born strong remains strong, and
he that has little force must be content with his feebleness."

The Signor Grimaldi looked like one who felt contrition.

"Art thou, in truth, an hereditary executioner?" he asked, addressing
Balthazar himself.

"Signore, I am: else would hand of mine have never taken life. 'Tis a hard
duty to perform, even under the obligations and penalties of the
law;--otherwise, it were accursed!"

"Thy fathers deemed it a privilege!"

"We suffer for their error: Signore, the sins of the fathers, in our case,
have indeed been visited on the children to the latest generations."

The countenance of the Genoese grew brighter and his voice resumed the
polished tones in which he usually spoke.

"Here has been some injustice of a certainty," he said, "or one of thy
appearance would not be found in this cruel position. Depend on our
authority to protect thee, should the danger thou seemest to apprehend
really occur. Still the laws must be respected, though not always of the
rigid impartiality that we might wish. Thou hast owned the imperfection of
human nature, and it is not wonderful that its work should have flaws."

"I complain not now of the usage, which to me has become habit, but I
dread the untamed fury of these ignorant and credulous men, who have taken
a wild fancy that my presence might bring a curse upon the bark."

There are accidental situations which contain more healthful morals than
can be drawn from a thousand ingenious and plausible homilies, and in
which facts, in their naked simplicity, are far more eloquent than any
meaning that can be conveyed by words. Such was the case with this meek
and unexpected appeal of Balthazar. All who heard him saw his situation
under very different colors from those in which it would have been
regarded had the subject presented itself under ordinary circumstances. A
common and painful sentiment attested strongly against the oppression that
had given birth to his wrongs, and the good Melchior de Willading himself
wondered how a case of this striking injustice could have arisen under the
laws of Berne.

Chapter VI.

Methought I saw a thousand fearful wrecks,
A thousand men that fishes gnawed upon;
Wedges of gold, great anchors, heaps of pearl,
Inestimable stones, unvalued jewels,
All scattered in the bottom of the sea.

_Richard III._

The flitting twilight was now on the wane, and the shades of evening were
gathering fas