These are sleepless times, and this youth, who
appears to trouble you more than man ever troubled you before, may be
just as much awake as ourselves. If you are determined in this thing, be
not imprudent."
Rivers, who, on reaching the head of the flight, had been about to move
forward precipitately, now paused, though with much reluctance; and to
the speech of his companion, with a fearful expression of the lips,
which, as they parted, disclosed the teeth white and closely clinched
beneath them, replied, though without directly referring to its import--
"If I am determined--do you say!--But is not that the chamber where he
sleeps?"
"No; old Barton sleeps there--_he_ sleeps at the end of the gallery. Be
calm--why do you work your fingers in that manner?"
"See you not my knife is in them? I thought at that moment that it was
between his ribs, and working about in his heart. It was a sweet fancy,
and, though I could not hear his groans as I stooped over him to listen,
I almost thought I felt them.
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