[Micomt-devel] Men a sisterly frankness which in

[Swanay <pro...@je...>]

P an infuriated, but by no means a wiser man. Wisdom--not even the pungent wisdom experience thrusts upon us--is not for
such as M. de Rivarol. His anger embraced all things, but focussed
chiefly
upon Captain Blood. In some warped process of reasoning he held the buccaneer chiefly responsible for this misadventure. He went to bed considering furiously what he should say to Captain Blood upon the morrow. He was awakened at dawn by the rolling thunder of guns. Emerging upon the poop in nightcap and slippers, he beheld a sight that increased his unreasonable and unreasoning fury. The four buccaneer ships under canvas were going through extraordinary manoeuvre half a mile off the Boca Chica and little
more than half a mile away from the remainder

of the fleet, and from their flanks flame and smoke
were belching each time they swung broadside to the great round fort that guarded that narrow entrance. The fort was returning the fire vigorously and viciously. But the buccaneers timed their broadsides with extraordinary judgment to catch the defending ordnance reloading; then as they drew the Spaniards' fire, they swung away again not only taking care
to be ever moving targets, but, further, to present no more than bow or
stern to the fort, their masts in line, when the heaviest cannonades were
to be expected. Gibbering and cursing, M. de Rivarol stood there and watched this action, so presumptuously undertaken by Blood on his own responsibility. The officers of the
Victorieuse
crowded round him, but it was not until M. de Cussy came to join
the group that he opened the sluices of his rage.

And M. de Cussy himself invited the deluge that now caught him. He had come up rubbing his hands and
taking a proper satisfaction in the energy of the men whom he had enlisted. "Aha, M. de Rivarol!" he laughed. "He understands his business, eh, this Captain Blood.
He'll plant the Lilies of France on that fort before breakfast." The Baron swung upon
him snarling. "He understands his business, eh?