ince came hither with
you from another country, and has lived with you through all the
struggles and all the successes of a long career. But you have my
word, and I will not depart from it, even to save my life. In a
moment of weakness I was tempted to a weak lie. I will not lie. I
will not demean myself to claim a poor year of life by such means,
though I do not lack evidence to support the statement. I am ready
to go with you;" and he rose up from his seat as though intending to
walk away and be deposited at once.

"Not now, Crasweller."

"I shall be ready when you may come for me. I shall not again leave
my home till I have to leave it for the last time. Days and weeks
mean nothing with me now. The bitterness of death has fallen upon
me."

"Crasweller, I will come and live with you, and be a brother to you,
during the entire twelve months."

"No; it will not be needed. Eva will be with me, and perhaps Jack may
come and see me,--though I must not allow Jack to express the warmth
of his indignation in Eva's hearing. Jack had perhaps better leave
Britannula for a time, and not come back till all shall be over. Then
he may enjoy the lawns of Little Christchurch in peace,--unless,
perchance, an idea should disturb him, that he has been put into
their immediate possession by his father's act." Then he got up from
his chair and went from the verandah back into the house.

As I rose and returned to the city, I almost repented myself of what
I had done. I had it in my heart to go back and yield, and to tell
him that I would assent to the abandonment of my whole project. It
was not for me to say that I would spare my own friend, and execute
the law against Barnes and Tallowax; nor was it for me to declare
that the victims of the first year should be forgiven. I could easily
let the law die away, but it was not in my power to decide that it
should fall into partial abeyance. This I almost did. But when I had
turned on my road to Little Christchurch, and was prepared to throw
myself into Crasweller's arms, the idea of Galileo and Columbus, and
their ultimate success, again filled my bosom. The moment had now
come in which I might succeed. The first man was ready to go to the
stake, and I had felt all along that the great difficulty would be
in obtaining the willing assent of the first martyr. It might well
be that these accusations of cruelty were a part of the suffering
without which my great reform could not be carried