you can lay your hand on your heart, and say: 'Before God, and at peril
of my soul, I am innocent of this deed,' I will depart--I will believe
you, and bear, as bear I may, the reflection, that, in any way I have
been one of the unconscious agents of condemning to a fearful death an
innocent man! If innocent in this--how good! how perfect in all else!
But, if you cannot at so dark a crisis take that oath,--then! oh then! be
just--be generous, even in guilt, and let me not be haunted throughout
life by the spectre of a ghastly and restless doubt! Speak! oh! speak!"

Well, well may we judge how crushing must have been that doubt in the
breast of one naturally bold and fiery, when it thus humbled the very son
of the murdered man to forget wrath and vengeance, and descend to prayer!
But Walter had heard the defence of Aram; he had marked his mien: not
once in that trial had he taken his eyes from the prisoner, and he had
felt, like a bolt of ice through his heart, that the sentence passed on
the accused, his judgment could not have passed! How dreadful must then
have been the state of his mind when, repairing to Lester's house he
found it the house of death--the pure, the beautiful spirit gone--the
father mourning for his child, and not to be comforted--and Ellinor!--No!
scenes like these, thoughts like these, pluck the pride from a man's
heart.

"Walter Lester!" said Aram, after a pause; but raising his head with
dignity, though on the features there was but one expression--woe,
unutterable woe. "Walter Lester! I had thought to quit life with my tale
untold: but you have not appealed to me in vain! I tear the self from my
heart!--I renounce the last haughty dream, in which I wrapt myself from
the ills around me. You shall learn all, and judge accordingly. But to
your ear the tale can scarce be told:--the son cannot hear in silence
that which, unless I too unjustly, too wholly condemn myself, I must say