red to me that you had
undertaken this little adventure as much with the object of turning a
more or less honest penny as for any other reason. Now, supposing that
I should experience any difficulty in satisfying Morillo upon the point
that you just now referred to, what do you imagine will be the result?
Something exceedingly unpleasant for me, I assume, since you were good
enough to express pity for me."

"Something exceedingly unpleasant?" he repeated, with a laugh. "Well,
yes, that is one way of putting it, certainly, but it is a very mild
way; so ridiculously mild that it suggests no idea of what was in my
mind when I said I pitied you. Flaying alive is unpleasant, so is being
roasted alive over a slow fire, so is gradual dismemberment--a finger or
a toe at a time, then a hand or a foot, and so on until only the trunk
remains,--all these are unpleasant, _exceedingly_ so, I should imagine,
from what I have seen of the behaviour of those who have undergone those
operations at my friend's hand; but in the contingency you just now
suggested, I fancy that Morillo would do his best to devise something
considerably better--or worse, whichever you please to call it--for
_you_."

I shuddered, and a feeling of horrible sickness swept over me. Strive
as I would, I could not help it, as this inhuman wretch spoke, with
evident gusto, of the torments to which I might--failing Morillo's
ability to devise still greater refinements of cruelty--be subjected.
But by the time that he had finished speaking, I had succeeded in
rallying my courage sufficiently to remark--

"Thanks; your reply to my question leaves nothing to be desired in the
way of lucidity. Now, supposing I should happen to feel some repugnance
to those delicate attentions on Morillo's part that you have just
alluded to, what inducement would be sufficient to persuade you to 'bout
ship, and land me on the wharf at Kingston, instead of at Cariacou?"

"Ah," replied Dominguez, "that is a question that is not to be answered
off-hand; there are several points that occur to me as requiring careful
consideration before I could name the sum that would induce me to act as
you wish. Of course you will understand that I have no personal animus
against you; you have never injured me, and therefore I have no feeling
of revenge to gratify by delivering you into Morillo's power. But, on
the other hand, Morillo is my friend, and I am always glad to oblige him
when I can, pa