e French envoy; and that Colonel Rutler
had secreted himself in the center of the garden.

We must now relate all that since the morning had passed over the heads
of Youmaeale, Blue Beard and the Chevalier de Croustillac.

CHAPTER XVII.

THE SURPRISE.

We left the adventurer under the unexpected attack of a passion as
sudden as it was sincere, and waiting impatiently the explanation,
possibly the hope, which Blue Beard was about to give him.

After partaking of a repast respectfully served him by Angela, to the
despair of the chevalier, the Caribbean gravely withdrew and seated
himself on the border of a small lake, under the shadow of a mangrove
tree which grew on its bank; then resting his elbows on his knees and
his chin in the palms of his hands Youmaeale gazed into space, and
motionless maintained for a long time the contemplative idleness so dear
to savage races.

Angela had re-entered the house. The chevalier walked up and down in the
park, throwing, at intervals, a jealous and angry glance at the
Caribbean. Impatient at the silence and immobility of his rival, and
hoping, perhaps, to draw from him some information, Croustillac placed
himself near Youmaeale, who, however, did not appear to notice him.
Croustillac moved and coughed; no change on the part of the Caribbean.
Finally the chevalier, with whom patience was not a favorite virtue,
touched him lightly on the shoulder and said, "What the devil have you
been looking at for the past two hours? The sun is nearly setting, and
you have not moved."

The Caribbean turned his head slowly toward the chevalier, looked
fixedly at him, still resting his chin on his palms, and then resumed
his former attitude, without replying.

The adventurer colored angrily, and said, "Zounds! when I speak, I wish
to be answered."

The Caribbean maintained silence.

"These grand airs do not impress me," cried Croustillac. "I am not one
of those to be eaten alive!"

No answer.

"Zounds!" continued the chevalier; "do you not know, stupid cannibal
that you are, I can make you take an involuntary bath in the lake as a
means to teach you manners, and in order to civilize you, you savage?"

Youmaeale arose gravely, threw a disdainful glance at the chevalier, then
pointed at an enormous trunk of a mahogany tree with gnarled roots which
formed the rustic bench upon which he had been sitting.

"Well, what of it?" said the chevalier. "I see that trunk, but I do not
un