parts?"

"You say it: perhaps you heard of our exploits last night, some four
miles hence?"

"Ha! was that villainy yours?"

"Villainy!" repeated Houseman, in a tone of sullen offence. "Come,
Master Aram, these words must not pass between you and me, friends of
such date, and on such a footing."

"Talk not of the past," replied Aram with a livid lip, "and call not
those whom Destiny once, in despite of Nature, drove down her dark tide
in a momentary companionship, by the name of friends. Friends we are
not; but while we live, there is a tie between us stronger than that of
friendship."

"You speak truth and wisdom," said Houseman, sneeringly; "for my part, I
care not what you call us, friends or foes."

"Foes, foes!" exclaimed Aram abruptly, "not that. Has life no medium in
its ties?--pooh--pooh! not foes; we may not be foes to each other."

"It were foolish, at least at present," said Houseman carelessly.

"Look you, Houseman," continued Aram drawing his comrade from the
path into a wilder part of the scene, and, as he spoke, his words were
couched in a more low and inward voice than heretofore. "Look you, I
cannot live and have my life darkened thus by your presence. Is not the
world wide enough for us both? Why haunt each other? what have you to
gain from me? Can the thoughts that my sight recalls to you be brighter,
or more peaceful, than those which start upon me, when I gaze on you?
Does not a ghastly air, a charnel breath, hover about us both? Why
perversely incur a torture it is so easy to avoid? Leave me--leave these
scenes. All earth spreads before you--choose your pursuits, and your
resting place elsewhere, but grudge me not this little spot."

"I have no wish to disturb you, Eugene Aram, but I must live; and in
order to live I must obey my companions; if I deserted them, it would
be to starve. They will not linger long in this district; a week, it may
be; a fortnight, at most; then, like the Indian animal, they will strip
the leaves, and desert the tree. In a word, after we have swept the
country, we are gone."

"Houseman, Houseman!" said Aram passionately, and frowning till his
brows almost hid his eyes, but that part of the orb which they did
not hide, seemed as living fire; "I now implore, but I can
threaten--beware!--silence, I say;" (and he stamped his foot violently
on the ground, as he saw Houseman about to interrupt him;) "listen to
me throughout--Speak not to me of tarrying here--speak n