ly valued for its rich color,
solid body, and substantial yet delicate flavor, rivalling in these
qualities, perhaps, that classic beverage, the famed Greek wine.

"'I will add to the exquisite flavor of this wine,' said I--'her
ladyship and her lover shall banquet on human blood; the corruption of
a putrifying corpse shall be mingled with the sparkling fluid that
nourishes their unholy passions.'

"With but little difficulty, and less noise, (for I well understood
such matters,) I removed the head of the cask, which I found to be
about half full. How luxurious was the odor that arose from the dark
liquid, fragrant with spices! Taking a small vessel, I drank a
bumper--then another. My blood instantly became charged with a
thousand fires; my heart seemed to swell with mighty exultation; my
brain seemed to swim in a sea of delight. I laughed with mad glee to
think of the superb vengeance I was about to wreak on my enemies; then
I raised the corpse of Lagrange with Herculean strength, thrust it
into the cask, and pressed it into the smallest possible compass; but
found to my inexpressible chagrin, that it would be absolutely
impossible to re-adjust the head of the cask, unless the body was in
some manner made smaller. After a few moments' reflection, a happy
thought struck me. I hesitated not a moment, but drew a sharp clasp
knife from my pocket, deliberately severed the head from the body, and
thrust it into the cask. Then, without the least difficulty, I
replaced the top of the cask, and my work was accomplished.

"I repaired to my chamber but slept not, as you may suppose; the
events of that day and night had been of a nature too singularly
exciting to admit of repose. Shortly after I had retired, I heard Lady
Hawley conduct her lover to the back stair-case; there was a sound of
kissing, and a whispered appointment made for another meeting, on a
night when his lordship would probably be absent. 'Yes, and at that
interview, my amorous pair,' thought I, 'shall you taste of the wine
which I have improved by an addition which you little suspect, but
with which you shall one day be made acquainted.' And then I laughed
till the tears rolled down my cheeks.

"Lord Hawley returned at the expected time, and immediately inquired
for his valet, Lagrange. The gentleman was, of course, among the
missing; and I overheard her ladyship announcing to her husband