DISGRACEFUL CONDUCT OF THE CAPTAIN. 273 



must detain me unless I paid ten francs, for two 

 cabs ! 



I protested against this ; some respectable by- 

 standers who had heard the row and come up, 

 without stepping prominently forward, cried from 

 behind the crowd in French : " It is a shame ; it is 

 an imposition ; do not pay the demand ! " At this 

 moment the steward called to me, " We are off, we 

 cannot wait any longer ;" so — as I hoped to reach 

 the captain of the packet, and to explain my position 

 and get his aid, having been prevented by violence 

 from getting my passport — I said to the policeman, 

 looking well into his face, '' This is a false charge ; 

 you have no right to take the money ; your duty is, 

 if you dare, to take me before your superiors ; but, 

 as I want to reach the packet, there are the ten 

 francs ; but, at your peril, pay them to this villain. 

 Your duty is to take the money to your chief, and 

 let him decide what is to be done with it. I shall 

 return and claim it again." I then told the ten 

 francs into the constable's hand, and added, *^ If 

 there is any respectable man present, I call on him 

 to witness this payment of the money and the rob- 

 bery that is put on me;" then running forward to 

 the steps which led to the packet, I told the gen- 

 darme in charge that I had been forcibly prevented 



T 



