IftheScoundrelmayclaimdistinctiononmanygrounds,hischaracterissingularlyuniform.Totheanthropologisthemightwellappearthesurvivalofasavagerace,andsavagealsoarehismanifoldsuperstitions.Heisacreatureoftimesandseasons.Hechoosestheoccasionofhisdeedswithasscrupulousacareasheexamineshisformidablecrowbarsandjemmies.Atcertainhourshewouldrefrainfromaction,thougheverycircumstancefavouredhissuccess:hewouldratherobeytherestrainingvoiceofawise,unreasoningwizardry,thanfillhispocketswiththegoldforwhichhishumansouliseverhungry.
Thereisnolawofmanhedaresnotbreakbutheshrinksinhorrorfromtheinfringementoftheunwrittenrulesofsavagery.
Thoughhemightcutathroatinself-defence,hewouldneverwalkunderaladder;andifthe13thfellonaFriday,hewouldstarvethatdayratherthanobtainaloafbythemethodhebestunderstands.Heconsultstheomenswithaspatientadivinationastheaugursofold;andsolongashecarriesanamuletinhispocket,thoughitbebutapebbleorapolishednut,heisfilledwithanirresistiblecourage.Forhimtheworstterrorofallistheevileye,andhewouldratherbehangedbyanunsuspectedjudgethanreceiveaneasystretchfromonewhoseglancehedarednotface.Andwhiletheanthropologistclaimshimforasavage,whosecivilisationhasbeenarrestedatbrotherhoodwiththeSolomonIslanders,thepoliticianmightpronouncehimatruecommunist,inthathehaspreservedawholesomecontemptofpropertyandciviclife.Thepedant,again,wouldfeelhisbumps,prescribeagentlecourseofbromide,andhopetocureallthesinsoftheworldbyamunicipalTurkishbath.Thewiseman,respectinghissuperstitions,iscontenttotakehimashefindshim,andtodeducehischaracterfromhisverycandidhistory,whichisunaffectedbypedantorpolitician.
Beforeallthings,heissanguine;hebelievesthatChance,thegreatgodofhisendeavour,fightsuponhisside.Whateverislackingto-day,to-morrow\'senterprisewillfulfil,andifonlytheomensbefavourable,hefearsneitherdetectionnorthegallows.Hiscourageproceedsfromthissanguinetemperament,strengthenedbyshameandtraditionratherthanfromaself-
controlledmagnanimity;hehopesuntildespairisinevitable,andthenwalksfirmlytothegallows,thatnocomrademaysuspectthewhitefeather.Hisambition,too,istheambitionofthesavageorofthechild;hedespisessuchimmaterialadvantagesaspowerandinfluence,beingperfectlycontentifhehaveasmartcoatonhisbackandabottleofwineathiselbow.