cause you were here, your eyes on mine, my
lover. Ah! the moonlight is superb, let us go for a walk in it
outdoors."

"Beyond the house?"

"Yes; we will walk on the great cliff, you know, where one sees in the
distance the ocean. On such a beautiful night it will be delicious."

"Come, then, capricious child, take your mantle," said the buccaneer,
rising.

"Come, Sir Black Beard, take your Spanish sombrero and be ready to carry
me in your arms, out of reach of stumbling, for I am lazy."

"Come, Madame Blue Beard; but you do not wish to visit our guest?"

"I am sure the poor devil has some horrible dream. Ah, well, to-morrow
we will give him a guide and send him away."

"No, keep him here another day. I will tell you what Father Griffen
thinks of it; amusements are rare, he will amuse you."

"Heavens! what a beautiful night," said Angela, opening the blinds of
the window. "It will make me so happy to take a walk."

Opening the outer doors of Devil's Cliff, the buccaneer and the widow
left the house.

* * * * *

Contrary to his expectation, Croustillac passed an excellent night. When
he awoke the following morning the sun was already high in the heavens;
the blinds which were on his chamber windows had been lowered,
fortunately, which softened the light. The chevalier had lain down with
all his clothing on. He arose and went over to the window, and opened
the blinds partially. What was his astonishment to see, at the end of a
long walk bordered with tamarinds, that formed a screen almost
impenetrable to the light, Blue Beard walking, negligently, leaning on
the arm of a Caribbean of vigorous stature. This Caribbean was entirely
dyed, according to custom, that is to say, painted with a kind of
luminous composition of a reddish brown; his hair, black and glossy,
parted in the center, fell on either side of his cheeks; his beard
seemed carefully trimmed; his perfectly regular features partook of the
character of calm severity peculiar to the savage; on his neck shone
large crescents of carracolis (a kind of metal of which the West Indians
alone knew the secret, and composed of gold, brass and silver).

These ornaments, of a brilliant red, were curiously chased and incrusted
with green stones, the color of malachite, and to these the Indians
attribute all kinds of marvelous virtues. The Caribbean was clad in a
loose white garment having a border of blue fringe; the large and
sweep