before me, and thought of my pleasant friends within, and what
good times they always seemed to be having, and how they larked
with the Irish terrier, whose footing was one of a perfect
equality, I thought of a certain look in their faces, as if they
had a common purpose and a business, and were acting under orders
thoroughly recognised and understood. I remembered, too,
something that Martha had told me, about these same fellows doing
"a power o' good," and other hints I had collected vaguely, of
renouncements, rules, self-denials, and the like. Thereupon, out
of the depths of my morbid soul swam up a new and fascinating
idea; and at once the career of arms seemed over-acted and stale,
and piracy, as a profession, flat and unprofitable. This, then,
or something like it, should be my vocation and my revenge.
A severer line of business, perhaps, such as I had read of;
something that included black bread and a hair-shirt. There
should be vows, too--irrevocable, blood curdling vows; and an
iron grating. This iron grating was the most necessary feature
of all, for I intended that on the other side of it my relations
should range themselves--I mentally ran over the catalogue, and
saw that the whole gang was present, all in their proper places--
a sad-eyed row, combined in tristful appeal. "We see our error
now," they would say; "we were always dull dogs, slow to catch--
especially in those akin to us--the finer qualities of soul! We
misunderstood you, misappreciated you, and we own up to it. And
now--" "Alas, my dear friends," I would strike in here, waving
towards them an ascetic hand--one of the emaciated sort, that
lets the light shine through at the finger-tips--"Alas, you
come too late! This conduct is fitting and meritorious on your
part, and indeed I always expected it of you, sooner or later;
but the die is cast, and you may go home again and bewail at your