Did I not tell thee I had served in Spanish galleys?"
"And hadst thou served on a Spanish throne instead of in Spanish
galleys, with the same hopelessness of escape wouldst thou not have
hailed with gladness the chance of resigning it, upon condition of
regaining thy country?"
"Indeed I would! my dear friend, and thou art right. A man's country
and his own people are dearer to him than all the world besides. I did
thee a great wrong in doubting for a moment that thou wouldst not
relinquish all that thou hast gained in this new world, for the sake of
again rejoining those dear to thee in the old. So now let us away with
all speed; and ho, for the Old World once more!"
"Wilt thou, for my sake, delay thy departure for yet two days?" asked
Rene. "There be certain papers belonging to my uncle Laudonniere which
were removed by me to a place of safety upon the night of the capture
of Fort Caroline. If I can again find and recover them, I doubt not
but they will prove of value to him, and give him cause to welcome my
return with the greater joy."
"Take thou whatever time is necessary for thy business, and I will
await thy pleasure. If it so please thee I will accompany thee and thy
savages to the River of May, and visit once more the ruins of that
stronghold that the Spaniards boasted could not be captured by the half
of France. The ships shall go outside and meet us at the mouth of the
river.
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