{"id":"01KG8AKJ9CE3XY05XDQKB7GQTJ","cid":"bafkreic6shx5mgznyu33smravcd6uq5urxbtqeffiqdqa2ux5afqdha3sy","type":"chunk","properties":{"end_line":2516,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:05.590Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"Chunk 2","source_file":"01KG89J1DKC9HHJRKY25JZBEXW","start_line":2445,"text":"presented her, fresh from the stocks at Amsterdam, to the King of\r\nFrance, and not to me. What does the King of France with such a\r\nfrigate? And what can I _not_ do with her? Give me back the “Indien,”\r\nand in less than one month, you shall hear glorious or fatal news of\r\nPaul Jones.”\r\n\r\n“Come, come, Captain,” said Doctor Franklin, soothingly, “tell me now,\r\nwhat would you do with her, if you had her?”\r\n\r\n“I would teach the British that Paul Jones, though born in Britain, is\r\nno subject to the British King, but an untrammelled citizen and sailor\r\nof the universe; and I would teach them, too, that if they ruthlessly\r\nravage the American coasts, their own coasts are vulnerable as New\r\nHolland’s. Give me the _Indien_, and I will rain down on wicked England\r\nlike fire on Sodom.”\r\n\r\nThese words of bravado were not spoken in the tone of a bravo, but a\r\nprophet. Erect upon his chair, like an Iroquois, the speaker’s look was\r\nlike that of an unflickering torch.\r\n\r\nHis air seemed slightly to disturb the old sage’s philosophic repose,\r\nwho, while not seeking to disguise his admiration of the unmistakable\r\nspirit of the man, seemed but illy to relish his apparent measureless\r\nboasting.\r\n\r\nAs if both to change the subject a little, as well as put his visitor\r\nin better mood—though indeed it might have been but covertly to play\r\nwith his enthusiasm—the man of wisdom now drew his chair confidentially\r\nnearer to the stranger’s, and putting one hand in a very friendly,\r\nconciliatory way upon his visitor’s knee, and rubbing it gently to and\r\nfro there, much as a lion-tamer might soothingly manipulate the\r\naggravated king of beasts, said in a winning manner:—“Never mind at\r\npresent, Captain, about the ‘_Indien_’ affair. Let that sleep a moment.\r\nSee now, the Jersey privateers do us a great deal of mischief by\r\nintercepting our supplies. It has been mentioned to me, that if you had\r\na small vessel—say, even your present ship, the ‘Amphitrite,’—then, by\r\nyour singular bravery, you might render great service, by following\r\nthose privateers where larger ships durst not venture their bottoms;\r\nor, if but supported by some frigates from Brest at a proper distance,\r\nmight draw them out, so that the larger vessels could capture them.”\r\n\r\n“Decoy-duck to French frigates!—Very dignified office, truly!” hissed\r\nPaul in a fiery rage. “Doctor Franklin, whatever Paul Jones does for\r\nthe cause of America, it must be done through unlimited orders: a\r\nseparate, supreme command; no leader and no counsellor but himself.\r\nHave I not already by my services on the American coast shown that I am\r\nwell worthy all this? Why then do you seek to degrade me below my\r\nprevious level? I will mount, not sink. I live but for honor and glory.\r\nGive me, then, something honorable and glorious to do, and something\r\nfamous to do it with. Give me the _Indien_”\r\n\r\nThe man of wisdom slowly shook his head. “Everything is lost through\r\nthis shillyshallying timidity, called prudence,” cried Paul Jones,\r\nstarting to his feet; “to be effectual, war should be carried on like a\r\nmonsoon, one changeless determination of every particle towards the one\r\nunalterable aim. But in vacillating councils, statesmen idle about like\r\nthe cats’-paws in calms. My God, why was I not born a Czar!”\r\n\r\n“A Nor’wester, rather. Come, come, Captain,” added the sage, “sit down,\r\nwe have a third person present, you see,” pointing towards Israel, who\r\nsat rapt at the volcanic spirit of the stranger.\r\n\r\nPaul slightly started, and turned inquiringly upon Israel, who, equally\r\nowing to Paul’s own earnestness of discourse and Israel’s motionless\r\nbearing, had thus far remained undiscovered.\r\n\r\n“Never fear, Captain,” said the sage, “this man is true blue, a secret\r\ncourier, and an American born. He is an escaped prisoner of war.”\r\n\r\n“Ah, captured in a ship?” asked Paul eagerly; “what ship? None of mine!\r\nPaul Jones never was captured.”\r\n\r","title":"Chunk 2"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJJ26N7N0C417TC8ET2RR","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J1DKC9HHJRKY25JZBEXW","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AKHKYEC2TTAD7ECR5HM42","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AKJ9EYMZ0QQ4Z18VTPQRM","peer_type":"chunk","predicate":"next"}],"ver":2,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:08.492Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:14.968Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF0H3YRP9ZSM033AM0QJ47H"}}