“Honour!” said a privateer captain, turning up his nose in a very pronounced manner.
“Yes, sir, honour! Perhaps you do not know the meaning of the word.”
The nose went down, and the temper went up. “I do, sir, quite as much as you. But I don’t call truckling to the enemy honour.”
“Nor do I,” said Tournier.
The perfect quietness of his manner provoked the other more than any angry words would have done.
“But that’s what you are doing—truckling to the English.”
The malcontents applauded.
This emboldened him to go on. “You are traitors to your own countrymen.”
“You know,” said Tournier calmly, “I cannot treat you for that insult as I would if free—that is, if it were not beneath me to notice it from one like you.”
He sprung up and struck Tournier.