laurence also disliked the vulnerable position , but the offense had been given on their side : a few of the cows had staggered back up onto their feet and now stood trembling and dazed , but most of them were unmoving and certainly dead , a great waste that laurence was not sure he could even make good , without application to the british ambassador locally , and he could hardly blame the turkish captain for insisting they make some show of better faith .