shed wretch strove to reply, but terror and strangulation
forbade him; and the enraged parent, like an incarnate storm, at
arm's-length shook him, as the dog shakes the rat which it has
caught, or the lion its prey; and each moment the shuddering youth,
hearing his father's deep curses, and stiffening with horror, was
urged further and yet further over the abyss, and still with aimless,
outstretched arms, and disparted, claw-like fingers, strove to
clutch the advocate's gown; while with upturned and beseeching eyes
starting from their sockets, and still half on the balustrade and
half in air, with nothing but the grasp of his adversary retaining
him, he hung, while the arm that held him quivered, and surged
uneasily from side to side, as if irresolute whether to plunge him
or to draw him back; until a growl of satisfaction, followed by an
execration, gurgling in the advocate's throat, announced the coming
climax: the arm was jerked outwards, the clenched fingers unclutched
themselves, like an automaton's, and the miserable mannikin tumbled
with a yell down to the stones beneath. An instant all was silent,
then a faint groan rose from the bruised form, that the next moment
lay on the bloody flags a senseless corpse. Drawing a loud sigh
of indescribable relief, after his fearful and protracted agitation,
the advocate--and now murderer--stood glaring downwards with fixed
eyes and yet clenched teeth; then, sickening at the horrid sight
which loomed beneath, turned and leaned for support against the
balustrade over which he had cast his child. Hearing the noise of
the scuffle, some stragglers from the mixed crowd on the lobby came
running to the spot, and one enquired of the advocate if he were
seized with a sudden sickness. But he only pointed downwards to
where lay his ill-fated victim; and shook his head, looking all
woebegone, in mad, mute misery. Astonished, some descended, and
bearing the body up the stairs, laid it on a bench that stood
against the wall, and opposite its destroyer; while a still increasing
and motley multitude, including jurors, witnesses, constables,
criers, counsellors, clerks of the court, crown prosecutor, sheriff,
and lastly, the judge himself, hurrying, gathered round the scene
of the catastrophe. A surgeon who happened to have been subpoened
upon the current trial, opened a vein, but the blood refused to
flow; and a barrister, stripping himself of his gown, threw it over
the body as a pall. No