"I came by way of the pearl diver's cavern, my lord." "Well, can we not leave by the pearl diver's cavern?" "Is it possible that you are ignorant, my lord, of the secret communication which exists between this cavern and the abyss which surrounds your park?" "I am entirely ignorant as to it, but if this communication exists, can we not use it to leave by?" "That is impossible, my lord; no one can enter the cavern except by allowing the waves to precipitate him to the bottom of a subterranean lake, after having descended a cataract." "And in order to get out of this cavern?" "You must ascend a waterfall twenty feet in height." "That is too much for me. So, the vessel that brought you to the outside of this cavern----" "Has already left for the Barbadoes, my lord. It could approach this island in spite of the French cruisers only because this coast is inaccessible." "I thought that this road was impenetrable," said the chevalier, overcome. "If you will believe me, my lord, you will limit yourself to announcing to madame the duchess that you will be absent for several days only. I have faith in your word as a gentleman that you will make no attempt to escape from my hands." "I have given you my word, sir." "I believe you, my lord, and my dagger answers to me for its fulfillment." "I should have been very much astonished if the dagger had not reappeared," thought Croustillac. "He trusts implicitly in my word; that does not prevent his trusting as much to his dagger. Zounds! what distrust! But that is not what concerns me. What shall I do? The duchess is not prepared; the slaves will not obey me if I give them orders. It is no use; behold me at the end of my falsehoods." Croustillac had forced himself to become resigned to his assumption. He regretted sincerely that he was not to be permitted to devote himself more efficaciously to the service of Blue Beard; for he did not doubt that his ruse would be discovered the moment he put foot in the house. He had shortly another apprehension. The Caribbean, seeing Croustillac return accompanied by a stranger armed to the teeth, would attack the colonel. Now, the latter had assured the adventurer that at the first attack he would be compelled to kill him without mercy. The chevalier began to find his role less diverting and to curse the stupid curiosity, the imprudent heedlessness which had thrown him into a position as complicated as it was dangerous. CHAPTER XX. THE DEPARTURE.