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Show 100 N ARRATIV!: 01" c1tl, rtrc as decidedly opposed to such crimes as among any other people." "I clid not," replied Albert., "intend to be ungcntlc-mn. uly in my language, and was not aware that these terms were offensive to you. But, sir, you only increase my amazement. I cannot comprehcncl how you can characterize your business by terms more appropriate. Is it not so that piracy is but the practice of robbery and murder, when it takes aw1ty a man's posscSllions, and then destroys his life to make the · booty secure?" "I perceive, Mr. Gillon, that you labor undel' the delusion that all pirates are bad and cruel men. I confess, sir, there arc many of our people who treat their prisoners with unnecessary severity, and fre· quently inflict death when the occasion does not de· maud it. But, my dear sir, this is the abuse of piracy, not its legitimate use." "And do you really mean to say, Captain Temple-ton," said Mrtry, "that piracy can be made an honor-able business?" " Of course I do, miss," replied the Captain, " and I regret that Miss St. Clair can suppose I would engage in a business that I did not believe to be honorable.'' ALnEnT AND MAnY. 101 . " But, Captain, you proress to be a Christian, and it IS a gr~at m ~story to me how you can reconcile your pmfcsswn Wlth your practice. Surely you do not believe that the Scriptures justify such a life." ."That is precisely my belief, Miss," replied the Captam. "Piracy is a Bible institution, and jf it were not so, I would abandon it at once." tl Ah !"said Albert, "that accounts for it. It is that belief in the Bible that leads \he mind and the heart astray from the clear principles of a sound moral philosophy· Even my good Ma ry, h ere, I.S so warped by her reverence for tM Bible, that she defends the institution of slavery, which I abhor with all my heart. But, Captain, although I am not surprised at your belief that the Bible sanctions piracy, since it is quoted by Christians in support of all sorts of wickedness, I am surprised that a man of your good sense aud keen moral perception in regrtrd to other matters of life, should not perceive that slavery, an d pi.r acy, and war, ancl everything of the so rI , are r. rreconc1. l· able with sound morality." . . "I do not know/' replied the Captain, "what nugbt b~ the conclusions of abstract reasoning upon the subject outside of the Bible , for I h ave never |