Part Two Chapter 16 The Quality of Mercy

Burr advanced to meet his visitor with something of his own old haughtiness of mien, a little of the former brilliance of his eye.

"Governor, I am delighted to see you, back safe and sound from your journey. My congratulations, sir!"

Meriwether Lewis made no reply, but gazed at him steadily, well aware of the stinging sarcasm of his words.

"I have few friends now," said Aaron Burr. "You have many. You are on the flood tide--it ebbs for me. When one loses, what mercy is shown to him? That scoundrel Merry--he promised everything and gave nothing! Yrujo--he is worse yet in his treachery. Even the French minister, Turreau--who surely might listen to the wishes of the great French population of the Mississippi Valley--pays no attention to their petitions whatever, and none to mine. These were my former friends! I promised them a country."

"You promised them a country, Colonel Burr--from what?"

"From that great ownerless land yonder, the West. But they waited and waited, until your success was sure. Why, that scoundrel Merry is here this very day--the effrontery of him! He wants nothing more to do with me. No, he is here to undertake to recoup himself in his own losses by reasons of moneys he advanced to me some time ago. He is importuning my son-in-law, Mr. Alston, to pay him back those funds--which once he was so ready to furnish to us. But Mr. Alston is ruined--I am ruined--we are all ruined. No, they waited too long!"