What is to prevent me from knocking his brains out? Once he
is dead I have but to smash the phials and his invention dies with
him. The warships can approach, land their men upon the island,
demolish Back Cup with their shells. Ker Karraje and his band will be
killed to a man. Can I hesitate at a murder that will bring about the
chastisement of so many crimes?
I advance to the shelf and stretch forth my hand to seize the chisel.
As I do so, Thomas Roch turns round.
It is too late to strike. A struggle would ensue. The noise and his
cries would be heard, for there are still some pirates not far off, I
can even now hear some one approaching, and have only just time to fly
if I would not be seen.
Nevertheless, I make one last attempt to awaken the sentiment of
patriotism within him.
"Thomas Roch," I say, "warships are in sight. They have come to
destroy this lair. Maybe one of them flies the French flag!"
He gazes at me. He was not aware that Back Cup is going to be
attacked, and I have just apprised him of the fact. His brow darkens
and his eyes flash.
"Thomas Roch, would you dare to fire upon your country's flag--the
tricolor flag?"
He raises his head, shakes it nervously, and with a disdainful
gesture:
"What do you mean by 'your country?' I no longer have any country,
Simon Hart. The inventor spurned no longer has a country. Where he
finds an asylum, there is his fatherland! They seek to take what is
mine.
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