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.I have enlisted for you the men that you desired meto enlist.It is not my fault if you do not know how to handlethem better.As Captain Blood has told you, this is the New World.""So, so!" M.de Rivarol smiled malignantly."Not only do you offerno explanation, but you venture to put me in the wrong.Almost Iadmire your temerity.But there!" he waved the matter aside.Hewas supremely sardonic."It is, you tell me, the New World, and- new worlds, new manners, I suppose.In time I may conform myideas to this new world, or I may conform this new world to my ideas."He was menacing on that."For the moment I must accept what I find.It remains for you, monsieur, who have experience of these savageby-ways, to advise me out of that experience how to act.""M.le Baron, it was a folly to have arrested the buccaneer captain.It would be madness to persist.We have not the forces to meetforce.""In that case, monsieur, perhaps you will tell me what we are todo with regard to the future.Am I to submit at every turn to thedictates of this man Blood? Is the enterprise upon which we areembarked to be conducted as he decrees? Am I, in short, the King'srepresentative in America, to be at the mercy of these rascals?""Oh, by no means.I am enrolling volunteers here in Hispaniola,and I am raising a corps of negroes.I compute that when this isdone we shall have a force of a thousand men, the buccaneers apart.""But in that case why not dispense with them?""Because they will always remain the sharp edge of any weapon thatwe forge.In the class of warfare that lies before us they are soskilled that what Captain Blood has just said is not an overstatement.A buccaneer is equal to three soldiers of the line.At the sametime we shall have a sufficient force to keep them in control.Forthe rest, monsieur, they have certain notions of honour.They willstand by their articles, and so that we deal justly with them, theywill deal justly with us, and give no trouble.I have experienceof them, and I pledge you my word for that."M.de Rivarol condescended to be mollified.It was necessary thathe should save his face, and in a degree the Governor afforded himthe means to do so, as well as a certain guarantee for the futurein the further force he was raising."Very well," he said."Be so good as to recall this Captain Blood."The Captain came in, assured and very dignified.M.de Rivarolfound him detestable; but dissembled it."M.le Capitaine, I have taken counsel with M.le Gouverneur.Fromwhat he tells me, it is possible that a mistake has been committed.Justice, you may be sure, shall be done.To ensure it, I shallmyself preside over a council to be composed of two of my seniorofficers, yourself and an officer of yours.This council shallhold at once an impartial investigation into the affair, and theoffender, the man guilty of having given provocation, shall bepunished."Captain Blood bowed.It was not his wish to be extreme."Perfectly,M.le Baron.And now, sir, you have had the night for reflectionin this matter of the articles.Am I to understand that you confirmor that you repudiate them?"M.de Rivarol's eyes narrowed.His mind was full of what M.de Cussyhad said - that these buccaneers must prove the sharp edge of anyweapon he might forge.He could not dispense with them.Heperceived that he had blundered tactically in attempting to reducethe agreed share.Withdrawal from a position of that kind is everfraught with loss of dignity.But there were those volunteers thatM.de Cussy was enrolling to strengthen the hand of the King'sGeneral.Their presence might admit anon of the reopening of thisquestion.Meanwhile he must retire in the best order possible."I have considered that, too," he announced."And whilst my opinionremains unaltered, I must confess that since M.de Cussy haspledged us, it is for us to fulfil the pledges.The articles areconfirmed, sir."Captain Blood bowed again.In vain M.de Rivarol looked searchinglyfor the least trace of a smile of triumph on those firm lips.Thebuccaneer's face remained of the utmost gravity.Wolverstone was set at liberty that afternoon, and his assailantsentenced to two months' detention.Thus harmony was restored
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