of the dead! But Time," continued Aram, mutteringly, and with his eyes on
vacancy, "Time does not press too fast. Better let the hand speak than
the tongue:--yes; the day of execution is--ay, ay--two days yet to it--
to-morrow? no! Young man," he said abruptly, turning to Walter, "on the
day after to-morrow, about seven in the evening, the eve before that morn
fated to be my last--come to me. At that time I will place in your hands
a paper containing the whole history that connects myself with your
father. On the word of a man on the brink of another world, no truth that
imparts your interest therein shall be omitted. But read it not till I am
no more; and when read, confide the tale to none, till Lester's grey
hairs have gone to the grave. This swear! 'tis an oath difficult perhaps
to keep, but--" "As my Redeemer lives, I will swear to both conditions!"
cried Walter, with a solemn fervour.

"But tell me now at least"--"Ask me no more!" interrupted Aram, in his
turn. "The time is near, when you will know all! Tarry that time, and
leave me! Yes, leave me now--at once--leave me!"

To dwell lingeringly over those passages which excite pain without
satisfying curiosity, is scarcely the duty of the drama, or of that
province even nobler than the drama; for it requires minuter care--
indulges in more complete description--yields to more elaborate
investigation of motives--commands a greater variety of chords in the
human heart--to which, with poor and feeble power for so high, yet so
ill-appreciated a task we now, not irreverently if rashly, aspire!

We pass at once--we glance not around us at the chamber of death--at the
broken heart of Lester--at the two-fold agony of his surviving child--the
agony which mourns and yet seeks to console another--the mixed emotions
of Walter, in which, an unsleeping eagerness to learn the fearful all