ing attendance
after another's heels; but I have special kindness for you, for some
good turns that you wot of, and therefore I do not stand upon
ceremonies! You have led me a very pretty round already; and, out of the
love I bear you, you shall lead me as much further, if you will. But
beware the salt seas! They are out of my orders. You are a prisoner at
present, and I believe all your life will remain so. Thanks to the
milk-and-water softness of your former master! If I had the ordering of
these things, it should go with you in another fashion. As long as you
think proper, you are a prisoner within the rules; and the rules with
which the soft-hearted squire indulges you, are all England, Scotland,
and Wales. But you are not to go out of these climates. The squire is
determined you shall never pass the reach of his disposal. He has
therefore given orders that, whenever you attempt so to do, you shall be
converted from a prisoner at large to a prisoner in good earnest. A
friend of mine followed you just now to the harbour; I was within call;
and, if there had been any appearance of your setting your foot from
land, we should have been with you in a trice, and laid you fast by the
heels. I would advise you, for the future, to keep at a proper distance
from the sea, for fear of the worst. You see I tell you all this for
your good. For my part, I should be better satisfied if you were in
limbo, with a rope about your neck, and a comfortable bird's eye
prospect to the gallows: but I do as I am directed; and so good night to
you!"

The intelligence thus conveyed to me occasioned an instantaneous
revolution in both my intellectual and animal system. I disdained to
answer, or take the smallest notice of the fiend by whom it was
delivered. It is now three days since I received it, and from that
moment to the present my blood has been in a perpetual ferment. My
thoughts wander from one idea of horror to another, with incredible
rapidity. I have had no sleep. I have scarcely remained in one posture
for a minute together. It has been with the utmost difficulty that I
have been able to command myself far enough to add a few pages to my
story. But, uncertain as I am of the events of each succeeding hour, I
determined to force myself to the performance of this task. All is not
right within me. How it will terminate, God knows. I sometimes fear that
I shall be wholly deserted of my reason.

What--dark, mysterious, unfeeling, unrele