, and
what you ought to know without a moment's loss of time.«
    Sir John Chester settled himself in a position of greater repose, and looked
at his visitor with an expression of face which seemed to say, »This is an
amusing fellow! I'll hear him out.«
    »You may have seen in the newspapers, sir,« said Gabriel, pointing to the
one which lay by his side, »that I was a witness against this man upon his trial
some days since; and that it was not his fault I was alive, and able to speak to
what I knew.«
    »May have seen!« cried Sir John. »My dear Mr. Varden, you are quite a public
character, and live in all men's thoughts most deservedly. Nothing can exceed
the interest with which I read your testimony, and remembered that I had the
pleasure of a slight acquaintance with you. - I hope we shall have your portrait
published?«
    »This morning, sir,« said the locksmith, taking no notice of these
compliments, »early this morning, a message was brought to me from Newgate, at
this man's request, desiring that I would go and see him, for he had something
particular to communicate. I needn't tell you that he is no friend of mine, and
that I had never seen him, until the rioters beset my house.«
    Sir John fanned himself gently with the newspaper, and nodded.
    »I knew, however, from the general report,« resumed Gabriel, »that the order
for his execution to-morrow, went down to the prison last night; and looking
upon him as a dying man, I complied with his request.«
    »You are quite a Christian, Mr. Varden,« said Sir John; »and in that amiable
capacity, you increase my desire that you should take a chair.«
    »He said,« continued Gabriel, looking steadily at the knight, »that he had
sent to me, because he had no friend or companion in the whole world (being the
common hangman), and because he believed, from the way in which I had given my
evidence, that I was an honest man, and would act truly by him. He said that,
being shunned by every one who knew his calling, even by people of the lowest
and most wretched grade, and finding, when he joined the rioters, that the men
he acted with had no suspicion of it (which I believe is true enough, for