“Land an army in Spain,” he said promptly, “and show them what it meant to treat English women like that.”
“I see. They would resist of course?”
“No doubt.”
“Yes. But equally without doubt we should win in the end?”
“Certainly.”
“And so re-establish England’s honour.”
“Quite so.”
“I see. Well, sir, I really think my way is the better. To avenge the fifty murdered English women, you are going to kill (say) 100,000 Spaniards who have had no connexion with the murders, and 50,000 Englishmen who are even less concerned. Indirectly also you will cause the death of hundreds of guiltless Spanish women and children, besides destroying the happiness of thousands of English wives and mothers. Surely my way--of murdering only fifty innocents--is just as effective and much more humane.”
“That’s nonsense,” said the Colonel shortly.
“And the other is war.”