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Sir Henry laughed. “That is more or less true It is not my fault, but it is true. Civilization will split up a character, and he who refuses to split goes under.”

“We have forgotten about civilization, thanks to our Mother,” Antoine muttered fiercely.

“What a pity to hang you.”

“But is it so necessary to hang us, sir? Could we not escape or be pardoned?”

“No, you must be hanged. I am sorry, but it must be so. Such is my duty.”

“But duty to your friends, sir—to the men who bore arms with you, who mixed their blood with yours—”

“Listen, Other Burgundian; there are two kinds of duty, and you would know that if you remembered your France. You mentioned one species, and it is the weaker kind. The other, the giant duty—that which will not be overlooked—might be called the duty of appearances. I do not hang you because you are pirates, but because I am expected to hang pirates. I am sorry for you. I would like to send you to your cells with saws in your pockets, but I cannot. As long as I do what is expected of me, I shall remain the Judge. When I change, for whatever motive, I may myself be hanged.”

“That is so, Sir. I remember.” He turned to his friend who stood shaking in the grip of horror. “You see, such is the case, Emil. He does not like to tell us this thing because it hurts him. Perhaps he punishes himself in this manner for something