unjust tribunals; conceive the various witnesses appearing, and the

singular variety of their reports! One will have visited me in

this drawing-room as it originally stood; a second finds it as it

is to-night; and to-morrow or next day, all may have been changed.

If you love romance (as artists do), few lives are more romantic

than that of the obscure individual now addressing you. Obscure

yet famous. Mine is an anonymous, infernal glory. By infamous

means, I work towards my bright purpose. I found the liberty and

peace of a poor country, desperately abused; the future smiles upon

that land; yet, in the meantime, I lead the existence of a hunted

brute, work towards appalling ends, and practice hell's

dexterities.'

Somerset, glass in hand, contemplated the strange fanatic before

him, and listened to his heated rhapsody, with indescribable

bewilderment. He looked him in the face with curious

particularity; saw there the marks of education; and wondered the

more profoundly.

'Sir,' he said--'for I know not whether I should still address you

as Mr. Jones--'

'Jones, Breitman, Higginbotham, Pumpernickel, Daviot, Henderland,

by all or any of these you may address me,' said the plotter; 'for

all I have at some time borne. Yet that which I most prize, that

which is most feared, hated, and obeyed, is not a name to be found

in your directories; it is not a name current in post-offices or

banks; and, indeed, like the celebrated clan M'Gregor, I may justly

describe myself as being nameless by day. But,' he continued,

rising to his feet, 'by night, and among my desperate followers, I

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