Jolter, having pulled the door after him and turned the key, betook
himself to flight, roaring aloud for assistance. His colleague,
seeing the door secured, valued himself upon his resolution, and
exhorted him to return; declaring that, for his own part, he was
more afraid of the madman's teeth than of his weapon, and admonishing
the governor to re-enter and execute what they had left undone. "Go
in," said he, "without fear or apprehension; and if any accident
shall happen to you, either from his slaver or his sword, I will
assist you with my advice, which from this station I can more
coolly and distinctly administer, than I should be able to supply
if my ideas were disturbed, or my attention engaged in any personal
concern." Jolter, who could make no objection to the justness of
the conclusion, frankly owned that he had no inclination to try
the experiment; observing, that self-preservation was the first
law of nature; that his connections with the unhappy lunatic were
but slight; and that it could not be reasonably expected that he
would run such risks for his service as were declined by one who
had set out with him from England on the footing of a companion.
Pages:
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600