ts. I mingled with the crowd just now, and saw him dead in his
own house. The sight terrified me.
_Stu._ Away with terrors, till his ghost rise and accuse us. We have
no living enemy to fear--unless 'tis Beverley; and him we have
lodged safe in prison.
_Bates._ Must He be murdered too?
_Stu._ No; I have a scheme to make the law his murderer. At what
hour did Lewson fall?
_Bates._ The clock struck twelve, just as I turned to leave him.
'Twas a melancholy bell, I thought, tolling for his death.
_Stu._ The time was lucky for us. Beverley was arrested at one, you
say?
[_To Dawson._
_Daw._ Exactly.
_Stu._ Good. We'll talk of this presently. The women were with him,
I think?
_Daw._ And old Jarvis. I would have told you of them last night, but
your thoughts were too busy. 'Tis well you have a heart of stone,
the tale would melt it else.
_Stu._ Out with it then.
_Daw._ I traced him to his lodgings; and pretending pity for his
misfortunes, kept the door open, while the officers seized him.
'Twas a damned deed--but no matter--I followed my instructions.
_Stu._ And what said he?
_Daw._ He upbraided me with treachery, called You a villain,
acknowledged the sums you had lent him, and submitted to his fortune.
_Stu._ And the women--
_Daw._ For a few minutes astonishment kept them silent. They looked
wildly at one another, while the tears streamed down their cheeks.
But rage and fury soon gave them words; and then, in the very
bitterness of despair, they cursed me, and the monster that had
employed me.
_Stu._ And you bore it with philosophy?
_Daw._ Till the scene changed, and then I melted. I ordered the
officers to take away their prisoner. The women shrieked, and would
have followed him; but We forbad them. 'Twas then they fell upon
their knees, the wife fainting, the sister raving, and both, with
all the eloquence of misery, endeavouring to soften us. I never felt
compassion till that moment; and had the officers been moved like
Me, we had left the business undone, and fled with curses on
ourselves. But their hearts were steeled by custom: the tears of
beauty, and the pangs of affection, were beneath their pity. They
tore him from their arms, and lodged him in prison, with only Jarvis
to comfort him.
_Stu._ There let him lie, till we have farther business with him.
And for You, Sir, let me hear no more of your compassion. A fellow
nursed in villainy, and employed from childhood in the
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