The terrible energy with which they spoke, would have moved any person,
no matter how good or just (if any good or just person could have
strayed into that sad place that night), to have set them at liberty:
and, while he would have left any other punishment to its free course,
to have saved them from this last dreadful and repulsive penalty; which
never turned a man inclined to evil, and has hardened thousands who were
half inclined to good.
Mr Dennis, who had been bred and nurtured in the good old school, and
had administered the good old laws on the good old plan, always once
and sometimes twice every six weeks, for a long time, bore these appeals
with a deal of philosophy. Being at last, however, rather disturbed in
his pleasant reflection by their repetition, he rapped at one of the
doors with his stick, and cried:
'Hold your noise there, will you?'
At this they all cried together that they were to be hanged on the next
day but one; and again implored his aid.
'Aid! For what!' said Mr Dennis, playfully rapping the knuckles of the
hand nearest him.
'To save us!' they cried.
'Oh, certainly,' said Mr Dennis, winking at the wall in the absence
of any friend with whom he could humour the joke.
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