"I think," resumed he, "I will try. My wife and my babes have gone
before. Happy wretches! I have sent you to repose, and ought not
to linger behind."
These words had a meaning sufficiently intelligible. I looked at
the open knife in his hand and shuddered, but knew not how to
prevent the deed which I dreaded. He quickly noticed my fears, and
comprehended them. Stretching toward me his hand, with an air of
increasing mildness, "Take it," said he; "fear not for thy own
sake, nor for mine. The cup is gone by, and its transient
inebriation is succeeded by the soberness of truth.
"Thou angel whom I was wont to worship! fearest thou, my sister,
for thy life? Once it was the scope of my labors to destroy thee,
but I was prompted to the deed by heaven; such, at least, was my
belief. Thinkest thou that thy death was sought to gratify
malevolence? No. I am pure from all stain. I believed that my
God was my mover!
"Neither thee nor myself have I cause to injure. I have done my
duty; and surely there is merit in having sacrificed to that all
that is dear to the heart of man.
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