"Yousee," hesaid, withapalesmile, ", IfeelI'vetakenthefirststepandshallgoon."
ForalongwhileIcouldnotbelievehim, andIdidnotbelievehimatthattime, , butendedbybeingconvinced, .
Fourteenyearsbefore, hehadmurderedthewidowofalandowner, , , anofficerofnoblebirthandhighrankintheservice, whowasatthattimeawayatthefront, , hetookadvantageofhisknowledgeofthehousetoenteratnightthroughthegardenbytheroof, , asoftenhappens, acrimecommittedwithextraordinaryaudacityismoresuccessfulthanothers.
Enteringthegarretthroughtheskylight, hewentdowntheladder, knowingthatthedooratthebottomofitwassometimes, throughthenegligenceoftheservants, , , , bothhermaidshadgoneofftoabirthday-partyinthesamestreet, ' , andthenvindictive, jealousangertookpossessionofhisheart, andlikeadrunkenman, besidehimself, hethrustaknifeintoherheart, , toopenherchestwithkeysfromunderherpillow, andtotakesomethingsfromit, doingitallasitmighthavebeendonebyanignorantservant, , , too, somethingsforhimselfasremembrances, , hereturnedbythewayhehadcome.
Neitherthenextday, whenthealarmwasraised, noratanytimeafterinhislife, , , andnotaveryintimateone, ofthemurderedwoman, , —indeedhismistressdidnotconcealthefact—thathavingtosendoneofherserfsasarecruitshehaddecidedtosendhim, , hehadrunaway, , hewasfoundontheroadleadingoutofthetown, deaddrunk, withaknifeinhispocket, , , throwingsuspicionontheinnocentservant.
Theyarrestedhim, andhewastriedforthemurder; butaweekafterthearrest, .
