"
"If they won't do it for kindness, they shall do it because they cannot
help it," said Arthur, when he saw that the men still showed no
disposition to go down the stream; and as he spoke he pulled his pistol
out of his belt, and prepared to cock it. The pistol, in truth, was
perfectly harmless, for it had been over and over again immersed in the
water, and the powder was saturated with wet; but this did not occur to
the boatmen, nor, very possibly, to Arthur either; and when he, stepping
across the thwart, on which the hinder man was sitting, held the pistol
close to the ear of the other, threatening that if he did not at once
do as he was bid, he would blow out his brains and take his place on the
seat, the poor old man dropped his oar from his hand into the water, and
falling on his knees on the bottom of the boat, implored for mercy.
"Spare me, Monsieur! oh, spare me!" said he. "Ladies, pray speak for me:
I am not used to this work--indeed I am not--and I and my comrade are
nearly dead with fatigue.
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