It is the
last word."
Lord Mallow saw his opportunity, and did not hesitate. "No, you are
wrong, wholly wrong," he said. "I did not bias what I said in my report
--a report I was bound to make--by any covert prejudice against Mr.
Calhoun. I guarded myself especially"--there he lied, but he was an
incomparable liar--"lest it should be used against him. It would appear,
however, that the new admiral's report with mine were laid together, and
the government came to its conclusion accordingly. So I am bound to do
my duty."
"If you--oh, if you did your duty, you would not obey the command of the
government. Are there not times when to obey is a crime, and is not this
one of them? Lord Mallow, you would be doing as great a crime as Mr.
Dyck Calhoun ever committed, or could commit, if you put this order into
actual fact. You are governor here, and your judgment would be accepted
--remember it is an eight weeks' journey to London at the least, and what
might not happen in that time! Are you not given discretion?"
The governor nodded. "Yes, I am given discretion, but this is an order.
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