He was unprepared for the meeting, but he had taken too many chances
in his lifetime to show astonishment. He and Radisson had fought and
parted; they had been in ugly business together, and they were likely to
be, now that they had met, in ugly business again.
Bucklaw's tiger ran up to stroke his chin with the old grotesque gesture.
"Ha!" he said saucily, "cats and devils have nine lives."
There was the same sparkle in the eye as of old, the same buoyant voice.
For himself, he had no particular quarrel with Radisson; the more so
because he saw a hang-dog sulkiness in Radisson's eye. It was ever his
cue when others were angered to be cool. The worst of his crimes had
been performed with an air of humorous cynicism. He could have great
admiration for an enemy such as Iberville; and he was not a man to fight
needlessly. He had a firm belief that he had been intended for a high
position--a great admiral, or general, or a notable buccaneer.
Before Radisson had a chance to reply came Phips, who could not help but
show satisfaction at Bucklaw's presence; and in a moment they were on
their way together to the cabin, followed by the eyes of the enraged
Radisson. Phips disliked Radisson; the sinister Frenchman, with his evil
history, was impossible to the open, bluff captain. He had been placed
upon Phips's vessel because he knew the entrance to the harbour; but try
as he would for a kind of comradeship, he failed: he had an ugly vanity
and a bad heart.
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