ruth, and nothing but the truth. You do not understand that, once
having seen me, Blue Beard will love me; and she will not love you any
more, my poor Rend-your-Soul. Understand, then, that it would be
cowardly and treasonable on my part not to warn you in advance as to the
position you hold with Blue Beard. I repeat, from the moment when I put
foot in Devil's Cliff, from the moment she sees me, when she hears me,
her love for you is at an end. Meantime, I have warned you, loyally
warned you; consider if you are willing to risk it."

"Clasp hands, brother," said the buccaneer, seemingly insensible to the
danger that the chevalier pointed out to him. "Let us be going. We will
arrive at night at Devil's Cliff; a fall from the precipice would not be
pleasant at this hour."

"Come on--you are mad--so be it, but I have warned you; it will be open
war," said the chevalier.

The buccaneer, without making any reply to the chevalier, said to his
servant, "Shut up the dogs in the house, and have ready two dozen bulls'
skins, which will be needed to-morrow at Basse-Terre; I shall not
return to-night."

"It falls aright," said the servant to himself, and with a shrewd air;
"he sleeps away from the hut one night in every three."

While the buccaneer attached his belt, the chevalier said to himself,
looking at the hunter with a feeling of pity, "Faith! but he puts the
rope gayly about his own throat; since he will not heed my warning, let
him look out for himself. It appears that lovers are, in such cases, no
wiser than husbands. But as regards Blue Beard--if she is pretty--it
must be that she is--can she receive such a savage? Poor little thing.
It is very simple. She does not know the compensation that is reserved
for her. Hail to the gods. Croustillac, thy star has arisen!" continued
the chevalier, after some minutes of reflection.

"Come, brother, let us start," said the buccaneer; "but before doing so,
Peter shall envelop your legs in a piece of skin which he has, for we
are going to traverse a bad quarter for serpents."

The chevalier thanked the buccaneer, not without shrugging his shoulders
in pity for him, and said, "Unhappy man! he is shoeing me, but I shall
put a cap on him!"

This stupid joke was to be fatally punished in Croustillac, who followed
his guide with renewed ardor, for was he not going to see Blue Beard?

PART II.

CHAPTER XII.

THE MARRIAGE.

After four hours' walk the chevalier a