PED. (cruelly and deliberately.) Do you threaten, or are you merely patriotic? (Manuel walks about.) Because in the former case, I will see to it that you do not get Mariana, unless—
MAN. (turning on him angrily.) There are two sides to that! Suppose I inform the Governor that the attack upon and scuttling of the American vessel, the killing of her captain, my father and many passengers, the delivery of her crew into piratical hands were your work? That you forged an order from Lafitte in order to get command of one of his ships? Suppose I inform him that the work of rescue was really done by Lafitte?
PED. (quietly.) Would you not be implicating yourself? Would you not be doing Lafitte a good turn?—We had best stand by our old bargain: the girl for you, the money for me.
MAN. (after a pause.) Let me have that agreement.
PED. I haven’t it.
MAN. What!
PED. I made a mistake; left that paper instead of this. (rapping paper in his hand.)
MAN. What! That man has.... If Mariana should ever see it....
PED. I can remedy that blunder yet.