(148 Dick Denlap. [Fes 
all this took place in a Newgate kitchen) as the kitchen, I say, was not 
over large—and my partner and I were—we could not move about 
without jostling each other; so I helped Daniel to perch himself on the 
top of an empty hogshead, that stood near the dresser ; and there he sat, 
drumming with his mill-posts against the side of his pinnacle, his hands 
placed quiescently under his knees, and his pouting lips suitably 
employed in half-whistling ‘ See the conquering Hero comes.’ I sup- 
posed that poor Daniel, being at least three times my weight (I found 
that circumstance no small consolation), had long considered his crime 
too enormous to pardon ; and as hiding or running away was out of the 
question, had made up his mind that the affair would terminate fatally, 
from the moment he was seized and shoved into a waggon. I cannot help 
remarking, though, that Mr. L., had he seen the matter in a proper 
light, must have considered me a martyr in comparison with himself ; 
the victim of a law, equally just and necessary as it regarded him, but, 
in my case, carried to a most cruel extreme. 
« Affairs were in this interesting position,” continued Dick, “when 
Mr. Ketch made his appearance, bringing in his hand some twenty yards 
of cordage, about as thick as a brig’s hawser, and asked us, on our 
honour as gentlemen, whether we thought that would be strong enough 
to answer a certain purpose? I replied, that I could not speak from 
experience, but I flattered myself the line was strong enough, and that 
for me he need not be at the trouble of getting a chain cable. As for 
Mr. Lambert, I left him to speak for himself, as he had not favoured 
me with any remarks on,things, either in general or particular. Daniel, 
I suppose, heard this remark ; but he still kept whistling and drum- 
ming, with undisturbed calmness, and did not answer a syllable. 
«© When Mr. Ketch had withdrawn, it occurred to me, that, however 
merited my sentence (and I could not deny that I had enjoyed a long ~ 
career of excessive stoutness), yet still the humane community, temper-— 
ing justice with mercy, could only require that I should be despatched, 
no matter how; and that I might, therefore, as well make my exit in 
private as public, at ease as in pain. No sooner thought than done. A 
bottle of laudanum stood at my elbow. I poured a large quantity into 
a breakfast cup, and instantly drank it off, with the serenity of a 
Socrates. My friend Daniel witnessed the heroic performance with 
equal apathy, and still continued drumming and whistling ‘ See the con- 
quering Hero comes.’ 
« As a convicted fat man, anxious for the honour of the chief of his 
caste, I could not help feeling somewhat piqued at Mr. Lambert’s indif- 
ference to his impending disgrace. ‘ Why, Daniel,’ said I, ¢ will you be 
fool enough to be led out to-morrow morning, at eight precisely, to 
dance in the air for the amusement of the skin and bone scoundrels who 
have sworn away our lives, and will gloat over our fatal fall, as they 
would over the prize beef that they devour, as well as kill? Why don’t 
you behave like a man, and do as I have done?’ His reply petrified 
me. ‘I don’t know,’ answered the monster, coolly, ‘ I think its hardly 
worth while. The fact is, that the Secretary of State (on condition of 
our eating no more rump steaks) has sent down our pardons, and I’ve 
got them both at this moment in my pocket.’ a 
« Here was an answer to give aman whom he had just seen swallow 
laudanum enough to kill a cart horse! After staring at him for half a 
minute, with ‘thought too deep for tears’-—indeed I was studying which 
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