho was hurriedly walking up and down in the front of the +ajoupa, twisting his moustache, stamping his foot passionately, and +revolving in his head the maddest projects.</p> + +<p>"Bah," he muttered, at last, "if that demon will not listen to reason, +I will blow out his brains, and that will settle everything."</p> + +<p>And highly pleased at having, after so many vain researches, discovered +this expeditious mode of saving his sister from the violence, which the +desire of vengeance would probably suggest to Don Stenio, the young man +lit a cigarette, and patiently awaited the return of the buccaneers, +feeling now quite calm and perfectly reassured about the future.</p> + +<p>The Major-domo, who was almost indifferent as to what was going on +around him, and delighted with the hope of the promised thousand +piastres, had turned the time to a good use. Reflecting that on their +return, the buccaneers, doubtless, would not be sorry to find their +breakfast ready, he had placed in front of the fire an iron pot, in +which he placed an enormous lump of meat, to boil, with a reasonable +quantity of water; in lieu of bread, he had thrust several ignamas +under the ashes, and then busied himself with preparing the pimentado, +that absolutely necessary sauce for every buccaneer meal.</p> + +<p>The fugitives had held possession of the boucan for nearly an hour and +a half, when they heard furious barking, and some twenty dogs rushed +howling toward them: but a sharp, though still distant whistle recalled +them, and they went off again as quickly as they had come.</p> + +<p>A few minutes later, the Spaniards perceived the two buccaneers; they +were running up with a surprising speed, although both bore a load +weighing upwards of a hundredweight, and were in addition embarrassed +by their weapons and hunting equipment.</p> + +<p>Their first care, on arriving at the boucan, was to throw on the ground +the eight or ten fresh bull hides, till reeking with blood and grease, +which they brought, and they then advanced toward the strangers, who, +on their side, had risen to receive them.</p> + +<p>The dogs, as if they had understood that they must maintain a strict +neutrality, were lying on the grass, but kept their flashing eyes fixed +on the Spaniards, probably ready to spring at their throat upon the +first signal.</p> + +<p>"You are welcome at the ajoupa," Lepoletais said, doffing his hat with +a politeness that could hardly have been expected on seeing his rough +appearance. "So long as you like to remain here, you will be regarded +as our brothers; whatever we possess is yours, dispose of it as you +think proper, as well as of our arms, should an occasion offer for you +to demand our help."</p> + +<p>"I thank you in the name of my companions, caballero, and accept your +kind proposal," Doña Clara answered.</p> + +<p>"A woman!" Lepoletais exclaimed, in surprise, "Pardon me, Madam, for +not recognizing you at once."</p> + +<p>"I am, caballero, Doña Clara de Bejar, to whom, as I was informed, you +have a letter to deliver."</p> + +<p>"In that case doubly welcome, madam; as for the note in question, I +have not the charge of it, but my comrade."</p> + +<p>"Zounds," L'Olonnais exclaimed, who had gone up to the wounded man, +"Omopoua certainly told us that this poor devil of a monk had been +almost dismasted, but I did not expect to find him in so pitiable a +state."</p> + +<p>"Well," Lepoletais remarked with a frown, "I am not a very religious +man, but hang me if I should not hesitate to treat a monk in this way; +only a pagan is capable of committing such a crime."</p> + +<p>Then, with a truly filial attention, which the Spaniards admired, the +rude adventurer set to work, offering some relief to the wounded man's +intolerable sufferings, in which he entirely succeeded, owing to a long +practice in treating wounds of every description, and Fray Arsenio soon +fell into an invigorating sleep.</p> + +<p>During this time L'Olonnais had handed to Doña Clara the letter +which Montbarts had entrusted to him for her, and the young lady had +withdrawn a little for the purpose of reading it.</p> + +<p>"Come, come," L'Olonnais said gaily, as he tapped the Major-domo's +shoulder, "that is what I call a sensible lad, he has thought of the +substantials; breakfast is ready."</p> + +<p>"If that be the case," Lepoletais said, with a significant wink to his +comrade; "we will eat double tides, for we shall have work before long."</p> + +<p>"Shall we not wait the return of the Indian chief?" Don Sancho asked.</p> + +<p>"For what purpose?" L'Olonnais said, with a laugh. "Do not trouble +yourself about him, my gentleman: he is a long way off if he is still +running. Each of us has his work cut out for him."</p> + +<p>"I don't care!" Lepoletais remarked. "You had a deuced fine scent, +Señor, in responding to our invitation so quickly!"</p> + +<p>"Why so?"</p> + +<p>"You will soon know. But now take my advice—recruit your strength by +eating."</p> + +<p>At this moment Doña Clara rejoined the party. Her demeanour was firmer, +and her face almost gay.</p> + +<p>The table was soon laid—leaves serving for plates. They sat down to +it, that is to say, they formed a circle on the ground, and bravely +assailed the provisions.</p> + +<p>Don Sancho had resumed all his gaiety. This life appeared to him +delightful, and he laughed heartily, while eating with a good appetite. +Doña Clara herself, in spite of her inward preoccupation, did honour +to this improvised banquet.</p> + +<p>"Up! my darlings," Lepoletais had said to his dogs. "Tally ho! No +idleness, but go and watch the approaches while we are breakfasting. +Your share shall be kept."</p> + +<p>The dogs had risen with admirable obedience, and turning their backs on +the boucans, scattered in all directions, and speedily disappeared.</p> + +<p>"Yours are first-rate dogs," said Don Sancho.</p> + +<p>"You Spaniards are good judges of that," the buccaneer replied, +mockingly.</p> + +<p>The gentleman felt the sting, and did not deem it advisable to dwell +on the subject. In fact, it was at Saint Domingo that the Spaniards +inaugurated the frightful custom of training bloodhounds to hunt the +Indians, and employing them as auxiliaries in their wars.</p> + +<p>The breakfast was concluded without any fresh incident worthy of +remark, and the most perfect cordiality prevailed during the repast.</p> + +<p>When the masters had finished, it was the turn of the servants; that +is to say, L'Olonnais whistled up the dogs, which in an instant were +collected round him, and gave them their share in equal portions.</p> + +<p>The buccaneers, leaving their guests, and at liberty to employ their +time as they thought proper, were soon actively busied in preparing +their hides.</p> + +<p>Several hours passed in this way. About three in the afternoon a dog +barked, and then held its tongue.</p> + +<p>We have forgotten to state that, after their meal, the dogs returned to +their posts at a signal from the engagé.</p> + +<p>The two buccaneers exchanged a glance.</p> + +<p>"One!" said L'Olonnais.</p> + +<p>"Two!" Lepoletais almost immediately answered on a second bark, which +broke out in a different direction.</p> + +<p>Ere long, like an electric current, the challenges of the hounds +succeeded each other with extreme rapidity, raised in all directions.</p> + +<p>Still, nothing seemed to justify these warnings given by the sentries. +No suspicious sound could be heard, and the savannah seemed to be +plunged into the most perfect solitude.</p> + +<p>"I beg your pardon, caballero," Don Sancho said to Lepoletais, who +continued his task with the same ardor, while laughing merrily with his +comrade; "but will you permit me to ask you a question?"</p> + +<p>"Do so, do so, my good gentleman. It is at times well to ask questions: +besides, if the question does not suit me, I shall be at liberty not to +answer it, I suppose?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! Of course."</p> + +<p>"In that case, speak without fear."</p> + +<p>"For some minutes past your dogs seem to have been giving you +signals—or, at least, I suppose so?"</p> + +<p>"You suppose right, caballero. They are really signals."</p> + +<p>"And would there be any indiscretion in asking you the meaning of the +signals?"</p> + +<p>"Not the least in the world, señor, especially as they interest you +quite as much as us."</p> + +<p>"I do not understand you."</p> + +<p>"You will soon do so. These signals signify that the savannah is at +this moment invaded by several Fifties, which are manoeuvring to +surround us."</p> + +<p>"<i>¡Diablos!</i>" the young man exclaimed, with a start of surprise: "And +you do not feel more affected than that?"</p> + +<p>"Why anticipate anxiety? My comrade and I had a pressing job which we +were obliged to finish. Now that it is done, we are going to turn our +attention to the señores."</p> + +<p>"But we cannot possibly resist so many enemies?"</p> + +<p>"Ah! Ah! Do you really feel inclined for a brush?"</p> + +<p>"S'death! My sister and I are incurring quite as much danger as you, +and we have not a minute to lose in attempting flight."</p> + +<p>"Flight?" the buccaneer said, with a grin; "Nonsense! You must be +laughing, my gentleman: we are enclosed in an impassable circle—or +what looks so."</p> + +<p>"In that case, we are lost."</p> + +<p>"How you go on! On the contrary, they are lost."</p> + +<p>"They? Why, we are only four against a hundred."</p> + +<p>"You are mistaken. There are two hundred; and that makes fifty for each +of us. Call in the dogs, L'Olonnais; they are now useless. Stay! Look +there; can you see them?"</p> + +<p>And he stretched his arm out straight ahead.</p> + +<p>In fact, the long lances of the Spanish soldiers appeared above the +tall grass. Lepoletais had told the truth. These lances formed a +circle, which was being more and more contracted round the boucan.</p> + +<p>"Come! That is rather neat," the buccaneer added, as he affectionately +tapped the butt of his long fusil.</p> + +<p>"Señora," he added, "keep by the side of the wounded man."</p> + +<p>"Oh! Let me give myself up," she exclaimed, frantically. "It is on my +account that this terrible danger menaces you."</p> + +<p>"Señora," the buccaneer replied, as he struck his chest with a gesture +of supreme majesty; "you are under the safeguard of my honour, and I +swear by Heaven, that no one, so long as I live, shall dare to lay a +finger upon you! Go to the wounded man."</p> + +<p>Involuntarily subdued by the accent with which the buccaneer uttered +these words, Doña Clara bowed without replying, and pensively seated +herself inside the ajoupa, by the side of Fray Arsenio, who was still +asleep.</p> + +<p>"Now, caballero," Lepoletais said to Don Sancho, "if you have never +been present at a buccaneering expedition, I promise you you are going +to see some fun, and enjoy yourself."</p> + +<p>"Well," the young man replied, recklessly; "I will fight, if I must. It +is a glorious death for a gentleman, to die sword in hand!"</p> + +<p>"Come," said the buccaneer, as he gave him a friendly tap on the +shoulder; "you are a fine lad. Something can be made of you."</p> + +<p>The Fifties still approached, and the circle grew more and more +contracted.</p> + + + +<hr class="chap" /> +<h4><a name="CHAPTER_XXX" id="CHAPTER_XXX">CHAPTER XXX.</a></h4> + +<h3>THE EXTERMINATOR.</h3> +<hr class="r5" /> + +<p>For some minutes a mournful silence—a complete calm, which, however, +was loaded with menace, hung heavily over the savannah.</p> + +<p>At a whistle from the engagé, the dogs ranged themselves behind their +masters, with heads down, lips drawn back to display their sharp teeth, +and flashing eyes, they awaited the order to rush forward, though +without giving the slightest bark or growl.</p> + +<p>L'Olonnais, leaning on his long fusil, was smoking his pipe quietly, +while casting sarcastic glances around.</p> + +<p>Lepoletais occupied himself with the utmost order in arranging various +articles which had been deranged during his morning's operations.</p> + +<p>The Major-domo, though in his heart he felt very anxious as to the +result of this apparently so disproportionate combat, was obliged to +grin and bear it—to use a familiar expression; for he was aware that +if he fell into the hands of his master, he had no mercy to expect +from him, after the manner in which he had thwarted his projects, by +favouring the flight of the Countess.</p> + +<p>Don Sancho de Peñaflor, in spite of his natural levity and warlike +character, was not without anxiety either, for, as an officer of the +Spanish army, his place was not in the ranks of the buccaneers, but +with the soldiers who were preparing to attack them.</p> + +<p>Doña Clara, kneeling by the side of the monk, with clasped hands, +eyes raised to heaven, and face inundated with tears, was fervently +imploring the protection of the Almighty.</p> + +<p>As for Fray Arsenio, he was quietly sleeping.</p> + +<p>Such was the picturesque aspect, imposing in its simplicity, offered +at this moment by the camp of the adventurers. Four men were preparing +coolly, and as if for the mere fun of the thing, to contend against +upwards of two hundred regular troops, from whom they knew that they +had no quarter to expect, but whom their insane resistance would +probably exasperate, and urge to measures of cruel violence.</p> + +<p>In the meanwhile the circle was more and more contracted, and the heads +of the soldiers were already beginning to appear above the tall grass.</p> + +<p>"Ah, ah!" said Lepoletais, rubbing his horney hands together with an +air of triumph—"I fancy it is time to open the ball; what do you say, +my boy?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, this is the right moment," the engagé replied, as he went to +fetch a log from the fire.</p> + +<p>"Mind not to stir from the spot where you are," Lepoletais recommended +the two Spaniards: "zounds! pay attention to this, or you will run a +risk of having your goose cooked," and he laid a stress on the last +words, with an evidently sarcastic meaning.</p> + +<p>The buccaneers, before establishing their bivouac, had pulled up the +grass for a distance of about thirty paces all around the ajoupa; this +grass, dried and calcined by the heat of the sun, had been piled up at +the border of the cleared ground.</p> + +<p>The engagé laid down his fusil, walked straight to this grass, set it +on fire, and then slowly returned to rejoin his companions.</p> + +<p>The effect of this manoeuvre was instantaneous, a jet of flame suddenly +burst out, spread in all directions, and soon a large portion of the +savannah presented the appearance of a vast furnace.</p> + +<p>The buccaneers laughed heartily at what they considered an excellent +joke.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards, taken unawares, uttered cries of terror, and rapidly +recoiled, pursued by the flame, which constantly spread, and +continually advanced toward them.</p> + +<p>Still, it was evident that the adventurers had no intention of +burning the unfortunate Spaniards alive; the fire lit by them had not +sufficient consistency for that; the grass burned and went out again +with extreme rapidity. Doubtless the sole result that the buccaneers +had wished to obtain, was to cause a panic terror to their enemies, +and cast disorder among them; and in this they had been perfectly +successful.</p> + +<p>The soldiers, half roasted by the flames, fled, uttering cries of +terror before this sea of fire, which seemed incessantly to pursue +them, without thinking of looking back, or obeying their officers, and +having but one thought, escaping the terrible danger that menaced them.</p> + +<p>While this was going on Lepoletais coolly explained to Don Sancho the +probable results of the expedient he had employed.</p> + +<p>"You see, Señor," he said, "this blaze is nothing; it is an almost +inoffensive straw fire; in a few minutes, or half an hour at the +latest, it will be extinguished. If these men are cowards we shall have +got rid of them, if not, they will return, and then the affair will be +serious."</p> + +<p>"But, as you recognize the inefficiency of this means, why did you +employ it? In my opinion it is more injurious than usual to our +defence."</p> + +<p>The buccaneer shook his head several times.</p> + +<p>"You do not understand," he said; "I had several motives for acting +thus. In the first place, however brave you may suppose your countrymen +to be, they are now demoralised, and it will be very difficult to +restore them the courage they no longer possess; on the other hand, +I was not sorry to see clearly around me, and sweep the savannah a +little, and lastly," he added, with a cunning look, "who told you that +the fire I lighted was not a signal?"</p> + +<p>"A signal?" Don Sancho exclaimed; "Then you have friends near here?"</p> + +<p>"Who knows? Señor, my companions are very active, and are frequently +met with when least expected."</p> + +<p>"I confess that I do not understand a word of what you are saying to +me."</p> + +<p>"Patience, Señor, patience! You will soon understand, I assure you, +and will not require any great effort of the intellect to do so. +L'Olonnais," he added, turning to his comrade, "I think you had better +go down there now."</p> + +<p>"That is true," L'Olonnais replied, as he carelessly threw his fusil +over his shoulder, "he will be expecting me."</p> + +<p>"Take some of the dogs with you."</p> + +<p>"What for?"</p> + +<p>"To guide you, my lad; it is not easy now to find one's way through the +ashes, for all the trails are covered."</p> + +<p>The engagé called several dogs by their name, and went off without +replying, followed by a portion of the pack.</p> + +<p>"There," Lepoletais continued, pointing to the engagé, who seemed to be +running, as he went at such a pace, "just look at that fellow, he is a +fine chap, eh? And how he behaves, though he has not been more than two +months in America; in three years from this time I predict to you that +he will be one of our most celebrated adventurers."</p> + +<p>"Did you buy him?" Don Sancho asked, though but little interested in +details which had no importance for him.</p> + +<p>"Unluckily, no, he has only been lent to me for a few days; he is +the engagé of Montbarts the Exterminator: I offered him two hundred +piastres for him, but he refused to sell him."</p> + +<p>"What?" the young man exclaimed—"Montbarts, the celebrated filibuster?"</p> + +<p>"The very man; he is a friend of mine."</p> + +<p>"In that case he is close at hand?"</p> + +<p>"That, Señor, is one of the things which you will learn shortly."</p> + +<p>As the buccaneer had foreseen, the fire went out almost as quickly as +it blazed up, for want of aliment on this savannah, where only grass +and a few insignificant shrubs grew.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards had sought shelter on the banks of the stream, whose +barren sand preserved them from contact with the fire. The forests, +too remote from the scene of the fire, had not caught, although a few +tongues of flame had played round their edge.</p> + +<p>From the boucan it was easy to perceive the Spanish officers striving +to restore some degree of order among their troops, doubtless for the +purpose of attempting a new attack, although Lepoletais did not appear +at all alarmed. Among the officers one was especially remarkable; he +was on horseback, and was taking immense trouble to form the ranks, and +the other officers came up in turn to receive his orders.</p> + +<p>This officer Don Sancho recognized at the first glance.</p> + +<p>"This is what I feared," he muttered; "the Count has placed himself at +the head of the expedition, and we are lost."</p> + +<p>In truth, it was Don Stenio de Bejar, who, on arriving at the hatto at +daybreak, and learning the flight of the Countess, resolved to command +the expedition.</p> + +<p>The position of the adventurers was critical, reduced as they were +to three, encamped in the middle of a bare plain, and without +entrenchments of any description. Still, the confidence of the +buccaneer did not seem diminished, and it was with an ironical air that +he examined the preparations the enemy was making against him.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards, formed again with great difficulty by the energy of +their officers, at last started, and proceeded once more toward the +boucan, while taking the same precautions as before, that is to say, +being careful to extend their front, so as to form a complete circle, +and entirely surround the encampment.</p> + +<p>But the march of the Fifties was slow and measured; it was only with +extreme caution that the soldiers ventured on this scarcely cooled +ground, which might conceal fresh snares.</p> + +<p>The Count, pointing to the boucan with his sword, in vain excited his +troops to press on, and finish with this handful of scoundrels who +dared to oppose His Majesty's troops; the soldiers would not listen, +and only advanced with greater caution, for the calmness and apparent +negligence of their enemies frightened them more than a hostile +demonstration, and must, in their opinion, be owing to some terrible +trap laid for them.</p> + +<p>At this moment the situation was complicated by a strange episode; a +canoe crossed the stream, and ran ashore exactly at the spot which the +Spaniards had quitted only a few minutes previously.</p> + +<p>This canoe contained five persons, three adventurers, and two Spaniards.</p> + +<p>The adventurers stepped ashore as calmly as if they; were quite alone, +and pushing the two Spaniards before them, advanced resolutely toward +the soldiers.</p> + +<p>The latter, astonished, confounded at such audacity, watched them +coming without daring to make a movement to oppose them.</p> + +<p>These three adventurers were Montbarts, Michael the Basque, and +L'Olonnais, and seven or eight dogs followed them. The two Spaniards +walked unarmed in front of them, being alarmed about their fate, as was +proved by the pallor of their faces, and the startled glances which +they threw around them.</p> + +<p>The Count, on perceiving the adventurers, uttered a cry of rage, and +bounded with uplifted sword to meet them.</p> + +<p>"Down with the ladrones!" he cried.</p> + +<p>The soldiers, ashamed of being held in check by three men, wheeled +round, and boldly advanced.</p> + +<p>The adventurers were surrounded in an instant; but, without displaying +the slightest surprise at this manoeuvre, they also halted, and +standing shoulder to shoulder, faced all sides at once.</p> + +<p>The soldiers instinctively stopped.</p> + +<p>"Death!" the Count cried; "No mercy for the ladrones!"</p> + +<p>"Silence," Montbarts replied; "before menacing, listen to the news +these two couriers bring you."</p> + +<p>"Seize these villains!" the Count yelled again. "Kill them like dogs!"</p> + +<p>"Nonsense," Montbarts remarked, ironically; "you are mad, my worthy +sir. Seize us! Why, I defy you to do it."</p> + +<p>The three adventurers then emptied their powder flasks into their caps, +and placed their bullets on the top of it; then, holding in one hand +their caps thus converted into grenades, and in the other their lighted +pipes, they waited for the signal.</p> + +<p>"Attention, brothers," Montbarts said; "and you scoundrels, make way, +there, unless you wish us to blow you all up."</p> + +<p>And with a firm and measured step the three adventurers advanced toward +the Spaniards, who were struck with terror, and really opened their +ranks to make a passage for them.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" Montbarts added, with a laugh, "Do not fear that we shall attempt +to fly; we only want to join our comrades."</p> + +<p>Then was witnessed the extraordinary scene of two hundred men timidly +following at a respectful distance three filibusters, who, while +walking and smoking to keep their pipes from going out, did not cease +from jeering them for their cowardice.</p> + +<p>Lepoletais was quite wild with delight: as for Don Sancho, he did +not know whether to feel most astonished at the mad temerity of the +French, or the cowardice of his countrymen.</p> + +<p>The three adventurers thus most easily effected their junction with +their companions without having been once disturbed by the Spaniards +during a rather long walk. In spite of the prayers and exhortations of +the Count to his soldiers, the only thing he obtained from them was, +that they continued to advance instead of retreating, as they had a +manifest intention of doing.</p> + +<p>But, while the adventurers thus drew the soldiers after them, and +concentrated their entire attention, a thing was happening which the +Count perceived when too late, and which began to cause him serious +alarm as to the result of his expedition.</p> + +<p>In the rear of the centre formed by the Spanish soldiers, another +circle had been drawn up as if by enchantment, but the latter was +composed of buccaneers and red Caribs, at whose head Omopoua made +himself remarkable.</p> + +<p>The adventurers and Indians had manoeuvred with so much intelligence, +vivacity, and silence, that the Spaniards were enveloped in a network +of steel, even before they had suspected the danger that menaced them.</p> + +<p>The Count uttered an exclamation of rage, to which the soldiers +responded by a cry of terror.</p> + +<p>The situation was, in fact, extremely critical for the unhappy +Spaniards, and unless a miracle occurred, it was literally impossible +for them to escape death.</p> + +<p>In fact they had no longer to contend against a few men, resolute, it +is true, but whom numbers must eventually conquer, even at a sacrifice; +the filibusters were at least two hundred, and with their allies the +Caribs, formed an effective strength of five hundred men, all as brave +lions, and three hundred more than the Spaniards; the latter understood +that they were lost.</p> + +<p>On arriving at the boucan, directly that he had squeezed Lepoletais' +hand and complimented him on the way in which he had contrived to +gain time, Montbarts gravely occupied himself with his comrades, in +restoring the powder and bullets to their respective receptacles, as he +probably judged that their caps might now be used for their legitimate +purpose.</p> + +<p>While the filibuster was engaged in this occupation, Doña Clara, pale +as a corpse, fixed on him burning glances, though she did not venture +to approach him. At length she took courage, advanced a few paces and +murmured with an effort in a trembling voice and with clasped hands,—</p> + +<p>"I am here, sir."</p> + +<p>Montbarts trembled at the sound of this voice, and turned pale; but he +made an effort over himself and softened the rather hard expression of +his eye.</p> + +<p>"I have come solely on your account, Madam," he replied with a polite +bow; "I shall have the honour of placing myself at your orders in +a moment; permit me first to make sure that our interview will be +uninterrupted."</p> + +<p>Doña Clara hung her head and returned to her seat by the wounded man.</p> + +<p>The adventurers had continued to advance and were soon scarce ten paces +from the Spaniards, whose terror was augmented by this disagreeable +vicinity.</p> + +<p>"Hola, brothers!" Montbarts shouted in a powerful voice; "Halt, if you +please."</p> + +<p>The filibusters instantaneously became motionless.</p> + +<p>"And now, you fellows," the Admiral continued, addressing the soldiers; +"throw down your arms, unless you wish to be immediately shot."</p> + +<p>All the lances and swords fell on the ground with a unanimity which +proved the desire of the soldiers not to have the menace carried into +effect.</p> + +<p>"Surrender your sword, sir," Montbarts said to the Count.</p> + +<p>"Never!" the latter exclaimed, as he made his horse curvet, and +advanced with upraised blade on the adventurer, from whom he was only +three paces distant.</p> + +<p>At the same instant a fusil was discharged and the sword blade, struck +within an inch of the guard, was shivered; the Count found himself +disarmed. With a sudden movement Montbarts seized the horse's bridle +with one hand, and with the other hurled the Count from the saddle and +laid him prostrate on the ground.</p> + +<p>"Patatras!" Lepoletais said laughingly, while reloading his fusil; +"What a deuced funny idea to try alone to resist five hundred men."</p> + +<p>The Count rose quite confused by his fall; a livid pallor covered his +face, and his features were contracted by anger; all at once his eyes +fell upon the Countess.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" He yelled with the cry of a tiger, as he darted towards her, "At +least I shall avenge myself."</p> + +<p>But Montbarts seized him by the arm and rendered him motionless.</p> + +<p>"One word, one gesture, and I blow out your brains like the wild beast +you are," he said to him.</p> + +<p>There was such an accent of menace in the filibuster's words; his +interference had been so rapid that the Count, involuntarily cowed, +fell back with his arms folded on his chest and remained apparently +calm, although a volcano was at work in his heart, and his eyes were +obstinately fixed on the Countess.</p> + +<p>Montbarts gazed for a moment at his enemy with an expression of pity +and contempt.</p> + +<p>"You have desired, sir," he at length said to him ironically; "to try +your strength with the filibusters and will soon learn the cost; while +impelled by a mad desire of vengeance and inspired by an imaginary +jealousy, you were virulently pursuing a lady whose noble heart and +brilliant virtues you are incapable of appreciating, one half of the +island of which you are the governor has been torn forever from the +power of your sovereign, by my companions and myself; Tortuga, Leogane, +San Juan de Goava, and your hatto del Rincón, suddenly surprised, have +fallen without a blow."</p> + +<p>The Count drew himself up, a feverish flush covered his face, he +advanced a step and cried in a voice choking with passion,—</p> + +<p>"You lie, villain; however great your audacity may be, it is impossible +that you have succeeded in seizing the places you mention."</p> + +<p>Montbarts shrugged his shoulders.</p> + +<p>"An insult coming from lips like yours has no effect," he said, "you +shall soon have the confirmation of what I assert; but enough of this +subject; I wished to have you in my power in order that you may be +witness of what I have to say to this lady. Come," he added, addressing +Doña Clara; "come, madam, and forgive me for not wishing to see you +except in the presence of the man you call your husband."</p> + +<p>On hearing the appeal, Doña Clara rose trembling, and tottered forward.</p> + +<p>There was a momentary silence; Montbarts, with his head hanging on his +chest, seemed plunged in bitter thoughts; at length he drew himself up, +passed his hand over his forehead as if to drive away the mist that +obscured his reason, turned to Doña Clara, and said to her in a gentle +voice,—</p> + +<p>"You desired to see me, madam, in order to remind me of a time forever +past, and to confide a secret to me. This secret I have no right to +know; the Count de Barmont is dead, dead to everybody, to you before +all, who did not blush to renounce him, and though you belonged to him +by legitimate ties, and before all by the more legitimate one of a +powerful love, cowardly permitted yourself to be chained to another; +this is a crime, madam, which no forgiveness can efface, either in the +present or past."</p> + +<p>"Pity me, sir," the unhappy lady said, as she writhed beneath this +curse and burst into tears; "pity me, in the name of my remorse and my +sufferings!"</p> + +<p>"What are you doing, madam?" the Count exclaimed, "Rise at once."</p> + +<p>"Silence," Montbarts said in a harsh voice, "Allow this culprit to be +bowed beneath the weight of her repentance; you, who have been her +executioner, have less right than anyone else to protect her."</p> + +<p>Don Sancho had rushed toward his sister and, roughly repulsing the +Count, raised her in his arms. Montbarts continued.</p> + +<p>"I will only add one word, madam; the Count de Barmont had a child; on +the day when that child comes to ask his mother's pardon of me, I will +grant it—perhaps," he added in a faint voice.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" the young lady exclaimed with a feverish energy, as she seized +the hand which the filibuster had not the courage to withdraw from her, +"Oh sir! You are great and noble, this promise restores me all my hope +and courage; oh! I swear to you, sir, I will find my child again."</p> + +<p>"Enough, madam," Montbarts continued with ill suppressed emotion; "this +interview has lasted too long; here is your brother, he loves you, and +will be able to protect you; there is another person whom I regret +not to see here, for he would have advised and sustained you, in your +affliction."</p> + +<p>"To whom do you allude?" Don Sancho asked.</p> + +<p>"To the confessor of your sister."</p> + +<p>The young man turned away without answering.</p> + +<p>"Why, brother," Lepoletais here observed, "here he is half dead, look +at his burnt hands."</p> + +<p>"Oh!" Montbarts exclaimed, "It is really he, who is the monster that +has dared—"</p> + +<p>"Here he is!" the buccaneer replied, as he tapped the shoulder of the +Count, who was dumb with stupor and horror, for only at this moment did +he notice his victim.</p> + +<p>Two flashes of flame started from Montbart's eyes.</p> + +<p>"Villain," he exclaimed, "what, torture an inoffensive man! Oh, +Spaniards, race of vipers! What sufficiently horrible punishment could +I inflict on you!"</p> + +<p>All his hearers trembled at this passion so long restrained, which had +at length burst its bonds and now overflowed with irresistible violence.</p> + +<p>"By Heaven!" the filibuster exclaimed in a terrible voice, "It is +the worse for you, butcher, that you remind me I am Montbarts the +exterminator. L'Olonnais, prepare the fire under the barbacoas of the +boucan."</p> + +<p>An indescribable terror seized on all the hearers of this order, +which clearly expressed to what a horrible punishment the Count was +condemned; Don Stenio himself, in spite of his indomitable pride, felt +a chill at his heart.</p> + +<p>But at this moment, the monk, who had hitherto remained motionless on +his couch, and apparently insensible to what was going on, rose with +a painful effort, and leaning on the shoulders of Doña Clara and her +brother, tottered forward, and knelt with them to the filibuster.</p> + +<p>"Pity," he exclaimed, "pity, in Heaven's name!"</p> + +<p>"No," Montbarts replied harshly, "This man is condemned."</p> + +<p>"I implore you, brother, be merciful," the monk went on to urge him.</p> + +<p>All at once the Count drew two pistols from his doublet, and pointed +one at Doña Clara, while he placed the other against his own forehead.</p> + +<p>"Of what use is it to implore a tiger," he said, "I die, but by my own +hands, and I die avenged," and he pulled the trigger.</p> + +<p>The double detonation was blended in one.</p> + +<p>The Count fell dead on the ground; the second shot badly aimed did not +strike Doña Clara, but Fray Arsenio, and laid him dying at the foot of +his assassin. The last word of the poor monk was, "pity!"</p> + +<p>And he expired with his eyes fixed on heaven, as if with a last prayer +addressed in favour of his murderer.</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>At sunset the savannah had returned to its habitual solitude; +Montbarts, after having the victim and the assassin interred in the +same grave, doubtless that the just man might protect the culprit in +the presence of the Most High, set out for Port Margot, at the head of +the filibusters and Caribs.</p> + +<p>Doña Clara and her brother returned to the hatto del Rincón, +accompanied by the Spanish soldiers, to whom Montbarts had consented to +restore their liberty, through consideration for the two young people.</p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> +<hr class="pg" /> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BUCCANEER CHIEF***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 44380-h.txt or 44380-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/4/3/8/44380">http://www.gutenberg.org/4/4/3/8/44380</a></p> +<p> +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p> +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Buccaneer Chief + A Romance of the Spanish Main + + +Author: Gustave Aimard + + + +Release Date: December 7, 2013 [eBook #44380] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BUCCANEER CHIEF*** + + +E-text prepared by Camille Bernard and Marc D'Hooghe +(http://www.freeliterature.org) from page images generously made available +by the Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford +(http://www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk) + + + +Note: Images of the original pages are available through + Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford. See + http://purl.ox.ac.uk/uuid/324b5598fbd44321abe105868fb7f75a + + + + + +THE BUCCANEER CHIEF + +A Romance of the Spanish Main + +by + +GUSTAVE AIMARD + +Author of Smuggler Chief, Strong Hand, etc. + + + + + + + +London +Ward and Lock, 158, Fleet Street +MDCCCLXIV + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + I. THE HOSTELRY OF THE COURT OF FRANCE + II. A FAMILY SCENE + III. THE ARREST + IV. THE ISLE OF SAINTE MARGUERITE + V. A BACKWARD GLANCE + VI. LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT + VII. DESPAIR + VIII. THE PRISONER + IX. MAJOR DE L'OURSIERE + X. THE SEAGULL LUGGER + XI. FRANCE, FAREWELL! + XII. THE BEGINNING OF THE ADVENTURE + XIII. THE COUNCIL OF THE FILIBUSTERS + XIV. THE SECOND PROPOSAL + XV. THE SPY + XVI. THE SLAVE SALE + XVII. THE ENLISTMENT + XVIII. NEVIS + XIX. THE EXPEDITION + XX. THE HATTO + XXI. THE MAJOR-DOMO'S STORY + XXII. ACROSS COUNTRY + XXIII. COMPLICATIONS + XXIV. PORT MARGOT + XXV. FRAY ARSENIO + XXVI. THE CONSEQUENCES OF A MEETING + XXVII. THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COLONY + XXVIII. THE FLIGHT FROM THE HATTO + XXIX. EVENTS ACCUMULATE + XXX. THE EXTERMINATOR + + + + +THE BUCCANEER CHIEF. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE HOSTELRY OF THE COURT OF FRANCE. + + +Although the Seine, from Chanceaux, its fountainhead, to Havre, where +it falls into the sea, is not more than four hundred miles in length, +still, in spite of this comparatively limited course, this river is +one of the most important in the world; for, from the days of Caesar up +to the present, it has seen all the great social questions which have +agitated modern times decided on its banks. + +Tourists, artists, and travellers, who go a long distance in search of +scenery, could not find anything more picturesque or more capriciously +diversified than the winding banks of this river, which is skirted by +commercial towns and pretty villages, coquettishly arranged on the +sides of verdant valleys, or half disappearing in the midst of dense +clumps of trees. + +It is in one of these villages, situated but a few leagues from Paris, +that our story began, on March 26th, 1641. + +This village, whose origin dates back to the earliest period of the +French Monarchy, was at that time pretty nearly what it is now; +differing in this respect from all the hamlets that surround it, it has +remained stationary; on seeing it you might fancy that centuries have +not passed as far as it is concerned. When the neighbouring hamlets +became villages, and were finally transformed into large towns, it +continually decreased, so that its population at the present day scarce +attains the amount of four hundred inhabitants. + +And yet its situation is most happy: traversed by a stream and bordered +by a river, possessing an historic castle, and forming an important +station on one of the railway lines, it seemed destined to become an +industrial centre, the more so because its inhabitants are industrious +and intelligent. + +But there is a spell upon the place. The great landowners who have +succeeded each other in the country, and who mostly grew rich in the +political commotions, or by risky speculations, have tacitly agreed +to impede in every possible way the industrial aspirations of the +population--have ever egotistically sacrificed public interest to their +private advantage. + +Thus the historic castle to which we alluded has fallen into the hands +of a man who, sprung from nothing, and feeling himself stifled within +its walls, allows them to crumble away before the effects of time, and, +to save the expense of a gardener, sows oats in the majestic alleys +of a park, designed by Le Notre, whose grand appearance strikes with +admiration the traveller, who sees it at a distance as he is borne past +in the train. + +The same thing is going on in the whole of this unhappy hamlet, which +is condemned to die of inanition in the midst of the abundance of its +neighbours. + +This village was composed at the period of our narrative of a single +long narrow street, which ran down from the top of a scarped hill, +crossed a small rivulet, and terminated only a few yards from the Seine. + +This street, through its entire length, was bordered by low, ugly +tenements, pressing closely together, as if for mutual support, and +mostly serving as pothouses for the waggoners and other people who at +this period, when the great network of the French royal roads had not +yet been made, continually passed through this village, and sought +shelter there for the night. + +The top of the street was occupied by a very wealthy, religious +community, next to which stood a large building hidden at the end of +a spacious garden, and serving as hostelry for the wealthy personages +whom their business or pleasure brought to this place, which was +surrounded for ten leagues round by sumptuous seigneurial mansions. + +There was nothing externally to cause this building to be recognized as +an inn; a low gateway gave access to the garden, and it was not till +the traveller had gone along the whole of the latter that he found +himself in front of the house. + +It had, however, another entrance, looking out on a road but little +frequented at the time, and which was employed by horses and coaches, +when the traveller had succeeded in obtaining the landlord's leave to +put up there. + +Although this house, as we said, was a hostelry, its owner did not +admit everybody who proposed to lodge there; on the contrary, he was +very difficult in the choice of his guests, asserting, rightly or +wrongly, that a hostelry, which had been honoured on several occasions +by the presence of the King and the Cardinal Minister, must not serve +as an asylum either for vagabonds or nightbirds. + +In order to justify the right he claimed, the landlord had, a few +months previously, had the arms of France daubed on a metal plate by +a strolling painter, and inscribed under it in golden letters--"_The +Court of France._" This sign he put up over his door. + +This inn enjoyed a great reputation, not only in the country, but in +all the surrounding provinces, and even as far as Paris--a reputation, +we are bound to add, well deserved, for if mine host was particular in +the choice of his lodgers, when the latter had succeeded in gaining +admission he treated them, men and beasts, with a peculiar care, that +had something paternal about it. + +Although it was getting on for the end of March, and, according to the +almanac, 'Spring had begun some days previously,' the cold was nipping, +the rime-laden trees stood out sadly against the leaden sky, and a +thick, hardened layer of snow covered the ground for some depth. + +Although it was about ten o'clock at night, it was light, and the moon, +floating in russet clouds, profusely shed her sickly beams, which +rendered it almost as light as day. + +All were asleep in the village, or, at least, seemed to be so; the +_Court of France_ alone emitted a light through its ground floor barred +windows, which proved that somebody was still up there. + +Still, the inn did not offer shelter to any traveller. + +All those who during the day, and since nightfall, had presented +themselves, had been mercilessly turned away by the landlord, a stout +man, with a rubicund face, intelligent features, and a crafty smile, +who was walking at this moment with an air of preoccupation up and +down his immense kitchen, every now and then casting an absent glance +at the preparations for supper, one portion of which was roasting +before a colossal fireplace, whilst the rest was being got ready by a +master cook and several assistants. + +A middle-aged, short, plump woman, suddenly burst into the kitchen, and +addressed the landlord, who had turned round at the noise. + +"Is it true," she asked, "Master Pivois, that you have ordered the dais +room to be got ready, as Mariette declares?" + +Master Pivois drew himself up. + +"What did Mariette tell you?" he enquired, sternly. + +"Well, she told me to prepare the best bedroom." + +"Which is the best bedroom, Dame Tiphaine?" + +"The dais room, master, since it is the one in which His Majesty--" + +"In that case," mine host interrupted her, in a peremptory tone, +"prepare the dais room." + +"Still, master," Dame Tiphaine ventured--who possessed a certain amount +of credit in the house, in the first place, as legitimate spouse of the +landlord himself, and then, again, through sundry very marked traits of +character--"with all the respect I owe you, it seems to me--" + +"With all the respect I owe you," he exclaimed, stamping his foot +passionately, "you're a fool, my good creature, obey my orders, and do +not trouble me further!" + +Dame Tiphaine comprehended that her lord and master was not in a +humour that evening for being contradicted. Like a prudent woman, she +bowed her head and withdrew, reserving to herself the right of taking +a startling revenge at a future date for the sharp reprimand she had +received. + +Doubtless satisfied with his display of authority, Master Pivois, after +taking a triumphant glance at his subordinates, who were surprised at +this unusual act of vigour, though they did not dare show it, walked +toward a door that led into the garden; but at the moment when he laid +his hand on the key, this door, vigorously thrust from the outside, +opened right in the face of the startled landlord, who tottered back to +the middle of the room, and a man entered the kitchen. + +"At last!" the stranger said, joyously, as he threw his plumed hat on +a table and took off his cloak. "By heaven! I almost found myself in a +desert." + +And before mine host, who was growing more and more astounded at +his cool behaviour, had the time to oppose it, he took a chair, and +comfortably installed himself in the chimney corner. + +The newcomer appeared to be not more than twenty-five years of age; +long black curls fell in disorder on his shoulders; his marked features +were noble and intelligent; his black eyes, full of fire, announced +courage, and the habit of commanding; his countenance had a certain +stamp of grandeur, tempered by the cordial smile that played round +his wide mouth, full of brilliantly white teeth; his red, and rather +swollen lips, were adorned, according to the fashion of the day, with +a most carefully waxed moustache, while his square chin, indicative of +obstinacy, was covered by a long royale. + +His dress, while not rich, was, however, becoming--cut with taste, +and affected a certain military air, which was rendered more marked +by the brace of pistols the stranger carried in his belt, and the long +iron-handled sword that hung at his side. + +Altogether, his lofty stature, and muscular, well-developed person, +and the air of audacity spread all over him, rendered him one of those +men, the breed of whom was so common at the period, and who at the +first glance contrived to claim from people with whom accident brought +them in contact that respect to which, whether justly or unjustly, they +believed they had a right. + +In the meanwhile, the landlord, who had slightly recovered from the +emotion and surprise he had experienced at what he almost regarded +as a violation of his domicile, advanced a few steps toward the +stranger, and while bowing lower than he had intended, and doffing his +cotton nightcap before the flashing glance the other bent on him, he +stammered, in anything but a steady voice-- + +"My lord--" + +But the latter interrupted him without ceremony. + +"Are you the landlord?" he asked, sharply. + +"Yes," Master Pivois grunted, as he drew himself up, feeling quite +constrained at answering when he was preparing to question. + +"Very good," the stranger continued; "look after my horse, which I left +I know not where in your garden; have him put in the stable, and tell +the ostler to wash his withers with a little vinegar and water, for I +am afraid he has hurt himself a little." + +These words were uttered so carelessly, that the landlord stood utterly +confounded, unable to utter a syllable. + +"Well," the stranger continued, at the expiration of a moment, with +a slight frown, "what are you doing here, ass, instead of obeying my +orders?" + +Master Pivois, completely subdued, turned on his heels, and left the +room, tottering like a drunken man. + +The stranger looked after him with a smile, and then turned to the +waiting-men, who were whispering together, and taking side-glances at +him. + +"Come and wait on me," he said; "place a table here before me near the +fire, and bring me some supper--make haste, s'death, or I shall die of +hunger!" + +The waiting-men, delighted in their hearts at playing their master +a trick, did not let the order be repeated; in a second a table was +brought up, the cloth laid, and, on re-entering the room, the landlord +found the stranger in the act of carving a magnificent partridge. + +Master Pivois assumed at the sight all the colours of the rainbow--at +first pale, he turned so red that a fit of apoplexy might be +apprehended, so vivid was his emotion. + +"By Heaven," he exclaimed, stamping his foot angrily, "that is too +much." + +"What?" the stranger asked, as he raised his head and wiped his +moustache; "What is the matter with you, my good man?" + +"Matter, indeed!" mine host growled. + +"By the way, is my horse in the stable?" + +"Your horse, your horse," the other grumbled, "as if that is troubling +me." + +"What is it then, if you please, master mine?" the stranger asked, as +he poured out a bumper which he conscientiously drained to the last +drop. "Ah," he said, "it is Jurancon; I recognise it." + +This indifference and this coolness raised the landlord's anger to the +highest pitch, and caused him to forget all prudence. + +"Cogswounds," he said, boldly seizing the bottle, "it is a strange +piece of impudence thus to enter an honest house without the owner's +permission; decamp at once, my fine gentleman, unless you wish harm +to befall you, and seek a lodging elsewhere, for, as far as I am +concerned, I cannot and will not give you one." + +The stranger had not moved a feature during this harangue; he had +listened to Master Pivois without displaying the slightest impatience: +when the landlord at length held his tongue, he threw himself back in +his chair, and looked him fixedly in the face. + +"Listen to me in your turn, master," he said to him, "and engrave these +words deeply on your narrow brain: this house is an inn, is it not? +Hence it must be open without hesitation to every stranger who comes +here for food and lodging with money in his pocket. I am aware that you +claim the right of only receiving such persons as you think proper; if +there are people who put up with that, it is their business, but for my +part, I do not intend to do so. I feel comfortable here, so I remain, +and shall remain as long as I think proper; I do not prevent you from +swindling me, for that is your duty as a landlord, and I have no right +to object; but, if I am not served politely and dexterously--if you do +not give me a proper bedroom to spend the night in--in a word, if you +do not perform the duties of hospitality toward me in the way I expect, +I promise to pull down your signboard, and hang you up in its place, +on the slightest infraction you are guilty of. And now I suppose you +understand me?" he added, squeezing the other's hand so hard that the +poor fellow uttered a yell of agony, and went tottering against the +kitchen wall: "Serve me, then, and let us have no more argument, for +you would not get the best of the quarrel if you picked one with me." + +And without paying further attention to the landlord, the traveller +continued his interrupted supper. + +It was all over with the landlord's attempted resistance; he felt +himself vanquished, and did not attempt a struggle which had now become +impossible. Confused and humiliated, he only thought of satisfying this +strange guest who had installed himself by main force in the house. + +The traveller did not in any way abuse his victory; satisfied with +having obtained the result he desired, he did not take the slightest +liberty. + +The result was that gradually, from one concession to another--the one +offering, the other not refusing--they became on the best possible +terms; and toward the end of the supper, mine host and the traveller +found themselves, without knowing how, the most affectionate friends in +the world. + +They were talking together. First of the rain and fine weather, the +dearness of provisions, the king's illness, and that of his Eminence +the Cardinal; then, growing gradually bolder, Master Pivois poured out +a huge bumper of wine for his improvised guest, and collected all his +courage. + +"Do you know, my good gentleman," he said to him suddenly, shaking his +head with an air of contrition, "that you are fearfully in my way?" + +"Stuff!" the stranger answered, as he tossed off the contents of his +glass, and shrugged his shoulders, "Are we coming back to the old +story of just now? I thought that settled long ago." + +"Alas! I would it were so for everybody as it is for me." + +"What do you mean?" + +"Pray do not get into a passion, sir," the landlord continued timidly; +"I have not the slightest intention of insulting you." + +"In that case explain yourself in the Fiend's name, my master, and come +frankly to the point; I do not understand what others beside yourself +have to do in the matter." + +"That is just the difficulty," said Master Pivois, scratching his head. + +"Speak, zounds! I am not an ogre; what is it that causes you such +anxiety?" + +The landlord saw that he must out with it, and fear giving him courage, +he bravely made up his mind. + +"Monseigneur," he said, honestly, "believe me that I am too much the +man of the world to venture to act with rudeness to a gentleman of your +importance--" + +"Enough of that," the stranger interrupted, with a smile. + +"But--" the host continued. + +"Ah! There is a _but_." + +"Alas! Monseigneur, there always is one, and today a bigger one than +ever." + +"Hang it all, you terrify me, master," the stranger remarked, with a +laugh; "tell me quickly, I beg of you, what this terrible but is." + +"Alas! Monseigneur, it is this: my entire hostelry was engaged a week +ago by a party of gentlemen; I expect them to arrive in an hour--half +an hour, perhaps, and--" + +"And?" the stranger asked, in an enquiring tone, which caused the host +to shudder. + +"Well, Monseigneur," he resumed in a choking voice, "these gentlemen +insist on having the hostelry to themselves, and made me swear not to +receive any other traveller but themselves, and paid me to that effect." + +"Very good," said the stranger, with an air of indifference. + +"What do you say; very good? Monseigneur," Master Pivois exclaimed. + +"Hang it! What else would you have me say? You have strictly fulfilled +your engagement, and no one has the right to reproach you." + +"How so, sir?" + +"Unless you have someone concealed here," the stranger answered, +imperturbably, "which, I confess, would not be at all honourable on +your part." + +"I have nobody." + +"Well, then?" + +"But you, monseigneur?" he hazarded timidly. + +"Oh, I," the stranger replied laughingly, "that is another affair; let +us make a distinction, if you please, master; you did not receive me, +far from it; I pressed my company on you, as I think you will allow." + +"It is only too true." + +"Do you regret it?" + +"Far from it, monseigneur," he exclaimed eagerly, for he was not at all +desirous of re-arousing the slumbering wrath of the irascible stranger; +"I am only stating a fact." + +"Very good, I see with pleasure, Master Pivois, that you are a very +serious man; you are stating a fact, you say?" + +"Alas! yes," the luckless host sighed. + +"Very good; now follow my reasoning closely." + +"I am doing so." + +"When these gentlemen arrive, which according to your statement, will +be soon, you will only have one thing to do." + +"What is it, monseigneur?" + +"Tell them exactly what has passed between us. If I am not greatly +mistaken this honest explanation will satisfy them; if it be +otherwise--" + +"Well, if it be so, what am I to do, sir?" + +"Refer them to me, Master Pivois, and I will undertake in my turn to +convince them; gentlemen of good birth perfectly understand each other." + +"Still, monseigneur--" + +"Not a word more on this subject, I must request; but stay," he added, +and listened, "I believe your company are arriving." + +And he carelessly threw himself back in his chair. + +Outside, the trampling of horses on the hardened snow could be +distinctly heard, and then several blows were dealt on the door. + +"It is they," the host muttered. + +"A further reason not to keep them waiting; go and open the door, +master, for it is very cold outside." + +The landlord hesitated for a moment and then left the room without +replying. + +The stranger carefully folded himself in his mantle, pulled the brim of +his beaver over his eyes, and awaited the entrance of the newcomers, +while affecting an air of indifference. + +The waiting-men, who had sought shelter in the most remote corner of +the room, were trembling in the prevision of a disturbance. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +A FAMILY SCENE. + + +In the meanwhile the new arrivals were making a great noise in the +road, and seemed to be growing impatient at the delay in letting them +into the hostelry. + +Master Pivois at length decided to open to them, though he was +suffering from a secret apprehension as to the consequences which the +presence of a stranger in the house might have for him. + +As soon as a stable-lad had by his orders, drawn back the bolts, +and opened the carriage-gates, several horsemen entered the yard, +accompanied by a coach drawn by four horses. + +By the light of the lanthorn held by his lad the landlord perceived +that the travellers were seven in number; three masters, three +servants, and the coachman on the box. All were wrapped up in thick +cloaks, and armed to the teeth. + +So soon as the coach had entered the yard, the horsemen dismounted; +one of them, who appeared to exercise a certain authority over his +companions, walked up to the landlord, while the others brought the +coach up to the main entrance of the house, and closed the gates. + +"Well, master," said the traveller to whom we allude, with a very +marked foreign accent, although he expressed himself very purely in +French; "have my orders been punctually executed?" + +At this question, which was very embarrassing to him, Master Pivois +scratched his head, and then replied like the cunning peasant he was-- + +"As far as possibly, yes, my lord." + +"What do you mean, scoundrel?" the traveller resumed roughly; "Your +instructions were precise enough." + +"Yes, my lord," the landlord said humbly; "and I will even add that I +was liberally paid beforehand." + +"In that case, what have you to say?" + +"That I have done the best I could," Master Pivois replied in growing +confusion. + +"Ah! I suppose you mean that you have someone in the house?" + +"Alas! yes, my lord," the landlord answered, hanging his head. + +The traveller stamped his foot passionately. + +"S'blood!" he exclaimed; then, at once resuming an apparent calmness, +he continued, "Who are the persons?" + +"There is only one." + +"Ah!" said the traveller, with satisfaction, "If there be only one, +nothing is more easy than to dislodge him." + +"I fear not," the landlord ventured timidly, "for this traveller, who +is a stranger to me, I swear, looks to me like a rude gentleman, and +not at all inclined to surrender his place." + +"Well, well, I will take it on myself," the traveller remarked +carelessly, "where is he?" + +"There, in the kitchen, my lord, warming himself at the fire." + +"That will do; is the room ready?" + +"Yes, my lord." + +"Rejoin those gentlemen, and show them the way yourself; none of your +people must know what takes place here." + +The landlord, delighted at having got off so cheaply, bowed +respectfully, and hastily retired in the direction of the garden; +as for the traveller, after exchanging a few whispered words with a +footman, who remained with him, he pulled his hat over his eyes, opened +the door, and boldly entered the kitchen. + +It was deserted: the stranger had disappeared. + +The traveller looked anxiously around him; the waiting men, probably +in obedience to orders previously received from their master, had +withdrawn to their attics. + +After a few seconds' hesitation, the traveller returned to the garden. + +"Well," the landlord asked, "have you seen him, my lord?" + +"No," he replied, "but it is of no consequence; not a word about him to +the persons who accompany me; he has doubtless left, but if that be not +the case, be careful that he does not approach the apartments you have +reserved for us." + +"Hum," the landlord muttered to himself, "all this is not clear;" and +he withdrew very pensively. + +Truth to tell, the worthy man was frightened. His new customers had +unpleasant faces, and a rough manner, which reassured him but slightly; +and then again he fancied he had seen alarming shadows gliding about +among the trees in his garden, a fact which he had carefully avoided +verifying, but which heightened his secret apprehensions. + +Dame Tiphaine, torch in hand, was waiting at the house door, in +readiness to light the travellers, and conduct them to their +apartments. When the coach had been turned and stopped, one of the +travellers went up to it, opened the door, and assisted a lady in +getting out. + +This lady, who was magnificently dressed, appeared to be suffering, +and she walked with difficulty. Still, in spite of her weakness, she +declined the arm of one of the travellers offered her in support, and +approached Dame Tiphaine, who, compassionate like all women, hastened +to offer her the service she seemed to request of her, and helped her +to ascend the rather steep staircase that led to the dais room. + +The travellers left the driver and a lackey to guard the coach, which +remained horsed, and silently followed the sick lady. + +The dais room, the finest in the inn, was spacious and furnished with +a certain amount of luxury; a large fire crackled on the hearth, and +several candles, placed on the furniture, diffused a rather bright +light. + +A door half hidden by tapestry communicated with a bedroom, that had a +door opening on the passage, for the convenience of the attendants. + +When the lady had entered the room, she sank into a chair, and thanked +the landlady with a bow. + +The latter discreetly withdrew, astonished and almost terrified by the +gloomy faces which surrounded her. + +"Holy Virgin!" she said to Master Pivois, whom she found walking in +great anxiety along the passage, "What's going to happen here? These +men frighten me; that poor lady is all of a tremble, and the little I +saw of her face behind her mask, is as white as a sheet." + +"Alas!" Master Pivois said with a sigh, "I am as frightened as you, my +dear, but we can do nothing; they are too great people for us--friends +of his Eminence. They would crush us without pity; we have only one +thing to do, and that is to retire to our room, as we received orders +to do, and to keep quiet till our services are required; the house is +theirs, at this moment they are the masters." + +The landlord and his wife went into their room, and not satisfied with +double locking their door, barricaded it with everything that came to +hand. + +As Master Pivois had said to his wife, the travellers were certainly +masters of the inn, or at least believed themselves so. + +The stranger, while feigning the deepest indifference, had watched the +landlord's every movement: as soon as the latter left the kitchen to +open the door for the newcomers, he rose, threw a purse of gold to the +scullions, while putting his finger on his lips to recommend silence to +them, and carefully wrapping himself in his mantle, left the kitchen. + +The scullions, with the intelligence characteristic of the class, +comprehended that this action of the stranger concealed some plans in +the execution of which it was to their interest not to interfere; they +divided the money so generously given them, and remembering the orders +they had received from their master, they hastily decamped, and went +off to hide themselves. + +The stranger, while the landlord was receiving the travellers, had +proceeded to the thickest part of the garden. + +On reaching the little gate to which we have referred, he whistled +gently. + +Almost immediately two men seemed to rise from the midst of the +darkness, and came up to him. + +Each of these men had a long rapier at his side, pistols in his girdle, +and a musketoon in his hand. + +"What is there new?" the stranger asked; "Have you seen anything, +Michael?" + +"Captain," the man answered, to whom the question was addressed, "I +have seen nothing, but still I fear a trap." + +"A trap?" the stranger repeated. + +"Yes," Michael continued, "Bowline has taken bearings of several +ill-looking fellows who seem desirous of boarding us." + +"Stuff! You are mad, Michael. You have seen the travellers who have +just arrived at the inn." + +"No, captain; on the contrary, they exactly resemble the fellows who +have been chasing us ever since the day before yesterday, regular +Cardinal's bloodhounds, I'll wager." + +The stranger appeared to reflect. "Are they far off?" he at length +asked. + +"Speak, Bowline, my boy," said Michael, turning to his comrade, "and +don't shiver your sails, the captain is hailing you." + +"Well, then, Captain," said Bowline, a sturdy Breton, with a crafty +look, "I sighted them over the starboard quarter at about four o'clock; +I spread all my canvas to distance them, and I fancy I have left them +four or five cables length in the rear." + +"In that case we have about an hour before us?" + +"Yes, about, Captain," Bowline replied. + +"That is more than we want; listen, my lads, and swear on your honour +as sailors to obey me." + +"You may be quite sure we shan't fail, Captain," they answered. + +"I reckon on you." + +"Shiver my topsails, we know that," Michael replied. + +"Whatever may happen to me," the stranger continued, "leave me to act +alone, unless I give you express orders to come to my assistance. If +the Cardinal's bloodhounds were to arrive while we are up aloft, you +will bolt." + +"We bolt!" the two sailors exclaimed. + +"You must, lads! Who would deliver me if we were all three prisoners?" +the stranger asked. + +"That's true," Michael answered. + +"Well then, that's settled, is it not?" + +"Yes, Captain." + +"Ah! By the way, if I am arrested you will want money to liberate me; +take this." + +He placed in their hands a heavy purse, which the sailors accepted +without any remark. + +"Now follow me, and keep your weather eye open, my lads." + +"All right, Captain," Michael answered, "we are on watch." + +The stranger then proceeded towards the house, closely followed by +the two sailors. He reached the passage, at the end of which the +travellers' room was, at the moment when Master Pivois and his wife +were locking themselves in their bedroom. + +The coach, guarded by the driver and a footman, was still standing in +front of the principal entrance, but the three men passed unnoticed. + +So soon as the landlady had left the room, the traveller who appeared +to have a certain degree of authority over his companions, opened the +bedroom door, doubtless to make certain there was no spy listening; +then he took a chair, sat down by the fire, and made a sign to his +companions to imitate him; the two lackeys alone remained standing near +the door, with their hands resting on the muzzles of their carbines, +butts of which were on the ground. + +For some moments there was a funereal silence in this room, although +six persons were assembled in it. + +At length the traveller made up his mind to speak, and addressed the +young lady, who was reclining in her chair, with her head bent on her +breast and pendant arms. + +"My daughter," he said, in a grave voice, and speaking in Spanish, "the +moment has arrived for a clear and distinct explanation between us, +for we have only four leagues to travel ere we reach the end of our +long journey. I intend to remain twenty-four hours in this hostelry, in +order to give you time to repair your strength, and allow you to appear +in a proper state before the man for whom I destine you." + +The young lady only replied to this dry address by a hollow groan. + +Her father continued, without appearing to notice the utter state of +prostration in which she was-- + +"Remember, my daughter, that if, on the entreaty of your brothers here +present, I consented to pardon the fault you have committed, it is on +the express condition that you will obey my orders without hesitation, +and do all I wish." + +"My child?" she murmured, in a voice choked by grief--"What have you +done with my child?" + +The traveller frowned, and a livid pallor covered his face; but he +immediately recovered himself. + +"That question again, unhappy girl?" he said, in a gloomy voice; +"Do not trifle with my wrath by reminding me of your crime, and the +dishonour of my house." + +At these words the girl drew herself up suddenly, and with a hurried +gesture pulled off the velvet mask that covered her face. + +"I am not guilty," she said, in a haughty voice, and looking her father +in the face; "and you are perfectly aware of it, for it was you who +introduced the Count de Barmont to me. You encouraged our love, and it +was by your orders that we were secretly married. You dare not assert +the contrary." + +"Silence, wretch!" the traveller exclaimed, and rose passionately. + +"Father!" the two gentlemen, who had hitherto remained motionless and +as if strangers to this stormy interview, exclaimed, as they threw +themselves before him. + +"Well," he said, as he resumed his seat, "I will restrain myself: I +will only ask you one further question, Dona Clara--will you obey me?" + +She hesitated for a moment, and then appeared to form a supreme +resolution. + +"Listen to me, my father," she replied, in a hurried though firm voice; +"you told me yourself that the moment for an explanation between us +had arrived; very well, let us have this explanation. I, too, am your +daughter, and jealous of the honour of our house; that is why I insist +on your answering me without equivocation or deception." + +While speaking thus, the young lady, who was only sustained by the +factitious strength sorrow imparted to her, for she was frail and +delicate, was supremely beautiful; with her body bent back, her head +haughtily raised, her long and silky black hair falling in disorder on +her shoulders, and contrasting with the marble pallor of her face; with +her large eyes, inflamed by fever and inundated with tears, that slowly +coursed down her cheeks, and with her bosom heaving from the emotion +that held mastery over her--there was about her whole person something +deathly, which seemed no longer to belong to the earth. + +Her father felt involuntarily affected, in spite of his ferocious +pride; and it was with a less rough voice he replied-- + +"I am listening to you." + +"Father," she resumed, leaning her hand on the back of her chair in +order to support herself, "I told you that I am not guilty, and I +repeat that the Count de Barmont and myself were secretly united in +the church of la Merced at Cadiz, and were so by your orders. As you +know it, I will not dwell further on this point; my child is, therefore +legitimate, and I have a right to be proud of it. How is it, then, that +you, the Duke de Penaflor, belonging to the highest class in Spain, +not satisfied with tearing me on the very day of marriage from the +husband yourself selected, and depriving me of my infant on the day +of its birth, accused me of committing a horrible crime, and insisted +on enchaining me to another husband, while my first is still living? +Answer me, my father, so that I may know the nature of that honour +about which you so often speak to me, and what is the motive that +renders you so cruel to an unfortunate girl, who owes her life to you, +and who, ever since she has been in this world, has only felt love and +respect for you." + +"This is too much, unnatural daughter!" the Duke shouted, as he rose +wrathfully--"And as you are not afraid of braving me so unworthily--" + +But he suddenly checked himself, and stood motionless, trembling with +fury and horror; the bedroom door had suddenly opened, and a man +appeared in it, upright, haughty, with flashing eye, and hand on his +sword hilt. + +"Ludovic, at last!" the young lady shrieked, as she rushed towards him. + +But her brothers caught her by the arms, and constrained her to sit +down again. + +"The Count de Barmont!" the Duke muttered. + +"Myself, my lord Duke de Penaflor," the stranger replied, with +exquisite politeness--"you did not expect me, it appears to me?" + +And, walking a few paces into the room, while the two sailors who had +followed him guarded the door, he proudly put his hat on again, and +folded his arms. + +"What is going on here?" he asked, in a haughty voice; "And who dares +to use violence to the Countess de Barmont?" + +"The Countess de Barmont?" the Duke repeated, contemptuously. + +"It is true," the other remarked, ironically; "I forget that you expect +at any moment a dispensation from the Court of Home, which will declare +my marriage null and void, and allow you to give your daughter to the +man whose credit has caused you to be nominated Viceroy of New Spain." + +"Sir!" the Duke exclaimed. + +"What, do you pretend I am in error? No, no, my lord Duke, my spies are +as good as yours--I am well served, believe me: thank heaven I have +arrived in time to prevent it. Make way there!" he said, repulsing by a +gesture the two gentlemen who opposed his passage--"I am your husband, +madam; follow me, I shall be able to protect you." + +The two young men, leaving their sister, who was in a semi-fainting +state, rushed on the Count, and both buffeted him in the face with +their gloves, while drawing their swords. + +The Count turned fearfully pale at this cruel insult; he uttered a wild +beast yell, and unsheathed. + +The valets, held in check by the two sailors, had not made a movement. + +The Duke rushed between the three men, who were ready for the assault. + +"Count," he said, coolly, to the younger of his sons, "leave to your +brother the duty of chastising this man." + +"Thanks, father," the elder answered, as he fell on guard, while his +younger brother lowered the point of his sword, and fell back a pace. + +Dona Clara was lying motionless on the floor. + +At the first attack the two enemies engaged their swords up to their +guard, and then, as if of common accord, each retreated a step. + +There was something sinister in the appearance of this inn room at the +moment. + +This woman, who lay writhing on the floor, suffering from a horrible +nervous crisis, and no one dreaming of succouring her. + +This old man, with frowning brow, and features contracted by pain, +witnessing with apparent stoicism this duel between his elder son and +his son-in-law, while his younger son was biting his lips with fury +because he could not assist his brother; these sailors, with pistols at +the breasts of the lackeys, who were palsied with terror; and in the +centre of the room, scarce lighted by a few smoking candles, these two +men, sword in hand, watching like two tigers the moment to slay each +other. + +The combat was not long; too great a hatred animated the two +adversaries for them to lose time in feeling each other's strength. +The Duke's son, more impatient than the Count, made thrust on thrust, +which the other had great difficulty in parrying; at length, the young +man feeling himself too deeply engaged, tried to make a second backward +step, but his foot slipped on the boards, and he involuntarily raised +his sword; at the same moment the Count liberated his blade by a +movement rapid as thought, and his sword entirely disappeared in his +adversary's chest; then he leaped back to avoid the back thrust, and +fell on guard again. + +But it was all over with the young man; he rolled his haggard eyes +twice or thrice, stretched out his arms, while letting go his sword, +and fell his whole length on the floor, without uttering a word. + +He was dead. + +"Assassin!" his brother screamed, as he rushed sword in hand on the +Count. + +"Traitor!" the latter replied, as he parried the thrust, and sent the +other's sword flying to the ceiling. + +"Stay, stay!" the Duke cried, as he rushed half mad with grief between +the two men, who had seized each other round the waist, and had both +drawn their daggers. + +But this tardy interference was useless; the Count, who was endowed +with a far from common strength, had easily succeeded in freeing +himself from the young man's grasp, and had thrown him on the ground, +where he held him by placing his knee on his chest. + +All at once a mighty rumour of arms and horses was heard in the house, +and the hurried steps of several men hurrying up the stairs became +audible. + +"Ah!" the Duke exclaimed, with a ferocious joy, "I believe my vengeance +is at hand, at last!" + +The Count, not deigning to reply to his enemy, turned to the sailors. + +"Be off, my lads!" he shouted in a voice of thunder. + +They hesitated. + +"He goes if you wish to save me," he added. + +"Boarders away!" Michael yelled, as he dragged away his comrade; and +the two men seizing their musquetoons by the barrel, as if to use them +as clubs in case of need, and to clear the way, rushed into the passage +when they disappeared. + +The Count listened anxiously, he heard oaths and the sound of an +obstinate struggle; then, at the expiration of a moment, a distant cry, +that summons which sailors know so well, reached him. + +Then his face grew calmer, he returned his sword to its sheath and +coolly awaited the newcomers, muttering to himself-- + +"They have escaped, one chance is left me." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE ARREST. + + +Almost at the same moment ten or twelve men burst into the room rather +than entered it, the noise that continued outside let it be guessed +that a great number of others was standing on the stairs and in the +passages, ready, were it required, to come to the assistance of the +others. + +All these men were armed, and it was easy to recognise them at once as +guards of the King, or rather of His Eminence the Cardinal. + +Only two of them, with crafty looks and squinting eyes, dressed in +black like ushers, had no visible weapons; these, in all probability +were more to be feared than the others, for beneath their feline +obsequiousness they doubtless concealed an implacable will to do evil. + +One of these two men held some papers in his right hand, he advanced +two or three paces, cast a suspicious glance around him, and then took +off his cap with a courteous bow. + +"In the King's name! gentleman," he said in a quick sharp voice. + +"What do you want?" the Count de Barmont asked, advancing resolutely +towards him. + +At this movement, which he took for a hostile demonstration, the man +in black recoiled with an ill-disguised start of terror, but feeling +himself backed up by his acolytes, he at once resumed his coolness, and +answered with a smile of evil augury-- + +"Ah! Ah! The Count Ludovic de Barmont, I believe," he remarked with an +ironical bow. + +"Yes, sir," the gentleman replied haughtily, "I am the Count de +Barmont." + +"Captain in the navy," the man in black imperturbably added, "at +present, commanding His Majesty's, frigate The Erigone." + +"As I told you, sir, I am the person you are in search of," the Count +added. + +"It is really with you that I have to deal, my lord," he replied, as he +drew himself up. "S'death, my good gentleman, you are not easy to catch +up; I have been running after you for a week, and was almost despairing +about having the honour of a meeting." + +All this was said with an obsequious air, a honeyed voice, and with a +sweet smile, sufficient to exasperate a saint, and much more the person +whom the strange man was addressing, and who was endowed with anything +but a placable character. + +"By Heaven!" he exclaimed, stamping his foot passionately; "Are we to +have much more of this?" + +"Patience, my good sir," he replied in the same placid tone; "patience, +good Heaven, how quick you are!" then after taking a glance at the +papers he held in his hand, "Since by your own confession you allow +yourself to be really Count Ludovic de Barmont, captain commanding His +Majesty's frigate Erigone, by virtue of the orders I bear, I arrest +you in the King's name, for the crime of desertion; for having without +authorization abandoned your vessel in a foreign country, that is to +say, at the Port of Lisbon, in Portugal." Then raising his head and +fixing his squinting eyes on the gentleman, he added, "Surrender your +sword to me, my lord." + +M. de Barmont shrugged his shoulders disdainfully. + +"The sword of a gentleman of my race shall never be placed in the hands +of a scoundrel of your stamp," he said, with contempt; and drawing +his sword, he coldly broke the blade across his knee, and threw the +fragments through the window panes, which they broke. + +Then he drew his pistols from his belt and cocked them. + +"Sir, sir!" the myrmidon exclaimed, recoiling in terror, "This is +rebellion, remember, rebellion against the express orders of His +Majesty and His Eminence the Cardinal Minister." + +The Count smiled disdainfully, and raising his pistols in the air, +fired them, the bullets being buried in the ceiling; then clasping them +by the barrel he threw them also out of the window; after which he +crossed his hands on his chest, and said coolly-- + +"Now do with me what you please." + +"Have you surrendered, my lord?" the fellow asked with ill-disguised +alarm. + +"Yes, from this moment I am your prisoner." + +The man in black breathed again; although he was unarmed, the haughty +gentleman still made him feel uncomfortable. + +"Still," the latter added, "allow me to say a couple of words to this +lady;" and he pointed to Dona Clara, who, waited upon by Dame Tiphaine, +who had hurried in at the disturbance in spite of her husband's +entreaties and orders, was beginning to regain her senses. + +"No, not a word, not a syllable," the Duke exclaimed, as he threw +himself between his daughter and the Count; "remove the villain, remove +him." + +But the bailiff, pleased with the facility the Count had displayed in +surrendering to him, and not wishing to excite his anger, pleased above +all at being able to show his authority without incurring resistance, +bravely interposed. + +"Pray, sir, allow the gentleman to speak to the lady," he said, "and to +unburden his heart." + +"But this man is an assassin," the Duke shouted violently, "before us +is still lying the corpse of my unhappy son, killed by him." + +"I pity you, sir," the myrmidon said without being at all affected; "I +cannot offer any remedy for that; and you must make application in the +proper quarter. Still, if it can be of any comfort to you, be convinced +that I shall make a careful note of the accusation you bring, and will +recall it to mind at the right time and place. But you must be equally +eager to get rid of us, as we are to get away from here: hence allow +this gentleman to bid farewell to the lady quietly, and I am convinced +it will not take long." + +The Duke darted a ferocious glance at the bailiff; but, not wishing to +compromise himself with such a fellow, he did not answer, and fell back +with a gloomy air. + +The Count had watched this altercation without displaying either +impatience or anger; with pale forehead and frowning brow, he waited, +doubtless ready to break into some terrible extremity if his request +were not granted. + +The bailiff only required to take one look at him to guess what was +passing in his heart; and, not feeling at all anxious for a fresh +contest to begin, he had prudently manoeuvred to avoid it. + +"Come," he said, "speak, my worthy gentleman, no one will oppose it." + +"Thanks," the Count answered hoarsely and approached Dona Clara, who +watched him advance with an ardent gaze fixed on him. + +"Clara," he said to her in a firm and deeply marked voice, "do you love +me?" + +She hesitated for a moment and bowed her head while heaving a profound +sigh. + +"Do you love me?" he repeated. + +"I do love you, Ludovic," she replied in a faint and trembling voice. + +"Do you love me, as your husband before God and man, as the father of +your child?" + +The young lady rose, her black eyes flashed fire, and stretching out +her hands before her, she said in a voice choked by emotion-- + +"In the presence of my father, who is ready to curse me, before the +body of my dead brother and in the face of the men who are listening to +me, I swear, Ludovic, that I love you as the father of my child, and +that I shall remain faithful to you, whatever may happen." + +"Very good, Clara," he answered, "God has received your oath and will +help you to keep it; remember that, whether dead or alive, you belong +to me as I belong to you, and that no person on earth shall break the +ties that unite us. Now farewell, and keep your courage." + +"Farewell!" she muttered, as she fell back in her chair and buried her +face in her hands. + +"Let us go, gentlemen! Do with me what you please," the Count said as +he turned to the exempt and the guards, who were involuntarily affected +by this scene. + +The Duke bounded with a tiger leap on his daughter, and seizing +her right arm with a frenzied gesture, he forced her to raise her +tear-swollen face to his, and fixing on her a glance loaded with all +the rage that swelled his heart, he said in a voice which fury rendered +sibilant-- + +"Daughter, prepare to marry within two days, the man I destine for you. +As for your child, you will never see it again; it no longer exists for +you." + +The young lady uttered a cry of despair and fell back deprived of her +senses in the arms of Dame Tiphaine. + +The Count, who at this moment was leaving the room, stopped short and +turned round to the Duke with his arm stretched out toward him: + +"Hangman," he shouted in a hoarse voice which chilled his auditors +with horror, "I curse you, I swear on my honor as a gentlemen to take +on you and yours so terrible a vengeance, that the memory of it shall +remain eternal; and if I cannot reach you, you and the whole nation +to which you belong shall be buried beneath the implacable weight of +my hatred. Between us henceforth there is a war of savages and wild +beasts, without truce or mercy; farewell." + +And leaving the proud Spaniard horrified by this fearful anathema, the +gentleman quitted the room with a firm step, and taking a last loving +glance at the woman he adored, from whom he was perhaps eternally +separated. + +The passages, stairs, and inn garden were filled with armed men; it was +evidently a miracle that the two sailors had succeeded in escaping and +getting away safe and sound; this gave the Count, hope and he went down +the stairs with an assured step, carefully watched by his escort who +did not let him out of sight. + +The guards had been long before warned that they would have to do +with a naval officer possessing an inordinate violence of character, +prodigious vigour and indomitable courage; hence the resignation of the +prisoner, which they believed to be assumed, only inspired them with +very slight confidence, and they were continually on the defensive. + +When they came out into the garden the chief of the exempts noticed the +coach, which was still standing at the door. + +"Why," he said with a grin and rubbing his hands, "here's the very +thing we want. In our hurry to get here, we forgot to provide ourselves +with a coach; be good enough to get in, my lord," he said as he opened +the door. + +The Count got in without any further hesitation; and the exempts then +addressed the driver who was sitting motionless on his box. + +"Come down, scamp," he said in a tone of authority; "I require the use +of this coach for an affair of state. Give up your place to one of my +men. Wideawake," he added, turning to a tall impudent looking fellow +standing by his side, "get up on the box in that man's place--let us be +off." + +The driver did not attempt to resist this peremptory order; he +descended and his place was immediately taken by Wideawake; the exempt +then entered the carriage, seated himself facing his prisoner, closed +the door, and the steeds, aroused by a vigorous, lash, dashed forward +dragging after them the heavy vehicle round which the twenty odd +soldiers were collected. + +For a considerable period the coach rolled along without a word being +exchanged between the prisoner and his guard. + +The Count was thinking, the exempt sleeping, or, to speak more +correctly, pretending to sleep. + +In the month of March the nights are beginning to shorten; daylight +soon appeared, and broad white stripes were beginning to cross the sky. + +The Count, who up to this moment had remained motionless, gave a slight +start. + +"Are you suffering, my lord?" the exempt inquired. This question was +addressed to him with an intonation so different from that hitherto +employed by the man who had made him prisoner; there was in the sound +of his voice an accent so really gentle and sympathizing, that the +Count involuntarily started, and took a fixed look at his singular +companion: but so far as he could see by the faint light of coming +dawn, the man in front of him still had the same crafty face and the +same ironical smile stereotyped on his lips. The Count found himself +in error, and throwing himself back, merely uttered one word, "No," in +a tone intended to break off any attempt at conversation between his +guardian and himself. + +But the former was probably in a humour for talking, for he would +not be checked; and pretending not to remark the manner in which his +advances had been received, he continued-- + +"The nights are still chill, the breeze enters this coach on all sides, +and I feared lest the cold had struck you." + +"I am habituated to suffer heat and cold," the Count answered; +"besides, it is probable that if I have not yet made my apprenticeship, +I am about to undergo one which will accustom me to endure everything +without complaining." + +"Who knows, my lord?" the exempt said, with a shake of the head. + +"What?" the other objected, "Am I not condemned to a lengthened +captivity in a fortress?" + +"Yes, according to the terms of the order, which it is my duty to carry +out." + +There was a momentary silence. The Count gazed absently at the country +which the first beams of day were beginning to illumine. At length he +turned to the exempt. + +"May I ask whither you are taking me?" he said. + +"I see no objection to your doing so." + +"And you will answer my question?" + +"Why not? There is nothing to prevent it." + +"Then we are going?" + +"To the isles of St. Marguerite, my lord." + +The Count trembled inwardly. The islands of Lerins, or Sainte +Marguerite, enjoyed at that time, even, a reputation almost as terrible +as the one they acquired at a later date, when they served as a prison +to the mysterious iron mask, whom it was forbidden to take even a +glance at under penalty of death. + +The exempt looked at him fixedly without speaking. + +It was the Count who again resumed the conversation. + +"Where are we now?" he asked. + +The exempt bent out of the window, and then resumed his seat. + +"We are just arriving at Corbeil, where we shall change horses." + +"Ah!" said the Count. + +"If you wish to rest, I can give orders for an hour's stay. Perhaps you +feel a want of some refreshment?" + +This singular man was gradually acquiring in the Count's eyes all the +interest of an enigma. + +"Very good," he said. + +Without replying the exempt let down the window. + +"Wideawake!" he shouted. + +"What is the matter?" the latter asked. + +"Pull up at the Golden Lion." + +"All right." + +Ten minutes later the coach halted in the Rue St. Spire, in front of a +door over which creaked a sign representing an enormous gilt cat, with +one of its paws on a ball. They had arrived. + +The exempt got out, followed by the Count, and both entered the inn: +one portion of the escort remained in the saddle in the street, while +the others dismounted and installed themselves in the common room. + +The Count had mechanically followed the exempt, and on reaching the +room, seated himself in a chair by the fire, in a first floor decently +furnished room. He was too busy with his own thoughts to attach any +great attention to what was going on around him. + +When the landlord had left them alone, the exempt bolted the door +inside, and then placed himself in front of his prisoner. + +"Now," he said, "let us speak frankly, my lord." + +The latter, astonished at this sudden address, quickly raised his head. + +"We have no time to lose in coming to an understanding, sir; so please +to listen without interrupting me," the exempt continued. "I am +Francois Bouillot, the younger brother of your foster father. Do you +recognise me?" + +"No," the Count replied, after examining him attentively for a moment. + +"That does not surprise me, for you were only eight years old the last +time I had the honor of seeing you at Barmont Castle: but that is of no +consequence; I am devoted to you, and wish to save you." + +"What assures me that you are really Francois Bouillot, the brother of +my foster father, and that you are not attempting to deceive me?" the +Count answered, in a suspicious accent. + +The exempt felt in his pocket, pulled out several papers, which he +unfolded, and presented them open to the Count. + +The latter looked at them mechanically: they consisted of a baptismal +certificate, a commission, and several letters proving his identity. +The Count handed him the letters back. + +"How is it that you should have been the man to arrest me, and arrived +so opportunely to aid me?" he asked. + +"In a very simple way, my lord: your order of arrest was obtained from +the Cardinal Minister by the Dutch Embassy. I was present when M. de +Laffemas, a familiar of his Eminence, who is kind to me, left the +Palais Cardinal order in hand: I was there, and he chose me. Still, as +I was able to decline, I should have done so, had I not seen your name +on the paper, and remembered the kindness your family had shown to me +and my brother. Taking advantage of the opportunity my profession of +exempt offered me, I resolved to repay you what your friends have done +for mine, by attempting to save you." + +"That does not seem to me very easy, my poor friend." + +"More so than you may fancy, my lord: I will leave here one-half our +escort, and then only ten will remain with us." + +"Hum! That is a very decent number," the Count replied, involuntarily +interested. + +"They would be too many if there were not among the ten men seven of +whom I am certain, which reduces the number of those we have to fear +to three. I have been running after you for a long time, my lord," he +added, with a laugh, "and all my precautions are taken: through some +excuse, easy to be found, we will pass through Toulon, and on arriving +there, we will stop for an hour or two at a hostelry I know. You will +disguise yourself as a mendicant monk, and leave the inn unnoticed. I +will take care to get rid of the guards I am not certain of. You will +proceed to the port furnished with papers I will hand you; you will go +on board a charming chasse-maree, called the _Seamew_, which I have +freighted on your account, and which is waiting for you. The master +will recognise you by a password I will tell you, and you will be at +liberty to go whither-soever you please. Is not this plan extremely +simple, my lord?" he asked, rubbing his hands joyously, "And have I not +foreseen everything?" + +"No, my friend," the Count answered with emotion, as he offered him his +hand; "there is one more thing you have not foreseen." + +"What is that, my lord?" he asked, in surprise. + +"That I do not wish to fly," the young man answered, with a melancholy +shake of the head. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +THE ISLE OF SAINTE MARGUERITE. + + +At this answer, which he was so far from anticipating, the exempt gave +a start of surprise, and looked at the Count as if he had not exactly +understood him. + +The gentleman smiled gently. + +"That surprises you, does it not?" he said. + +"I confess it, my lord," the other stammered, with embarrassment. + +The Count went on: + +"Yes," he said, "I can understand your surprise at my refusal to accept +your generous proposition. It is not often you find a prisoner to whom +liberty is offered, and who insists on remaining a captive. I owe you +an explanation of this extraordinary conduct; this explanation I will +give you at once, so that you may no longer press me, but leave me to +act as I think proper." + +"I am only the most humble, of your servants, my lord Count. You +doubtless know better than I what your conduct should be under the +circumstances, you have therefore no occasion to explain it to me." + +"It is precisely because you are an old servant of my family, Francois +Bouillot, and because you are giving me at this moment a proof of +unbounded devotion, that I believe myself obliged to tell you the +motives for this refusal, which has so many reasons to surprise you. +Listen to me, then." + +"As you insist, my lord, I obey you." + +"Very good, take a chair, and place yourself here by my side, as it is +unnecessary for others beside yourself to hear what I am going to say." + +The exempt took a stool and seated himself by his master's side, +exactly as the latter had ordered, while still keeping up a respectful +distance between himself and the gentleman. + +"In the first place," the Count resumed, "be thoroughly convinced that +if I refuse your offer, it is not through any motive of a personal +nature as regards yourself. I have full confidence in you, for nearly +200 years your family has been attached to mine, and we have ever had +reason to praise their devotion to our interest. This important point +being settled, I will go on. I will suppose for a moment that the +plan you have formed is successful, a plan which I will not discuss, +although it appears to me very difficult to execute, and the slightest +accident might, at the last moment, compromise its issue. What will +happen? Forced to fly without resources, without friends, I should not +only be unable to take the revenge I meditate upon my enemies, but +surrendered, so to speak, to their mercy, I should speedily fall into +their hands again, and thus become the laughing stock of those whom I +hate. I should be dishonoured; they will despise me, and I shall have +but one way of escape from a life henceforth rendered useless, as all +my plans would be overthrown, and that is blowing out my brains." + +"Oh! my lord!" Bouillot exclaimed, clasping his hands. + +"I do not wish to fall," the Count continued imperturbably, "in the +terrible struggle which has this day begun between my enemies and +myself. I have taken an oath, and that oath I will keep, regardless +of the consequences. I am young, hardly twenty-five years of age; up +to the present, life has only been one long joy for me, and I have +succeeded in everything, plans of ambition, fortune and love. Today +misfortune has come to lay its hand on me, and it is welcome; for the +man who has not suffered is not a perfect man; grief purifies the mind +and tempers the heart. Solitude is a good councillor; it makes a man +comprehend the nothingness of small things, expands the ideas, and +prepares grand conceptions. I require to steel myself through sorrow, +in order to be able one day to repay my enemies a hundredfold all +that I have suffered at their hands. It is by thinking over my broken +career and my ruined future, that I shall find the necessary strength +to accomplish my vengeance. When my heart is dead to every other +feeling but that of the hatred which will entirely occupy it, I shall +be able pitilessly to trample underfoot all those who today laugh at +me and believe they have crushed me, because they have hurled me down; +and then I shall be really a man, and woe to those who try to measure +their strength with mine. You tremble at what I am saying to you at +this moment, my old servant," he added more gently, "what would it be +were you able to read in my heart all the hatred, auger, and rage it +contains against those who have mercilessly ground me beneath their +heel, and who have eternally deprived me of happiness, in order to +satisfy the paltry calculations of a narrow and criminal ambition?" + +"Oh, my lord Count! Permit an old servant of your family, a man who is +entirely devoted to you, to implore you to resign these fearful schemes +of vengeance. Alas! You will be the first victim of your hatred." + +"Have you forgotten, Bouillot," the Count replied ironically, "what is +said in our country, about the members of the family to which I have +the honor of belonging?" + +"Yes, yes, my lord," he said with a melancholy shake of the head; "I +remember it, and will repeat it if you wish." + +"Do so." + +"Well, my lord, the distich is as follows--" + +"'The Counts of Barmont Senectaire, Demon-hate and heart of stone.'" + +The Count smiled. + +"Well do you fancy that I have degenerated from my ancestors?" + +"I suppose nothing, sir, Heaven forbid!" he answered humbly, "I only +see with terror that you are preparing a hideous future for yourself." + +"Be it so! I accept it in all its rigor, if God will permit me to +accomplish my oath." + +"Alas! My lord, you know that man proposes; you are at this moment a +prisoner of the Cardinal; reflect, I implore you, who knows whether +you will ever leave the prison to which I am conducting you? Consent to +be free." + +"No; cease your entreaties! The Cardinal is not immortal. If not +before, my liberty will be restored me on his death, which cannot +be long deferred, I hope. And now carefully bear this in mind, my +resolution is so fixed, that if in spite of my orders you abandon me +here, at the inn where we now are, the first use I should make of the +liberty you have given me back, would be to go at once and surrender +myself into the hands of his Eminence; you understand me thoroughly, I +suppose?" + +The old servant bowed his head without answering, and two tears slowly +ran down his cheeks. + +This dumb grief, so true and so touching, affected the Count more than +he would have supposed; he rose, took the poor fellow's hand and shook +it several times. + +"Let us say no more about this, Bouillot," he remarked to him +affectionately, "although I will not profit by it, your devotion has +deeply affected me, and I will ever feel eternally grateful to you for +it. Come, my old friend, let us not grow foolish; we are men and not +childish poltroons, confound it." + +"Well, no matter, my lord, I do not consider myself beaten," the exempt +replied, as he threw himself into the arms open to receive him; "you +cannot prevent me from watching over you, whether near or afar." + +"That I do not oppose, my friend," the Count replied with a laugh; "do +as you please; besides," he added seriously, "I confess that I shall +not be sorry when I am sequestered from the world to know what is going +on, and to be kept informed, of passing events; some unforeseen fact +might occur which would modify my intentions and make me desire the +recovery of my liberty." + +"Oh, be sure of that, my lord," he exclaimed, pleased at this quasi +victory and conditional promise, "I will arrange so that you shall not +be at a loss for news; I have not served his Eminence for six years +for nothing; the Cardinal is a good master, I have profited by his +teaching, and know several tricks; you shall see me at work." + +"Well, that is agreed, and we understand each other now. I think it +would be wise to breakfast before continuing our journey, for I feel an +appetite that greatly requires appeasing." + +"I will give the landlord orders to serve you at once, my lord." + +"You will breakfast with me, Bouillot," he said as he gave him a +friendly tap on the shoulder; "and I hope it will be always so, until +our arrival at the Isle of St. Marguerite." + +"It is certainly a great honour for me, sir, but--" + +"I expect it; besides are you not almost a member of my family?" + +Francois Bouillot bowed and left the room; after ordering a copious +breakfast, he commanded one part of the escort back to Paris; then +he returned to the room, followed by the landlord, who, in a second, +covered the table with all that was wanted to make a good meal, and +withdrew discreetly, leaving his guests to attack the dishes placed +before them. + +The journey was continued without any incident worthy of note. + +The prisoner's conversation with his keeper had been decisive; the +latter was too well acquainted with the character of the man with whom +he had to deal to attempt to revert to a subject which had been so +distinctly disposed of on the first occasion. + +At the period when our history takes place, France was not as now +intersected by magnificent roads, and the shortest journey demanded +an enormous expenditure of time; the coaches, heavy vehicles badly +built and worse horsed, had great difficulty in resisting the numerous +joltings and the ruts in which they were for the greater portion of +the time buried up to the axletree, and hence, in spite of the speed +employed, seventeen days elapsed ere the prisoner and his escort +arrived at Toulon. + +This town was even at that early period one of the principal military +ports of France, and the Count felt an indescribable pang at heart when +he entered it. + +It was in this town that his naval career had begun, here for the first +time he had set foot aboard a vessel with the rank of midshipman, and +had undergone the preparatory trials of that rude naval profession, in +which, in spite of his youth, he soon attained a great reputation and +almost celebrity. + +The coach stopped in the Haymarket, in front of the "Cross of Malta," +probably the oldest inn in France, for it is still in existence, +although it has undergone many indispensable changes both internally +and externally. + +So soon as he had installed his prisoner comfortably in the Inn, +Francois Bouillot went out. + +If he placed a sentry before the Count's door, it was rather in +obedience to his duty, than through any fear of escape, for he had not +even taken the trouble to lock the door, so convinced was he beforehand +that unfortunately his prisoner would not attempt to pass out of it. + +He remained away for about two hours. + +"You have been absent a long time," the Count remarked on his return. + +"I had some important business to settle," he replied. + +The Count, without adding a word, resumed his walk up and down the room +which Bouillot's return had interrupted. + +There was a momentary silence, Bouillot was evidently embarrassed, +he went about the room, pretending to arrange sundry articles of +furniture, and disarranging everything; at last seeing that the Count +obstinately remained silent and would not perceive that he was in the +room, he placed himself in front of him so as to bar his passage, and +looked at him intently as he whispered with a stress on the words. + +"You do not ask where I have been." + +"What is the use?" the Count replied carelessly; "About your own +business, of course." + +"No, my lord, about yours." + +"Ah!" he said. + +"Yes, the _Seamew_ awaits you." + +The Count smiled and slightly shrugged his shoulders. + +"Ah, ah, you are still thinking of that; I believed, my dear Bouillot, +that it was arranged between us that we should not return to this +subject. That was the reason, then, that you lengthened our journey, by +making us pass through Toulon, at which I felt surprised. I could not +account for the strange itinerary you were following." + +"My lord," he muttered, clasping his hands imploringly. + +"Come, you are mad, my dear Bouillot, you ought to know by this time, +though, that when I have formed a resolution, good or bad, I never +alter it; so no more of this, I beg, it would be quite useless. I +pledge you my word as a gentleman." + +The old servant uttered a groan that resembled a death rattle. + +"Your will be done, my lord," he stammered. "When do we start for +Antibes?" + +"At once, if you wish it." + +"Very good, the sooner the better." + +After bowing, the exempt left the room to make all preparations for +departure. + +As we see, the parts were completely introverted, it was the prisoner +who gave orders to his keeper. + +One hour later, in fact, the Count quitted Toulon. All along the road +the two men, constantly companions, and eating and drinking together, +conversed about indifferent matters. Bouillot had at last recognized +the fact that it was useless to make any further effort to induce the +Count to escape; still he had not given up his scheme, but merely +deferred it till a more distant period, reckoning as an ally the +annoyance of a prolonged detention, and an inactive and useless life +upon an organization so impetuous as that of the prisoner. + +So soon as he arrived at Antibes, by the express command of the Count, +who seemed to take a certain pleasure in tormenting him, he set out in +search of some boat to carry them across to Sainte Marguerite. + +His search was neither long nor difficult; as bearer of a Cardinal's +order, he laid an embargo on the first fishing boat he came across, +and embarked aboard it with all his people. + +On leaving the mainland, the Count turned, and a smile of peculiar +meaning played round his lips. + +Bouillot, deceived by this smile, whose secret intention he did not +penetrate, bent down to the Count's ear. + +"If you like, there is still time," he whispered. + +The Count looked at him, shrugged his shoulders, and without replying, +sat down in the stern of the boat. + +"Push off," Bouillot then shouted to the master. + +The latter seized his boathook, and they were soon under weigh. + +The Lerins islands form a group composed of several rocks, and +two islands surrounded by shoals; the first known as Isle Sainte +Marguerite, the second as Saint Honorat. + +At the period of our narration only the first was fortified; the other, +inhabited by a few fishermen, merely contained the still considerable +ruins of the monastery founded by Saint Honorat circa the year 400. + +The Sainte Marguerite island was uninhabited, flat, and only offering +along its entire coast, one very unsafe creek for vessels. Although +it is extremely fertile, and pomegranates, orange and fig trees, grow +there in the open air, no one had thought of taking up his abode there, +and we are not aware whether a change has since taken place. + +A very important fortress, which, at a later date, attained a +melancholy reputation as a state prison, was erected on the island, the +greater portion of which it occupied. + +This fort was composed of three towers, connected together by terraces, +which time had covered with a yellowish moss, while a wide deep moat +surrounded the walls. + +A few years prior to the beginning of our story, in 1635, the Spaniards +had seized it by surprise. + +The Cardinal, in order to prevent the repetition of such a calamity, +had judged it advisable to protect the fort from a _coup de main_, by +placing there a garrison of fifty picked soldiers, commanded by a major +performing the duties of governor. He was an old officer of fortune, +whom this post served as a retreat, and who, far from the cares of the +world, led a perfect canonical life, thanks to a tacit understanding +with the smugglers, who alone cast anchor in these parts. + +The officer who commanded the fort at this moment was an old gentleman, +tall, thin, and wizened, with harsh features, who had had a leg and +arm cut off. His name was Monsieur de l'Oursiere; he was constantly +scolding and abusing his subordinates, and the day when he left the +Crown regiment, in which he held the rank of major, was kept as a +holiday by the whole regiment, officers and men; so cordially was the +worthy man detested. + +Cardinal de Richelieu was a good judge of men; in selecting Major de +l'Oursiere to make him governor of Sainte Marguerite, and metamorphose +him into a gaoler, he had found the exact post which suited his +quarrelsome temper, and his cruel instincts. + +It was on this amiable personage that the Count de Barmont would +have to be dependant for doubtless a considerable period; for, if +the Cardinal Minister easily shut the gate of a state prison on a +gentleman, to make up for it, he was never in a hurry to open it again, +and a prisoner, unless something extraordinary occurred, was almost +safe to die forgotten in his dungeon, except when his Eminence had a +whim to have his head cut off in broad daylight. + +After a number of countersigns had been exchanged with a profuseness +of caution which bore witness to the good guard and strict discipline +maintained by the governor, the prisoner and his escort were at length +introduced into the fortress, and admitted to the Major's presence. + +The Major was just finishing his breakfast, when a Cardinal's messenger +was announced to him: he buttoned his uniform, put on his sword and +hat, and ordered the messenger to be shown in. + +Francois Bouillot entered, followed by the Count, bowed, and presented +the order of which he was the bearer. + +The governor took it, and read it through; then he turned to the Count, +who was standing motionless a few paces in the rear, made him a slight +bow, and addressed him in a dry voice, and with a rough accent. + +"Your servant, sir," he said to him: "are you the Count de Barmont, +whose name is written on this paper?" + +"Yes, sir," the Count answered, bowing in his turn. + +"I am sorry, sir, truly sorry," the Major resumed; "but I have strict +orders with reference to you, and a soldier only knows his duty; still, +believe me, sir, hum, hum, that I shall try to reconcile my natural +humanity with the rigour that is recommended to me, hum, hum, I know +how gentlemen ought to behave to each other, sir; be assured of that." + +And the governor, doubtless satisfied at the speech he had just +uttered, smiled, and drew himself gracefully up. + +The Count bowed, but made no answer. + +"You shall be conducted to your apartment at once, sir," the Major went +on; "hum, hum! I wish it was handsomer, but I did not expect you; hum, +hum, and you know how things are--hum, hum, we will manage to lodge +you more comfortably hereafter; la Berloque," he added, turning to a +soldier standing near the door, "conduct this gentleman, hum, hum, to +room No. 8, in the second turret; hum, hum, I believe it is the most +habitable one; your servant, sir, your servant, hum, hum!" + +And after having thus unceremoniously dismissed the Count, the Major +went into another room. + +M. de Barmont, accompanied by Bouillot and the guards, who had brought +him, followed the soldier. + +The latter led them through several passages, and up various stairs, +and then stopped before a door, garnished with formidable bolts. + +"It is here," he said. + +The Count then turned to Bouillot, and affectionately offered him his +hand. + +"Farewell, my old friend," he said to him in a gentle but firm voice, +while a vague smile played round his lips. + +"Farewell, till we meet again," Bouillot said, with a stress on the +words. Then he took leave of him, and withdrew, with his eyes full of +tears. + +The door closed with a mournful sound on the prisoner. + +"Oh!" the old servant muttered, as he pensively went down the turret +stairs, "Woe to those who venture to oppose the Count, if ever he +leaves his prison again! And he shall do so, I swear it, even if I must +risk my life in securing his escape." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +A BACKWARD GLANCE. + + +The family of the Count de Barmont Senectaire was one of the most +ancient and noble in Languedoc; their origin went back to an antiquity +so remote, that we may declare without fear of contradiction that it +was lost in the mist of ages. + +A Barmont Senectaire fought at Bouvines by the side of Philip Augustus. + +The chronicle of Joinville mentions a Barmont Senectaire, knight +banneret, who died of the plague at Tunis, in 1270, during the second +crusade of King Louis IX. + +Francis I. on the evening of the battle of Marignano, gave the rank of +Count on the battlefield itself to Euguerrand de Barmont Senectaire, +captain of one hundred men at arms, to reward him for his grand conduct +and the sturdy blows he had seen him deal during the whole period of +that combat of giants. + +Few noble families have such splendid title deeds among their archives. + +The Counts de Barmont were always military nobles, and they gave France +several celebrated generals. + +But in the course of time, the power and fortune of this family +gradually diminished: during the reign of Henri III. it was reduced to +a condition bordering on poverty. Still, justly proud of a stainless +past, they continued to carry their heads high in the province, and if +the Count de Barmont endured hard privations in order to support his +name worthily, nothing of this was visible externally, and everybody +was ignorant of the fact. + +The Count had attached himself to the fortunes of the King of Navarre +as much through the hope of regaining a position through the war, +as through admiration of this prince, whose genius he had probably +divined. A brave soldier, but young, impetuous, and handsome, the +Count had several affairs of gallantry. One among others with a lady +of the Town of Cahors, affianced to a very rich Spanish noble, whom he +succeeded in carrying off on the very day before that appointed for the +marriage. The Spaniard, who was very strict in matters affecting his +honour, considered this joke in bad taste, and demanded satisfaction +of the Count; the latter gave him two sword thrusts, and left him +dead on the ground. This affair attracted great attention, and gained +the Count much honor among people of refinement; but the Spaniard, +contrary to expectation, recovered from his wounds. The two gentlemen +fought again, and this time the Count so ill treated his adversary +that the latter was constrained to give up all thoughts of a new +meeting. This adventure disgusted the Count with gallantry, not that he +personally feared the results of the hatred which the Duke of Penaflor +had sworn against him, for he never heard of him again, but because +his conscience reproached him with having, for the satisfaction of a +caprice which passed away so soon as it was satisfied, destroyed the +happiness of an honourable man, and he felt remorse for his conduct in +the affair. + +After bravely fighting by the side of the King during all his wars, +the Count finally retired to his estates, about the year 1610, after +the death of that Prince, disgusted with the Court, and feeling the +necessity of repose after such an amount of fatigue. + +Here, four or five years later, wearied with the solitude in which +he lived, and, perhaps, in the hope of expelling from his mind a +troublesome recollection, which, in spite of the time that had elapsed, +did not cease to torture him, the Count resolved to marry, and selected +for his wife a young lady belonging to one of the best families in +the province--charming and gentle, but as poor as himself; this +circumstance was far from bringing ease into the family, whose position +daily became more difficult. + +The union, however, was a happy one; in 1616 the Countess was delivered +of a son, who at once became the joy of the poor household. + +This son was Count Ludovic, whose story we have undertaken to tell. + +In spite of his fondness for the boy, the Count, however, brought him +up strictly, wishing to make of him a rude, brave, and loyal gentleman, +like himself. + +Young Ludovic felt at an early hour, on discovering what misery was +concealed behind the apparent splendour of his family, the necessity +of creating for himself an independent position, which would allow him +not only to be no longer a burden to parents whom he loved, and who +sacrificed to him the greater portion of their income, but to restore +also the eclipsed lustre of the name he bore. + +Contrary to the custom followed by his ancestors, who had all served +the king or his armies, his tastes led him to the navy. + +Owing to the assiduous care of an old and worthy priest, who had +become his tutor through attachment to his family, he had received a +solid education, by which he had profited; accounts of voyages, which +constituted his principal reading, inflamed his imagination; all his +thoughts were turned to America, where, according to the statements of +sailors, gold abounded, and he had but one desire--to land himself +in this mysterious country, and take his part of the rich crop which +everybody garnered there. + +His father, and his mother even more, for a long time resisted his +entreaties. The old man, who had fought during so many years, could not +understand why his son should not do the same, or prefer the navy to a +commission in the army. The Countess, in her heart, did not wish to see +her son either soldier or sailor, for both professions terrified her; +she feared for her son the unknown perils of distant excursions, and +her tenderness was alarmed by the thought of what might be an eternal +separation. + +Still, something must be done, and as the young man obstinately adhered +to his resolution, his parents were compelled to yield and consent to +what he desired, whatever might be the future consequences of this +determination. + +The Count still had some old friends at Court, among them being the +Duke de Bellegarde, who stood on terms of great intimacy with King +Louis XIII., surnamed the "_Just_" during his lifetime, because he was +born under the sign of Libra. + +Monsieur de Barmont had also been connected at an earlier date with +the Duke d'Epernon, created Admiral of France in 1587; but he had a +repugnance in applying to him, owing to the rumours that were spread +at the time of the assassination of Henri IV. Still, in a case so +urgent as the present one, the Count comprehended that for the sake of +his son he must silence his private feelings, and at the same time as +he addressed a letter to the Duke de Bellegarde, he sent another to +Epernon, who at this period was Governor of Guyenne. + +The double answer the Count expected was not long deferred; M. de +Barmont's two old friends had not forgotten him, and hastened to employ +their credit on his behalf. + +The Duke d'Epernon especially, better situated through his title of +Admiral to be useful to the young man, wrote that he would gladly +undertake the duty of pushing him on in the world. + +This took place at the beginning of 1631, when Ludovic de Barmont had +reached his sixteenth year. + +Being very tall, with a proud and haughty air, and endowed with rare +vigour and great agility, the young man seemed older than he in reality +was. It was with the liveliest joy that he learned how his wishes +had been fulfilled, and that nothing prevented him from embracing a +maritime career. + +The Duke d'Epernon's letter requested the Count de Barmont to send his +son as speedily as possible to Bordeaux, so that he might at once place +him aboard a man-of-war, to commence his apprenticeship. + +Two days after the receipt of this letter the young man tore himself +with difficulty from the embraces of his mother, bade his father a +respectful farewell, and took the road to Bordeaux, mounted on a good +horse, and followed by a confidential valet. + +The navy had for a long time been neglected in France; and left during +the middle ages in the hands of private persons, as the government, +following the example of the other continental powers, did not deign +to try and secure a respectable position on the seas, much less a +supremacy; thus we see during the reign of Francis I., who was, +however, one of the warlike Kings of France, Ango, a ship broker of +Dieppe, from whom the Portuguese had taken a vessel during a profound +peace, authorized by the King, who was unable to procure him justice, +to equip a fleet at his own expense. With this fleet Ango, we may +remark incidentally, blockaded the port of Lisbon, and did not cease +hostilities until he had forced the Portuguese to send to France +ambassadors humbly to ask peace of the King. + +The discovery of the New World, however, and the no less important one +of the Cape of Good Hope, by giving navigation a greater activity and +a more extended sphere, at the same time as they widened the limits of +commerce, caused the necessity to be felt of creating a navy, intended +to protect merchant vessels against the attacks of corsairs. + +It was not till the reign of Louis XIII. that the idea of creating a +navy began to be carried into execution. Cardinal de Richelieu, whose +vast genius embraced everything, and whom the English fleets had +caused several times to tremble during the long and wearying siege of +Rochelle, passed several decrees relating to the navy, and founded a +school of navigation, intended to educate those young gentlemen who +desired to serve the King aboard his vessels. + +It is to this great minister, then, that France is indebted for the +first thought of a navy; this navy was destined to contend against +the Spanish and Dutch fleets, and during the reign of Louis XIV., to +acquire so great an importance, and momentarily hold in check the power +of England. + +It was this school of navigation created by Richelieu that the Viscount +de Barmont entered, thanks to the influence of the Duke d'Epernon. + +The old gentleman strictly kept the pledge he had given his former +comrade in arms; he did not cease to protect the young man, which, +however, was an easy task, for the latter displayed an extraordinary +aptitude, and a talent very rare at that date in the profession he had +embraced. + +Hence, in 1641, he was already a captain in the navy, and had the +command of a twenty-six gun frigate. + +Unfortunately, neither the old Count de Barmont nor his wife was able +to enjoy the success of their son or the new era opening for their +house; they both died a few days apart from each other, leaving the +young man an orphan at the age of two-and-twenty. + +As a pious son, Ludovic, who really loved his parents, lamented and +regretted them, especially his mother, who had always been so kind and +tender to him; but, as he had been accustomed for so many years to live +alone during his long voyages, and only to trust to himself, he did not +feel the loss so painfully as he would have done had he never left the +paternal roof. + +Henceforth the sole representative of his house, he regarded life more +seriously than he had hitherto done, and redoubled his efforts to +restore to his name its almost eclipsed lustre, which, thanks to his +exertions, was beginning to shine again with renewed brilliancy. + +The Duke d'Epernon still lived, but a forgotten relic of an almost +entirely departed generation--a sickly octogenarian, who had quarrelled +long ago with Cardinal de Richelieu, his influence was null, and he +could do nothing for the man he had so warmly protected a few years +previously. + +But the Count did not allow this to prey on his mind; the naval +service was not envied by the nobility, good officers were rare, and +he believed that if he cautiously avoided mixing himself up in any +political intrigue, he might have a brilliant career. + +An accident, impossible to foresee, was fated to destroy all his +ambitious plans, and ruin his career forever. + +This is how the affair occurred:--The Count de Barmont, at the time +commanding the Erigone, twenty-six gun frigate, after a lengthened +cruise in the Algerian waters to protect French merchant vessels +against the Barbary pirates, steered for the states of Gibraltar, in +order to reach the Atlantic, and return to Brest, whither he had orders +to proceed at the end of his cruise; but just as he was about to pass +through the Straits, he was caught by a squall, and after extraordinary +efforts to continue his course, which almost cast him on to the coast +of Africa, owing to the strength of the wind and the rough, chopping +sea, he was obliged to stand off and on for several hours, and finally +take refuge in the port of Algeciras, which was to windward of him, on +the Spanish coast. + +So soon as he had anchored, and made all snug, the commandant, who +knew from experience that two or three days would elapse ere the wind +veered, and allowed him to pass the Straits, ordered his boat, and went +ashore. + +Although the town of Algeciras is very old, it is very small, badly +built, and scantily populated; at this period, more especially, it +only formed, as it were, a poor market town. It was not till after the +English had seized Gibraltar, situated on the other side of the bay, +that the Spaniards comprehended the importance of Algeciras to them, +and have converted it into a regular port. + +The Captain had no other motive for landing at Algeciras, than the +restlessness natural to sailors, which impels them to leave their +vessel as soon as they have cast anchor. + +Commercial relations were not established at that time, as they now +are. The government had not yet fallen into the custom of sending to +foreign ports residents ordered to watch over their countrymen, and +protect their transactions--in a word, consulates had not yet been +created: only those ships of war, which accident might lead to any +port, now and then undertook to procure justice for those of their +countrymen, whose interests had been encroached on. + +After landing, and giving orders to his coxswain to come and fetch +him at sunset, the Captain, merely followed by a sailor, of the name +of Michael, to whom he was greatly attached, and who accompanied him +everywhere, turned into the winding streets of Algeciras, curiously +examining everything that offered itself to view. + +This Michael, to whom we shall have several occasions to refer, was a +tall fellow, with an intelligent face, about thirty years of age, and +who had vowed an eternal devotion to his captain since the day when the +latter had risked his life in saving his, by jumping into a boat during +a terrible storm four years before, to help him when he had fallen into +the sea while going up the shrouds to ease the mainsail. + +Since that day Michael had never left the Count, and had always +contrived to sail with him. Born in the vicinity of Pau, the country of +Henri IV., he was like the king, his fellow countryman, gay, mocking, +and even sceptical. An excellent sailor, endowed with tried bravery, +and far from ordinary vigour, Michael offered in his person the +perfect type of the Bearnaise Basque, a strong and rough, though loyal +and faithful race. + +Only one individual shared in Michael's heart the unbounded friendship +he felt for his chief. This privileged being was a Breton sailor, +gloomy and taciturn, who formed a complete antithesis to him, and whom, +owing to his slowness, the crew had favoured with the characteristic +name of Bowline, which he had accepted, and was so accustomed to answer +to it, that he had almost forgotten the name he previously bore. + +The service the Count had done Michael, the latter had rendered to +Bowline: hence he was attached to the Breton through this very service, +and while mocking and teasing him from morning till night, he had a +sincere friendship for him. + +The Breton understood Michael, and so far as his reserved and slightly +demonstrative nature permitted, he testified on every occasion his +gratitude to the Basque, by letting himself be completely directed and +governed by him in all the actions of his life, without ever attempting +to revolt against the frequent exorbitant demands of his mentor. + +If we have dwelt so long on the character of these two men, it is +because they are destined in the course of this work to play an +important part; and the reader must be acquainted with them, in order +to understand the facts we shall have to record. + +The Count and his sailor continued to advance along the streets, +the one reflecting and amusing himself the other remaining, through +respect, a few paces in the rear, and desperately smoking a pipe, whose +stem was so short that the bowl almost touched his lips. + +While walking thus straight before them, the promenaders soon reached +the end of the town, and turned into a lane bordered by aloes, which +led, with a rather steep incline, to the top of a hill, whence could +be enjoyed the entire panorama of the bay of Algeciras, which, we may +remark in a parenthesis, is the finest in the world. + +It was about two in the afternoon, the hottest moment of the day. The +sun profusely poured down its torrid beams, which made the pebbles in +the road sparkle like diamonds. + +Hence everybody had gone within doors to enjoy the siesta, so that, +since landing, the two sailors had not met a living creature; and if +the Arabian Nights, which were not translated till a century later, +had been known at the time, the Count, without any great effort of the +imagination, might have believed himself transported to that city where +all the inhabitants had been sent to sleep by a wicked impostor, so +complete was the silence around him, while the landscape had the aspect +of a desert. To complete the illusion, the breeze had fallen, there was +not a breath of air, and the vast expanse of water stretched out at +their feet was as motionless as if composed of ice. + +The Count stopped, pensively gazing with an absent eye at his frigate, +which at this distance was scarce as large as a skiff. + +Michael smoked more than ever, and admired the country with straddling +legs, and his arm behind his back, in that position so liked by sailors. + +"Hilloh!" he said suddenly. + +"What is the matter with you?" the Count asked him, as he turned round. + +"Nothing the matter with me, Captain," he replied, "I am only looking +at a lady who is coming up here at a gallop. What a fancy to go at +that pace in such a heat as this." + +"Where is she?" asked the Count. + +"Why, there, Captain," he said, stretching out his hand to larboard. + +The Count turned his eyes in the direction which Michael indicated to +him. + +"Why, that horse has bolted," he exclaimed, a moment later. + +"Do you think so, Captain?" the sailor remarked, calmly. + +"Zounds! I am certain of it. Look, now that she is nearer to us. The +rider is clinging despairingly to the mane. The unhappy girl is lost!" + +"Very possibly," Michael said, philosophically. + +"Quick, quick, my lad!" the Captain shouted, as he rushed to the side +where the horse was coming up. "We must save the lady, even if we +perish!" + +The sailor made no answer; he merely took the precaution of withdrawing +his pipe from his mouth and placing it in his pocket, and then he set +out at a run behind his captain. + +The horse came on like a whirlwind. It was a barb of the purest +Arab race, with a small head, and legs fine as spindles. It bounded +furiously with all four legs on the narrow path it was following, with +eyes full of flashes, and apparently snorting fire through its dilated +nostrils. The lady on its back, half reclining on its neck, had seized +its long mane with both hands, and, half insane with terror, as she +felt herself lost, she uttered stifled cries at intervals. + +Very far in the rear, several horsemen, who formed almost imperceptible +dots on the horizon, were coming up at full speed. + +The track on which the horse was engaged, was narrow and rocky, and led +to a precipice of frightful depth, toward which the animal was dashing +with a headlong speed. + +A man must either be mad, or endowed with a lion's courage, to try and +save this unhappy woman under such conditions, when he had ninety-nine +chances in a hundred of being crushed, without succeeding in rescuing +her from death. + +The two sailors, however, made no reflections of this nature, and +without hesitation resolved to make a supreme effort. They stood facing +each other on either side of the track, and waited without exchanging a +word. They understood one another. + +Two or three minutes elapsed, and then the horse passed like a tornado; +but with the speed of thought the two men dashed forward, seized it by +the bridle, and, hanging their whole weight on it, allowed themselves +to be dragged onward by the furious animal. + +There was for a moment a terrible struggle between intelligence and +brute strength. At length the brute was conquered. The horse stumbled, +and fell panting on the ground. + +At the moment of its fall, the Count removed in his arms, the lady so +miraculously saved, and he bore her to the side of the road, where he +respectfully laid her down. + +Terror had certainly deprived her of consciousness. + +The Count guessing that the horsemen coming up, were relations or +friends of her to whom he had just rendered so great a service, +repaired the disorder in his clothes and awaited their arrival, while +gazing admiringly at the young lady lying at his feet. + +She was a charming young creature, scarce seventeen years of age, with +a delicate waist, and marked and adorably beautiful features; her long +black silky hair had escaped from the comb that confined it and fell in +perfumed curls over her face, on which a slight flush presaged a speedy +return to life. + +The young lady's dress, which was very rich and remarkably elegant, +would have led to the supposition that she was of high rank, had not +the stamp of aristocracy, spread over her entire person, removed all +doubts on that score. + +Michael, with his characteristic coolness which nothing ever upset, +had remained by the side of the horse which, calmed by the fall and +trembling in all its limbs, had allowed itself to be raised without +offering the slightest resistance; the Basque after removing the +saddle, had plucked a wisp of grass, and began rubbing the horse down, +while admiring it, and muttering every now and then. + +"I don't care, it's a noble and beautiful animal! It would have been +a pity had it rolled over that frightful precipice; I am glad it is +saved." + +The worthy sailor did not think the least bit in the world of the young +lady, for his entire interest was concentrated on the horse. + +When he had finished rubbing down, he put the saddle and bridle on +again and led the horse up to the Count. + +"There," he said with an air of satisfaction, "now the horse is calm; +poor creature, a child could guide it with a thread." + +In the meanwhile the horsemen rapidly approached, and soon came up to +the two French sailors. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. + + +These horsemen were four in number. Two of them appeared to be persons +of importance, the other two were domestics. + +On coming within a few steps of the Count, the first two dismounted, +threw their bridles to the footman and advanced, hat in hand, towards +the gentleman, whom they saluted with exquisite politeness. + +The Count courteously returned their greeting, while taking a +side-glance at them. + +The first was a man of about sixty; he was tall, his demeanour was +graceful and his face appeared handsome at the first glance, for the +expression was imposing, although gentle and even kind. Still, on +examining it with greater attention, it was possible to see from the +gloomy fire of his glance, which seemed at times to emit magnetic +flashes, that this gentleness was merely a mask intended to deceive the +vulgar; his projecting cheek bones, his wide retiring forehead, his +nose bent like a bird's beak and his square chin denoted a cold cruelty +blended with a strong dose of obstinacy and pride. + +This man wore a handsome hunting dress covered with lace, and a heavy +gold chain, called a _fanfaronne_, was passed several times round his +ostrich plumed hat. + +This fanfaronne had been brought into fashion by the adventurers who +returned from New Spain; and though very ridiculous, it had been +enthusiastically adopted by the haughty Castilians. + +This gentleman's companion, much younger than he, but dressed quite +as richly, had one of those faces whose features at the first glance +appear so commonplace and insignificant, that you do not take the +trouble of looking at them, and an observer might pass close by without +seeing them, but his small grey eyes sparkling with cleverness, half +hidden under bushy eyebrows, and the curl of his thin sarcastic lip, +would have completely contradicted any physiognomist, who might take +this person for a man of common intellect and ordinary capacity. + +The elder of the two riders bowed a second time. + +"Sir," he said, "I am the Duc de Penaflor; the person whose life you +have saved by running such a risk of losing your own, is my daughter, +Dona Clara de Penaflor." + +As the Count came from Languedoc, he spoke Spanish as purely as his +mother tongue. + +"I am delighted, sir," he replied with a graceful bow, "at having +served as the instrument of providence to preserve a child for her +father." + +"I think," the second rider observed, "that it would be as well to +offer Dona Clara some succour; my dear cousin seems to be seriously +indisposed." + +"It is only emotion," the young man replied; "that caused this fainting +fit, which, if I am not mistaken, is beginning to wear off." + +"Yes indeed," said the Duke, "I think I saw her make a slight movement, +it will be better not to trouble her, but let her regain her senses +quietly; in that way, we shall avoid a shock whose results are +sometimes very dangerous to delicate and nervous organisations, like +that of my dear child." + +All this was spoken with a cold, dry, steady voice, very different +to what a father ought to have employed, whose daughter had just +miraculously escaped death. + +The young officer did not know what to think of his real or feigned +indifference. + +It was only Spanish hauteur. The Duke loved his daughter as much as his +proud and ambitious nature allowed him to do, but he would have been +ashamed to let it be seen, especially by a stranger. + +"Sir," the Duke resumed a moment later, as he stepped aside to display +the gentlemen who accompanied him, "I have the honour of presenting to +you my cousin and friend, Count Don Stenio de Bejar y Sousa." + +The two gentlemen bowed to each other. + +The Count had no motive to maintain an incognito, and saw that the +moment had arrived to make himself known. + +"Gentlemen," he said, "I am Count Ludovic de Barmont Senectaire, +Captain in the Navy, and commanding the French frigate the _Erigone_, +now anchored in Algeciras Bay." + +On hearing the Count's name pronounced, the Duke's face turned +frightfully pale; he frowned till his eyebrows joined, and he gave him +a strangely meaning glance. + +But this emotion did not last longer than a flash: by a violent effort +of the will the Spaniard thrust back to the bottom of his heart, the +feelings that agitated him; his previous impassiveness returned to his +face, and he bowed with a smile. + +The ice was broken between the three gentlemen, for they saw they were +equals; their manner at once changed, and they became as affable as +they had at first been stiff and reserved. + +The Duke was the first to renew the conversation in the most friendly +voice. + +"You are doubtless taking advantage of the truce made a short time +back, between our two nations, my lord, to visit our country?" + +"Pardon me, my lord Duke, I was not aware that hostilities had ceased +between our two armies. I have been at sea for a long time, and without +news of France; chance alone brought me to this coast a few hours ago, +and I sought shelter in Algeciras Bay, to await a change of wind to +pass the Straits." + +"I bless the accident, Count, since I owe to it my daughter's safety." + +Dona Clara had opened her eyes, and, though still very weak, she was +beginning to account for the position in which she found herself. + +"Oh," she said, in a soft and humorous voice, and with an inward +shudder, "had it not been for that gentleman, I should be dead!" +and she attempted to smile, while fixing on the young man her large +eyes full of tears, with an expressive gratitude it is impossible to +describe. + +"How do you feel, my daughter?" the Duke asked. "I am quite well, now, +I thank you, papa," she replied; "when I felt that Moreno no longer +obeyed the bit, and was running away, I believed myself lost, and +terror caused me to faint; but where is my poor Moreno?" she added a +moment after, "Has any misfortune happened to him?" + +"Reassure yourself, senorita," the Count replied with a smile, and +pointing to the horse, "here he is, all right, and quite calmed; if you +like you can ride back on him without the slightest apprehension." + +"I certainly will mount my good Moreno," she said, "I bear him no ill +will for his prank, although it nearly cost me dear." + +"My lord," the Duke then said, "I venture to hope that we shall not +part thus, and that you will deign to accept the cordial hospitality +which I offer you at my castle." + +"My time is not my own, unfortunately, my lord Duke, and duty demands +my immediate presence on board. Be assured I deeply regret my inability +to accept your kind offer." + +"Do you then expect to set sail so soon?" + +"No, sir; on the contrary, I hope," he replied, laying a certain stress +on the words, "to remain here some time longer." + +"In that case," the Duke remarked with a smile, "I do not consider +myself beaten. I am certain we shall meet again soon, and become more +intimate acquaintances." + +"That is my most eager desire, sir," the young man said, taking a side +glance at Dona Clara, who hung her head with a blush. + +The Count then took leave, and proceeded in the direction of Algeciras, +while the horsemen slowly retired in exactly the opposite direction. + +The Captain walked on very thoughtfully, reflecting on the singular +adventure of which he had so suddenly been the hero; recalling the +slightest details, and admiring in memory the beauty of the young lady, +whose life he had been so fortunate as to save. + +Being constantly absorbed by the thousand claims of his rude +profession, and nearly always at sea, the Count, though almost +twenty-five years of age, had never yet loved; he had not even thought +about it; the few women he had hitherto met had produced no effect on +his heart, his mind had always remained free in their presence, and no +serious engagement had as yet disturbed its tranquillity. Hence it was +with a certain terror mingled with astonishment, that while reflecting +on the meeting which had suddenly interrupted his quiet walk, he +perceived that the beauty of Dona Clara and her gentle voice had left +a powerful impression on his mind, that her image was ever present, +and that his memory with implacable fidelity ever recalled even its +apparently most indifferent details, the short interview he had had +with her. + +"Come, come," he said, shaking his head several times as if to drive +away a troublesome thought; "I am mad." + +"Well, Captain," said Michael, who took advantage of this exclamation, +to give a free course to the reflections which he burned to express +aloud, "I don't care, but you must confess it was very lucky all the +same for that young lady, that we were there at the very nick of time." + +"Very lucky, indeed, Michael," the Count replied, delighted at this +diversion; "had we not been there the unhappy young lady would have +been lost." + +"That is true, and hopelessly so; poor little thing." + +"What a frightful fate! So young, and so lovely." + +"I allow that she is well built, although I fancy her lines are a +little too fine, and she is a trifle too pale." The Count smiled, but +made no reply to the sailor's rather venturesome opinion. + +The latter, feeling himself encouraged, went on-- + +"Will you allow me to give you a bit of advice, Captain?" + +"What is it, my lad? Speak without fear." + +"As for fear, deuce take me if I feel that, but I should not like to +pain you." + +"Pain me, about what?" + +"Well, all the worse, I must out with it. When you mentioned your name, +Captain, to the old Duke--" + +"Well, what happened?" + +"On hearing it pronounced, he suddenly turned as pale as a corpse; he +frowned upon you so terrible a look that I fancied for a moment that he +wished to assassinate you; don't you consider that funny, Captain?" + +"What you say is impossible; you are mistaken." + +"You did not notice it, because you had your head down, but I was +looking at him without seeming to do so, and am quite certain about +what I say." + +"But reflect, Michael, I do not know this nobleman, I never saw him +before today; how can he possibly feel hatred for me; you are rambling, +my good fellow." + +"Not at all, Captain, I am certain of what I state; whether you know +him or not is no business of mine, but as for him, I will wager that he +knows you, and intimately too; the impression you produced on him was +too strong for it to be otherwise." + +"I will admit, if you like, that he knows me, but one thing I can +certify, that I never offended him." + +"That is a point on which a man can never be sure, Captain; look you, +I am a Basque, and have known the Spaniards for a long time; they are +a strange people--proud as cocks, and rancorous as fiends; believe me, +distrust them always; that can do no harm, and especially that old +gentleman, who has a crafty face I do not like at all." + +"All that has no common sense, Michael, and I am as mad as yourself in +listening to you." + +"Very well," the sailor said with a toss of the head, "we shall see +hereafter whether I am mistaken." + +The conversation ended here; still Michael's remarks occupied the +Captain more than he would have liked to show, and he returned on board +with a very thoughtful air. On the next morning at about ten o'clock an +excellent pleasure yacht hailed the frigate. + +This vessel contained the Duc de Penaflor, and his silent cousin, Count +de Bejar y Sousa. + +"On my faith, my dear Count," the Duke said, good-humouredly, after the +first compliments, "you are going to find me very unceremonious, for I +have come to carry you off." + +"Carry me off?" the young man replied with a smile. + +"On my word, yes. Just imagine, Count, my daughter insists on seeing +you; she only speaks of you, and as she does pretty well what she +pleases with me--a thing that will not surprise you greatly. She sent +me to you to tell you that you must absolutely accompany me to the +castle." + +"So it is," Don Stenio said with a bow, "the Senorita Dona Clara +insists on seeing you." + +"Still--" the other objected. + +"I will listen to nothing," the Duke remarked quickly, "you must make +up your mind, my dear Count, you can only obey, for you are aware that +ladies cannot be thwarted; so come, reassure yourself, though, I am not +going to take you far, for my castle is scarce two leagues from here." + +The Count, who in his heart, felt a lively desire to see Dona Clara +again, did not allow himself to be pressed one bit more than was +correct: then, after giving the necessary orders to his second in +command, he accompanied the Duc de Penaflor, followed by Michael, who +seemed to be the Captain's shade. + +This was the way in which began a connection which was soon to +be changed into love, and have, at a later date, such terrible +consequences for the unhappy officer. + +The Duke and his eternal cousin who never quitted him, overwhelmed +the Count with protestations of friendship, granted him the most +perfect liberty at the castle, and appeared not at all to notice the +intelligence which was soon established between Dona Clara and the +young man. + +The latter, completely subjugated by the passion he experienced for the +young lady, yielded to his love with the confident and unreflecting +abandonment of all hearts that love for the first time. + +Dona Clara, a simple girl, brought up with all the rigid strictness of +Spanish manners, but an Andalusian from head to foot, had listened with +a quiver of delight to the confession of this love which she had shared +from the first moment. + +Everybody, therefore, was happy at the castle; Michael alone formed +an exception, with his stolid face, which was never unwrinkled; the +more rapidly he saw matters tending to the conclusion the young people +desired, the more gloomy and anxious he became. + +In the meanwhile the frigate had left Algeciras for Cadiz. + +The Duke, his daughter, and Don Stenio had made the passage on board; +the Duc de Penaflor wanted to go to Seville, where he had large +estates, hence he accepted with eager demonstrations of joy the +proposal the Count made him, of conveying him on board his frigate to +Cadiz, which is only some twenty leagues from Seville. + +On the day after the frigate's arrival at Cadiz, the Captain put on his +full uniform, went ashore, and proceeded to the Duke's palace. + +The Duke, doubtless warned of his visit, received him with a smile on +his lips, and with a most affectionate air. + +Emboldened by this reception, the Count, overcoming his timidity, +requested leave to marry Dona Clara. + +The Duke received it favourably; said that he had expected this +request, and that it satisfied all his wishes, since it caused the +happiness of a daughter he loved. + +"Still," he remarked to the Count, "although there was a truce between +the two countries, a peace was not yet signed. Though, according to all +appearance it would be soon carried out, for all that, he feared lest +the news of this marriage might injure the Count's future, by rendering +the Cardinal ill disposed toward him." + +This reflection had several times offered itself to the young officer's +mind; hence he hung his head, not daring to reply, because, unluckily, +he had no valid reason to offer, that would remove the Duke's +objections. + +The latter came to his assistance by saying that there was a very +simple way of arranging matters to the general satisfaction, and +removing this apparently insurmountable difficulty. + +The Count quivering with fear and pleasure, asked what this method was. + +The Duke then explained to him that he meant a secret marriage. As +long as the war lasted, silence would be maintained, but once peace +was concluded and an ambassador sent to Paris, the marriage should be +publicly announced to the Cardinal, who then would probably not feel +offended by the union. + +The young man had been too near seeing his dream of bliss eternally +destroyed to raise the slightest objection to this proposition; secret +or not, the marriage would not be the less valid and he cared little +for the rest. Hence he consented to all the conditions imposed on him +by the Duke, who insisted that the marriage might be effected in such +a way as to keep him in ignorance of it, so that in the event of his +Eminence attempting to turn the King against him, he might employ this +pretended ignorance in foiling the ill will of those who might attempt +to ruin him. + +The Count did not exactly understand what the King of Spain had to do +with his marriage; but as the Duke spoke with an air of conviction, and +seemed to be greatly alarmed about the King's displeasure, he consented +to everything. + +Two days later at nightfall, the young couple were married at the +Church of la Merced, by a priest, who consented for a heavy sum to lend +his ministration to this illegal act. + +Michael the Basque and Bowline served as witnesses of the captain, who, +on the pressing recommendation of the Duke, was unwilling to let any of +his officers into his secrets, while he was sure of the silence of the +two sailors. + +Immediately after the ceremony, the new bride was taken off on one side +by her witnesses, while her husband withdrew greatly annoyed on the +other, and went aboard the frigate. + +When the Count on the next morning presented himself at the Duke's +palace, the latter informed him that, in order to remove any pretext +for malevolence, he had thought it advisable to send away his daughter +for a while, and she had gone to stay with a relation residing at +Grenada. + +The Count did not allow his disappointment to be seen; he withdrew, +pretending to accept as gospel the somewhat specious reasoning of the +Duke. + +Still, he was beginning to find the Duke's conduct towards him very +extraordinary, and he resolved to clear up the doubts that arose in his +mind. + +Michael and Bowline were sent into the country to reconnoitre. + +The Count learned from them, not without surprise, at the end of two +days' researches that Dona Clara was not at Grenada, but merely at +Puerto Santa Maria, a charming little town facing Cadiz on the opposite +side of the road. + +The Captain, so soon as he possessed the information for the success +of the plan he meditated, managed by the intervention of Michael, who +spoke Spanish like an Andalusian, to send a note to Dona Clara, and at +nightfall, followed by his two faithful sailors, he landed at Santa +Maria. + +The house inhabited by the young lady was rather isolated; he set the +two sailors on sentry to watch over her safety, and walked straight up +to the house. + +Dona Clara herself opened the door for him. The joy of the couple was +immense, and the Count retired shortly before sunrise; at about ten +o'clock, he went as usual to pay a visit to his father-in-law, in +whose presence he continued to feign the most complete ignorance as to +Dona Clara's abode, and was most kindly welcomed. + +This state of things went on for nearly a month. One day the Count +suddenly received information of the resumption of the hostilities +between Spain and France; he was himself forced to quit Cadiz, but +wished to have a final interview with the Duke, in order to ask him for +a frank explanation of his conduct; in the event of this explanation +not satisfying him, he was resolved to carry his wife off. + +When he arrived at the Duke's palace, a confidential servant informed +him that his master, suddenly summoned by the king, had started an hour +previously to Madrid, without, to his great regret, having had time to +take leave of him. + +On hearing this, the Count had a presentiment of evil; he turned pale, +but succeeded in overcoming his emotion, and calmly asked the valet +whether his master had not left a letter for him; the servant answered +in the affirmative and handed him a sealed note. + +The Count broke the seal with a trembling hand and ran through the +letter, but his emotion was so great on perusing the contents that he +tottered, and had not the valet sprang forward to support him, he would +have fallen to the ground. + +"Ah!" he muttered, "Michael was right," and he crumpled the paper +savagely. + +But suddenly recovering himself, he overcame his grief and, after +giving the valet several louis, hurried away. + +"Poor young man!" the valet muttered with a sorrowful shake of the head +and re-entered the palace, the gates of which he closed after him. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +DESPAIR. + + +A few yards from the palace the Count met Michael, who was coming +towards him. + +"A boat, quick, quick, my good Michael," he shouted, "'tis a matter of +life and death." + +The sailor, terrified at the condition in which he saw his commandant, +wished to ask him what the matter was, but the Count roughly imposed +silence on him by repeating his order to procure a boat at once. + +Michael bowed his head. + +"Woe is me. I foresaw this," he muttered, with mingled grief and anger, +and he ran off towards the port. + +It is not a difficult task to find a boat at Cadiz, and Michael had +only to choose; comprehending that the Count was in a hurry, he +selected one pulled by ten oars. + +The Count arrived at the same moment. + +"Twenty louis for you and your crew if you are at Puerto in twenty +minutes," he shouted, as he leaped into the boat, which was almost +capsized by the violence of the shock. + +The boat started, the sailors bent over their oars, and made her fly +through the water. + +The captain with his eyes obstinately fixed on Santa Maria, and +striking his clenched fist on the boat's gunwale, in spite of the +excessive speed at which it was going, incessantly repeated in a +choking voice-- + +"Quicker, quicker, muchachos." + +He passed like an arrow across the bows of the frigate, whose crew were +preparing to weigh anchor. At length they reached Puerto. + +"No one is to follow me," the captain cried, as he leaped ashore. + +But Michael did not heed this order, and at the risk of what might +happen to him, he set out in pursuit of the Count, whom he would not +abandon in his present frightful condition. + +It was fortunate he did so, for when he reached the house Dona Clara +had inhabited, he saw the young man lying senseless on the ground. + +The house was deserted, and Dona Clara had disappeared. + +The sailor took his captain on his shoulders and conveyed him to the +boat, where he laid him as comfortably as he could in the stem sheets. + +"Where are we going?" the master asked. + +"To the French frigate; and make haste," Michael replied. + +When the boat was alongside the frigate, Michael paid the master the +promised reward, and then aided by several of the crew, conveyed the +captain to his cabin. As it was eminently necessary to keep the Count's +secret, and avoid arousing suspicions, the sailor in his report to +the first commandant, ascribed to a violent fall from a horse, the +condition in which the captain was; then, after making a signal to +Bowline to follow him, he returned to the cabin. + +M. de Barmont was still as motionless as if he were dead; the chief +surgeon of the frigate in vain bestowed the greatest care on him +without succeeding in recalling life, which seemed to have fled forever. + +"Send away your assistants; Bowline and myself will suffice," Michael +said to the doctor, with a meaning glance. + +The surgeon comprehended, and dismissed the mates. When the door had +closed on them the sailor drew the doctor into a gun berth, and said to +him, in so low a voice as to be scarce audible-- + +"Major, the Commandant has just experienced a great sorrow, which +produced the terrible crisis he is suffering from at this moment. I +confide this to you because a surgeon is like a confessor." + +"All right, my lad," the surgeon replied; "the Captain's secret has +been trusted to sure ears." + +"I am convinced of that, Major; the officers and crew must suppose that +the Captain has been thrown from his horse, you understand. I have +already told the lieutenant so in making the report." + +"Very good; I will corroborate your statement, my lad." + +"Thanks, Major; now I have another thing to ask of you." + +"Speak." + +"You must obtain the lieutenant's leave that no one but Bowline and +myself may wait on the Captain. Look you, Major, we are old sailors of +his, he can say what he likes before us; and then, too, he will be glad +to have us near him; will you get this leave from the lieutenant?" + +"Yes, my lad; I know that you are a good fellow, sincerely attached to +the Captain, and that he places entire confidence in you; hence, do not +feel alarmed--I will settle that with the lieutenant, and you and your +companion shall alone come in here with me so long as the Captain is +ill." + +"Thanks, Major; if an opportunity offers itself I will repay you this; +on the faith of a Basque, you are a worthy man." + +The surgeon began laughing. + +"Let us return to our patient," he said, in order to cut short the +conversation. + +In spite of the intelligent care the doctor paid him the Count's +fainting fit lasted the whole day. + +"The shock was frightful," he said--"it was almost a congestion." + +It was not till night, when the frigate had been for a long time at +sea, and had left Cadiz roads far behind it, that a favourable crisis +set in, and the Captain became slightly better. + +"He is about to regain his senses," the doctor said. + +In fact, a few convulsive movements agitated the Count's body, and he +half-opened his eyes; but his glances were wild and absent; he looked +all around him, as if trying to discover where he was, and why he was +thus lying on his bed. + +The three men, with their eyes fixed on him, anxiously watched this +return to life, whose appearance was anything but reassuring to them. + +The surgeon, more especially, seemed restless; big forehead was +wrinkled, and his eyebrows met, through the effort of some internal +emotion. + +All at once the Count hurriedly sat up, and addressed Michael, who was +standing by his side. + +"Lieutenant," he said to him, in a quick, sharp voice, "let her fall +off a point, or else the Spanish vessel will escape--why have you not +beat to quarters, sir?" + +The surgeon gave Michael a sign. + +"Pardon, Commandant," the latter replied, humouring the sick man's +fancy, "we have beaten to quarters, and the tops are all manned." + +"Very good," he answered; then suddenly changing his ideas, he +muttered--"She will come, she promised it me. But no, she will not +come; she is dead to me henceforth--dead! dead!" he repeated, in a +hollow voice, with different intonations; then he uttered a piercing +cry--"Oh, heaven! How I suffer!" he exclaimed, bursting into sobs, +while a torrent of tears inundated his face. + +He buried his head in his hands, and fell back on his bed. + +The two sailors anxiously examined the surgeon's impassive face, trying +to read in his features what they had to hope or fear. + +The latter uttered a deep sigh of relief, passed his hand over his damp +forehead, and turning to Michael, said-- + +"Heaven be praised! He sheds tears--he is saved." + +"Heaven be praised!" the sailors repeated, crossing themselves devoutly. + +"Do you think he is mad, Major?" Michael asked, in a trembling voice. + +"No, it is not madness, but delirium; he will soon fall asleep--do not +leave him; when he awakes he will remember nothing. If he ask for drink +give him the potion I have prepared, and which is on that table." + +"Yes, Major." + +"Now I am going to retire; if any unforeseen accident occur, warn me at +once; but, in any case, I shall look in again tonight." + +The surgeon left the cabin; his previsions were soon realised, M. de +Barmont gradually fell into a calm and peaceful sleep. + +The two sailors stood motionless by his bedside; no nurse could have +watched a patient with greater care and more delicate attention than +did these two men, whose exterior seemed so hard, but whose hearts were +really so kind. + +The whole night passed away thus; the surgeon had come in several +times, but after a few minutes' examination he withdrew with an air of +satisfaction, and laying a finger on his lips. + +About morning, at the first sunbeam that entered the cabin, the Count +made a slight movement, opened his eyes, and slightly turned his head. + +"My good Michael, give me some drink," he said, in a feeble voice. + +The sailor handed him a glass. + +"I feel crushed," he muttered; "have I been ill?" + +"Yes, a little," the sailor replied; "but now it is all over, thank +heaven! You need only have patience." + +"I feel the motion of the frigate--are we under weigh?" + +"Yes, Commandant." + +"And who gave the orders?" + +"Yourself, last night." + +"Ah!" he remarked, as he handed back the glass. His head fell heavily +on the pillow again, and he was silent. + +Still, he did not sleep; his eyes were opened, and gazed anxiously all +around. + +"I remember," he murmured, while two tears welled in his eyes; then he +suddenly addressed Michael. + +"It was you who picked me up and brought me aboard?" + +"Yes, Captain, 'twas." + +"Thanks! and yet it would have perhaps been better to leave me to die." + +The sailor shrugged his shoulders disdainfully. + +"That is a fine idea, strike me!" he grumbled. + +"Oh, if you only knew," he said, sorrowfully. + +"I knew all; did I not warn you of it the first day?" + +"That is true; I ought to have believed you--but, alas! I already loved +her." + +"Zounds! I knew that, and she deserved it." + +"Does she still love me?" + +"Who can doubt it, poor dear creature?" + +"You are a good man, Michael." + +"I am just." + +There was another silence. + +At the expiration of a few minutes the Count renewed the conversation. + +"Did you find the letter?" he asked. "Where is it?" + +"Here," he said, as he handed it to him. + +The Count eagerly clutched it. + +"Have you read it?" he asked. + +"For what purpose?" said Michael. "Zounds, it must be a tissue of lies +and infamies! And I am not curious about reading such things." + +"There, take it," said the Count. + +"To tear it up?" + +"No, to read it." + +"What's the good?" + +"You must know the contents of the letter--I order it." + +"That is different--give it here." + +He took the letter, opened, and ran through it. + +"Read it aloud," said the Count. + +"That is a pretty job you give me, Commandant. Still, as you wish it, I +must obey you." + +"I implore you, Michael." + +"Enough, Captain." + +And he began reading the strange missive aloud. + +It was short and laconic, but on that very account it necessarily +produced a more terrible effect, because every word was carefully +chosen to go straight home. + +The following was its tenor:-- + +MY LORD, + +You have not married my daughter: I defrauded you by a false marriage. +You shall never see her again--she is dead to you. For many years there +has been an implacable hatred between your family and mine. I should +not have gone to seek you, but Heaven itself brought you in my way. I +understood that it was desired I should avenge myself, and I obeyed. +I believe that I have succeeded in breaking your heart forever. The +love you have for my daughter is sincere and deep. All the better, for +you will suffer the more cruelly. Farewell, my lord. Believe me, you +had better not try to find me, for, if you succeed, my vengeance will +be even more terrible. My daughter will marry in a month the man she +loves, and whom alone she has ever loved. + +"Don Estevan de Sylva, Duc de Penaflor." + +When the sailor had finished reading he turned an enquiring glance to +his chief. The latter shook his head several times, but made no other +reply. + +Michael handed back the letter, which the Captain at once concealed +beneath his pillow. + +"What do you intend to do?" the sailor asked him, a moment after. + +"You shall know hereafter," the Count answered, in a hollow voice. "I +could not form a determination now, for my head is still heavy, and I +require to reflect." + +Michael gave a nod of assent. + +At this moment the doctor came in. He appeared delighted at seeing his +patient in so good a state, and with a joyous rubbing of his hands, +promised that he should leave his bed in a week at the latest. + +In fact, the surgeon was not mistaken, for the Count rapidly recovered; +ere long he was able to rise, and at the end of a few days, were it +not for a cadaverous pallor spread over his face, and which he ever +retained, his strength seemed to have entirely come back to him. + +M. de Barmont steered his frigate up the Tagus, and anchored before +Lisbon. So soon as the vessel was moored the Captain summoned the +second in command to his cabin, and had a long conversation with him, +after which he went ashore with Michael and Bowline. + +The frigate remained under the command of the first lieutenant: the +Count had abandoned it for ever. + +This deed almost constituted a desertion; but M. de Barmont was +resolved on returning to Cadiz at all hazards. + +During the few days that had elapsed since his conference with Michael, +the Count had reflected, as he promised the sailor. + +The result of his reflections was, that Dona Clara had been deceived +by the Duke like himself, and believed herself really married--indeed, +the whole of the young lady's behaviour to him proved the fact. In +desiring to insure his vengeance too thoroughly, the Duke had gone +beyond his object: Dona Clara loved him, he felt certain of that. She +had only obeyed her father under the constraint of force. + +This admitted, only one thing was left the Count to do; to return +to Cadiz, collect information, find the Duke, and have a solemn +explanation with him in his daughter's presence. + +This plan drawn up in his mind, the young man immediately set, about +carrying it out, leaving the command of his vessel to the lieutenant, +at the risk of destroying his career and being pursued as a traitor, as +the war was raging between France and Spain. He freighted a coaster; +and, followed by his two sailors, to whom he had frankly explained his +intention, but who would not leave him, he returned to Cadiz. + +Thanks to the thorough knowledge of Spanish he possessed, the Count did +not arouse any suspicions in that city, where it was easy for him to +obtain the information he desired. + +The Duke had really set out for Madrid. The Count at once proceeded +to that city. A gentleman of the importance of the Duc de Penaflor, +a grandee of Spain of the first class, a _caballero cubierto_, could +not travel without leaving traces, especially when nothing led him to +suspect that he was followed. Hence the Count had not the slightest +difficulty in discovering the route he had taken, and he arrived +at Madrid, persuaded that he should soon have with the Duke the +explanation he so ardently desired. + +But his hopes were foiled. The Duke, after being honored with a private +audience by the King, had set out for Barcelona. + +Fatality interfered, but the Count would not be baffled: he mounted his +horse, crossed Spain, and arrived at Barcelona. + +The Duke had embarked for Naples on the previous day. + +This pursuit was assuming the proportions of an Odyssey: it seemed as +if the Duke felt that he was being pursued. + +It was not so, however. He was carrying out a mission with which his +sovereign had entrusted him. + +The Count made enquiries, and learnt that the Duc de Penaflor was +accompanied by his daughter, and two sons. + +Two days later, M. de Barmont was sailing to Naples, on board a +smuggling vessel. + +We will not enter into all the details of this obstinate pursuit, which +lasted for several months. + +We will confine ourselves to saying that the Count missed the Duke +at Naples, as he had missed him at Madrid and Barcelona, and that he +traversed the whole of Italy, and entered France, still in chase of his +intangible enemy, who seemed to fly before him. + +But during the interval, although the Count did not suspect, the parts +had been greatly modified, if not completely changed. + +In this way. + +The Duke had a great interest in knowing what the Count would do. +Though it was certain that the war would compel him to leave Spain, +still he was too well acquainted with the young man's resolute and +determined character to suppose for a moment that he would accept the +insult offered him, without trying to take a startling revenge. + +In consequence, he had left at Cadiz a confidential man with orders to +watch the Count's movements with the greatest care, in the event of his +reappearing, and to warn the Duke of what steps he might take. + +The man had conscientiously and most skilfully discharged the delicate +duty entrusted to him, and while the Count was pursuing the Duke, he +pursued the Count, never letting him out of sight, stopping when he +stopped, and setting out behind him directly he saw him start. + +When at last he felt assured that the Count was really after his +master, he got ahead of him, rejoined the Duke, whom he came up with +in the neighbourhood of Pignerol, and reported to him all that he had +learned. + +The Duke, though internally terrified by the hateful persistency of +his enemy, pretended to attach but very slight importance to this +communication, and smiled contemptuously on listening to his servant's +report. + +But, for all this, he did not neglect to take his precautions; and, as +peace was on the point of being signed, and a Spanish plenipotentiary +was in Paris, he sent off the same valet to him at full speed, with a +pressing letter. + +This letter was a formal denunciation of the Count de Barmont +Senectaire. + +Cardinal de Richelieu raised no difficulty about granting an order +to arrest the Count, and police agents of his Eminence, commanded by +Francois Bouillot, left Paris in pursuit of the unhappy officer. + +The latter, completely ignorant of what was going on, had continued +his journey, and even gained ground on the Duke, who, persuaded that +henceforth he would have nothing to fear from his enemy, as the latter +would be arrested before he could come up with him, now travelled by +easy stages. + +The Duke's calculations were false, however. He had not reflected that +the Cardinal's guards, not knowing where to find the man whom they had +orders to arrest, and obliged to feel their way, would be compelled to +almost double their journey: and this really occurred. + +Moreover, as, with the exception of Bouillot, not one of them was +personally acquainted with the Count, and he, as we now know, desired +nothing so much as the Count's escape, he passed through the midst +of them unsuspected, which occasioned them a great loss of time, by +compelling them to turn back. + +We have already narrated how, after the stormy explanation which took +place between father-in-law and son-in-law, the latter was arrested, +taken by Bouillot to the Isle St. Marguerite, and delivered over +to Major de l'Oursiere. And now that we have fully explained the +respective positions of each of our characters, we will resume our +narrative at the point where we left it. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +THE PRISONER. + + +We have mentioned that after proof of identity, and perusal of the +order of arrest, Major de l'Oursiere, governor of the fortress of St. +Marguerite, had the Count conducted to the room which was to serve as +his prison, until the day when it might please the Cardinal to restore +him to liberty. + +This room, very spacious and lofty, of an octagonal shape, and with +whitewashed walls, fifteen feet thick, was only lighted by two narrow +loopholes, covered with an under and outer iron trelliswork, which +completely prevented any looking out. + +A large chimney, with a wide mantelpiece, occupied one corner of the +room: facing was a bed, composed of a thin palliasse and a narrow +mattress laid on a deal bedstead, formerly painted yellow, though time +had completely removed the colour. + +A rickety table, a stool, a chair, a night commode, and an iron +candlestick, completed the furniture, which was more than modest. + +This room was situated on the highest floor of the tower, the platform +of which, where a sentry tramped day and night, served as the ceiling. + +The soldier drew the bolts that garnished the iron-lined door of this +room. The Count entered, with a firm step. + +After taking a glance at these cold, sad walls, destined henceforward +to serve him as a habitation, he sat down on a chair, crossed his arms +on his breast, hung his head, and began to reflect. + +The soldier, or rather gaoler, who had gone out, returned an hour +later, and found him in the same position. + +He brought with him sheets, blankets, and wood to light a fire. Behind +him two soldiers carried the portmanteau containing the prisoner's +clothes and linen, which they placed in a corner, and retired. + +The gaoler at once set to work making the bed. Then he swept the room +and lit the fire. When these different duties were accomplished, he +approached the prisoner. + +"My lord?" he said to him politely. + +"What do you want with me, my friend?" the Count answered, raising his +head and looking at him gently. + +"The governor of the castle desires the honour of an interview with +you, as he says he has an important communication to make." + +"I am at the governor's orders," the Count said laconically. + +The gaoler bowed and went out. + +"What can the man want with me?" the Count muttered, so soon as he was +alone. + +He had not long to wait, for the door opened again and the governor +made his appearance. + +The prisoner rose to receive him, bowed, and then silently waited for +him to speak. + +The Major made the gaoler a sign to withdraw, and then, after a fresh +bow, he said with cold politeness,-- + +"My lord Count, gentlemen should respect each other. Although +the orders I have received on your account from the Cardinal are +very strict, I still desire to shew you any attention that is not +incompatible with my duty. I have, therefore, come to you frankly in +order to have an understanding on the subject." + +The Count guessed to what this speech tended, but did not let it be +seen, and answered,-- + +"Mr. Governor, I am grateful, as I ought to be, for the steps you +have been kind enough to take; may I ask you, therefore, to have the +goodness to explain to me the nature of your orders, and what the +favours are by which you can alleviate their severity. But, in the +first place, as I am at home here," he added, with a melancholy smile; +"do me the honour of seating yourself." + +The Major bowed, but remained standing. + +"It is unnecessary, my lord," he remarked, "as what I have to say to +you is very short; in the first place, you will observe that I have had +the delicacy to send you the trunk containing your effects unexamined +as I had the right to do." + +"I allow the fact, Major, and feel obliged; to you for it." + +The Major bowed. + +"As you are an officer, my lord," he said, "you are aware that his +Eminence the Cardinal, although he is a great man, is not very liberal +to officers whose infirmity or wounds compel them to quit the service." + +"That is true." + +"The governors of fortresses more especially, although nominated by the +King, being obliged to pay a long price to their predecessors for the +office, are reduced to a perfect state of want, if they have not saved +up some money." + +"I was not aware of that circumstance, sir, and fancied that the +governorship of a fortress was a reward." + +"So it is, my lord, but we have to pay for the command of fortresses +like this, which are employed as state prisons." + +"Ah! Very good." + +"You understand, it is supposed that the governor makes a profit by the +prisoners intrusted to his keeping." + +"Of course, sir; are there at present many unhappy men who have +incurred the displeasure of His Eminence detained in this castle?" + +"Alas, sir, you are the only one, and that is exactly the reason why I +desire to have an amicable settlement with you." + +"For my part, be assured, sir, that I desire nothing more earnestly." + +"I am convinced of that, and hence will discuss the question frankly." + +"Do so, sir, do so; I am listening to you with the most serious +attention." + +"I have orders, sir, not to let you communicate with anyone but your +gaoler, to give you neither books, papers, pens, or ink, and never to +allow you to quit this room; it appears there is great fear of your +escape from here, and his Eminence is anxious to keep you." + +"I am extremely obliged to his Eminence, but luckily for me," the Count +answered with a smile, "instead of having to deal with a gaoler, I am +dependent on a true soldier, who, while strictly obeying his orders, +considers it unnecessary to torture a prisoner already so unhappy as to +have fallen into disgrace with the King and the Cardinal minister." + +"You have judged me correctly, my lord, though the orders are so +strict. I command alone in this castle, where I have no control to +fear. Hence I hope to have it in my power to relax the rigor I am +commanded to show you." + +"Whatever may be your intention in that respect, allow me, sir, in +my turn to speak like a frank and loyal sailor. As prisoner of your +King, doubtless for a very long time, money is perfectly useless to +me; though not rich, I enjoy a certain ease, on which I congratulate +myself, as this ease permits me to requite any polite attentions you +may show me; service for service, sir, I will give you every year +10,000 livres, paid in advance; and, on your side, will you allow me to +procure, at my own charges of course, all the objects susceptible of +alleviating my captivity." + +The Major felt as if about to faint. The old officer of fortune had +never in his whole life possessed so large a sum. + +The Count continued without seeming to notice the effect his words +produced on the governor. + +"Well then, that is quite understood. To the sum the King pays you +for my board, we will add 200 livres a month, or 2,400 per annum, for +papers, pens, ink, &c., suppose we say the round sum of 3,000 livres, +does that suit you?" + +"Ah, Sir, it is too much, a great deal too much." + +"No, Sir, since I assist an honourable man, who will owe me thanks for +it." + +"Ah! I shall be eternally grateful, sir; but, do not be angry with my +frankness, you will oblige me to offer up vows to keep you as long as +possible." + +"Who knows, sir, whether my departure will not some day be more +advantageous than my stay here?" he said with a meaning smile; "be good +enough to lend me your tablets." + +The Major offered them to him. + +The Count tore out a leaf, with a few pencilled words on it, and handed +it back to him. + +"Here," he said, "is a draught for 16,000 livres, which you can receive +at sight from Messrs. Dubois, Loustal, and Co., of Toulon, whenever you +have leisure." + +The governor clutched the paper with a start of joy. + +"But it seems to me that this draft is 800 livres in excess of the sum +agreed on between us?" he said. + +"That is correct, sir, but the 800 livres are for the purchase of +different articles, of which here is the list, and which I must ask you +to procure for me." + +"You shall have them tomorrow, my lord," and after bowing very low the +governor walked backwards out of the room. + +"Come," the Count muttered gaily, when the heavy door had closed on +the Major; "I was not deceived, I judged that man correctly, and his +is really perfect, but his most thoroughly developed vice is decidedly +avarice; I can make something of it, I fancy, when I like, but I must +not go ahead too fast, but act with the greatest prudence." + +Certain of not being disturbed, at least for some hours, the Count +opened the trunk brought in by the two soldiers, in order to convince +himself whether the governor had told him the truth, and the contents +were really intact. + +The trunk had not been examined. + +In the foresight of a probable arrest, the Count when he started in +pursuit of the Duc de Penaflor, had purchased several objects which he +found again with the most lively satisfaction. + +In addition to a certain quantity of clothes and linen, the trunk +contained a very fine and strong silk cord, nearly one hundred fathoms +in length, two pairs of pistols, a dagger, a sword, powder and bullets, +objects which the governor would have confiscated without any scruple, +had he seen them, and which the Count had laid in at all risks, +trusting to chance. + +There were also several iron and steel tools, and concealed in a double +bottom, a very heavy purse containing the sum of 25,000 livres in +gold, in addition to another almost equally large amount in Spanish +quadruples sewn into a wide leathern belt. + +So soon as the Count was certain that the Major had told him the truth, +he carefully locked the trunk again, hung the key round his neck by a +steel chain, and sat down quietly in the chimney corner. + +His meditations were interrupted by the gaoler. This time the man not +only brought him bed furniture, far superior to what he had given him +before, but he had added a carpet, a mirror, and even toilet utensils. + +A cloth was spread on a table, upon which he placed in a moment a very +appetising dinner. + +"The Major begs me to apologize, sir," he said; "tomorrow he will send +you what you asked for. In the meanwhile he has forwarded you some +books." + +"Very good, my friend," the Count replied. + +"What is your name?" + +"La Grenade, sir." + +"Has the Governor selected you to wait on me?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"My friend, you appear to me a good fellow, here are three louis for +you. I will give you the same amount every month if I am satisfied with +your attention." + +"Had you given me nothing, sir," La Grenade replied, as he took the +money, "it would not have prevented me from serving you with all the +zeal of which I am capable, and if I receive these three louis, it is +only because a poor devil like me has no right to refuse a present from +so generous a gentleman as you. But, I repeat, sir, I am quite at your +service, and you can employ me in whatever way you please." + +"Goodness!" the Count said, in surprise; "and yet I do not know you, +as far as I am aware, La Grenade--whence, may I ask, comes this great +devotion to my person?" + +"I am most willing to tell you, sir, if it interests you. I am a +friend of M. Francois Bouillot, to whom I am under certain obligations; +he ordered me to serve and obey you in everything." + +"That good Bouillot," said the Count. "Very well, my friend, I shall +not be ungrateful. I do not want you anymore at present." + +The gaoler put some logs on the fire, lit the lamp, and withdrew. + +"Well," said the Count, with a laugh, "Heaven forgive me! I believe +that, though a prisoner in appearance, I am as much master of this +castle as the governor, and that I can leave it without opposition on +any day I like. What would the Cardinal think if he knew how his orders +were executed?" + +He sat down to table, unfolded his napkin, and began dining with a good +appetite. + +Things went on thus, in the way agreed on between the Governor and his +prisoner. + +The arrival of Count de Barmont at the fortress had been a windfall for +the Major, who, since he had received from the royal munificence the +command of this castle as retiring pension, had not once before had an +opportunity to derive any profit from the position that had been given +him. Hence he promised to make a gold mine of his solitary prisoner; +for the Isle of St. Marguerite, as we have already remarked, had not +yet acquired the reputation which it merited at a later date as a State +prison. + +The Count's room was furnished as well as it could be; everything he +demanded in the shape of books was procured him, though he had to pay +dearly for them, and he was even allowed to walk on the towers. + +The Count was happy--so far, at least, as the circumstances in which +he found himself allowed him to be so: no one would have supposed, +on seeing him work so assiduously at mathematics and navigation, for +he applied himself most seriously to the completion of his maritime +education, that this man nourished in his heart a thought of implacable +vengeance, and that this thought was ever present to him. + +At the first blush, the resolution formed by the Count to allow himself +to be incarcerated, while it was easy for him to remain free, may seem +strange: but the Count was one of those men of granite whose thoughts +are immutable, and who, when they have once formed a resolution, after +calculating with the utmost coolness all the chances for and against, +follow the road they have laid down for themselves, ever marching in a +straight line without caring for the obstacles that arise at each step +on their path and surmounting them, because they decided from the first +that they would do so--characters that grow and are perfected in the +struggle, and sooner or later reach the goal they have designed. + +The Count understood that any resistance to the Cardinal would result +in his own utter ruin; and there was no lack of proofs to support this +reasoning: by escaping from the guards who were taking him to prison, +he would remain at liberty, it is true, but he would be exiled, obliged +to quit France, and wander about in foreign parts alone, isolated, +without resources, ever on the watch, forced to hide himself, and +reduced to the impossibility of asking, that is to say, of obtaining +the necessary information he required to avenge himself on the man +who, by robbing him of the wife he loved, had at the same blow not +only destroyed his career and fortune, but also eternally ruined his +happiness. + +He was young, and could wait; vengeance is eaten cold, say the +southerners--and the Count came from Languedoc. Besides, as he had said +to Bouillot, in a moment of expansiveness, he wished to suffer, in +order to kill within him every human feeling that still existed, and to +find himself one day armed _cap-a-pie_ to face his enemy. + +Cardinal Richelieu and Louis XIII. were both seriously ill. Their death +would not fail to produce a change of reign in two, three, or four +years at the most, and that catastrophe would arrive, one of whose +consequences it is to produce a reaction, and consequently, to open to +all the prisoners of the defunct Cardinal the dungeons to which he had +condemned them. + +The Count was twenty-five years of age: hence time was his own, and the +more so because, when restored to liberty, he would enter on all his +rights, and as an enemy of Richelieu, be favourably regarded at Court, +and, through the temporary credit he would enjoy, be in a condition to +regain all the advantage he had lost as concerned his foe. + +Only energetically endowed men, who are sure of themselves, are capable +of making such calculations, and obstinately pursuing a line of +conduct so opposed to all logical combinations; but these men who thus +resolutely enlist chance on their side, and reckon on it as a partner, +always succeed in what they purpose doing, unless death suddenly cuts +them short. + +Through the intercession of La Grenade, and the tacit connivance of the +Governor, who closed his eyes with a charming inattention, the Count +was not only cognizant with all that was going on outside, but also +received letters from his friends, which he answered. + +One day, after reading a letter which la Grenade had given him when +bringing in breakfast, a letter from the Duc de Bellegarde, which had +reached him through Michael, for the worthy sailor had refused to leave +his Commandant, and had turned fisherman at Antibes, with Bowline as +his assistant, the Count sent a message to the Governor, requesting a +few minutes' conversation with him. + +The Major knew that every visit he paid his prisoner was a profit to +him, hence he hastened to his room. + +"Have you heard the news, sir?" the Count said at once on seeing him. + +"What news, my lord?" the Major asked, in amazement, for he knew +nothing. + +In fact, placed as he was at the extreme frontier of the kingdom, news, +no matter its importance, only reached him, so to speak, by accident. + +"The Cardinal Minister is dead, sir. I have just learned it from a sure +hand." + +"Oh!" said the Major, clasping his hands, for this death might cause +him the loss of his place. + +"And," the Count added, coldly, "His Majesty King Louis XIII. is at +death's door." + +"Great heaven, what a misfortune!" exclaimed the Governor. + +"This misfortune may be fortunate for you, sir," the Count resumed. + +"Fortunate! When I am menaced with the loss of my command! Alas, my +lord, what will become of me if I am turned out of here?" + +"That might easily, happen," said the Count. "You have, sir, always +been a great friend of the defunct Cardinal, and known as such." + +"That is, unhappily, too true," the Major muttered, quite out of +countenance, and recognizing the truth of this affirmation. + +"There is, I think, an advantageous mode of arranging matters." + +"What is it, my lord? Speak, I implore you!" + +"It is this: listen to me carefully--what I am going to say is very +serious for you." + +"I am listening, my lord." + +"Here is a letter all ready written for the Duc de Bellegarde. You +will start at once for Paris, passing through Toulon, where you will +cash this draft for 2000 livres, to cover your expenses. The Duke is +sincerely attached to me. For my sake he will receive you kindly: you +will come to an understanding with him, and obey him in everything he +orders." + +"Yes, yes, my lord." + +"And if within a month from this time at the latest--" + +"From this time at the latest--" the Governor repeated, panting with +impatience. + +"You bring me here my full and entire--pardon, signed by H. M. Louis +XIII.--" + +"What?" the Governor exclaimed, with a start of surprise. + +"I will at once pay you," the Count continued, coldly, "the sum of +50,000 livres, to indemnify you for the loss my liberation must entail +on you." + +"Fifty thousand livres!" the Major exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with +greed. + +"Fifty thousand! yes, sir," the Count replied. "And, besides, I pledge +myself, if you wish it, to get you confirmed in your command. Is this +matter settled?" + +"But, my lord, how am I to manage at Paris?" + +"Follow the instructions the Duc de Bellegarde will give you." + +"What you ask of me is very difficult." + +"Not so difficult as you pretend to believe, sir; however, if this +mission does not suit you--" + +"I did not say that, sir." + +"In a word, you can take it or leave it." + +"I take it, my lord--I take it. Great heaven!--fifty thousand livres!" + +"And you start?" + +"Tomorrow." + +"No, tonight." + +"Very good--tonight." + +"All right! Here are the letter and the draft. Oh! by the way, try to +put yourself in communication with a fisherman at Antibes of the name +of Michael." + +"I know him," the Major said, with a smile. + +"Indeed!" said the Count. "There would be no harm, either, in your +trying to find the exempt who brought me here, one Francois Bouillot." + +"I know where to find him," the Major replied, with the same meaning +smile. + +"Very good! in that case, my dear Governor, I have nothing more to add, +or any recommendations to make to you, beyond wishing you a pleasant +journey." + +"It will be so, my lord, I pledge you my word." + +"It is true that it is a round sum--fifty thousand livres!" + +"I shall not forget the amount." + +After saying this the Major took leave of his prisoner, and retired, +with a profusion of bows. + +"I believe that I am going to be free this time!" the Count exclaimed, +so soon as he was alone--"Ah! my lord Duke, we are now about to fight +with equal weapons!" + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +MAJOR DE L'OURSIERE. + + +Had it been possible for Count de Barmont to notice through the thick +oak planks, lined with iron, that formed the door of his prison, the +face of the governor on leaving him, he would not have chanted victory +so loudly, or believed himself so near his deliverance. + +In fact, so soon as the Major had no longer cause to dread his +prisoner's clear-sighted glance, his features immediately assumed an +expression of cynical malice impossible to render; his half-closed eyes +flashed with a gloomy fire beneath his grey eyelids and an ironical +smile raised the corners of his pale thin lips. + +It was twilight; night was beginning to fall, and confound all objects, +by burying them in a dark pall, which momentarily grew denser. + +The Major returned to his apartments, put a heavy cloak on his +shoulders, pulled his hat over his eyes, and sent for his lieutenant. + +The latter presented himself at once. + +He was a man of about forty, with a delicate and intelligent face, +whose features were imprinted with gentleness and even kindness. + +"I am starting this moment, sir," the governor said to him, "for +Antibes, whither important business summons me; my absence will +probably be prolonged for several days. While I remain absent from the +castle, I invest you with the command; watch over its safety, and guard +against any attempted escape on the part of the prisoner, though I +doubt his making it. Such attempts, though they do not succeed, injure +the reputation of a fortress, and the character of its governor." + +"I will watch with the greatest care, sir!" + +"I am certain of that, sir. Is there any fishing boat in the roads? +I should prefer not using the boat belonging to the fortress, as the +garrison is so weak." + +"The fishing boat you generally use, sir, and which is commanded by one +Michael, I think, was alongside the quay hardly an hour ago, but he has +probably started to fish outside the reef, as he usually does." + +"Hum," said the Major, "even were he still there, I should scruple at +making the poor fellow lose so much time in putting me ashore. These +fishermen are not rich, and every minute you take from them makes them +lose a part of the trifling profit of a long and hard night's work." + +The officer bowed, apparently sharing his chief's philanthropic ideas, +although his face evidenced the surprise which the expression of such +sentiments by a man like the Major caused him. + +"Are there no other boats here?" the Major asked, affecting an air of +indifference. + +"I beg your pardon, sir, a smuggling lugger is just about putting out +to sea." + +"Very good; warn the master that I wish him to take me on board. Be +good enough to make haste, sir, for I am in a hurry." + +The officer withdrew to carry out the order given him; the Major took +some papers, doubtless important, from an iron casket, hid them under +his coat, wrapped himself in his cloak, and left the castle, under the +salute of the sentries who presented arms as he passed. + +"Well?" he asked the officer who came to meet him. + +"I have spoken to the master, sir, he awaits you," the other replied. + +"I thank you, sir; now, return to the castle, and watch carefully over +its safety till my return." + +The officer took leave, and the Major proceeded toward a sort of small +quay, where the lugger's yawl was waiting for him. + +So soon as the governor was aboard, the smuggler let go the hawser, and +set sail. + +When the light vessel was well under weigh, the master respectfully +walked up to the Major. + +"Where are we to steer?" he asked, as he doffed his woollen nightcap. + +"Ah, ah! is it you, Master Nicaud?" the governor said; for, accustomed +to have dealings with the smugglers, he knew most of them by their +names. + +"Myself, at your service, if I can do anything, Mr. Governor," the +master answered politely. + +"Tell me," said the Major, "would you like to earn ten louis?" + +The sailor burst into a hearty laugh. + +"You are joking with me, of course, Mr. Governor," he said. + +"Not at all," the Major went on, "and the proof is, here they are," +he added, as he drew from his pocket a handful of gold, which he +carelessly tossed in his hand; "I am therefore awaiting your answer." + +"Hang it, Mr. Governor, you are well aware that ten louis forms a very +fine lump of money for a poor fellow like me; I am most willing to earn +the canaries, what must I do for them?" + +"Well, a very simple thing! take me to St. Honorat, where I feel +inclined for a stroll." + +"At this time of night?" the master remarked in surprise. + +The Major bit his lips on perceiving that he had made a foolish remark. + +"I am very fond of the picturesque, and wish to enjoy the effect of the +convent ruins in the moonlight." + +"That is an idea like any other," the skipper answered; "and as you pay +me, Mr. Governor, I can have no objection." + +"That is true. Then you will take me to Saint Honorat, land me in your +boat, and stand off and on while waiting for me. Is that agreed?" + +"Perfectly." + +"Ah! I have a decided taste for solitude, and hence I must insist on +none of your men landing on the island while I am there." + +"The whole crew shall remain on board, I promise you." + +"All right, I trust to you, here is the money." + +"Thanks," said the skipper, pocketing it; then he said to the steerer, +"down with the helm," and added, "Hilloh, my lads, brace the sheets to +larboard." + +The vessel quickly came up to the wind, and leaped over the waves in +the direction of Saint Honorat, whose black outlines stood out on the +horizon. + +It is but a short passage between Saint Marguerite and Saint Honorat, +especially for such a clipper as the smuggling lugger. + +The vessel was soon off the island. + +The master lay to, and ordered a boat to be let down. + +"Mr. Governor," he said respectfully, doffing his cap, and stopping the +governor, who was walking up and down in the stern; "we are all ready, +and the boat waits for you." + +"Already! All the better," the latter answered. + +At the moment when he was going to get into the boat, the skipper +arrested him. + +"Have you pistols?" he asked him. + +"Pistols?" he said as he turned round, "What for? is not this island +deserted?" + +"Entirely." + +"Hence I can run no risk." + +"Not the slightest; hence that is not the reason why I asked you the +question." + +"What is it then?" + +"Hang it, it is as black as in the fiend's oven; there is no moon, you +cannot distinguish an object ten yards from you. How shall I know when +you want to come on board again, unless you warn me by a signal?" + +"That is true; what had I better do?" + +"Here is a pistol, it is not loaded, but there is powder in the pan, +and you can squib it." + +"Thanks," said the Major, taking the pistol, and thrusting it through +his girdle. + +He got into the boat, which was dancing on the waves, and sat down in +the stern sheets; four vigorous sailors bending over the oars made her +fly through the water. + +"A pleasant trip," the skipper shouted. + +It appeared to the Major as if this wish had been uttered with a very +marked ironical tone by Master Nicaud, but he attached no further +importance to it, and turned his eyes toward land, which was gradually +looming larger. + +Ere long the boat's bows grated on the sand; they had arrived. + +The Major went ashore, and after ordering the sailors to return aboard, +he drew his cloak over his face, went off with long steps, and soon +disappeared in the darkness. + +However, instead of obeying the injunction given them, three of the +sailors landed in their turn, and followed the Major at a distance, +while careful to keep themselves out of sight. The fourth, who remained +to keep the boat, hid the latter behind a point, secured it to a +projecting rock, and leaping ashore, fusil in hand, he remained on the +watch with his eyes fixed on the interior of the island. + +The Major, in the meanwhile, continued to advance hurriedly in the +direction of the ruins, whose imposing outline was already beginning +to present itself to his eyes, borrowing from the surrounding gloom a +still more imposing aspect. + +The Major, convinced that his orders had been punctually carried out, +for he had no motive to distrust Master Nicaud, whom he had ever and +under all circumstances found willing and faithful, walked on without +turning his head, or even taking precautions, which he considered +unnecessary, as he was far from suspecting that several men were +following his footsteps, and watching his movements. + +It was easy to see from the deliberate manner in which he walked, and +the facility with which he evaded obstacles and found his way in the +darkness, that this was not the first time the Major had come to this +spot, though it appeared so solitary and deserted. + +After entering the ruins, M. de l'Oursiere passed through a cloister, +encumbered with shapeless fragments, and forcing his way between +stones and brambles, he entered the chapel, a magnificent specimen of +the purest Roman style, whose crumbling roof had fallen in under the +incessant efforts of time, and only the choir and apse still remained +intact amid broken columns and desecrated altars. + +The Major passed through the choir, and reached the apse, where he +halted. + +After carefully examining for a moment the surrounding objects, as if +he expected to find someone or something he did not perceive, he at +length resolved to clap his hands thrice. + +At the same moment a man rose scarce two paces from him. + +This sudden apparition, though he fully expected it, made the Major +start, and he fell back a step, laying his hand on his sword. + +"Ah, ah, my master," the stranger said, in a mocking voice, "pray do +you take me for a spectre, that I cause you such terror?" + +The man was wrapped up in a thick cloak, whose folds concealed his +shape, while a broad leafed plumed hat entirely covered his face and +rendered him completely unrecognizable. Only the end of his cloak +raised by the scabbard of a long rapier, proved that whoever the man +might be, he had not come unarmed to this gloomy rendezvous. + +"I am at your orders, sir," the Major said, raising his hand to his +hat, but without removing it. + +"And ready to serve me, no doubt," the stranger resumed. + +"That depends," the Major remarked roughly, "times are no longer the +same." + +"Ah, ah," the stranger continued still sarcastically, "what news is +there? I shall be delighted to learn it of you." + +"You know it as well as I do, sir." + +"No matter, tell me all the same what the great news is, that thus +produces modifications in our relations which have hitherto been so +amicable?" + +"It is useless to jeer thus, sir; I have served you, you have paid me, +and we are quits." + +"Perhaps so, but go on. I presume you wish to propose a new bargain to +me?" + +"I have nothing to propose; I have merely come because you expressed a +desire to see me, that is all." + +"And your prisoner, are you still satisfied with him?" + +"More than ever. He is a charming gentleman, who does not at all +deserve the melancholy fate thrust on him; I really feel an interest in +him." + +"Confound it, that comes expensive, I did not take that interest into +account, and I was wrong, I see." + +"What do you mean, sir?" the Major protested with an indignant air. + +"Nothing but what I say to you, my dear sir. Hang it, you amuse me with +your scruples, after taking money from all parties during the last +eighteen months; the Cardinal is dead and the King is on the point of +following him, that is what you wished to tell me, is it not? A new +reign is preparing, and it is probable that, if only through a spirit +of contradiction, the new government will upset everything done by +the one that preceded it, and that its first care will be to open the +prison doors; you also wished to tell me that Count de Barmont, who +possesses warm friends at court, who will not fail to employ their +influence on his behalf, cannot fail to be set at liberty ere long. +Confusion, I knew all that as well and even better than you, but what +matter?" + +"How, what matter?" + +"Certainly, if Count de Barmont has devoted friends, he has implacable +enemies; bear that in mind." + +"And the result will be?" + +"That in four days at the latest, you will receive an order signed by +Louis XIII. himself." + +"To what effect?" + +"Oh! Good heaven, no great thing, except that Count de Barmont will +be immediately transferred from St. Marguerite to the Bastille; and +once there," he added in a hollow voice, which made the Major shudder +involuntarily, "a man is eternally erased from the number of the living +or only leaves it a corpse or a maniac. Do you comprehend me now?" + +"Yes, I understand you, sir; but who guarantees that the Count will not +have escaped before the four days to which you refer?" + +"Oh! With a governor like yourself, Major, such an eventuality seems to +me highly improbable." + +"Well, well," the Major observed, "very extraordinary tales are told +about the escape of prisoners." + +"That is true; but another thing reassures me against this escape." + +"And what is that, sir?" + +"Merely that the Count himself declared that he would never consent to +escape, and was not at all anxious about liberty." + +"Well, sir, that is the very thing that deceives you; it seems that +he has now changed his opinion, and is eagerly soliciting through his +friends to obtain his liberty." + +"Ah! Have we come to that point?" the stranger said, fixing on the +Major a glance which flashed through the gloom. + +The governor bowed. + +There was a silence, during which no other sound was audible, save that +of the heavy flight of the nocturnal birds in the ruins. + +"A truce to further chattering," the stranger resumed in a fierce +voice; "how much do you ask to prevent the prisoner escaping until the +king's order reaches you?" + +"Two hundred thousand livres," the Major answered roughly. + +"Was I not right in telling you that it would be expensive?" the +stranger said with a grin. + +"Dear or not, that is my price, and I shall not bate it." + +"Very good, you shall have it." + +"When?" + +"Tomorrow." + +"That will be too late." + +"What?" the stranger asked haughtily. + +"I said it would be too late," the Major repeated imperturbably. + +"In that case, when must you have it?" + +"At once." + +"Do you fancy I carry 200,000 livres about me?" + +"I do not say that, but I can accompany you where you are going, and on +reaching Antibes, we will say, you can pay me the amount." + +"That is a good plan." + +"Is it not?" + +"Yes, only there is an obstacle to its success." + +"I do not see one." + +"But I do." + +"What is it, sir?" + +"That, if I give you a meeting here, and come disguised and alone, I +have probably an object." + +"Of course! You wish to remain incog." + +"You are full of penetration, my dear sir; and yet we can come to an +understanding." + +"I do not see how, unless you consent to what I ask." + +"You are a judge of diamonds, since we have hitherto only bargained in +them." + +"That is true, I am a tolerable judge of them." + +"Here is one that is worth 100,000 crowns, take it." + +And he offered a small case of black shagreen. + +The Major eagerly seized it. + +"But," he objected, "how can I be certain that you are not deceiving +me?" + +"An affecting confession," the stranger observed laughingly. + +"Business is business, I risk my soul in serving you." + +"As for your soul, my dear sir, reassure yourself; in that quarter you +have nothing to risk. But I will give you the satisfaction you desire." + +And taking a dark lanthorn from under his cloak, he let the light play +on the diamond. + +The Major only required one glance to assure himself of the value of +the rich reward offered him. + +"Are you satisfied?" the stranger asked, as he placed the lanthorn +again under his cloak. + +"Here is the proof," the Major answered, as he concealed the box, and +handed him a bundle of papers. + +"What is this?" the stranger inquired. + +"Papers of great importance for you, in the sense that they will tell +you who the Count's friends are, and the means they can employ to +restore him to liberty." + +"Bravo!" the stranger exclaimed, as he eagerly took the bundle of +papers; "I no longer regret having paid so heavy a price for your +assistance. Now we have discussed every point, I think?" + +"I think so too." + +"In that case, farewell! When I want you, I will let you know." + +"Are you going already?" + +"What the deuce would you have me do longer in this owl's nest? It is +time for each of us to rejoin the persons waiting for us." + +And after giving the Major a slight wave of the hand, he turned away +and disappeared behind the ruins of the high altar. + +At the same moment the stranger was suddenly seized by several men, so +that not only was he unable to offer a useless resistance, but found +himself bound and gagged before he had recovered from the surprise this +attack had caused him. + +His silent aggressors then left him rolling on the ground with +convulsive bounds of impotent rage, and disappeared in the darkness +without paying any further attention to him. + +The Major, after a momentary hesitation, also resolved to leave the +place, and slowly proceeded in the direction of the shore. On arriving +within a certain distance, in obedience to skipper Nicaud's hint, he +cocked his pistol and flashed the powder in the pan; then he continued +to advance slowly. + +The boat had doubtless made haste to meet him, for at the same moment +as the Major reached the shore, its bows ran into the sand. + +The governor stepped silently into it; twenty minutes after he +found himself on board the lugger, where master Nicaud received him +respectfully cap in hand. + +The boat was hauled up to the davits, sail was set on the lugger, and +she stood out to sea before a fresh breeze. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE SEAGULL LUGGER. + + +A lugger is a three mast vessel, with narrow lines aft and bulging +bows; it has a foremast, mainmast, and a driver greatly inclined over +the stern; its bowsprit is short; it carries large sails and at times +topsails. + +From this description it is easy to see that luggers have the same rig, +on a larger scale, as chasse-marees. + +Although the draft on water of these vessels is rather great aft, as +they are generally quick and good sea boats, they are largely employed +for smuggling purposes, in spite of the inconvenience of the large +sails which have to be shifted with each tack. + +The Seagull was a vessel of ninety tons, neatly fitted up, and carrying +four small iron guns of eight to the pound, which caused her to bear a +greater resemblance with a corsair than a peaceful coaster. + +Still, in spite of a rather numerous crew, and her rakish appearance, +during about a year since this vessel began frequenting the coast of +Provence and the Lerins islands, not a word of harm had been said +against her. Skipper Nicaud passed for an honest worthy man, although a +little rough and quarrelsome,--faults, by the way, peculiar to nearly +all sailors, and which in no way diminished the excellent reputation +which the master of the Seagull enjoyed. + +So soon as Major de l'Oursiere had regained the lugger's deck, and the +vessel had stood off, after taking a parting glance at St. Honorat, +whose outline was gradually disappearing in the mist, he walked aft, +seized the manrope and went down into the cabin. + +But on entering the cabin, which he supposed to be unoccupied, as +the skipper was on deck, the Major with difficulty restrained an +exclamation of surprise. + +There was a man in the cabin, seated at a table, and contently imbibing +rum and water, while smoking an enormous pipe, and forming an aureole +around him of bluish smoke. + +In this man the Major recognised Michael the Basque, the fisherman. + +After a moment's hesitation, the Major walked in, although the presence +of this individual aboard the lugger was rather singular. Still there +was nothing in the thing that should terrify the Major, who had no +reason to suppose that Michael was hostile to him, or that he had +anything to apprehend from him. + +At the noise made by the Major on entering the cabin, the sailor half +turned to him, though without removing the pipe from his lips. After +taking a pull at the glass he held in his right hand, he said in a +bantering tone,-- + +"Why, if I am not mistaken, it is our estimable governor of St. +Marguerite; delighted to see you, I am sure, Major." + +"Why," the Major replied, in the same key, "it's that worthy fellow, +Michael. By what chance do I find you here, when I had a right to +suppose you engaged fishing, at this moment, Lord knows where?" + +"Ah!" said Michael, with a laugh; "There's as good fishing here +as anywhere. Won't you take a seat, Major, or are you afraid of +compromising your dignity by sitting down by the side of a poor fellow +like me?" + +"You do not think that," the Major answered, as he seated himself. + +"Don't you smoke, eh?" Michael asked him. + +"No; that is a sailor's amusement." + +"It is so, Major. But I suppose you drink?" + +The Major held out a glass, which the sailor liberally filled. + +"Here's your health, Major. If I expected to meet anyone, it wasn't +you, I assure you." + +"I thought so." + +"Indeed I didn't." + +"Well, to tell you the truth, I did not expect to meet you, either." + +"I am aware of that. You have come from St. Honorat." + +"Hang it all! You cannot be ignorant of that fact, since I find you +here." + +"It was on your account, then, that we lost two hours in tacking +between the islands, at the risk of running on to a reef, instead of +attending to our business?" + +"What do you mean by business? Are you a smuggler at present?" + +"I am everything," Michael replied, laconically, emptying his glass. + +"But what the deuce are you doing here?" asked the Major. + +"What are you?" the sailor said, answering one question by another. + +"I--I?" the Major began, in embarrassment. + +"You hesitate!" Michael continued, banteringly. "Well, I will tell you, +if you like." + +"You, Michael?" + +"Why not? You went to St. Honorat to admire the beauties of nature," +and he burst into a hearty laugh. "Is it not so?" + +"Yes. I have always passionately admired the picturesque. But that +reminds me. I have forgotten to tell skipper Nicaud where I wish him to +land me." + +And he made a movement, as if to rise. + +"It is unnecessary," the sailor said, obliging him to sit down again. + +"How? Unnecessary! On the contrary, I must do it, without further +delay." + +"Still you have time, Major," the sailor said, peremptorily; "besides, +I must speak with you first." + +"You speak with me?" the Major exclaimed, in stupefaction. + +"So it is, Major," the other replied, sarcastically. "I have very +important matters to tell you. In your devil of a castle that is +impossible, because you have there a number of soldiers and gaolers, +who, at your slightest frown, interrupt the person addressing you, and +throw him without ceremony into some hole, where they unscrupulously +leave him to rot. That is discouraging, on my honour. But here it is +far more agreeable, as I am not afraid that you will have me locked up +--at least, not for the present. Hence, as the opportunity offers, I +wish to take advantage of it to empty my budget, and tell you what I +have on my heart." + +The Major felt internally anxious, without yet knowing positively what +he had to fear, so extraordinary to him seemed this way of speaking +on the part of a sailor, who had hitherto always displayed a servile +politeness toward him. Still, he did not allow anything of this to be +seen, but leaned carelessly over the table. + +"Very good, let us talk, since you feel so great an inclination for +it, my good Michael; for I have time, as I am in no hurry." + +The sailor made his chair turn half round on its hind legs, and finding +himself by this movement right facing M. de l'Oursiere, he examined him +cunningly, for an instant, then drained the contents of his glass; and, +after banging the empty glass on the table, he said,-- + +"It is really a charming passion of yours, Major, to go thus at night +to admire the ruins of the convent of St. Honorat in the darkness. It +is, really, a charming passion, and a very profitable one, from what I +have been able to learn." + +"What do you mean?" the Major asked, turning pale. + +"I mean what I say, nothing else! Do you believe in hazard, Major?" + +"Why--" + +"No more, I fancy, in that which makes me meet you here, than in the +chance that makes you find on a desert island diamonds worth three +hundred thousand livres; because the one thing is as impossible as the +other?" + +This time the Major did not attempt to reply, for he felt he was caught +out. + +Michael continued in the same sneering and bantering tone-- + +"It is certainly ingenious to act as you do. A man soon grows rich by +taking with both hands, but like all trades that are too good, this one +is rather risky." + +"You insult me, scoundrel!" the Major stammered. "Take care what you +say. If I call--" + +"Come, come," the sailor interrupted, with a coarse laugh; "I do not +intend to notice the insult you cast in my teeth, for I have something +else to do. As for calling out, just try it, and you will see what +will happen." + +"That--that is treachery!" + +"Hang it! Are we not all more or less traitors? You are one--I am one; +that is allowed: hence, believe me, it is useless to dwell any longer +on this subject, and we had better revert to our business." + +"Speak," the Major muttered in a gloomy voice. + +"But, stay. I wish to give you a proof of frankness, and show you once +for all how wrong you would be in keeping up, I will not say the least +hope, but the slightest illusion as to what is going on here." + +Then, tapping the table smartly with the heel of his glass, he +shouted,-- + +"Come here, Nicaud, I want you." + +A heavy step resounded on the cabin stairs, and almost immediately +Skipper Nicaud's cunning face was framed by the doorway. + +"What do you want, Michael?" he asked, without seeming even to notice +the Major's presence. + +"Only a trifle, my lad," the sailor replied, pointing to the officer, +who had turned pale, through the emotion he felt. "Only a simple +question for the personal satisfaction of this gentleman." + +"Speak." + +"Who is the present commander of the Seagull lugger, in whose cabin we +are now seated?" + +"Why, you, of course." + +"Then everyone aboard, yourself included, must obey me?" + +"Certainly; and without the slightest observation." + +"Very good. Then supposing, Nicaud, I were to order you to take the +Major here present, fasten a couple of round shot to his feet, and +throw him overboard, what would you do, my lad?" + +"What would I do?" + +"Yes." + +"Obey." + +"Without any observation?" + +Skipper Nicaud shrugged his shoulders. + +"Shall I do it?" he asked, stretching out his huge fist towards the +Major, who shuddered. + +"Not yet," Michael answered. "Go back on deck, but do not go far, as I +shall probably want you soon." + +"Very good," said the master, and disappeared. + +"Are you now edified, Major?" Michael asked, turning carelessly to the +horrified governor; "And are you not beginning to understand that I, +poor chap as I am, compared with you, have you, temporarily, at any +rate, completely in my power?" + +"I allow it," the Major stammered, in a faint and choking voice. + +"In that case, I believe we shall come to an understanding." + +"Come to the facts, sir, without further circumlocution." + +"Good!" Michael exclaimed, coarsely; "That's how I like to see you. In +the first place, hand me the diamond which your accomplice gave you in +the ruins." + +"Then you mean robbery. I had hoped better things of you," the Major +answered, disdainfully. + +"Call it what you like, Major," the sailor said imperturbably; "the +name does not alter the thing--give me the diamond." + +"No," the Major answered coldly, "the diamond is my fortune, and you +shall only have it with my life." + +"That condition, illogical though it is, will not check me, I assure +you, for I will kill you, if necessary, and then take the diamond," and +he cocked a pistol. + +There was a silence. + +"Well, then, it is really this diamond you want?" + +"That and something else," said Michael. + +"I do not understand you." + +The sailor rose, placed the pistol to his chest, and said frowningly-- + +"I will make you understand me." + +The Major felt he was lost, and that this man would kill him. + +"Stop!" he said. + +"Have you decided?" + +"Yes," he answered, in a voice choked with rage, and drawing the box +from his bosom, he muttered, "Curse you, take it!" + +Michael returned the pistol to his belt, opened the box, and +attentively examined the diamond. + +"It is the one," he said, as he closed the box again, and stowed it +away. + +The unlucky officer followed all these movements with a lack-lustre eye. + +Michael resumed his seat, poured himself out a glass of rum, swallowed +it at a draught, and then bending forward as he filled his pipe, said-- + +"Now, let us talk." + +"What, talk?" asked the Major; "Have we not finished yet?" + +"Not yet--what a hurry you are in. At present we have said nothing." + +"What more do you want of me?" + +"That is meant for a reproach; but I allow for your ill temper, and +owe you no grudge for it. It is a sad thing for a man who has been +poor all his life to see himself robbed in a moment of a fortune which +he had only just secured. Well, then, listen to me, Major," he said, +assuming a consolatory air, and putting his elbows on the table, "it is +easy for you to regain the fortune you have lost, and it only depends +on yourself." + +The Major opened his eyes widely, not knowing whether to take what the +sailor said to him seriously; but as he risked nothing by permitting an +explanation, he prepared to give him the most earnest attention. + +The other continued-- + +"No matter how I learned the fact--I know for certain, and the affair +of the diamond is an undeniable proof of it--that, while on one hand, +you feigned to feel the greatest interest for Count de Barmont, from +whom you have drawn large sums, though I don't say it in reproach, by +means of this feigned pity; on the other, you betray him without shame +to his enemies, whom you make pay for it heavily. I merely mention this +as a fact, and it is unnecessary to discuss it," Michael said, checking +the Major, who was about to speak. "Now, I have made up my mind that, +against wind and tide, and in spite of all the intrigues of his enemies +to prevent it, the Count shall be free, and free through me. This is my +plan: listen attentively to this, Mr. Governor, for the affair concerns +you' more nearly than you seem to suppose. The Count has learnt the +death of Cardinal de Richelieu, and I sent him the news in a letter +from the Duc de Bellegarde. You see that I know everything, or nearly +so: he at once requested to see you, and you granted his wish. What +took place at your interview? Speak, and before all, be frank: in my +turn, I will listen to you." + +"Of what use is it to repeat our conversation?" the Major asked, +ironically. + +"For my private satisfaction," Michael answered, "and your special +interest: do not be in too great a hurry to rejoice, Major, for you are +not out of my hands yet. Believe me, you had better yield with a good +grace, for your interest demands it." + +"My interest?" he repeated, in amazement. + +"Go on, Major; when the time arrives, be assured, I shall give you the +explanation you desire." + +The old officer reflected for a moment: at last he decided to speak, +resolved, if the opportunity offered itself hereafter, to make the +sailor pay dearly for all his agony and humiliation. + +"The Count," he said, "engaged me to go to Paris, and negotiate with +the Duc de Bellegarde, in order to bring him back his order of release, +which the duke is certain to obtain from the king." + +"That is good. And when do you intend to start for Paris?" + +"I have started." + +"Ah! Ah!" said Michael, with a laugh. "It appears that you have stopped +on the road, but that has nothing to do with the affair. Is that all?" + +"Nearly so." + +"Hum! then there is something else?" + +"Less than nothing." + +"No matter--out with it, for I am very curious. Did not the Count +promise you something?" + +"Yes." + +"How much?" + +"Fifty thousand livres," the Major said, with repugnance. + +"Ah, ah, that is a tidy sum! And you were setting about earning it in +a strange fashion; but I do not wish to refer to that any more. Do +you wish to recover your diamond, and at the same time gain the fifty +thousand livres promised by the Count? Speak, it depends on yourself." + +"You are jesting with me, and not speaking seriously." + +"Never, on the contrary, have I been more serious. On the Count's +arrival at the castle you command, you were only a poor scrub of an +officer of fortune, who, during his whole life, had been struggling +against odds, and perched like an owl on an old wall, you were exposed +on your isle to die as you had lived; that is to say, without a rap. +During the last fifteen or eighteen months, things have completely +changed with you. With what you have extorted from the Count, and what +his enemies have given you, you have succeeded in getting together a +very decent sum. Admitting that you were to receive the Count's fifty +thousand livres, and I were to give you back the diamond, it would +produce you a perfectly independent fortune, enabling you to retire +when you pleased, and end your days in joy and abundance. Is not that +your opinion?" + +"Certainly, but I shall not touch the 50,000 livres, and the diamond +you have taken from me." + +"That is true, but," he added, "it is only dependent on yourself, +Major, to have it again in your possession." + +"What must I do for that?" + +"That is what I was waiting for, Major; you consent then, to enter into +an arrangement?" + +"I must; have I my free will at this moment?" + +"A man always has it when he likes, Major, you know that as well as I +do; the only thing is, that as you are a man endowed with a strong dose +of intelligence, and understand, that when a person has made a fortune +by means more or less honourable, he must keep it at all hazards, you +are beginning to lend a more attentive ear to the propositions which +you guess I am preparing to make you, for you are at length convinced +that it is to your interest to come to an understanding with me." + +"Suppose what you like, I do not care; but tell me your propositions, +so that I may know whether my honour allows me to accept them or forces +me to refuse them." + +Michael began laughing unceremoniously at this outburst, by which the +Major sought to mask his capitulation. + +"Instead of going to Paris," he said, "you will simply return to Sainte +Marguerite. You will go to the Count, tell him he is free, and then +return with him on board the lugger, which will wait for you. When the +Count and yourself are on board, the lugger will stand out to sea. +Then I will restore you your diamond and pay you the amount agreed on; +and as probably you will not care to resume the command of your castle +after such a frolic, I will convey you, and your wealth wherever you +like, in order to enjoy it without fear of being disturbed." + +"But," the Major observed, "what shall I tell the Count to persuade him +that he is free by the King's orders?" + +"That does not concern me, it is your affair; but hang it all, my dear +Major, you are unjust to yourself in raising any doubts as to the power +of your imagination. Now what do you think of my proposition, and do +you accept it?" + +"What security have I that you are not deceiving me, and that when I +have fulfilled the conditions of the bargain you impose on me, you keep +yours as strictly?" + +"The word of a honest man, sir, a word, which though that of a plain +sailor, is worth that of a gentleman." + +"I believe you, sir," the Major answered, lowering his eyes before +Michael's flashing glance. + +"Then, that is settled?" + +"Yes, it is." + +"All right. Hallo! Nicaud!" Michael shouted. + +The skipper arrived with a speed that proved he had not been far from +the two speakers. + +"Here I am, Michael, what do you want?" + +"Where are we at this moment?" the sailor asked. + +"About five leagues to windward of Sainte Marguerite." + +"Very good! Keep on the same course till daybreak; at sunrise we will +stand for the island, and anchor off it." + +"Very good, I understand." + +"Ah! Here is Mr. Governor, who I think, has great want of a little +rest; can't you put him up somewhere where he will be able to sleep for +two or three hours?" + +"Nothing easier, as I shall not turn in tonight, nor you, I suppose, +my cabin is at the Major's service, if he will do me the honour of +accepting it." + +The old officer was really worn out, not only by the fatigue of a long +watch, but also by the emotions he had suffered from during the night. +Certain that he had now no apprehensions about his safety, he heartily +accepted the skipper's offer, and withdrew into the cabin, the door of +which the other politely opened for him. + +The two sailors went up on deck again. + +"This time," said Michael, "I believe that we have manoeuvred cleverly, +and that our plan will succeed." + +"I am beginning to be of your opinion; but I say, wasn't that old +cormorant of a governor tough?" + +"Not very," Michael replied with a laugh, "besides, he had no choice; +he was obliged to give in, whether he liked it or not." + +As had been arranged, the lugger stood off and on from the island +during the whole night, at a distance of from four to five leagues from +the coast. + +At sunrise, they steered directly for St. Marguerite. + +The breeze had lulled nearer shore, so that it occupied some time ere +the light vessel reached the species of port serving as a landing place +in front of the castle. + +The lugger drew too much water for it to be possible to run alongside +the quay; hence it lay to a short distance off; and Nicaud had a boat +lowered, while Michael went down into the cabin to warn the Major. + +The latter was awake; refreshed and rested by sleep, he was no longer +the same man, he now regarded his position in its true light, and +understood that the means offered him to escape from the disagreeable +position in which he was placed by his double treachery, was more +advantageous than otherwise for him. + +It was almost with a smile that he wished Michael good day, and he made +no difficulty about accepting the hand the sailor offered to him. + +"Well," he asked him, "whereabouts are we, Michael?" + +"We have arrived, Major." + +"Already? Are you not afraid it is too early to go ashore?" + +"Not at all; it is nine o'clock." + +"So late? Hang it, it seems that I have slept soundly; in truth, I feel +quite jolly this morning." + +"All the better, Major, that is a good sign; I suppose you remember our +arrangements?" + +"Perfectly." + +"And you will play fairly with us?" + +"In my turn I pledge my honour to it, and I will keep it, whatever may +happen." + +"Come, I am glad to hear you talk like that; I am beginning to alter my +opinion about you." + +"Stuff," the Major remarked laughingly, "you do not know me yet." + +"You are aware that the boat is ready, it is only waiting for you to go +ashore." + +"If that is the case, I will follow you, Michael; I am now as eager as +you are to finish the affair." + +The Major went on deck and got into the boat, which was at once pushed +off, and set out for the landing place. + +Michael's heart beat ready to burst, while he followed with an anxious +eye, the light yawl which was rapidly leaving the lugger, and was +already close in shore. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +FRANCE, FAREWELL! + + +The Major had scarce landed at Sainte Marguerite, ere everything were +in commotion in the fort. + +On leaving the isle on the previous evening, the governor had stated +that he was going on a journey, and would be absent a week, perhaps two. + +The Lieutenant, intrusted with the command of the fort during his +absence, eagerly hastened to meet him, curious to learn the motive for +such a speedy return. + +The Major at first replied evasively, that news he had received on +landing on the mainland, had necessitated the immediate interruption +of his journey; and, while conversing thus, he entered the fort and +proceeded to his apartments, followed by the Lieutenant whom he had +invited to accompany him. + +"Sir," he said to him so soon as they were alone, "you will immediately +choose from the garrison ten resolute men; and proceed with them on +board the fishing vessel I noticed at anchor when I entered the fort. +The missive I entrust to you is most important, and if you carry it out +thoroughly, may have important results for you; it must be managed with +the most profound secrecy, however, for it is a secret of state." + +The Lieutenant bowed gratefully, evidently flattered at the confidence +his chief placed in him. + +The Major continued. + +"You will land on the coast a little below Antibes, and keep the boat, +which you will use for your return; you will manage so as not to enter +the town till nightfall, without attracting any attention, you will +lodge your men as best you can without arousing suspicions, but so as +to have them under hand at any moment. Tomorrow morning at ten o'clock, +you will present yourself to the town commandant, hand him a letter I +shall give you, and place yourself at his disposal. Have you understood +me thoroughly, sir?" + +"Perfectly, Mr. Governor." + +"Before all, I recommend you the most utter discretion; remember that +your fortune probably depends on the success of the mission." + +"I will obey you, Major, and I hope that you will only have compliments +to pay me on my return." + +"I trust so too, sir, but make haste, for you must be gone in half an +hour. During your preparations I will write the letter; it will be +ready when you come to take leave again." + +The lieutenant, after bowing respectfully, retired with a joyous heart, +not having the slightest suspicion of the treachery meditated by his +chief, and went off at full speed to make all the preparations for his +departure. + +The Major had under his orders a garrison of fifty men, commanded by +three officers, a captain and two lieutenants. + +This captain, the next in rank to him, would doubtless have greatly +impeded the success of the bold stroke he meditated, owing to the +pretext he would have been obliged to invent, in order to account for +the want of a release in writing for the Count. + +By sending him away, the Major had only to deal with two subalterns, +ranking too low in the military scale to venture to make observations, +or hesitate to accomplish his orders, the more so, because during +the ten or twelve years M. de l'Oursiere had commanded Fort Sainte +Marguerite, nothing in his conduct had led to the slightest painful +suspicions about his honour. + +Forced by circumstances to betray his duty and quit his native land +forever, which he knew he should never see again after this audacious +scheme, the Major wished to leave nothing to chance, but turn his lost +position to the greatest possible advantage. He hoped that the measures +he had taken would protect him from any danger, when his treachery was +eventually discovered. + +But, through a very laudable feeling of justice, especially on the part +of such a man and under such circumstances, the Major desired alone to +bear the burden of his infamous conduct and not to attract suspicion of +complicity on his poor officers, whom duty compelled to obey him, in +what they considered a portion of their military service. + +Hence he wrote to the governor of Antibes a very circumstantial letter, +in which he narrated, without the slightest omission, the treason he +meditated, and which would be carried out at the time when the governor +read the strange missive; he explained the motives that obliged him to +act as he was doing, while taking on himself all the responsibility of +such a deed, and acquitting his officers and soldiers, not only of all +co-operation, but of all cognisance, even indirect, of his project. + +These duties scrupulously accomplished--for it was impossible for the +governor to be deceived as to the frankness of his confession, or +to doubt them for a moment--the Major folded the letter, sealed it +carefully, and laid it on the table while awaiting the return of his +second in command. + +Now, as his vessels were burnt, M. de l'Oursiere could no longer +retreat; he must push on and succeed; the certainty of certain ruin if +his scheme were foiled, removed his last doubts, and restored him all +the necessary calmness to act with the coolness demanded by the strange +circumstances in which he found himself placed. + +The Captain entered. + +"Well?" the Major asked him. + +"I am ready to start, Mr. Governor; my soldiers are already on board +the fishing boat, and we shall have left the island in ten minutes." + +"Here is the letter you have to deliver into the hands of the Governor +of Antibes, sir; remember my instructions." + +"I will obey them in every point." + +"In that case, Heaven guard you! and good-bye," the Major said, as he +rose. + +The officer saluted, and left the room. + +The Major watched through the open window of his room; he saw him leave +the fort, go down to the shore, and on board the fishing vessel; the +sail was hoisted, and ere long the boat started, slightly heeling over +under the power of the breeze. + +"Ough!" said the Major, closing the window, with a sigh of +relief--"that's one, now for the other." + +But, before aught else, the old officer shut himself up in his room, +burnt certain papers, pocketed others, put some clothes in a small +valise, as he did not wish to take all belonging to him, through fear +of arousing suspicions, and carefully wrapping up in his cloak a small +and very heavy iron casket, which, doubtless, contained his ready +money, he assured himself by a glance around that everything was in +order, opened the door again, and called. + +A soldier appeared. + +"Beg Mess. de Castaix and de Mircey to come here," he said, "as I wish +to speak to them." + +They speedily arrived, greatly puzzled at this unexpected interview, +for usually the Governor talked but little with his officers. + +"Gentlemen," he said to them, after returning their salute, "an order +from the King caused me to return here in all haste. I have to take our +prisoner, M. de Barmont, to Antibes, where your Captain has preceded +me with a sufficient escort to prevent any attempt at escape on the +part of the prisoner. I have acted thus because it is the King's good +pleasure that this transference of the Count from one prison to another +may have the appearance of a liberation, and I shall explain it in that +sense to the prisoner, in order that he may have no suspicion of the +new orders I have received. Until my return, which will be in two days +at the least, you, Monsieur de Castaix, as senior officer, will assume +the command of the fortress. I am pleased to believe, gentlemen, that I +shall only have to praise the aptitude you will display in performing +your duties during my absence." + +The two officers bowed: accustomed to the Cardinal's tortuous and +mysterious policy, the Major's remarks did not at all surprise them, +for, although His Eminence was dead, the event had not occurred so +long that the King should have in any way modified his sullen mode of +governing. + +"Be kind enough to give orders for the prisoner to be brought into my +presence, while I inform him of his liberation," he added, with a +mocking smile, whose strange meaning the officers did not comprehend. +"You will have all the effects belonging to him placed in the boat of +the smuggling lugger on board which I came back. Go, gentlemen." + +The officers withdrew. + +The Count was greatly surprised when La Grenade opened the door of his +cell, and begged him to follow him, as the Governor wished to speak +with the prisoner. + +He fancied the Major on the road to Paris, as had been arranged between +them on the previous evening, and did not at all understand his +presence at the fort after the solemn promise he had made. + +Another thing also caused him great surprise--ever since he had been a +prisoner at Saint Marguerite the Governor had not once sent for him; on +the contrary, he had always put himself out of the way by visiting his +cell. + +But the thing that completely routed his ideas was La Grenade's +recommendation to him, to place all his belongings in a trunk, and take +the key. + +"Why this most unnecessary precaution?" the Count asked him. + +"No one ever knows what may happen, sir," the gaoler replied, +cunningly; "it is as well to take precautions; and stay, if I were you +I would put on my hat and take my cloak." + +And while speaking thus, the soldier actively helped him to pack his +trunk. + +"There, that's done," he said, with a grin of satisfaction, when the +Count had taken out the key; "here are your hat and cloak." + +"My hat, if you like," the young man remarked, laughingly, "but why +my cloak? I run no risk of catching a pleurisy in my short walk to the +Governor's presence." + +"Will you not take it?" + +"Certainly not." + +"Then I will; you'll see you will want it." + +The young gentleman shrugged his shoulders, without replying, and they +left the room, the door of which the gaoler did not take the trouble to +lock after him. + +The Major was walking up and down his room while awaiting the prisoner. +La Grenade showed him in, laid the cloak on a chair, and withdrew. + +"Ah, ah!" said the Major, with a laugh--"I see that you suspected +something." + +"I, Mr. Governor? What was it, if you please?" + +"Zounds! you appear to be dressed as if for a journey." + +"It is that ass of La Grenade, who, I know not for what reason, obliged +me to put on my hat, and insisted on bringing my cloak here." + +"He was right." + +"How so?" + +"My lord, I have the honour to inform you that you are a free man." + +"I free!" the Count exclaimed, turning pale with joy and emotion. + +"The King has deigned to sign your liberation, and I received the +orders on landing at Antibes." + +"At last!" the Count burst forth, but then immediately recovered +himself. "Can you show me the order, sir?" + +"Excuse me, my lord, that is forbidden." + +"Ah! For what reason?" + +"It is a general precaution, sir." + +"In that case I will not press it: at least, you are permitted to tell +me at whose request my liberty was granted me?" + +"I see no objection to that, sir--it was at the request of the Duc de +Bellegarde." + +"The dear Duke!--a real friend!" the Count cried, in great emotion. + +The Major, with the utmost coolness, handed him a pen, and pointed to a +blank space in the register. + +"Will you be kind enough, sir, to sign this register?" + +The Count hurriedly perused it, and saw that it was a species of +certificate of the honourable way he had been treated during the period +of his detention. He signed. + +"Now, sir, as I am free, for I presume I am so--" "Free as a bird, my +lord." + +"In that case I can retire. I know not why, but during the last instant +these thick, gloomy walls, seem to stifle me, and I shall not breathe +at my ease till I feel myself in the open air." + +"I understand that, sir. I have made every preparation, and we will +embark whenever you please." + +"_We?_" the Count asked, in surprise. + +"Yes, my lord, I shall accompany you." + +"For what reason, may I ask?" + +"To do you honour, sir--for no other reason." + +"Very good," he said, thoughtfully; "let us go, then; but I have some +traps here." + +"They are already on board: come, sir." + +The Major took up his valise and casket, and left the room, followed by +the Count. + +"Did I not tell you you would want your cloak?" + +La Grenade said to M. de Barmont, with a bow, as he passed--"Pleasant +voyage to you, sir, and good luck." + +They went down to the waterside. During the walk, which was not very +long, the Count's brow became more and more clouded; he fancied he +could notice a certain sorrow on the faces of the officers and soldiers +who were watching his departure--they whispered together, and pointed +to the Count in anything but a reassuring way, and it gave him much +cause for anxiety. + +Every now and then he took a side-glance at the Major, but he appeared +calm, and had a smile on his face. + +They at length reached the boat, and the Major stepped aside to let the +Count get into it first. + +As soon as they were both in, the boat was pushed off. During the whole +passage from the shore to the lugger the Count and the Major remained +silent. + +At length they came along side the little vessel, a rope was thrown to +them, and they went up the side. + +The yawl was immediately hauled up, all sail was set, and the lugger +stood out to sea. + +"Ah!" the Count exclaimed on perceiving Michael, "You are here, then I +am saved!" + +"I hope so," the latter replied; "but come, my lord, we have matters to +discuss." + +They went down into the cabin, followed by the Major. + +"There, now we can talk, Captain--the first thing is to settle our +accounts." + +"Our accounts?" M. de Barmont repeated, in surprise. + +"Yes, let us proceed regularly. You promised this gentleman 50,000 +livres?" + +"Yes, I did." + +"And you authorize me to give them to him?" + +"Certainly." + +"Good; in that case he shall have them." Then, turning to the +Major--"You have scrupulously kept your promises, and we will keep ours +as loyally. Here, in the first place, is your diamond, which I give you +back: I will hand you over the money in a moment. I suppose you no more +wish to remain in France than we do--eh?" + +"I do not wish it the least in the world," the Major replied, delighted +at having regained possession of his diamond. + +"Where would you like to be landed? Will England suit you, or do you +prefer Italy?" + +"Well, I do not exactly know." + +"Do you like Spain better? 'Tis all the same to me." + +"Why not Portugal?" + +"Done for Portugal. We will drop you there in passing." + +The Count had listened with growing surprise to this conversation, +which was incomprehensible to him. + +"What is the meaning of all this?" he at length asked. + +"It means, Captain," Michael distinctly answered, "that the King has +not signed the pardon--that you are a prisoner, and would probably have +remained so all your life had not this gentleman, luckily for you, +consented to open the door." + +"Sir!" the Count exclaimed, making a movement toward the Major. + +Michael stopped him. + +"Do not be in a hurry to thank him," he said--"wait till he has told +you what has occurred, and in what way he found himself obliged to set +you at liberty, when he would probably have preferred not to do so." + +"Come, come!" said the Count, stamping his foot passionately--"Explain +yourself! I understand nothing of all this. I wish to know +everything--everything, I tell you!" + +"This man will tell you it, Captain; but he is afraid at present of the +consequences of his confession, and that is why he hesitates to make +it." + +M. de Barmont smiled disdainfully. + +"This man is beneath my contempt," he said; "whatever he may say I will +not take the slightest vengeance on him--he is pardoned beforehand, I +pledge him my word as a gentleman." + +"Now speak, Major," said Michael; "during that time I will go on deck +again with Skipper Nicaud, or, if you prefer it, Bowline, who has +played his part remarkably well throughout the affair." + +Michael left the cabin, and the two men remained alone. + +The Major understood that it was better to make a clean breast of it: +hence he told the Count, without any equivocation, the full details of +his treachery, and in what manner Michael had compelled him to save +him, when, on the contrary, he was paid to ruin him. + +Although the name of the Duc de Penaflor had not once been mentioned +during the Major's narration, the Count divined that it was he alone +who had dealt him all the blows he had felt so severely during the last +eighteen months; however great his resolution might be, this depth +of hatred, this Machiavellian vengeance terrified him; but in this +extremely detailed narrative one point seemed to him obscure, and that +was, how Michael had discovered the final machinations of his enemies, +and done so opportunely enough to be able to foil them. + +All the questions the Count asked on this head the Major was unable to +answer, for he was ignorant. + +"Well," asked the sailor, suddenly entering the cabin, "are you now +informed, Captain?" + +"Yes," the latter replied, with a certain tinge of sadness, "except on +one point." + +"What is it, Captain?" + +"I should like to know in what manner you detected this cleverly +contrived plot." + +"Very simply, Captain, and I will tell you the whole affair in a couple +of words. Bowline and I, without the Major suspecting it, followed him +carefully into the ruins, while cautiously avoiding being seen; in this +way no part of his conversation with the stranger escaped us. When the +Major handed him the papers, and the stranger retired, I jumped at his +throat, and, with Bowline's help, took the papers from him--" + +"Where are these papers?" the Count interrupted him eagerly. + +"I will give them to you, Captain." + +"Thanks, Michael; now go on." + +"Well, my story's finished; I gagged him to prevent him calling out, +and after tying him up like a plug of tobacco to stop him running after +us, I left him there and went away." + +"What, you went away, Michael, leaving the man thus gagged and bound on +a desert isle?" + +"What would you have had me do with him, Captain?" + +"Oh, perhaps it would have been better to kill him, than leave him +exposed to such a horrible punishment." + +"He had been so precious tender to you, hadn't he, Captain? Stuff! Pity +for such a ferocious brute would be madness on your part; besides, the +fiend always protects his creatures, you may be sure, and I am certain +that he has escaped." + +"How so?" + +"Hang it, he didn't swim off to Saint Honorat; his people were probably +concealed somewhere: tired of not seeing him return, they will have +set out to seek him, and picked him up where I put him to bed; he will +probably have got off with gnawing the bit for two or three hours." + +"Well, that is possible, Michael, and even probable. Where are you +taking us?" + +"Zounds, you are the commander here, Captain; we will go wherever you +please." + +"I will tell you, but first let us land the Major, for I fancy he +wishes to be free of our company as much as we do of his." + +At this moment Bowline's voice was heard. + +"Hilloh, Michael," he shouted, "we have a large vessel to windward." + +"Confusion!" said the sailor, "Has she hoisted her colours?" + +"Yes; she is a Norwegian." + +"That will be a good opportunity for you, Major," said the Count. + +"Eh, helmsman," Michael shouted, without awaiting the Major's answer, +"steer down to the Norwegian." + +The Major considered it useless to protest. + +Two hours later the vessels were within speaking distance: the +stranger was bound for Helsingfors, and the captain consented to take +the passenger offered him. + +The Major was consequently transported on board, with everything +belonging to him. + +"Now, Captain," said Michael, when the boat had returned, "where shall +we steer?" + +"Let us go to the islands," the Count answered sadly, "henceforth we +shall only find a shelter there and taking a last glance at the coast +of France, whose outline was beginning to fade away in the distant +horizon," he muttered, with a sigh, and concealing his face sorrowfully +in his hands, "Farewell, France!" + +In these two words was exhaled the last human feeling that remained at +the bottom of the heart of this man who had been so tried by adversity, +and who, vanquished by despair, was going to ask of the new world the +vengeance which the old world so obstinately refused him. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +THE BEGINNING OF THE ADVENTURE. + + +The seventeenth century was a period of transition between the middle +ages, that were exhaling their last sigh, and the modern era, which the +great thinkers of the eighteenth century were destined to constitute so +splendidly. + +Under the repeated blows of the implacable Cardinal de Richelieu, +that gloomy filler of the unity of the despotic power of kings, an +immense reaction had been effected in ideas. It was a silent reaction, +that from the outset sapped the minister's work, and he was far from +suspecting its causes or power. It was more especially in the latter +half of the seventeenth century that the world offered a strange +spectacle. + +At that period, the Spaniards, who were possessors, by the right of +force, of the greater part of America, where they had multiplied +colonies, were masters of the sea which the celebrated "broom of +Holland" had not yet swept. The English navy was only beginning to +be formed, and, in spite of the continuous efforts of Richelieu, the +French navy was not in existence. + +Suddenly several adventurers sprang up, no one knew whence, who, alone, +castaways of civilization, men of all classes, from the highest to +the most humble, belonging to all nations, but chiefly to the French, +perched themselves like vultures on an imperceptible islet in the +Atlantic, and undertook to contend against the Spanish power, after +declaring a merciless war on their private authority. Attacking the +Spanish fleet with unheard-of audacity, and, like a gadfly fastened to +a lion's flank, holding in check the Spanish Colossus, they compelled +it to treat with them on equal terms, with no other help but their +courage and their energetic will. + +In a few years their incredible exploits and audacious coups de main +inspired the Spaniards with such terror, and acquired for themselves +such a great and merited reputation, that the disinherited of fortune, +the seekers of adventures, flocked from all parts of the world to the +island that served them as a refuge, and their number was so enormously +augmented, that they almost succeeded in forming themselves into a +nationality by the sole force of their will, and their boldness. Let +us say in a few words, who these men were, and what was the origin of +their strange fortune. + +For this purpose we must return to the Spaniards. + +The latter, after their immense discoveries in the New World, had +obtained from Pope Alexander VI. a bull which conceded to them the +exclusive possession of the two Americas. + +Supported by this bull, and considering themselves the sole owners of +the New World, the Spaniards tried to keep all other nations away from +it, and began to treat as corsairs all the vessels they came across +between the two tropics. + +Their maritime power, and the important part they played at that time +on the American continent did not leave the governments the power of +protesting, as they would have desired, against this odious tyranny. + +Then it happened that English and French outfitters, excited by the +thirst of gain, and paying no heed to the Spanish pretensions, equipped +vessels which they dispatched to the so-coveted rich regions, to cut +off the Spanish transports, plunder the American coast, and fire the +town. + +Treated as pirates, these bold sailors frankly accepted the position +offered them, committed awful excesses wherever they landed, carried +off rich spoil, and despising the law of nations, and not caring +whether the Spaniards were at war or not with the countries to which +they belonged, they attacked them wherever they met them. + +The Spaniards, entirely engaged with rich possessions in Mexico, Peru, +and generally on the Continent, which were mines of inexhaustible +wealth for them, had committed the fault of neglecting the Antilles, +which stretch from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of Maracaibo, and +only established colonies in the four large islands of that archipelago. + +Hidden in bays behind the windings of the coast, the adventurers dashed +suddenly at the Spanish vessels, carried them by boarding, and then +returned ashore to share the plunder. + +The Spaniards, in spite of the great number of their vessels, and the +active watch they kept up, could no longer traverse the Caribbean Sea, +which the adventurers had selected as the scene of their exploits, +without running the risk of obstinate engagements with men, whom the +smallness and lightness of their vessels rendered almost intangible. + +This wandering life possessed such charms for the adventurers, who had +assumed the characteristic name of filibusters or freebooters, that +for a long time the idea did not occur to them of forming a permanent +settlement among the islands, which they employed as a temporary +retreat. + +Things were in this state when, in 1625, a cadet of Normandy, of the +name of d'Esnambuc, to whom the law of entail left no hope of fortune, +except what he could acquire by his industry or courage, fitted out at +Dieppe a brigantine of about seventy tons, on board which he placed +four guns and forty resolute men, and set out to chase the Spaniards +and try to enrich himself by some good prize. + +On arriving at the Caymans, small islands situated between Cuba and +Jamaica, he suddenly came across the track of a Spanish vessel bearing +thirty-five guns and a crew of three hundred and fifty men; it was a +critical situation for the corsair. + +D'Esnambuc, without giving the Spaniards time to look about them, +steered down and attacked them. The action lasted for three hours with +extraordinary obstinacy; the Dieppois defended themselves so well, that +the Spaniards despairing of conquest and having lost one-half their +crew, were the first to decline fighting, and shamefully fled from the +small vessel. + +Still, the latter had suffered severely, and could be hardly kept above +water, ten men had been killed, and the rest of the crew, being covered +with wounds, were not worth much more. + +As the isle of Saint Kitts was no great distance off, d'Esnambuc +reached it with much difficulty, and took refuge there to careen his +vessel, and cure his wounded. Then calculating, that, for the success +of his future expeditions, he required a sure retreat, he resolved to +establish himself on this island. + +St. Kitts, which the Caribs called Liamuiga, is situated in 17 to 18 +degrees N. latitude and 65 W. longitude. It is 23 leagues W.N.W. of +Antigua, and about 3 leagues to the N.W. of Guadeloupe, and is one of +the Caribbean Islands. + +The general aspect of this island is remarkably beautiful, it is +commanded by Mount Misery, an extinct volcano, three thousand five +hundred feet high, which occupies the whole northwest part, and +gradually descends in lower ranges, till it dies away on the South in +the plains of the Basse terre. + +The barrenness of the mountains forms a striking contrast with the +fertility of the plains. + +The valleys display a really extraordinary wealth of vegetation, while +the mountains only offer to the eye a confused chaos of broken rocks, +whose interstices are filled up with a clayey matter that checks all +vegetation. + +Water is rare, and of a bad quality, for the few streams that descend +from Mount Misery are strongly impregnated with saline particles, to +which strangers find a difficulty in growing accustomed. + +But a precious thing for the filibusters, Saint Kitts possesses two +magnificent ports, well sheltered and easy of defence, and its coasts +are serrated with deep bays, where, in case of danger, their light +vessels would easily find a shelter. + +D'Esnambuc, on landing, found several refugee Frenchmen who lived on +good terms with the Caribs, and who not only received him with open +arms, but joined him and selected him as their leader. + +By a singular chance, on the same day that the Dieppois landed at St. +Kitts, English freebooters commanded by Captain Warner, who had also +suffered in an engagement with the Spaniards, took refuge at another +point in it. + +The corsairs of the two nations who could not be separated by any +idea of conquest, agriculture, or commerce, and who pursued the same +object, fighting the Spaniards, and establishing a refuge against the +common enemy, easily came to an understanding; then, after dividing the +island, they settled down side by side, and lived for a long time on +excellent terms, which nothing disturbed. + +On one occasion they even combined their arms against the Caribs, who, +alarmed by the progress of their new settlement, attempted to expel +them. + +The filibusters made a horrible carnage among the Indians, and forced +them to implore for mercy. + +A few months after, Warner and d'Esnambuc put out to sea again; the +latter proceeded to Paris, the former to London, each for the purpose +of soliciting the protection of his government for the rising colony. + +As usual, these men, who at the beginning had only sought a temporary +refuge, now felt a desire to see the development of a settlement +founded by themselves, and which in a short time had assumed a real +importance. + +Cardinal de Richelieu, ever disposed to favour projects tending to +augment the foreign power of France, received the filibuster with the +greatest distinction, entered into his views, and formed a company, +called "The Company of the Islands," in order to promote the interests +of the colony. + +The capital was 45,000 livres, of which Richelieu subscribed for his +part 10,000. + +D'Esnambuc was invested with the supreme command. + +Among the claims stipulated in his commission there is one which we +must quote, owing to its strangeness, for it imposed on white men in +America a temporary slavery harsher even than that of the Negro. + +This is the clause, whose sinister consequences we shall see developed +during the course of this story. + +"No labourer intended for the colony will be allowed to embark, unless +he engages to remain for three years in the service of the company, +which will have the right to employ him on any task it thinks proper, +without granting him the right to complain or break the contract +entered into by him." + +These labourers were called Engages or "thirty-six monthers," a polite +way of getting rid of the word slave. + +Captain Warner, who had been more highly favoured, returned with a +large body of colonists. Still the good understanding was kept up for +some time between the two nations; but the English took advantage of +the weakness of the French, who could not oppose their usurpations, to +encroach on their rights, and formed a fresh settlement at Nevis, the +next island to St. Kitts. + +Still d'Esnambuc did not despair of the fate of the colony. He +proceeded again to France, and solicited of the Cardinal help in men +and money, to repulse the undertakings of his troublesome neighbours. + +Richelieu granted his request. + +By his orders, Rear Admiral de Cussac arrived at St. Kitts, with six +heavily armed ships; he surprised ten English vessels in the roads, +captured three, sank three others, and put the rest to flight. + +The English made no further attempts to leave their boundaries, and +peace was re-established. + +M. de Cussac, after supplying the colony with rum and provisions, set +sail, and went to found a settlement on St. Eustache, an island four +leagues N. W. of St. Kitts. + +The Spaniards, however, who, since the appearance of the filibusters in +American waters, had suffered so greatly from their depredations, saw +them with great alarm settling permanently on the West India islands. + +They understood of what importance it was to them not to allow fixed +settlements in these regions, unless they wished to see their colonies +destroyed and their commerce ruined. + +They consequently resolved to act vigorously against those fellows whom +they regarded as pirates, and to utterly destroy their lurking places, +which had already acquired formidable proportions. + +In consequence Admiral don Fernando de Toledo, whom the court of +Madrid had placed at the head of a powerful fleet, sent in 1630 to +Brazil to fight the Dutch, received orders to destroy in passing, the +viper's nest formed by the filibusters at St. Kitts. + +The sudden apparition of this immense force off the island filled the +inhabitants with stupor. The united resources of the English and French +adventurers and their desperate courage were not sufficient to avert +the danger that menaced them, and repulse so formidable an attack. + +After a desperate fight, in which a great number of filibusters, +especially Frenchmen, were killed, the others got into their light +canoes and fled to the adjacent isles of St. Bartholomew, Antigua, St. +Martin, and Montserrat, or to any place in short where they hoped to +find a temporary refuge. + +The English, we are unfortunately compelled to state, shamefully +fled at the beginning of the action, and eventually asked leave to +capitulate. + +One half of them were sent to England on board Spanish ships, while the +rest engaged to evacuate the island as soon as possible,--a promise +which was forgotten immediately after the departure of the Spanish +fleet. + +This expedition was the only one that Spain seriously attempted against +the filibusters. + +The French soon left the islands where they had sought refuge, and +returned to St. Kitts, where they re-established themselves, though +not without a quarrel with the English, who had taken advantage of the +opportunity to seize their land, but whom they forced again beyond +their old borders. + +It is a singular fact, which proves that the filibusters were not +bandits and nameless men, as attempts have been made to brand them, +that the inhabitants of St. Kitts were remarkable beyond all the +other colonists for the gentleness and urbanity of their manners; the +traditions of politeness left by the first Frenchmen who settled there, +have been maintained even to the present day; in the eighteenth century +it was called the Gentle Island, and there is a proverb in the Antilles +to the effect, that "the nobility were at St. Kitts, the citizens at +Guadeloupe, the soldiers at Martinique, and the peasants at Grenada." + +Things remained for a long time in the state we have just described; +the filibusters, growing bolder and bolder through the Spanish +cowardice, enlarged the scene of their exploits, and retaining a bitter +memory of the sack of their island, felt a double hatred for the +Spaniards, who had branded them with the name of Ladrones (robbers). +They no longer displayed any moderation, and seated in the light canoes +that composed their entire fleet, they watched for the rich transports +from Mexico, dashed boldly aboard them, carried them, and returned to +St. Kitts loaded with plunder. + +The colony prospered, the land was well cultivated, and the plantations +were carefully made. + +For these men, the majority of whom had no hope left of ever returning +to their native land, had performed their work with the feverish +ardor of people who are creating for themselves a new nationality +and preparing a last asylum, so that only a few years after the +destruction of the colony by the Spaniards, St. Kitts had again become +a flourishing colony, thanks in the first instance to its fertility and +the energy and intelligence of its inhabitants, but above all to the +incessant toil of the engages of the company. + +We have now to explain what these poor fellows were and the fate they +met with at the hands of the colonists. + +We have already stated that the company sent to the islands, men whom +they had engaged for three years. + +They accepted anybody, workmen belonging to all trades, even surgeons +who, persuading themselves that they were destined to carry on their +own profession in the colonies, allowed themselves to be seduced by the +fair promises which the company did not hesitate to lavish. + +But once their consent was given, that is to say, signed, the company +regarded them as men belonging to it body and soul; and when they +reached the colonies, agents _sold_ then for three years to the +planters, at the rate of thirty or forty crowns a head, and did so in +the broad daylight and in the governor's presence. + +They thus became real slaves, subject to the adventurers of the colony, +and condemned to the rudest tasks. + +Hence, the poor wretches, so unworthily abused, beaten terribly and +worn out by a fatigue under a deadly climate, generally succumbed ere +they had attained the third year, which was to set them at liberty. + +This was carried so far that the masters at last attempted to prolong +the stipulated slavery beyond three years. Toward the end of 1632, the +colony of St. Kitts incurred great dangers, for the engages whose time +was up and whom their masters refused liberty, took up arms, organized +a resistance, and prepared to attack the colonists with that energy of +desperation which no force can resist. M. d'Esnambuc only succeeded in +making them lay down their arms and arrest bloodshed by conceding their +just demands. + +At a later date, when the sad condition in which the company's agents +placed the engages, became known in France, it became almost impossible +for the latter to find volunteers; hence they were obliged to go about +the roads and highways to enlist vagabonds whom they intoxicated and +induced to sign, while in that condition, an engagement which it was +impossible to break. + +We will dwell the more earnestly on this point, because during the +course of our narrative, we shall have frequently to revert to the +engages. We will only add one word about the wretches whom England sent +to the colonies under the same conditions. + +If the fate of the French engages was frightful, that of the English, +history proves to us, was horrible. + +They were treated with the most atrocious barbarity. They formed an +engagement for seven years, and then, at the end of that time, when +the moment to regain their liberty had at length arrived, they were +intoxicated, and advantage was taken of their condition to make them +sign a second engagement for the same period. + +Cromwell, after the sack of Drogheda, sold more than 30,000 Irish for +Jamaica and Barbados. + +Nearly two thousand of these wretched succeeded in escaping on board a +vessel, which, in their ignorance of navigation, they allowed to drift +and the current cast it ashore at Saint Domingo. The poor fellows, not +knowing where they were, and being without food or resources, all died +of hunger. Their piled-up bones, bleached by time, remained for several +years on Cape Tiburon, at a spot which was called Irish Bay on account +of the terrible catastrophe, and still bears the name. + +The reader will pardon us for having entered into such lengthened +details about the establishment of the filibusters of St. Kitts; but +as it was on this little island that the terrible association of +adventurers, whose history we have undertaken to tell, had its birth, +it is necessary to make the reader fully acquainted with these facts, +so that we might not be obliged to return to them hereafter. Now, we +will resume our narrative to which the preceding chapters serve, so to +speak, as a prologue, and leaping at one bound across the space that +separates Sainte Marguerite from the Caribbean islands, we will proceed +to St. Kitts a few months after the escape, for we dare not say the +liberation, of Count Ludovic de Barmont Senectaire. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +THE COUNCIL OF THE FILIBUSTERS. + + +Several years elapsed without producing any notable changes in the +colony. + +The adventurers still continued, with the same obstinacy, their +expeditions against the Spaniards; but as their expeditions were +isolated, and had no sort of organization, the losses experienced by +the Spaniards, though very great, were much less considerable than +might be anticipated. + +About this time, a lugger manned by forty resolute men, and armed with +four iron guns, anchored off St. Kitts, proudly displaying the French +flag at its stern. + +This vessel brought to the colony a fresh contingent of brave +adventurers. + +Immediately after their arrival, they landed, formed the acquaintance +of the inhabitants, and testified a desire to settle on the island. + +The chief, to whom his comrades gave the name of Montbarts, and +for whom they appeared to have an unbounded devotion, informed the +colonists, that like them, he professed a profound hatred for the +Spaniards, and that he was followed by two ships of that nation, which +he had captured, and had given the prize masters orders to steer for +St. Kitts. + +These good men were received with shouts of joy by the inhabitants, and +Montbarts had a narrow escape from being carried in triumph. + +As he had announced, three or four days later two Spanish vessels +anchored at St. Kitts. They bore at their stern the Castilian flag +reversed, in sign of humiliation, while above it proudly fluttered the +French ensign. + +There was one horrible circumstance, however, which chilled even the +bravest with horror. These vessels bore at their bowsprit, and at their +cross-jack, as well as at the main and foreyard, groups of corpses. By +Montbarts order, the crews of the two vessels had been hung, without +showing mercy even to a boy. + +The chief of the adventurers generously gave the cargo of the two ships +to the colonists, only asking for sufficient land in return, on which +to build a house. + +This request was at once granted; the newcomers then disarmed their +lugger, came ashore, and began their installation. + +Montbarts was a young man of about seven or eight-and-twenty, with +manly and marked features, and a fixed and piercing eye. The expression +of his face was essentially sad, mocking, and cruel: a dead pallor; +spread over his face, added, were it possible, a strangeness to his +whole person. Tall and powerfully built, though supple and graceful, +his gestures were elegant and noble, while his speech was soft, and +the terms he employed were carefully chosen. He exercised a singular +fascination over those who approached him, or whom accident brought +into relation with him. They felt at once repulsed and attracted by +this singular man, who seemed the only one of his species on the earth, +and who, without appearing to be anxious for it, imposed his will upon +all, gained obedience by a sign or a frown, and who only seemed to live +when he was in the thick of a fight, when fires crossed above his head, +forming him an aureole of flame, when corpses were piled up around him, +when blood flowed beneath his feet, and when bullets whistled in his +ears, and when he rushed drunk with powder and carnage upon the deck of +a Spanish ship. + +Such was what was said of him by his comrades, and by those who had +been struck by his singular countenance, and wished to know him: but +beyond this moral and physical portrait of the man, it was impossible +to obtain the slightest information as to his past life. Not one of the +sailors who came with him knew the slightest episode of it, or, as was +probable, refused to discover anything. + +Hence, when the colonists perceived that all their questions would +remain unanswered, they gave up the useless task of asking them. They +accepted Montbarts for what it pleased him to be, the more so, as his, +former life not only did not concern them, but also interested them +very slightly. + +The adventurer only remained ashore for the period strictly necessary +to establish his household comfortably; then, one day, without warning +anybody, he went on board his lugger with the crew he had brought +with him, only leaving five or six men at St. Kitts to manage his +plantation, and set sail. A month after, he returned, having in tow +a richly laden Spanish vessel, with the crew hanging to the yards as +before. + +Montbarts went on thus for a whole year, never remaining more than two +or three days ashore, then going off, and returning with a prize with +its entire crew suspended from the yards. + +Matters attained such a pitch, the audacity of the daring corsair was +crowned with such success, that the rumour of it reached France. Then, +the Dieppe adventurers, comprehending all the profit they might derive +from this interloping war, fitted out vessels, and went to join the +colonists of St. Kitts, for the purpose of organising a hunt of the +Spaniards, and carrying it out on a grand scale. + +Filibusterism was about to enter on its second phase, and become a +regular association. + +Montbarts had built his hatto, or principal residence, at the spot +where the English afterwards formed Sandy-point battery. + +It was an excellently chosen position, militarily speaking, where, in +case of attack, it was easy not only to act on the defensive, but also +to repulse the enemy with serious loss. + +This hatto, built of trunks of trees, and covered with palm leaves, +stood nearly at the extremity of a cape, whence the greater part of +the island and the sea for a considerable distance on the right and +left could be commanded. This cape, which was nearly precipitous, +and one hundred and fifty feet high seawards, could only be reached +by a narrow, rough path, intersected at regular distances by strong +palisades, and wide, deep ditches, which had to be crossed on planks, +that were easy to remove. Two four-pounder guns, placed in position at +the head of the path guarded the approaches. + +This hatto was divided into four rather large rooms, furnished with a +luxury and comfort rather singular in an out-of-the-way island like St. +Kitts, but which was fully justified by the usual occupation of the +owner, who merely required to take any furniture that suited him out of +his prizes. + +A long pole, serving as a flagstaff, planted in front of the door of +the hatto, displayed in the breeze a white ensign with a red jack in +the right hand top corner. This flag was that of the corsairs, which +Montbarts sometimes changed for one all black, having in its centre a +death's head and crossbones, all white. This was an ill-omened flag, +which, when hoisted at the peak, signified that the conquered had no +hope of mercy to expect. + +It was a warm day towards the end of May, about eighteen months after +Montbarts' arrival at St. Kitts. Several persons, stern looking and +rough mannered, almost armed to the teeth, were conversing together as +they followed the path that led from the plain to the platform on which +Montbarts' hatto stood. + +It was nearly ten o'clock at night, and the sky was transparent and +clear. Thousands of stars sparkled in the heavens, the moon profusely +shed her white light, and the atmosphere was so pellucid, that the +smallest objects were visible at a long distance. There was not a +breath in the air, or a rustle among the leaves; the sea, calm as +a mirror, died away with a soft and mysterious murmur on the sandy +beach; the fireflies buzzed noisily, and at times dashed against the +pedestrians, who contented themselves with driving them away with their +hands, without, on that account, interrupting a conversation which +seemed greatly to interest them. + +These men were five in number, and all in the prime of life. Their +features were energetically marked, and their faces revealed audacity +and resolution carried to the highest pitch. Their slightly curved +shoulders, and the way in which they straddled their legs in walking, +while swaying their arms, would have caused them to be recognised as +sailors at the first glance, had not their dress sufficiently proved +the fact. + +They were talking in English. + +"Stuff!" one of them was saying at the moment when we join in their +conversation; "We must see. All that glistens is not gold, as they say +down there. Besides, I wish for nothing better than to be mistaken, +after all." + +"No matter," another replied; "in accordance with your laudable custom, +you begin by expressing a doubt." + +"Not at all," the first speaker sharply interposed; "a fear, at the +most." + +"Well," a third said; "we shall soon know what we have to expect, for +here we are halfway up the path, thank Heaven!" + +"That demon of a Montbarts," the first went on, "has famously chosen +his position. His hatto is impregnable, on my word as a man." + +"Yes. I do not think that the _gavachos_[1] will ever venture to +attempt an escalade. But, by the way," he added suddenly, and halted; +"suppose we are taking a useless walk, and Montbarts is not at home?" + +"I will answer for your finding him at home, Red Stocking, so set your +mind at rest." + +"How do you know?" asked the man addressed by this singular name. + +"My God! Don't you see his flag hoisted at the masthead?" + +"That is true. I had not noticed it." + +"But now you see it, I suppose?" + +"I should be blind if I didn't." + +"Well," one of the filibusters said, who had hitherto maintained +silence; "all this does not tell us why the meeting is to be held. Do +you know anything about it, brother?" + +"No more than you," Red Stocking replied. "It is probably some daring +project which Montbarts is meditating, and wishes us to take a part in." + +"But you know that he has not only summoned us, but also the principal +French filibusters?" + +"In that case I am quite at sea," Red Stocking remarked. "However, it +is of little consequence at present, as I presume we shall soon know +what is wanted of us." + +"That is true, because we have arrived." + +In fact, they reached at this moment the head of the path, and found +themselves on the platform exactly facing the hatto, whose door was +open as if inviting them to enter. + +A very bright light poured through the doorway, and the sound of loud +talking testified that there was a rather large gathering inside the +hatto. + +The Englishmen continued to advance, and soon found themselves on the +threshold. + +"Come in, brothers," Montbarts' harmonious voice was heard saying from +the interior; "come in, we are waiting for you." + +They entered. + +Six or seven persons were assembled in the room, which they entered: +they were the most renowned chiefs of the filibusters. Among them were +Belle Tete (handsome head), the ferocious native of Dieppe, who had +murdered more than three hundred of his engages, whom he accused of +dying of indolence; Pierre le Grand, the Breton, who always boarded +the Spanish galleons in the disguise of a female; Alexandre Bras de +fer (iron arm), a young and apparently frail and delicate man, with +effeminate features, but in reality endowed with a prodigious and +herculean vigour, and destined hereafter to become one of the heroes of +the buccaneering trade; Roc, surnamed the Brazilian, although born at +Groningen, a town in East Friesland; and lastly, two old acquaintances +of ours, Bowline and Michael the Basque, who both arrived at St. Kitts +at the same time as Montbarts, and whose reputation as filibusters was +already great. + +As for the English, who had just entered the hatto, five in number; +they were Red Stocking, whose name was mentioned in the preceding +conversation; Morgan, a young man hardly eighteen years of age, with +a haughty face and aristocratic manners; Jean David, a Dutch sailor, +settled in the eastern part of the island; Bartholomew, a Portuguese, +also settled in the English colony; and lastly, William Drake, who had +taken an oath never to attack the Spaniards, unless they were in the +proportion of fifteen to one, so great was the contempt he professed +for the proud nation. + +It was, as we see, a select gathering of all the great filibusters of +the day. + +"You are welcome, brothers," said Montbarts; "I am glad to see you, for +I was awaiting you impatiently. Here are pipes, tobacco, and spirits; +smoke and drink," he added, pointing to a table placed in the centre +of the room. + +The filibusters sat down, lighted pipes, and filled glasses. + +"Brothers," Montbarts resumed a moment later, "I have requested you to +come to my hatto for two reasons of great importance, and of which the +second necessarily depends on the first: are you prepared to listen to +me?" + +"Speak, Montbarts," William Drake answered in the name of all; "you, +whom the gavachos have surnamed the Exterminator, a name I envy you, +brother, for you can only wish the good of filibustering." + +"That is the very subject," Montbarts answered. + +"I was sure of it, brother. Speak, we will listen to you religiously." + +They prepared to listen attentively. All these energetic men, who +recognised no laws but those themselves had made, knew not what envy +was, and were ready to discuss with the most entire good faith the +proposals which they foresaw Montbarts desired to make to them. + +The latter reflected for a moment, and then spoke in a gentle voice, +whose sympathetic accent soon captivated his audience. + +"Brothers," he said, "I will be brief, for you are picked men, with +warm hearts and firm hands, with whom a long speech is not only +useless, but also ridiculous Since my arrival at St. Kitts, I have +been studying filibustering, its life, manners, and aspirations, and +I have recognised with sorrow that the results do not justify its +efforts. What are we doing? Nothing, or almost nothing. In spite of our +indomitable courage, the Spaniards laugh at us; too weak, owing to +our isolation, to inflict serious losses on them, we expend our energy +in vain; we shed our blood, to take from them a few wretched vessels. +It is not thus that matters ought to go on; this is not the vengeance +which each of us dreamed of. What is the cause of our relative weakness +toward our formidable enemy? The isolation, to which I alluded just +now, and which will forever paralyze our efforts." + +"That is true," Red Stocking muttered. + +"But how can we alter it?" David asked. + +"Alas!" William Drake added, "The remedy is unfortunately impossible." + +"We are adventurers merely, and not a power," said Belle Tete. + +Montbarts smiled--that pale, peculiar smile of his, which turned the +heart cold. + +"You are mistaken, brothers," he said, "the remedy is found; if we +like, we shall soon be a power." + +"Speak, speak, brother," all the adventurers exclaimed, springing up. + +"This is my plan, brothers," he continued; "we are here twelve, of all +nations, but with one heart; the flower of filibusterism, I declare +loudly; without fear of contradiction, for each of us has furnished +proofs of it, and what proofs! Well, let us join and form a family; +from our share of the prizes let us set aside a sum intended to form +the common treasury, and while remaining at liberty to organize private +expeditions, let us swear never to injure or thwart one another, to +offer mutual help when needed, to labour with all our power to the +ruin of Spain, and while keeping our association secret from our +comrades and brothers, to combine our forces when the moment arrives to +crush our implacable enemy at one blow. Such, brothers, is the first +proposal I have to make to you. I await your answer." + +There was a momentary silence; the filibusters understood the +importance of their brother's proposal, and the strength it would give +them in the future. They exchanged glances, whispered together, and at +length William Drake replied in the name of all-- + +"Brother," he said, "you have just elucidated in a few words a question +which has hitherto remained in obscurity. You have perfectly defined +the cause of our weakness, by finding at the same time, as you promised +us, not the remedy, but the means to render an association hitherto due +to accident and almost useless, really formidable and useful: but this +is not all. This association, to which you allude, requires a head to +direct it, and ensure the success of its efforts at the right moment. +It is therefore necessary that while our association remains secret, +and, as it were, not in existence at all, in every point that does +not affect its object, one of us should be appointed chief; a chief, +the more powerful, because we shall be devoted to him, and aid him in +working for the general good." + +"Is this really your opinion, brothers?" Montbarts asked. "Do you +accept my proposal such as I made it, and as William Drake has modified +it?" + +"We accept it so," the filibusters replied with one voice. + +"Very good. Still I think that this chief, to whom you refer, should +be unanimously elected by us; that his authority may be taken from him +at a meeting of the assembly by a majority of voices, if he do not +strictly fulfil the conditions he has accepted; that, as guardian of +the treasury, he must always be ready to furnish his accounts, and +that his appointment should not exceed five years, unless renewed." + +"All that is fair," said Red Stocking; "no one can understand the +general good better than you, brother." + +"Hence," David remarked, "we shall be partners; no quarrel, no +dissension can well be possible among us." + +"While ostensibly retaining our free will and most complete +independence," Belle Tete reminded. + +"Yes," Montbarts replied. + +"Now, brothers," said Drake, rising, and doffing his cap, "listen to +me: I, William Drake, swear on my faith and honour, the most complete +devotion to the association of the Twelve, submitting myself beforehand +to undergo the punishment my brothers may please to inflict on me, even +death, if I were to betray the secret of the Association, and break my +oath. Heaven help me!" + +After Drake each filibuster uttered the same oath in a firm voice, and +with a solemn accent. + +They resumed their seats. + +"Brothers," said Montbarts, "what we have hitherto done is nothing; +it is only the dawn of the new era which is about to open, for the +glorious days of filibustering are beginning--twelve men like us, +united by the same thought, must perform miracles." + +"We will do so, be assured, brother," Morgan said, as he carelessly +picked his teeth with a gold pin. + +"Now, brothers, before I submit my second proposal to you, I believe we +had better elect a president." + +"That is true," said David; "as the company is formed, let us elect the +president." + +"One word first," said Michael the Basque, stepping into the centre of +the circle. + +"Speak, brother." + +"I wish to add this: every member of the Association who falls into the +hands of the gavachos shall be delivered by the other members, whatever +perils they may have to incur in doing so." + +"We swear it!" the filibusters shouted enthusiastically. + +"Unless it is impossible," Morgan said. + +"Nothing is impossible for us," William Drake remarked, rudely. + +"That is true, brother. You are right, I was mistaken," Morgan replied, +with a smile. + +"The society will be called that of The Twelve; only the death of +a member will allow another to be admitted, and he must be chosen +unanimously," Michael continued. + +"We swear it!" the filibusters exclaimed once more. + +"Now, brothers," said Bartholomew, "let us proceed to the election, by +ballot, in order to protect the liberty of the vote." + +"There are pens, ink, and paper on that table, brothers," Montbarts +remarked. + +"And here is my cap," Red Stocking said, with a laugh; "throw your +votes into it." + +And, removing his beaver skin cap, the filibuster laid it on the ground +in the middle of the room. + +Then the adventurers, with perfect order, rose one after the other, and +in turn went to write their vote, which they deposited, after rolling +up the paper, in Red Stocking's cap. + +Then all the adventurers returned to their seats: + +"Have we all voted?" David asked. + +"All!" the filibusters replied, in chorus. + +"Now, brother," Drake said to David, "since you hold the cap, proclaim +the result." + +David questioned his comrades with a glance, and they bowed their heads +in affirmation; then he took up the first roll that came to hand, +opened it, and read-- + +"Montbarts, the Exterminator." + +And passed on to a second. + +"Montbarts, the Exterminator," he read again. + +It was the same with the third, fourth, and so on up to the twelfth and +last--all bore the words-- + +"Montbarts, the Exterminator." + +It was a sinister challenge given to the Spanish nation, of whom this +man was the most obstinate enemy. + +Montbarts rose, took off his hat, and bowed gracefully to his comrades. + +"Brothers," he said, "I thank you--the confidence you place in me shall +not be disappointed." + +"Long live Montbarts, the Exterminator!" all the filibusters shouted, +impulsively. + +The terrible company of The Twelve was created. Filibusterism then +really became a formidable power. + + +[Footnote 1: Term of contempt for the Spaniards.] + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE SECOND PROPOSAL. + + +Montbarts allowed the enthusiasm of his comrades time to calm, and then +spoke again. + +There was no change in his appearance; nothing in his face denoted +the joy of triumph or of satisfied ambition; still the vote of his +companions, by nominating him Chief of the filibusters, had rendered +him in a moment a man more powerful than many a prince. His face was +just as impassive, his voice equally firm. + +"Brothers," he said, "do you remember that I had a second proposal to +make to you?" + +"That is true," William Drake replied--"speak, brother, we are +listening to you." + +"The second proposal is as follows: still, I must request you before +answering me to reflect fully on it. Your opinion must not be lightly +expressed, for, I repeat to you, and dwell on it in order that you may +thoroughly understand me, this proposition is most serious and grave. +In a word, it is this:--I propose to you to abandon the island of St. +Kitts, and choose another place of refuge, more convenient, and, above +all, safer for you." + +The filibusters gazed at him in amazement. + +"I will explain," he said, stretching out his arms as if to request +silence; "listen to me carefully, brothers, for what you are going to +hear interests you all. Our refuge is badly chosen, and too remote from +the centre of our expeditions; the difficulties we have to surmount in +returning to it, in consequence of the currents that make our ships +drift, and the contrary winds that oppose their speed, make us lose +precious time. Now, the Caribbean archipelago is composed, of more +than thirty islands, among which it is easy for us, it seems to me, to +choose the one that suits us best. This idea which I bring before you +today I have been revolving in my mind for a long time. I have not +limited my expeditions to the pursuit of the gavachos. I have also made +a voyage of discovery, and believe that I have found the spot suited +for us." + +"Whereabouts is it, brother?" David asked, making himself spokesman for +his companions. + +"I mean the island which the Spaniards call Hispaniola, and you know as +St. Domingo." + +"But, brother," Bartholomew here interposed, "that island, which, I +allow, is immense, and covered with magnificent forests, is inhabited +by the Spaniards; if we went there it would be really placing ourselves +in the wolf's throat." + +"I thought as you do before I had assured myself of the reality of the +fact, but now I am certain of the contrary; not alone is the island +only partially occupied by the gavachos, but we shall also find allies +in the parties they have despised." + +"Allies!" the filibusters exclaimed, in surprise. + +"Yes, brothers, and in this wise.--When Don Fernando de Toledo attacked +St. Kitts, the French who succeeded in escaping from the massacre +took refuge on the adjacent islands, as you are aware; many of them +went further, and reached St. Domingo, where they found a refuge. +That was bold, was it not? But, I repeat to you, the Spaniards occupy +scarce one-half of it. At the period of the discovery they left some +horned cattle on the island; these beasts have propagated, and now +exist in herds. The immense savannahs of St. Domingo are covered with +innumerable herds of wild oxen which graze on all the uninhabited part; +these herds, as you are aware, are a certain resource for revictualling +our ships, and, moreover, the vicinity of the Spanish colonists offers +us the means to satiate our hatred upon them; besides, our companions +who have been established on the island for some years past wage an +incessant and obstinate war upon them." + +"Yes, yes," said Belle Tete, pensively; "I understand what you are +saying to us, brother. You are right up to a certain point; but let us +discuss the matter quietly and coolly, like serious men." + +"Speak," Montbarts replied; "each of us has the right to express his +opinion when the common interest is concerned." + +"Brave though we are, and we may boast of it frankly, for, thank +heaven, our courage is well known, we are not strong enough for all +that--at present at least--to measure ourselves against the Spanish +power on land; there is a difference between capturing a ship and +facing an entire population. You allow that, I suppose, brother?" + +"Certainly I do." + +"Very good, I will go on. It is evident that the Spaniards, who up to +the present have probably not noticed them, or, at any rate, owing +to their small number and slight importance, have disdained the +adventurers established on the desert part of the island; when they see +that this establishment, which they supposed to be temporary, and due +to the caprice of our brothers, is becoming permanent, and assuming the +menacing proportions of a colony, they will refuse to permit it--what +will happen then? This: they will collect all their forces, assail us +suddenly, destroy us after a desperate resistance, and ruin at one +blow, not only our new colony, but also our hopes of vengeance." + +These remarks of Belle Tete, which displayed close logic, produced a +certain effect on the filibusters, who began exchanging meaning looks; +but Montbarts did not allow the spirit of opposition time to spread, +and at once went on to say-- + +"You would be right, brother, if, as you suppose, we were to place our +principal establishment on St. Domingo; it is evident that we should be +crushed by numbers, and forced to retire disgracefully; but a man would +know me badly if he supposed that I, who have an implacable hatred of +these infamous gavachos, could possibly conceive such a plan for a +moment, if I had not previously assured myself about its success, and +the profit we shall derive from it." + +"Come, brother," Drake said, "explain yourself clearly; we are +listening to you with the most earnest attention." + +"To the northwest of St. Domingo, and only separated from it by a +narrow channel, there is an island about eight leagues long, surrounded +by rocks called the iron coast, which render any landing impossible, +except at the south, where there is a fine port, whose bottom is +composed of sand, and where vessels are sheltered from all winds, +which, besides, are not violent in those parts; there are also a few +sandy bays scattered along the coast, but they are only approachable +by canoes. This island is called Tortuga or Tortoise Island, owing +to its shape, which slightly resembles that animal. Here it is, +brothers, I propose that we should form our principal establishment, +or, if you prefer it, our headquarters. The Port of Peace, and Port +Margot, situated facing Tortoise Isle, will enable us to keep up an +easy communication with St. Domingo: sheltered in our island, as in +an impregnable fortress, we shall brave the efforts of the whole +Spanish power. But I do not wish to deceive you, and must tell you +everything; the Spaniards are on their guard; they have foreseen that +if buccaneering goes on, that is to say, if they do not succeed in +destroying us, the excellent position of that island would not escape +our notice, and that we should probably attempt to seize on it: hence +they have had it occupied by twenty-five soldiers, commanded by an +alferez. Do not smile, brothers; although the garrison is small, it +is sufficient, owing to the manner in which it is entrenched, and the +difficulties a landing offers; and then, too, it can easily obtain +reinforcements from the Grande Terre in a very short time. I have often +landed in disguise on Tortoise Isle. I have inspected it with the +greatest care, and hence you can attach the most entire confidence to +the information I am giving you." + +"Montbarts is right," Yoc, the Brazilian, said at this moment; "I know +Tortoise Isle, and, like him, I am persuaded that island will offer us +a far surer and more advantageous shelter than St. Kitts." + +"Now, brothers," Montbarts resumed, "reflect, and answer yes or no. If +you accept my offer I will prepare to realize my plan by seizing the +island; if you refuse, I will never mention it again." + +And, in order by his absence to give more liberty for discussion, the +adventurer left the room, and proceeded to the terrace in front of the +hatto, where he began walking up and down, apparently indifferent to +what was going on, but in his heart very anxious as to the result of +the deliberation. + +He had only been walking up and down for a few minutes, when a slight +whistle was audible a short distance off, so gently modulated, that +it needed all the sharpness of hearing with which the filibuster was +endowed, to catch it. + +He walked rapidly in the direction where this species of signal had +been heard. At the same moment, a man lying on the ground, and so +thoroughly concealed by the gloom that it was impossible to perceive +him unless he was known to be there, raised his head, and displayed +in the white moonbeams the copper face, and delicate and intelligent +features of a Carib. + +"Omopoua?" the filibuster said. + +"I am waiting!" the Indian laconically answered, as he sprang up at one +bound, and stood erect before him. + +Omopoua, that is to say, the leaper, was a young man of twenty-five +years of age at the most, of a tall and admirably proportioned stature, +whose skin had the gilded shade of Florentine bronze. He was naked, +with the exception of thin canvas drawers, fastening round his hips, +and falling nearly to his knees. His long, black hair, parted in the +centre of his head, fell on his shoulders on either side. He had no +other weapons but a long knife, and a bayonet passed through a cowhide +belt. + +"Has the man arrived?" Montbarts asked. + +"He has." + +"Has Omopoua seen him?" + +"Yes." + +"Does he fancy himself recognised?" + +"Only the eye of a determined foe could guess him beneath his disguise." + +"That is well! My brother will conduct me to him?" + +"I will lead the pale chief." + +"Good! Where shall I find Omopoua an hour after sunrise?" + +"Omopoua will be in his hut." + +"I will come there;" and, hearing several voices calling him from the +interior of the hatto, he said, "I reckon on the Indian's promise." + +"Yes, if the chief keeps his." + +"I shall keep it." + +After exchanging a last meaning look with the filibuster, the +Carib glided down the face of the cliff, and disappeared almost +instantaneously. + +Montbarts remained for a moment motionless, plunged in deep thought; +then, giving a sudden start, and passing his hand over his forehead, as +if to efface any sign of emotion, he hastily re-entered the hatto. + +The deliberation was ended. The filibusters had returned to their +seats, and Montbarts went back to his, and waited with affected +indifference, till one of his comrades thought proper to speak. + +"Brother," David then said, "we have thoroughly discussed your +proposal. My comrades authorize me to tell you that they accept it, but +they merely desire to know what means you intend to employ in carrying +out your plan, and insuring its success?" + +"Brothers, I thank you," Montbarts replied, "for giving me your +consent. As to the means I intend to employ in seizing Tortoise Isle, +permit me, for the present, to keep them secret, as the success of the +expedition depends on it. You need only be told that I do not wish to +compromise the interests of anyone, and that I intend to run all the +risk alone." + +"You do not understand me, brother, or else I have explained myself +badly," David replied. "If I asked you in what way you proposed to act, +I was not at all impelled by a puerile curiosity, but because, in so +serious a question, which interests the entire association, we have +resolved to accompany you, and to die or conquer with you. We wish +to share the honour of the triumph, or assume a part of the defeat." +Montbarts felt involuntarily affected by these generous words, so nobly +pronounced; and by a spontaneous movement he held out his hands to the +filibusters, who pressed them energetically, and said,-- + +"You are right, brothers. We must all share in the great work which, I +hope, will at length place us in the position to achieve great things. +We will all go to Tortoise Island. But I will ask you--and believe me +that I am not speaking thus through any ambitious motive--to let me +conduct the expedition." + +"Are you not our chief?" the filibusters exclaimed. + +"We will obey you according to the laws of buccaneering," David added. +"The man who conceives an expedition has alone the right to command. We +will be your soldiers." + +"That is settled, brothers. Tomorrow morning, at eleven, after +attending the sale of the new engages, who arrived from France the +day before yesterday, I will go to the governor, and tell him I am +preparing a fresh expedition, and enlistment can begin at once." + +"Not one of us will be missing at the rendezvous," said Belle Tete. "I +must buy two engages to fill the places of two idlers, who have just +died of sheer idleness." + +"That is settled," said Bartholomew. "At eleven o'clock we will all be +at Basse Terre." + +They then rose and prepared to retire: for the whole night had passed +away in these discussions, and the sun, although still beneath the +horizon, was already beginning to tinge it with a purple hue, that +testified it would soon appear. + +"By the way," Montbarts said, with an indifferent air to Morgan, whom +with the rest he accompanied to the head of the path; "if you are not +greatly attached to your Carib--I forget how you call him--" + +"Omopoua?" + +"Ah! yes. Well, I was saying that if you were not indisposed to part +with him, I should feel obliged by your letting me have him." + +"Do you want him?" + +"Yes. I think he will be useful to me." + +"In that case, take him, brother. I yield him to you, although he is a +good workman, and I am satisfied with him." + +"Thanks, brother. What value do you set on him?" + +"Well, I will not bargain with you, brother. I saw a rather handsome +fusil in your house. Give it to me, and take the Indian, and we shall +be quits." + +"Wait a minute, then." + +"Why?" + +"Because I will give you the fusil at once. You will send me the +Indian; or, if I have time, I will call and fetch him during the day." + +The filibuster returned to the hatto, took down the fusil, and carried +it to Morgan, who threw it on his shoulder with a movement of joy. + +"Well, that is settled," he said. "Good-bye, for the present." + +"We shall meet again soon," Montbarts answered, and they separated. + +Montbarts threw a thick cloak over his shoulders, put on a broad +brimmed hat, whose brim fell over his face, and concealed his features, +and then turning to Michael, said: + +"Mate, an important matter obliges me to go to Basse Terre; you will +go to our governor, the Chevalier de Fontenay, and without entering +into any details, and being very careful not to betray our secret, you +will simply warn him that I am preparing a fresh expedition." + +"Very good, mate, I will go," Michael answered. + +"You will then examine the lugger, and occupy yourself with Bowline, in +getting her ready to put to sea." + +After giving these instructions to the two sailors, Montbarts left the +house, and descended the cliff. + +The Chevalier de Fontenay, like M. d'Esnambuc, whom he had succeeded +two years before as governor of St. Kitts, was a cadet of Normandy, who +had come to the isles to try his fortune, and before becoming governor +had joined in many buccaneering expeditions. He was exactly the man +they wanted; he left them at liberty to act as they pleased, never +asked them for any accounts, understood at half a word, and contented +himself with raising a tithe on the prizes--a voluntary tribute which +the adventurers paid him in return for the protection he was supposed +to give them in the king's name by legitimating their position. + +The sun had risen, a fresh sea breeze caused the leaves to rustle, and +the birds were singing on the branches. Montbarts walked on hurriedly, +looking neither to the right nor left, and apparently plunged in deep +thought. + +On reaching the entrance of the village of Basse Terre, instead of +entering it, he skirted it, and going along a narrow path that crossed +a tobacco plantation, he went toward the interior of the island, +proceeding in the direction of Mount Misery, whose rise was already +perceptible beneath his feet. + +After a very long walk, the filibuster at length stopped at the +entrance of a dry gorge, on one of the slopes of which stood a wretched +hut of tree trunks, poorly covered with palm leaves. A man was standing +in the doorway of this cabin: on perceiving Montbarts he uttered a cry +of joy and rushed toward him, running over the rocks with the rapidity +and lightness of a deer. + +This man was Omopoua, the Carib; on coming up to the filibuster, he +fell on his knees. + +"Rise," the adventurer said to him, "what have you to thank me for?" + +"My master told me an hour ago that I no longer belonged to him, but to +you." + +"Well, did I not promise it to you?" + +"That is true, but the white men always promise, and never keep their +word." + +"You see a proof of the contrary; come, get up, your master has sold +you to me, it is true, but I give you your liberty; you have now but +one master, God." + +The Indian rose, laid his hand on his chest, tottered, his features +were contracted, and for a moment he seemed suffering from a violent +internal emotion, which in spite of all the power he had over himself, +he could not succeed in mastering. + +Montbarts, calm and gloomy, examined him attentively, while fixing a +scrutinizing glance upon him. + +At length the Indian succeeded in speaking, though his voice issued +from his throat like a whistle. + +"Omopoua was a renowned chief among his people," he said; "a Spaniard +had degraded him by making him a slave, through treachery, and selling +him like a beast of burden: you restore Omopoua to the rank from which +he ought never to have descended. It is well, you lose a bad slave, +but gain a devoted friend; were it not for you I should be dead--my +life belongs to you." + +Montbarts offered the Carib his hand, which he kissed respectfully. + +"Do you intend to remain at Saint Kitts, or would you like to return to +Haiti?" + +"The family of Omopoua," the Indian replied, "and what remains of his +people, are wandering about the savannahs of Bohis, but where you go, I +will go." + +"Very good, you shall follow me; now lead me to the man, you know whom." + +"At once." + +"Are you certain he is a Spaniard?" + +"I am." + +"You do not know for what motives he has entered the island?" + +"I do not." + +"And at what place has he sought shelter?" + +"With an Englishman." + +"In the English colony there?" + +"No; at Basse Terre." + +"All the better. What is the Englishman's name?" + +"Captain William Drake." + +"Captain Drake!" Montbarts exclaimed with surprise, "It is impossible." + +"It is so." + +"In that case, the Captain does not know him." + +"No; the man entered his house and asked for hospitality, and the +Captain could not refuse it to him." + +"That is true; go up to my hatto, take clothes, a fusil--in short, what +weapons you like, and come to me at Captain Drake's; if I am no longer +there, you will find me on the port; begone." + +Montbarts then turned back, and proceeded toward Basse Terre, while the +Carib went towards the hatto as the bird flies, according to Indian +custom. + +Basse Terre was the entrepot, or to speak more correctly, the +headquarters of the French colony: at the period when our story is laid +it was only a miserable township, built without order, according to the +caprice or convenience of each owner, an agglomeration of huts, rather +than a town, but producing at a distance a most picturesque effect +through this very chaos of houses of all shapes and sizes, thus grouped +along the seashore, in front of magnificent roads, filled with vessels +swinging at their anchors, and constantly furrowed by an infinite +number of canoes. + +A battery of six guns, built on an advanced point, defended the +entrance of the roads. + +But in this town, apparently so mean, dirty, and wretched, it was +possible to watch the circulation of the life full of sap, vigour, and +violence belonging to the strange inhabitants, unique in the world, who +formed its heterogeneous population. The narrow gloomy streets were +crowded with people of every description and colour, who came and went +with a busy air. + +There were pothouses at the corner of all the streets and squares, +perambulating dealers shouted their goods in a ropy voice, and public +criers, followed by a crowd which was swelled at every step by all the +idlers, announced with a mighty noise of trumpets and drums, the sale +on that very day of the engages, who had just arrived in a Company's +vessel. + +Montbarts passed unnoticed through the crowd, and reached the door +of Captain Drake's house--a rather handsome looking and cleanly kept +house, which stood on the seashore at no great distance from the +governor's residence. + +The filibuster pushed the door, which, according to the custom of the +country, was not locked, and entered the house. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +THE SPY. + + +Montbarts, as we said, walked into the house. + +There were two persons in the first room, which was contrived a double +debt to pay, as half sitting room, half kitchen. + +These two persons were an engage of Captain Drake and a stranger. + +As for the Captain, he was absent at the moment. + +The filibuster's eye flashed at the sight of the stranger, and an +ill-omened smile curled his pale lips. + +As for the latter, he was seated at a table in the middle of the room, +and quietly breakfasting on a piece of cold bacon, washed down by a +bottle of Bordeaux,--a wine, let us remark, parenthetically, which, +though unknown in Paris till the reign of Louis XV., when the Duc de +Richelieu brought it into fashion on his return from the government of +Guyenne--had been for a long time appreciated in America. + +The stranger was of rather tall stature, with a pale face, and ascetic +features, thin, bony, and angular; but his noble manners indicated a +high rank in society, which rank his simple and even more than modest +costume tried in vain to conceal. + +On the filibuster's entrance, the stranger, without raising his head, +took a side-glance at him from under his long velvety eyelashes, and +again became absorbed or appeared to be so, in the contemplation of +the capital breakfast set before him. + +Everything was in common among the filibusters, everyone took from +the other, whether he was at home or not, anything he wanted, arms, +gunpowder, clothes or food, and the person from whom it was taken had +no right to protest or make the slightest observation; this was not +merely admitted and tolerated, but was regarded as a right which all +took advantage of without the slightest scruple. + +Montbarts, after looking round the room, took a chair, seated himself +unceremoniously opposite the stranger, and turning to the engage, said-- + +"Bring me some breakfast--I am hungry." + +The other, without venturing the slightest remark, immediately prepared +to obey. + +In a very short time he had served up an excellent breakfast for the +filibuster, and then took his place behind his chair to wait on him. + +"My friend," the filibuster said, carelessly, "I thank you; but when I +take my meals I do not like to have anybody behind me. Leave the room, +but remain in front of the house door;" and he added, with a singularly +meaning glance, "let no one enter here without my orders: no one--you +understand me?" he said, laying a stress on the words; "Not even your +master, were he to come. Can I depend on you?" + +"Yes, Montbarts," said the engage, and left the room. + +At the name of Montbarts, uttered by the servant, the stranger gave +an almost imperceptible start, and fixed an anxious glance on the +filibuster; but immediately recovering himself, he began eating again +in the most perfect tranquillity, or at least apparently so. + +For his part, Montbarts went on eating without troubling himself, or +seeming to trouble himself, about the guest seated just opposite to him. + +This performance went on for some minutes; no other sound was heard +in the room, where such violent passions were smouldering, but that +produced by the knives and forks scratching on the platters. + +At length Montbarts raised his head and looked at the stranger. + +"You are very taciturn, sir," he said to him, with the simple air of +a man who is wearied at a lengthened silence, and wishes to get up a +conversation. + +"I, sir?" the stranger replied, as he looked up in his turn with the +calmest air; "Not that I am aware of." + +"Still, sir," the filibuster resumed, "I would remark, that during the +quarter of an hour I have had the honour of passing in your company, +you have not once addressed a syllable to me, not even in greeting." + +"Pray excuse me, sir," the stranger said, with a slight bow; "the +fault is entirely involuntary: besides, as I have not the advantage of +knowing you--? + +"Are you quite sure of that, sir?" the adventurer interrupted, +ironically. + +"At least, I think so; hence, having nothing to say to you, I suppose +that it would be useless to begin a conversation which would have no +object." + +"Who knows, sir?" the filibuster remarked, jeeringly; "Conversations +the most frivolous at the outset, frequently become very interesting at +the expiration of a few minutes." + +"I doubt whether that would be the case with ours, sir. Permit me, +therefore, to break it off at once. Besides, I have finished my +meal," the stranger said, rising; "and some serious business claims +my attention. Pray forgive me, therefore, for parting company so +hurriedly, and believe in the sincerity of my regret." + +The adventurer did not leave his seat, but throwing himself back in it +with a graceful nonchalance, while playing with the knife he held in +his hand, he said in his gentle insinuating voice-- + +"Pardon me, my dear sir; only one word, pray." + +"In that case make haste, sir," the stranger replied, as he stopped, +"for I am greatly pressed for time, I assure you." + +"Oh! You will certainly grant me a few minutes," the adventurer +remarked, with the old sarcasm. + +"As you desire it so eagerly, I will not refuse it you, sir. But I +really am in a hurry." + +"I have no doubt on that point, sir; more especially hurried to leave +this house--is it not so?" + +"What do you mean, sir?" the stranger asked, haughtily. + +"I mean," the adventurer replied, as he rose and placed himself between +the stranger and the door, "that it is useless to feign any longer, and +that you are recognized." + +"I recognized? I do not understand you. What does this language mean?" + +"It means," Montbarts said brutally, "that you are a spy and a traitor, +and that you will be hanged within ten minutes." + +"I?" the stranger replied, with very cleverly assumed surprise; "Why, +you must be mad, sir, or suffering under a strange mistake. Let me +pass, I request." + +"I am not mad or mistaken, Senor Don Antonio de la Ronda." + +The stranger started, a livid pallor covered his face, but he +immediately recovered himself. + +"Why, this is madness!" he said. + +"Sir," Montbarts remarked, still calm, but remaining in front of the +door, "when I affirm, you deny. It is evident that one of us lies, or +is mistaken. Now I declare that it is not I, hence it must be you; and +to remove your last doubts on this point, listen to this, but first be +good enough to resume your seat. We shall have, however much it may +annoy you, to converse for some time and I will remark, that it is a +very bad taste to talk standing face to face like two gamecocks ready +to fly at each other's combs, when it is possible to act otherwise." + +Mastered, in spite of himself, by the adventurer's flashing glance +obstinately fixed on him, and by his sharp, imperative accent, the +stranger returned to his seat, and fell into it rather than sat down. + +"Now, sir," the filibuster continued, in the same calm voice, as he +reseated himself and placed his elbows on the table, "in order at once +to dissipate all the doubts you may have, and to prove to you that I +know more about you than you will doubtless like, let me tell you your +history in a couple of words." + +"Sir!" the stranger interrupted. + +"Oh, fear nothing," he added, with studied sarcasm, "I shall be brief: +I no more like than you do to waste my time in idle discourses; but +just notice, by the bye, that, as I prophesied, our conversation, at +first frivolous, has suddenly grown interesting. Is not this singular, +I ask you?" + +"I am awaiting your explanation, sir," the stranger replied, coolly; +"for, up to the present, whatever you may say, I do not comprehend a +word of all that it pleases you to say to me." + +"By Heavens! You are a man after my heart. I was not mistaken about +you. Brave, cold, and crafty, you are worthy to be a filibuster, and to +lead an adventurous life with us." + +"You do me a great honour, sir; but all this does not tell me--" + +"Zounds! I am coming to it, sir--a little patience. How quick you are! +Take care: in your profession a man must be cool before all else, and +you are not so at this moment." + +"You are very witty, sir," the stranger said, bowing ironically to his +opponent. + +The latter was offended by this sudden attack, and smote the table with +his fist. + +"Here is your history in two words, sir," he said. "You are an +Andalusian, born at Malaga, a younger son, and consequently destined to +take orders. One fine day, not feeling any liking for the tonsure, you +fled from the paternal roof and embarked on a Spanish vessel bound for +Hispaniola. Your name is Don Antonio de la Ronda. You see, sir, that up +to this point I am well informed, am I not?" + +"Pray go on, sir," the stranger replied, with perfect coolness; "your +remarks are most interesting." Montbarts shrugged his shoulders, and +went on. + +"On arriving at Hispaniola, you contrived, in a short time, thanks to +your good looks and polished manners, to secure powerful protectors; +and thus, though you only left Europe three years ago, you have +made such rapid progress, that you are at present one of the most +influential men in the colony. Unluckily--" + +"Do you say unluckily?" the stranger interrupted with a jeering smile. + +"Yes, sir," the adventurer replied imperturbably; "unluckily your +fortune turned your head so thoroughly--" + +"So thoroughly?" + +"That in defiance of your friends, you were arrested and threatened +with a trial for embezzling a sum of nearly two million piastres; a +noble amount, on which I compliment you. Any other man but you, sir, I +feel a pleasure in allowing the fact, would have been ruined, or nearly +so, as the case was very serious; and the Council of the Indies does +not joke on money matters." + +"Permit me to interrupt you, my dear sir," the stranger said with the +most perfect ease; "you are telling this story in a very talented +manner, but if you go on so, it threatens to last indefinitely. If you +permit it, I will finish it in a few words." + +"Ah! Ah! Then you allow its truth now?" + +"Of course," the stranger said with admirable coolness. + +"You acknowledge yourself to be Don Antonio de la Ronda?" + +"Why should I deny it longer, when you are so well informed?" + +"Better still; so that you confess to fraudulently entering the colony +for the object of--" + +"I confess anything you like," the Spaniard said quickly. + +"Well, that being well established, you deserve to be hung, and you +will be so in a few minutes." + +"Well, no," he replied without losing any of his coolness; "that is +where we differ essentially in opinion, sir, your conclusion is not in +the least logical." + +"What?" the adventurer exclaimed, surprised at this sudden change of +humour which he did not expect. + +"I said that your conclusion was not logical." + +"I heard you perfectly." + +"And I am going to prove it," he continued; "grant me in your turn a +few moments' attention." + +"Very good; we must be merciful to those who are about to die." + +"You are very kind; but thank Heaven I am not there yet. There's many a +slip between the cup and the lip, as a very sensible proverb says." + +"Go on," the filibuster said with an ominous smile. + +But the Spaniard was not affected. + +"It is evident to me, sir, that you have some business or bargain to +propose to me." + +"I?" + +"Certainly, and for this reason; having recognized me as a spy, for +I must allow that I am really one (you see that I am frank in my +confession), nothing was easier for you than to have me strung up to +the nearest tree, without any form of trial." + +"Yes, but I am going to do so." + +"No, you will not do it now, and for this reason. You believe for +reasons I am ignorant of, for I will not insult you by supposing that +you had a feeling of pity for me, you who are so justly called by my +countrymen the Exterminator--you believe, I say, that I can serve you, +be useful to you in the success of one of your plans; consequently +instead of having me hanged, as you would have done under any other +circumstances, you came straight to find me here, where I fancied +myself well hidden, in order to converse with me, like one friend with +another. Well, I ask for nothing better, come, speak, I am listening; +what do you want of me?" + +And after uttering these words with the most easy air he could assume, +Don Antonio threw himself back in his chair delicately rolling a +cigarette between his fingers. + +The filibuster gazed for a moment at the Spaniard with a surprise which +he did not attempt to conceal, and then burst into a laugh. + +"That will do," he said, "I prefer that; at least there will be no +misunderstanding between us. Yes, you have guessed correctly, I have a +proposal to make to you." + +"That was not difficult to discover, sir; and pray what is the nature +of the proposal?" + +"Well, it is very simple, I only require you to act exactly in the +opposite way to what you intended, to change sides, in short." + +"Very good, I understand, that is to say, instead of betraying you for +the advantage of Spain, I am to betray Spain for your profit." + +"Yes, you see it is easy." + +"Very easy, in fact, but decidedly shabby; and supposing that I consent +to your request, what advantage shall I derive from it?" + +"In the first place I need hardly say that you will not be hung." + +"Pooh! To die by hanging, drowning, or a musket ball, is always much +the same thing. I should desire a more distinct benefit, with your +leave." + +"Confound it, you are difficult to satisfy, then it is nothing to save +one's neck from a slip knot?" + +"My dear sir, when, as in my case, a man has nothing to lose and +consequently everything to gain by any change in his position, death is +rather a comfort than a calamity." + +"You are a philosopher, so it seems." + +"No, confound it! such absurdity never troubled me, I am merely a +desperate man." + +"That is often the same thing; but let us return to our matter." + +"Yes, that will be better." + +"Well! I offer you my whole share of the first ship I take; does that +suit you?" + +"That is something better; but unluckily the ship to which you refer is +like the bear in the fable, not caught yet; I should prefer something +more substantial." + +"Well, I see I must yield to you; serve me well and I will reward you +so generously that the King of Spain himself could not do more." + +"Well, that is agreed, I'll run the risk; now be kind enough to tell me +the nature of the service you expect from me?" + +"I wish you to help me in taking by surprise Tortoise Island, where +you lived for a long time, and where, if I do not err, you still have +friends." + +"I see no inconvenience in trying that, although I will begin by making +my reservations." + +"What are they?" + +"That I do not pledge myself to insure the success of your hazardous +undertaking." + +"That remark is fair, but do not alarm yourself, if the Island is well +defended, it shall be well attacked." + +"I am convinced; now for the next matter." + +"I will let you know it when the time arrives, senor; for the present, +other business engages our attention." + +"As you please, sir, you will be the best judge of the opportunity." + +"Now, sir, as I had the honour of telling you at the outset, since I +know you to be a very sharp hand, and very capable of slipping through +my fingers like an eel, without the slightest scruple, and as I wish to +avoid that eventuality, and save you any notion of the sort, you will +do me the pleasure of going at once aboard my lugger." + +"A prisoner!" the Spaniard said with a gesture of ill humour. + +"Not as a prisoner, my dear Don Antonio, but regarded as a hostage, and +treated as such, that is to say, with all the attention compatible with +our common security." + +"Still, the word of a gentleman--" + +"Is valued between gentlemen, I allow, but with us _Ladrones_, as you +call us, it has no value in my opinion; you hidalgos of old Spain, +even make it a case of conscience to violate it without the slightest +scruple, when your interest invites you to do so." + +Don Antonio hung his head; recognizing in his heart, though unwilling +to allow it, the exact truth, of the filibuster's words. + +The latter enjoyed for a moment the Spaniard's discomfiture, and then +rapped the table twice or thrice with the handle of his knife. + +The captain's engage at once entered the room. + +"What do you want of me, Montbarts?" he asked. + +"Tell me, my good fellow," the adventurer asked, "have you not seen a +red Carib prowling round this house?" + +"Pardon me, Montbarts, a Carib asked me only a moment ago, whether you +were here, and I answered in the affirmative, but I did not like to +transgress the orders I had received from you, and allow him to enter +as he desired." + +"Very good. Did not the man mention his name?" + +"On the contrary, that was the very first thing he did; it is Omopoua." + +"The very man I was expecting; tell him to come in, pray, for he is +sure to be hanging about the door; and come with him." + +The engage went out. + +"What do you want with this man?" the Spaniard asked with a shade of +anxiety, which did not escape the adventurer's sharp eye. + +"This Indian is simply intended to be your guard of honour," he said. + +"Hum! It really seems as if you are anxious to keep me." + +"Extremely so, senor." + +At this moment, the engage returned followed by the Carib, who had +made no change in his primitive costume; but had taken advantage of +Montbarts' permission to arm himself to the teeth. + +"Omopoua and you, my friend, listen attentively to what I am going to +say to you; you see this man?" he said pointing to the Spaniard who was +still perfectly impassive. + +"We see him," they answered. + +"You will take him on board the lugger and hand him over to my mate, +Michael the Basque, recommending him to watch over his guest most +attentively! If, during the passage from here to the vessel, this man +attempts to take to flight, blow out his brains without mercy. Have you +understood me thoroughly?" + +"Yes," said the engage, "trust to us, we answer for him with our heads." + +"That is well, I accept your word; and now, sir," he added, addressing +Don Antonio, "be good enough to follow these two men." + +"I yield to force, sir." + +"Very good, that is how I regard the matter, but reassure yourself, +your captivity will be neither harsh nor long, and I shall keep the +promises I have made you, if you keep yours. Now, go and farewell for +the present." + +The Spaniard, without replying, placed himself between his two keepers +voluntarily and left the room. + +Montbarts remained alone. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE SLAVE SALE. + + +A moment after Montbarts rose, put on his cloak, which he had thrown on +a chair when he came in, and prepared to quit the house. + +On the threshold he found himself face to face with Captain Drake. + +"Ah," said the latter, "here you are." + +"Yes! I have been breakfasting at your house." + +"You did well." + +"Will you accompany me to the sale?" + +"I do not want any hired man." + +"Nor I, but you know the enlistment will commence immediately +afterwards." + +"That is true; let me say a word first to my engage, and I will follow +you." + +"He has gone out." + +"Why! I ordered him not to leave the house." + +"I have given him a commission." + +"Oh! That is different." + +"You do not ask me what the commission is I have given your engage," +Montbarts remarked a moment later. + +"Why should I? It does not concern me, I suppose." + +"More than you imagine, brother." + +"Nonsense, how so?" + +"You offered hospitality to a stranger, did you not?" + +"Yes, but what of that?" + +"You shall see. This stranger, whom you do not know, for of course you +do not--" + +"No more than Adam; what do I care who he is? hospitality is one of +those things which cannot be refused." + +"That is true, but I recognized the man." + +"Ah, ah, and who is he then?" + +"Nothing less than a Spanish spy, brother." + +"My God!" the captain said, stopping dead short. + +"What is the matter with you now?" + +"Nothing, nothing, except that I will go and blow out his brains, +unless you have done so already." + +"Pray, do nothing of the sort; this man, I feel convinced, brother, +will prove very useful to us." + +"Nonsense, how so?" + +"Leave me to act; if we manage properly, we may draw profit even from a +Spanish spy; in the meanwhile, I have had him taken on board the lugger +by your engage, and a man of my own, where he will be watched so that +he cannot part company." + +"I trust to you for that, and thank you, brother, for having freed me +from the scoundrel." + +While talking thus, the two men arrived at the spot where the sale of +the engages to the colonists was to take place. + +On the right of the square was a spacious shed, built of clumsily +planed planks, and open to the wind and rain; in the centre of the shed +was a table for the officials and secretaries of the company, who had +to manage the sale and draw up the contracts; an easy chair had been +set apart for the governor, by the side of a rather lofty platform, +on which each engage, male or female, mounted in turn, so that the +purchasers might examine them at their ease. + +These wretches, deceived by the company's agents in Europe, had +contracted engagements, whose consequences they did not at all +understand, and were convinced that, on their arrival in America, +with the exception of a certain tax they had to pay the company for a +certain period, they would be completely free to earn their livelihood +as they thought proper. The majority were carpenters, masons and +bricklayers, but there were also among them ruined gentlemen and +libertines who detest work and who imagined that in America, the +country of gold, fortune would visit them while they slept. + +A company's ship had arrived a few days previously and brought one +hundred and fifty engages, among them were several young and pretty +women, thoroughly vitiated, however, and who, like the Manon Lescault +of the Abbe Prevost, had been picked up by the police in the streets of +Paris, and shipped off without further formality. + +These women were also sold to the colonists, not apparently as slaves, +but as wives. + +These unions contracted in the gipsy fashion, were only intended to +last a settled time which must not exceed seven years, unless with +the mutual consent of the couple, though the clause was hardly ever +appealed to by them; at the end of that time they separated, and each +was set at liberty to form a fresh union. + +The engages had been landed two days before; these two days had been +granted them, that they might slightly recover from the fatigue of a +long sea voyage, walk about and breathe the reviving land breeze, of +which they had so long been deprived. + +At the moment when the two adventurers arrived, the sale had been going +on for half an hour; the shed was crowded with colonists who desired to +purchase slaves, for we are compelled to use that odious term, for the +poor creatures were nothing else. + +At the sight of Montbarts, however, whose name was justly celebrated, +a passage was opened, and he thus succeeded in reaching the side of +the governor, Chevalier de Fontenay, round whom the most renowned +adventurers were collected, among them being Michael the Basque. + +Monsieur de Fontenay received Montbarts with distinction; he even +rose from his chair and walked two or three steps to meet him, which +the filibusters considered in very good taste, and felt grateful to +him for it; this honour paid to the most celebrated among them cast a +reflection on them all. + +After exchanging a few compliments with the governor, Montbarts bent +down to Michael's ear. + +"Well, mate?" he said to him. + +"The Spaniard is aboard," Michael replied, "and carefully watched by +Bowline." + +"In that case I can be at my ease?" + +"Perfectly." + +During this aside, the sale had been going on. + +All the male engages had been sold, with the exception of one who was +standing at this moment on the platform, by the side of a company's +agent, who acted as auctioneer, and praised the qualities of the human +merchandise he offered. + +This engage was a short, stout, powerfully built man, from twenty-five +to twenty-six years of age, with harsh, energetic, but intelligent +features, whose grey eyes sparkled with audacity and good humour. + +"Pierre Nau, native of the sands of Olonne," said the company's agent, +"twenty-five years of age, powerful and in good health, a sailor. +Who'll say forty crowns for the Olonnais, forty crowns for three years, +gentlemen." + +"Come, come," said the engage, "if the person who buys me is a man, he +will have a good bargain." + +"Going for forty crowns," the company's agent repeated, "forty crowns, +gentlemen." + +Montbarts turned to the engage. + +"What, you scoundrel," he said to him, "you a sailor and sell yourself +instead of joining us? You have no pluck." + +The Olonnais began laughing. + +"You know nothing about it. I have sold myself, because I must do so," +he answered, "so that my mother may be able to live during my absence." + +"How so?" + +"How does it concern you? You are not my master, and even if you were, +you would have no right to inquire into my private affairs." + +"You seem to me a bold fellow," Montbarts remarked. + +"Indeed, I believe I am; besides, I wish to become an adventurer like +you fellows, and for that purpose I must serve my apprenticeship to the +trade." + +"Going for forty crowns," cried the agent. + +Montbarts examined with the most serious attention the engage, whose +firm glance he could hardly manage to quell; then, doubtless satisfied +with his triumph, he turned to the agent. + +"That will do," he said, "hold your row: I buy this man." + +"The Olonnais is adjudged to Montbarts the exterminator, for forty +crowns," the agent said. + +"Here they are," the adventurer answered as he threw a handful of +silver on the table; "now come," he ordered the Olonnais, "you are now +my engage." + +The latter leapt joyously off the platform and ran up to him. + +"So you are Montbarts the exterminator?" he asked him curiously. + +"I think you are questioning me," the adventurer said with a laugh, +"still, as your question appears to me very natural, I will answer it +this time; yes, I am Montbarts." + +"In that case I thank you for buying me, Montbarts; with you I am +certain soon to become a man." + +And at a sign from his new master, he respectfully placed himself +behind him. + +The most curious part of the sale for the adventurers then began, that +is to say, the sale of the women. + +The poor wretches, mostly young and pretty, mounted the platform +trembling, and in spite of their efforts to keep a good countenance, +they blushed with shame, and burning tears ran down their cheeks on +seeing themselves thus exposed before all these men, whose flashing +eyes were fixed upon them. + +The company made its greatest profit by the women, and it was the more +easy to realise, because they were got for nothing, and sold at the +highest possible figure. + +The men were generally knocked down at a price varying from thirty +to forty dollars, but never went beyond that; with the women it was +different, they were put up to auction, and the governor alone had the +right to stop the sale, when the price appeared to him sufficiently +high. These women were always sold amid cries, shouts and coarse jests, +generally addressed to the adventurers who did not fear running the +risk of venturing on the shoal-beset ocean of marriage. + +Belle Tete, that furious adventurer to whom we have already referred, +and whom we saw at the meeting at the hatto, had, as he had resolved, +purchased two engages to take the place of the two who had died, so he +said, of indolence, but, in reality of the blows he dealt them; then, +instead of returning home he had confided the engages to his overseer; +for the adventurers, like the slave owners, had overseers, whose duty +it was to make the white slaves toil; and the adventurer remained in +the shed watching the sale of the women with the most lively interest. + +His friends did not fail to cut jokes at his expense, but he contented +himself with shrugging his shoulders disdainfully, and stood with +his hands crossed on the muzzle of his long fusil, and with his eyes +obstinately fixed on the platform. + +A young woman had just taken her place there in her turn; she was a +frail delicate girl, with light curling hair that fell on her white +rather thin chest. Her smooth and pensive forehead, her large blue +eyes full of tears, her fresh cheeks, her little mouth, made her appear +much younger than she in reality was; she was eighteen years of age, +and her delicate waist, her well-turned lips, her decent appearance, +in short everything about her delicious person had a seductive charm, +which formed a complete contrast with the decided air and vulgar +manners of the women who had preceded her on the platform, and those +who would follow her. + +"Louise, born at Montmartre, aged eighteen years; who will marry her +for three years, at the price of fifteen crowns?" the company's agent +asked in his sarcastic voice. + +The poor girl buried her face in her hands and wept bitterly. + +"Twenty crowns for Louise," an adventurer shouted, drawing nearer. + +"Twenty-five," another said immediately. + +"Make her hold her head up so that we can have a look at her," a third +cried brutally. + +"Come, little one," the agent said, as he obliged her to remove her +hands from her face; "be polite and let them look at you, it is for +your own good, hang it all! Twenty-five crowns." + +"Fifty," said Belle Tete, without moving from the spot. + +All eyes were turned to him; up to this moment Belle Tete had professed +a profound hatred for marriage. + +"Sixty," shouted an adventurer who did not desire to buy the girl, but +wished to annoy his comrade. + +"Seventy," said another with the same charitable intention. + +"One hundred," Belle Tete shouted angrily. + +"One hundred crowns, gentlemen, one hundred for Louise for three +years," the stoical agent said. + +"One hundred and fifty." + +"Two hundred." + +"Two hundred and fifty." + +"Three hundred," several adventurers shouted, almost simultaneously, as +they drew nearer to the platform. + +Belle Tete was pale with rage, for he feared lest she might escape him. + +The adventurer had persuaded himself, rightly or wrongly, that he +wanted a wife to manage his household; now he had seen Louise, Louise +pleased him, she was for sale, and he resolved to buy her. + +"Four hundred crowns!" he said with an air of defiance. + +"Four hundred crowns," the company's agent repeated in his monotonous +voice. + +There was a silence. + +Four hundred crowns is a large sum; Belle Tete triumphed. + +"Five hundred!" a sharp shrill voice suddenly shouted. + +The contest was beginning again; the adversaries had only stopped to +regain their strength. + +The company's agent rubbed his hands with a jubilant air, while +repeating,-- + +"Six hundred, seven, eight, nine hundred crowns!" + +A species of frenzy had seized on the spectators, and all bid +furiously; the girl was still weeping. + +Belle Tete was in a state of fury which approached to madness; +clutching his fusil frenziedly in his clinched hand, he felt a +wild temptation to send a bullet into the most determined of his +competitors. Only the presence of M. de Fontenay restrained him. + +"A thousand," he shouted in a hoarse voice. + +"One thousand two hundred!" the most obstinate competitor immediately +yelled. + +Belle Tete stamped savagely, threw his fusil on his shoulder, drew his +cap on to his head with a blow of his fist, and then with a step as +slow and solemn as that of a statue would be, if a statue could walk, +he went to place himself by the side of his unendurable rival, and +letting the butt of his fusil fall heavily on the ground, scarce an +inch from the man's foot, he looked him in the face for a moment with a +defiant air, and shouted in a voice choked by emotion,-- + +"Fifteen hundred!" + +The adventurer regarded him in his turn fiercely, fell back a step, +and, after renewing the powder in the pan of his fusil, said, in a calm +voice-- + +"Two thousand!" + +Before these two obstinate adversaries the other bidders had prudently +withdrawn; the competition was turning into a quarrel, and threatened +to become sanguinary. + +A deadly silence brooded over the shed; the over-excited passions of +these two men had spoiled all the pleasures of the spectators, and +silenced all their jokes. + +The Governor followed with interest the different incidents of this +struggle, ready to interfere at any moment. + +The adventurers had gradually fallen back, and left a large free space +between the two men. + +Belle Tete recoiled a few paces in his turn, suddenly examined the +priming of his fusil, and then, pointing the latter at his adversary, +shouted-- + +"Three thousand!" + +The other raised his fusil at the same moment to his shoulder. + +"Three thousand five hundred crowns!" he shouted, as he pulled the +trigger--the fusil was discharged. + +But the Governor, with a movement rapid as thought, threw up the barrel +with the end of his cane, and the ball lodged in the roof. + +Belle Tete remained motionless, though, on hearing the shot, he lowered +his fusil. + +"Sir," the Governor exclaimed, indignantly, addressing the adventurer +who had fired, "You have acted in a dishonourable way, and almost +committed a murder." + +"Governor," the adventurer coolly replied, "when I fired he had his gun +pointed at me, and hence it is a duel." + +The Governor hesitated, for the answer was specious. + +"No matter, sir," he continued, a moment later, "the laws of duelling +were not respected; to punish you I put you out of the bidding. Sir," +he said, addressing the company's agent, "I order that the woman, who +was the cause of this deplorable aggression, be knocked down to Senor +Belle Tete for three thousand crowns." + +The agent bowed with rather an angry look, for the worthy man had +hoped, from the way things were going on, to reach a much higher +figure; but he dared not make any observations to Chevalier de +Fontenay; he must yield, and so he did. + +"Louise is adjudged for three thousand crowns," he said, with a sigh of +regret--not for the woman, but for the money--"to M. Belle Tete." + +"Very good, Governor," the baffled adventurer said, with an ugly smile, +"I must bow to your final sentence; but Belle Tete and I will meet +again." + +"I hope so, too, Picard," Belle Tete answered, coldly; "there must be +bloodshed between us now." During this time Louise had come down from +the platform, when another woman took her place, and had stationed +herself, still weeping, by the side of Belle Tete, who was henceforth +her lord and master. + +M. de Fontenay gave a commiserating glance at the poor girl, who was +about, in all probability, to endure such a cruel existence with so +harsh a man, and then gently said to her-- + +"Madame, from this day you are for three years the legitimate wife of +M. Belle Tete, and owe him obedience, affection, and fidelity; such are +the laws of the colony: in three years you will be your own mistress, +at liberty to leave him or to continue to live with him, if he desire +it; be good enough to sign this paper." + +The unhappy woman, blinded by her tears, and crushed by despair, +signed, without looking at it, the paper which the Governor offered +her; then she cast a heart-broken glance at this silent and indifferent +crowd, in which she knew that she could not find a friend. + +"Now, sir," she asked, in a gentle and trembling voice, "what must I +do?" + +"You must follow this man, who will be your husband for three years," +M. de Fontenay answered, with a touch of pity, which he could not +overcome. + +At this moment Belle Tete laid his hand on the girl's shoulder; she +shuddered all over, and looked wildly at him. + +"Yes," he said, "my girl, you must follow me; for, as the Governor has +told you, I am your husband for three years, and till the expiration of +that time, you will have no other master but me. Now, listen to this, +my darling, and engrave it carefully on your mind, so as to remember it +at the right moment: what you have done, what you have been, until now, +does not concern me, and I care little about it; but," he added, in a +hollow, ferocious voice, which chilled the poor girl with horror, "from +this day, from this moment, you belong to me--to me alone: I intrust +to you my honour, which becomes yours, and if you compromise that +honour--if you forget your duties," he said, as he dashed the butt end +of his musket on the ground, so harshly, that the hammer rattled with +an ill-omened sound, "this will remind you of them; now, follow me." + +"Be gentle to her, Belle Tete," M. de Fontenay could not help +saying--"she is so young." + +"I shall be just, Governor: now, thanks for your impartiality, it is +time for me to retire. Picard, my old friend, you know where to find +me." + +"I shall not fail to come and see you, but I do not, wish to trouble +your honeymoon," Picard replied, with a growl. + +Belle Tete withdrew, followed by his wife. + +The sale henceforth offered nothing of interest; the few women +remaining were sold at prices far inferior to that which Louise had +fetched, to the great regret, we are bound to add, of the Company's +agent. + +The adventurers were preparing to leave the shed where they imagined +there was nothing more to see; but at this moment Montbarts mounted the +platform, and addressed the crowd in a sonorous voice-- + +"Brothers," he said, "stay, I have an important communication to make +to you." + +The adventurers remained motionless. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + +THE ENLISTMENT. + + +All the adventurers assembled round the platform, anxiously awaiting +what Montbarts had to tell them. + +"Brothers," he said, a moment after, "I am preparing a new expedition, +for which I require three hundred resolute men; who among you will +follow Montbarts the Exterminator?" + +"All, all!" the adventurers shouted, enthusiastically. + +The Governor prepared to withdraw. + +"Pardon me, Chevalier de Fontenay," Montbarts said, "be kind enough to +remain a few minutes longer; the expedition I have projected is most +serious: I am about to dictate a charter party, to which I will ask +you, as Governor of the colony, to append your signature before that of +our companions--moreover, I have a bargain to propose to you." + +"I will remain, since you desire it, Montbarts," the Governor replied, +as he returned to his seat; "now be kind enough to inform me of the +bargain you wish to propose." + +"You are the owner, sir, I think, of two brigantines of eighty tons +each?" + +"I am." + +"These brigantines are useless to you at this moment, as you appear, at +least until fresh orders, to have given up cruising, while they will be +very useful to me." + +"In that case, sir, they are at your service from this moment," the +Governor replied, gallantly. + +"I thank you, as I ought, for your politeness, sir, but that is not +my meaning; in an expedition like the one I meditate, no one can +foresee what may happen, hence I propose to buy your two ships for four +thousand crowns cash." + +"Very good, sir, since you wish it; I am delighted to be of service to +you; the two ships are yours." + +"I shall have the honour of handing you the four thousand crowns within +an hour." + +The two men bowed; and then the filibuster turned to the adventurers, +who were waiting, panting with, impatience, and whose curiosity had +been heightened by the purchase of the two vessels. + +"Brothers," he said, in his sonorous and sympathetic voice, "for two +months past no expedition has been attempted, and no ship has put to +sea; are you not beginning to grow tired of this idle life which you +and I are leading? Are you not beginning to run short of money, and +are not your purses light? Zounds, comrades, come with me, and within +a fortnight your pockets shall be full of Spanish doubloons, and +the pretty girls, who today are so coy, will then lavish their most +charming smiles on you--down with the Spaniards, brothers! Those of +you who are willing to follow me can give their names to Michael the +Basque, my mate. Still, as the shares will be large, the danger will +be great; to obtain them I only want men resolved to conquer or to +die bravely, without asking quarter of the enemy or granting it; I am +Montbarts the Exterminator--I grant no mercy to the Spaniards, nor do I +ask it of them." + +Enthusiastic shouts greeted these words, uttered with that accent which +the celebrated filibuster knew so well how to assume when he wished to +seduce the individuals he was addressing. + +The enlistment began; Michael the Basque had seated himself at the +table previously occupied by the Company's agent, and wrote down the +names of the adventurers, who pressed round him in a crowd, and who +all wished to join in an expedition which they foresaw would be most +lucrative. + +But Michael had received strict instructions from his master: convinced +that he should not want for men, and that more would offer than he +needed, he carefully selected those whose names he took, and pitilessly +rejected those adventurers whose reputation for, we will not say +bravery, for all were brave as lions, but for reckless daring, was not +thoroughly established. + +Still in spite of Michael's intended strictness, the number of three +hundred was soon complete. We need scarce say they were the flower +of the filibusters, all adventurers, the least renowned of whom +had performed deeds of incredible daring, men with whom attempting +impossibilities and achieving them had become but mere child's play. + +The first inserted were, as had been agreed on the preceding night, the +members of the society of the Twelve. + +Hence M. de Fontenay, who, an old filibuster himself, knew all these +men, not only by reputation, but from having seen them at work, could +not recover from his surprise, and incessantly repeated to Montbarts, +who was standing, calm and smiling at his side, "What can you be after? +Do you mean to seize on Hispaniola?" + +"Who knows?" the filibuster replied sportively. + +"Still, I think I have a right to your confidence," the governor said +in an offended tone. + +"The most entire, Sir; still, you are aware that the first condition +of security in an expedition is secrecy." + +"That is true." + +"I cannot tell you anything, but do not prevent you from guessing." + +"Guessing! But how?" + +"Well, perhaps the charter party will set you on the right track." + +"Well, let me hear it." + +"A little patience still; but stay, here is Michael coming toward me. +Well," he asked him, "have you completed our number?" + +"I should think so; I have three hundred and fifty men." + +"Hang it, that is a great number." + +"I could not do otherwise than accept them; when it is a question about +going with Montbarts, it is impossible to keep them back." + +"Well, we will take them, if it must be so," Montbarts said with a +smile, "give me your list." + +Michael handed it to him; the filibuster looked round him, and +perceived an agent of the Company, whom curiosity had kept back, and +who had remained in the shed to witness the enlistment. + +"You are a Company's agent, I think, sir?" he said to him, politely. + +"Yes, sir," the agent replied with a bow, "I have that honour." + +"In that case, may I ask you to do me a service?" + +"Speak, sir, I shall be only too glad to oblige you." + +"My companions and myself are no great clerks, and we can use a hatchet +better than a pen; would it be presuming too much on your kindness to +ask you to be good enough to serve as my secretary for a few minutes, +and write down the charter party I shall dictate to you, and which my +comrades will sign, after having it read to them?" + +"I am only too happy, sir, that you deign to honour me with your +confidence," the agent said with a bow. + +Then he seated himself at the table, selected some paper, mended a pen +and waited. + +"Silence, if you please, gentlemen," said the Chevalier de Fontenay, +who had exchanged a few words in a low voice with Montbarts. + +The private conversations were checked, and a profound silence was +established almost instantaneously. M. de Fontenay continued. + +"A filibustering expedition, composed of three ships, two brigantines +and a lugger, is about to leave St. Kitts, under the command of +Montbarts, whom I appoint, in the name of His most Christian Majesty, +Louis, fourteenth of that name, admiral of the fleet. This expedition, +whose object remains secret, has been joined by 350 men, the flower of +the filibusters. The three captains chosen to command the ships are, +Michael the Basque, William Drake, and John David. They are ordered to +obey in every point the commands they will receive from the admiral, +and each captain will himself appoint his officers." Then, turning to +Montbarts, he added, "Now admiral, dictate the charter party." + +The adventurer bowed, and addressing the Company's agent, who was +watching with head and pen erect, he said to him-- + +"Are you ready, sir?" + +"I await your orders." + +"In that case write as I dictate." + +No expedition ever left port without having previously proclaimed the +charter party: this document, in which the rights of each man were +rigorously stipulated, served as the supreme law for these men, who, +undisciplined though they were ashore, bowed without a murmur to the +strictest decrees of the naval code: so soon as they had set foot on +the vessel for which they were engaged, the captain of yesterday became +a sailor today, accepted without grumbling the eventual inferiority +which the duration of the cruise alone maintained, and which ended on +the return to port, by placing each member of the expedition on the +same level, and on a footing of the most perfect equality. + +We quote literally the charter party our readers are about to peruse, +because from this authentic act they will understand more easily the +range and power of this strange association, and the manner in which +the filibusters treated each other. + +Montbarts dictated what follows in a calm voice amid the religious +silence of his auditors, who only interrupted him at intervals, by +shouts of approbation. + +"Charter party decreed by Admiral Montbarts, Captains Michael the +Basque, William Drake, John David, and the Brethren of the Coast, who +have voluntarily placed themselves under their orders, and which is +fully consented to by them." + +"The admiral will have a right, in addition to his share, to one man +per hundred." + +"Each captain will receive twelve shares." + +"Each brother four shares." + +"These shares will only be counted after the king's part has been +deducted from all the shares." + +"The surgeons will receive, in addition to their share, two hundred +dollars each, as payment for their medicaments." + +"The carpenters, in addition to their share, will each, have a claim +for one hundred dollars, in remuneration of their labours." + +"Any disobedience will be punished by death, whatever be the name or +rank of the culprit." + +"The brothers who distinguish themselves in the expedition will be +rewarded in the following manner--The man who pulls down the enemy's +flag from a fortress, and hoists the French one, will have a claim, in +addition to his share, to fifty piastres." + +"The man who takes a prisoner, when out in search of news of the enemy, +will have, in addition to his share, one hundred piastres." + +"The grenadiers, for each grenade thrown into a fort, five piastres." + +"Any man, who in action captures a high officer of the enemy, will be +rewarded by the admiral, if he has risked his life, in a generous way." + +"Rewards offered, in addition to their share, to the wounded and +mutilated." + +"For the loss of both legs, fifteen hundred crowns, or fifteen slaves, +at the choice of the recipient: if there are enough slaves." + +"For the loss of both arms, eighteen hundred piastres or eighteen +slaves, at choice." + +"For a leg, no distinction between right and left, five hundred +piastres or five slaves." + +"For an eye, one hundred piastres or a slave; for an arm or a hand, +no distinction between right and left, four hundred piastres or four +slaves." + +"For both eyes, two thousand piastres, or twenty slaves." + +"For a finger, one hundred piastres or one slave: if any man be +dangerously wounded in the body he will have five hundred piastres or +five slaves." + +"It is already understood, that, in the same way, as with the king's +part, all these rewards will be raised on the whole of the booty, +before dividing the shares." + +"Any enemy's vessel captured either at sea or at anchor, will be +divided between all the members of the expedition, unless it be +valued at more than ten thousand crowns, in which case one thousand +crowns will be set apart for the first ship's crew that boarded: the +expedition will hoist the royal flag of France, and the admiral bear in +addition the _red, white, and blue_ flag." + +"No officer or sailor of the expedition will be allowed to remain +ashore anywhere unless he has previously obtained the admiral's +permission, under penalty of being declared a maroon, and prosecuted as +such." + +When this last paragraph which, like all that preceded it, had been +listened to in the most profound silence, had been recorded by the +Company's agent, Montbarts took the charter party, and read it through +in a loud clear voice-- + +"Does this charter party suit you, brethren?" he then asked the +filibusters. + +"Yes, yes," they shouted, waving their caps, "long live Montbarts! Long +live Montbarts!" + +"And you swear, as my officers and myself swear, to obey without a +murmur, and strictly carry out all the clauses of this charter party?" + +"We swear it," they repeated. + +"Very good," Montbarts continued; "the embarkation will commence at +sunrise tomorrow, and all the crews must be on board the fleet before +ten o'clock." + +"We will be there." + +"Now, brethren, let me remind you that each of you must be armed with a +fusil, and a cutlass, have a bag of bullets, and at least three pounds +of gunpowder: I repeat that the expedition we are about to undertake +is most serious, so that you may not forget to choose your chums, that +they may aid you in the case of illness or wounds, and make your wills, +as otherwise your shares would lapse to the king. You have understood +me, brothers? Employ as you please the few hours' liberty left you, but +do not forget that I expect you on board at day break tomorrow." + +The filibusters replied by shouts, and left the shed, where there only +remained the governor, Montbarts, his captains, and the new engage +called the Olonnais, whom the adventurer had bought by auction a few +hours previously, and who, far from being sad, seemed, on the contrary, +extremely pleased at all that was going on in his presence. + +"As for you, gentlemen," Montbarts said, "I have no orders to give +you, for you know as well as I what you have to do. Draw lots for your +commands, then go on board, inspect the masts and rigging, and get +ready to sail at the first signal. These are the only recommendations, +I think, I need make you. Good-bye." + +The three captains bowed, and at once withdrew. + +"Ah!" Chevalier de Fontenay said, with an accent of regret, "My dear +Montbarts, I never see an expedition preparing without having a lively +feeling of sorrow, and almost of envy." + +"Do you regret your adventurous life, sir? I understand that feeling, +although each expedition brings you an augmentation of wealth." + +"What do I care for that? Do not believe that I make an avaricious +calculation. No! My thoughts are of a higher order. But the moment is +badly chosen to chatter with you. Go, sir! And if you succeed, as I do +not doubt--and yet, who knows? On your return we shall perhaps be able +to come to an understanding; and then we will attempt an expedition +together, which I hope will be talked about for a long time." + +"I shall be glad," the filibuster replied, politely, "to have you as a +partner. Your brilliant courage, and far from ordinary merit, are to +me certain guarantees of success. I shall therefore have the honour to +hold myself at your orders, if it please Heaven that I succeed this +time, and return safe and sound from the expedition I meditate." + +"Good luck, sir; and let us hope to meet again soon." + +"Thank you, sir." + +They shook hands; and as, while conversing, they had left the shed, +they went different roads, after a parting bow. + +The filibuster, followed by the engage, proceeded slowly towards his +house. + +At the moment when he left the town, a man placed himself before him, +and bowed. + +"What do you want with me?" the adventurer asked, giving him a +scrutinizing glance. + +"To say a word to you." + +"Say on." + +"Are you Captain Montbarts?" + +"You must be a stranger, to ask that question." + +"No matter. Answer." + +"I am Captain Montbarts." + +"In that case, this letter is for you." + +"A letter for me!" he exclaimed, in surprise. + +"Here it is," the stranger said, as he presented it. + +"Give it to me." + +And he took it from him. + +"Now my commission is performed, farewell." + +"A word, in your turn." + +"Speak." + +"From whom comes this letter?" + +"I do not know; but you will probably learn by reading the contents." + +"That is true." + +"Then I may retire?" + +"Nothing prevents you." + +The stranger bowed, and went away. + +Montbarts opened the letter, hurriedly perused it, and turned pale. +Then he re-read it; but this time slowly, and as if he wished to dwell +on each sentence. + +A moment later he seemed to form a resolution, and turned to his +engage, who was standing a few paces from him. + +"Come here," he said to him. + +"Here I am," said the other. + +"You are a sailor?" + +"A 1, I fancy." + +"That is well. Follow me." + +The filibuster turned back, hastily re-entered the town, and proceeded +toward the sea. + +He seemed to be seeking something. A moment later, his gloomy face grew +brighter. + +He had just seen a light canoe pulled up on the beach. + +"Help me to float this canoe," he said to the engage. + +The latter obeyed. + +So soon as the canoe was afloat, Montbarts leaped in, closely followed +by his engage; and seizing the paddles, they put off from the shore. + +"Step the mast, so that we may hoist a sail so soon as we are free of +the ships." + +The Olonnais, without answering, did as he was ordered. + +"Good!" Montbarts continued. "Now haul the sheets aft, and hand them to +me, my lad." + +In a second the sail was hoisted, set, and the light canoe bounded like +a petrel over the crest of the waves. + +They ran thus for some time without exchanging a word. They had left +the ships far behind them, and passed out of the roads. + +"Do you speak Spanish?" Montbarts suddenly asked the engage. + +"Like a native of Old Castile," the other answered. + +"Ah! Ah!" said Montbarts. + +"It is easy to understand," the Olonnais continued. "I went whaling +with the Basques and Bayonnese, and for several years smuggled along +the Spanish coast." + +"And do you like the Spaniards?" + +"No!" the other answered, with a frown. + +"You have a motive, of course?" + +"I have one." + +"Will you tell it me?" + +"Why not?" + +"Out with it, then." + +"I had a boat of my own, in which, as I told you, I smuggled. I worked +six years to save up the money to buy this boat. One day, while seeking +to land prohibited goods in a bay to windward of Portugalete, I was +surprised by a Spanish revenue lugger. My boat was sunk, my brother +killed, myself dangerously wounded, and I fell into the hands of the +Gavachos. The first bandage they placed on my wounds was a bastinado, +which left me for dead on the ground. Believing, doubtless, that +they had killed me, they abandoned me then, and paid no further +attention to me. I succeeded by boldness and cunning, after enduring +indescribable tortures from hunger, cold, fatigue, &c., too lengthy to +enumerate, in at length leaping across the frontier, and finding myself +once again on French soil. I was free, but my brother was dead. I was +ruined, and my old father ran a risk of dying of hunger--thanks to the +Spaniards. Such is my history. It is not long.--How do you like it?" + +"It is a sad one, my good fellow; but it is as much hatred as the +desire of growing rich which has brought you among us?" + +"It is hatred, before everything." + +"Good! Take the helm in my place, while I reflect. We are going to +Nevis. Steer to windward of that point which juts out down there to the +southeast." + +The engage seized the helm. Montbarts wrapped himself in his cloak, +pulled his hat over his eyes, let his head sink on his chest, and +remained motionless as a statue. The canoe still advanced, vigorously +impelled by the breeze. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + +NEVIS. + + +Nevis is only separated from St. Kitts by a channel half a league in +width at the most. + +This charming little island, whose fertility is remarkable, is, +according to all probability, the result of a volcanic explosion; and +this assertion is nearly proved by a crater containing a spring of hot +water strongly impregnated with sulphur. + +Seen from a distance, it offers the appearance of a vast cone; it is, +in fact, only a very lofty mountain, whose base is watered by the sea; +its sides at first offering an easy incline, become, at a certain +height, excessively abrupt; all vegetation ceases, and its snow covered +peak is lost in the clouds. + +During the attack of the Spaniards on St. Kitts, several adventurers +had sought shelter on this isle. Some of them, seduced by attractive +sites, permanently settled there, and commenced forming plantations; +few in number, it is true, and too far apart for the inhabitants to +aid each other in the event of an attack from an external foe, but +which prospered, and promised, ere long, to acquire a certain amount of +importance. + +The filibuster, although his little skiff was impelled by a good +breeze, took some time in reaching the island, because he was obliged +to go along the entire length of the channel ere he reached the spot +where he wished to go. + +The sun was already beginning to decline, when the canoe at length put +into a small sandy creek. + +"Pull up the canoe, hide the paddles among the reeds," said Montbarts, +"and follow me." + +The Olonnais obeyed with the punctuality and intelligent vivacity which +he displayed in everything, and then said to his master-- + +"Shall I take my fusil?" + +"There is no harm in doing so," the latter replied; "an adventurer +should never go unarmed." + +"Very good; I will remember that." + +They proceeded inland, following a scarce-traced path, which ran with +a gentle incline from the beech, wound round a rather steep hill, +and after passing through a leafy mahogany forest, led to a narrow +esplanade, in the centre of which a light canvas tent had been pitched, +not far from a rock. + +A man, seated before the entrance of the tent, was reading a Breviary. +He was dressed in the strict attire of the Franciscans, and seemed +to have passed middle life. He was pale and thin, his features were +ascetic and stern, his countenance was intelligent, and a marked +expression of gentleness was spread over it. At the sound of the +adventurers' footsteps he raised his head quickly, turned towards them, +and a melancholy smile played round his lips. + +Hurriedly closing his book, he rose and walked a few steps toward the +newcomers. + +"Heaven be with you, brothers!" he said in Spanish, "If you come with +pure intentions; if not, may it inspire you with better thoughts." + +"My father," the filibuster said, returning his salutation, "I am the +man whom the adventurers of St. Kitts call Montbarts, and my intentions +are pure, for in coming here I have only yielded to the desire you +expressed to see me, if you are really Fray Arsenio Mendoza, from whom +I received a letter a few hours ago." + +"I am the person who wish to see you, brother; and that is really my +name." + +"In that case speak, I am ready to hear you." + +"Brother," the monk answered, "the things I have to communicate to you +are of the highest importance, and concern you alone. Perhaps it would +be better that you alone should hear them." + +"I do not know what important matters you can have to tell me, father; +but in any case, learn that this man is my engage, and, as such, it is +his duty to be deaf and dumb when I order him." + +"Very good, I will speak in his presence, since you demand it; still, I +repeat to you, that it would be better for us to be alone." + +"I will act in accordance with your wish. Retire out of hearing, but +keep in sight," he said to his engage. + +The latter retired about one hundred yards down the path, and leant on +his fusil. + +"Do you fear any treachery on the part of a poor monk like me?" the +Franciscan asked, with a sad smile; "That would be very gratuitously +imputing to me intentions very remote from my thoughts." + +"I suppose nothing, father; still, I am accustomed," the filibuster +coarsely answered, "always to be on my guard when I am in the presence +of a man of your nation, whether he be priest or layman." + +"Yes, yes," he said, in a sorrowful voice, "you profess an implacable +hatred for my unhappy country, and for that reason are called the +Exterminator." + +"Whatever be the feelings I profess for your countrymen and the name +it has pleased them to give me, it is not, I suppose, to discuss this +point with me that you have come here at a serious risk, and requested +me to meet you." + +"Indeed, it was not for that motive, you are right, my son, though, +personally, I might have a good deal to say on that subject." + +"I would observe, father, that the hour is advancing--I have but little +time at your service, and if you do not hasten to explain yourself, I +shall be, to my great regret, constrained to leave you." + +"You would regret it for your whole life, brother, were it as long as a +patriarch's." + +"That is possible, though I greatly doubt it. I can only receive bad +news from Spain." + +"Perhaps so; in any case, these are the news of which I am the bearer." + +"I am listening to you." + +"I am, as my gown shows you, a monk of the order of San Francisco de +Asis." + +"At least, you have the look of one," the adventurer remarked, with an +ironical smile. + +"Do you doubt it?" + +"Why not? Would you be the first Spaniard who was not afraid to profane +a sacred dress, in order to spy our movements the more easily?" + +"Unfortunately what you say is true, and it has happened only too +often; but I am merely a monk." + +"I believe you, till I have proof of the contrary; so go on." + +"Very good. I am the spiritual director of several ladies of quality in +the island of Hispaniola: one among them, young and beautiful, who only +arrived in the West Indies a short time ago with her husband, appears +to be devoured by an incurable grief." + +"Indeed! And what can I do to prevent it, father?" + +"I know not: still, this is what took place between this lady and +myself. The lady, who, as I told you, is young and fair, and whose +charity and goodness are inexhaustible, spends the greater part of +her days in her oratory, kneeling before a picture representing our +Lady of Mercy, imploring her with tears and sobs. Interested, in spite +of myself, by this so true and so profound grief, I have on several +occasions employed the right which my sacred office gives me, to try +and penetrate into this ulcerated heart, and obtain from my penitent a +confession, which would permit me to give her some consolation." + +"And I presume that you have not succeeded, father?" + +"Alas! No, I have not." + +"Allow me to repeat to you, that, up to the present I do not see in +this very sad story, which is to some extent, however, that of most +women, anything very interesting to me." + +"Wait, brother, I am coming to that." + +"In that case, proceed." + +"One day, when this lady appeared to me to be more sad than usual, and +I redoubled my efforts to induce her to open her heart to me--doubtless +overcome by my solicitations, she said these words to me, which I +repeat to you exactly:--'My father, I am an unhappy, cowardly, and +infamous creature, and a terrible malediction weighs on me. Only one +man has the right to know the secret which I try, in vain, to stifle in +my heart. Upon this man depends my salvation. He can condemn or acquit +me: but whatever be the sentence he may pronounce, I will bow without a +murmur beneath his will, too happy to expiate at this price the crime +of which I have been guilty.'" + +While the monk was pronouncing these words, the usually pale face of +the adventurer had turned livid, a convulsive trembling agitated his +limbs, and, in spite of his efforts to appear calm, he was constrained +to lean against one of the tent pickets, lest he should fall on the +ground. + +"Go on!" he said, in a hoarse voice. "Did this woman tell you the man's +name?" + +"She did, brother. 'Alas!' she said to me, 'Unfortunately the man on +whom my destiny depends is the most implacable enemy of our nation. He +is one of the principal chiefs of those ferocious adventurers who have +vowed a merciless war against Spain. I shall never meet him, except +in the horrors of a combat, or during the sack of a town fired by his +orders. In a word, the man I am speaking to you about is no other than +the terrible Montbarts the Exterminator.'" + +"Ah!" the adventurer muttered, in a choking voice, as he pressed his +hand forcibly against his chest, "The woman said that?" + +"Yes, brother; such are the words she uttered." + +"And then?" + +"Then, brother, I, a poor monk, promised her to seek you, to find you, +no matter where you were, and repeat her words to you. I had only death +to fear in trying to see you, and I long ago offered God the sacrifice +of my life." + +"You have acted like a noble-hearted man, monk; and I thank you for +having had confidence in me. Have you nothing to add?" + +"Yes, brother, I have. When the lady saw me fully resolved to brave all +perils for the sake of finding you, she added, 'Go, then, my father: +it is doubtless Heaven that takes pity on me, and inspires you at this +moment. If you succeed in reaching Montbarts, tell him that I have a +secret to confide to him, on which the happiness of his whole life +depends; but that he must make haste, if he wish to learn it, for I +feel that my days are numbered, and that I shall soon die.' I promised +her to accomplish her wishes faithfully, and I have come." + +There was a silence for some minutes. Montbarts walked up and down with +hanging head, and arms folded on his chest, stopping every now and then +to stamp his foot savagely: then, resuming his hurried walk, while +muttering unconnected words in a low voice. + +All at once he stopped before the monk, and looked him straight in the +face. + +"You have not told me all," he said to him. + +"Pardon me, brother; everything, word by word." + +"Still there is an important detail, which you have doubtless +forgotten, as you have passed it over in silence?" + +"I do not understand to what you are alluding, brother," the monk +replied, gravely. + +"You have forgotten to reveal to me the name and position of this +woman, father." + +"That is true: but it is not forgetfulness on my part. In acting thus, +I have obeyed the orders I received. The lady implored me to tell you +nothing touching her name or position. She reserves that for herself, +when you are alone together: and I swore to keep her secret." + +"Ah! Ah! Senor monk," the adventurer exclaimed, with a wrath the more +terrible because it was concentrated; "You have taken that oath?" + +"Yes, brother, and will keep it at all risks," he answered firmly. + +The adventurer burst into a hoarse laugh. + +"You are doubtless ignorant," he said, in a hissing voice, "that we +_ladrones_, as your countrymen call us, possess marvellous secrets to +untie the most rebel tongues, and that you are in my power." + +"I am in the hands of God, brother--try it. I am only a poor +defenceless man, incapable of resisting you. Torture me, then, if such +be your good pleasure; but know that I will die, without revealing my +secret." + +Montbarts bent a flashing glance on the monk who stood so calm before +him; and then, a moment after, struck his forehead angrily. + +"I am mad!" he exclaimed: "What do I care for this name--do I not +know it already? Listen, father. Forgive me what I said to you, for +passion blinded me. You came to this island freely, and shall leave it +freely--in my turn I swear it to you; and I am not more accustomed to +break any oaths I take--no matter their nature--than you are." + +"I know it, brother. I have nothing to forgive you. I see that grief +led you astray, and I pity you, for Heaven has chosen me, I feel a +presentiment of it, to bring a great misfortune upon you." + +"Yes, you speak truly. I did not seek this woman--I tried to forget +her, and it is she who voluntarily places herself in my path. It is +well, Heaven will judge between her and me. She demands that I will +go and see her, and I will do so, but she must only blame herself for +the terrible consequences of our interview. Still, I consent to leave +her yet one chance of escape. When you return to her, urge her not to +try to see me again. You see, that I have a little pity for her in my +heart, in spite of all she made me suffer; but if, in spite of your +entreaties, she persists in meeting me, in that case her will be done. +I will go to the place of meeting she may select." + +"I know where it is, brother, and am ordered to point it out to you +today." + +"Ah," the filibuster said, suspiciously, "she has forgotten nothing. +Well, where is it?" + +"The lady, you can understand, cannot quit the island, even if she +wished to do so." + +"That is true. So we are to meet in Hispaniola itself?" + +"Yes, brother." + +"And what spot has she selected?" + +"The great Savannah, that separates Mirebalais from San Juan de Goava." + +"Ah! The spot is famously chosen for an ambuscade," the filibuster +said, with a sneering laugh, "for if I remember rightly, it is on +Spanish territory." + +"It forms the extreme limit, brother. Still, I will try to induce the +lady to choose another spot, if you are afraid about your safety at +this one." + +Montbarts shrugged his shoulders with a contemptuous laugh. + +"I afraid!" he said. "Nonsense, monk, you must be mad! What do I care +for the Spaniards, if five hundred of them were ambushed to surprise +me, I should be able to get away from them! It is settled, then, that +if the lady persist in her intention of having an explanation with me, +I will go to the Savannah, which extends between Mirebalais and San +Juan de Goava, at the confluence of the great river and the Artibonite." + +"I will do what you desire, brother; but if the lady insist, in spite +of my remonstrances and entreaties, on the interview taking place, how +am I to warn you?" + +"As it is possible for you to come here, you will be the better able; +without attracting suspicion, to enter the French part of St. Domingo." + +"I will try, at any rate, brother, since it must absolutely be so." + +"You will light a large fire on the coast in the vicinity of Port +Margot, and I shall know what it means." + +"I will obey you, brother: but when am I to light the fire?" + +"How long do you propose remaining here?" + +"I intend to leave immediately after our interview." + +"This evening, then?" + +"Yes, brother." + +"Ah, ah, then there is a Spanish vessel in the neighbourhood?" + +"Probably so, brother; but if you discover it and capture it, how shall +I succeed in returning to Hispaniola?" + +"That is true; this consideration saves the Gavachos: but believe, +after due reflection, I think it my duty to give you some advice." + +"Whatever it may be, brother, coming from you, I shall receive it with +pleasure." + +"Well, then, carry out your intention. Start at once; tomorrow it will +not be pleasant for you in these waters, and I would not answer for +your safety or that of your vessel. Do you comprehend me?" + +"Perfectly, brother; and for the signal?" + +"Light it fifteen days from today, and I will arrange so as to arrive +at St. Domingo about that time." + +"Very good, brother." + +"And now, monk, farewell till we meet again, as it is probable we shall +do." + +"It is probable, indeed, brother. Farewell, and may the merciful Lord +be with you!" + +"So be it," the filibuster said, with an ironical laugh. + +He gave a parting wave of his hand to the monk, threw his fusil on his +shoulder, and went off, but a few minutes after stopped and went back. + +The Franciscan had remained motionless at the same spot. + +"One last word, father," he said. + +"Speak, brother," he answered, gently. + +"Take my advice, employ all your power over the lady to induce her to +give up this meeting, whose consequences may be terrible." + +"I will try impossibilities to succeed, brother," the monk replied; "I +will pray to Heaven to permit me to persuade my penitent." + +"Yes," Montbarts added, in a gloomy voice, "it would be better for her +and for me, perhaps, if we never met again." + +And roughly turning his back on the monk, he hurried along the track, +where he speedily disappeared. + +When Fray Arsenio felt certain that this time the adventurer had really +gone, he gently raised the curtain of the tent and stepped inside. + +A woman was kneeling there on the bare ground, with her head buried in +her hands, and praying with stifled sobs. + +"Have I punctually accomplished your orders, my daughter?" the monk +said. + +The woman drew herself up and turned her lovely pale and tear-swollen +face toward the monk. + +"Yes, padre," she murmured, in a low and trembling voice. "Bless you +for not abandoning me in my distress." + +"Is this really the man with whom you desire an interview?" + +"Yes, it is he, father." + +"And you still insist on seeing him?" + +She hesitated for a moment, a shudder ran over her whole person, and +then she murmured in a hardly intelligible voice-- + +"I must, father." + +"You will reflect between this and then, I hope," he continued. + +"No, no," she said, with a sorrowful shake of the head; "if that +man were to plunge his dagger into my heart, I must have a final +explanation with him." + +"Your will be done," he said + +At this moment, a slight sound was heard outside. + +The monk went out, but returned almost immediately. + +"Get ready, madam," he said; "our crew have come to fetch you. Remember +the parting advice that _ladron_ gave me, and let us be gone as soon as +possible." + +Without replying, the lady rose, wrapped herself carefully in her +mantilla, and went out. + +An hour later, she left Nevis, accompanied by Fray Arsenio Mendoza. + +Montbarts had reached St. Kitts long before. + + + + +CHAPTER XIX. + +THE EXPEDITION. + + +During the entire passage from Nevis to St. Kitts Montbarts was in a +strange state of excitement. + +The interview he had held with the monk had rearoused in his heart a +profound sorrow which time had deadened but not cauterized, and at the +first word that fell in this hour's conversation the wound burst open +again, bleeding and livid as on the day of its receipt. + +How had this woman, whom he would not name, of whose presence in +America he was ignorant, whom, in short, he fancied he had escaped by +hiding himself among the filibusters, succeeded in so short a time, not +only in learning his presence in the islands, but also in finding him +again? For what object did she insist on finding him? What interest +could she have in seeing him? + +All these questions, which he asked himself in turn, necessarily +remained unanswered, and for that very reason augmented his anxiety. + +For a moment he thought of laying an ambush in the straits of Nevis +and St. Eustache, the two islands between which St. Kitts is situated, +capturing the Spanish vessel, and obtaining by torture the information +the monk had refused to give him. + +But he gave up this plan almost immediately; he had pledged his word of +honour, and would not break it for anything in the world. + +In the meanwhile, night had set in, and the canoe was still advancing. + +Montbarts steered for the lugger, which was anchored a short distance +from land. + +When the light boat was under the vessel's counter, the filibuster made +his engage a sign to lay on his oars, and shouted in a loud voice-- + +"Lugger, ahoy!" + +At once, a man whose black outline was designed on the dark blue +horizon, leant over. + +"Boat ahoy!" he shouted. + +"Is that you, Bowline?" Montbarts continued. + +"All right." + +"Is Michael aboard?" + +"Yes, admiral." + +"Ah, you have recognised me, my lad?" + +"Of course," said the Breton. + +"I suppose you are watching over my prisoner?" + +"I answer for him." + +"But do not annoy him unnecessarily." + +"All right, admiral, we will be gentle with him." + +"Is Omopoua aboard at this moment?" + +"Here I am, master," a second voice immediately replied. + +"Ah, ah," the filibuster said with satisfaction, "all the better. I +want you--come ashore." + +"Are you in a hurry, master?" + +"A great hurry." + +"In that case, wait a moment." + +And ere the filibuster could guess the Carib's intention, the noise of +a body falling in the water could be heard, and two or three minutes +later the Indian rested his hands on the gunwale of the canoe. + +"Here I am," he said. + +Montbarts could not refrain from smiling on seeing with what +promptitude the savage obeyed his orders. He held out his hand, and +helped him to get into the boat. + +"Why such a hurry?" he said to him in a tone of friendly reproach. + +The Indian shook himself like a drowned poodle. + +"Nonsense," he said, "I am all right." + +"Have you got the Indian?" Bowline asked. + +"Yes: now good night; you will see me tomorrow." + +"Tomorrow?" + +"Pull," the filibuster said to the engage. + +The latter dipped his paddles, and the canoe resumed its course. + +Ten minutes later, it ran aground at the very spot where Montbarts had +seized it for the purpose of going to Nevis. The three men landed on +the beach, pulled up the canoe, and went off in the direction of the +hatto. + +They passed through the town and a swarm of filibusters, who were +celebrating by songs, shouts, and libations their last hours of liberty. + +They went on in silence. When the three men reached the hatto, +Montbarts lit a candle, and searched the house with the greatest care, +to make sure that no stranger was present; then he returned to his two +comrades, who were waiting for him in the Esplanade. + +"Come in," he merely said to them. + +They followed him. + +Montbarts sat down in a chair, and then turned to the Carib. + +"I have to talk with you, Omopoua," he said. + +"Good," the Indian remarked, joyously; "in that case you have need of +me." + +"If that were true you would be satisfied, then?" + +"Yes, I should be." + +"For what reason?" + +"Because, since I have found a white man who is good and generous, I +am anxious to prove to you that all the Caribs are not ferocious and +untameable, but know how to be grateful." + +"I promised you, I think, to take you back to your country?" + +"Yes, you made me that promise." + +"Unfortunately, as I am appointed chief of an important expedition, +which will probably last some time, it is impossible for me at this +moment to take you back to Haiti." + +The Indian's face grew dark on hearing this. + +"Do not grieve, but listen to me attentively," the filibuster +continued, who had noticed the change that took place in the Indian's +face. + +"I am listening to you." + +"What I cannot do you are able to effect by yourself, if I supply you +with the means." + +"I do not exactly understand what the white Chief means; I am only a +poor Indian, with limited ideas. I require to have things explained to +me very clearly before I understand them; but it is true, that when I +do understand I never forget." + +"You are a Carib, hence you know how to manage a canoe?" + +"Yes," the Indian answered, with a proud smile. + +"Suppose I gave you a canoe, do you believe that you could fetch Haiti?" + +"The great land is very far away," he said, in a sorrowful voice, "the +voyage very long for a single man, however brave he may be." + +"Agreed; but suppose I placed in the canoe not only provisions, but +cutlasses, axes, daggers, and four fusils, with powder and ball?" + +"The pale Chief would do that!" he said, with an incredulous air. "Thus +armed, who could resist Omopoua?" + +"Suppose I did more?" the adventurer continued, with a smile. + +"The Chief is jesting; he is very gay. He says to himself, the Indians +are credulous; I will have a laugh at the expense of Omopoua." + +"I am not jesting, Chief--on the contrary, I am very serious; I will +give you the things I have enumerated to you, and, in order that you +may reach your country in safety, I will lend you a comrade, a brave +man, who will be your brother, and defend you as you would defend +yourself." + +"And that companion?" + +"Is here," said Montbarts, pointing to his engage, who was standing +calm and motionless by his side. + +"Then I am not to make the expedition with you, Montbarts?" the latter +said, in a sad voice, and with a reproachful accent. + +"Reassure yourself," said Montbarts, tapping him gently on the +shoulder; "the mission I send you on is most confidential, and even +more perilous than the expedition I am undertaking. I wanted a devoted +man--another self--and I have chosen you." + +"You have done well, in that case; I will prove to you that you are not +mistaken about me." + +"I am convinced of that already, my lad. Do you accept this companion, +Omopoua? He will help you to pass without being insulted through the +filibusters you may meet on your route." + +"Good! The pale Chief really loves Omopoua. What is the Indian to do on +arriving in his country?" + +"Omopoua's brothers have sought shelter, I think, in the neighbourhood +of the Artibonite?" + +"Yes, in the great savannahs to which the French have given the name of +Mirebalais." + +"Good! Omopoua will go and join his friends; he will tell them in what +way the filibusters treat the Caribs: he will present his companion to +them, and wait." + +"I will wait: the pale Chief, then, is coming to Haiti?" + +"Probably," said Montbarts, with a smile of indefinable meaning; "and +the proof is, that my engage will remain with your tribe till my +arrival." + +"Good! I will await the coming of the pale Chief. When am I start?" + +"This very night. Go down to the beach; go in my name to the owner of +the canoe which brought us ashore--here is money," and he gave him +several piastres; "tell him that I buy his boat exactly as it stands. +You will lay in provisions at the same time, and then wait for your +comrade, to whom I have a few words to say--but he will rejoin you +soon." + +"I will go, then; gratitude is in my heart, and not on my lips. On the +day when you ask for my life I will give it you, because it is yours, +as well as that of all those who love me. Farewell!" + +And he made a movement to leave the room. + +"Where are you going?" Montbarts asked him. + +"I am off; did you not give me leave to go?" + +"Yes, but you are forgetting something." + +"What is it?" + +"The arms I promised you. Take from the rack a fusil for yourself, and +four others, which you can dispose of as you please, six cutlasses, +six daggers, and six hatchets; when you leave port, on passing the +lugger, you will ask Michael the Basque, in my name, for two barrels of +gunpowder and two bags of bullets--he will give them to you. Now go, +and I wish you all good fortune." + +The Carib, overcome by this generosity, so simple and so full of +grandeur, knelt to the adventurer, and seizing his feet, which he +placed on his head, he exclaimed, in a deeply affected voice-- + +"I pay you homage as to the best of men. I and mine are henceforth and +eternally your devoted slaves." He got up, placed on his shoulder the +arms which the engage handed him, and quitted the hatto. + +For some minutes his footsteps could be heard resounding on the path; +but this sound gradually died away, and a complete silence returned. + +"Now for us two, Olonnais!" Montbarts then said, addressing the engage. + +The latter drew nearer. + +"I am listening, master," he said. + +"I saw you today for the first time, and yet you pleased me at the very +first glance," the adventurer continued. "I fancy myself a tolerable +physiognomist. Your frank and open face, your bold-looking eyes, and +the expression of audacity and intelligence spread over your features, +disposed me in your favour. That is the reason why I bought you. I +trust that I am not deceived about you; but I wish to make trial of +you. You know that I am at liberty to shorten your engagement, or even, +if I like, restore you your freedom tomorrow, so think of that, and act +accordingly." + +"Whether engaged or free I shall always be devoted to you, Montbarts," +the Olonnais said, "hence do not speak to me of recompense, for it is +useless with me: make your trial, and I hope to emerge from it with +honour." + +"That is speaking like a man and a frank adventurer: listen to me, +then, and do not let a word of what you are about to hear escape your +lips." + +"I shall be dumb." + +"In ten days at the most I shall anchor in Port Margot in St. Domingo; +the expedition I command is intended to take Tortoise Isle by surprise; +but while we are occupied on our side in surprising the Spaniards, they +must not be able to attack us in the rear, and ruin our establishments +at Grande Terre." + +"I understand; Omopoua's Caribs are scattered along the Spanish +frontier, and must be converted into allies of the expedition." + +"The very thing--you have understood me perfectly. Such is your +missive; but you must act with extreme cleverness and considerable +prudence, in order not to give the alarm to the Gavachos on one hand, +or arouse the suspicious of the Caribs on the other; the Indians are +susceptible and mistrustful, especially with white men, against +whom they have so many causes of complaint. The part you have to +play is rather difficult, but I think you will succeed--thanks to +the influence of Omopoua; besides, two days after my arrival at Port +Margot, I will proceed to the savannahs of the Artibonite, in order +to have an understanding, and to make the arrangements I may consider +necessary. You see that I act toward you with perfect frankness, and +rather as with a brother than an engage." + +"I thank you for it; you shall have no cause to repent it." + +"I am glad to believe it--ah! A final recommendation, of secondary +importance, but, for all that, serious." + +"What is it?" + +"The Spaniards frequently hunt, or make excursions in the savannahs of +the Artibonite; watch them, though without letting them perceive you; +let them not have the slightest suspicion of what we are meditating +against them, for the least imprudence might have excessively grave +consequences for the success of our plans." + +"I will act with prudence, be assured." + +"Now, my lad, I have only to wish you a pleasant trip, and successful +result." + +"Will you allow me, in my turn, to ask you a question before departing?" + +"Speak, I allow it." + +"For what reason have you, who possess so many brave and devoted +friends, instead of applying to one of them, chosen an obscure +engage, whom you hardly know, to confide to him so difficult and so +confidential a mission?" + +"Are you anxious to know?" the adventurer asked, laughingly. + +"Yes, if you do not consider the question indiscreet." + +"Not the least in the world, and you shall be satisfied in a couple +of words. Apart from the good opinion I have of you, and which is +only personal, I have chosen you, because you are only a poor engage, +who arrived from France but two days ago--no one knows you, or is +aware that I have purchased you: for this reason no one will dream of +suspecting you, and consequently you will be a more valuable agent to +me, as no one will imagine that you are my plenipotentiary, and acting +under my orders. Now do you understand, my lad?" + +"Perfectly, and I thank you for the explanation you have given me. +Good-bye; within an hour the Carib and I will have left St. Kitts." + +"Allow him to guide you during the voyage, that man is very clever, +though an Indian, and he will conduct you so that you will both reach +port in safety." + +"I shall not fail to do so; besides, the deference I shall show him +will dispose him in my favour, and further advance the success of our +projects." + +"Come, come," the adventurer said, with a laugh, "I see that you are a +sharp lad, and I now have good hopes of the issue of your mission." + +The Olonnais armed himself as the Carib had done, then took leave of +his master, and went away. + +"Come," Montbarts muttered, when he was alone, "I believe that my plans +are beginning to assume consistency, and that I shall soon be able to +deal a grand stroke." + +The next morning at sunrise an unusual agitation prevailed in the +township, which, however, was never very tranquil. + +The filibusters, armed to the teeth, were taking leave of their +friends, and preparing to proceed on board the vessels for which they +had enlisted on the previous day. + +The roads were cut up in all directions by a prodigious number of +canoes which passed to and fro, carrying men and provisions to the +departing ships. + +The Chevalier de Fontenay, surrounded by a numerous staff of renowned +filibusters, and having at his side Montbarts, David Drake, and Michael +the Basque, was standing at the end of the wooden mole that served as a +landing place, and witnessing thence the departure of the adventurers. + +These men with bronzed complexion, energetic and ferocious features, +and vigorous limbs, scarce clad in canvas drawers and old hats or caps, +but armed with long fusils, manufactured at Dieppe expressly for them, +having a heavy sharpened cutlass hanging from their belt, and carrying +their stock of powder and bullets, had a strange and singularly +formidable appearance, rendered even more striking by the expression of +carelessness and indomitable audacity spread over their faces. + +On seeing them it was easy to understand the terror with which they +must inspire the Spaniards, and the incredible exploits they achieved +almost as if in play, reckoning their lives as nothing, and only seeing +the object, that is to say, plunder. + +As they defiled before the governor and the officers elected to command +them, they saluted them respectfully, because discipline demanded it, +but the salute had nothing low or servile about it, it was that of men +fully conscious of their value, and aware that though sailors today, +they might, as they liked, be captains tomorrow. + +Towards midday the crews were complete, and only the Admiral and three +captains were still ashore. + +"Gentlemen," Montbarts said to his officers, "so soon as we are out +to sea, each of you will sail as you like; we have but a small stock +of provisions on board, but the islands we pass will supply us, do +not hesitate to pillage the corales of the Gavachos, for that will be +so much taken from the enemy. Hence it is settled that we will each +proceed separately to the general meeting place, for prudence urges +us not to let the enemy suspect our strength; our meeting place is +the northern island of the Grand Key; the first to arrive will await +the two others, there I will give you my final instructions about the +object of the expedition, of which you already know a part." + +"So then," said M. de Fontenay, "you insist on keeping your secret?" + +"If you absolutely demand, sir," Montbart replied, "I will--" + +"No, no," he interrupted him with a laugh; "keep it, for I do not know +what to do with it; besides, I have pretty nearly guessed your secret." + +"Ah," Montbarts said with an air of incredulity. + +"Confound it, I am greatly mistaken or you mean to make some attempt on +St. Domingo." + +The adventurer only answered by a crafty smile, and took leave of the +governor, who rubbed his hands joyously, for he was persuaded that he +had guessed the secret which it was attempted to conceal from him. An +hour later the three vessels raised their anchors, set sail, and went +off after giving a parting salute to the land, which was immediately +answered by the battery at the point. + +They soon became confounded with the white mist on the horizon, and ere +long disappeared. + +"Well," M. de Fontenay said to his officers as he returned to the +government house, "you will see that I am not mistaken, and that this +demon of a Montbarts really has a design on St. Domingo. Lord help the +Spaniards!" + + + + +CHAPTER XX. + +THE HATTO. + + +We will leave the filibustering flotilla steering through the +inextricable labyrinth of the Antilles, and transport ourselves to St. +Domingo, as the French call it, Hispaniola as Columbus christened it, +or Haiti as the Caribs, its first and only true owners, called it. + +And when we speak of the Caribs, we mean the black as well as the red, +for it is a singular fact, of which many persons are ignorant, that +some Caribs were black, and so thoroughly resembled the African race, +that when the French planters settled at St. Vincent, and brought +with them Negro slaves, the black Caribs, indignant at resembling men +degraded by slavery, and fearful too lest at a later date their color +might serve as a pretext to make them endure the same fate, fled into +the wildest recesses of the forest, and in order to create a visible +distinction between their race and the slaves brought to the island, +they compressed the foreheads of their new born infants, so that they +became completely flattened, which in the ensuing generation produced, +as it were, a new race, and afterwards became the symbol of their +independence. + +Before resuming our narrative, we ask the reader's permission to +indulge in a little geography: as many of the incidents of the history +of filibustering will take place at St. Domingo; it is indispensable +that this island should be well known. + +St. Domingo, discovered on December 6, 1492, by Christopher Columbus, +is, by the general verdict, the most lovely of all the Antilles. From +the centre of the island rises a group of mountains, springing one from +the other, from which issue three chains, running in three different +directions. The longest stretches to the west, and passes through +the middle of the island, dividing it into two nearly equal parts. +The second chain runs north, and ends at Cape Fou. The third, less +extensive than the preceding, at first follows the same direction, but +ere long taking a curve to the south, terminates in Cape St. Mark. + +In the interior of the island there are several other mountain ranges, +though much less considerable. The result of this multiplicity of +mountains is that communication, especially at the time when our story +is laid, was excessively difficult between the north and south of the +isle. + +At the foot of all these mountains are immense plains covered with a +luxurious vegetation; the mountains are intersected by ravines, which +keep up a constant and beneficent humidity; they contain different +metals, in addition to rock crystal, coal, sulphur, and quarries of +porphyry, slate and marble, and are covered with forests of bananas, +palms and mimosas of every species. + +Although the rivers are numerous, the largest are unfortunately +scarcely navigable, and cannot be ascended by canoes for more than a +few leagues; the principal ones are the Neyva, the Macoris, the Usaque, +or river of Montecristo, the Ozama, the Juna and the Artibonite, the +most extensive of all. + +Seen from the offing, the appearances of this island is enchanting; it +resembles an immense bouquet of flowers rising from the bosom of the +sea. + +We are not going to write the history of the colony of St. Domingo, but +will merely say that this island so rich and fertile had, through the +carelessness, cruelty and avarice of the Spaniards, fallen, one hundred +and fifty years after its discovery, into such a state of wretchedness +and misery, that the Spanish Government was compelled to send to this +colony, which became not only unproductive but burdensome, funds to pay +the troops and officials. + +While St. Domingo was thus slowly decaying, new colonists, brought by +accident, established themselves on the north west of the island, and +took possession of it, in spite of the resistance and opposition of the +Spaniards. + +These new colonists were French adventurers, most of them expelled from +St. Christopher on the descent of Admiral de Toledo on that colony, and +who were wandering about the Antilles in search of a refuge. + +At the period of the discovery, the first Spaniards had left on the +island some forty head of cattle; these animals, restored to liberty, +rapidly multiplied and traversed the savannahs of the interior in +immense herds; the French adventurers, on their arrival, did not dream +of cultivating the soil, but, seduced by the attractions of a perilous +chase, they occupied themselves exclusively in pursuing the bulls and +the wild boars, which were also very numerous and extremely formidable. + +The sole occupation of these adventurers then was the chase; they +preserved the hides of cattle and dried the meat by smoke in the Indian +fashion. Hence comes the name of buccaneers, for the Caribs gave the +name of _boucans_ to the spot where they smoked the flesh of the +prisoners taken in war, and whom they ate after fattening them. + +We shall soon have occasion to return to this subject and enter into +fuller details about these singular men. + +Still, in spite of their love of independence, these adventurers had +understood the necessity of creating outlets for the sale of their +hides. Hence they established several counters at Port Margot and Port +de la Paix, which they regarded as the capital of their establishments; +but their position was most precarious owing to the proximity of the +Spaniards, who had hitherto been sole masters of the island, and would +not consent to have them as such near neighbours; hence they constantly +waged a savage war, which was the more cruel because quarter was not +granted on either side. + +Such was the situation of St. Domingo at the time when we resume our +narrative, about a fortnight after the departure of the filibustering +fleet from St. Kitts under the command of Montbarts the Exterminator. + +The sun, already low on the horizon, was enormously lengthening the +shadows of the trees, the evening breeze was rising, gently agitating +the leaves and tall grass, when a man mounted on a powerful horse, +and wearing the costume of the Spanish Campesinos, followed a scarce +traced path which wound through the centre of a vast plain covered +with magnificent plantations of sugar cane and coffee, and led to an +elegant hatto, whose pretty mirador commanded the country for a long +distance. + +This man appeared to be five and twenty years of age at the most; +his features were handsome, but imprinted with an expression of +insupportable pride and disdain; his very simple dress was only +relieved by a long rapier, whose hilt of carved silver hung on his left +hip and showed him to be a gentleman, as the nobility alone had the +right to wear a sword. + +Four black slaves, half naked, and whose bodies glistened with +perspiration, ran behind his horse, one carrying a richly damascened +fusil, the second a game bag, and the two others a dead boar, whose +tied feet were resting on a bamboo supported by the shoulders of the +poor fellows. + +But the rider seemed to trouble himself but little about his +companions, or rather his slaves, toward whom he did not deign to turn +his head, even when speaking to them, which he did sometimes to ask +them for directions in a harsh and contemptuous voice. + +He held in his band an embroidered handkerchief, with which he wiped +away every moment the perspiration that inundated his forehead, and +looked savagely around him, while urging his horse with the spur, to +the great sorrow of the slaves who were forced to double their efforts +to follow him. + +"Well," he at length asked in an ill-tempered tone, "shall we never +arrive at this accursed hatto?" + +"In half an hour at the furthest, _mi amo_," a Negro answered +respectfully, "there is the mirador over there." + +"What a deuce of a notion it was of my sister, to come and bury herself +in this frightful hole instead of remaining quietly at her palace in +St. Domingo. Women are mad, on my honour," he grumbled between his +teeth. + +And he spiced this most ungallant observation by furiously digging the +spurs into his horse, which started at a gallop. + +Still, he was rapidly approaching the hatto, all the details of which +it was already easy to distinguish. + +It was a pretty and rather large mansion with a terraced roof, +surmounted by a mirador and with a peristyle in front formed by four +columns supporting a verandah. + +A thick hedge surrounded the house, which could only be reached by +crossing a large garden; behind were the corrals to shut in the beasts, +and the cottages of the Negroes, miserable, low and half ruined huts, +built of clumsily intertwined branches and covered with palm leaves. + +This hatto, tranquil and solitary, in the midst of this plain of +luxuriant vegetation, and half concealed by the trees that formed a +screen of foliage, had a really enchanting aspect, which, however, did +not seem to produce on the traveller's mind any other effect but that +of profound weariness and lively annoyance. + +The arrival of the stranger had doubtless been signalled by the sentry +stationed on the mirador to watch the surrounding country, for a +horseman emerged at a gallop from the hatto, and came toward the small +party composed of the gentleman we have described and the four slaves +who still ran behind him, displaying their white, sharp teeth, and +blowing like grampuses. + +The newcomer was a man of short stature, but his wide shoulders and +solid limbs denoted far from common muscular strength, he was about +forty years of age, his features were harsh and marked, and the +expression of his countenance was sombre and crafty. A broad-brimmed +straw hat nearly concealed his face, a cloak called a poncho, made +of one piece, and with a hole in the middle to pass his head through, +covered his shoulders; the hilt of a long knife peeped out of his right +boot, a sabre hung on his left side, and a long fusil was lying across +the front of his saddle. When he arrived within a few paces of the +gentleman, he stopped his horse short on its hind legs, uncovered, and +bowed respectfully. + +"_Santas tardes_, Senor Don Sancho," he said in an obsequious voice. + +"Ah, ah! It is you, Birbomono," the young man said, as he carelessly +touched his hat; "what the deuce are you doing here? I fancied you were +hung long ago." + +"Your Excellency is jesting," the other replied, with an ill-tempered +grimace, "I am the Senora's Major-domo." + +"I compliment her on it, and you, too." + +"The Senora was very anxious about your Excellency, and I was +preparing, by her orders, to make a battue in the neighbourhood. She +will be delighted to see you arrive without misadventure." + +"What misadventure?" the young man said, as he loosened his rein; "What +do you mean, scamp? And what had I to fear on the roads?" + +"Your Excellency cannot be ignorant that the ladrones infest the +savannahs." + +The young man burst into a laugh. + +"The ladrones! What a pleasant story you are telling me, too; come, run +and announce my arrival to my sister, without further chattering." + +The Major-domo did not let the order be repeated, but bowed, and set +off at a gallop. + +Ten minutes later, Don Sancho dismounted in front of the peristyle of +the hatto, where a young lady of rare beauty, but cadaverous pallor, +and who appeared hardly able to keep up, as she was so weak and ill, +was awaiting his arrival. + +This lady was the sister of Senor Don Sancho, and the owner of the +hatto. + +The two young people embraced each other for a long while without +exchanging a word, and then Don Sancho offered his arm to his sister, +and entered the house with her, leaving the Major-domo to look after +his horse and baggage. + +The young gentleman led his sister to an easy chair, fetched one for +himself, rolled it up to her side, and sat down. + +"At last," she said a moment later, in an affectionate voice, as +she took one of the young man's hands in her own, "I see you again, +brother; you are here, near me--how glad I am to see you." + +"My dear Clara," Don Sancho replied, as he kissed her forehead, "we +have been separated for nearly a year." + +"Alas!" she murmured. + +"And during that year many things have doubtless happened, of which you +will inform me?" + +"Alas! My life during this year may be summed up in two words--I have +suffered." + +"Poor sister, how changed you are in so little time, I could hardly +recognize you; I came to St. Domingo with such joy, and no sooner had I +landed than I went to your palace; your husband, who has not altered, +and whom I found as heavy and silent as usual, with an increased dose +of importance, doubtless the result of his high position, told me that +you were not very well, and that the physicians had ordered you country +air." + +"It is true," she said, with a sad smile. + +"Yes; but I fancied you merely indisposed, and I find you dying." + +"Let us not talk of that, Sancho, I implore you; what matter if I am +ill? Did you receive my letter?" + +"Had I not, should I be here? Two hours after its receipt I set out; +for three days," he continued with a smile, "I have been going uphill +and down dale, along frightful roads, to reach you the sooner." + +"Thanks, oh thanks, Sancho; your presence renders me very happy--you +will remain for a while with me, will you not?" + +"As long as you like, dear sister, for I am a free man." + +"Free!" she repeated, looking at him with an air of amazement. + +"Well, yes; his Excellency, the Duc de Penaflor, my illustrious father +and yours, the Viceroy of New Spain, has deigned to grant me an +unlimited leave." + +At her father's name a slight shudder ran over the young lady's person, +and her eyes became dimmed with tears. + +"Ah," she said, "my father is well?" + +"Better than ever." + +"And has he spoken about me?" + +The young man bit his lips. + +"He spoke to me about you very little," he said; "but I in revenge, +said a good deal about you, which re-established the balance: I even +believe that he granted me the leave I asked in great measure to free +himself from my chattering." + +Dona Clara hung her head without replying, and her brother fixed upon +her a glance full of tender pity. + +"Let us talk about yourself," he said. + +"No, no, Sancho; we had better talk about _him_." she replied +hesitatingly. + +"Of _him!_" he said in a hollow voice, and with a groan; "Alas, poor +sister, what can I tell you? All my efforts have been vain; I have +discovered nothing." + +"Yes, yes;" she murmured, "his measures were well taken to make him +disappear. Oh, Heaven! Heaven!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands +wildly, "Will you not take pity on me?" + +"Calm yourself, I implore you, sister; I will see, I will seek--I will +redouble my efforts, and perhaps I shall at length succeed--" + +"No," she interrupted him, "never, never shall we be able to effect +anything; he is condemned, condemned by my father; that implacable man +will never restore him to me! Oh! I know my father better than you do; +you are a man, Sancho, you can try to struggle against him, but he has +crushed me, crushed me at a single blow; he broke my heart by a deadly +pressure in making me the innocent accomplice of an infernal vengeance! +Then he coldly reproached me with a dishonour which is his work, and +at the same blow eternally destroyed the happiness of three beings who +would have loved him, and whose future he held in his hands." + +"And you, my dear Clara, do you know nothing--have you discovered +nothing?" + +"Yes," she replied, looking at him fixedly, "I have made a horrible +discovery." + +"You terrify me, Clara; what do you mean? Explain yourself." + +"Not at present, my dear Sancho, not at present, for the time has not +arrived; so be patient. You know that I never had any secrets from you, +for you alone have always loved me. I wrote to you to come that I +might reveal this secret to you: in three days at the latest you shall +know all, and then--" + +"Then?" he said, looking at her intently. + +"Then you shall measure, as I do, the immense depth of the gulf into +which I have fallen; but enough of this subject for the present, I am +suffering terribly, so let us talk of something else." + +"Most willingly, my dear Clara; but what shall we talk about?" + +"Well, whatever you like, dear, the rain, the fine weather, your +journey, or anything of that sort." + +Don Sancho understood that his sister was suffering from extreme +nervous excitement, and that he would aggravate her already very +serious condition by not acceding to her wishes; hence he made no +objection, but readily yielded to her caprice. + +"Well then," he said, "my dear Clara, since that is the case, I +will take advantage of the opportunity to ask you to give me some +information." + +"What is it brother? I live in great seclusion as you see, and doubt +whether I can satisfy you, but speak all the same." + +"You know, little sister, that I am a stranger in Hispaniola, where I +only arrived four days ago, and then for the first time." + +"That is true; you have never visited the island; what do you think of +it?" + +"It is frightful, that is to say admirable; frightful as regards roads, +and admirable for scenery: you see that my proposition is not so +illogical as it at first appeared." + +"In truth the roads are not convenient." + +"Say that there are none, and you will tell the truth."; + +"You are severe." + +"No, I am only just; if you had seen what magnificent roads we possess +in Mexico, you would be of my opinion; but that is not the point at +present." + +"What is it then?" + +"Why, the information I want of you." + +"Ah, that is true, I forgot it; but explain yourself, I am listening." + +"This is it. Just imagine when I embarked at Veracruz to come here, all +the persons to whom I announced my departure invariably answered me +with a desperate agreement:--'Ah! you are going to Hispaniola, Senor +Don Sancho de Penaflor, hum, hum, take care.' On board the vessel I +constantly heard the officers muttering among themselves 'keep a good +watch, take care.' At last I reached St. Domingo; my first care was, +as I told you, to go to the Count de Bejar, your husband, who received +me as kindly as he is capable of doing; but when I announced my +intention of coming to join you here, he frowned, and his first words +were 'the deuce, Don Sancho, you want to go to the hatto, take care, +take care.' It was enough to drive me mad; this sinister warning which +everywhere and at all hours echoed in my ears infuriated me. I did +not try to obtain any explanation from your husband, as I should not +have succeeded; but I inwardly resolved to get to the bottom of this +ill-omened phrase so soon as the opportunity presented itself. It did +present itself soon, but I am no further advanced than I was before, +and hence apply to you to solve the riddle." + +"But I am waiting for your explanation, for I confess that up to the +present I have not understood a word you have been saying." + +"Very good, let me finish. I had scarce set out with the slaves your +husband lent me, when I saw the scamps constantly turn their heads +to the right and left, with a look of terror. At first I attached no +great importance to this; but they ran away on seeing a magnificent +wild boar. I felt a fancy to shoot it, which I did by the way, and have +brought it here. When these unlucky Negroes saw me cock my fusil they +fell at my knees, clasping their hands with terror, and exclaiming in +a most lamentable voice,--'Take care, Excellency, take care!' 'What +must I take care of, you scoundrels?' I exclaimed in exasperation. +'The _ladrones_, Excellency, the _ladrones_!' I could obtain no other +explanation from them but this; but I hope, little sister, that you +will be kind enough to tell me who these formidable ladrones are." + +He bent over her; but Dona Clara, with her eyes widely dilated, her +arms stretched out and her features distorted, fixed upon him such an +extraordinary look, that he recoiled in horror. + +"The ladrones, the ladrones!" she twice repeated in a shrill voice; +"Oh! have pity, brother." + +She rose to her full height, advanced a few paces mechanically, and +fell fainting on the floor. + +"What is the meaning of this?" the young man asked himself, as he +rushed forward to raise her. + + + + +CHAPTER XXI. + +THE MAJOR-DOMO'S STORY. + + +Don Sancho, feeling very anxious about the state in which he saw his +sister, hastily summoned her women who at once flocked around her. He +confided her to their care, and retired to the apartment prepared for +him, while ordering that he should be immediately warned so soon as +Dona Clara displayed any signs of recovery. + +Don Sancho de Penaflor was a charming cavalier, gay, merry, enjoying +life and repulsing with the egotism of his age and rank, every grief +and even every annoyance. + +Belonging to one of the first families of the Spanish aristocracy, +destined to be one day immensely rich, and through his name to hold +the highest offices and make one of those magnificent marriages of +convenience, which render diplomatists so happy, by leaving their minds +perfectly free for grand political combinations,--he strove, as far +as lay in his power, to check the beating of his heart, and not to +trouble by any unusual passion, the bright serenity of his existence. +Captain in the army, while awaiting something better, and to have the +air of doing something, he had followed his father as aide-de-camp to +Mexico, when the latter was appointed viceroy of New Spain. But, being +yet too young to regard life seriously and be ambitious, he had turned +his attention to gambling and flirtations since his arrival in America, +which greatly annoyed the Duke, for as the latter had passed the age of +love, he had no mercy for young men sacrificing to the idol which he +had himself worshipped for so long. + +Don Sancho was generally an excellent hearted fellow and good +companion, but affected, like all the Spaniards of that period, and +perhaps of the present, by caste prejudices, regarding the Negroes and +Indians as beasts of burden, created for his use, and disdaining to +conceal the contempt and disgust he felt for these disinherited races. + +In a word, Don Sancho, in accordance with the precept of his family, +always looked above him and never below; he endured his equals, but +established an impassable barrier of pride and disdain between himself +and his inferiors. + +Still, perhaps unconsciously,--for we will not give him the merit of +it,--a tender feeling had glided into the cold atmosphere in which +he was condemned to live, had penetrated to his heart, and at times +threatened to overthrow all his transcendental theories about egotism. + +This feeling was nothing else than the affection he felt for his +sister,--an affection which might pass for adoration, for it was so +truly devoted, respectful and disinterested; to please his sister he +would have attempted impossibilities; a simple word that fell from +her lips rendered him pliant and obedient as a slave; a desire she +manifested became at once an order for him as serious, and perhaps more +so, than if it had emanated from the King of Spain and the Indies, +although that magnificent potentate haughtily flattered himself that +the sun never set on his dominions. + +The first words the Count uttered so soon as he found himself alone in +his apartment, will show his character better than anything we can add. + +"Well," he exclaimed as he sank despairingly into an easy chair, +"instead of passing a few days agreeably here as I expected, I shall +be obliged to listen to Clara's complaints and console her; the deuce +take unhappy people, it really seems as if they had made agreement to +trouble my tranquillity." + +At the expiration of about three-quarters of an hour, a black slave +came to inform him that Dona Clara had regained her senses, but still +felt so weak and faint, that she begged him to refrain from seeing her +that evening. + +The young man was in his heart well pleased at the liberty granted him +by his sister, and which dispensed him from recurring to a conversation +which possessed no charm for him. + +"Very good," he said to the slave, "give my respects to my sister, and +order my supper to be served here; you will at the same time request +the Major-domo to come to me as I want to speak to him. Begone!" + +The slave went out and left him alone. + +The young Count then threw himself back in his chair, stretched out +his legs and plunged, not into any reverie, but into that state of +somnolency which is neither waking or sleeping, during which the mind +seems to wander in unknown regions, and which the Spaniards call a +siesta. + +While he was in this state, the slaves laid the table, being careful +not to disturb him, and covered it with exquisite dishes. + +But soon the steam of the dishes placed before him recalled the young +man to the reality, he drew himself up and seated himself at the table. + +"Why has not the Major-domo come," he asked, "have you neglected to +tell him?" + +"Pardon, Excellency, but the Major-domo is absent at this moment," a +slave respectfully answered. + +"Absent--for what motive?" + +"He is paying his usual evening visit to the grounds, but will soon +return; if your Excellency will be good enough to have a little +patience, you will soon see him." + +"Very good, although I do not understand the urgency of this visit. +There are no wild beasts here, I suppose?" + +"No, Excellency, thank heaven!" + +"Then, what is the meaning of these precautions?" + +"They are meant to guard the house from the attacks of the ladrones, +Excellency." + +"The ladrones again," he exclaimed, bounding from his seat, "why, it +must be a wager! Everybody seems to have agreed to mystify me, heaven +forgive me." + +At this moment spurs could be heard clattering outside the room. + +"Here is the Major-domo, Excellency," one of the Negroes said. + +"That is lucky, let him come in." + +Birbomono appeared, took off his hat, bowed respectfully to the Count, +and waited to be addressed. + +"Confound it," the young man said to him, "I asked for you an hour or +more ago." + +"I am in despair at it, Excellency, but I was only told of it this very +instant." + +"I know, I know. Have you dined?" + +"Not yet, Excellency." + +"Well then, seat yourself there, opposite to me." + +The Major-domo who knew the Count's haughty character, hesitated; he +did not at all understand the condescension on his part. + +"Sit down, I say," the young man replied; "we are in the country, so it +is of no consequence; besides, I want to talk with you." + +The Major-domo then took the place pointed out to him, without further +pressing. + +The meal was short--for the Count ate without uttering a single word; +when it was ended, he thrust away his plate, drank a glass of water +after the Spanish fashion, lit an excellent cigar and gave another to +the Major-domo. + +"Smoke, I permit it," he said. + +Birbomono gratefully accepted; but feeling more and more astonished, he +could not refrain from asking himself mentally, what important motive +his young master could have for treating him so condescendingly. +When the table was cleared and the slaves had withdrawn, the two +men remained alone. The night was magnificent and the atmosphere +marvellously clear; a multitude of stars floated in aether, a sweet warm +breeze penetrated through the windows, left expressly open, a profound +silence lay over the landscape, and from the spot where the two men +were seated, they perceived the dark mass of forest trees that closed +the horizon. + +"Now," said the Count, as he puffed out a cloud of bluish smoke, "let +us talk." + +"Very good, Excellency," the Major-domo replied. + +"I have several things to ask you, Birbomono; you know me, I think, and +that whether I threaten or promise, I always carry out what I say?" + +"I am aware of it, Excellency!" + +"Very good, that being settled, I will come to the fact without +further preamble. I have certain very important information to ask of +you; answering my questions is not betraying your mistress, who is my +sister, and whom I love before all else; on the contrary, it is perhaps +rendering her a service indirectly. Besides, if you refused to tell +me what I want to know, I should learn it from another quarter, and +you would forfeit any advantage to be derived from your frankness; you +understand me, I suppose?" + +"Perfectly, Excellency." + +"Well then, what do you intend doing." + +"My lord, I am devoted body and soul to your family, hence, I shall +consider it a duty to answer, as best I can, all the questions you may +deign to ask me, for I feel convinced that in questioning me, you have +no other motive but that of being agreeable to my mistress." + +"It is impossible to argue more correctly, Birbomono, I have always +said that you were an intelligent man; and this answer proves to +me that I was not mistaken. Now, I will begin, but let us proceed +regularly, so inform me of what occurred between my sister and her +husband, up to her arrival here; and the motives for her quitting St. +Domingo." + +"You know, Excellency, my lord Count de Bejar of Sousa, the husband of +your lady sister and my master, is a gentleman not naturally given to +speaking, but kind and sincerely attached to his wife, whose every wish +he strives to satisfy, without even venturing a remark. At St. Domingo +the Countess lived in the most absolute retirement, constantly shut +up in her remotest apartments, to which only her women, her confessor +and her physician had access. The Count visited her every morning and +evening, remained about a quarter of an hour with her, conversing on +indifferent subjects, and then withdrew." + +"Hum! This mode of life of my dear sister appears to me rather +monotonous; did it last long?" + +"For several months, Excellency, and it would doubtless still be going +on, had it not been for an event which no one but myself knows, and +which induced her to come here." + +"Ah, ah, and what was the event, if you please?" + +"I will tell you, Excellency; one day a ship of our nation arrived +at St. Domingo; during its passage through the islands, it had been +attacked by the ladrones, from whom it had escaped by a miracle, +capturing several of them." + +"Ah! I must stop you here," the Count exclaimed suddenly sitting up; +"before going further, one word about these ladrones, of whom persons +are incessantly talking, and no one knows. Do you know what they are?" + +"Certainly I do, Excellency." + +"At last," the Count added joyously, "I have at length found what I +wanted. As you know, I suppose you will tell me?" + +"Most willingly, Excellency." + +"Go on." + +"Oh! It will not be long, Excellency." + +"All the worse." + +"But I believe that it will be interesting." + +"All the better then, make haste." + +"These ladrones are English and French adventurers, whose courage +exceeds all belief; lying in ambush among the rocks in the straits +through which our vessels must pass, for they have vowed a war of +extermination against our nation, they dart out in wretched canoes half +full of water, leap on board the ship they have surprised, capture +it and carry it off. The injury done our marine by these ladrones is +immense; any ship attacked by them, with but few exceptions, may be +regarded as lost." + +"Confusion! That is very serious; has nothing been done to clear the +seas from these daring pirates?" + +"Pardon me, Excellency; Don Fernando de Toledo, admiral of the fleet, +sacked, by the king's orders, the island of St. Christopher, the refuge +of the ladrones, carried off all he could seize, and did not leave one +stone on the other in the colony they had founded." + +"Ah, ah!" said the Count, rubbing his hands, "That was well done, it +appears to me." + +"No, Excellency, and for this reason. These ladrones, scattered but not +destroyed, spread over the other islands; some of them, it is true, +returned to St. Christopher, but the greater part of them had the +audacity to seek a refuge in Hispaniola itself." + +"Yes, but they have been expelled, I hope." + +"It has been tried, at any rate, Excellency, but without success; since +that period they have managed to maintain themselves in the part of +the island they invaded, and have resisted all the forces sent against +them. Instead of being assailed they have become assailants, and pushed +on to the Spanish frontier, burning, plundering and sacking everything +they met on their passage; they did this the more easily, because they +inspire our soldiers with extreme terror, who as soon as they see them +or even hear them, take to flight without looking behind them. This +has reached such a pitch, Excellency, that the Count de Bejar, our +governor, has been compelled to take their fusils from the detachments +called the Fifties, ordered to protect the frontiers, and arm them with +lances." + +"What! Take away their fusils! And for what motive? Great heaven! this +seems to me almost too incredible." + +"Still, it can be easy understood, Excellency--the soldiers feel so +great a terror of the ladrones, that when they found themselves in +regions frequented by them, and were consequently afraid of meeting +them, they discharged their fusils, expressly to warn them of their +presence, and thus invite them to retire, which the ladrones never +failed to do; and knowing in this way the position of the soldiers, +they went off to plunder in another direction, certain of not being +disturbed." + +"It is almost incredible. Do you fear their visit here?" + +"They have not yet come on this side; still, it is as well to be on +one's guard." + +"I believe so--that is excessively prudent, and I approve of it; but +now let us return to the story you were telling me when I interrupted +you to give me this valuable information; you were saying that a +Spanish man-o'-war had arrived at Saint Domingo, having on board +several ladrones as prisoners." + +"Yes, Excellency. Now, you must know that the ladrones are hung so soon +as they are caught." + +"That measure is very wise." + +"These were reserved to make an example of on the island itself, and +terrify their accomplices; they were, therefore, landed, and placed +in Capilla, while awaiting their execution. It was Fray Arsenio who +undertook to reconcile the wretches with Heaven if it were possible." + +"A rude task; but who is Fray Arsenio?" + +"The confessor of my lady Countess." + +"Very good; proceed." + +"Just imagine, Excellency, that these ladrones are very pious men; +they never attack a vessel without offering up prayers to Heaven, +and sing the Magnificat and other church hymns while boarding; hence +Fray Arsenio had no difficulty in making them perform their religious +duties. The Governor had decided that, in order that the example +should benefit the rest, these ladrones should be hung on the Spanish +frontier; they were, therefore, taken out of prison, securely bound, +and traversed the town in carts, guarded by a numerous escort, and +passing through the crowds, who overwhelmed them with maledictions +and cries of anger and threatening. But the ladrones seemed to pay +no attention to this manifestation of the public hatred; they were +five in number, young, and apparently very powerful. All at once, at +the moment when the carts, which were going very slowly, owing to the +crowd, arrived in front of the Governor's palace, the ladrones rose +altogether, uttered a loud cry, and, leaping into the street, took +refuge in the palace, whose guard they disarmed, and closed the gates +after them; they had succeeded in cutting their bonds, no one knew +how. There was at first a moment of profound stupor among the crowd on +seeing such a desperate deed, but ere long the soldiers regained their +courage, and marched boldly on the palace, where the ladrones received +them with musket shots. The fight was bravely carried on on both sides, +but all the disadvantage was on the side of our men, who were exposed +to the shots of invisible enemies, and renowned marksmen, every shot +from whom brought down a victim. Some twenty dead, and as many wounded, +were already lying on the square; the soldiers hesitated to continue +this deadly contest, when the Governor, warned of what was going on, +came up at full speed, followed by his officers. Fortunately for him, +the Count was not at home when the ladrones seized his palace; but the +Countess was there, and the Count trembled lest she should fall into +the hands of these villains. He summoned them to surrender; they only +replied by a discharge, which killed several persons by the Governor's +side, and slightly wounded himself." + +"The daring villains!" the Count muttered--"I hope they were hung." + +"No, Excellency; after holding all the forces of the town in check for +two hours, they proposed a capitulation, which was accepted." + +"What!" the Count exclaimed, "Accepted! Oh! This is too much." + +"It is the exact truth, however, Excellency; they threatened, unless +they were allowed to retire in peace, to blow themselves up with the +palace, which would have entailed the general ruin of the town, and to +cut the throats of the prisoners in their power--that of the Countess +first of all; the Governor tore out his hair with rage, but they only +laughed." + +"Why they are not men!" the Count exclaimed, stamping his foot +passionately. + +"No, Excellency, I told you, they are demons. The Count's officers +persuaded him to accept the capitulation; the bandits insisted that the +streets should be cleared for their passage; they had horses brought +for them, and two for the Countess and one of her servants, whom they +retained as hostages till they were in safety; and they went out well +armed, leading in their midst my poor mistress, trembling with terror, +and more dead, than alive. The ladrones did not hurry, they went at +a foot pace, laughing and talking together, turning round, and even +stopping now and then to stare at the crowd, which followed them at a +respectful distance. They left the town in this way, but religiously +kept their promise; two hours later, my lady the Countess, to whom they +had behaved with great courtesy, returned to Saint Domingo, accompanied +to the palace by the acclamations and glad shouts of the populace, +who fancied her lost. The next day the Count ordered me to accompany +the Countess here, where the physicians recommended her to live for a +while, in order to rest from the terrible emotions she had doubtless +experienced while she was in the power of the bandits." + +"And since your installation at the hatto I presume nothing +extraordinary has occurred?" + +"Yes, Excellency, something has happened, and that is why I told +you at the beginning that I alone knew the event which had modified +my mistress's mode of living. One of the ladrones had a very long +interview with her before they left her, an interview I saw, too far +off to hear what was said, it is true, but near enough to judge of the +interest she felt in it, and the impression it produced on her, for I +had followed my mistress, resolved not to abandon her, and help her, +were it necessary, at the risk of my life." + +"That is the behaviour of a good servant, Birbomono, and I thank you +for it." + +"I only did my duty, Excellency; so soon as the ladrones left her +alone I approached my mistress, and escorted her back to the town. A +few days after our arrival here my mistress dressed herself in man's +clothes, left the hatto unseen, only followed by myself and Fray +Arsenio, who had refused to leave her, and led us to a secluded bay +on the coast, where one of the ladrones was awaiting us. This man had +another long conversation with my mistress, then, bidding us get into +a canoe, he took us to a Spanish brigantine, tacking in sight of the +coast. I afterwards learnt that this brigantine had been freighted by +Fray Arsenio by my mistress's orders. So soon as we were on board this +vessel, sail was set, and we put out to sea; the _ladron_ had returned +ashore in the canoe." + +"Nonsense!" the young man violently interjected; "What fables are you +telling me, Birbomono?" + +"Excellency, I am only telling you the truth you asked of me, without +adding or omitting anything." + +"Well, I am willing to believe you, incredible though the whole affair +appears." + +"Shall I break off here, Excellency, or continue my narration?" + +"Go on, in the Fiend's name! Perhaps some light will eventually issue +from all this chaos." + +"Our brigantine began tacking between the islands, at a great risk +of being snapped up as it passed by the ladrones; but, through some +incomprehensible miracle, it succeeded in passing unseen, so that in +eight days it reached an island in the form of a mountain, called +Nevis, I believe, and only separated by a narrow channel from St. +Kitts." + +"But, from what you told me yourself, St, Christopher is the den of the +ladrones." + +"Yes, Excellency, and so it is; the brigantine did not anchor, it +merely backed sails, and lowered a boat. My mistress, the monk, and +I, got into it, and we were landed on the island; but, as she put her +little foot on land, the Countess turned to me, and fixing on me a +glance which nailed me to the boat I was on the point of leaving, she +said--'Here is a letter, which you will carry to St. Christopher, there +you will inquire for a celebrated Chief of the ladrones, whose name +is Montbarts: you will have him pointed out to you; follow him, and +place this letter in his own hands. Go, I count on your fidelity.' What +could I do? Only obey: you will agree with me, Excellency. The sailors +in the boat, as if warned beforehand, conveyed me to St. Christopher, +where I landed unseen: I was lucky enough to meet this Montbarts, and +hand him the letter, and then I slipped away; the boat which had been +waiting for me took me back to Nevis, and the Senora thanked me. At +sunset Montbarts arrived at Nevis; he talked for nearly an hour with +the monk, while Dona Clara was concealed in a tent, and then went away: +a few minutes later, the Countess and Fray Arsenio returned aboard the +brigantine, which conveyed us back to Hispaniola with the same good +fortune. The monk remained in the French part of the island, for some +reason I do not know, while my mistress and I, as soon as we landed, +returned to the hatto, where we arrived just ten days ago." + +"And then?" the Count asked, seeing that the Major-domo was silent. + +"That is all, Excellency," he answered; "since then Dona Clara has +remained shut up in her apartments, and nothing has happened to trouble +the monotony of our existence." + +The Count rose without replying, walked up and down the room in +considerable agitation, and then turned to Birbomono. + +"Very good, Major-domo," he said to him--"I thank you; keep your mouth +shut about this, and now you can retire. Remember, that no one in the +household must suspect the importance of the conversation we have had +together." + +"I shall be dumb, Excellency," the Major-domo answered, and retired +with a respectful bow. + +"It is evident," the young man muttered, so soon as he was alone, "that +there is at the bottom of this affair a frightful secret, of which my +sister in all probability will condemn me to take my share. I am afraid +that I have fallen into a trap. Hang it all! Why could not Clara let me +live at my ease in Saint Domingo?" + + + + +CHAPTER XXII. + +ACROSS COUNTRY. + + +On the morrow, Dona Clara appeared, if not completely recovered from +her previous emotion, at least in a far more satisfactory state of +health than her brother had dared to hope after the fainting fit of +which he had been witness. + +No allusion was made, however, by one or the other to the previous +evening's conversation. Dona Clara, although very pale, and excessively +weak, affected gaiety and even merriment; she carried matters so far as +even to take a short walk in the garden, leaning on her brother's arm. + +But the latter was not deceived by this conduct; he understood that +his sister, vexed at having talked to him too frankly, was trying +to lead him astray as to her condition, by affecting a gaiety far +from her heart. Still, he did not let anything be seen, and when the +great heat of the day had passed, he pretended a desire to visit the +surrounding country, in order to give his sister a little liberty: +taking his fusil, he mounted his horse, and rode out, accompanied by +the Major-domo, who offered to act as his guide during his excursion. + +Dona Clara made but a faint effort to keep him at home; in her heart +she was pleased to be alone for a few hours. + +The young man galloped across country with a feverish impatience. +He was in a state of excitement, for which he could not account to +himself; in spite of his egotism, he felt himself interested in his +sister's misfortune; so much humble resignation involuntarily affected +him, and he would have been happy to infuse a little joy into this +heart crushed by grief; on the other hand, the Major-domo's singular +story incessantly returned to his mind, and aroused his curiosity +in the highest degree. Still he would not for anything in the world +have questioned his sister about the obscure parts of this narrative, +or merely let her know that he was aware of her relations with the +filibusters of St. Kitts. + +The two men had entered the savannah territory, and talking of +indifferent topics; but as the Count could not get rid of the +recollection of what the Major-domo had told him, he turned sharply +toward him at a certain moment. + +"By the way," he asked him sharply, "I have not yet seen my sister's +confessor. How do you call him?" + +"Fray Arsenio, Excellency; he is a Franciscan monk." + +"Yes, that's it, Fray Arsenio. Well, why does he persist in remaining +invisible?" + +"For an excellent reason, Excellency; the reason I had the honour of +explaining to you last evening." + +"That is possible--I do not say you did not; but everything is so +confused in my mind," he said, with feigned indifference, "that I no +longer remember what you told me on the subject; you will therefore +oblige me by repeating it." + +"That is easy, Excellency. Fray Arsenio left us at the moment when we +landed, and has not reappeared at the hatto since." + +"That is singular: and does not Dona Clara appear alarmed and vexed at +so long an absence?" + +"Not at all, Excellency; the senora never speaks of Fray Arsenio, and +does not inquire whether he has returned or not." + +"It is strange," the young man muttered to himself; "what is the +meaning of this mysterious absence?" + +After this aside, the Count suddenly broke off the conversation and +resumed the chase. They had been absent from the hatto for some hours, +and had insensibly gone a very considerable distance; the sun was +nearing the horizon, and the Count was preparing to turn back, when +suddenly a great noise of breaking branches was heard at the skirt of +the forest, from which they were only separated by a few shrubs, and +several wild oxen dashed on to the savannah, pursued, or, to speak more +correctly, hunted, by a dozen hounds, which barked furiously while +snapping at them. + +The oxen, seven or eight in number, passed like a tornado two horse +lengths from the Count, to whom this unexpected apparition caused such +a surprise, that he remained for a moment motionless, not knowing what +to do. + +The savage animals, still harassed by the hounds, which did not leave +them, made a sudden wheel, and turning back, seemed trying to enter the +forest at the spot where they had left it; but they had hardly resumed +their flight in that direction, when a fusil was discharged, and a +bull, struck in the head, fell dead on the ground. + +At the same instant a man emerged in his turn from the forest, and +walked up to the animal, which was lying motionless and nearly hidden +in the tall grass, without appearing to notice the two Spaniards, and +reloading as he walked along the long fusil he had, in all probability, +just employed so adroitly. + +This hunting episode was accomplished more quickly than it has taken +us to describe it, so that Don Sancho had not quite recovered from his +surprise, when the Major-domo bent down to his side and said in a low +voice, half choked with terror-- + +"Excellency, you wanted to see a _ladron_. Well, look carefully at that +man, he is one." + +Don Sancho was endowed with undaunted courage. When his first surprise +had passed, he became again completely master of himself, and regained +all his coolness. + +After securing his seat on the saddle, he advanced slowly toward the +stranger, while examining him curiously. He was a man still young, of +middle height, but well and powerfully built; his regular, majestic, +and rather handsome features displayed boldness and intelligence. Cold, +heat, rain, and sunshine to which he had doubtless for a long time been +exposed, had given his face a decided bistre hue; and although he wore +his full beard, it was cut rather short. + +His dress, of almost primitive simplicity, so to speak, was composed of +two shirts, breeches, and jacket, all of canvas, but so covered with +spots of blood and grease, that it was impossible to recognise its +original colour. He wore a leathern belt, from which hung on one side +a case of crocodile skin, containing four knives and a bayonet; on the +other, a large calabash, stopped with wax, and a hide bag containing +bullets. He wore across his shoulders a small coat of fine canvas, +rolled up and reduced to its smallest compass; and in lieu of shoes, +boots made of untanned oxhide. His long hair, fastened with a _vibora_ +skin, escaped from under a fur cap which covered his head, and was +protected by a peak in front. + +His fusil, whose barrel was four and a half feet in length, could be +easily recognized through the strange form of its stock, as turned out +by Brachie, of Dieppe, who with Gelin, of Nantes, had the monopoly of +manufacturing arms for the adventurers. This fusil was of the calibre +of sixteen to the pound. + +The appearance of this man, thus armed and accoutred, had really +something imposing and formidable about it. + +You instinctively felt yourself in face of a powerful nature, of a +chosen organization, accustomed only to reckon on oneself, and which no +danger was great enough to astound or even affect. + +While continuing to advance toward the bull, he took a side glance at +the two horsemen; then, without paying any further attention to them, +he whistled to his dogs, which at once gave up their pursuit of the +herd, and after drawing a knife from his sheath, he began skinning the +animal lying at his feet. + +At this moment the Count came up to his side. + +"Eh," he said to him in a sharp voice, "who are you, and what do you +here?" + +The buccaneer, for he was one, raised his head, looked sarcastically +at the man who addressed him so peremptorily, and then shrugged his +shoulders with disdain. + +"Who I am?" he replied, mockingly; "You see that I am a buccaneer, and +what I am doing. I am flaying a bull I have slain. What next?" + +"I want to know by what right you hunt on my land?" + +"Ah! This land is yours? I am very glad to hear it. Well, I am hunting +here because I think proper. If that does not suit you, I feel sorry +for it, my pretty gentleman." + +"What do you mean?" the Count continued, haughtily; "And how do you +dare to assume such a tone with me?" + +"Probably, because it is the one that suits me best," the buccaneer +replied, drawing himself up quickly; "go your road, my fine sir, and +take some good advice; if you do not wish your handsome jerkin to be +filled with broken bones within five minutes, do not trouble yourself +about me more than I do about you, and leave me to attend to my +business." + +"I will not allow it," the young man answered, violently; "the land you +are trespassing on so impertinently belongs to my sister, Dona Clara de +Bejar; I will not suffer it to be invaded with impunity by vagabonds +of your description. _iViva Dios!_ You will decamp at once, my master, +or, if not--" + +"If not?" the buccaneer asked, with eyes flashing fire, while the +Major-domo, foreseeing a catastrophe, prudently glided behind his +master. + +As for the latter, he stood cool and impassive before the buccaneer, +resolved to take the offensive vigorously, if he saw him make the +slightest suspicious gesture. But, contrary to all expectation, the +adventurer's menacing look became almost suddenly calm, his features +resumed their usual expression of nonchalance; and it was in an almost +friendly tone, in spite of its roughness, that he said-- + +"Halloh! What name was that you mentioned, if you please?" + +"That of the owner of this savannah." + +"I suppose so," the adventurer replied, laughing; "but may I ask you to +repeat the name?" + +"That is of no consequence, my master," the young man said +disdainfully, for he fancied that his adversary was backing out of the +quarrel; "the name I uttered is that of Dona Clara de Bejar of Sousa." + +"Et cetera," the buccaneer said, with a laugh, "these devils of +gavachos have names for every day in the year. Come, don't be angry, +my young cock," he added, remarking the flush which the expression he +had employed spread over the Count's face; "we are, perhaps, nearer an +understanding than you imagine--what would you gain by a fight with me? +Nothing; and you might, on the contrary, lose a great deal." + +"I do not understand your words," the young man answered drily, "but I +hope you are about to explain them." + +"It will not take long, as you shall see," the other said tauntingly, +and, turning to the forest, he raised his hands to his mouth in the +shape of a speaking trumpet. + +"Eh! L'Olonnais!" he shouted. + +"Hola!" a man immediately answered, whom the denseness of the forest in +which he was hidden rendered invisible. + +"Come here, my son," the buccaneer continued, "I believe we have found +your little matter." + +"Ah, ah!" L'Olonnais, still invisible, replied, "I must have a look at +it." + +The young Count did not know what to think of this new incident which +seemed about to change the state of affairs; he feared a coarse jest +on the part of these half-savage men. He hesitated between giving way +to the passion that was boiling within him, or patiently awaiting the +result of the buccaneer's summons; but a secret foreboding urged him to +restrain himself and act prudently with these men, who did not appear +animated by an evil design against him, and whose manners, though quick +and rough, were still friendly. + +At this moment L'Olonnais appeared; he wore the same dress as the +buccaneer: he advanced hurriedly toward the latter, and without +troubling himself about the two Spaniards, asked him what he wanted, +while throwing on the ground a wild bull's hide, which he was carrying +on his shoulders. + +"Did you not tell me something about a letter which Bowline sent you +this morning by the hands of Omopoua?" + +"It is true, Lepoletais. I spoke to you about it," he said, "and it was +settled between us that as you know the country, you were to lead me to +the person to whom I have to deliver this accursed slip of paper." + +"Well, then, my son, if you like, your commission is performed," +Lepoletais continued, as he pointed to Don Sancho, "he is the brother, +or at least calls himself so, of the person in question." + +"Stuff," L'Olonnais replied, fixing alight glance on the young man, +"that gay springald?" + +"Yes, he says so; for as you know, the Spaniards are such liars, that +it is not possible even to trust to their word." + +Don Sancho blushed with indignation. + +"Who gave you the right to doubt mine?" he exclaimed. + +"Nothing has done so up to the present, hence I am not addressing +myself to you, but speaking generally." + +"So," L'Olonnais asked him, "you are the brother of Dona Clara de +Bejar, the mistress of the hatto del Rincon?" + +"Once again, yes, I am her brother." + +"Good! And how will you prove it to me?" + +The young man shrugged his shoulders. + +"What do I care whether you believe me or not?" he said. + +"That is possible, but it is of great consequence to me to be certain +of the fact; I am entrusted with a letter for that lady, and wish to +perform my commission properly." + +"In that case hand me the letter, and I will deliver it myself." + +"You found that out all by yourself," the engage said mockingly, "a +likely notion that I should give you the note on your demand," and he +burst into a hearty laugh, in which Lepoletais joined. + +"These Spaniards doubt nothing," the buccaneer said. + +"In that case go to the deuce, you and your letter," the young man +exclaimed passionately, "it does not make any difference to me if you +keep it." + +"Come, come, don't be savage, hang it all," L'Olonnais continued in a +conciliatory tone; "there is possibly a means of arranging matters to +the general satisfaction; I am not so black as I look, and I have good +intentions, but I do not wish to be duped, that is all." + +The young man, in spite of the visible repugnance with which the +adventurers inspired him did not dare to break suddenly with them; the +letter might be very important, and his sister, doubtless would not +pardon him if he acted petulantly in this matter. + +"Come," he said, "speak, but make haste; it is late--I am far from the +hatto, where I wish to return before sunset, so as not to alarm my +sister unnecessarily." + +"That is the conduct of a good brother," the engage answered with an +ironical smile; "this is what I propose to you: tell the little lady in +question that Montbart's engage has orders to deliver a letter to her, +and that if she wishes to have it, she need only come and fetch it." + +"What! Fetch it, where?" + +"Here; zounds! Lepoletais and I will set up a boucan at this spot; we +will wait for the lady all tomorrow here: it seems to me that what I +propose is simple and easy." + +"And do you believe," he answered ironically, "that my sister will +consent to accept such an appointment made by a wretched adventurer? +why, you must be mad!" + +"I do not believe anything, I make you a proposal, which you are free +to accept or refuse, that is all: as for the letter, she shall only +have it by coming to fetch it herself." + +"Why not accompany me to the hatto, that would be more simple, I fancy?" + +"It is possible, and that was my intention at first, but I have changed +my mind; so settle what you will do." + +"My sister respects herself too much to take such a step, I am certain +beforehand that she will indignantly refuse." + +"Well, you may be mistaken, my friend," the engage said, with a knowing +smile, "who ever knows what women think!" + +"Well, to cut short an interview which has already lasted too long, I +will inform her of what you have said to me; still, I do not conceal +from you that I shall make every effort to prevent her coming." + +"You can do as you please, it does not concern me; but be assured that +if it be her wish to come, as I believe, your arguments will be of no +use." + +"We shall see." + +"Mind not to forget to tell her that the letter is from Montbarts." + +During this conversation, which possessed no interest for him, +Lepoletais, with the characteristic coolness and carelessness of +buccaneers, was engaged in cutting down branches, and planting stakes +to make the _ajoupa_ under which they would camp for the night. + +"You see," the engage added, "that my comrade has already set to work; +so good-bye till tomorrow, as I have no time for further talk, I must +help to prepare the boucan." + +"Do as you please, but I am persuaded that you are wrong in reckoning +on the success of the commission I have undertaken." + +"Well, you will see; at any rate mention it to the Senora. Ah! By the +way, one word more, mind, no treachery." + +The young man did not condescend a reply: he shrugged his shoulders +disdainfully, leaped on his horse, and galloped off in the direction of +the hatto, closely followed by the Major-domo. + +On getting some distance away, he looked back: the ajoupa was already +finished, and, as L'Olonnais had said, the two buccaneers were busily +engaged in establishing their boucan, without paying any more attention +to the Spaniards, who were doubtless prowling about the neighbourhood, +than if they had been five hundred leagues from any habitation. + +Then he continued to advance thoughtfully in the direction of the hatto. + +"Well, Excellency," the Major-domo said presently, "you have seen the +ladrones, what do you think of them now?" + +"They are rough men," he said, shaking his head sadly, "possessing +brutal and indomitable natures, but relatively frank and honest, at +least from their point of view." + +"Yes, yes, you are right, Excellency; and thus they gain more ground +every day, and if they were left alone, I am afraid that the whole +island would soon belong to them." + +"Oh, we have not reached that point yet," he said with a smile. + +"Pardon me, Excellency, for asking you the question, but do you intend +to inform the Senora of this meeting?" + +"I should like not to do so; unfortunately, after what you had told me +of the things that have taken place between my sister and these men, +my silence might have very serious consequences for her. Hence it is +better, I believe, to tell her frankly all about it, and she will be a +better judge than I of the line of conduct she should pursue." + +"I believe you are right, Excellency. The Senora has perhaps a great +interest in knowing the contents of that letter." + +"Well, let us trust in Heaven!" + +It was an hour past nightfall when they reached the hatto. + +They noticed with surprise an unusual movement round the house. Several +fires lighted on the plain illumined the darkness. On approaching, +the Count perceived that these fires were lit by soldiers, who had +established their bivouac there. + +A confidential servant was watching for the Count's arrival. So soon as +he saw him, he handed him several letters that had arrived for him, and +begged him to go at once to the Senora, who was impatiently expecting +him. + +"What is there new here?" he asked. + +"Two fifties arrived at sunset, Excellency," the servant answered. + +"Ah!" he remarked, with a slight frown. "Very good. Inform my sister +that I shall be with her in an instant." + +The domestic bowed and retired. The young gentleman dismounted, and +went to the apartments of Dona Clara, considerably puzzled by the +unforeseen arrival of these troops at a spot which apparently enjoyed +great tranquillity, and where their presence was unnecessary. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII. + +COMPLICATIONS. + + +We must now return to one of our characters, who up to the present has +played but a secondary part in this story; but, as frequently happens, +is now called on by the exigencies of our narrative to take his place +in the foreground. + +We refer to Count Don Stenio de Bejar y Sousa, grandee of Spain of the +first class, _caballero cubierto_, governor for His Majesty Philip II. +of Spain and the Indies, of the island of Hispaniola, and husband of +Dona Clara de Penaflor. + +Count Don Stenio de Bejar was a true Spaniard of the age of Charles V., +dry, stiff, full of pride and self-sufficiency, always with his hand +on his hip, and his head thrown back when he deigned to speak, which, +happened to him as rarely as possible, not through any want of sense, +as he was far from being a fool; but through indolence and contempt of +other men, whom he never looked at without half closing his eyes, and +raising the corners of his lips disdainfully. + +Tall, well built, possessed of noble manners, and a very handsome face, +the Count, apart from his determined silence, was one of the most +accomplished cavaliers of the Spanish court, which, however, at that +period, possessed a great number of them. + +His marriage with Dona Clara had been at the outset an affair of +convenience and ambition, but gradually, through admiring the charming +face of the woman he had married, seeing her gentle eyes fixed on +him, and hearing her melodious voice resound in his ear, he had grown +to love her--love her madly. Like all men accustomed to shut up and +concentrate in their hearts the feelings that possessed them, the +passion he experienced for Dona Clara had acquired proportions the more +formidable, because the unhappy man had the desperate conviction that +it would never be shared by the woman who was the object of it. All Don +Stenio's advances had been so peremptorily rejected by his wife, that +he at last made up his mind to abstain from them. + +But, like all disappointed lovers, this gentleman, who was at the same +time the husband--a very aggravating fact in the species, was naturally +too infatuated with his own merit, to attribute his defeat to himself, +and hence had looked around to discover the fortunate rival who had +robbed him of his wife's heart. + +Naturally the Count had not succeeded in finding this fancied rival, +who only existed in his own imagination, and this had grown into a +jealousy, the more ferocious because, as it did not know whom to settle +on, it attacked everybody. + +The Count was jealous, then, not like a Spaniard, for the Spaniards +generally, whatever may be said to the contrary, are not affected by +that stupid malady, but like an Italian; and this jealousy made him +suffer the more, because, like his love, he was unable to show it; +through fear of ridicule, he was compelled to lock it up carefully in +his heart. + +When, owing to his protection--as had been arranged on his marriage +with Dona Clara, of whose previous union with the Count de Barmont +he was ignorant--his father-in-law, the Duc de Penaflor, was +appointed viceroy of New Spain, and himself obtained the government +of Hispaniola, the Count experienced a feeling of indescribable joy, +and an immense comfort inundated his mind. He was persuaded that in +America, his wife, separated from her friends and relatives, forced, +to live alone, and consequently to undergo his influence, would be +driven through weariness and want of something better to do, to share +his love, or at least accept it: and then again, on the islands there +was no rivalry to fear among a half savage population entirely absorbed +by a passion far more powerful than love--a passion for money. + +Alas! This time too, he was deceived. Dona Clara, it is true, gave him +no more pretext for jealousy than she had done in Spain, but he did not +any the more succeed in winning her affections. From the first day of +her arrival at Saint Domingo, she manifested the desire to live alone +and in retirement, engaged in religious practices; and the Count was +constrained, in spite of his fury, to bow before a resolution which he +recognised as irrevocable. + +He resigned himself; his jealousy however was not extinct, it was +smouldering beneath the ashes, and a spark would suffice to make it +burst into a more terrible flame than before. + +Still, in spite of this slight annoyance, the life the Count led at +Saint Domingo was most agreeable; in the first place he ruled there in +his quality of governor, saw everybody bend beneath his will, always +excepting his wife, the only one perhaps he would have cared to reduce. +He had his flatterers, and played the master and suzerain over all +who surrounded him; moreover, a thing not to be at all despised, his +position as governor secured certain imposts that rapidly augmented his +fortune, which various youthful follies had considerably reduced, and +he now worked hard, not only to repair the breaches, but to render them +as if they had never been. + +By degrees, however, the Count succeeded in lulling, if not subduing, +his love; he employed one passion to uproot the other; the care +of augmenting his fortune made him endure patiently the calculated +indifference of the Countess. He had almost come himself to believe +that he only felt for her a frank and sincere friendship; the more +so because Dona Clara for her part, was charming in everything that +did not touch on her husband's passion for her; she took an interest, +or at least pretended to do so, in the commercial speculations which +the Count did not hesitate to engage in under suppositious names, and +at times she would give him, with that clear judgment so eminently +possessed by women whose heart is free, excellent advice on very +difficult points, by which the Count profited, and naturally took all +the glory. + +Things were in this state when the episode with the filibusters +occurred, which the Major-domo described to Don Sancho de Penaflor. + +This mad struggle of five men against an entire town, a struggle from +which they emerged victorious, had caused the Count a rage all the +greater, because the filibusters, on leaving the town, had taken the +Countess off with them as a hostage. He had then understood how greatly +he erred, in supposing that his love and jealousy were extinguished. +During the two hours that the Countess remained absent, the Count +suffered a horrible torture, the more horrible because the rage he felt +was impotent, and vengeance impossible, at least for the present. + +Hence, from this moment, the Count vowed an implacable hatred against +the adventurers, and swore to carry on a merciless war against them. + +The return of the Countess safe and sound, and treated with the +greatest respect by the adventurers, during the time she remained in +their power, calmed the Count's wrath from a marital point of view, +but the insult he had received in his quality as governor, was too +grave for him to renounce his vengeance. + +From this moment the most formal orders were sent to the leaders of +corps to redouble their surveillance, and chase the adventurers, +wherever they met them; fresh Fifties, formed of resolute men, were +organized, and the few adventurers they contrived to catch, were +mercilessly hung. Tranquillity was re-established in the colonies, the +confidence of the colonists, momentarily disturbed, reappeared, and +everything apparently returned to its accustomed state. + +The Countess had expressed a desire to restore her health by a stay +of several weeks at the hatto del Rincon, and the Count, to whom her +physician had expressed this wish, found it only very natural; he had +seen his wife go away with an easy mind, for he was convinced that at +the spot whither she was going, she would have no danger to fear, and +felt persuaded in his heart that this condescension on his part, would +be appreciated by the Countess, and that she would feel thankful to him +for it. + +She had left therefore, only accompanied by a few servants and +confidential slaves, delighted to escape for some time from the +restraint she was obliged to impose on herself at Saint Domingo, +and fostering the bold scheme which we have seen her carry out so +successfully. + +It was about an hour after the departure of Don Sancho de Penaflor, +to go and join his sister at the hatto; the Count was finishing his +breakfast, and preparing to retire to the inner boudoir to enjoy his +siesta, when an usher came into the dining room, and after apologizing +for disturbing His Excellency at this moment, informed him that a man +who refused to give his name, but declared that he was well known to +the governor, insisted on being introduced into his presence, as he had +most important communications to make to him. + +The moment was badly chosen to ask for an audience, as the Count felt +inclined to sleep; he answered the usher that, however important the +stranger's communications might be, he did not believe them of such +importance that he should sacrifice his siesta for them; he therefore +Sent a message to the effect that the governor would not be at liberty +till four in the afternoon, and if the stranger liked to return then he +would be received. + +The Count dismissed the usher, and rose, muttering to himself as he +walked towards the boudoir,-- + +"_Dios me salve_, if I were to believe all these scamps, I should not +have a moment's rest." + +Whereupon he stretched himself in a large hammock, hung right across +the room, closed his eyes and fell asleep. + +The Count's siesta lasted three hours, and this delay was the cause of +serious complications. + +On waking, Don Stenio quite forgot all about the stranger; it so often +happened that he was disturbed for nothing by people who declared they +had urgent matters to discuss with him, that he did not attach the +slightest importance to their requests for an audience, and the usher's +words had completely slipped his memory. + +At the time when he entered the room where he usually granted his +audiences, and which at this moment was quite empty, the usher +presented himself again. + +"What do you want?" he asked him. + +"Excellency," the usher replied with a respectful bow, "the man has +returned." + +"What man?" + +"The man who came this morning." + +"Oh yes, well, what does he want?" the Count continued, who did not +know what all this was about. + +"He desires, my lord, that you will do him the honour of receiving him, +as he states that he has matters of the utmost gravity to tell you." + +"Ah, very good, I remember now; it is the same man you announced this +morning." + +"Yes, Excellency, the same." + +"And what is his name?" + +"He will only tell it to your Excellency." + +"Hum! I do not like such precautions, for they never forbode anything +good; listen, Jose! When he arrives, tell him I never receive people +who insist on keeping their incognito." + +"But he is here, my lord." + +"Ah! well then, it will be all the more easy, tell him so at once." + +And he turned his back. The usher bowed and left the room, but returned +almost immediately. + +"Well! Have you sent him away?" the Count asked. + +"No, my lord, he gave me this card requesting me to hand it your +Excellency. He declares that, in default of his name, it will be +sufficient to secure his admission to your presence." + +"Oh! Oh!" said the Count, "That is curious, let me see this famous +talisman." + +He took the card from the usher's hand and looked at it absently; but +all at once he started, frowned and said to the usher, + +"Show the man into the yellow room, let him wait for me there, I will +be with him in a moment. The deuce," he muttered to himself when he was +alone, "it is a long time since this scoundrel let me hear anything of +him, I fancied him hung or drowned; he is a clever scamp, can he really +have any important information to give me? We shall see." + +Then, leaving the room in which he was, he hastened to the yellow +saloon where the man with the card already was. + +On seeing the governor, the latter hastily rose, and made him a +respectful bow. + +The Count turned to the valet who had followed him to open the doors. + +"I am not at home to anybody," he said; "you can go." + +The valet left the room, and shut the door after him. + +"Now for us two," the Count said, as he sank into his chair, and +pointed to another. + +"I am awaiting your lordship's orders," the stranger said respectfully. + +Don Stenio remained for a moment silent, and scratching his forehead. + +"You have been away for a very long time," he said at last, "well, what +has become of you during the last two months?" + +"I have been executing your Excellency's orders," the man answered. + +"My orders? I do not remember having given you any." + +"Pardon me, my lord, if I venture to remind you of certain facts, which +appear to have escaped your memory." + +"Do so, my good fellow, I shall be delighted at it; still, I would +remark that my time is valuable, and that others besides yourself are +awaiting an audience." + +"I will be brief, Excellency." + +"That is what I wish. Go on," + +"A few days after the affair of the ladrones, does not your Excellency +remember saying to me in a moment of anger or impatience, that you +would give ten thousand piastres to obtain positive information about +the adventurers, their strength, plans, &c.?" + +"Yes, I remember saying that; what then?" + +"Well, Excellency, I was present when you made that promise. Your +Excellency had deigned to employ me several times before; as you looked +at me while speaking, I supposed that you were addressing me, and I +have acted accordingly." + +"That is to say?" + +"In my devotion to your Excellency, in spite of the numberless dangers +I should have to incur, I resolved to go and seek the information you +appeared to desire so ardently, and--" + +"And you went to seek it," the Count exclaimed with an eager start, +though hitherto he had paid but very slight attention to the stranger's +remarks. + +"Well, yes, Excellency." + +"Ah, ah," he said, stroking his chin; "and have you learnt anything?" + +"An infinity of things, my lord." + +"Well, let me hear some of them. But mind," he added, checking himself, +"no hearsays or suppositions, for I have my ears stuffed with them." + +"The information I shall have the honour of giving your Excellency, is +derived from a good source, since I went to seek it in the very den of +the ladrones." + +The Count gazed with admiration at this man who had not feared to +expose himself to so great a danger. + +"If such is the case, pray continue, senor." + +"My lord," the spy resumed, for we may henceforth give him that name; +"I come from St. Christopher." + +"Ah! Is not that the Island where the bandits take shelter?" + +"Yes, my lord, and more than that, I returned in one of their vessels." + +"Oh, oh," said the governor, "pray tell me all about it, my dear Don +Antonio: that is your name, I believe?" + +"Yes, my lord; Don Antonio de la Ronda." + +"You see," the Count added with a smile; "that I have a good memory +sometimes," and he laid a stress on these words, which made the spy's +heart bound with joy. + +The latter told him in what way he had entered the island, how he had +been discovered and made prisoner by Montbarts, who put him on board +one of his vessels; how a great expedition had been decided on by the +adventurers against the island of Saint Domingo, in the first place, +and then against Tortuga, which the ladrones had a plan for surprising, +and on which they intend to establish themselves; and in what way, on +reaching Port Margot, he had succeeded in escaping, and had hastened to +bear the news to his Excellency the governor. + +The Count listened with the most serious attention to Don Antonio's +narrative, and in proportion as it progressed, the governor's brow +became more anxious; in fact, the spy had not deceived him. The news +was of the utmost gravity. + +"Hum!" he answered; "And is it long since the ladrones arrived at Port +Margot?" + +"Eight days, Excellency." + +"_iSangre de Cristo!_ so long as that, and I had not been informed of +it?" + +"In spite of the utmost diligence, as I was constrained to take the +greatest precaution lest I should fall again into the hands of the +ladrones, who doubtless started in pursuit of me. I only arrived this +morning, and came straight to the palace." + +The Count bit his lips, several hours had been lost through his fault; +still he did not notice the indirect reproach addressed to him by the +spy, for he comprehended all its justice. + +"You have fairly earned the ten thousand piastres promised, Don +Antonio," he said. + +The spy gave a start of pleasure. + +"Ah, that is not all," he answered, with a meaning smile. + +"What else is there?" the Count remarked; "I believed that you had +nothing further to tell me." + +"That depends, Excellency. I have made my official report to the +Governor-General of Hispaniola, it is true--a very detailed report +indeed--in which I have forgotten nothing that might help him to defend +the island entrusted to his care." + +"Well?" + +"Well, my lord, I have now to give the Count de Bejar, of course, if he +desire it, certain information which I believe will interest him." + +The Count fixed on the man an investigating glance, as if he wished to +read his very soul. + +"The Count de Bejar?" he said with studied coldness; "What can you have +to say that interests him privately, as a simple gentleman? I have not, +as far as I am aware, anything to settle with the ladrones." + +"Perhaps so, my lord; however, I will only speak, if your Excellency +orders me, and before doing so, will beg you to forgive anything that +may seem offensive to your honour in what I may say to you." + +The Count turned pale and frowned portentously. + +"Take care," he said to him in a threatening voice, "take care lest +you go beyond your object, and in trying to prove too much, fall into +the contrary excess. The honour of my name is not to be played with, +and I will never allow the slightest stain to be imprinted on it." + +"I have not the slightest intention to insult your Excellency; my zeal +on your behalf has alone urged me to speak as I have done." + +"Very good--I am willing to believe it; still, as the honour of my name +regards myself alone, I do not allow any person the right to assail it, +not even in a good intention." + +"I ask your Excellency's pardon, but I have doubtless explained myself +badly. What I have to tell you relates to a plot, formed, doubtless, +without her knowledge, against the Countess." + +"A plot formed against the Countess!" Don Stenio exclaimed, violently; +"What do you mean, senor? Explain at once--I insist on it." + +"My lord, since it is your wish, I will speak. Is not her ladyship, the +Countess, at this moment in the vicinity of the small town of San Juan?" + +"She is; but how do you know it, since, as you told me you have only +been back to Saint Domingo for a few hours?" + +"I presumed so, because on board the vessel in which I returned to +Hispaniola, I heard something about an interview which the chief of +the adventurers was to have in a few days in the neighbourhood of the +Artibonite." + +"Oh!" the Count exclaimed; "You lie, scoundrel!" + +"For what object, my lord?" the spy answered, coolly. + +"How do I know? through hatred, envy, perhaps." + +"I," he said, with a shrug of his shoulders. "Nonsense, my lord. Men +like me--spies, if things must be called by their proper name--are only +led away by one passion--that of money." + +"But what you tell me is impossible," the Count observed, with +agitation. + +"What prevents you from assuring yourself that I speak the truth, my +lord?" + +"I will do so, _iViva Dios!_" he exclaimed, stamping his foot furiously. + +Then he walked up to the spy, who was standing calm and motionless in +the centre of the room, and fixed on him a glance full of rage, but +impossible to describe. + +"Listen, villain!" he said in a hollow voice, half choked with passion; +"If you have lied, you shall die!" + +"Agreed, my lord," the spy replied, coldly; "but if I have spoken the +truth?" + +"If you have spoken the truth," he exclaimed, but suddenly broke off, +"but no, it is impossible, I repeat!" and seeing a fugitive smile +playing round the lips of his companion, he added, "well, be it so; if +you have spoken the truth, you shall fix your own reward, and whatever +it may be, on my word as a gentleman, you shall have it." + +"Thanks, my lord," he replied, with a bow; "I hold you to your word." + +The Count walked several times up and down the saloon, suffering from +intense agitation, appearing to have completely forgotten the presence +of the spy, muttering unconnected words, breaking out into passionate +gestures, and in all probability revolving in his head sinister +projects of vengeance. At length he stopped and addressed the spy again. + +"Withdraw," he said to him, "but do not leave the palace; or, stay, +wait a moment." + +Seizing a bell on the table, he rang it violently. + +A valet appeared. + +"A corporal and four men," he said. + +The spy shrugged his shoulders. + +"Why all these precautions, my lord?" he asked; "is it not contrary to +my interest to go away?" + +The Count examined him for a moment attentively, and then made the +valet a sign to withdraw. + +"Very good," he then said, "I trust to you, Don Antonio de la Ronda. +Await my orders, I shall soon have need of you." + +"I shall not go away far, my lord." + +And after bowing respectfully, he took his leave, and withdrew. + +The Count, when left alone, gave way for some minutes to all the +violence of a rage so long restrained, but he gradually regained his +coolness and the power of reflection. + +"Oh! I will avenge myself!" he exclaimed. + +Then he gave, with feverish activity, the necessary orders that +numerous bodies of troops should be sent off to different points, so as +to completely invest the hatto del Rincon, to which spot two Fifties +were sent, commanded by experienced and resolute officers. + +These measures taken, the Count, wrapped in a large cloak, mounted his +horse an hour after sunset, and followed by Don Antonio de la Ronda, +who had not the slightest desire to leave him, and a few confidential +officers, he left his palace incognito, rode through the town +unrecognized, and reached the open country. + +"Now, caballeros," he said in a hollow voice, "gallop your hardest, +and do not be afraid of foundering your horses. Relays are prepared at +regular distances along the road." + +He dug his spurs into the flanks of his horse, which snorted with pain, +and the party set out with the headlong speed of a whirlwind. + +"Ah, Santiago! Santiago;" the Count exclaimed at times while urging on +his steed, whose efforts were superhuman, "shall I arrive in time?" + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV. + +PORT MARGOT. + + +We will now return to the filibustering flotilla, which we left sailing +freely toward the great North Key, a rendezvous admirably selected, +owing to its proximity to Saint Domingo, and exactly facing the island +of the Tortoise. + +According to their habit, whenever they undertook an expedition, the +adventurers had only troubled themselves with laying in a stock of +ammunition, and only took two days' provisions with them, as they +intended to make descents on the islands which they knew they must +pass, and pillage the Spanish colonists settled on them. This was +exactly what happened. The filibusters left behind them a long train of +fire and blood, murdering, without pity, the defenceless Spaniards, who +were terrified at the sight of them, seizing on their cattle and firing +their houses after they had plundered them. + +The first vessel to anchor off the Great Key was the lugger with +Montbarts on board, and commanded by Michael le Basque; on the next day +the two brigantines arrived, a few hours after one another. + +They came to anchor on the right and left of the admiral, about two +cables' length from the coast. + +At this period the Great Key was inhabited by red Caribs, expelled from +St. Domingo by the cruelty of the Spaniards, and who had taken refuge +on this island, where they lived rather comfortably, owing to the +fertility of the soil, and the alliance they had contracted with the +filibusters. + +The three vessels had scarce cast anchor, ere they were surrounded by a +great number of canoes, manned by Caribs, who brought them refreshments +of every description. + +The same evening the admiral went ashore with the greater part of his +crew: the other captains imitated him, and only left behind the men +absolutely necessary to guard the ships. + +At a signal from the admiral, the crews arranged themselves in a +semicircle round him; the captains standing in front of the first line. + +Behind them were the Caribs, alarmed in their hearts at this formidable +landing, whose motive they could not divine, anxiously awaiting what +was going to happen, and not at all comprehending this display of +strength. + +Montbarts, holding in one hand the staff of a white flag, whose folds +floated on the breeze above his head, and his long sword in the other, +looked round at the men gathered before him. + +Most of them were scarce clad, but all were well armed. They had +weather-beaten complexions, vigorous limbs, huge muscles, energetic +features, and a defiant glance. The adventurers thus collected +around this man, who stood haughtily in front of them, with his head +thrown back, quivering lips, and a flashing eye, offered a striking +spectacle; their savage grandeur and rough gestures were not deficient +in a certain majesty, which was rendered still more imposing by the +primitive landscape that formed the background of the picture, and the +picturesque group of Indians, whose anxious faces and characteristic +poses added to the effect of the scene. + +For some time the rustling of the crowd was audible, like the sound of +the sea breaking on a beach, but gradually the noise died away, and a +profound silence fell on all. + +Montbarts then advanced a step, and in a firm and sonorous voice, whose +manly accents soon captivated all these men who listened eagerly to his +words, he revealed to them the purpose of the expedition, which up to +this time was unknown to them. + +"Brothers of the coast," he said; "messmates and friends, the moment +has arrived to reveal to you what I await from your courage and your +devotion to the common cause. You are not mercenaries, who, for scanty +pay, let themselves be killed like brutes, ignorant for what or from +whom they are fighting. No! You are picked men, who wish to know to +what object you are advancing, and what profit you will derive from +your efforts. Several of our most renowned comrades and myself have +resolved to attack in the heart of their richest possessions these +cowardly Spaniards, who believed they dishonoured us by branding us +with the name of _ladrones_, and whom the merest sight of our smallest +canoes puts to flight like a flock of startled seagulls. But in order +that our vengeance may be certain, and that we succeed in seizing the +wealth of our enemies, we must possess a point sufficiently near the +centre of our operations, to enable us to rush upon them unawares, and +so strong that the whole power of Castile may be broken against it in +impotent efforts. St. Christopher is too remote. Moreover, the descent +of Admiral Don Fernando of Toledo is a proof to us, that however brave +we may be, we shall never succeed in fortifying ourselves strongly +enough there to defy the rage of our enemies. It was, therefore, +absolutely necessary to find a spot more favourable to our projects, +a point which could easily be rendered impregnable. Our friends, and +myself set to work. For a long time we sought with the perseverance +of men resolved to succeed. Heaven has at length deigned to bless our +efforts. We have found this refuge under the most fortunate conditions." + +Here Montbarts made a pause for several seconds. + +An electric quiver ran along the ranks of the adventurers; their eyes +flashed fire, they grasped their fusils in their powerful hands, as if +they were impatient to commence the struggle promised them. + +A smile of satisfaction illumined for a moment the adventurer's pale +face. Then, waving his hand to command attention, he resumed;-- + +"Brethren, before us is Saint Domingo;" and he stretched out his +hand towards the sea. "Saint Domingo, the loveliest and wealthiest +of all the isles possessed by Spain. On this island several of our +brothers, who escaped the massacre of St. Christopher, have established +themselves, and are contending energetically against the Spaniards, to +hold the ground wrested from them. Unfortunately too few in number, in +spite of their bravery, to resist for any length of time the enemy's +troops, they would soon be forced to quit the island, if we did not +go to their assistance. They have summoned us. We have responded to +this appeal of our brothers, whom honour ordered us to succour in +the hour of danger. While doing a good deed, we are carrying out the +plan so long resolved by ourselves, and at last we have found the +impregnable spot we have so long desired. You all know the island +of Tortuga, brethren? Separated only by a narrow channel from Saint +Domingo, it rises like an advanced sentry in the middle of the sea. It +is the eagle's nest, whence we will laughingly brave the fury of the +Spaniards. To Tortuga, brethren!" + +"To the island of the Tortoise!" the adventurers shouted, brandishing +their weapons enthusiastically. + +"Good!" Montbarts continued. "I knew that you were men who would +understand me, and that I could reckon upon you. Before seizing on +Tortuga, however, which is only defended by an insignificant garrison +of twenty soldiers, who will fly at the first blow, we must, by +protecting our brethren at Saint Domingo, and securing them the +territory they occupy, obtain for ourselves useful ports, advantageous +outlets, and, before all, the means of easily injuring the Spaniards, +and, if it be possible, expelling them entirely from the island, of +which they have already lost a portion. Tomorrow, we will proceed to +Port Margot, come to an understanding there with our brethren, and +arrange our plans, so as to derive both honour and profit from our +expedition. And now, brethren, let each crew go aboard. Tomorrow, at +sunrise, we will set sail for Port Margot, and in a few days I promise +you glorious fights, and a rich booty to divide among you all. Long +live France, and death to Spain!" + +"Long live France! Death to Spain! Long live Montbarts!" the +adventurers exclaimed. + +"Let us embark, brethren," Montbarts added. "Do not forget that the +poor Indians of this island are our friends, and must be treated as +such by you." + +The adventurers then followed their officers, and embarked in the most +perfect order. + +At sunrise, the squadron raised anchor. We need not say that all the +refreshments purchased of the Indians were scrupulously paid for, and +that no one had reason to complain of their stay at the Great Key. +A few hours later the flotilla entered the channel separating Saint +Domingo from Tortuga, and anchored off Port Margot. + +The Spanish island lay before them with its large mounds, tall cliffs, +and its mountains, whose peaks seemed hidden in the clouds, while on +the starboard, Tortuga, with its dense, verdant forests, seemed a +basket of flowers rising from the bottom of the sea. + +They had scarce landed ere a canoe, manned by four men, hailed the +lugger. These four men were Lepoletais, whom we have already caught a +glimpse of; one of his apprentices, L'Olonnais, and Omopoua, the Carib +chief. + +The Indian had nearly got rid of the European dress, and resumed that +of his nation. + +Montbarts went to meet his visitors, saluted them, and led them down to +the cabin. + +"You are welcome," he said to them. "In a few minutes the other +leaders of the expedition will be here, and then we will talk. In the +meanwhile, take some refreshment." + +And he gave an engage orders to bring in spirits. + +Lepoletais and Omopoua sat down without pressing, but L'Olonnais +remained modestly standing. In his quality of apprentice he dared not +place himself on a footing of equality with the adventurers. At this +moment Michael the Basque entered the cabin. + +"Messmate," he said to Montbarts, "Captain Drake and David have just +come aboard. They are waiting on deck." + +"Tell them to come below. I want to talk with them.". + +Michael went out. A few minutes after, he returned, accompanied by the +two captains. + +After the first compliments, the two officers drank a bumper, then +took their seats, and awaited the communication which their chief was +evidently about to make to them. + +Montbarts knew the value of time, hence he did not put their patience +to a long trial. + +"Brothers," he said, "I present to you Lepoletais, whom you doubtless +know already by reputation." + +The adventurers bowed smilingly, and spontaneously offered their hand +to the buccaneer. + +The latter cordially returned the pressure, delighted in his heart at +so frank a reception. + +"Lepoletais," Montbarts continued, "is sent to me as a delegate by our +brethren, the buccaneers of Port Margot and Port de Paix; I prefer to +let him himself explain what he expects from us--in this manner we +shall more easily arrive at an understanding. Speak, then, I pray, +brother, we are listening." + +Lepoletais first poured out a glass of rum, which he swallowed at a +draught, no doubt for the purpose of clearing his ideas; then, after +two or three sonorous "hums!" he resolved to speak. + +"Brethren," he said, "whatever be the name given us--filibusters, +buccaneers, or habitants--our origin is the same, is it not? And we are +all adventurers. Hence, we are bound to assist and protect one another, +like the free companions we are; but, in order that this protection may +be efficient--that nothing may weaken in the future the alliance we +contract today--we must, like yourselves, find some real profit in the +alliance. Is not this the case?" + +"Certainly," Michael said, to encourage him. + +"This, then, is what is happening," Lepoletais continued; "we +buccaneers and habitants are here something like the bird on the +tree, continually pursued by the gavachos, who track us like wild +beasts, wherever they surprise us, sustaining an unequal contest, in +which we must eventually succumb, not knowing today if we shall be +alive tomorrow, and gradually losing all the ground which we gained +at the outset. This deplorable state of things could not go on much +longer without entailing a catastrophe, which, with your aid, we hope +not only to avert, but to prevent definitively; by seizing Tortuga, +which is badly guarded, and will be badly defended, you procure us +a sure shelter in case of danger, an ever open refuge in the event +of a crisis. But this is not all; we must secure frontiers, so that +tranquillity may prevail in our country, that merchant vessels may +not fear to enter our ports, and that we may find an outlet for our +hides, our boucaned meat, and our tallow. These frontiers can be easily +secured; the only thing wanting is to seize on two points, one in the +interior, which the Spaniards call the Great Savannah of San Juan, and +which we have christened the Grand Fond. The town of San Juan is but +poorly fortified, and merely inhabited by mulattos, or men of mixed +blood, whom we could easily conquer." + +"Is not the Grand Fond, as you call it, traversed by the Artibonite?" +Montbarts asked, while exchanging a meaning glance with L'Olonnais, who +was standing by his side. + +"Yes," Lepoletais replied; "and in the centre is a hatto called the +Rincon, belonging, I believe, to the Spanish Governor." + +"It would be a master stroke to seize that man," Michael the Basque +observed. + +"Yes, but there is little probability of succeeding in capturing him, +for he is at Saint Domingo," Lepoletais replied. + +"It is possible; but go on." + +"The other point is a port called Leogane, or, as the Spaniards term +it, _la Iguana_, or the Lizard, from the shape of the tongue of land on +which it is built; the possession of this port would render us masters +of the whole western part of the island, and allow us to establish +ourselves there securely." + +"Is Leogane defended?" David inquired. + +"No," Lepoletais answered, "the Spaniards let it fall into ruins, as +they do, indeed, with nearly all the points they occupy; through the +want of labourers, since the almost utter extinction of the Indian +race of the island, they gradually abandon the old establishments, and +retire to the East." + +"Very good," said Montbarts; "is that all you desire?" + +"Yes, all," Lepoletais answered. + +"Now, what do you propose, brother?" + +"This: we buccaneers will hunt for you wild oxen and boars, and +provision your ships at a price agreed on between us, but which must +never be higher than one-half the price we ask of foreign vessels that +come to trade with us; in addition, we will defend you if attacked, and +in great expeditions you will have the right to claim one man in five +to accompany you, when you require it. The habitants will cultivate +the land, and supply you with vegetables, tobacco, and wood to repair +your vessels, on the same conditions as the provisions. This is what +I am ordered to propose to you, brothers, in the name of the French +habitants and buccaneers of Saint Domingo; if these conditions please +you, and I consider them just and equitable, accept them, and you will +have no cause to repent having negotiated with us." + +These propositions the filibusters were already acquainted with, +and had discussed their advantages; hence they did not take long +to deliberate, for they had made up their mind beforehand, as their +presence at Port Margot proved. + +"We accept your propositions, brother," Montbarts answered--"here is my +hand, in the name of the filibusters I represent." + +"And here is mine," Lepoletais said, "in the name of the habitants and +buccaneers." + +There was no other treaty but this honest shake of the hand between +the adventurers; thus was concluded an alliance, which remained up to +the dying day of buccaneering, as fresh and lively as when first made +between the adventurers. + +"Now," Montbarts continued, "let us proceed orderly. How many brothers +have you capable of fighting?" + +"Seventy," Lepoletais answered. + +"Very good; we will add to these one hundred and thirty more from the +fleet, which will give us an effective strength of two hundred good +fusils. And you, Chief, what can you do for us?" + +Up to this moment Omopoua had remained silent, listening to what was +said with Indian gravity and decorum, and patiently waiting till his +turn to speak arrived. + +"Omopoua will add two hundred Carib warriors, with long fusils, to the +palefaces," he replied; "his sons are warned; they await the order of +the Chief--L'Olonnais has seen them." + +"Good! These four hundred men will be commanded by myself; as this +expedition is the most difficult and dangerous, I will undertake it. +Michel le Basque will accompany me. I have aboard a guide, who will +conduct us to Grand Fond. You, Drake, and you, David, will attack +Leogane with your ships, while Bowline, with only fifteen men, will +seize on Tortuga. Let us combine our movements, brothers, so that our +three attacks may be simultaneous, and the Spaniards, surprised on +three points at once, may not be able to assist one another. Tomorrow +you will sail, gentlemen, taking with you one hundred and eighty-five +men, more than sufficient, I believe, to capture Leogane. As for you, +Bowline, you will keep the lugger with the fifteen men left you, and +remain here, while watching Tortuga closely. This is the fifth of the +month, brothers; on the fifteenth we will attack, as ten days will be +sufficient for all of us to reach our posts, and take all the necessary +measures. Now, gentlemen, return aboard your vessels, and send ashore, +under orders of their officers, the contingents I intend to take with +me." + +The two Captains bowed to the Admiral, left the cabin, and returned to +their ships. + +"As for you," Montbarts added, turning to Lepoletais, "this is what +you will do, brother. You will go with Omopoua to the Grand Fond, as +if hunting, but you will carefully watch the town of San Juan, and the +hatto del Rincon; we must, if possible, make sure of the inhabitants +of that hatto; they are rich and influential, and their capture may be +of considerable importance to us. You will arrange with Omopoua on the +subject of the allies he promises to bring us; perhaps it will be as +well for the Chief to try and lead the Spaniards on to his track, and +force them to quit their positions: by managing cleverly we might then +be able to defeat them in detail. Have you understood me, brother?" + +"Zounds!" Lepoletais answered, "I should be an ass if I did not. All +right! I will manoeuvre as you wish." + +Montbarts then turned to the engage, and made him a sign. + +L'Olonnais drew nearer. + +"Go ashore with the Carib and Lepoletais," the Admiral whispered in his +ear--"look at everything, hear everything, watch everything; in an hour +you will receive through Bowline a letter, which you must deliver into +the hands of Dona Clara de Bejar, who resides in the hatto on the Grand +Fond." + +"That is easy," L'Olonnais answered, "if it must be, I will hand it to +her in the midst of all her servants, in the hatto itself." + +"Do nothing of the sort; arrange it so that she must come and fetch the +letter." + +"Hang it! That is more difficult! Still, I will try to succeed." + +"You must succeed!" + +"Ah! In that case, on the word of a man, you may reckon on it--though, +hang me if I know how I shall manage it!" + +Lepoletais had risen. + +"Farewell, brother," he said; "when you land tomorrow I shall be on my +way to the Grand Fond; I shall, therefore, not see you again till we +meet there; but do not be alarmed--you shall find everything in order +when you arrive. Ah! By the way, shall I take my body of buccaneers +with me?" + +"Certainly; they will be of the greatest use to you in watching the +enemy; but hide them carefully." + +"All right," he said. + +At this moment Michael the Basque rushed suddenly into the cabin, with +his features distorted by passion. + +"What is the matter, messmate? Come, recover yourself," Montbarts said +coolly to him. + +"A great misfortune has happened to us," Michael exclaimed, as he +passionately pulled out a handful of hair. + +"What is it? Come, speak like a man, messmate." + +"That villain, Antonio de la Ronda--" + +"Well?" Montbarts interrupted, with a nervous tremor. + +"He has escaped!" + +"Malediction!" + +"Ten men have set out in pursuit." + +"Stuff! It is all up now; they will not catch him. What is to be done?" + +"What has happened?" Lepoletais asked. + +"Our guide has escaped." + +"Is it only that? I promise to find you another." + +"Yes, but this one is probably the cleverest spy the Spaniards possess; +he knows enough of our secrets to make our expedition fail." + +"Heaven preserve us from it! Stuff!" the buccaneer added, +carelessly--"Think no more about it, brother; what is done is done--let +us go ahead all the same." + +And he left the cabin, apparently quite unaffected by the news. + + + + +CHAPTER XXV. + +FRAY ARSENIO. + + +Let us now tell the reader who these buccaneers were of whom we have +several times spoken, and what was the origin of the name given them, +and which they gave themselves. + +The red Caribs of the Antilles were accustomed, when they made +prisoners in the obstinate contests they waged with each other, or +which they carried on against the whites, to cut their prisoners into +small pieces, and lay them upon a species of small hurdles, under which +they lit a fire. + +These hurdles were called _barbacoas_, the spot where they were set up +_boucans_, and the operation _boucaning_, to signify at the same time +roasting and smoking. + +It was from this that the French boucaniers (anglicised into +buccaneers) derived their name, with this difference, that they did to +animals what the others did to men. + +The first buccaneers were Spanish settlers on the Caribbean islands, +who lived on intimate terms with the Indians; hence when they turned +their attention to the chase, they accustomed themselves without +reflection to employ these Indian terms, which were certainly +characteristic, and for which it would have been difficult to +substitute any others. + +The buccaneers carried on no other trade but hunting; they were divided +into two classes, the first only hunting oxen to get their hides, the +second killing boars, whose flesh they salted and sold to the planters. + +These two varieties of buccaneers were accoutred nearly in the same +way, and had the same mode of life. + +The real buccaneers were those who pursued oxen, and they never called +the others by any name but hunters. + +Their equipage consisted of a pack of twenty-four dogs, among which +were two bloodhounds, whose duty it was to discover the animal; the +price of these dogs, settled among themselves, was thirty livres. + +As we have said, their weapon was a long fusil, manufactured at Dieppe +or Nantes; they always hunted together, two at the least, but sometimes +more, and then everything was in common between them. As we advance in +the history of these singular men, we shall enter into fuller details +about their mode of life and strange habits. + +When Don Sancho and the Major-domo left them, Lepoletais and L'Olonnais +had for a long time looked with a mocking glance after the two +Spaniards, and then went on building their ajoupa and preparing their +boucan, as if nothing had happened. So soon as the boucan was arranged, +the fire lit, and the meat laid on the barbacoas, L'Olonnais set about +curing the hide he had brought with him, while Lepoletais did the same +to that of the bull which he had killed an hour previously. + +He stretched the hide out on the ground, with the hairy side up, +fastened it down by sixty-four pegs, driven into the earth, and then +rubbed it vigorously with a mixture of ashes and salt, to make it dry +more quickly. + +This duly accomplished, he turned his attention to supper, the +preparations for which were neither long nor complicated. A piece of +meat had been placed in a small cauldron, with water and salt, and soon +boiled; L'Olonnais drew it out by means of a long pointed stick, and +laid it on a palm leaf in lieu of a dish; then he collected the grease +with a wooden spoon, and threw it into a calabash. Into this grease +he squeezed the juice of a lemon, added a little pimento, stirred +it all up, and the sauce, the famous _pimentado_, so liked by the +buccaneers, was ready. Placing the meat in a pleasant spot in front +of the ajoupa, with the calabash by its side, he called Lepoletais, +and the men sitting down facing each other, armed themselves with +their knife and a wooden spit instead of a fork, and began eating +with a good appetite, carefully dipping each mouthful of meat in the +pimentado, and surrounded by their dogs, which, though not daring to +ask for anything, fixed greedy glances on the provisions spread out +before them, and followed with eager eyes every morsel swallowed by the +adventurers. + +They had been eating this in silence for some time, when the +bloodhounds raised their heads, inhaling the air restlessly, and then +gave several hoarse growls; almost immediately the whole pack began +barking furiously. + +"Eh, eh!" Lepoletais said, after drinking a mouthful of brandy and +water, and handing the gourd to the engage, "What is the meaning of +this?" + +"Some traveller, no doubt," L'Olonnais answered carelessly. + +"At this hour," the buccaneer went on, as he raised his eyes to the +sky, and consulted the stars, "why hang it all, it is past eight +o'clock at night." + +"Zounds! I do not know what it is. But stay, I do not know whether I am +mistaken, for I fancy I can hear a horse galloping." + +"It is really true, my son, you are not mistaken," the buccaneer +continued, "it is indeed a horse; come, quiet, you devils," he shouted, +addressing the dogs, which had redoubled their barking, and seemed +ready to rush forward, "quiet, lie down, you ruffians." + +The dogs, doubtless accustomed for a long time to obey the imperious +accents of this voice, immediately resumed their places, and ceased +their deafening clamour, although they still continued to growl dully. + +In the meanwhile the galloping horses which the dogs had heard a great +distance off, rapidly drew nearer; it soon became perfectly distinct, +and at the end of a few minutes a horseman emerged from the forest, and +became visible, although owing to the darkness it was not yet possible +to see who this man might be. + +On turning into the savannah, he stopped his horse, seemed to look +around him, with an air of indecision, for some minutes, then, +loosening the rein again, he came up toward the boucan at a sharp trot. + +On reaching the two men, who continued their supper quietly, while +keeping an eye on him, he bowed, and addressed them in Spanish-- + +"Worthy friends," he said to them, "whoever you may be, I ask you, +in the name of the Lord, to grant a traveller, who has lost his way, +hospitality for this night." + +"Here is fire, and here is meat," the buccaneer replied, laconically, +in the same language the traveller had employed; "rest yourself, and +eat." + +"I thank you," he said. + +He dismounted: in the movement he made to leave the saddle, his cloak +flew open, and the buccaneers perceived that the man was dressed in +a religious garb. This discovery surprised them, though they did not +allow it to be seen. + +On his side the stranger gave a start of terror, which was immediately +suppressed, on perceiving that in his precipitation to seek a shelter +for the night, he had come upon a boucan of French adventurers. + +The latter, however, had made him a place by their side, and while he +was hobbling his horse, and removing its bridle, so that it might graze +on the tall close grass of the savannah, they had placed for him, on a +palm leaf, a lump of meat sufficient to still the appetite of a man who +had been fasting for four and twenty hours. + +Somewhat reassured by the cordial manner of the adventurers, and, in +his impossibility to do otherwise, bravely resolving to accept the +awkward situation in which his awkwardness had placed him, the stranger +sat down between his two hosts, and began to eat, while reflecting on +the means of escaping from the difficult position in which he found +himself. + +The adventurers, who had almost completed their meal before his +arrival, left off eating long before him; they gave their dogs the food +they had been expecting with so much impatience, then lit their pipes, +and began smoking, paying no further attention to their guest beyond +handing him the things he required. + +At length the stranger wiped his mouth, and, in order to prove to his +hosts that he was quite as much at his ease as they, he produced a leaf +of paper and tobacco, delicately rolled a cigarette, lit it, and smoked +apparently as calmly as themselves. + +"I thank you for your generous hospitality, senores," he said, +presently, understanding that along silence might be interpreted to his +disadvantage, "I had a great necessity to recruit my strength, for I +have been fasting since the morning." + +"That is very imprudent, senor," Lepoletais answered, "to embark thus +without any biscuit, as we sailors say; the savannah is somewhat like +the sea, you know when you start on it, but you never know when you +will leave it again." + +"What you say is perfectly true, senor; had it not been for you, I am +afraid I should have passed a very bad night." + +"Pray say no more about that, senor; we have only done for you what we +should wish to be done for us under similar circumstances. Hospitality +is a sacred duty, which no one has a right to avoid: besides, you are a +palpable proof of it." + +"How so?" + +"Why, you are a Spaniard, if I am not mistaken, while we, on the +contrary, are French. Well, we forget for the moment our hatred of your +nation, to welcome you at our fireside, as every guest sent by Heaven +has the right to be received." + +"That is true, senor, and I thank you doubly, be assured." + +"Good Heavens!" the buccaneer replied, "I assure you that you act +wrongly in dwelling so much on this subject. What we are doing at this +moment is as much for you as in behalf of our honour, hence I beg you, +senor, not to say any more about it, for it is really not worth the +trouble." + +"Bless me, senor," L'Olonnais said with a laugh, "why, we are old +acquaintances, though you little suspect it, I fancy." + +"Old acquaintances!" the stranger exclaimed, in surprise; "I do not +understand you, senor." + +"And yet what I am saying is very clear." + +"If you would deign to explain," the stranger replied, completely +thrown on his beam ends, as Lepoletais would have said, "perhaps I +shall understand, which, I assure you, will cause me great pleasure." + +"I wish for nothing better than to explain myself, senor," L'Olonnais +said, with a bantering air; "and in the first place, permit me to +observe, that, though your cloak is so carefully buttoned, it is not +sufficiently so to conceal the Franciscan garb you wear under it." + +"I am indeed a monk of that order," the stranger answered, rather +disconcerted; "but that does not prove that you know me." + +"Granted, but I am certain that I shall bring back your recollection by +a single word." + +"I fancy you are mistaken, my dear senor, and that we never saw each +other before." + +"Are you quite sure of that?" + +"Man, as you are aware, can never be sure of anything; still, it seems +to me--" + +"And yet, it is so long since we met; it is true that you possibly did +not pay any great attention to me." + +"On my honour, I know not what you mean," the monk remarked after +attentively examining him for a minute or two. + +"Come," the engage said with a laugh, "I will take pity on your +embarrassment; and, as I promised you, dissipate all your doubts by a +single word; we saw each other on the island of Nevis. Do you remember +me?" + +At this revelation, the monk turned pale; he lost countenance, and for +some minutes remained as if petrified; still the thought of denying the +truth did not come to him for a second. + +"Where," L'Olonnais added, "you had a long conversation with Montbarts." + +"Still," the monk said with a hesitation that was not exempt from +terror, "I do not understand--" + +"How I knew everything," L'Olonnais interrupted him laughingly, "then, +you have not got to the end of your astonishment." + +"What, I am not at the end?" + +"Bah, Senor Padre, do you fancy that I should have taken the trouble to +bother you about such a trifle? I know a good deal more." + +"What do you say?" the monk exclaimed, recoiling instinctively from +this man whom he was not indisposed to regard as a sorcerer, the more +so because he was a Frenchman, and a buccaneer to boot, two peremptory +reasons why Satan should nearly be master of his soul, if by chance he +possessed one, which the worthy monk greatly doubted. + +"Zounds!" the engage resumed, "You suppose, I think, that I do not know +the motive of your journey, the spot where you have come from, where +you are going, and more than that, the person you are about to see." + +"Oh, come, that is impossible," the monk said with a startled look. + +Lepoletais laughed inwardly at the ill-disguised terror of the Spaniard. + +"Take care, father," he whispered mysteriously in Fray Arsenio's ear, +"that man knows everything; between ourselves, I believe him to be +possessed by the demon." + +"Oh!" he exclaimed, rising hastily and crossing himself repeatedly, +which caused the adventurers a still heartier laugh. + +"Come, resume your seat and listen to me," L'Olonnais continued as he +seized him by the arm, and obliged him to sit down again, "my friend +and I are only joking." + +"Excuse me, noble caballeros," the monk stammered, "I am in an +extraordinary hurry, and must leave you at once, though most +reluctantly." + +"Nonsense! Where could you go alone at this hour? Fall into a bog. Eh?" + +This far from pleasant prospect caused the monk to reflect; still, the +terror he felt was the stronger. + +"No matter," he said, "I must be gone." + +"Nonsense, you will never find your road to the hatto del Rincon in +this darkness." + +This time the monk was fairly conquered, this new revelation literally +benumbed him, he fancied himself suffering from a terrible nightmare, +and did not attempt to continue an impossible struggle. + +"There," the engage resumed, "now, you are reasonable; rest yourself, +I will not torment you any more, and in order to prove to you that I am +not so wicked as you suppose me, I undertake to find you a guide." + +"A guide," Fray Arsenio stammered, "Heaven guard me from accepting one +at your hand." + +"Reassure yourself, senor Padre, it will not be a demon, though he may +possibly have some moral and physical resemblance with the evil spirit; +the guide I refer to is very simply a Carib." + +"Ah!" said the monk drawing a deep breath, as if a heavy weight had +been removed from his chest, "If he is really a Carib." + +"Zounds! Who the deuce would you have it be?" Fray Arsenio crossed +himself devoutly. + +"Excuse me," he said, "I did not wish to insult you." + +"Come, come, have patience, I will go myself and fetch the promised +guide, for I see that you are really in a hurry to part company." + +L'Olonnais rose, took his fusil, whistled to a bloodhound, and went off +at a rapid pace. + +"You will now be able," said Lepoletais, "to continue your journey +without fear of going astray." + +"Has that worthy caballero really gone to fetch me a guide, as +he promised?" Fray Arsenio asked, who did not dare to place full +confidence in the engage's word. + +"Hang it! I know no other reason why he should leave the boucan." + +"Then you are really a buccaneer, senor?" + +"At your service, padre." + +"Ah, ah! And do you often come to these parts?" + +"Deuce take me if I do not believe you are questioning me, monk," +Lepoletais said with a frown, and looking him in the face; "how does +it concern you whether I come here or not?" + +"Me? Not at all." + +"That is true, but it may concern others, may it not? And you would not +be sorry to know the truth." + +"Oh? can you suppose such a thing?" Fray Arsenio hastily said. + +"I do not suppose, by Heaven, I know exactly what I am saying, +but, believe me, senor monk, you had better give up this habit of +questioning, especially with buccaneers, people who through their +character, do not like questions, or else you might some day run the +risk of being played an ugly trick. It is only a simple piece of advice +I venture to give you." + +"Thank you, senor, I will bear it in mind, though in saying what I did, +I had not the intention you suppose." + +"All the better, but still profit by my hint." + +Thus rebuffed, the monk shut himself up in a timid silence; and in +order to give a turn to his thoughts which, we are bound to say, were +anything but rosy colored at this moment, he took up the rosary hanging +from his girdle, and began muttering prayers in a low voice. + +Nearly an hour passed then without a word being exchanged between the +two men; Lepoletais cut up tobacco, while humming a tune, and the monk +prayed, or seemed to be doing so. + +At length a slight noise was heard a short distance off, and a few +minutes later the engage appeared, followed by an Indian, who was no +other than Omopoua, the Carib chief. + +"Quick, quick, senor monk," L'Olonnais said gaily; "here is your guide, +I answer for his fidelity; he will lead you in safety within two gun +shots of the hatto." + +The monk did not let the invitation be repeated, for anything seemed +to him preferable to remaining any longer in the company of these two +reprobates; besides, he thought that he had nothing to fear from an +Indian. + +He rose at one bound, and bridled his horse again, which had made an +excellent supper, and had had all the time necessary to rest. + +"Senores," he said, so soon as he was in the saddle, "I thank you for +your generous hospitality, may the blessing of the Lord be upon you!" + +"Thanks," the engage replied with a laugh, "but one last hint before +parting; on arriving at the hatto, do not forget to tell Dona Clara +from me, that I shall expect her here tomorrow; do you hear?" + +The monk uttered a cry of terror; without replying, he dug his spurs +into his horse's flanks, and set off at a gallop, in the direction +where the Carib was already going, with that quick, elastic step, with +which a horse has a difficulty in keeping up. + +The two buccaneers watched his flight with a hearty laugh, then, +stretching out their feet to the fire, and laying their weapons within +reach, they prepared to sleep, guarded by their dogs, vigilant sentries +that would not let them be surprised. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI. + +THE CONSEQUENCES OF A MEETING. + + +Fray Arsenio followed his silent guide delightedly, although he was +surrendered into the hands of an Indian, who must instinctively hate +the Spaniards, those ferocious oppressors of his decimated and almost +destroyed race. Still, the monk was glad at having escaped safe and +sound from the clutches of the adventurers, whom he feared not only as +ladrones, that is to say, men without faith and steeped in vice, but +also as demons, or at the least sorcerers in regular connection with +Satan, for such were the erroneous ideas which the most enlightened of +the Spaniards entertained about the filibusters and buccaneers. + +It had needed all the devotion which the monk professed for Dona Clara, +and all the ascendancy that charming woman possessed over those who +approached her, to make him consent to execute a plan so mad in his +opinion, as that of entering into direct relation with one of the most +renowned chiefs of the filibusters, and it was with a great tremor that +he had accompanied his penitent to Nevis. + +When we met him, he was proceeding to the hatto, to inform Dona Clara, +as had been arranged between them, of the arrival of the filibustering +squadron at Port Margot, and consequently of Montbart's presence in the +island of Saint Domingo. + +Unfortunately the monk, but little used to night journeys, across +untrodden roads which he must guess at every step, lost himself on the +savannah; overcome with terror, almost dead with hunger, and worn out +by fatigue, the monk had seen the light of a fire flashing a short +distance off; the sight of this had restored him hope, if not courage, +and he had consequently ridden as fast as he could toward the fire, and +tumbled headlong into a boucan of French adventurers. + +In doing this, he unconsciously followed the example of the silly moth, +which feels itself irresistibly attracted to the candle in which it +singes its wings. + +More fortunate than these insects, the monk had burned nothing at +all; he had rested, eaten and drunk well, and, apart from a very +honest terror at finding himself so unexpectedly in such company, he +had escaped pretty well, or at least he supposed so, from this great +danger, and had even succeeded in obtaining a guide. Everything, then, +was for the best, the Lord had not ceased to watch over His servant, +and the latter only needed to let himself be guarded by Him. Moreover +the monk's confidence was augmented by the taciturn carelessness of his +guide who, without uttering a syllable, or even appearing to trouble +himself about him the least in the world, walked in front of his +horse, crossing the savannah obliquely, making a way through the tall +grass, and seemed to direct himself as surely amid the darkness that +surrounded him, as if he had been lit by the dazzling sunbeams. + +They went on thus for a long time following each other without the +interchange of a word; like all the Spaniards, Fray Arsenio professed +a profound contempt for the Indians, and it was much against his will +that he ever entered into relations with them. For his part, the Carib +was not at all anxious to carry on with this man, whom he regarded as a +born foe of his race, a conversation which could only be an unimportant +gossip. + +They had reached the top of a small hill, from which could be seen +gleaming in the distance, like so many luminous dots, the watch fires +of the soldiers encamped round the hatto, when all at once, instead +of descending the hill and continuing his advance, Omopoua stopped, +and looked round him anxiously, while strongly inhaling the air, and +ordering the Spaniard by a wave of his hand to halt. + +The latter obeyed and remained motionless as an equestrian statue, +while observing with a curiosity blended with a certain amount of +discomfort, the manoeuvres of his guide. + +The Carib had laid himself down and was listening with his ear to the +ground. + +At the end of a few minutes he rose again, though he did not cease +listening. + +"What is the matter?" the monk, whom this conduct was beginning +seriously to alarm, asked. + +"Horsemen are coming towards us at full speed." + +"Horsemen at this hour of night on the savannah?" Fray Arsenio remarked +incredulously; "It is impossible." + +"Why, you are here?" the Indian said with a jeering smile. + +"Hum! That is true," the monk muttered, struck by the logic of the +answer; "who can they be!" + +"I do not know, but I will soon tell you," the Carib answered. + +And before the monk had the time to ask him what his scheme was, +Omopoua glided through the tall grass and disappeared, leaving Fray +Arsenio greatly disconcerted at this sudden flight, and extremely +annoyed at finding himself thus left alone in the middle of the desert. + +A few minutes elapsed, during which the monk tried, though in vain, to +hear the sound which the Indian's sharp sense of hearing had caused him +to catch long before, amid the confused rumours of the savannah. + +The monk, believing himself decidedly deserted by his guide, was +preparing to continue his journey, leaving to Providence the care of +bringing him safely into port, when he heard a slight rustling in the +bushes close to him, and the Indian reappeared. + +"I have seen them," he said. + +"Ah!" the monk replied; "And who are they?" + +"White men like you." + +"Spaniards in that case?" + +"Yes, Spaniards." + +"All the better," Fray Arsenio continued, whom the good news completely +reassured; "are they numerous?" + +"Five or six at least; they are proceeding like yourself, towards the +hatto, where, as far as I could understand, they are very eager to +arrive." + +"That is famous; where are they at this moment?" + +"Two stones' throw at the most. According to the direction they are +following, they will pass the spot where you are now standing." + +"Better still. In that case we have only to wait." + +"You can do so, if you think proper; but I have no wish to meet them." + +"That is true, my friend," the monk remarked, with a paternal air. "And +possibly such a meeting would not be agreeable to you; so pray accept +my thanks for the manner in which you have guided me hitherto." + +"You are quite resolved on waiting for them, then? If you like, I can +enable you to avoid them." + +"I have no motive for concealing myself from men of my own colour. +Whoever they may be, I feel sure that I shall find friends in them." + +"Very good. Your affairs concern yourself, and I have nothing to do +with them. But the sound is drawing nearer, and as they will speedily +arrive, I will leave you, for it is unnecessary for them to find me +here." + +"Farewell." + +"One last recommendation: if by chance they had a fancy to ask who +served as your guide, do not tell them." + +"It is not at all probable they will ask this." + +"No matter. Promise me, if they do, to keep my secret." + +"Very good. I will be silent, since you wish it; although I do not +understand the motive for such a recommendation." + +The monk had not finished the sentence, ere the Indian disappeared. + +The horsemen were rapidly approaching. The galloping of their steeds +echoed on the ground like the rolling of thunder. Suddenly several +shadows, scarcely distinguishable in the obscurity, rose as it were in +the midst of the darkness, and a sharp voice shouted-- + +"Who goes there?" + +"A friend!" the monk answered. + +"Tell your name, _isangre de Dios!_" the voice repeated, passionately, +while the dry snap of a pistol being cocked, sounded disagreeably in +the monk's ears. "At night there are friends in the desert!" + +"I am a poor Franciscan monk, proceeding to the hatto del Rincon; and +my name is Fray Arsenio Mendoza." + +A hoarse cry replied to the monk's words--a cry whose meaning he had +not the time to conjecture; that is to say, whether it was the result +of pleasure or anger; for the horsemen came up with him like lightning, +and surrounded him even before he could understand the reason of such a +headlong speed to reach him. + +"Why, senores," he exclaimed, in a voice trembling with emotion, "what +is the meaning of this? Have I to do with the _ladrones?_" + +"Good! Good! Calm yourself, Senor Padre," a rough voice answered, which +he fancied he recognised. "We are not _ladrones_, but Spaniards like +yourself; and nothing could cause us more pleasure than meeting you at +this moment." + +"I am delighted at what you say to me, caballero. I confess that +at first the suddenness of your movements alarmed me; but now I am +completely reassured." + +"All the better," the stranger replied, ironically; "for I want to talk +with you." + +"Talk with me, senor?" he said, with surprise. + +"The spot and the hour are badly chosen for an interview, I fancy. If +you will wait till we reach the hatto, I will place myself at your +disposal." + +"Enough talking. Get off your horse," the stranger observed, roughly; +"unless you wish me to drag you off." + +The monk took a startled glance around him, but the horsemen looked at +him savagely, and did not appear disposed to come to his help. + +Fray Arsenio, through profession and temperament, was quite the +opposite of a brave man. The way in which the adventure began was +commencing seriously to alarm him. He did not yet know into what +hands he had fallen, but everything led him to suppose that these +individuals, whoever they might be, were not actuated by kindly +feelings towards him. Still any resistance was impossible, and he +resigned himself to obey; but it was not without a sigh of regret, +intended for the Carib, whose judicious advice he had spurned, that he +at length got off his horse, and placed himself in front of his stern +questioner. + +"Light a torch!" the strange horseman said. "I wish this man to +recognise me, so that, knowing who I am, he may be aware that he cannot +employ any subterfuge with me, and that frankness alone will save him +from the fate that menaces him." + +The monk understood less and less. He really believed himself suffering +from an atrocious nightmare. + +By the horseman's orders, however, one of his suite had lighted a torch +of ocote wood. + +So soon as the flame played over the stranger's feature, and illumined +his face, the monk gave a start of surprise, and clasped his hands at +the same time as his countenance suddenly reassumed its serenity. + +"Heaven be praised!" he said, with an accent of beatitude impossible +to render. "Is it possible that it can be you, Don. Stenio de Bejar? I +was so far from believing that I should have the felicity of meeting +you this night, Senor Conde, that, on my faith, I did not recognise +you, and felt almost frightened." + +The Count, for it was really he whom the monk had so unfortunately met, +did not answer for the moment, but contented himself with smiling. + +Don Stenio de Bejar, who had left Saint Domingo at full speed, for the +purpose of going to the hatto del Rincon, in order to convince himself +of the truth of the information given him by Don Antonio de la Ronda, +thus found himself, by the greatest accident, just as he was reaching +his destination, and when he least expected it, face to face with Fray +Arsenio Mendoza; that is to say, with the only man capable of proving +to him peremptorily the truth or falsehood of the assertions of the +spy, who had denounced Dona Clara to her husband. + +Fray Arsenio's reputation for poltroonery had long been current among +his countrymen, and hence nothing seemed more easy than to obtain from +him the truth in its fullest details. + +The Count believed himself almost certain, by employing intimidation, +to make Fray Arsenio confess what he knew: hence, so soon as the latter +had mentioned his name, Don Stenio, warned by the spy, who rode at his +side, resolved to terrify the monk, and thus render it impossible for +him to resist the orders he might intimate to him. + +We take pleasure in believing that in acting thus, the Count had not +the slightest intention of treating the monk with a violence, which +in any case would be deplorable, but dishonourable on the part of +a man in his position. Unfortunately, through the unforeseen and +incomprehensible resistance which, contrary to all probability, the +monk offered him, the Count was led away by his passion, and gave +orders against his better judgment, when harshness and even cruelty +could in no case be justified. + +After a silence of some seconds, Don Stenio fixed a piercing glance on +the monk, as if he wished to read his very soul, and then seized him +brutally by the arm. + +"Where have you come from?" he asked him, in a rough voice. "Is it the +custom for monks of your order to ramble about the country at this hour +of the night?" + +"My lord!" Fray Arsenio stammered, thrown off his guard by this +question, which he was far from expecting. + +"Come, come!" the Count continued; "Answer at once, and let us have no +subterfuge or tergiversation." + +"But, my lord, I do not at all understand this great anger which you +appear to have with me. I am innocent, I vow!" + +"Ah! ah!" he said, with an ironical laugh; "You are innocent! _iViva +Dios!_ you make haste to defend yourself before you are accused; hence +you feel yourself guilty." + +Fray Arsenio was aware of the Count's jealousy, which he concealed so +poorly, that, in spite of all his efforts, it was visible to everybody. +Hence he understood that Dona Clara's secret had been revealed to her +husband; and he foresaw the peril that menaced him for having acted as +her accomplice. Still, he hoped that the Count had only learnt certain +facts, while remaining ignorant of the details of the Countess' voyage; +and hence, though he trembled at heart at the thought of the dangers to +which he was doubtless exposed, alone and defenceless, in the hands of +a man blinded by passion and the desire of avenging what he regarded +as a stain on his honour, he resolved, whatever might happen, not to +betray the confidence which a woman had unhappily placed in him. + +He raised his head and replied with a firm voice, and with an accent at +which he was himself astonished-- + +"My lord, you are governor of Saint Domingo; you have a right to +exercise justice over those placed under your rule. You possess almost +sovereign power, but you have no right, as far as I know, to ill treat +me, either by word or deed, or to make me undergo an examination at +your caprice. I have superiors on whom I am dependant; have me taken +before them; hand me over to their justice, if I have committed any +fault they will punish me, for they alone have the right of condemning +or acquitting me." + +The Count had listened to the monk's long answer, while biting his lips +savagely and stamping his foot with passion. He had not thought to find +such resistance in this man. + +"So, then," he exclaimed, when Fray Arsenio at length ceased speaking, +"you refuse to answer me?" + +"I refuse, my lord," he coldly replied, "because you have no right to +question me." + +"You forget, however, Senor Padre, that if I have not the right, I have +the might, at least, at this moment." + +"You are at liberty, my lord, to abuse that might, by applying it to an +unhappy and defenceless man. I am no soldier, and physical suffering +frightens me. I do not know how I shall endure the tortures you will +perhaps inflict on me, but there is one thing of which I am certain." + +"What is it, may I ask, Senor Padre?" + +"That I will die, my lord, before answering any of your questions." + +"We shall see that," he said, sarcastically, "if you compel me to have +recourse to violence." + +"You will see," he replied, in a gentle but firm voice, which denoted +an irrevocable determination. + +"For the last time, I deign to warn you: take care--reflect." + +"All my reflections are made, my lord; I am in your power. Abuse my +weakness as you may think proper, I shall not even attempt a useless +defence. I shall not be the first monk of my order who has fallen a +martyr to duty: others have preceded me, and others will doubtless +follow me in this painful track." + +The Count stamped his foot savagely; the spectators, dumb and +motionless, exchanged terrified glances, for they foresaw that this +scene would soon have a terrible denouement, between two men, neither +of whom would make concessions; while the first of them, blinded by +rage, would soon not be in a condition to listen to the salutary +counsels of reason. + +"My lord," Don Antonio de la Ronda murmured, "the stars are beginning +to turn pale, and the day will soon dawn; we are still far from the +hatto, would it not be better to set out without further delay?" + +"Silence!" the Count answered, with a smile of contempt. "Pedro," he +added, addressing one of his domestics, "a match." + +The valet dismounted and advanced with a long sulphured match in his +hand. + +"The two thumbs," the Count said, laconically. + +The domestic approached the monk; the latter offered his hands without +hesitation, although his face was fearfully pale, and his whole body +trembled. + +Pedro coolly rolled the match between his two thumbs, passing it +several times under his nails, and then turned to the Count. + +"For the last time, monk," the latter said, "will you speak?" + +"I have nothing to say to you, my lord," Fray Arsenio replied, in a +soft voice. + +"Light it," the Count commanded, biting his lips till they bled. + +The valet, with the passive obedience distinguishing men of this class, +set fire to the match. + +The monk fell on his knees and raised his eyes to Heaven. His face had +assumed an earthy tint, a cold perspiration beaded on his temples, and +his hair stood on end. The suffering he experienced must be horrible, +for his chest heaved violently, although his parched lips remained dumb. + +The Count watched him anxiously. + +"Will you speak now, monk?" he said to him in a hollow voice. + +Fray Arsenio turned toward him a face whose features were distorted by +pain, and gave him a look full of ineffable gentleness. + +"I thank you, my lord," he said, "for having taught me that pain does +not exist for a man whose faith is lively." + +"My curses on you, wretch!" the Count exclaimed, as he hurled him down +with a blow on the chest. "To horse, senores, to horse, so that we may +reach the hatto before sunrise." + +The cavaliers remounted, and went off at full speed, leaving, without +a glance of compassion, the poor monk, who, vanquished by pain, had +rolled fainting on the ground. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII. + +THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COLONY. + + +A triple expedition, so serious as that conceived by Montbarts, +demanded, for its success, extreme care and precautions. + +The few points occupied by the buccaneers on the Spanish isles, did not +at all resemble towns; they were agglomerations of houses built without +order, according to the liking or caprice of the owner, and occupying a +space twenty-fold larger than they should have taken in accordance with +the population. Hence, these points were spots almost impossible to +defend against a well-combined attack of the Spaniards, if the thought +occurred to the latter of finishing once for all with their formidable +neighbours. + +Port Margot, for instance, the most important point in the French +possessions as a strategic position, was only a miserable hamlet, open +to all comers, without police or organization, where every language +was spoken, and which Spanish spies entered with the greatest facility +without incurring a risk of discovery, and thus scented the plans of +the filibusters. + +Montbarts, before advancing and attacking the Spaniards, whom he +correctly suspected of being already acquainted with the motive of +his presence on the island, either through Don Antonio de la Ronda, +or other spies, and not wishing, when he was preparing to surprise +the enemy, to be himself surprised and see his retreat cut off by an +unforeseen attack, resolved to shelter Port Margot from a _coup de +main._ + +The grand council of the filibusters was convened on board the +admiral's lugger. In this way the resolutions formed by the council +would not transpire outside, and not reach hostile ears, ever open to +hear them. + +Two days after the departure of Lepoletais, the council therefore +assembled on the deck of the vessel, which had been prepared for the +purpose, as the admiral's cabin had been judged too small to contain +all those whom their wealth or their reputation authorized in being +present at the meeting. + +At ten in the morning, numerous skiffs left the shore and pulled +alongside the lugger, boarding it on all sides simultaneously. + +Montbarts received the delegates as they presented themselves, and led +them beneath the awning prepared for them. + +Ere long, all the delegates were assembled on board: they were forty +in number; filibusters, buccaneers, and habitants, all adventurers who +had lived for several years on the isles, and desperate enemies of +the Spaniards. Their complexion, bronzed by the tropical sun, their +energetic features, and flashing glances, made them resemble bandits +rather than peaceful colonists; but their frank and decided manners +allowed a guess at the prodigies of incredible daring which they had +already accomplished, and were ready to accomplish again, when the +moment for action arrived. + +When all the members of the council were on board, Michael the Basque +gave the skiffs orders to return ashore, and to come alongside again +when they saw a large black and red flag hoisted at the mainmast of the +lugger. A splendid lunch preceded the council, which, was held at table +and during the dessert, so as to foil any indiscreet glances, which +were doubtless watching what was going on aboard from the top of the +cliffs. + +When the repast was ended, and spirits, pipes, and tobacco had +been laid on the table by the engages, an order was given to remove +the awning; the whole of the lugger's crew retired to the bows, and +Montbarts, without leaving his seat, struck the table with his knife to +request silence. + +The delegates vaguely knew that grave interests were about to be +discussed, hence they had only eaten and drunk for form's sake, and +though the table offered all the appearances of a true filibustering +orgy, their brains were perfectly clear, and their heads cool. + +The road of Port Margot offered at this moment a strange spectacle, +which was not deficient, however, in a certain picturesque and wild +grandeur. + +Thousands of canoes were lying on their oars, forming an immense +circle, of which the filibustering squadron was the centre. + +On shore, the cliffs and rocks were literally hidden by the confused +and dense mass of spectators who had flocked from all the houses to +watch, at a distance, this gigantic and Homeric feast, whose serious +motive they were far from suspecting, beneath its frivolous appearance. + +Montbarts, after calling his friends' attention in a few words, to +the enormous crowd of spectators who surrounded them, and showing how +correct he had been in taking his precautions in consequence, filled +his glass, and rose, shouting in a sonorous voice-- + +"Brethren, the health of the king!" + +"The health of the king!" the filibusters responded, as they rose, and +clinked their glasses together. + +At the same moment, all the guns of the lugger were discharged with a +formidable noise; a loud clamour that rose from the beach proved that +the spectators heartily joined in this patriotic toast. + +"Now," the admiral continued, as he sat down, which movement was +imitated by his companions, "let us talk of our business, and be +careful in doing so, that our gestures may not allow a suspicion of +what is occupying us, since our words cannot be overheard." + +The council commenced its session. Montbarts, with the lofty views and +clearness of expression he possessed, explained, in a few words, the +critical position in which the colony would find it, unless energetic +measures were taken, not only to place it in a position to defend +itself, but also to hold out during the absence of the expedition. + +"I can understand," he said in conclusion, "that so long as we merely +purposed to hunt wild bulls, such precautions were unnecessary, for our +breasts were a sure rampart for our habitations; but from today the +position is changed, we wish to create for ourselves an impregnable +refuge; we are going to attack the Spaniards in their homes, and must +consequently expect terrible reprisals from enemies, who, from the way +in which we act towards them, will soon comprehend that we wish to +remain the sole possessors of this land, which they have accustomed +themselves to regard as belonging to them legitimately; we must, +therefore, be in a position, not alone to resist them, but to inflict +on them such a chastisement for their audacity, that they will be for +ever disgusted with any fresh attempts to regain the territory we have +conquered. To effect this, we must build a real town, in the place of +the temporary camp which has, up to the present, sufficed us; and, with +the exception of the members of our association, no stranger must be +allowed to introduce himself among us, for the sake of spying us, and +repeating to our enemies our secrets, whatever their nature may be." + +The filibusters warmly applauded these remarks, whose truth they +recognized. They at length saw the necessity of setting order in their +disorder, and entering the great human family, by themselves accepting +some of those laws, from which they fancied they had enfranchised +themselves for ever, and which are the sole condition of the vitality +of society. + +Under the omnipotent influence of Montbarts and the members of the +association of the Twelve, who were scattered about the meeting, the +urgent measures were immediately discussed and settled; but when +everything was arranged, the council suddenly found itself stopped +short by a difficulty of which it had not thought at all--who was to be +entrusted with the duty of carrying out the measures, as no buccaneer +had a recognized authority over the rest? + +The difficulty was great; almost insurmountable. Still it was Montbarts +who again smoothed down the difficulty to the general satisfaction. + +"Nothing is more easy," he said, "than to find the man we want; this +is an exceptional case, and we must act according to circumstances. +Let us elect a chief, as for a dangerous expedition, let us choose +one who is energetic and intelligent, which will be a trifle, as the +only difficulty will be the choice among so many equally good. This +chief will be elected by us, the first for a year, his successor for +only six months, in order to guard against any abuse of power they +might eventually be attempted to try. This chief will assume the +title of governor, and in reality govern all civil matters, assisted +by a council of seven members, chosen by the habitants, as well as +by subaltern agents, nominated by himself. The laws he will employ +exist, for they are those of our association; it is understood that the +governor will watch, like a captain aboard his ship, over the safety +of the colony, and, in the event of treachery, will be punishable with +death. This proposition is, I believe, the only one that we can take +into consideration; does it suit you, brothers? Do you accept it?" + +The delegates replied by a universal affirmation, + +"In that case let us at once proceed to the election." + +"Pardon me, brothers," Belle Tete said, "with your permission, I have a +few remarks to submit to the council." + +"Speak, brother, we will hear you," Montbarts answered him. + +"I offer myself," Belle Tete said frankly, "as governor, not through +ambition, for that would be absurd, but because I believe that I am at +this moment the best man for the place; you all know me, and hence I +will not put forward my qualifications. Certain reasons urge me to try, +if possible, to withdraw my promise, and not follow the expedition; to +which, however, I feel convinced that I shall render great services, if +you choose me as governor." + +"You have heard, brethren," Montbarts said, "consult together, but fill +your glasses first, you have ten minutes to reflect; at the end of that +time all the glasses that have not been emptied will be considered as +adverse votes." + +"Ah, traitor," Michael the Basque said, leaning over to Belle Tete's +ear, by whose side he was seated, "I know why you want to stop at Port +Margot." + +"You? Stuff," he answered with embarrassment. + +"Zounds, it is not difficult to guess, you are caught, mate." + +"Well, it is true, and you are right, that little devil of a woman I +bought at St. Kitts has turned my head; she turns me round her little +finger." + +"Ah! love!" Michael said ironically. + +"The deuce take love, and the woman too; a girl no bigger than that, +whom I could smash with one blow." + +"She is very pretty, you showed good taste; her name is Louise, is it +not?" + +"Yes, Louise; it was a bad bargain I made." + +"Nonsense!" Michael said, with the utmost seriousness, "well, there is +a way of arranging the matter." + +"Do you think so?" + +"Zounds, I am sure of it." + +"I should like to know it, for I confess to you that she has completely +upset my ideas; the confounded girl, with her bird's voice, and sly +smile, turns me about like a whirligig: by Heaven, I am the most +unfortunate of men--tell me your plan, brother." + +"Why, sell her to me." + +Belle Tete suddenly turned pale at this blunt offer, which, indeed, +settled everything; but which, though he did not suspect it, Michael +only made in a joke, and to try him; he frowned, and angrily replied in +a voice trembling with emotion, and striking the table with his fist-- + +"Zounds, mate, that is a magnificent way you have found, but the fiend +take me if I accept it; no, no, whatever sorrow the little witch causes +me--have I not told you that she has bewitched me?--I love her! Blood +and thunder, do you understand that?" + +"Of course I understand it; but come, reassure yourself, I have not +the slightest intention of depriving you of your Louise; what should I +do with a wife? Besides, what I have seen of other men's love affairs, +does not offer me the slightest inducement to try it on my own account." + +"All right," Belle Tete replied, reassured by this frank declaration, +"that is speaking like a man; and, after all, you are right, brother; +although I would not consent for anything in the world to part with my +Louise, still, after the experience I have of her, if the bargain was +to be made again, hang me if I would purchase her." + +"Stuff!" said Michael, with a shrug of his shoulders, "Men always say +that, and when the moment arrives, they never fail to begin the same +folly over again." + +Belle Tete reflected for a moment, and then tapped Michael amicably on +the shoulder, at the same time saying with a laugh-- + +"On my word that is true, brother; you are right, I believe that I +should really behave as you say." + +"I am certain of it," Michael replied, with another shrug of his +shoulders. + +During this aside, between the two adventurers, the ten minutes had +elapsed. + +"Brethren," said Montbarts, "we are about to proceed to an examination +of the votes." + +He looked: all the glasses were empty. + +"You are unanimous," he said, "and that is well. Brother Belle Tete, +you are elected governor of Port Margot." + +"Brethren," the latter said, bowing all round, "I thank you for having +given me your votes. I shall not deceive your expectations; our colony, +even though I was obliged to bury myself beneath its ruins, shall never +fall into the hands of the Spaniards, and you know me well enough not +to doubt my oath. I intend to set to work this very day; for, as our +admiral has very justly said, we have not a moment to lose. Confide the +duty of guarding your interests to me." + +"Before we separate," said Montbarts, "it would be as well, I fancy, to +agree to keep our deliberations secret for a few days." + +"You may divulge them tomorrow without danger," Belle Tete continued; +"but allow me, brethren, to choose from among you the few assistants I +shall require." + +"Do so," the filibusters answered. + +Belle Tete named eight adventurers, whose blind bravery he knew, and +then addressed the delegates for the last time, who were already rising +and preparing to leave the ship. + +"You remember, I trust that I am considered by you the leader of an +expedition." + +"Yes," they replied. + +"Consequently you owe me the most perfect obedience to all the orders I +shall give you in the common interest." + +"Yes," they repeated. + +"You swear, then, to obey me without any hesitation or murmuring?" + +"We do." + +"Very good; now farewell for the present, brothers." + +The boats had been recalled by a flag hoisted at the main yard, and a +few minutes after all the delegates had left the ship, except Belle +Tete and the eight officers chosen by him. + +Montbarts and Belle Tete remained shut up for some hours, doubtless +settling the measures which must be adopted in order to obtain the +desired result as soon as possible; then, a little before sunset, +the new Governor took leave of the Admiral, entered a boat prepared +expressly for him, and returned ashore, followed by his officers. + +About eleven o'clock in the evening, when the town appeared completely +asleep, when all doors were shut, and lights extinguished, an observer +in a position to see what was going on, would have noticed a strange +spectacle. + +Armed men glided gently out of the houses, casting inquiring glances +to the right and left, that seemed trying to pierce the profound +darkness by which they were surrounded. They proceeded separately on +tiptoe to the principal square, where they joined other men armed like +themselves, who, having arrived first, were waiting. + +Ere long the number of these men, which was augmented every moment, +became considerable; at an order, given in a low voice, they broke up +into several parties, left the square by different outlets, went out of +the town, and formed a wide circle all round it. + +One last band of about forty men had remained in the square, however; +this party was broken up in its turn, but, instead of also leaving the +town, platoons, composed of ten men each, went from the square in four +different directions, and entered the streets. + +The latter were proceeding to pay domiciliary visits; no house escaped +their vigilance, they entered all, searching them with the most +scrupulous exactness, sounding the walls and flooring, and even opening +cupboards and chests. + +Such minute researches necessarily occupied a long time, and did not +terminate till sunrise. + +Eight Spanish spies had been discovered in the houses, and three +arrested by the sentries at the moment when they attempted flight, or +eleven in all. + +The Governor had them temporarily put in irons aboard the lugger, so +that they could not escape. + +At sunrise, buccaneers, habitants, engages, and filibusters, all armed +with spades, pickaxes, and hatchets, set about digging a trench round +the town. + +This job, which was performed with extraordinary ardor, lasted three +days; the trench was twelve feet wide, by fifteen deep, and the earth +was thrown up on the side of the town; on this _talus_ stakes were +planted, bound together with strong iron bands, embrasures being left +to place guns, and for loopholes. + +While the entire population thus laboured with the feverish ardor that +accomplishes prodigies, large clearings had been effected in the woods +surrounding the port; then the forest was fired, care being taken that +the fire should not extend beyond a demi-league in all directions. + +These gigantic works, which, in ordinary times, would demand a +lengthened period, were finished at the end of ten days, which would +seem incredible were not the fact stated in several records worthy of +belief. + +Port Margot was thus, thanks to the energy of its Governor, and the +passive obedience with which the filibusters executed his orders, +not only protected against a _coup de main_, but also rendered +capable of resisting a regular siege. And this had been effected with +such secrecy, that nothing had transpired abroad; and owing to the +precautions taken at the outset, the Spaniards had no suspicion of the +change so menacing to them, and which presaged an internecine war. + +When the fortifications were finished, the Governor had eleven gallows +erected, at a certain distance from each other, on the glacis. The +unhappy Spanish spies were suspended from them, and their bodies were +fastened to the gallows by iron chains, so that, as Belle Tete said, +with an ill-omened smile, the sight of the corpses might terrify those +of their compatriots, who might be tempted to follow their example, +and introduce themselves into the town. + +All the habitants were then convoked in the chief square, and Belle +Tete mounted a platform erected for the purpose, and announced to them +the determinations formed aboard the lugger, his nomination to the post +of Governor, the measures he had thought it his duty to take for the +general welfare, and ended by asking their approbation. + +This approbation the inhabitants most willingly granted, because they +found themselves in presence of accomplished facts, which did not in +any way injure them. + +The Governor, thus finding his undertakings sanctioned, invited the +inhabitants to nominate a council of seven members chosen from among +themselves; and this proposition they joyfully accepted, because they +justly anticipated that these councillors would defend their interests. + +The seven municipal councillors were therefore elected at once, and, by +the Governor's invitation, took their seat by his side on the platform. + +Then the Governor informed his audience that nothing was changed in the +colony, which would continue to be governed by the laws in force among +the filibusters, that everyone would live in the same liberty as in the +past, and that the measures taken were solely intended to protect the +interests of all, and in no way to annoy the colonists, or subject them +to a humiliating yoke. + +This final assurance produced the best effect on the crowd, and the +Governor retired, amid shouts and the warmest protestations of devotion. + +Although Montbarts had chosen to remain obstinately in the background, +all these ameliorations were solely due to him; Belle Tete had merely +been a passive and submissive agent in his hands. + +When the Admiral, saw matters in the state he desired, he resolved +to depart, and after a final interview with the Governor, he placed +himself at the head of his filibusters, and left the town. + +Michael the Basque had departed several hours previously, entrusted +with a secret mission, and accompanied by ninety resolute men. + +From this moment the expedition commenced; but what its result would be +no one could as yet foretell. + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII. + +THE FLIGHT FROM THE HATTO. + + +Without taking the time to peruse the letters that were handed him, +Don Sancho concealed them in his doublet, and proceeded hastily to his +sister's apartment. + +She was anxiously awaiting him. + +"Here you are at last, brother," she exclaimed on perceiving him. + +"What," the young man replied, as he kissed her hand, "were you +expecting me?" + +"Oh, yes, that I was; but you are very late--what has kept you so +long?" she asked, in agitation. + +"Where have I been? Why, s'death! I have been hunting, the only +pleasure allowed a gentleman in this horrible country." + +"What, at this hour?" + +"Zounds, my dear Clara, a man gets home when he can, especially in this +country, where we ought to feel very happy at reaching home again at +all." + +"You are speaking in enigmas, brother, and I do not at all understand +you; be kind enough, therefore, to explain yourself clearly--have you +fallen into bad company?" + +"Yes, and very bad, too; but forgive me, my dear Clara, if you have no +objection, let us proceed regularly. You desired to see me immediately +on my return, and here I am at your orders; be kind enough, therefore, +to tell me how I can possibly be of service to you, and then I will +narrate the series of singular events with which my today's sport +has been diversified. I will not hide from you that I have certain +questions to ask of you, and certain explanations, which I feel sure +you will not refuse to give me." + +"What do you mean, Sancho?" + +"Nothing at present; do you speak first, sister." + +"Well, if you insist on it--" + +"I do not insist at all, sister--I only request it." + +"Very good, I yield to your request; I have received several letters." + +"So I have; but I confess that I have not read them yet, and do not +think they are of any great importance." + +"I have read mine, and do you know what they tell me beside other news?" + +"Indeed, no, unless it be my appointment to the post of Alcade Mayor +of Hispaniola, which, I allow, would greatly surprise me," he said, +laughingly. + +"Do not jest so, Sancho; the matter is very serious." + +"Really? In that case speak, little sister. You see I have as solemn a +face as your dear husband." + +"It is exactly to him I refer." + +"Stuff! My brother-in-law? Has any accident happened to him in the +performance of his noble and wearisome duties?" + +"No, on the contrary, he is in better health than usual." + +"In that case, all the better for him; I wish him no harm, though he is +the most fastidious gentleman of my acquaintance." + +"Will you listen to me--yes or no?" she asked, impatiently. + +"Why, I am doing so, dear sister." + +"You are really insupportable." + +"Come, do not be angry--I have done; I will not laugh anymore." + +"Have you seen the two Fifties encamped in front of the hatto?" + +"Yes, and I must allow that I was greatly surprised to see them." + +"You will be much more surprised on hearing that my husband is coming +here." + +"He? Impossible, sister! He did not say a word to me about the journey." + +"Because it is secret." + +"Ah, ah!" the young man remarked, with a frown; "And are you sure that +he is coming?" + +"Certain. The person who writes me so was present at his departure, +which no one suspects; the courier who brought me the news, and to whom +the greatest diligence was recommended, is only a few hours ahead of +him." + +"This is, indeed, serious," the young man muttered. + +"What is to be done?" + +"S'death!" the young man replied, carelessly, but gazing fixedly at +Dona Clara--"Welcome him." + +"Oh!" the lady exclaimed, twisting her hands despairingly, "I have been +betrayed--he is coming to avenge himself!" + +"Avenge himself? For what, sister?" + +She gave him a look of strange significance, and then bent over him. + +"I am ruined, brother," she said, in a hollow voice, "for this man +knows everything, and will kill me." + +Don Sancho, in spite of himself, was affected by this sorrow; he adored +his sister, and felt ashamed of the part he was playing at this moment +before her. + +"And I, too, Clara," he said to her, "know everything." + +"You! Oh, you are jesting, brother." + +"No, I am not; I love you, and wish to save you, even if I gave my life +to do so: hence, reassure yourself, and do not fix upon me eyes haggard +with grief." + +"What do you know, in heaven's name?" + +"I know that which probably a traitor, as you called him, has sold to +your husband, that is to say, that you left the hatto, went aboard a +vessel, which conveyed you to Nevis, and there--" + +"Oh! Not a word more, brother," she exclaimed as she fell into his +arms; "you are really well informed, but I swear to you, brother, +in the name of what is most sacred in the world, that, although +appearances condemn me, I am innocent." + +"I know it, sister, and never doubted it; what is your intention, will +you await your husband here?" + +"Never, never! Did I not tell you he would kill me?" + +"What is to be done then?" + +"Fly, fly without delay; at once." + +"But where shall we go?" + +"How do I know? To the cliff or the forest, live among the wild beasts +sooner than remain any longer here." + +"Very good, we will go, I know where to take you." + +"You?" + +"Yes, did I not tell you that sundry accidents happened to me today +while hunting?" + +"So you did; but what has that to do with it?" + +"A great deal," he interrupted; "the Major-domo, who accompanied me, +and I tumbled over an encampment of filibusters." + +"Ah," she said, turning paler than she had been before. + +"Yes, and I intend to conduct you to that encampment; besides, one of +the buccaneers entrusted me with a message for you." + +"What do you mean?" + +"Exactly what I am saying, sister." + +She appeared to reflect for an instant, and then turned resolutely to +the young man. + +"Well, be it so, brother, let us go to those men, though they are +represented as so cruel; perhaps every human feeling has not been +extinguished in their hearts, and they will take pity on me." + +"When shall we go?" + +"As speedily as possible." + +"That is true, but the hatto is probably watched and the soldiers have +doubtless secret orders, you may be a prisoner without suspecting it, +my poor sister; for what other reason would the two Fifties be here?" + +"Oh! In that case I am lost." + +"Perhaps there is one way, and the orders given doubtless only affect +you; but unfortunately the journey will be long, fatiguing, and beset +with numberless perils." + +"What matter, brother? I am strong, do not be anxious about me." + +"Very good, we will try; you are absolutely determined on flight?" + +"Yes, whatever may befall me." + +"Well then, we will put our trust in heaven, wait for me a moment." + +The young man left the room and returned a few minutes later, bearing a +rather large bundle under his arm. + +"Here are my page's clothes, I do not know how they happen to be in +my possession, but my valet probably placed them in my portmanteau by +mistake, for they are new, and I remember that the tailor brought them +home a few minutes before my departure from Saint Domingo, but I thank +accident for causing it to be so. Dress yourself, wrap yourself up +in a cloak, put this hat on your head, I will answer for everything. +Besides, this costume is preferable to your woman's clothes for +crossing the savannah; mind and not forget to place these pistols and +this dagger in your belt, for there is no knowing what may happen." + +"Thanks brother! I shall be ready in a quarter of an hour." + +"Good; during that time I will go and reconnoitre; do not open the door +to anyone but me." + +"You may depend upon me." + +The young man lit a cigarette and left the apartment with the most +careless air he could assume. + +On entering the zaguan, the Count found himself face to face with the +Major-domo. Senor Birbomono had such an anxious look that it did not +escape Don Sancho; still he continued to advance, pretending not to +notice it. + +But the Major-domo came straight up to him. + +"I am glad to meet you, Excellency," he said, "if you had not come +within ten minutes, I should have knocked at the door of your +apartment." + +"Ah!" Don Sancho observed, "What pressing motive was there to urge you +to such a step?" + +"Is your Excellency aware of what is taking place?" the Major-domo +continued, without appearing to notice the young man's ironical tone. + +"What! Is there really anything happening?" + +"Does not your Excellency know it?" + +"Probably not, as I ask you; after all, as the news, I am sure, +interests me but very slightly, you are quite at liberty not to tell it +to me." + +"On the contrary, Excellency, it interests you as well as all the +inhabitants of the hatto." + +"Oh! oh! What is it then?" + +"It appears that the commander of the two Fifties, has placed sentries +all round the hatto." + +"Very good, in that case, we need not fear being attacked by the +buccaneers, of whom you are so afraid, and I will thank the commandant +for it." + +"You are at liberty to do so, Excellency, but I fancy you will find it +difficult." + +"Why so?" + +"Because orders are given to let anyone enter the hatto but nobody +leave it." + +A shudder ran through the young man's veins on hearing this; he turned +frightfully pale, but recovering himself almost immediately, remarked +carelessly, + +"Stuff! that order cannot affect me." + +"Pardon me, Excellency, it is general." + +"In that case, you think that, if I tried to go out--" + +"You would be stopped." + +"Confound it, that is very annoying, not that I have any intention of +going out, but as by my character, I am very fond of doing things which +are prohibited--" + +"You would like to take a walk, I suppose, Excellency?" + +Don Sancho looked at Birbomono, as if trying to read his thoughts. + +"And suppose such were my intention?" he resumed presently. + +"I would undertake to get you out." + +"You?" + +"Yes, I; am I not the Major-domo of the hatto?" + +"That is true; thus, the prohibition does not extend to you?" + +"To me, as to the rest, Excellency; but the soldiers do not know the +hatto as I know; I could Slip between their fingers, whenever I liked." + +"I have strong inclination to try it." + +"Do so, Excellency; I have three horses at a spot where no one but +myself could find them." + +"Why, three horses?" the young man asked, pricking up his ears. + +"Because, doubtless, you do not wish to ride with me only, but will +take someone with you." + +Don Sancho, understanding that the Major-domo had penetrated his +thoughts, made up his mind at once. + +"Let us play fairly," he said, "can you be faithful." + +"I am so, and devoted too, Excellency, as you have a proof." + +"What assures me that you are not laying a trap for me?" + +"With what object?" + +"That of obtaining a reward from the Count." + +"No, Excellency, no reward would induce me to betray my mistress; I may +be anything you please, but I love Dona Clara, who has always been kind +to me, and has often protected me." + +"I am willing to believe you, and indeed have no time to discuss the +point, but here are my conditions: a bullet through the head if you +betray me, a thousand piastres if you are faithful; do you accept them?" + +"I do, Excellency, the thousand piastres are gained." + +"You know that I do not threaten in vain." + +"I know you." + +"Very good, what must we do?" + +"Follow me, that is all; our flight will be most easy, for I prepared +everything on my return; I had my suspicions on seeing those demons +of soldiers, suspicions which were soon changed into certainty, after +some skilful inquiries here and there; my devotion to my mistress +rendered me clear sighted, and you see that I acted wisely in taking my +precautions." + +The accent with which the Major-domo pronounced these words, had such a +stamp of truth, his face was so frank and open, that the young Count's +last suspicions were dissipated. + +"Wait for me," he said, "I will go and fetch my sister." + +And he hurried away. + +"Oh!" said Birbomono, with a grin, so soon as he was alone, "I do not +know whether Senor don Stenio de Bejar will be pleased at seeing his +wife escape in this way, when he felt so certain of holding her; poor +senora! She is so good to us all, that it would be infamous to betray +her, and then, after all, this is a good deed which brings me one +thousand piastres," he added, rubbing his hands, "that is a very decent +amount." + +It was about eleven o'clock at night, all the lights in the hatto +were extinguished by orders of the Major-domo, who had provided for +everything; the slaves had been dismissed to their huts, and a solemn +silence brooded over the landscape, a silence solely interrupted at +regular intervals, by the sentries who challenged each other in a +monotonous voice. + +Don Sancho soon returned, accompanied by his sister, wrapped up like +himself, in a long mantle. + +Dona Clara did not speak, but on joining the Major-domo, she +gracefully held out her right hand to him, on which he respectfully +impressed his lips. + +Although the officers had told the soldiers to keep a good guard, and +watch carefully, not only the hatto, but its environs, the latter, +slightly reassured by the darkness on one hand, and on the other, +by the gloomy and mysterious depths of the forests that surrounded +them, stood motionless behind the trees, contenting themselves with +responding to the challenge, every half hour, but not venturing to go +even a few yards from the shelter they had chosen. + +The reasons for this apparent cowardice, were simple, and although we +have explained them, we will repeat them here, for the sake of greater +clearness. + +In the early times of the buccaneers landing on Saint Domingo, the +Fifties sent by the governor in pursuit of them, were armed with +muskets; but after several encounters with the French, in which the +latter gave them an awful thrashing, their terror of the adventurers +became so great that, whenever they were sent on an expedition against +these men, whom they almost regarded as demons, no sooner did they +enter the forests, or the mountain gorges, or even the savannahs, where +they might suppose the buccaneers to be ambushed, than they began +to fire their pieces right and left, for the purpose of warning the +enemies, and inducing them to withdraw. + +The result of this clever manoeuvre was that the adventurers, thus +warned, decamped in reality, and thus became intangible; the governor +noticing this result, eventually guessed its cause, and hence, in order +to avoid such a thing in future, he took the muskets away from the +soldiers and substituted lances. This change, let us hasten to add, was +not at all to the liking of these brave soldiers, who thus saw their +ingenious scheme foiled, and were even more exposed to the blows of +their formidable enemies. + +It was almost without being obliged to take any other precaution than +that of walking noiselessly and not speaking, that the Major-domo and +the two persons he served as guide, succeeded in quitting the hatto on +the opposite side to that on which the Fifties had established their +bivouac. + +Once the line of sentries was passed, the fugitives hurried on more +rapidly, and soon reached a thicket in the midst of which three fully +accoutred horses were so thoroughly hidden that unless known to be +there, it would have been impossible to find them; for a greater +precaution, and to prevent them from neighing, the Major-domo had +fastened a cord round their nostrils. + +So soon as the three were mounted, and before starting, Birbomono +turned to Don Sancho,-- + +"Where are we going, Excellency?" he asked. + +"Do you know the spot where the buccaneers we met today are +bivouacked?" the young man replied. + +"Yes, Excellency." + +"Do you think you could succeed in finding the bivouac in the midst of +the darkness?" + +The Major-domo smiled. + +"Nothing is more easy," he said. + +"In that case lead us to those men." + +"Very good; but, Excellency, be good enough not press your horse on at +present, for we are still near the house, and the slightest imprudence +would be sufficient to give an alarm." + +"Do you think, then, that they would venture to pursue us?" + +"Separately, certainly not; but as they are so numerous, they would +not hesitate; the less so, because from what I heard them say, they +feel certain that the buccaneers have never come into these parts. This +redoubles their bravery, and they would perhaps not be sorry to furnish +a proof of it at our expense." + +"Excellent reasoning; regulate our pace, therefore, as you think +proper, and we will only act in accordance with your judgment." + +They set out; with the exception of the precautions they were obliged +to take not to be discovered, the journey had nothing disagreeable +about it, on a bright and perfumed night, beneath a sky studded with +brilliant stars, and in the midst of a most delightful scenery, whose +slightest diversities the transparency of the atmosphere allowed to be +seen. + +After an hour spent in a moderate trot, their pace became insensibly +more rapid, and the horses growing gradually more excited, eventually +broke into a gallop, at which their riders kept them for a considerable +period. + +Dona Clara bent over her horse's neck, and with her eyes eagerly fixed +ahead, seemed to upbraid the slowness of this ride, which, however, had +assumed the headlong speed of a pursuit: at times she leant over to her +brother, who constantly kept by her side, and asked him in a choking +voice-- + +"Shall we soon arrive?" + +"Yes, have patience, sister," the young man said, suppressing a sigh of +pity for the agony which preyed on his sister's heart. + +And their pace grew more rapid than ever. + +The stars were already expiring in the heavens, the atmosphere was +growing refreshed, the horizon was striped by long mother-o'-pearl +coloured bands, a light sea breeze brought up to the travellers its +alkaline odours, and the night had passed. Suddenly, at the moment +when the three riders were about to emerge from a thick wood, in which +they had been following a track made by the wild cattle for nearly an +hour, the Major-domo, who was a few yards ahead, pulled up his horse +and leant back. + +"Stop, in Heaven's name!" he exclaimed, in a low voice. + +The young couple obeyed, though they did not comprehend this order. + +The Major-domo went up to them. + +"Look!" he muttered, and stretched out his arm toward the savannah. + +A rapid gallop, that drew nearer every second, but which the noise of +their own march had prevented them from hearing, now smote their ears, +and almost at the same moment they saw through the screen of foliage +which hid them from sight, several horsemen pass as if borne along by a +hurricane. + +A branch struck off the hat of one of the riders as he passed. + +"Don Stenio!" Dona Clara exclaimed in horror. + +"Zounds!" Don Sancho said, "We were just in time." + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX. + +EVENTS ACCUMULATE. + + +The horsemen had continued their wild course without perceiving the +fugitives: one of them, indeed, at the cry uttered by Dona Clara, had +made a gesture as if to stop his steed, but doubtless supposing that +he had been mistaken, he followed his companions after a moment's +hesitation, which was very fortunate for him, as Don Sancho had already +drawn a pistol, with the resolution of blowing out his brains. + +For some minutes the fugitives remained motionless, anxiously listening +to the galloping of the horses, whose sound rapidly retired, and was +soon lost in the distance, when it became confounded with the other +noises of the night. + +Then they breathed again, and Don Sancho put back in his holster the +pistol which he had held in his hand up to this moment. + +"Hum!" he muttered; "Only the thickness of a bush saved us from being +discovered." + +"Heaven be thanked!" Dona Clara said; "We are saved!" + +"That is to say, my little sister, we are not caught," the young man +replied, incapable of maintaining his seriousness for five minutes, +however grave circumstances might be. + +"They are going at a tremendous pace," the Major-domo now remarked; "we +have nothing more to fear from them." + +"In that case, let us be off," Don Sancho replied. + +"Yes, yes, let us go," Dona Clara murmured. + +They dashed out of the thicket which had offered them so sure a +protection, and entered the plain. + +The sky became lighter every moment; and although the sun was still +beneath the horizon, its influence was beginning to be felt. Nature +appeared to shake off her nocturnal sleep; some birds were already +awake under the soft leaves, and preluding, by soft twittering, their +matin chant; the dark outlines of savage animals bounded through the +tall dew-laden grass; and the birds of prey, expanding their mighty +wings, rose high in aether, as if they wished to go and meet the sun, +and salute its advent: in a word, it was no longer night, without being +fully day. + +"Ah! What I do see at the foot of that mound?" Don Sancho suddenly said. + +"Where?" Birbomono asked. + +"There, straight in front of us." + +The Major-domo placed his hands over his eyes, and looked attentively. + +"_iViva Dios!_" he exclaimed, at the end of a moment, "It is a man!" + +"A man?" + +"On my word, yes, Excellency; and, as far as I can distinguish at this +distance, a Carib savage." + +"Zounds! What is he doing on that mound?" + +"We shall be able to assure ourselves of that more easily directly, +unless he thinks proper to keep out of our way." + +"Well, let us go to him, in Heaven's name." + +"Brother," Dona Clara objected, "what is the use of lengthening our +journey, when we are so hurried?" + +"That is true," the young man said. + +"Reassure yourself, senora," the Major-domo observed; "that hillock is +exactly on the road we must follow, and we cannot help passing it." + +Dona Clara said no more, and the trio set out again. + +They soon reached the mound, which they ascended at a gallop. + +The Carib had not quitted the spot, but the riders stopped in stupor on +perceiving that he was not alone. + +The Indian, kneeling on the ground, appearing to be attending to a man +stretched out before him, and who was beginning to regain his senses. + +"Fray Arsenio!" Dona Clara exclaimed at the sight of this man. "Great +Heavens! He is dead!" + +"No," the Indian answered in a gentle voice, as he turned to her, "but +he has been most horribly tortured." + +"He! Tortured?" his hearers exclaimed, unanimously. + +"Look at his hands," the Carib continued. + +The Spaniards uttered a cry of horror and pity at the sight of the poor +monk's bleeding and swollen thumbs. + +"Oh, it is frightful!" they murmured, sadly. + +"Wretch," Don Sancho said in his indignation, "you have brought him to +this state!" + +The Carib shrugged his shoulders disdainfully. + +"The paleface is mad!" he replied; "My brothers do not torture the +chiefs of prayer--they respect them. White men, like himself, have +inflicted this atrocious punishment upon him." + +"Explain yourself, in Heaven's name," Dona Clara continued; "how is it +that we find this worthy monk here in such a pitiable state?" + +"It will be better to let him explain himself when he has regained his +senses. Omopoua knows but little." + +"That is true," Dona Clara said, as she dismounted and knelt by the +side of the wounded man. "Poor fellow! What frightful suffering he must +be enduring." + +"Can you not tell us anything, then?" Don Sancho asked. + +"Almost nothing," the chief replied, "this is all that I know." + +And he narrated in what way the monk had been confided to him, and how +he had served as his guide, till they met the white men, when the monk +discharged him for the purpose of joining them. + +"But," he added, "I know not why, some secret foreboding seemed to +warn me not to leave him: hence, instead of going away I hid myself in +the shrubs, and witnessed, unseen, the tortures they had him undergo, +while insisting on his revealing to them a secret, which he refused to +divulge. Conquered by his constancy, they at length abandoned him half +dead. Then I rushed from my hiding place, and flew to his help. That is +all I know; I am a chief, I have no forked tongue, and a falsehood has +never sullied the lips of Omopoua." + +"Forgive me, Chief, the improper language I used at the first moment; I +was blinded by anger and sorrow," said Don Sancho, holding out his hand. + +"The paleface is young," the chief replied with a smile; "his tongue +moves more quickly than his heart;" then he took the hand so frankly +offered him, and pressed it cordially. + +"Oh, oh!" the Major-domo said, with a shake of his head, and leaning +over to Don Sancho's ear, "If I am not greatly mistaken, Don Stenio is +mixed up in this affair." + +"It is not possible," Don Sancho replied, with horror. + +"You do not know your brother-in-law, Excellency; his is a weak nature, +and all such are cruel; believe me, I am certain of what I state." + +"No, no, it would be too frightful." + +"Good Heaven," Dona Clara said, at this moment, "we cannot remain here +any longer, and yet I should not like to abandon the poor man." + +"Let us take him with us," Don Sancho quickly remarked. + +"But will his wounds permit him to endure the fatigue of a long ride?" + +"We are almost at our journey's end," the Major-domo said, and then, +turning to the Carib, added-- + +"We are going to the bivouac of the two buccaneers, who were hunting on +the savannah yesterday." + +"Very good;" said the chief, "I will lead the palefaces by a narrow +road, and they will arrive ere the sun reaches the edges of the +horizon." + +Dona Clara and her brother remounted. The monk was cautiously placed in +front of the Major-domo, and the small party set out again at a foot +pace, under the guidance of the Carib chief. + +Poor Fray Arsenio gave no other signs of existence but deep sighs, +which at intervals heaved his chest, and stifled groans torn from him +by suffering. + +At the end of three quarters of an hour they reached the boucan, by the +near cut, which Omopoua indicated to them. + +It was empty, but not deserted, as was proved by the bull hides, still +stretched out on the ground, and held down by pegs, and the boucaned +meat suspended from the forks of the branches. + +The adventurers were probably away, hunting. + +The travellers were considerably annoyed by this contretemps, but +Omopoua relieved them of their embarrassment. + +"The palefaces need not be anxious," he said, "the chief will warn his +friends, the white _franiis_--in their absence the paler faces can use, +without fear, everything they find here." + +And, joining example to precept, the Carib prepared a bed of dry +leaves, which he covered with skins, and, with the Major-domo's aid, +carefully laid the wounded man upon it; then he lit a fire, and after, +for the last time repeating to the fugitives the assurance that they +had nothing to fear, he went off, gliding like a snake through the tall +grass. + +The Major-domo, who was tolerably well acquainted with the manners of +the adventurers, with whom he had had some relations, though always +against his will, for, brave though he was, or boasted of being, +they inspired him with a superstitious terror--reassured the others +as to their position, by declaring to them, that hospitality was so +sacred with the buccaneers, that, if they were their most inveterate +foes instead of quasi guests, as they had only come on their formal +invitation, they would have nothing to apprehend from them. + +In the meanwhile, thanks to the attention which Dona Clara had not +ceased to bestow on him, the poor monk had returned to his senses. +Although very weak at first, he gradually regained sufficient +strength to impart to Dona Clara all that happened to him since their +separation. This narration, whose conclusion coincided in the minutest +details with that previously made by the Carib, plunged Dona Clara +into a state of stupefaction, which soon changed into horror, when she +reflected on the terrible dangers that menaced her. + +In truth, what help could she expect? Who would dare to protect +her against her husband, whose high position and omnipotence would +annihilate every effort she might make to escape from his vengeance. + +"Courage," the monk murmured, with a tender commiseration, "courage, +my daughter, above man there is God. Have confidence in Him; He will +not abandon you: and if everything fail you, He will come to your +assistance, and interfere in your favour." + +Dona Clara, in spite of her perfect faith in the power of Providence, +only replied to this consolation by tears and sobs; she felt herself +condemned. + +Don Sancho was hurriedly walking up and down in the front of the +ajoupa, twisting his moustache, stamping his foot passionately, and +revolving in his head the maddest projects. + +"Bah," he muttered, at last, "if that demon will not listen to reason, +I will blow out his brains, and that will settle everything." + +And highly pleased at having, after so many vain researches, discovered +this expeditious mode of saving his sister from the violence, which the +desire of vengeance would probably suggest to Don Stenio, the young man +lit a cigarette, and patiently awaited the return of the buccaneers, +feeling now quite calm and perfectly reassured about the future. + +The Major-domo, who was almost indifferent as to what was going on +around him, and delighted with the hope of the promised thousand +piastres, had turned the time to a good use. Reflecting that on their +return, the buccaneers, doubtless, would not be sorry to find their +breakfast ready, he had placed in front of the fire an iron pot, in +which he placed an enormous lump of meat, to boil, with a reasonable +quantity of water; in lieu of bread, he had thrust several ignamas +under the ashes, and then busied himself with preparing the pimentado, +that absolutely necessary sauce for every buccaneer meal. + +The fugitives had held possession of the boucan for nearly an hour and +a half, when they heard furious barking, and some twenty dogs rushed +howling toward them: but a sharp, though still distant whistle recalled +them, and they went off again as quickly as they had come. + +A few minutes later, the Spaniards perceived the two buccaneers; they +were running up with a surprising speed, although both bore a load +weighing upwards of a hundredweight, and were in addition embarrassed +by their weapons and hunting equipment. + +Their first care, on arriving at the boucan, was to throw on the ground +the eight or ten fresh bull hides, till reeking with blood and grease, +which they brought, and they then advanced toward the strangers, who, +on their side, had risen to receive them. + +The dogs, as if they had understood that they must maintain a strict +neutrality, were lying on the grass, but kept their flashing eyes fixed +on the Spaniards, probably ready to spring at their throat upon the +first signal. + +"You are welcome at the ajoupa," Lepoletais said, doffing his hat with +a politeness that could hardly have been expected on seeing his rough +appearance. "So long as you like to remain here, you will be regarded +as our brothers; whatever we possess is yours, dispose of it as you +think proper, as well as of our arms, should an occasion offer for you +to demand our help." + +"I thank you in the name of my companions, caballero, and accept your +kind proposal," Dona Clara answered. + +"A woman!" Lepoletais exclaimed, in surprise, "Pardon me, Madam, for +not recognizing you at once." + +"I am, caballero, Dona Clara de Bejar, to whom, as I was informed, you +have a letter to deliver." + +"In that case doubly welcome, madam; as for the note in question, I +have not the charge of it, but my comrade." + +"Zounds," L'Olonnais exclaimed, who had gone up to the wounded man, +"Omopoua certainly told us that this poor devil of a monk had been +almost dismasted, but I did not expect to find him in so pitiable a +state." + +"Well," Lepoletais remarked with a frown, "I am not a very religious +man, but hang me if I should not hesitate to treat a monk in this way; +only a pagan is capable of committing such a crime." + +Then, with a truly filial attention, which the Spaniards admired, the +rude adventurer set to work, offering some relief to the wounded man's +intolerable sufferings, in which he entirely succeeded, owing to a long +practice in treating wounds of every description, and Fray Arsenio soon +fell into an invigorating sleep. + +During this time L'Olonnais had handed to Dona Clara the letter +which Montbarts had entrusted to him for her, and the young lady had +withdrawn a little for the purpose of reading it. + +"Come, come," L'Olonnais said gaily, as he tapped the Major-domo's +shoulder, "that is what I call a sensible lad, he has thought of the +substantials; breakfast is ready." + +"If that be the case," Lepoletais said, with a significant wink to his +comrade; "we will eat double tides, for we shall have work before long." + +"Shall we not wait the return of the Indian chief?" Don Sancho asked. + +"For what purpose?" L'Olonnais said, with a laugh. "Do not trouble +yourself about him, my gentleman: he is a long way off if he is still +running. Each of us has his work cut out for him." + +"I don't care!" Lepoletais remarked. "You had a deuced fine scent, +Senor, in responding to our invitation so quickly!" + +"Why so?" + +"You will soon know. But now take my advice--recruit your strength by +eating." + +At this moment Dona Clara rejoined the party. Her demeanour was firmer, +and her face almost gay. + +The table was soon laid--leaves serving for plates. They sat down to +it, that is to say, they formed a circle on the ground, and bravely +assailed the provisions. + +Don Sancho had resumed all his gaiety. This life appeared to him +delightful, and he laughed heartily, while eating with a good appetite. +Dona Clara herself, in spite of her inward preoccupation, did honour +to this improvised banquet. + +"Up! my darlings," Lepoletais had said to his dogs. "Tally ho! No +idleness, but go and watch the approaches while we are breakfasting. +Your share shall be kept." + +The dogs had risen with admirable obedience, and turning their backs on +the boucans, scattered in all directions, and speedily disappeared. + +"Yours are first-rate dogs," said Don Sancho. + +"You Spaniards are good judges of that," the buccaneer replied, +mockingly. + +The gentleman felt the sting, and did not deem it advisable to dwell +on the subject. In fact, it was at Saint Domingo that the Spaniards +inaugurated the frightful custom of training bloodhounds to hunt the +Indians, and employing them as auxiliaries in their wars. + +The breakfast was concluded without any fresh incident worthy of +remark, and the most perfect cordiality prevailed during the repast. + +When the masters had finished, it was the turn of the servants; that +is to say, L'Olonnais whistled up the dogs, which in an instant were +collected round him, and gave them their share in equal portions. + +The buccaneers, leaving their guests, and at liberty to employ their +time as they thought proper, were soon actively busied in preparing +their hides. + +Several hours passed in this way. About three in the afternoon a dog +barked, and then held its tongue. + +We have forgotten to state that, after their meal, the dogs returned to +their posts at a signal from the engage. + +The two buccaneers exchanged a glance. + +"One!" said L'Olonnais. + +"Two!" Lepoletais almost immediately answered on a second bark, which +broke out in a different direction. + +Ere long, like an electric current, the challenges of the hounds +succeeded each other with extreme rapidity, raised in all directions. + +Still, nothing seemed to justify these warnings given by the sentries. +No suspicious sound could be heard, and the savannah seemed to be +plunged into the most perfect solitude. + +"I beg your pardon, caballero," Don Sancho said to Lepoletais, who +continued his task with the same ardor, while laughing merrily with his +comrade; "but will you permit me to ask you a question?" + +"Do so, do so, my good gentleman. It is at times well to ask questions: +besides, if the question does not suit me, I shall be at liberty not to +answer it, I suppose?" + +"Oh! Of course." + +"In that case, speak without fear." + +"For some minutes past your dogs seem to have been giving you +signals--or, at least, I suppose so?" + +"You suppose right, caballero. They are really signals." + +"And would there be any indiscretion in asking you the meaning of the +signals?" + +"Not the least in the world, senor, especially as they interest you +quite as much as us." + +"I do not understand you." + +"You will soon do so. These signals signify that the savannah is at +this moment invaded by several Fifties, which are manoeuvring to +surround us." + +"_iDiablos!_" the young man exclaimed, with a start of surprise: "And +you do not feel more affected than that?" + +"Why anticipate anxiety? My comrade and I had a pressing job which we +were obliged to finish. Now that it is done, we are going to turn our +attention to the senores." + +"But we cannot possibly resist so many enemies?" + +"Ah! Ah! Do you really feel inclined for a brush?" + +"S'death! My sister and I are incurring quite as much danger as you, +and we have not a minute to lose in attempting flight." + +"Flight?" the buccaneer said, with a grin; "Nonsense! You must be +laughing, my gentleman: we are enclosed in an impassable circle--or +what looks so." + +"In that case, we are lost." + +"How you go on! On the contrary, they are lost." + +"They? Why, we are only four against a hundred." + +"You are mistaken. There are two hundred; and that makes fifty for each +of us. Call in the dogs, L'Olonnais; they are now useless. Stay! Look +there; can you see them?" + +And he stretched his arm out straight ahead. + +In fact, the long lances of the Spanish soldiers appeared above the +tall grass. Lepoletais had told the truth. These lances formed a +circle, which was being more and more contracted round the boucan. + +"Come! That is rather neat," the buccaneer added, as he affectionately +tapped the butt of his long fusil. + +"Senora," he added, "keep by the side of the wounded man." + +"Oh! Let me give myself up," she exclaimed, frantically. "It is on my +account that this terrible danger menaces you." + +"Senora," the buccaneer replied, as he struck his chest with a gesture +of supreme majesty; "you are under the safeguard of my honour, and I +swear by Heaven, that no one, so long as I live, shall dare to lay a +finger upon you! Go to the wounded man." + +Involuntarily subdued by the accent with which the buccaneer uttered +these words, Dona Clara bowed without replying, and pensively seated +herself inside the ajoupa, by the side of Fray Arsenio, who was still +asleep. + +"Now, caballero," Lepoletais said to Don Sancho, "if you have never +been present at a buccaneering expedition, I promise you you are going +to see some fun, and enjoy yourself." + +"Well," the young man replied, recklessly; "I will fight, if I must. It +is a glorious death for a gentleman, to die sword in hand!" + +"Come," said the buccaneer, as he gave him a friendly tap on the +shoulder; "you are a fine lad. Something can be made of you." + +The Fifties still approached, and the circle grew more and more +contracted. + + + + +CHAPTER XXX. + +THE EXTERMINATOR. + + +For some minutes a mournful silence--a complete calm, which, however, +was loaded with menace, hung heavily over the savannah. + +At a whistle from the engage, the dogs ranged themselves behind their +masters, with heads down, lips drawn back to display their sharp teeth, +and flashing eyes, they awaited the order to rush forward, though +without giving the slightest bark or growl. + +L'Olonnais, leaning on his long fusil, was smoking his pipe quietly, +while casting sarcastic glances around. + +Lepoletais occupied himself with the utmost order in arranging various +articles which had been deranged during his morning's operations. + +The Major-domo, though in his heart he felt very anxious as to the +result of this apparently so disproportionate combat, was obliged to +grin and bear it--to use a familiar expression; for he was aware that +if he fell into the hands of his master, he had no mercy to expect +from him, after the manner in which he had thwarted his projects, by +favouring the flight of the Countess. + +Don Sancho de Penaflor, in spite of his natural levity and warlike +character, was not without anxiety either, for, as an officer of the +Spanish army, his place was not in the ranks of the buccaneers, but +with the soldiers who were preparing to attack them. + +Dona Clara, kneeling by the side of the monk, with clasped hands, +eyes raised to heaven, and face inundated with tears, was fervently +imploring the protection of the Almighty. + +As for Fray Arsenio, he was quietly sleeping. + +Such was the picturesque aspect, imposing in its simplicity, offered +at this moment by the camp of the adventurers. Four men were preparing +coolly, and as if for the mere fun of the thing, to contend against +upwards of two hundred regular troops, from whom they knew that they +had no quarter to expect, but whom their insane resistance would +probably exasperate, and urge to measures of cruel violence. + +In the meanwhile the circle was more and more contracted, and the heads +of the soldiers were already beginning to appear above the tall grass. + +"Ah, ah!" said Lepoletais, rubbing his horney hands together with an +air of triumph--"I fancy it is time to open the ball; what do you say, +my boy?" + +"Yes, this is the right moment," the engage replied, as he went to +fetch a log from the fire. + +"Mind not to stir from the spot where you are," Lepoletais recommended +the two Spaniards: "zounds! pay attention to this, or you will run a +risk of having your goose cooked," and he laid a stress on the last +words, with an evidently sarcastic meaning. + +The buccaneers, before establishing their bivouac, had pulled up the +grass for a distance of about thirty paces all around the ajoupa; this +grass, dried and calcined by the heat of the sun, had been piled up at +the border of the cleared ground. + +The engage laid down his fusil, walked straight to this grass, set it +on fire, and then slowly returned to rejoin his companions. + +The effect of this manoeuvre was instantaneous, a jet of flame suddenly +burst out, spread in all directions, and soon a large portion of the +savannah presented the appearance of a vast furnace. + +The buccaneers laughed heartily at what they considered an excellent +joke. + +The Spaniards, taken unawares, uttered cries of terror, and rapidly +recoiled, pursued by the flame, which constantly spread, and +continually advanced toward them. + +Still, it was evident that the adventurers had no intention of +burning the unfortunate Spaniards alive; the fire lit by them had not +sufficient consistency for that; the grass burned and went out again +with extreme rapidity. Doubtless the sole result that the buccaneers +had wished to obtain, was to cause a panic terror to their enemies, +and cast disorder among them; and in this they had been perfectly +successful. + +The soldiers, half roasted by the flames, fled, uttering cries of +terror before this sea of fire, which seemed incessantly to pursue +them, without thinking of looking back, or obeying their officers, and +having but one thought, escaping the terrible danger that menaced them. + +While this was going on Lepoletais coolly explained to Don Sancho the +probable results of the expedient he had employed. + +"You see, Senor," he said, "this blaze is nothing; it is an almost +inoffensive straw fire; in a few minutes, or half an hour at the +latest, it will be extinguished. If these men are cowards we shall have +got rid of them, if not, they will return, and then the affair will be +serious." + +"But, as you recognize the inefficiency of this means, why did you +employ it? In my opinion it is more injurious than usual to our +defence." + +The buccaneer shook his head several times. + +"You do not understand," he said; "I had several motives for acting +thus. In the first place, however brave you may suppose your countrymen +to be, they are now demoralised, and it will be very difficult to +restore them the courage they no longer possess; on the other hand, +I was not sorry to see clearly around me, and sweep the savannah a +little, and lastly," he added, with a cunning look, "who told you that +the fire I lighted was not a signal?" + +"A signal?" Don Sancho exclaimed; "Then you have friends near here?" + +"Who knows? Senor, my companions are very active, and are frequently +met with when least expected." + +"I confess that I do not understand a word of what you are saying to +me." + +"Patience, Senor, patience! You will soon understand, I assure you, +and will not require any great effort of the intellect to do so. +L'Olonnais," he added, turning to his comrade, "I think you had better +go down there now." + +"That is true," L'Olonnais replied, as he carelessly threw his fusil +over his shoulder, "he will be expecting me." + +"Take some of the dogs with you." + +"What for?" + +"To guide you, my lad; it is not easy now to find one's way through the +ashes, for all the trails are covered." + +The engage called several dogs by their name, and went off without +replying, followed by a portion of the pack. + +"There," Lepoletais continued, pointing to the engage, who seemed to be +running, as he went at such a pace, "just look at that fellow, he is a +fine chap, eh? And how he behaves, though he has not been more than two +months in America; in three years from this time I predict to you that +he will be one of our most celebrated adventurers." + +"Did you buy him?" Don Sancho asked, though but little interested in +details which had no importance for him. + +"Unluckily, no, he has only been lent to me for a few days; he is +the engage of Montbarts the Exterminator: I offered him two hundred +piastres for him, but he refused to sell him." + +"What?" the young man exclaimed--"Montbarts, the celebrated filibuster?" + +"The very man; he is a friend of mine." + +"In that case he is close at hand?" + +"That, Senor, is one of the things which you will learn shortly." + +As the buccaneer had foreseen, the fire went out almost as quickly as +it blazed up, for want of aliment on this savannah, where only grass +and a few insignificant shrubs grew. + +The Spaniards had sought shelter on the banks of the stream, whose +barren sand preserved them from contact with the fire. The forests, +too remote from the scene of the fire, had not caught, although a few +tongues of flame had played round their edge. + +From the boucan it was easy to perceive the Spanish officers striving +to restore some degree of order among their troops, doubtless for the +purpose of attempting a new attack, although Lepoletais did not appear +at all alarmed. Among the officers one was especially remarkable; he +was on horseback, and was taking immense trouble to form the ranks, and +the other officers came up in turn to receive his orders. + +This officer Don Sancho recognized at the first glance. + +"This is what I feared," he muttered; "the Count has placed himself at +the head of the expedition, and we are lost." + +In truth, it was Don Stenio de Bejar, who, on arriving at the hatto at +daybreak, and learning the flight of the Countess, resolved to command +the expedition. + +The position of the adventurers was critical, reduced as they were +to three, encamped in the middle of a bare plain, and without +entrenchments of any description. Still, the confidence of the +buccaneer did not seem diminished, and it was with an ironical air that +he examined the preparations the enemy was making against him. + +The Spaniards, formed again with great difficulty by the energy of +their officers, at last started, and proceeded once more toward the +boucan, while taking the same precautions as before, that is to say, +being careful to extend their front, so as to form a complete circle, +and entirely surround the encampment. + +But the march of the Fifties was slow and measured; it was only with +extreme caution that the soldiers ventured on this scarcely cooled +ground, which might conceal fresh snares. + +The Count, pointing to the boucan with his sword, in vain excited his +troops to press on, and finish with this handful of scoundrels who +dared to oppose His Majesty's troops; the soldiers would not listen, +and only advanced with greater caution, for the calmness and apparent +negligence of their enemies frightened them more than a hostile +demonstration, and must, in their opinion, be owing to some terrible +trap laid for them. + +At this moment the situation was complicated by a strange episode; a +canoe crossed the stream, and ran ashore exactly at the spot which the +Spaniards had quitted only a few minutes previously. + +This canoe contained five persons, three adventurers, and two Spaniards. + +The adventurers stepped ashore as calmly as if they; were quite alone, +and pushing the two Spaniards before them, advanced resolutely toward +the soldiers. + +The latter, astonished, confounded at such audacity, watched them +coming without daring to make a movement to oppose them. + +These three adventurers were Montbarts, Michael the Basque, and +L'Olonnais, and seven or eight dogs followed them. The two Spaniards +walked unarmed in front of them, being alarmed about their fate, as was +proved by the pallor of their faces, and the startled glances which +they threw around them. + +The Count, on perceiving the adventurers, uttered a cry of rage, and +bounded with uplifted sword to meet them. + +"Down with the ladrones!" he cried. + +The soldiers, ashamed of being held in check by three men, wheeled +round, and boldly advanced. + +The adventurers were surrounded in an instant; but, without displaying +the slightest surprise at this manoeuvre, they also halted, and +standing shoulder to shoulder, faced all sides at once. + +The soldiers instinctively stopped. + +"Death!" the Count cried; "No mercy for the ladrones!" + +"Silence," Montbarts replied; "before menacing, listen to the news +these two couriers bring you." + +"Seize these villains!" the Count yelled again. "Kill them like dogs!" + +"Nonsense," Montbarts remarked, ironically; "you are mad, my worthy +sir. Seize us! Why, I defy you to do it." + +The three adventurers then emptied their powder flasks into their caps, +and placed their bullets on the top of it; then, holding in one hand +their caps thus converted into grenades, and in the other their lighted +pipes, they waited for the signal. + +"Attention, brothers," Montbarts said; "and you scoundrels, make way, +there, unless you wish us to blow you all up." + +And with a firm and measured step the three adventurers advanced toward +the Spaniards, who were struck with terror, and really opened their +ranks to make a passage for them. + +"Oh!" Montbarts added, with a laugh, "Do not fear that we shall attempt +to fly; we only want to join our comrades." + +Then was witnessed the extraordinary scene of two hundred men timidly +following at a respectful distance three filibusters, who, while +walking and smoking to keep their pipes from going out, did not cease +from jeering them for their cowardice. + +Lepoletais was quite wild with delight: as for Don Sancho, he did +not know whether to feel most astonished at the mad temerity of the +French, or the cowardice of his countrymen. + +The three adventurers thus most easily effected their junction with +their companions without having been once disturbed by the Spaniards +during a rather long walk. In spite of the prayers and exhortations of +the Count to his soldiers, the only thing he obtained from them was, +that they continued to advance instead of retreating, as they had a +manifest intention of doing. + +But, while the adventurers thus drew the soldiers after them, and +concentrated their entire attention, a thing was happening which the +Count perceived when too late, and which began to cause him serious +alarm as to the result of his expedition. + +In the rear of the centre formed by the Spanish soldiers, another +circle had been drawn up as if by enchantment, but the latter was +composed of buccaneers and red Caribs, at whose head Omopoua made +himself remarkable. + +The adventurers and Indians had manoeuvred with so much intelligence, +vivacity, and silence, that the Spaniards were enveloped in a network +of steel, even before they had suspected the danger that menaced them. + +The Count uttered an exclamation of rage, to which the soldiers +responded by a cry of terror. + +The situation was, in fact, extremely critical for the unhappy +Spaniards, and unless a miracle occurred, it was literally impossible +for them to escape death. + +In fact they had no longer to contend against a few men, resolute, it +is true, but whom numbers must eventually conquer, even at a sacrifice; +the filibusters were at least two hundred, and with their allies the +Caribs, formed an effective strength of five hundred men, all as brave +lions, and three hundred more than the Spaniards; the latter understood +that they were lost. + +On arriving at the boucan, directly that he had squeezed Lepoletais' +hand and complimented him on the way in which he had contrived to +gain time, Montbarts gravely occupied himself with his comrades, in +restoring the powder and bullets to their respective receptacles, as he +probably judged that their caps might now be used for their legitimate +purpose. + +While the filibuster was engaged in this occupation, Dona Clara, pale +as a corpse, fixed on him burning glances, though she did not venture +to approach him. At length she took courage, advanced a few paces and +murmured with an effort in a trembling voice and with clasped hands,-- + +"I am here, sir." + +Montbarts trembled at the sound of this voice, and turned pale; but he +made an effort over himself and softened the rather hard expression of +his eye. + +"I have come solely on your account, Madam," he replied with a polite +bow; "I shall have the honour of placing myself at your orders in +a moment; permit me first to make sure that our interview will be +uninterrupted." + +Dona Clara hung her head and returned to her seat by the wounded man. + +The adventurers had continued to advance and were soon scarce ten paces +from the Spaniards, whose terror was augmented by this disagreeable +vicinity. + +"Hola, brothers!" Montbarts shouted in a powerful voice; "Halt, if you +please." + +The filibusters instantaneously became motionless. + +"And now, you fellows," the Admiral continued, addressing the soldiers; +"throw down your arms, unless you wish to be immediately shot." + +All the lances and swords fell on the ground with a unanimity which +proved the desire of the soldiers not to have the menace carried into +effect. + +"Surrender your sword, sir," Montbarts said to the Count. + +"Never!" the latter exclaimed, as he made his horse curvet, and +advanced with upraised blade on the adventurer, from whom he was only +three paces distant. + +At the same instant a fusil was discharged and the sword blade, struck +within an inch of the guard, was shivered; the Count found himself +disarmed. With a sudden movement Montbarts seized the horse's bridle +with one hand, and with the other hurled the Count from the saddle and +laid him prostrate on the ground. + +"Patatras!" Lepoletais said laughingly, while reloading his fusil; +"What a deuced funny idea to try alone to resist five hundred men." + +The Count rose quite confused by his fall; a livid pallor covered his +face, and his features were contracted by anger; all at once his eyes +fell upon the Countess. + +"Ah!" He yelled with the cry of a tiger, as he darted towards her, "At +least I shall avenge myself." + +But Montbarts seized him by the arm and rendered him motionless. + +"One word, one gesture, and I blow out your brains like the wild beast +you are," he said to him. + +There was such an accent of menace in the filibuster's words; his +interference had been so rapid that the Count, involuntarily cowed, +fell back with his arms folded on his chest and remained apparently +calm, although a volcano was at work in his heart, and his eyes were +obstinately fixed on the Countess. + +Montbarts gazed for a moment at his enemy with an expression of pity +and contempt. + +"You have desired, sir," he at length said to him ironically; "to try +your strength with the filibusters and will soon learn the cost; while +impelled by a mad desire of vengeance and inspired by an imaginary +jealousy, you were virulently pursuing a lady whose noble heart and +brilliant virtues you are incapable of appreciating, one half of the +island of which you are the governor has been torn forever from the +power of your sovereign, by my companions and myself; Tortuga, Leogane, +San Juan de Goava, and your hatto del Rincon, suddenly surprised, have +fallen without a blow." + +The Count drew himself up, a feverish flush covered his face, he +advanced a step and cried in a voice choking with passion,-- + +"You lie, villain; however great your audacity may be, it is impossible +that you have succeeded in seizing the places you mention." + +Montbarts shrugged his shoulders. + +"An insult coming from lips like yours has no effect," he said, "you +shall soon have the confirmation of what I assert; but enough of this +subject; I wished to have you in my power in order that you may be +witness of what I have to say to this lady. Come," he added, addressing +Dona Clara; "come, madam, and forgive me for not wishing to see you +except in the presence of the man you call your husband." + +On hearing the appeal, Dona Clara rose trembling, and tottered forward. + +There was a momentary silence; Montbarts, with his head hanging on his +chest, seemed plunged in bitter thoughts; at length he drew himself up, +passed his hand over his forehead as if to drive away the mist that +obscured his reason, turned to Dona Clara, and said to her in a gentle +voice,-- + +"You desired to see me, madam, in order to remind me of a time forever +past, and to confide a secret to me. This secret I have no right to +know; the Count de Barmont is dead, dead to everybody, to you before +all, who did not blush to renounce him, and though you belonged to him +by legitimate ties, and before all by the more legitimate one of a +powerful love, cowardly permitted yourself to be chained to another; +this is a crime, madam, which no forgiveness can efface, either in the +present or past." + +"Pity me, sir," the unhappy lady said, as she writhed beneath this +curse and burst into tears; "pity me, in the name of my remorse and my +sufferings!" + +"What are you doing, madam?" the Count exclaimed, "Rise at once." + +"Silence," Montbarts said in a harsh voice, "Allow this culprit to be +bowed beneath the weight of her repentance; you, who have been her +executioner, have less right than anyone else to protect her." + +Don Sancho had rushed toward his sister and, roughly repulsing the +Count, raised her in his arms. Montbarts continued. + +"I will only add one word, madam; the Count de Barmont had a child; on +the day when that child comes to ask his mother's pardon of me, I will +grant it--perhaps," he added in a faint voice. + +"Oh!" the young lady exclaimed with a feverish energy, as she seized +the hand which the filibuster had not the courage to withdraw from her, +"Oh sir! You are great and noble, this promise restores me all my hope +and courage; oh! I swear to you, sir, I will find my child again." + +"Enough, madam," Montbarts continued with ill suppressed emotion; "this +interview has lasted too long; here is your brother, he loves you, and +will be able to protect you; there is another person whom I regret +not to see here, for he would have advised and sustained you, in your +affliction." + +"To whom do you allude?" Don Sancho asked. + +"To the confessor of your sister." + +The young man turned away without answering. + +"Why, brother," Lepoletais here observed, "here he is half dead, look +at his burnt hands." + +"Oh!" Montbarts exclaimed, "It is really he, who is the monster that +has dared--" + +"Here he is!" the buccaneer replied, as he tapped the shoulder of the +Count, who was dumb with stupor and horror, for only at this moment did +he notice his victim. + +Two flashes of flame started from Montbart's eyes. + +"Villain," he exclaimed, "what, torture an inoffensive man! Oh, +Spaniards, race of vipers! What sufficiently horrible punishment could +I inflict on you!" + +All his hearers trembled at this passion so long restrained, which had +at length burst its bonds and now overflowed with irresistible violence. + +"By Heaven!" the filibuster exclaimed in a terrible voice, "It is +the worse for you, butcher, that you remind me I am Montbarts the +exterminator. L'Olonnais, prepare the fire under the barbacoas of the +boucan." + +An indescribable terror seized on all the hearers of this order, +which clearly expressed to what a horrible punishment the Count was +condemned; Don Stenio himself, in spite of his indomitable pride, felt +a chill at his heart. + +But at this moment, the monk, who had hitherto remained motionless on +his couch, and apparently insensible to what was going on, rose with +a painful effort, and leaning on the shoulders of Dona Clara and her +brother, tottered forward, and knelt with them to the filibuster. + +"Pity," he exclaimed, "pity, in Heaven's name!" + +"No," Montbarts replied harshly, "This man is condemned." + +"I implore you, brother, be merciful," the monk went on to urge him. + +All at once the Count drew two pistols from his doublet, and pointed +one at Dona Clara, while he placed the other against his own forehead. + +"Of what use is it to implore a tiger," he said, "I die, but by my own +hands, and I die avenged," and he pulled the trigger. + +The double detonation was blended in one. + +The Count fell dead on the ground; the second shot badly aimed did not +strike Dona Clara, but Fray Arsenio, and laid him dying at the foot of +his assassin. The last word of the poor monk was, "pity!" + +And he expired with his eyes fixed on heaven, as if with a last prayer +addressed in favour of his murderer. + + * * * * * + +At sunset the savannah had returned to its habitual solitude; +Montbarts, after having the victim and the assassin interred in the +same grave, doubtless that the just man might protect the culprit in +the presence of the Most High, set out for Port Margot, at the head of +the filibusters and Caribs. + +Dona Clara and her brother returned to the hatto del Rincon, +accompanied by the Spanish soldiers, to whom Montbarts had consented to +restore their liberty, through consideration for the two young people. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BUCCANEER CHIEF*** + + +******* This file should be named 44380.txt or 44380.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/4/4/3/8/44380 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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