Here they conversed until a late hour, previous to
retiring; the woodman entering more largely into his own history than he
had done before. He suffered painfully from the occurrences of the day:
detailed the manner in which he had been worked upon by Munro to take
part in the more fearful transaction with the guard--how the excitement
of the approaching conflict had defeated his capacities of thought, and
led him on to the commission of so great a part of the general offence.
Touching the initial affair with the squatters, he had no compunctious
scruples. That was all fair game in his mode of thinking, and even had
blood been spilled more freely than it was, he seemed to think he should
have had no remorse. But on the subject of the murder of the guard, for
so he himself called his crime, his feeling was so intensely agonizing
that Ralph, though as much shocked as himself at the events, found it
necessary to employ sedative language, and to forbear all manner of
rebuke.
At an early hour of the morning, they proceeding in company to the
village--Forrester having to complete certain arrangements prior to his
flight; which, by the advice of Colleton, he had at once determined
upon.
Pages:
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377