In other ports he would have come ashore with a revolver in the pocket of his trousers....

But in Marseilles! He was not even carrying a penknife; he had only his fists....

At that moment he would have given his entire vessel, his life even, for an instrument that would enable him to kill ...

kill with one blow!...
The bloodthirsty vehemence of the Mediterranean was overwhelming him.
To kill!...

He did not know how he was going to do it, but he must kill.
The first thing was to prevent the escape of his enemy.