“This admiration induced me to visit your villa, the past night,——”
“This is a fact too well established, young gentleman.”
“Whence I took away——” Ludlow hesitated, as if anxious to select his words—
“Alida Barbérie.”
“Alida Barbérie!”
“Aye, sir; my niece, or perhaps I should say my heiress, as well as the heiress of old Etienne de Barbérie. The cruise was short, Captain Cornelius Ludlow; but the prize-money will be ample—unless, indeed, a claim to neutral privileges should be established in favor of part of the cargo!”
“Sir, your pleasantry is amusing, but I have little leisure for its enjoyment. That I visited the Cour des Fées, shall not be denied. I think la belle Barbérie will not be offended, under the circumstances, with this acknowledgment.”
“If she is, the jade has a rare squeamishness, after what has passed!”
“I pretend not to judge of more than my duty. The desire to serve my royal mistress had induced me, Mr. Van Beverout, to cause a seaman of odd attire and audacious deportment to enter the Coquette. You will know the man, when I tell you that he was your companion in the island ferry-boat.”
“Yes, yes, I confess there was a mariner of the long voyage there, who caused much surprise, and some uneasiness, to myself and niece, as well as to Van Staats of Kinderhook.”