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It must be said to Croustillac's credit, that, learning that Blue Beard was the wife of an invisible lord whom she loved passionately, and that he had been taken for this grand lord, he generously resolved to be of some use to this young wife by prolonging as far as possible the mistaken identity of which he was the victim, and to allow himself to be carried off in place of the unknown duke.
"Sometimes, my lord! why madame thinks of you and will think of you always," replied she, in an agitated voice, for she understood the hidden sense of Croustillac's words. "Be easy, my lord, madame knows how you love her, and she never forgets. But you will be here to-morrow, before she awakens, will you not?" "Yes," said Croustillac, "certainly, to-morrow morning.
This explains at once what will seem contradictory in Croustillac's conduct, and will answer the question "if he wished to take advantage of the name he had assumed, to carry off Blue Beard, why had he warned Father Griffen of his intention?"
"We are not ingrates. As soon as the duke is safe, we shall not leave you in the power of Chemerant, and " "Here is Mirette; let us resume our rôle," cried Croustillac, interrupting the duchess. Mirette entered, followed by the slave, carrying in her hand Croustillac's old sword; a soldier bore the basket containing the clothes.
Croustillac prayed the baron to have the pannier, of which one of the two guards had taken charge, and which, as we know, contained only Croustillac's old garments, brought to his room. Chemerant was in the room of the Gascon when the pannier was brought in.
The chevalier was thus overpowered, garroted and captured in less time than it has taken to write these words. This accomplished, the colonel held a dagger at Croustillac's throat, and said, "My lord duke, you are dead if you make a movement, or if you call Madame the Duchess to your aid. In the name of William of Orange, King of England, I arrest you for high treason, and you will follow me."
Twenty times had Lord Mortimer descended to the door of Croustillac's cabin to know if "my lord the duke" had not asked for him.
De Chemerant and Croustillac felt the same astonishment in recognizing the Chameleon on board of which the mulatto and Blue Beard had embarked. Croustillac's heart beat as if it would burst; his friends had not abandoned him, they were coming to succor him but by what means? Very soon the Chameleon was within speaking distance of the frigate and crossed her stern.
Gods, no! they are the heavens of tender blue, And their radiant glance makes kings obey." "One must choose, chevalier," said Blue Beard; "are they eyes, or gods, or the heavens?" Croustillac's reply was a happy one: "The heavens, no! each a radiant sun Whose burning rays but blind the view. Suns? not so, but light so strong, so true, They predict the love but just begun!"
Rutler had no doubt that the Gascon was the man for whom he was looking; he sprang suddenly from his hiding-place, hurled himself upon the chevalier threw a cloak over his face, and, profiting by Croustillac's surprise, felled him to the ground. Then he passed a rope around his hands and had quickly mastered his captive's resistance, thanks to great strength.
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