“I need not tell a seaman, like you, how many noble rivers pour their waters into the sea along this coast of which we have been speaking—how many wide and commodious havens abound there—or how many sails whiten the ocean, that are manned by men who first drew breath on that spacious and peaceful soil.” “Surely I know the advantages of the country you mean.” “I fear not!” quickly returned the Rover. “Were they known, as they should be, by you and others like you, the flag I mentioned would soon be found in every sea; nor would the natives of our country have to succumb to the hirelings of a foreign prince. “I will not affect to misunderstand your meaning for I have known others as visionary as yourself in fancying that such an event may arrive.” “May!—As certain as that star will settle in the ocean, or that day is to succeed to night, it _must._ Had that flag been abroad, Mr Wilder, no man would have ever heard the name of the Red Rover.” “The King has a service of his own, and it is open to all his subjects alike.” “I could be a subject of a King; but to be the subject of a subject, Wilder, exceeds the bounds of my poor patience. I was educated, I might almost have said born, in one of his vessels; and how often have I been made to feel, in bitterness, that an ocean separated my birth-place from the footstool of his throne! Would you think it, sir? one of his Commanders dared to couple the name of my country with an epithet I will not wound your ear by repeating!” “I hope you taught the scoundrel manners.” The Rover faced his companion, and there was a ghastly smile on his speaking features, as he answered— “He never repeated the offence! ’Twas his blood or mine; and dearly did he pay the forfeit of his brutality!” “You fought like men, and fortune favoured the injured party?” “We fought, sir.—But I had dared to raise my hand against a native of the holy isle!—It is enough, Mr Wilder; the King rendered a faithful subject desperate, and he has had reason to repent it. Enough for the present; another time I may say more.—Good night.” Wilder saw the figure of his companion descend the ladder to the quarter-deck; and then was he left to pursue the current of his thoughts, alone, during the remainder of a watch which to his impatience seemed without an end. Chapter XXII. “She made good view of me; indeed so much, That sure, methought, her eyes had lost her tongue, For she did speak in starts, distractedly.” _Twelfth Night._