t here was this
haughty, supercilious gentleman, who dubbed himself General of the
Armies of France, proposing a plundering, thieving raid which, when
stripped of its mean, transparent mask of legitimate warfare, was
revealed as piracy of the most flagrant.

M. de Rivarol, intrigued by his mirth, scowled upon him disapprovingly.

"Why do you laugh, monsieur?"

"Because I discover here an irony that is supremely droll. You, M. le
Baron, General of the King's Armies by Land and Sea in America,
propose an enterprise of a purely buccaneering character; whilst I,
the buccaneer, am urging one that is more concerned with upholding the
honour of France. You perceive how droll it is."

M. de Rivarol perceived nothing of the kind. M. de Rivarol in fact was
extremely angry. He bounded to his feet, and every man in the room rose
with him--save only M. de Cussy, who sat on with a grim smile on his
lips. He, too, now read the Baron like an open book, and reading him
despised him.

"M. le filibustier," cried Rivarol in a thick voice, "it seems that I
must again remind you that I am your superior officer."

"My superior officer! You! Lord of the World! Why, you are just a common
pirate! But you shall hear the truth for once, and that before all these
gentlemen who have the honour to serve the King of France. It is for
me, a buccaneer, a sea-robber, to stand here and tell you what is in the
interest of French honour and the French Crown. Whilst you, the French
King's appointed General, neglecting this, are for spending the King's
resources against an outlying settlement of no account, shedding French
blood in seizing a place that cannot be held, only because it has been
reported to you that there is much gold in Cartagena, and that the
plunder of it will enrich you. It is worthy of the huckster who sought
to haggle with us about our share, and to beat us down after the
articles pledging you were already signed. If I am wrong--let M. de
Cussy say so. If I am wrong, let me be proven wrong, and I will beg your
pardon. Meanwhile, monsieur, I withdraw from this council. I will have
no further part in your deliberations. I accepted the service of the
King of France with intent to honour that service. I cannot honour that
service by lending countenance to a waste of life and resources in raids
upon unimportant settlements, with plunder for their only object. The
responsibility for such decisions must rest with you, and with you
alone. I