Captain Blood · Chapter
XV: The Ransom explained
Levasseur attempts to ransom the d'Ogeron siblings for twenty thousand pieces of eight, using Mademoiselle d'Ogeron as a hostage.
What happens
Levasseur attempts to ransom the d'Ogeron siblings for twenty thousand pieces of eight, using Mademoiselle d'Ogeron as a hostage. Captain Blood intervenes, outbids Levasseur with pearls from the raid, and secures the prisoners' release. He then reveals his true intentions: to free them without payment, driven partly by a desire to redeem himself in the eyes of Arabella Bishop.
Themes in this chapter
Honor and Identity
Blood asserts his 'rags of honor' by refusing to treat the d'Ogerons as mere prizes, contrasting his conduct with Levasseur's brutality.
Love and Redemption
Blood's rescue of Mademoiselle d'Ogeron is partly motivated by his desire to redeem himself in Arabella Bishop's eyes.
Rebellion and Authority
Blood challenges Levasseur's authority over the crew and the prisoners, using the articles to justify his actions.
Characters to notice
- Captain Peter Blood
Outbids Levasseur for the d'Ogeron prisoners, then reveals he intends to free them without ransom, motivated by a lingering sense of honor and a desire to impress Arabella Bishop.
- Captain Levasseur
Attempts to ransom the d'Ogeron siblings, but is outmaneuvered by Blood; reacts with fury and challenges Blood to a duel.
- Mademoiselle d'Ogeron
Held as hostage by Levasseur; after Blood's intervention, she kneels and kisses his hand in gratitude, confessing she had misjudged him.
- Henri d'Ogeron
Refuses Levasseur's ransom demand despite torture; later freed by Blood and provided with suitable clothing.
- Cahusac
Appraises Blood's pearls and supports Blood's offer, leading to a physical confrontation with Levasseur.
- Wolverstone
Ordered by Blood to take the prisoners aboard the Arabella.
Key passages
“I have a sort of honour—shall we say, some rags of honour?—remaining me from better days.”
Blood claims to retain a remnant of honor from his past, distinguishing himself from Levasseur.
Blood explains his moral code to Mademoiselle d'Ogeron.
“In my mind I dishonoured you by deeming you his like, by conceiving your fight with Levasseur a combat between jackals.”
Mademoiselle d'Ogeron admits she wrongly equated Blood with Levasseur.
She apologizes for her earlier misjudgment of Blood's character.
“For the whole truth, which he withheld from Mademoiselle d'Ogeron, was that in venturing his life to save her, he had been driven by the thought that the deed must be pleasing in the eyes of Miss Bishop could she but witness it.”
Blood's rescue was secretly motivated by a desire to impress Arabella Bishop.
Narrator reveals Blood's hidden romantic motive.