l weeks; but the summons of the
magistrate had been delivered to him at his bed-side, his orders
respecting letters and written papers being so peremptory that no one
dared to disobey them. Upon reading the paper he was seized with a very
dangerous fit; but, as soon as he recovered, he insisted upon being
conveyed, with all practicable expedition, to the place of appointment.
Falkland, in the most helpless state, was still Falkland, firm in
command, and capable to extort obedience from every one that approached
him.

What a sight was this to me! Till the moment that Falkland was presented
to my view, my breast was steeled to pity. I thought that I had coolly
entered into the reason of the case (passion, in a state of solemn and
omnipotent vehemence, always appears to be coolness to him in whom it
domineers), and that I had determined impartially and justly. I believed
that, if Mr. Falkland were permitted to persist in his schemes, we must
both of us be completely wretched. I believed that it was in my power,
by the resolution I had formed, to throw my share of this wretchedness
from me, and that his could scarcely be increased. It appeared therefore
to my mind, to be a mere piece of equity and justice, such as an
impartial spectator would desire, that one person should be miserable in
preference to two; that one person rather than two should be
incapacitated from acting his part, and contributing his share to the
general welfare. I thought that in this business I had risen superior to
personal considerations, and judged with a total neglect of the
suggestions of self-regard. It is true, Mr. Falkland was mortal, but,
notwithstanding his apparent decay, he might live long. Ought I to
submit to waste the best years of my life in my present wretched
situation? He had declared that his reputation should be for ever
inviolate; this was his ruling passion, the thought that worked his soul
to madness. He would probably therefore leave a legacy of persecution to
be received by me from the hands of Gines, or some other villain equally
atrocious, when he should himself be no more. Now or never was the time
for me to redeem my future life from endless woe.

But all these fine-spun reasonings vanished before the object that was
now presented to me. "Shall I trample upon a man thus dreadfully
reduced? Shall I point my animosity against one, whom the system of
nature has brought down to the grave? Shall I poison, with sounds the
mos