a matter of favour, was about
descending to the room in which the culprits are pinioned. Sir Thomas, who
had bestowed much humane attention on the prisoners, inquired, with real
solicitude, how they had passed the night. His colleague, who had just had
his person embellished with the insignia of office, replied, in a lively
tone. "O, very well, I understand." He added, with infinite coolness and
intelligence--"But you cannot expect men to sleep so well the night before
they are hanged as they are likely to do afterwards!"

He looked round in all our faces, as if to collect our suffrages in favour
of this pleasantry. His _high rank_ and importance _there_, prevented any
word or sign of displeasure. Most of us lifted our upper lip so as just to
show our teeth, thereby intimating that we knew he had said a very good
thing, at which, but for the painful business then in progress, we should
be ready to die with laughing.

We now followed the sheriffs through the Sessions-house, and thence, by a
covered passage on the eastern side of the yard of that building, to the
prison. I shuddered at beholding the numerous precautions which experience
and ingenuity had suggested to cut off hope and prevent escape, Spikes and
pallisades above, and doors of massy iron below, appeared in long and
terrible array against the wretch, who, having eluded the vigilance of the
officers of the gaol, should attempt, by flight, to save his life. At one
of the iron doors, we were severally inspected with as much suspicious
care as if we had been seeking to get out, instead of pressing forward to
be let in.

At length we reached a gloomy apartment, which, I believe, is called the
press-room. Here I found rather a fuller attendance than I had expected;
some eight or ten persons having been admitted by another entrance. These
had formed in two lines, and their eyes were incessantly turned towards
the door. I fancied, when I made my appearance, that they regarded me with
peculiar attention, as if for a moment they had mistaken me for a more
distinguished character than I really was. If I were right in this, they
certainly were soon undeceived. Mingling with them, I looked about me, as
I saw them look about. Silence generally prevailed. A few whispers were
exchanged; and now and then such sentences as, "The time grows short"--
"They will soon be here"--"What must their feelings be at this moment?"
were murmured along the ranks.

That amelioration of th