you as
a scoundrel, only as a poor creature who has been led astray. Now
that's enough for the present. Your modest request shall be granted at
once."

After this remarkable conversation with the poor sinner, the judge left
the cell. He was not satisfied. Had he not listened enough, or had he
spoken too much? How could so childlike a creature take an oath to
commit murder? In the corridor he spoke seriously to the gaoler.

"I must point out to you that the man is very ill. Don't treat him
harshly."

The old man was annoyed.

"I beg your pardon, sir! To treat a poor devil like that harshly! If
you pity him, why were you so rough with him?" He rubbed a lamp-glass
with a coarse rag in order to get the black off. "'To die by hanging.'
Even said as gently as that, it hurts more than when we roundly abuse
the people, and yet that's at once taken amiss. Only to prove it.
Ill! Of course he's ill, poor devil. I am only surprised the doctors
haven't been to cure him. I suppose he's well enough to be hanged?"

"That will do, Trapser."

The gaoler put down his work, stood up straight in military fashion,
and said: "Sir, I beg to resign my post."

"What!" exclaimed the judge, "you wish to go?"

"I respectfully hand in my resignation." He stood up straight as a
dart. "Do you know, I've got accustomed to most things here in
six-and-twenty years, I've seen seventeen hanged--just seventeen, sir.
There ought to have been twenty-four, but seven were granted
imprisonment for life. They're still undergoing that mercy. Do you
know, sir, it's a miserable calling! But as to that Ferleitner, I
never afore saw anything like him. What has he done, I ask you? He's
done nothing. You see we've had quite different gallows-birds here. A
speculator who had ruined six families and driven the seventh to
suicide--eight months. A student with two duel murders on his
conscience--six months. But he is there now--because he's done
nothing, it seems to me. Well, the long and the short of it is, it
horrifies me."

"Always the same in temper and disposition, you old bear! God keep
you!" And then a kindly tap on the shoulder. The attempt at
resignation was again met with a refusal. The judge formally put it
aside. But the old man growled on for a long time. "Old bear! old
bear! That's his whole stock of wit every time, I'll show him the old
bear. Good God! that's how things are with us!" He whistled and made
a har