le widow,
with a coquettish pout, gave a hardly perceptible tap to the end of
Captain Hurricane's nose, indicating by a movement of her hand that in
the neighboring room one can hear him, and says with a mischievous air,
"That will teach you to speak of trespassing."

"Fie! the monster!" says the captain, breaking into a laugh; "and what
of remorse, then, madame?"

"Give me a kiss of remorse, then, and I shall----"

"May Lucifer assist me! It takes a woman to be chief of criminals! Ah,
my dear, you are well named; you make me tremble! Suppose we have
supper."

Angela touches a bell. The young mulattress who had overheard the above
conversation enters. She wears a dress of white linen with bright
stripes, and has silver rings on arms and ankles.

"Mirette, have you arranged the flowers," said Blue Beard.

"Yes, madame."

"You have been listening?"

"No, madame."

"However, it does not matter; when I speak it is that I may be heard.
Make ready the supper, Mirette."

Then, addressing herself to the captain, "What wine do you prefer?"

"Sherry, but let it be iced; this is a notion of mine."

Mirette goes out for a moment, and shortly reappears and begins to
prepare the table.

"By the way, I forgot to tell you of a great event," says Blue Beard's
companion.

"What then? has one of my deceased husbands returned to life?"

"Faith, almost."

"Now? Ah, Master James, Master James, no more of your wicked
pleasantries," cries Angela, with a frightened air.

"No, it is not a dead man, a ghost, but a very living pretender who
demands your hand in marriage."

"He wishes to marry me?"

"He wishes to marry you."

"Oh, the unhappy wretch! is he then weary of life?" cried Angela,
laughing.

Mirette, at these words, makes the sign of the cross while
superintending the spreading of the board by two other mulattresses who
are carrying bottles of Bohemian glass, engraved with golden arabesques,
and plates of the most magnificent Japanese porcelain.

Blue Beard continues, "This lover of mine is not a countryman, then?"

"By no means! for in spite of your wealth, my dear, I defy you to find a
_fourth_ husband, thanks to your diabolical reputation."

"Where does he come from, this would-be husband, my dear James?"

"From France."

"France! he comes from France to espouse me, the deuce!"

"Angela, you know that I do not like to hear you swear," says the
mulatto, with pretended seriousness.

"Pardon, Captain