 intentional on his part I am not able to say, when he
confessed to you the uneasiness of his mind without discovering the cause, and
openly proposed to you to assist him in his flight, and stand in case of
necessity between him and my resentment. You offered, it seems, to take him into
your service, but nothing, as he acknowledged, would answer his purpose, that
did not place his retreat wholly out of my power to discover.
    Did it not appear extraordinary to you that he should hope for any effectual
protection from me, while it remained perpetually in your power to satisfy me of
his unworthiness?
    Perhaps he had hopes that I should not proceed to that step, at least so
long as the place of his retreat should be unknown to me, and of consequence the
event of my proceeding dubious. Perhaps he confided in his own powers, which are
far from contemptible, to construct a plausible tale, especially as he had taken
care to have the first impression in his favour. After all, this protection on
your part was merely reserved in case all other expedients failed. He does not
appear to have had any other sentiment upon the subject, than that, if he were
defeated in his projects for placing himself beyond the reach of justice, it was
better to have bespoken a place in your patronage than to be destitute of every
resource.
    Mr. Falkland having thus finished his evidence, called upon Robert, the
valet, to confirm that part of it which related to the day of the fire.
    Robert stated, that he happened to be coming through the library that day a
few minutes after Mr. Falkland's being brought home by the sight of the fire,
that he had found me standing there with every mark of perturbation and fright,
that he was so struck with my appearance that he could not help stopping to
notice it, that he had spoken to me two or three times before he could obtain an
answer, and that all he could get from me at last was that I was the most
miserable creature alive.
    He farther said, that in the evening of the same day Mr. Falkland called him
into the private apartment adjoining to the library, and bid him bring a hammer
and some nails. He then showed him a trunk standing in the apartment with its
locks and fastenings broken, and ordered him to observe and remember what he
saw, but not to mention it to any one. Robert did not at that time know what Mr.
Falkland intended by these directions, which were given in a manner uncommonly
solemn and significant; but
