You tell me that it is ashore near you, and the
Captain and crew upon parole, to be liberated if they assist in the
extrication of the vessel. This must not be. In the service of the
State, I demand that they consider not at all their parole. The
well-known speed and light draught of that vessel have rendered her
almost indispensable to me. When the vessel is free, they must rise upon
the enemy, and make for the nearest of our ports without delay. Upon
this I insist, and place confidence in your established courage and
management, to accomplish it to my satisfaction."
"Your orders are clear enough," said Caryl Carne. "What reason can you
give, as an officer of the Republic, for disobeying them?"
Desportes looked at his ship in the distance, and then at the sea and
the sky, with a groan, as if he were bidding farewell to them. Carne
felt sure that he had prevailed, and a smile shed light, but not a soft
light, on his hard pale countenance.
"Be in no rash haste," said the French sea-captain, and he could not
have found words more annoying to the cold proud man before him; "I do
not recognise in this mandate the voice of my country, of the honourable
France, which would never say, 'Let my sons break their word of honour!'
This man speaks, not as Chief of a grand State, not as leader of noble
gentlemen, but as Emperor of a society of serfs. France is no empire;
she is a grand nation of spirit, of valour, above all, of honour.
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