"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 duchess, 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 circumstance 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.