"Very good; we must be merciful to those who are about to die." "You are very kind; but thank Heaven I am not there yet. There's many a slip between the cup and the lip, as a very sensible proverb says." "Go on," the filibuster said with an ominous smile. But the Spaniard was not affected. "It is evident to me, sir, that you have some business or bargain to propose to me." "I?" "Certainly, and for this reason; having recognized me as a spy, for I must allow that I am really one (you see that I am frank in my confession), nothing was easier for you than to have me strung up to the nearest tree, without any form of trial." "Yes, but I am going to do so." "No, you will not do it now, and for this reason. You believe for reasons I am ignorant of, for I will not insult you by supposing that you had a feeling of pity for me, you who are so justly called by my countrymen the Exterminator--you believe, I say, that I can serve you, be useful to you in the success of one of your plans; consequently instead of having me hanged, as you would have done under any other circumstances, you came straight to find me here, where I fancied myself well hidden, in order to converse with me, like one friend with another. Well, I ask for nothing better, come, speak, I am listening; what do you want of me?" And after uttering these words with the most easy air he could assume, Don Antonio threw himself back in his chair delicately rolling a cigarette between his fingers. The filibuster gazed for a moment at the Spaniard with a surprise which he did not attempt to conceal, and then burst into a laugh. "That will do," he said, "I prefer that; at least there will be no misunderstanding between us. Yes, you have guessed correctly, I have a proposal to make to you." "That was not difficult to discover, sir; and pray what is the nature of the proposal?" "Well, it is very simple, I only require you to act exactly in the opposite way to what you intended, to change sides, in short." "Very good, I understand, that is to say, instead of betraying you for the advantage of Spain, I am to betray Spain for your profit." "Yes, you see it is easy." "Very easy, in fact, but decidedly shabby; and supposing that I consent to your request, what advantage shall I derive from it?" "In the first place I need hardly say that you will not be hung." "Pooh! To die by hanging, drowning, or a musket ball, is always much the same thing. I should desire a more distinct benefit, with your leave." "Confound it, you are difficult to satisfy, then it is nothing to save one's neck from a slip knot?" "My dear sir, when, as in my case, a man has nothing to lose and consequently everything to gain by any change in his position, death is rather a comfort than a calamity." "You are a philosopher, so it seems." "No, confound it! such absurdity never troubled me, I am merely a desperate man." "That is often the same thing; but let us return to our matter." "Yes, that will be better."