Page:The Necromancer, or, The Tale of the Black Forest Vol. 2.djvu/181

 Imagine therefore my astonishment when contrary to all expectation, he began.

"My Lord and Gentlemen,

"I am in your power, and well aware that nothing can avert my impending doom, I scorn the tortures of the rack and bid defiance to every human effort, to force me to a confession of my crimes: You might tear my limbs asunder, and kill me by inches, and yet would never extort a single word from my lips, if I had no other reasons to deal candidly with you. However I will spare you that trouble, and honestly confess my crimes, their origin, and their progress; being strongly persuaded that the history of my life will afford a useful lesson to judges, and teach the guardians of the people to be careful how they inflict punishments if they will not make a complete rogue of many a hapless wretch, who would have been recalled to his duty, and preserved to the human society, by gentle