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bitters of death ? My cup is prepared, and I must 
drink it ! ” 
“ No, indeed,” said I, “ I have no power to render 
your doom a welcome one, which would be the case 
if I could remove its bitters : but perhaps I might be 
able to impart some consolation to a wretched spirit.” 
“ Those are idle words ; such are the officious bab- 
blings of fools. What consolation can you impart who 
are in a far worse condition than I am ? My time is 
come ; what then remains for me but to die ?” 
“ Do you not feel sorrow for the dreadful deed which 
has brought you into such a sad situation ?” 
“ Why should I feel sorrow? He deserved the death 
I inflicted upon him. It was to be his doom, and I 
was to be the instrument of bringing it upon him. I 
am not to blame. It was my destiny, and I must die 
for it. What then ? I shall but fulfil the conditions 
of my mortality.” 
His notions of predestination were so stubborn and 
rooted that I could not stir them ; and he at length 
became exceedingly impatient. I left him to fortify 
himself for death, which, as I afterwards learned, he 
met on the following morning with sullen indifference, 
eating a large plate of rice immediately under the 
gallows, as he said scoffingly, to prepare him for his 
long journey. 
Such is generally the brutal apathy with which 
Hindoo criminals expiate with their lives any capital 
violation of the laws. Though their love of life is ex- 
treme, and they will adopt every possible means to 
avoid the sad issue of humanity until Nature sends 
forth her summons, they nevertheless meet it when 
