Lord of Darkness
“Loango was my destination, which is a kingdom that has its beginning fifteen leagues to the north of the River Zaire.
Do you wonder at the ease with which I became an officer of the Portuguese maritime? That I should have no qualms and pangs of conscience, that I should take so swiftly to piloting of their vessel and earning them their tons of richly valued elephanto teeth? Nay, but I did not see myself as any traitor to Her Majesty by so doing. My choice was to serve, or to lie and rot in dungeon. If I proudly chose the second of those, and if perchance some venomous creature did creep upon me in my cell and bite its poison into me, would I then ever again see England or serve the Queen? But by undertaking these voyages along the coast I could preserve my life, I could increase my health, I would gain in knowledge of piloting that might some day be of use to Her Majesty— and I stood at least a chance of regaining my liberty. Or so I told myself, over and over a great many times, ...whenever this debate erupted within my soul, until a time came when it erupted no longer and I did my duties without self-inquest.MoreLess
Do you wonder at the ease with which I became an officer of the Portuguese maritime? That I should have no qualms and pangs of conscience, that I should take so swiftly to piloting of their vessel and earning them their tons of richly valued elephanto teeth? Nay, but I did not see myself as any traitor to Her Majesty by so doing. My choice was to serve, or to lie and rot in dungeon. If I proudly chose the second of those, and if perchance some venomous creature did creep upon me in my cell and bite its poison into me, would I then ever again see England or serve the Queen? But by undertaking these voyages along the coast I could preserve my life, I could increase my health, I would gain in knowledge of piloting that might some day be of use to Her Majesty— and I stood at least a chance of regaining my liberty. Or so I told myself, over and over a great many times, ...whenever this debate erupted within my soul, until a time came when it erupted no longer and I did my duties without self-inquest.MoreLess
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