Angela, frightened and less ready than ever to tell the Gascon everything, said hesitatingly, "Sir, certain mysterious circumstances----"
Croustillac did not give her time to go on, but cried, "Still more mysteries! I tell you I have had enough mystery. I do not believe my brain is weaker than any other, but one hour more of this and I shall be a lunatic!"
"Madame, I do not wish to understand," cried the chevalier, stamping his foot in a rage. "It is just because I have wished to understand that my head is almost turned."
"Sir," said Angela, "I beg you to be calm and reflect----"
"I do not wish to reflect nor to comprehend," cried Croustillac, exasperated afresh. "Right or wrong, I have determined that you accompany me, and you _shall_ accompany me. I do not know where your husband is and I do not wish to know; what I do know is that you have not been obdurate either to Caribbeans, or buccaneers, or mulattoes; very well you shall not be obdurate to me. You see that clock--if in five minutes you do not consent to accompany me, I will tell De Chemerant everything, come of it what will. Decide, then; I shall speak no more; I shall be deaf, for my head will burst like a bombshell at the slightest word."
Croustillac threw himself into a chair, put his hands over his ears in order to hear nothing, and fixed his eyes on the clock.
Monmouth had walked up and down the room incessantly; he, as well as Angela, was in terrible perplexity.
"James, perhaps he is an honest man," said Angela in a low tone, "but his excitement terrifies me; see how wild his manner is."
"We must risk confiding to his loyalty, otherwise he will speak."
"But if he deceives us--if he tells all?"
"Angela! between two dangers we must choose the least."
"Yes, if he consents to pass for you, you are saved, at least this time."
"But in this case I cannot leave him in the power of De Chemerant."
"Never will I consent to again plunge England into a civil war. I would a thousand times prefer prison and death; but to leave you, my God!"
"What shall we do, James? What danger does this man run?"
"Immense! the possessor of such a state secret."
"But then, I must lose you or follow him. Ah, what shall I do? Time presses."
After a moment's reflection, Monmouth said, "We must not hesitate. Tell him everything. If he then consents to play my rôle for some hours, I am safe, and will have the means to place him beyond the resentment of the French envoy."