The jackal fell into a dye pot and thought himself a peacock. - L. Sprague de Camp

As you know, Monsieur Newbury, the civilization is but a thin crust over our savage interiors, no matter if our skins be white or black. We must try to keep this shell of egg intact.

Kanadas, watching from the rail, said: “I wish I go with them.” A tear ran down his dark face. “It is against my religion to travel over sea.”
“Everything’s against your religion, laddie,” I said.
“Of course. That shows it is very pure, moral religion.”

But your loss of honor—”
“Honor is a subjective, intangible loss. Therefore our laws take no cognizance of it.