CHAPTER L. THE PURSUIT AND ESCAPE

ted,theyraisedacryoftriumphantexecrationtowhichalltheirpreviousshoutinghadbeenwhispers.Againandagainitrose.Thosewhowereattoogreatadistancetoknowitsmeaning,tookupthesounditechoedandre-echoeditseemedasthoughthewholecityhadpoureditspopulationouttocursehim. Onpressedthepeoplefromthefront—on,on,on,inastrongstrugglingcurrentofangryfaces,withhereandthereaglaringtorchtolightenthemup,andshowthemoutinalltheirwrathandpassion.Thehousesontheoppositesideoftheditchhadbeenenteredbythemobsasheswerethrownup,ortornbodilyoutthereweretiersandtiersoffacesineverywindowclusteruponclusterofpeopleclingingtoeveryhouse-top.Eachlittlebridge(andtherewerethreeinsight)bentbeneaththeweightofthecrowduponit.Stillthecurrentpouredontofindsomenookorholefromwhichtoventtheirshouts,andonlyforaninstantseethewretch. “Theyhavehimnow,”criedamanonthenearestbridge.“Hurrah!” Thecrowdgrewlightwithuncoveredheadsandagaintheshoutuprose. “Iwillgivefiftypounds,”criedanoldgentlemanfromthesamequarter,“tothemanwhotakeshimalive.Iwillremainhere,tillhecometoaskmeforit.” Therewasanotherroar.Atthismomentthewordwaspassedamongthecrowdthatthedoorwasforcedatlast,andthathewhohadfirstcalledfortheladderhadmountedintotheroom.Thestreamabruptlyturned,asthisintelligenceranfrommouthtomouthandthepeopleatthewindows,seeingthoseuponthebridgespouringback,quittedtheirstations,andrunningintothestreet,joinedtheconcoursethatnowthrongedpell-melltothespottheyhadleft:eachmancrushingandstrivingwithhisneighbor,andallpantingwithimpatiencetogetnearthedoor,andlookuponthecriminalastheofficersbroughthimout.Thecriesandshrieksofthosewhowerepressedalmosttosuffocation,ortrampleddownandtroddenunderfootintheconfusion,weredreadfulthenarrowwayswerecompletelyblockedupandatthistime,betweentherushofsometoregainthespaceinfrontofthehouse,andtheunavailingstrugglesofotherstoextricatethemselvesfromthemass,theimmediateattentionwasdistractedfromthemurderer,althoughtheuniversaleagernessforhiscapturewas,ifpossible,increased. Themanhadshrunkdown,thoroughlyquelledbytheferocityofthecrowd,andtheimpossibilityofescapebutseeingthissuddenchangewithnolessrapiditythanithadoccurred,hespranguponhisfeet,determinedtomakeonelasteffortforhislifebydroppingintotheditch,and,attheriskofbeingstifled,endeavouringtocreepawayinthedarknessandconfusion. Rousedintonewstrengthandenergy,andstimulatedbythenoisewithinthehousewhichannouncedthatanentrancehadreallybeeneffected,hesethisfootagainstthestackofchimneys,fastenedoneendoftheropetightlyandfirmlyroundit,andwiththeothermadeastrongrunningnoosebytheaidofhishandsandteethalmostinasecond.Hecouldlethimselfdownbythecordtowithinalessdistanceofthegroundthanhisownheight,andhadhisknifereadyinhishandtocutitthenanddrop. Attheveryinstantwhenhebroughttheloopoverhisheadprevioustoslippingitbeneathhisarm-pits,andwhentheoldgentlemanbefore-mentioned(whohadclungsotighttotherailingofthebridgeastoresisttheforceofthecrowd,andretainhisposition)earnestlywarnedthoseabouthimthatthemanwasabouttolowerhimselfdown—atthatveryinstantthemurderer,lookingbehindhimontheroof,threwhisarmsabovehishead,andutteredayellofterror. “Theeyesagain!”hecriedinanunearthlyscreech. Staggeringasifstruckbylightning,helosthisbalanceandtumbledovertheparapet.Thenoosewasonhisneck.Itranupwithhisweight,tightasabow-string,andswiftasthearrowitspeeds.Hefellforfive-and-thirtyfeet.Therewasasuddenjerk,aterrificconvulsionofthelimbsandtherehehung,withtheopenknifeclenchedinhisstiffeninghand. Theoldchimneyquiveredwiththeshock,butstooditbravely.Themurdererswunglifelessagainstthewallandtheboy,thrustingasidethedanglingbodywhichobscuredhisview,calledtothepeopletocomeandtakehimout,forGod’ssake. Adog,whichhadlainconcealedtillnow,ranbackwardsandforwardsontheparapetwithadismalhowl,andcollectinghimselfforaspring,jumpedforthedeadman’sshoulders.Missinghisaim,hefellintotheditch,turningcompletelyoverashewentandstrikinghisheadagainstastone,dashedouthisbrains.