The culprit bore it without much
outward emotion; but when taken from the dock, his companion, infuriated
by despair and grief, found means to level a violent blow at the head of
his miserable and selfish betrayer, which long deprived the wretch of
sense and motion, and, for some time, was thought to have anticipated the
executioner. Would it had done so! But let me do my duty as I ought--let
me repress the horror which one scene of this dreadful drama never fails
to throw over my spirit--that I may tell my story as a man--and my
confession at least be clear. When the felon awoke out of the deathlike
trance into which this assault had thrown him, his hardihood was gone; and
he was reconveyed to the cell, in which he was destined agonizingly to
struggle out his last hideous and distorted hours, in a state of abject
horror which cannot be described. He who felt nothing--knew nothing--had
now his eyes opened with terrible clearness to one object--the livid
phantasma of a strangling death. All the rest was convulsive despair and
darkness. Thought shudders at it--but let me go on,
[He visits the murderer in prison, accompanied by the clergyman.]
I undertook to pass with the murderer--his LAST NIGHT--_such_ a last!--
but let me compose myself.
Pages:
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53