Well, it
has not prospered you!' And he dropped back into the chair and fell to
fanning himself again with the broad hat.
Even then, as I stood upon the eve of death, I felt my blood run hot
within me at the sting of his coarse taunts. Truly de Garcia's triumph
was complete. I had come to hunt him down, and what was the end of it?
He was about to hurl me to the sharks. Still I answered him with such
dignity as I could command.
'You have me at some disadvantage,' I said. 'Now if there is any manhood
left in you, give me a sword and let us settle our quarrel once and for
all. You are weak from sickness I know, but what am I who have spent
certain days and nights in this hell of yours. We should be well
matched, de Garcia.'
'Perhaps so, Cousin, but where is the need? To be frank, things have not
gone over well with me when we stood face to face before, and it is odd,
but do you know, I have been troubled with a foreboding that you would
be the end of me. That is one of the reasons why I sought a change
of air to these warmer regions. But see the folly of forebodings, my
friend. I am still alive, though I have been ill, and I mean to go on
living, but you are--forgive me for mentioning it--you are already dead.
Indeed those gentlemen,' and he pointed to the two black men who
were taking advantage of our talk to throw into the sea the slave
who followed me up the hatchway, 'are waiting to put a stop to our
conversation.
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