ht
me all their arts, their contrivances, their lawlessness, and crime. You
encouraged my own deformities of soul till they became monsters, and my
own spirit such a monster that I no longer knew myself. You thrust the
weapon into my hand, and taught me its use. You put me on the scent of
blood, and bade me lap it. I will not pretend that I was not ready and
pliable enough to your hands. There was, I feel, little difficulty in
moulding me to your own measure. I was an apt scholar, and soon ceased
to be the subordinate villain. I was your companion, and too valuable to
you to be lost or left. When I acquired new views of man, and began, in
another sphere, that new life to which you would now turn your own
eyes--when I grew strong among men, and famous, and public opinion grow
enamored with the name, which your destiny compelled me to exchange for
another, you sought me out--you thrust your enticements upon me; and, in
an hour of gloom, and defeat, and despondency, you seized upon me with
those claws of temptation which are even now upon my shoulders, and I
gave up all! I made the sacrifice--name, fame, honor, troops of
friends--for what? Answer _you_! You are rich--you own slaves in
abundance--secure from your own fortunes, you have wealth hourly
increasing. What have I? This scar, this brand, that sends me among men
no longer the doubtful villain--the words are written there in full!"

The speaker paused, exhausted. His face was pale and livid--his form
trembled with convulsion--and his lips grew white and chalky, while
quivering like a troubled water. The landlord, after a gloomy pause,
replied:--

"You have spoken but the truth, Guy, and anything that I can do--"

"You will not do!" responded the other, passionately, and interrupting
the speaker in his speech. "You will do nothing! You ruin me in the love
and esteem of those whom I love and esteem--you drive me into exile--you
lead me into crime, and put me upon a pursuit which teaches me practices
that brand me with man's hate and fear, and--if the churchmen speak
truth, which I believe not--with heaven's eternal punishment! What have
I left to desire but hate--blood--the blood of man--who, in driving me
away from his dwelling, has made me an unrelenting enemy--his hand
everywhere against me, and mine against him! While I had this pursuit, I
did not complain; but you now interpose to deny me even this. The boy
whom I hate, not merely because of his species, but, in