The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 254: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE CONFESSION 227 force. Oh, I struggled hard against it, but Satan appeared to be standing by my side and to whisper a thousand argu- ments into my ear. It seemed as if the tempter said, ‘ The earl has communicated to no one else the existence of this hoarded treasure; it will not therefore be missed. You need not appropriate a single shilling from his purse, nor a single ring from amongst his jewels. Again, too, there are so many persons beneath this roof, that it will be impossible to fix the deed upon you if you only observe suitable caution. The earl is capricious; you may think yourself necessary to him, but in one of his strange humours he may at any moment send you adrift, and you had better make a provision for yourself now that the means are within your reach.’ It was thus that the Evil One appeared to be tempting me, and I could not close my eyes against him. I will not extend this horrible narrative one moment longer than is absolutely necessary. Suffice it, then, to say that I yielded to the temp- tation. I had retired to my bed, but I rose and slipped on a few things. I was only dressed so far, Mr. Slater,’ added Makepeace, solemnly, “‘ as I was just now when unconsciously reenacting the crime in imagination, and when you detected me.”’ There was another pause in the murderer’s narrative, but briefer than the former one, and he then continued in the following manner: ‘The mansion was all quiet; I crept stealthily down- stairs, I sought the lower premises, and procured a carving- knife, which I sharpened on the steel.’’ The lawyer and the constable shuddered visibly. Make- peace perceived it, and he likewise shuddered, as his eyes looked dread and hollow upon them both for an instant. ‘“ Ah! you may well be shocked,”’ he continued, in a tone which was at first scarcely audible, ‘‘ you may well recoil to the innermost confines of your being. Would to God,” he exclaimed, with sudden and passionate vehemence, ‘“ the past could be recalled, — but it cannot! No, it cannot!” he added, his voice again sinking into the solemn lowness of despair. ‘‘ But let me proceed,” for he saw that Mr. Slater had desisted from writing, as there was no necessity to take down irrelevant or mere ejaculatory matter. ‘‘ Armed with the dreadful weapon, I ascended the stairs, but I already felt as if I were a murderer, and my very shadow upon the walls COMMICLOO© cS (CO)