Monsieur de Chemerant and the adventurer reached the little gallery
which gave entrance to the drawing room of Blue Beard. As we have said,
this room was separated from the drawing room only by _portieres_; a
thick Turkish carpet covered the floor.

Monsieur de Chemerant and Croustillac approached the inner room
noiselessly, when they suddenly heard peals of laughter. The chevalier
recognized the voice of Angela, and, seizing the hand of De Chemerant,
he said in a low voice, "It is my wife--listen."

"The duchess appears to me less overcome than your highness believed."

"Perhaps, sir; there are sobs, you know, which in their violence have
something of the sound of convulsive laughter. Do not move; I wish to
surprise her in the abandon of her grief," said the Gascon, making a
sign to his companion to remain motionless and to keep silent.

CHAPTER XXIV.

THE INTERVIEW.

In order to explain the confidence of the Gascon, we must say that,
having heard Mirette address him as master, he was fully persuaded that
Blue Beard was on her guard, and that Monmouth was securely hidden. In
spite of what the mulattress said, he was convinced, with reason, that
Father Griffen had informed Angela that her supposed husband would come
to see her. The situation was so grave that the priest, knowing all the
mysteries of Devil's Cliff, could not but have insisted on warning Blue
Beard of the fresh peril which menaced her.

If Mirette had stated that Father Griffen had not seen Blue Beard, it
was because it was in accord with her wishes that it should appear that
he had not communicated with the inhabitants of Devil's Cliff.

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?"

Croustillac, having warned De Chemerant to be silent, advanced on
tiptoe, to the half-drawn _portiere_, and looked into the room, for the
peals of laughter still continued. He had scarcely cast a glance into
the room when he quickly turned toward De Chemerant; and with a
distorted face and outraged manner said, "See and listen, sir! this is
the reward of surprises. I had a presentiment when I sent Father Griffen
here. By heavens! prudent husbands should be preceded by an escort of
cymbals to announce their return!"

In spite of these ironical words, the featur