Crossing the drawing room with quick steps, the adventurer entered suddenly into the room where the mulatto and Blue Beard were.
"Madame," said the Gascon with sorrowful indignation, "your conduct is abominable."
The mulatto, who was extended on the divan, arose quickly; he was about to speak; Angela with a glance begged him to do nothing. As much as Monmouth had generously desired to prevent the sacrifice of the chevalier when he believed this sacrifice disinterested, he was as much resolved not to make himself known when he believed the adventurer capable of an unworthy betrayal.
"Sir," said Angela coldly, to the Gascon, "the French emissary may still overhear us; let us go into another room."
She opened the door of Monmouth's own room, and entered, followed by the filibuster and Croustillac. The door once closed, the adventurer cried: "I repeat that you have shamefully abused my trust in you."
"I demand an explanation of your disloyal conduct," said Angela proudly. "Explain yourself at once."
During this scene, Monmouth, gravely preoccupied, walked up and down the room with his arms folded, his eyes fixed on the carpet.
"You desire that I explain myself, madame? Oh, that will not take long! First know that, right or wrong, I love you," cried Croustillac, in a burst of tenderness and anger.
"That is to say, that you have boasted to your fellow-travelers that you would marry the rich widow of Devil's Cliff?"
"So be it, madame; on board the Unicorn my language was impertinent, my pretensions absurd, madame; covetous, I admit. But when I spoke thus, when I thought thus, I had not seen you."