The _Fleurs de lys_
is as good a lawyer as I know. Egad, when she shows her teeth" (and
here Captain le Harnois grinned horribly, and showed his own which
"after _their_ kind" were not less formidable),--"Egad, she can lay
down the law too: egad, can she: aye and I've seen the day" (and here
the Captain chuckled in a fondling tone), "I've seen the day that the
little wanton devil has _made_ law: and d---d good law it was; though
some said not--blast their eyes!"

To all this Bertram was silent: and Captain le Harnois, pursuing his
tender remembrances, broke out afresh:

"Ah the pretty little vengeful devil!--Ha! ha! ha! I remember----but
d---n me, if that's not the very thing that Master Tommy here is
thinking of. He has heard that story; or some other as good; and that's
what he means by singing out for shore law. But, youngster, I'd have
you to know _that's_ all over: that score's rubbed out; and the little
frisky gipsy (d---n her for a little hardened devil!) has got her
pardon. All's right now: her decks are washed: she has a chaplain on
board; and she carries the flag of His Most Christian Majesty."

"Indeed!" said Bertram.

"Aye indeed, most venerable youth; the flag of _Louis le Desire_, do
you hear? Have you any thing to say against that? What does Smock-face
think of the Bourbons? Is Smock-face not a good subject? Eh?"

"Captain le Harnois, I am neither a French subject by birth; nor in any
respect indebted to the French government; nor owe it any obedience. On
which account I am sure you will see the propriety of dispensing with
any declaration of my political sentiments in this matter."

"What, what, what? not Bourbonish? Oh! but that's a foul fault, master
Tommy. My ship--(d---n her for a little vixen! she doesn't know
what she'd be at!)--My ship, _she's_ Bourbonish: _I_'m Bourbonish: my
lads--_they_'re Bourbonish: we're all Bourbonish: and I'll have nobody
swabbing my deck, that's not Bourbonish."

"I congratulate myself," said Bertram, "on sailing with so loyal a
subject of his Most Christian Majesty."

"Aye, _that's_ soon said. But, if youngster is not Bourbonish, is he
not _liberal_ neither?"

"Such are my unfortunate circumstances, Captain le Harnois, that at
present it is wholly out of my power to be liberal: I really----."

"Come, _that's_ well however: glad of that: that's something,
my shy cock: any thing but a liberal or a constitutional. Cut
portmanteau-straps; waylay old women; hocus