"Doubtless baron; but as I desire to arrive in the middle of the night, you will see the wisdom of my not starting for two hours." "That is another thing, sir." "Can you procure for me a covered litter?" "Yes, sir, there is mine." "And can this go to Devil's Cliff?" "To the foot of the mountain only, not a step further, for they say it is impossible for a horse to climb the heaped-up and yawning rocks." "Very good; will you, then, be so good, baron, as to have this litter prepared, as well as a mount for me; I will leave it at the foot of the cliff." "Yes, sir." "I warn you, baron, that it is of the greatest importance that the object of this enterprise be perfectly concealed; all will be lost if they are warned of my visit to Devil's Cliff; we shall not inform the escort of our destination until outside Fort Royal, and we shall make, I hope, as much haste as the roads will permit. In a word, baron," continued the envoy, with a confidential air, which he had not assumed until then, "mystery is so much the more indispensable that it concerns a state secret and the future of two great nations." "Because of Blue Beard?" said the governor, questioning with a curious glance the cold and grave face of De Chemerant. "Because of Blue Beard." "How?" replied the baron. "Blue Beard, then, counts for something in a state secret, in the peace of two great nations?" Monsieur de Chemerant, who did not like repetition, made an affirmative sign and continued, "I also beg of you, baron, that you will see that the frigate's boat does not leave the wharf, so that I may return on board and put to sea without remaining here a second, if, as I hope, my mission be successful. Ah! I forgot; the litter must be such that it can be entirely closed." "But, sir, is it, then, a prisoner that you are in search of?" "Sir," said De Chemerant, rising, "a thousand pardons for repeating to you that the king ordered me to make inquiries of you instead of----" "Good, very good, sir," said the governor. "Then I may open the windows?" asked the baron, who was suffocated in this apartment. "I see nothing to prevent, baron." The governor arose. "So, baron," said De Chemerant, "it is understood that you do not inform the guide who is to conduct me of my destination, until the moment of our departure?" "But in the meantime, sir, if I send for him, what shall I say to him?" The visitor seemed astonished at the simplicity of the governor, and said to him, "Who is this guide, sir?" "One of my blacks, who works at the king's house, a good league from here. He is an oddity who has run away himself so often that he is more familiar with the inaccessible spots of the island than with the open roads." "Is this slave reliable, sir?" "Entirely, sir; he would have no object in leading you astray; beside, I will warn him that if he does, I will have his nose and ears out off."