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for something undefined, which nothing could satisfythe swift flight of the minutes, fusing themselves into hours, as if by enchantmentthe rapid coming of the solemn nightthe shadow of death always upon them, and yet so dim and faint, that objects the meanest and most trivial started from the gloom beyond, and forced themselves upon the viewthe impossibility of holding the mind, even if they had been so disposed, to penitence and preparation, or of keeping it to any point while one hideous fascination tempted it awaythese things were common to them all, and varied only in their outward tokens. Fetch me the book I left withinupon your bed, she said to Barnaby, as the clock struck. Kiss me first. He looked in her face, and saw there, that the time was come. After a long embrace, he tore himself away, and ran to bring it to her; bidding her not stir till he came back. He soon returned, for a shriek recalled him,but she was gone. He ran to the yard-gate, and looked through. They were carrying her away. She had said her heart would break. It was better so. Dont you think, whimpered Dennis, creeping up to him, as he stood with his feet rooted to the ground, gazing at the blank wallsdont you think theres still a chance? Its a dreadful end; its a terrible end for a man like me. Dont you think theres a chance? I dont mean for you, I mean for me. Dont let him hear us (meaning Hugh); hes so desperate. Now then, said the officer, who had been lounging in and out with his hands in his pockets, and yawning as if he were in the last extremity for some subject of interest: its time to turn in, boys. Not yet, cried Dennis, not yet. Not for an hour yet. I say,your watch goes different from what it used to, returned the man. Once upon a time it was always too fast. Its got the other fault now. My friend, cried the wretched creature, falling on his knees, my dear friendyou always were my dear friendtheres some mistake. Some letter has been mislaid, or some messenger has been stopped upon the way. He may have fallen dead. I saw a man once, fall down dead in the street, myself, and he had papers in his pocket. Send to inquire. Let somebody go to inquire. They never will hang me. They never can.Yes, they will, he cried, starting to his feet with a terrible scream. Theyll hang me by a trick, and keep the pardon back. Its a plot against me. I shall lose my life! And uttering another yell, he fell in a fit upon the ground. See the hangman when it comes home to him! cried Hugh again, as they bore him awayHa ha ha! Courage, bold Barnaby, what care we? Your hand! They do well to put us out of the world, for if we got loose a second time, we wouldnt let them off so easy, eh? Another shake! A man can die but once. If you wake in the night, sing that out lustily, and fall asleep again. Ha ha ha! Barnaby glanced once more through the grate into the empty yard; and then watched Hugh as he strode to the steps leading to his sleeping-cell. He heard him shout, and burst into a roar of laughter, and saw him flourish his hat. Then he turned away himself, like one who walked in his sleep; and, without any sense of fear or sorrow, lay down on his pallet, listening for the clock to strike again. |
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