his brow, relaxed at least from the workings that, but the moment
before, distorted its wonted serenity, with a maniac wildness.

He pursued his desultory way now with a calmer step.

"What a night!" said he, again breaking into the low murmur in which he
was accustomed to hold commune with himself. "Had Houseman been one of
the ruffians! a shot might have freed me, and without a crime, for ever!
And till the light flashed on their brows, I thought the smaller man
bore his aspect. Ha, out, tempting thought! out on thee!" he cried
aloud, and stamping with his foot, then recalled by his own vehemence,
he cast a jealous and hurried glance round him, though at that moment
his step was on the very height of the mountains, where not even the
solitary shepherd, save in search of some more daring straggler of the
flock, ever brushed the dew from the cragged, yet fragrant soil. "Yet,"
he said, in a lower voice, and again sinking into the sombre depths of
his reverie, "it is a tempting, a wondrously tempting thought. And it
struck athwart me, like a flash of lightning when this hand was at his
throat--a tighter strain, another moment, and Eugene Aram had not had an
enemy, a witness against him left in the world. Ha! are the dead no foes
then? Are the dead no witnesses?" Here he relapsed into utter silence,
but his gestures continued wild, and his eyes wandered round, with a
bloodshot and unquiet glare. "Enough," at length he said calmly; and
with the manner of one 'who has rolled a stone from his heart;' [Note:
Eastern saying.] "enough! I will not so sully myself; unless all other
hope of self-preservation be extinct. And why despond? the plan I have
thought of seems well-laid, wise, consummate at all points. Let me
consider--forfeited the moment he enters England--not given till he has
left it--paid periodically, and of such extent as to supply his wants,
preserve him from crime, and forbid the possibility of extorting
more: all this sounds well; and if not feasible at last, why farewell
Madeline, and I myself leave this land for ever. Come what will to
me--death in its vilest shape--let not the stroke fall on that breast.
And if it be," he continued, his face lighting up, "if it be, as it may
yet, that I can chain this hell-hound, why, even then, the instant that
Madeline is mine, I will fly these scenes; I will seek a yet obscurer
and remoter corner of earth: I will choose another name--Fool! why did
I not so before? But matt