“I should forget a thousand obligations, ere I could be so bold. On my solemn asseveration, sir, it was no other.”
“This is unaccountable! extraordinary to a miracle! His disguise was very complete, I will confess to deceive one so well skilled in the human countenance. I saw nothing, sir, of his shaggy whiskers heard nothing of his brutal voice, nor perceived any of those monstrous deformities which are universally acknowledged to distinguish the man.”
“All of which are no more than the embellishments of vulgar rumour, I fear me, sir, that the boldest and most dangerous of all our vices are often found under the most pleasing exteriors.”
“But this is not even a man of inches, sir.”
“His body is not large, but it contains the spirit of a giant.”
“And do you believe yonder ship, Mr Ark, to be the vessel that fought us in the equinox of March?”
“I know it to be no other.”
“Hark ye, Harry, for your sake, I will deal generously by the rogue. He once escaped me, by the loss of a topmast, and stress of weather; but we have here a good working breeze, that a man may safely count on, and a fine regular sea. He is therefore mine, so soon as I choose to make him so;—for I do not think he has any serious intention to run.”
“I fear not,” returned Wilder, unconsciously betraying his wishes in the words.
“Fight he cannot, with any hopes of success; and, as he seems to be altogether a different sort of personage from what I had supposed, we will try the merits of negotiation. Will you undertake to be the bearer of my propositions?—or, perhaps, he might repent of his moderation.”