76 Highivays and Byjvays ; or, the yuLY, 



further from the fact. True, I have a feeling soul, but I am also a 

 man, and one that knows how- to avenge an insult. Acting upon 

 this impulse, I cherished an especial recollection of Evans, and after 

 talking the matter over from time to time with Atkins, resolved one 

 fatal night to attack his house, and leave there a memorandum of our visit, 

 by doing as much mischief as we could conveniently compass within the 

 night. Punctual to the hour, we set out, our minds inflamed with brandy. 

 It was a dark, sullen night, with just sufficient moon to do justice to my 

 companion's countenance. As we reached the magistrate's house, I 

 chanced to turn my eyes toward Atkins, and saw his lip convulsed with 

 a strange Satanic smile. Sly blood curdled at the sight, but a spell 

 nevertheless hurried me onwards, and together we ascended towards our 

 victim's chamber. AU was silent, except now and then when the stairs 

 creaked beneath our footsteps, or the cricket chirped from behind the 

 kitchen fire. When we reached the first landing-place, we saw a light 

 shining down from a balustrade above us. We hastened immediately 

 towards it, tore it from its niche,^and proceeded with it to Evans's 

 apartment. For an instant Ave paused, then stood beside our victim's 

 bed, while Atkins drew a knife from his pocket. At this awful moment 

 Evans awoke ; but what was his affright when he saw scowling full upon 

 him the dull grey eyes of Atkins ! He prayed not for pity, instinct was 

 lost in stupefaction ; but he turned imploringly to me, who did all I 

 could to save him. Vain were my exertions : coolly and deliberately 

 the assassin bared his victim's throat, and drew the deadly steel across it. 

 This deed accomplished we hastily quitted the house, overlooking, in the 

 hurry of escape, a boy who, unseen, had watched our movements, and 

 cutting across the high road, spent the night among some meadows at 

 the foot of Richmond Hill. For my own part I was too much excited 

 to think of rest, but Atkins soon fell asleep, while I kept watch beside 

 him. It was an appalling hour : the hush of the grave was around me ; 

 and in whatever direction I turned my eyes, I saw but the lazy stirring 

 of the trees, whose motions, rendered indistinct by distance, looked like 

 ghosts, moving to and fro their gaunt arms. Suddenly a scream burst 

 on my ear, and turning toward Atkins, I beheld him seated bolt-upright, 

 and stiff as a corpse ; his eye blood-shot, his blue lips convulsed, but his 

 senses fast locked in sleep. " Hark I" he exclaimed, " there is no one in 

 the passage — 'tis well. The dead cannot rise against me. Cannot ? 

 Hah ! hah ! hah ! Look you there — he comes — he comes — he points 

 with his bloody arm towards me. Now he is standing right opposite 



me — his hot breath scorches up my veins — I feel it here here, at my 



heart," and with a yell of tremendous agony the murderer started to his 

 feet. This state of excitement continued more or less throughout the 

 night, but toward day-break, Atkins had in some degree resumed his 

 composure, and insisted (strange infatuation!) on our immediate return to 

 Twickenham. 



So mad a scheme of course proved our ruin, and accordingly we were 

 both taken up within less than six hours on suspicion, when circumstances 

 having arisen to confirm the prejudices against us, we were fidly com- 

 mitted for trial. How Atkins kept up his spirits, I know not, I at least 

 was miserable : maddened for the first time with horrors that levity had 

 'till now kept down, calling to mind my Rosa and my child, and even 

 fancying at times that 1 was companioned by the spirit of Evans. In 

 this condition I remained upwards of a week, when one evening, after 

 his conviction, I was summoned by the jailer into Atkins's prison, whom 

 I found quite an altered character. As I entered his dungeon, " Must 



