A Romance of the West Indies Part 36

"Of everything, sir; the poor woman is ignorant of everything. Surprised by Colonel Rutler, while she was asleep, I left word in quitting Devil's Cliff, that my absence would extend over but a day or two. But circ.u.mstances have suddenly changed. There are no more dangers that I am going to run. I know my wife, sir; glory and danger, she would partake all. In going to seek her, to carry her away with me, I am furthering her dearest wish."

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE ARREST.

Monsieur de Chemerant and Croustillac walked on in silence for some little time toward Devil's Cliff. Meanwhile the guard reached the heights of the rocks. From this spot were discerned at a distance the platform and the wall of the park surrounding Blue Beard's home.

At the sight of this species of fortification De Chemerant said to the chevalier, "This retreat is well chosen, your highness, to keep at a distance curious persons; to say nothing of the fact that the reports that you have caused to be made by the three fellows in your service, are not such as to encourage many visitors."

"You allude, I presume, to the buccaneer, the filibuster and the Caribbean?"

"Yes, your highness, it is said that they are devoted to you, for life and death."

"They are singularly attached to me. Nevertheless," said Croustillac to himself, "I do not yet know what right these three miscreants have to an intimacy with the d.u.c.h.ess, nor how, in fact, her husband, the Duke of Monmouth, can permit such bandits to be so very familiar with his wife--speaking tenderly to her and embracing her. The Caribbean, above all, with his grave air like a donkey that one has curried--he has above all the faculty of setting my nerves on edge. And then, how can the duke permit these familiarities? Doubtless it is to mislead people. It saves appearances. But, zounds! it seems to me that this misleads a little too much. Ah, Croustillac, Croustillac! you are becoming more and more in love, my friend; it is jealousy you feel for these bandits. Ah, well, I shall unravel this mystery shortly. Meanwhile, I must endeavor to learn how it was discovered that the prince was hidden at Devil's Cliff."

"Sir," continued Croustillac aloud, "I desire to ask you a very important question."

"I am all attention, your highness."

"If you are permitted to answer this, tell me how it became known at Versailles that I was hidden in Martinique?"

After a moment's silence De Chemerant replied, "In telling you what you wish to know, your highness, I do not in any way betray a state secret.

Neither the king nor his ministers have confided to me anything on this point. It is entirely due to a circ.u.mstance which it would take too long to tell you now, that I had discovered that of which they thought I was in ignorance. I can, however, count upon your silence on this subject, your highness."

"You may be sure of that, sir."

"Then, I believe, your highness, that the late Governor of Martinique, the late Chevalier de Crussol, had known you in Holland, where he owed his life to you. At the battle of Saint Denis, where you commanded a Scotch regiment in the army of the stadtholder, while the Chevalier de Crussol served in the army of the Marshal Luxembourg----"

"This is true in every particular," said Croustillac imperturbably.

"Proceed."

"I believe, also, your highness, that the late Chevalier de Crussol having been, by a combination of events, chosen governor of this colony, and, having believed it his duty to inquire into the mysterious existence of a young widow called Blue Beard, went to Devil's Cliff, entirely ignorant of the fact that you had found refuge there."

"That also is true, sir; you see I am frank," said Croustillac, charmed at penetrating, little by little, this mystery.

"Finally, it appears certain that Chevalier de Crussol, recognizing in you the prince who had saved his life, swore to you that he would guard your secret----"

"He swore it, sir, and if anything surprises me on the part of so gallant a man, it is that he failed to keep his word," said the Gascon severely.

"Do not be too hasty in accusing Chevalier de Crussol, your highness."

"I will reserve my judgment, then."

"You know, your highness, there were few men more religiously inclined than De Crussol?"

"His piety was proverbial; it is that fact which so surprises me at his failure to keep his word."

"When dying, your highness, Chevalier de Crussol felt it a point of conscience that he had not made known to his master, the king, a state secret of such importance. He therefore confessed the truth to Father Griffen."

"I know all that, sir; go on," said Croustillac, who did not desire that the devouring curiosity with which he listened to De Chemerant should appear.

"As for that, your highness, I speak of what occurred then only from memory. I shall touch upon certain particulars unknown, I think, to your highness. At the point of death, Chevalier de Crussol, wishing so far as possible, to continue to you the protection which had surrounded you during his life, and, fearing that his successor would begin a search against the mysterious residents at Devil's Cliff, he wrote a letter to the governor who would succeed him. In this letter he affirmed on his guarantee and on that of Father Griffen that the conduct of Blue Beard was in no wise to be suspected. It is believed, your highness, that the dying governor had warned you that scruples of conscience having compelled him to confess all to Father Griffen, under the seal of the confessional, he did not consider he had broken the promise that he had given you."

"If this is so, sir, this poor man remained until the close of his life the pious and loyal gentleman that I always knew him to be," said Croustillac, deeply affected; "but must one then, accuse the good Father Griffen of a sacrilege? This would be cruel. I can with difficulty reconcile myself to that, sir."

After a moment's silence, De Chemerant said to the adventurer:

"Do you know, your highness, the game of the poisoned shoulder-knot?"

The Gascon looked at the envoy with surprise. "Is this a pleasantry, sir?"

"I would not take such a liberty, your highness," said De Chemerant, bending his head.

"Then, sir, what connection----"

"Permit me, your highness, to explain to you what this game is, and by the aid of this figure, I shall perhaps be able to also explain to your highness the fortunes of the state secret.

"Explain this figure, sir."

"Well, the game of the poisoned shoulder-knot consists in this: a circle of men and women is made; one man takes one of the shoulder-knots from his coat and seeks to slip it into his neighbor's pocket as secretly as possible, for the person who is found in possession of it is obliged to give a forfeit."

"Very well, sir," said the Gascon, "the skill of the play resolves itself into getting rid as soon as possible of the shoulder-knot, by pa.s.sing it, adroitly, on to another."

"There you have it, your highness."

"But I do not see what connection there is between the state secret which concerns me and this game."

"Pardon me, sir, to some consciences, at once scrupulous and timid, certain confidences, or rather certain confessions, have the same effect as the poisoned shoulder-knot in the play of that name; the aforesaid consciences think only of getting rid of the secret to a neighboring conscience in order to protect themselves from all responsibility."

"Well, sir, I see the a.n.a.logy; it seems that the game of the poisoned shoulder-knot has been played with the confessor of this unhappy Chevalier de Crussol."

"That is just what happened, your highness. Father Griffen, seeing himself the depository of such an important state secret, found himself terribly embarra.s.sed; he feared to commit a culpable action toward his sovereign in keeping silent; he feared by speaking to violate the seal of the confessional and to ruin you. In this quandary, and desiring to quiet his conscience, he resolved to go to France, to confess all to the general of his order, and to thus free himself of all responsibility."

"I understand, now, your comparison, sir; but as this secret has been noised abroad, it necessarily follows that, in order to carry out your comparison, some one has cheated."

"I can a.s.sure your highness that it is many months since Father Griffen, after his resolution had been taken, arrived in France and confided all to the general of the order; he, in turn, took all the responsibility upon himself, and completely absolved Father Griffen, recommending to him the greatest secrecy."

"And to whom the devil did the general of the order pa.s.s the shoulder-knot?" said the Gascon, who was much amused by this story.

"Before answering your highness, I must say that the general of the order concealed beneath an austere exterior a most unbridled ambition; that few men possessed to so high a degree the genius for intrigue; or played more audaciously with what the world reveres. Once master of the important secret that Father Griffen had confided to him, as his spiritual superior, in order to quiet his conscience, the general of the order desired to use this secret for his own personal advancement.

Intimately linked with the confessor of his majesty, King James, Father Briars, a cunning Jesuit, who understood perfectly the condition of affairs in England, he led the conversation one day to the location of this island, and the general of the order asked Father Briars if, in case you had been still living, your highness, you would not have many opportunities for rallying about you the partisans of the Stuarts, and thus placing yourself at the head of a movement against the Prince of Orange. Father Briars replied that if you had lived your influence would have been immense, if you were sincerely devoted to the cause of King James; that this prince had often regretted your death, when thinking of the services you could have rendered to the cause of the Stuarts. You can imagine, your highness, the joy of the general of the order. The secret of the confessional was betrayed, your highness, and your existence revealed.

"But this is an abominable man, this general of the order," cried Croustillac.

"Doubtless, sir; but he was ambitious to wear the cardinal's hat; and as the prime mover of the enterprise, he would be a prince of the church if King James, your uncle, ascended the throne of England. It is unnecessary to tell you, sir, that once Father Briars was master of this secret, he availed himself of it with his royal penitent, and that the remainder of the arrangements were converted between Louis XIV. and James Stuart."

"All is clear now," said Croustillac to himself. "I am not surprised at the uneasiness of Father Griffen when I persisted in going to Devil's Cliff. Knowing the secret of the place, he doubtless, believed me to be a spy. I can now understand the questions with which he overwhelmed me during our journey, and which seemed so absurd."