Sentence:  "If I had been born a <WSD>corsair</WSD> or a pirate, a brigand, genteel highwayman or patriot―and they're the same thing," thought Mr. Tappertit, musing among the nine-pins, "I should have been all right. But to drag out a sic ignoble existence unbeknown to mankind in general―patience! I will be famous yet." 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  A privateer or pirate in general