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"Can you face the thought of death like that?"
"I can, for my country will be saved from a serfdom which noself-respecting nation should submit to."
"If--mind, I say if, for I do not think there is the remotestchance--but if the colonies were successful, what could they do foryou? I suppose you might be a governor, or something like that, withno salary to speak of, while if you had remained loyal to your king youmight have a chance----"
"Of being snubbed, insulted and laughed at."
Delaplace smiled. He had learned the cause of Arnold's action injoining the colonists--it was disappointed ambition. Could he play onthat and win over Arnold? If so, then he would regain the fort, andthat by treachery; but what of that? Would not the result justify themeans?
"My dear general"--Arnold smiled at the title--"if anyone insulted orsnubbed you it was through a misunderstanding. Tell me about it, and Ithink all can be rectified."
"It is too late."
"Not so; it is never too late for a great nation to rectify a wrongdone to even the humblest of its subjects, let alone a man of suchundoubted courage and rectitude as Gen. Arnold."
"I am not a general, but only a captain--in this adventure only aprivate."
"You should be a general. If the king knew you as well as I havelearned to do in these few hours, you most likely would have thecontrol of the army in the colonies."
"But the king will never have an opportunity to know me."
"Why not?"
"Only success can make me known to the king."
"Or failure; and then it would be too late."
"You see how impossible it would be for the king to know me."
"If I speak confidentially will you treat it as sacred to you alone?"
"Certainly."
"Pledge me your honor that you will never divulge what I am going tosay."
"I am a soldier and a gentleman. My word is enough."
"Then I will accept your word. If I were free I could gain the ear ofthe king's advisers."
"But you are not free yet, and it may be some time before an exchangecan be made."
"Exchange! Do you not know that there will be no exchange possible?If any of the rebels fall into the hands of the English they will beshot or hanged at once."
"In that case you would stand a poor showing."
"How so?"
"Because the first man taken by your side and hanged would lead us tohang an equal number of your men, and officers would have the firstpiece of rope."
Delaplace had not expected to hear such strong sentiments from Arnold,but he laughed and said that a soldier dealing with rebels knew that hetook great risks, and that he must be prepared for them.
"But," he added, in a whisper, "if I could slip out of this fort andgain the English lines----"
"But you cannot slip out."
"If you were to help me I would guarantee that you would be a generalof the English army in less than forty-eight hours, and, once gain thatposition, there is no limit to your success."
Arnold listened.
