"It seems you have been indefatigable in your pursuit," said I.

"Yes," he replied, "when a man devotes himself to a great object, he must
go to it heart and soul. I have spared neither time nor money in _my_
pursuit; and since I became a collector, I have attended the execution of
every noted malefactor throughout the kingdom."

Perceiving that my attention was drawn to a common rope, which served as a
bell-pull, he said--

"I see you are remarking my bell-cord--that is the identical rope, sir,
which hanged Bellingham, who shot Mr. Perceval in the House of Commons. I
offered any sum for the one in which Thistlewood ended his life to match
it--but I was unfortunately disappointed; and the laws have now become so
disgracefully lenient, that I fear I shall never have an opportunity of
procuring a respectable companion rope for the other side of my
mantel-piece. And 'tis all owing to the rascally Whigs, sir--they have
swept away all our good old English customs, and deprived us of our
national recreations. I remember, sir, when Monday was called 'hanging
day' at the Old Bailey; on that morning a man might he certain of seeing
three or four criminals swung off before his breakfast. 'Tis a curious
study, sir, that of hanging--I have seen a great many people suffer in my
time: some go off as quiet as lambs, while others die very reluctantly. I
have remarked, sir, that 'tis very difficult to hang a Jew pedlar, or a
hackney-coachman--there's something obstinate in their nature that won't
let them die like other men. But, as I said before, the Whigs and
reformers have knocked up the hanging profession; and if it was not for
the suicides, which, I am happy to say, are as abundant as ever, I don't
know what we should do."