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sharpeneditmyself；ithasanedgelikeaskean。’
Heplacedinmyhandthesteelheadofahalberd。Graspingitfirmly，Ifoundthatitmadebynomeansabadweaponinpointofconvenience；foritfeltinthehandlikeaheavydagger，theportionwhichformedthebladeorpointbeingcrossednearlyatthelowerextremitybyasmallbarofmetal，atonesideshapedintotheformofanaxe，andattheotherintothatofahook。Thesetwotransverseappendagesbeingmuffledbythefoldsofmycravat，whichIremovedforthepurpose，formedaperfectguardorhilt，andthelowerextremityformedlikeatube，inwhichthepike-handlehadbeeninserted，affordedamplespaceforthegraspofmyhand；thepointhadbeenmadeassharpasaneedle，andthemetalheassuredmewasgood。
Thusequippedheleftme，havingobserved，’Thecaptainsentmetobringyoutoyoursenses，andgiveyousomewaterthathemightfindyouproperforhisvisit。Hereisthepitcher；IthinkIhaverevivedyousufficientlyforthecaptain’spurpose。’
Withalowsavagelaughheleftmetomyreflections。
Havingexaminedandadjustedtheweapon，Icarefullyboundtheendsofthecravat，withwhichIhadsecuredthecrosspartofthespear-head，firmlyroundmywrist，sothatincaseofastruggleitmightnoteasilybeforcedfrommyhand；andhavingmadetheseprecautionarydispositions，Isatdownuponthegroundwithmybackagainstthewall，andmyhandstogetherundermycoat，awaitingmyvisitor。
Thetimeworeslowlyon；theduskbecamedimmeranddimmer，untilitnearlyborderedontotaldarkness。
’How’sthis？’saidI，inwardly；
’CaptainOliver，yousaidIshouldnotseethemoonriseto-night。Methinksyouaresomewhattardyinfulfillingyourprophecy。’
AsImadethisreflection，anoiseattheouterdoorannouncedtheentranceofavisitant。Iknewthatthedecisivemomentwascome，andlettingmyheadsinkuponmybreast，andassuringmyselfthatmyhandswereconcealed，Iwaited，intheat-
titudeofdeepdejection，theapproachofmyfoeandbetrayer。
AsIhadexpected，CaptainOliverenteredtheroomwhereIlay。Hewasequippedforinstantduty，asfarastheimperfecttwilightwouldallowmetosee；
thelongswordclankeduponthefloorashemadehiswaythroughthelobbieswhichledtomyplaceofconfinement；hisamplemilitarycloakhunguponhisarm；hiscockedhatwasuponhishead，andinallpointshewaspreparedfortheroad。
Thistalliedexactlywithwhatmystrangeinformanthadtoldme。
Ifeltmyheartswellandmybreathcomethickastheawfulmomentwhichwastowitnessthedeath-struggleofoneorotherofusapproached。
CaptainOliverstoodwithinayardortwooftheplacewhereIsat，orratherlay；
andfoldinghisarms，heremainedsilentforaminuteortwo，asifarranginginhismindhowheshouldaddressme。
’HardressFitzgerald，’hebeganatlength，’areyouawake？Standup，ifyoudesiretohearofmattersnearlytouchingyourlifeordeath。Getup，Isay。’
Iarosedoggedly，andaffectingtheawkwardmovementsofonewhosehandswerebound，’Well，’saidI，’whatwouldyouofme？
IsitnotenoughthatIamthusimprisonedwithoutacause，andabout，asIsuspect，tosufferamostunjustandviolentsentence，butmustIalsobedisturbedduringthefewmomentsleftmeforreflectionandrepentancebythepresenceofmypersecutor？
Whatdoyouwantofme？’
’Astoyourpunishment，sir，’saidhe，’yourowndesertshavenodoubtsug-
gestedthelikelihoodofittoyourmind；
butInowamwithyoutoletyouknowthatwhatevermitigationofyoursentenceyoumaylookfor，mustbeearnedbyyourcompliancewithmyorders。Youmustfranklyandfullyexplainthecontentsofthepacketwhichyouendeavouredthisdaytodestroy；andfurther，youmusttellallthatyouknowofthedesignsofthepopishrebels。’
’AndifIdothisIamtoexpectamitigationofmypunishment——isitnotso？’
Oliverbowed。
’AndwhatISthismitigationtobe？
Onthehonourofasoldier，whatisittobe？’inquiredI。
’Whenyouhavemadethedisclosurerequired，’hereplied，’youshallhear。’Tisthentimetotalkofindulgences。’
’Methinksitwouldthenbetoolate，’
answeredI。’Butachanceisachance，andadrowningmanwillcatchatastraw。
Youareanhonourableman，CaptainOliver。
Imustdepend，Isuppose，onyourgoodfaith。Well，sir，beforeImakethedesiredcommunicationIhaveonequestionmoretoput。WhatistobefallmeincasethatI，rememberingthehonourofasoldierandagentleman，rejectyourinfamousterms，scornyourmitigations，anddefyyourutmostpower？’
’Inthatcase，’repliedhe，coolly，’beforehalfanhouryoushallbeacorpse。’
’ThenGodhavemercyonyoursoul!’
saidI；andspringingforward，IdashedtheweaponwhichIheldathisthroat。
Imissedmyaim，butstruckhimful
