was generally carried on as a supplementary branch of
certain recognised kinds of commerce. A person, for instance, desiring
to escape to England, applied to the smugglers; one who desired to get
to America, had recourse to sea-captains like Zuela.

II

CLUBIN OBSERVES SOMEONE

Zuela came sometimes to take refreshment at the Jean Auberge. Clubin
knew him by sight.

For that matter Clubin was not proud. He did not disdain even to know
scamps by sight. He went so far sometimes as to cultivate even a closer
acquaintance with them; giving his hand in the open street, or saying
good-day to them. He talked English with the smugglers, and jabbered
Spanish with the _contrebandistas_. On this subject he had at command a
number of apologetic phrases. "Good," he said, "can be extracted out of
the knowledge of evil. The gamekeeper may find advantage in knowing the
poacher. The good pilot may sound the depths of a pirate, who is only a
sort of hidden rock. I test the quality of a scoundrel as a doctor will
test a poison." There was no answering a battery of proverbs like this.
Everybody gave Clubin credit for his shrewdness. People praised him for
not indulging in a ridiculous delicacy. Who, then, should dare to speak
scandal of him on this point? Everything he did was evidently "for the
good of the service." With him, all was straightforward. Nothing could
stain his good fame. Crystal might more easily become sullied. This
general confidence in him was the natural reward of a long life of
integrity, the crowning advantage of a settled reputation. Whatever
Clubin might do, or appear to do, was sure to be interpreted favourably.
He had attained almost to a state of impeccability. Over and above this,
"he is very wary," people said: and from a situation which in others
would have given rise to suspicion, his integrity would extricate
itself, with a still greater halo of reputation for ability. This
reputation for ability mingled harmoniously with his fame for perfect
simplicity of character. Great simplicity and great talents in
conjunction are not uncommon. The compound constitutes one of the
varieties of the virtuous man, and one of the most valuable. Sieur
Clubin was one of those men who might be found in intimate conversation
with a sharper or a thief, without suffering any diminution of respect
in the minds of their neighbours.

The _Tamaulipas_ had completed her loading. She was ready for sea, and
was preparing to