Mary Anerley : a Yorkshire Tale by R. D. (Richard Doddridge) Blackmore
page 69 of 645 (10%)
page 69 of 645 (10%)
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with a sword between his teeth, and a boarder's pistol in each hand.
Madam, I leaped, in that condition, a depth of six fathoms and a half into the starboard mizzen-chains of the French line-of-battle ship Peace and Thunder." "Oh, Captain Carroway, how dreadful! What had you to lay hold with?" "At such times a man must not lay hold. My business was to lay about; and I did it to some purpose. This little slash, across my eyes struck fire, and it does the same now by moonlight." One of the last men in the world to brag was Lieutenant Carroway. Nothing but the great thirst of this morning, and strong necessity of quenching it, could ever have led him to speak about himself, and remember his own little exploits. But the farmer was pleased, and said, "Tell us some more, Sir." "Mistress Anerley," the captain answered, shutting up the scar, which he was able to expand by means of a muscle of excitement, "you know that a man should drop these subjects when he has got a large family. I have been in the Army and the Navy, madam, and now I am in the Revenue; but my duty is first to my own house." "Do take care, Sir; I beg you to be careful. Those free-traders now are come to such a pitch that any day or night they may shoot you." "Not they, madam. No, they are not murderers. In a hand-to-hand conflict they might do it, as I might do the same to them. This very morning my men shot at the captain of all smugglers, Robin Lyth, of Flamborough, with a hundred guineas upon his head. It was no wish of mine; but my |
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