, been walking up and down his flagged chamber), he grew all on
a sudden weak, and then very flushed, and they thought he was about to
take a fit; but speedily he recovered himself, and in five minutes' time
was much as he had been at the commencement.

After my lord and Mr. Armstrong went away, he had the gaoler with him,
and seemed very sanguine about getting his pardon, and was very brisk
and chatty, and said he'd prepare his petition in the morning, and got
in large paper for drafting it on, and said, 'I suppose at the close of
this commission they will bring me up for judgment; that will be the day
after to-morrow, and I must have my petition ready.' And he talked away
like a man who had got a care off his mind, and is in high spirits; and
when grinning, beetle-browed Giant Despair shook his hand, and wished
him luck at parting, he stopped him, laying his white hand upon his
herculean arm, and, said he, 'I've a point to urge they don't suspect.
I'm sure of my liberty; what do you think of that--hey?' and he laughed.
'And when I get away what do you say to leaving this place and coming
after me? Upon my life, you must, Sir. I like you, and if you don't, rot
me, but I'll come and take you away myself.'

So they parted in a sprightly, genial way; and in the morning the
turnkey called the gaoler up at an unseasonable hour, and told him that
Mr. Dangerfield was dead.

The gaoler lay in the passage outside the prisoner's cell, with his bed
across the door, which was locked, and visited him at certain intervals.
The first time he went in there was nothing remarkable. It was but
half-an-hour after the gaoler had left. Mr. Dangerfield, for so he
chose to be called, was dozing very quietly in his bed, and just opened
his eyes, and nodded on awaking, as though he would say, 'Here I am,'
but did not speak.

When, three hours later, the officer entered, having lighted his candle
at the lamp, he instantly recoiled. 'The room felt so queer,' said he,
'I thought I'd a fainted, and I drew back. I tried it again a bit
further in, and 'twas worse, and the candle almost went out--'twas as if
the devil was there. I drew back quick, and I called the prisoner, but
no word was there. Then I locks the door, and called Michael; and when
he came we called the prisoner again, but to no purpose. Then we opened
the door, and I made a rush, and smashed the glass of the window to let
in air. We had to wait outside a good while before we could