Their code has been drummed into your head from the time you lisped, and in spite of your philosophy, and of what I have taught you, it won't let you kill an unarmed, unresisting man." "I know it," I said hoarsely.
"And you know that I would kill an unarmed man as readily as I would smoke a cigar," he went on.

"You know me for what I am,--my worth in the world by your standard.

You have called me snake, tiger, shark, monster, and Caliban.

And yet, you little rag puppet, you little echoing mechanism, you are unable to kill me as you would a snake or a shark, because I have hands, feet, and a body shaped somewhat like yours.

Bah! I had hoped better things of you, Hump." He stepped out of the companion-way and came up to me.
"Put down that gun.