We can't go to work,
for the life of us, if we wished to; we all feel that we have gone too
far, and those, whose own consciences do not trouble them, are yet too
much troubled by fear of the consequences to be in any hurry to take up
handspike or hammer again in this quarter of the world."
The too guilty man had indeed spoken his own and the condition of the
people among whom he lived. They could now see and feel the fruits of
that rash error which had led them on; but their consciousness came too
late for retrieval, and they now wondered, with a simplicity truly
surprising to those who know with what facility an uneducated and warm
people may be led to their own ruin, that this consciousness had not
come to them before. Ralph, attended by Forrester, advanced among the
crowd. As he did so, all eyes were turned upon him, and a sullen
conference took place, having reference to himself, between Munro and a
few of the ringleaders. This conference was brief, and as soon as it was
concluded, the landlord turned to the youth, and spoke as follows:--
"You were a witness, Mr.
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