A Romance of the West Indies Part 35

"Yes, superb."

"Ah, your highness, what a touching scene! what a moment for you and for those who are so devoted to you. Happy indeed are the princes who find such friends in adversity."

"Yes it will be a very touching interview," said Croustillac aloud; then he continued, inaudibly, "To the devil with this animal of a Mortimer and his companions! _Peste!_ these are very stupid friends; what fly is stinging them? They will recognize me, and I shall be lost, now that I know De Chemerant's state secret."

"The presence of those valiant n.o.bles," replied De Chemerant, "has yet another object. Your highness ought not to be ignorant of it?"

"Speak, sir; they seem to me to have excellent ideas, these dear friends."

"Knowing your courage, your resolution, sir, the king, my master, and the king, your uncle, have ordered me to make you an overture which you cannot fail to accept."

"What is it, sir? this begins excellently."

"Not only are your most courageous partisans on board the frigate, which is at anchor, sir, but the s.h.i.+p is filled with arms and ammunition.

Sentinels have been stationed on the coast of Cornwall; the whole country awaits only a signal to rise in your favor. It but remains for your highness to disembark at the head of your partisans, and give the people the necessary arms. The movement will spread even to London, the usurper will be driven from the throne, and you will restore the crown to the king, your uncle."

"I will do it, by the G.o.ds! I am capable of that. Of a surety here is a magnificent project, but there must be contrary chances, and above all, I must be careful, very careful of the lives of my partisans and of the safety of my uncle's subjects."

"I recognize the habitual generosity of the character of your highness; but there are hardly any contrary chances to fear; all is ready, loyalty prevails. You will be received with enthusiasm. The remembrance of you is so lasting, they say, so ever present to the people of London, that they have never believed in your execution, sir, not even those who were present. Live, then, for this n.o.ble country which has so deeply mourned you, and which awaits your coming as they await the day of their deliverance."

"Come! he also," thought Croustillac; "he thinks that I have been executed; but this man is more reasonable than the other, who wished to kill me in the name of the regrets that my death had caused; at least, this one desires me to live in the name of these same regrets, and I prefer this."

"In a word, sir, set sail from Martinique for the coast of Cornwall, and if, as all believe, the English people rise at the sound of your name, my master, the king, will support this insurrection with his strong forces, and make the movement a success."

"Ah! ah! I see, my good fellow, I see. Although I am not a political end," said the Gascon to himself, "in my humble opinion I understand that the king, your master and mine, wishes to make use of me as a forlorn hope. If I succeed, he will support me; if I do not, he will leave me to be captured. All the same this tempts me; my ambition awakens. To the devil with the Mortimers, the Rothsays, and my other mad friends! Without these rogues I shall be curious to see Polypheme de Croustillac revolutionizing Cornwall, driving William of Orange from the throne of England, and generously restoring this same throne to King James. Without being tempted to seat myself upon it--hum, perhaps I shall seat myself a little, to see--there, there, Polypheme, no more of that! give the throne to the old man, Polypheme, restore him his throne.

So be it, I will give it to him, but decidedly, for some time, very strange things have happened to me, and the Unicorn which brought me here must be an enchanted vessel." The chevalier then spoke, with a thoughtful air: "This is a very serious thing, at least, sir; there is much to be said for, and also much against it. I am far from wis.h.i.+ng to temporize too long, but it would be, I think, wisdom to consider more fully before giving the signal for this uprising."

"Your highness, permit me to say to you that the conditions are pressing; action necessary; the secret projects of the king, my master, have been betrayed. William of Orange has deputed Colonel Rutler to carry you off, living or dead, so much does he fear to see you the leader of an insurrection. Sir, we must strike a quick, decisive blow, such as a sudden disembarkment on the coasts of Cornwall. I repeat, this expedition made in the name of King James will be received with enthusiasm and the all-powerful influence of Louis XIV., will consolidate the revolution you will have so gloriously begun; and, thanks to you, the rightful King of Great Britain will once more ascend his throne."

"This seems to me a.s.sured, if my side has the advantage."

"It will have, sir, it will have!"

"Yes, unless it is defeated, and then if I am killed, this time it will be without pardon. It is not through unworthy egotism that I make this reflection, sir; you can understand that, after the antecedents which they attribute to me, I must be thoroughly accustomed to being dead, but I would not leave my party orphaned; and then, consider, sir!--to plunge this country once more into the horrors of civil war! Ah!" and Croustillac heaved a sigh.

"Doubtless, sir, this is a sad thought; but to these pa.s.sing troubles would succeed a most profound calm. Doubtless, war has fatal chances, but it has, also, happy ones; and then, what a future awaits you! The letters I bring you will show you that the viceroys.h.i.+p of Ireland and Scotland is reserved for you, without counting other favors which are likewise reserved for you and my master, and James Stuart, your uncle, when he is once more on the throne which he will owe to you."

"_Peste!_ Viceroy of Scotland and Ireland!" said Croustillac to himself.

"With this, husband of Blue Beard, and, in the bargain, son and nephew of a king, ah Croustillac, Croustillac, I have well said thy star is in the ascendent--it would be too bad that this should be for another. Come on, while it lasts!"

Monsieur de Chemerant, seeing the chevalier's hesitation, made use of a more powerful means of forcing him to act conformably to the wishes of the two kings, and said to him, "There remains, your highness, a last communication to make you, and, painful as it is, I must obey my master's orders."

"Speak, sir."

"It is almost out of the question to refuse to put yourself at the head of the uprising, your highness; your s.h.i.+ps are burned!"

"My s.h.i.+ps burned?"

"Yes, your highness, that is, figuratively."

"Very well, sir, I understand, the king would compel me to act as he desires?"

"Your habitual keensightedness does not allow you to be deceived, your highness. In case you do not believe it your duty to follow the pressing counsel of my master, the king, in case you thus show his majesty King James that you are unwilling to make him forget these sad and annoying memories, in devoting yourself to his cause, as he had hoped----"

"Well, sir," said the adventurer, becoming cautious, believing he was going to see, as is said, the reverse side of the medal.

"Well, your highness, the king, my master, for pressing reasons of state, in such a case would see himself, with much regret, obliged to possess himself of your person. That is why I have an escort with me."

"Sir! violence?"

"Unfortunately, your highness, my orders are explicit. But I am sure your highness will not put me to the hard necessity of carrying them out."

This menace caused Croustillac to reflect.

Monsieur de Chemerant continued: "I must add, sir, that prudence demands (seeing your execution has taken place) that your features should be henceforth concealed, and your face must be covered with a mask that will never be removed. In fact, in compliance with the orders of his majesty, I shall have the honor of conducting you, sir, at once to the Saint Margaret Islands, where you will remain henceforth a prisoner. I leave to you to imagine the regrets of your partisans, who have come so far in the hope of seeing you once more at their head."

After remaining for a long time in the att.i.tude of a man who was thinking deeply and who struggled inwardly against many conflicting thoughts, Croustillac raised his head proudly, and said to De Chemerant, in a dignified manner, "Upon reflection, sir, I will accept the viceroys.h.i.+p of Ireland and Scotland, you have my word. However do not think that fear of a perpetual prison forces me thus to act. No, sir, no; but after mature reflection, I am convinced that I would be culpable not to yield to the wishes of an oppressed people, who are stretching out their arms to me, and not to draw my sword for their defense," said the adventurer with a heroic air.

"If that is so, your highness," cried De Chemerant, "long live King James and his Royal Highness the Duke of Monmouth. Long live the Viceroy of Scotland and Ireland."

"I accept the augury," gravely replied the chevalier, while he said to himself, "Devil of a man! with his sweet manner, I do not know if I do not like the other better in spite of his eternal dagger. This is a difficult choice. To go with the Dutchman a prisoner to London Tower, that was not difficult; while now my role is complicated and becomes diabolical, thanks to my mad friends who like vultures are awaiting me on board the frigate. To-morrow, I dare say, all will be discovered. And Blue Beard? But I who believed I had made a master stroke in coming to seek her at Devil's Cliff? What will happen from all this? Bah! after all, what can happen me? Taken prisoner? or hanged? Prisoner?--that gives me a future. Hanged?--it is a trifle, the dropping of an eyelid, a gasp. Come, come, Croustillac! no cowardice! console yourself by mocking at these men, and amuse yourself with the strange adventures the devil sends you! It is all the same, cursed be my partisans! except for them all would go well. Let us see if there is not some way of sending them to love me--elsewhere."

"Tell me, sir," said he, aloud, "are my followers on board many?"

"Your highness, there are eleven."

"That must incommode you; they must be uncomfortable themselves."

"They are soldiers, your highness, they are accustomed to the rough life of a camp; beside, the end which they propose to attain is so important, so glorious, that they do not dream of privations which the sight of your highness will make them quickly forget."

"It is all the same--is there not a means of finding a place elsewhere?

sending them to another vessel would be infinitely better, that I and my wife may accommodate ourselves on the frigate? And then, for reasons known to myself, I shall not discover myself to these dear and good friends until the moment arrives to disembark in England."

"That is impossible! to be on the same vessel with you, your friends will sleep on deck in their clothes."

"It is terrible to inspire such devotion," said Croustillac to himself.

"Then think no more of it," said he aloud. "I shall be very sorry to thwart such faithful partisans. But what accommodations have you for myself and wife?"

"They will be very plain, sir, but your highness will deign to be indulgent in recognizing the imperative necessity of the case. Beside, the well-known attachment of your highness for the d.u.c.h.ess," replied De Chemerant, smiling, "will make you, I am sure, excuse the smallness of the apartment, which is none other than the captain's cabin."

The adventurer could not prevent a smile in return, and answered, "The room, sir, will be sufficient."

"Then, your highness, you have fully decided that you will bring madame with you?"

"More than ever, sir; when I was the prisoner of Colonel Rutler, when I was destined to perish, perhaps, I left her ignorant of my peril, and abandoned her without warning her of the fate that awaited me."

"So the d.u.c.h.ess is ignorant----"