ained, and which it would be madness to
cherish longer, make your acquiescence in this condition known by
putting on your hat a white band, or white feather, or knot of
ribbon of the same colour, whichever you may most easily come by.
A boat will, in that case, run, as if by accident, on board of
that which is to convey you to the Tower. Do you in the confusion
jump overboard, and swim to the Southwark side of the Thames.
Friends will attend there to secure your escape, and you will find
yourself with one who will rather lose character and life, than
that a hair of your head should fall to the ground; but who, if
you reject the warning, can only think of you as of the fool who
perishes in his folly. May Heaven guide you to a sound judgment of
your condition! So prays one who would be your friend, if you
pleased,
"UNKNOWN."

The Tower!--it was a word of terror, even more so than a civil prison;
for how many passages to death did that dark structure present! The
severe executions which it had witnessed in preceding reigns, were not
perhaps more numerous than the secret murders which had taken place
within its walls; yet Peveril did not a moment hesitate on the part
which he had to perform. "I will share my father's fate," he said; "I
thought but of him when they brought me hither; I will think of
nothing else when they convey me to yonder still more dreadful place
of confinement; it is his, and it is but meet that it should be his
son's.--And thou, Alice Bridgenorth, the day that I renounce thee, may I
be held alike a traitor and a dastard!--Go, false adviser, and share the
fate of seducers and heretical teachers!"

He could not help uttering this last expression aloud, as he threw the
billet into the fire, with a vehemence which made the dwarf start with
surprise. "What say you of burning heretics, young man?" he exclaimed;
"by my faith, your zeal must be warmer than mine, if you talk on such a
subject when the heretics are the prevailing number. May I measure six
feet without my shoes, but the heretics would have the best of it if we
came to that work. Beware of such words."

"Too late to beware of words spoken and heard," said the turnkey, who,
opening the door with unusual precautions to avoid noise, had stolen
unperceived into the room; "However, Master Peveril has behaved like a
gentlemen, and I am no tale-bearer, on condition he will