no SUBTERRANEAN RECESSES. 



the broken heart of th^ foflom widow and the blighted prospects of 

 the poor orphan are faithfully d ineated, shall be freely given ; and 

 I will clench the nail by appeals iterated and reiterated to their 

 consciences to cherish a hatred for the infernal cause of all this mis- 

 chief. Thus will I do ; but if I could, mark me, such is my malig- 

 nancy (if you think it should be so called), that I would blast with 

 eternal infamy the * polite murderer ' and all his descendants. An 

 immense scroll should contain the names of all as occupying a rank 

 lower than that part of mankind who have manifested the sympathies 

 of humanity without any contact with blood — that ominous word, 

 Blood ! But I am growing warm. In my sober moments, I do 

 not waste my time in thus plotting impossibilities, but with what I 

 may tefrm a truly matter-of-fact spirit, prosecute my purpose, taking 

 duly into consideration the state of society as it is, and tempering 

 with mercy the plans which I suggest in the volumes which I am 

 preparing. You would doubtless observe the objection which I 

 raised against the plan proposed by our friend; you might attribute 

 that objection to indifference, but you was under a mistake if you 

 did. I live only to uproot that sanguinary custom which turned me 

 aside from the ways of men — which, when it deprived me of my 

 father, drove me to form a vow, in the keeping of which I have 

 thought myself bound to avoid entangling myself in matrimony — 

 and finally have found it expedient to enter these Recesses, where 

 nothing can interrupt me in prosecuting the gi'eat business of my 

 life." 



The young man had listened attentively, and now felt disposed (a 

 disposition which he had not had before) to make known the cause 

 of his appearance in the SubteiTanean Recesses. 



'* My motive in coming here," said he, *' was to avoid a combat 

 of this nature ; and although I have a thousand times cursed the 

 hour when I so detennined, I might have either been killed or have 

 killed one who might be said to be a companion — — " 

 " Or of making up the quarrel, I suppose ?" 

 " That was impossible. I was grossly insulted." 

 "You use the word 'impossible;' — now I object to the almost 

 constant use of this word in affairs of this sort. When an amicable 



