Page:Edgar Huntly, or The Sleep Walker.djvu/42

 ? An opportunity of repairing our errors may, at least, be demanded from the rulers of our destiny. I once imagined that he who killed Waldegrave inflicted the greatest possible injury on me: that was an error which reflection has cured. Were futurity laid open to my view, and events with their consequences unfolded, I might see reason to embrace the assassin as my best friend. Be comforted."

He was still incapable of speaking; but tears came to his relief. Without attending to my remonstrances, he betrayed a disposition to return. I had, hitherto, hoped for some disclosure, but now feared that it was designed to be withheld. He stopped not till we reached Inglefield's piazza: he then spoke for the first time, but in a hollow and tremulous voice.

"You demand of me a confession of crimes: you shall have it—sometime you shall have it; when it will be I cannot tell: something must be done, and shortly."

He hurried from me into the house; and after a pause, I turned my steps homewards. My reflections, as I proceeded perpetually revolved round a single point: these were scarcely more than a repetition, with slight variations of a single idea.

When I awoke in the morning, I hied in fancy to the wilderness; I saw nothing but the figure of the wanderer before me; I traced his footsteps anew, retold my narrative, and pondered on his gestures and words. My condition was not destitute of enjoyment; my stormy passions had subsided into a calm, portentous and awful; my soul was big with expectation; I seemed as if I were on the eve of being ushered into a world whose scenes were tremendous but sublime: the suggestions of sorrow and malice had for a time taken their flight, and yielded place to a generous sympathy, which filled my eyes with tears, but had more in it of pleasure than of pain. That Clithero was instrumental to the death of Waldegrave—that he could furnish the clue explanatory of every bloody and mysterious event that had hitherto occurred, there was no longer the possibility of doubting. "He, indeed," said I, "is the murderer of excellence; and yet it shall be my province