1826. ] The Condemned Cell. 371 
base and ferocious cast of his features. These three persons walked 
and talked together in a dogged, reckless manner, for somé time: At 
length, the younger, as if tired with the tediousness of his’ exercise, 
quitted his companions, and sate down at the table to read a prayer- 
book which was lying upon it; the others continued their walk 'for 
some time longer. Their conversation, however, seemed to flag—they 
said less to each other, and each was evidently thinking of some other 
subject than that on which they spoke. The burglar at length went 
towards the smk, and drew some water in a cup, which he drank, while 
the expression of his eyes told plainly that he was almost unconscious of 
what he was doing : he sate down, and, as if at that moment some bitter 
thought thrust itself upon his memory, the tears started involuntarily to 
his eyes—he buried his face in his hands, and threw himself upon the 
table, while a low groan burst from him, and the quivering of his whole 
frame told the agonies which remorse was inflicting upon his inmost 
soul. The Jew, left alone, continued to walk for a short time, looking 
more sulky and dogged than ever: after a few moments his features 
relaxed a little—a tremulous motion was apparent upon his upper lip, 
and a tear rolled down from either eye, which he wiped off with his 
hard, muscular hand; and, as if more surprised than softened by so 
strange an emotion, he went into a distant corner of the room and ‘sate 
down upon the beds. 
_ I believe these three men were wholly unconscious of the presence of 
any other person in the room. In their actions might be traced, as 
plainly as if they had been described by words, the feelings which 
_worked upon them. A deep and bitter remorse—not repentance of 
their crimes, but regret that they were reduced to this condition—a 
sense of their own helplessness, and a desperate conviction that there 
was no hope left them—thése feelings, as by turns they sprang up and 
exercised their power upon the uncultivated minds of the miserable 
_men, swayed them as the winds move the waves of the ocean. It was a 
_eurious speculation, and I have often thought since—for at that time I 
was too much pained at the spectacle to reflect upon it—that a strange 
lesson might be learned of the heart of man in such a school as this. 
Another man was there of a superior character to the criminals I 
have mentioned. His mind had been to a certain degree refined by’ 
education and by travel. He had served in the army abroad, had’ 
fought bravely, and had signalized himself on several occasions, the 
only reward for which was some severe wounds, which were not even 
then wholly cured. The idleness which the peace brought with it to 
_soldiers, and a desire to improve his fortune in pursuits for which he was 
‘better calculated than for the military profession, induced him to quit the 
army. He was married—and this was a more cogent reason than’ all 
the others for his entering again into civil life. He did so, and was 
_unfortunate—perhaps imprudent—but he lost his all, and (in time) found 
himself beggared—without the cost of a day's subsistence in hand; and 
with a wife whom he loved—(he only wanted children)—dying slowly 
of a broken heart—which people called a “fever.” In this situation, a 
Jriend recommended him to “try the forged notes.” At first, of course 
the proposal was rejected. But, next day—furniture, clothes, every 
thing but the bed his dying wife lay on (and that lay on the floor) was 
_ gone—the demon was not to be cheated of his prey—he went to work—’ 
and to destruction. 6. 
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