ussol were sufficient. And then
the road to Devil's Cliff is impassable; the rocks bare and rent; it
takes two or three hours to climb them; and faith, I assure you, sir, to
make such a journey under the sun of the tropics," said the baron,
wiping his forehead, which was perspiring at the mere thought of such a
climb, "appears to me entirely inadvisable, because, morally, I am
convinced that the aforesaid stories have no foundation, and I think in
that I am not wrong."

"Allow me, baron, to ask you some further questions."

"At your service, sir."

"The woman called Blue Beard has a counting house at St. Pierre?"

"Yes, sir."

"Her business man is empowered to send out her vessels which are always
destined for France?"

"That, sir, is very easily verified in the clearing books of the
captains.

"And these registers?"

"Are there in that case."

"Will you take the trouble to look them over, baron, and to select from
them some dates which I was going to ask of you?"

The governor arose, mounted painfully on a chair, and took down a large
volume bound in green leather, placing it on his desk; then, as if this
exertion had redoubled the heat he was suffering from and exhausted his
strength, he said to De Chemerant: "Sir, you have been, doubtless, a
soldier; you can understand that we live a little carelessly; for,
without further parley and asking pardon for the great liberty, I will
remove my vest, if you please; it is embroidered in cloth and as heavy
as a cuirass."

"Take it off--take off everything that you wish to," replied De
Chemerant with impervious gravity; "there is so little left for me to
say to you that I trust you will not need to remove more of your
apparel. Can you feel assured, other than from these facts, that the
vessels loaded with cargoes by our widow have always been sent to
France?"

"Yes, sir," replied the governor, opening his register; then, following
with the end of his finger the tables, he read, "'For Rochelle, for
Rochelle, for Bordeaux, for Bordeaux, for Rochelle, for Rochelle, for
Havre de Grace.' You see, sir, the vessels have always sailed for
France."

"That is well, baron. According to the direction, frequent enough, of
vessels of commerce, which leave the counting-house wharves, it follows
that Blue Beard (we will adopt the popular surname) can put a vessel to
sea very quickly."

"Doubtless, sir."

"Has she not a brigantine always ready to put to sea, and which can