The man had betrayed him to the police. He was never betrayed
again."
"What a fiend he must be!" I said, with a shudder.
But Godfrey shook his head quickly.
"Don't get that idea of him," he protested earnestly. "Up to the time
of his arrival in New York, he had never killed any man except that
traitor. Him he had a certain right to kill--according to thieves'
ethics, anyway. His own life has been in peril scores of times, but
he has never killed a man to save himself. Put that down to his
credit."
"But Drouet and Vantine," I objected.
"An accident for which he was in no way responsible," said Godfrey
promptly.
"You mean he didn't kill them?"
"Most certainly not. This last man he did kill was a traitor like the
first. Crochard, I think, reasons like this; to kill an adversary is
too easy; it is too brutal; it lacks finesse. Besides, it removes the
adversary. And without adversaries, Crochard's life would be of no
interest to him. After he had killed his last adversary, he would
have to kill himself."
"I can't understand a man like that," I said.
"Well, look at this," said Godfrey, and tapped the letter again. "He
honours me by considering me an adversary.
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