MAN. A likely story! You knew from the beginning that Lafitte was Jean Durand. You depended upon that fact in case of emergency.
PED. Have a care. No man shall accuse me of being a coward with impunity.
MAN. I challenge you to deny that you told Lafitte you are Mariana’s brother.
PED. Certainly, I deny it. Lafitte saw in me only the Colonel Tolosa who had had him drugged and court-martialed from Napoleon’s army six years ago. Not that I would not have availed myself of the chance to escape, if there had been one; but there is no escape in pirate law for insubordinators. And you may thank your lucky star that Lafitte did not happen on the execution ground when Mariana did. It would have been all up with you if he had.
MAN. (with feverish apprehension.) If she should discover our plot!
PED. She is safe never to know it. The men have orders not to let her in:—small-pox in the house.
MAN. Lafitte’s arrest will be made without her knowledge. But you—She will hear of you through the reward.
PED. What of it? I cheerfully forego all privileges to her society. So that she does not hear of your complicity—
MAN. It is prudent to burn that agreement about her fortune. It will make no difference to you. The chests are in Barataria and so soon as Lafitte is disposed of, you can go for them. (Pedro takes a paper from his pocket and hands it to Manuel; Manuel opens it; starts.) What!