"But try it by the moral effect; what sort of a fellow would a man be who did so, Miss Randolph?"
"I think he would be fine!" I said; for I was thinking of One who, "when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not." But I could not tell all my thought to Mr. Thorold; no more than I could to Dr. Sandford.
"And would you have him stand by and see another injured?"
my companion asked. "Wouldn't you have him fight in such a case?"
I had not considered that question. I was silent.
"Suppose he sees wrong done; wrong that a few well-planted blows, or shots, if you like—shots are but well-directed blows," he said, smiling—"wrong that a few well-planted blows would prevent. Suppose somebody were to attack you now, for instance; ought I not to fight for it?"
"I should like to have you," I said.
"Come!" he said, laughing, and stretching out his hand to shake mine, "I see you will let me keep my profession, after all. And why should not a nation do, on a larger scale, what a man may do?"
"Why it may," I said.
"Then West Point is justified."