Inthesepages，however，andafterthetimethathasnowelapsed，nosuchcautionsandrestraintsasareheredescribedneedfetterthefreeexpressionofmyopinion。Iwillstatebriefly，beforemypenoccupiesitselfwithotherevents，howmyownconvictionsleadmetoaccountfortheabstractionofthekeys，fortheoutbreakofthefire，andforthedeathoftheman。
ThenewsofmybeingfreeonbaildroveSirPercival，asIbelieve。
tohislastresources。Theattemptedattackontheroadwasoneofthoseresources，andthesuppressionofallpracticalproofofhiscrime，bydestroyingthepageoftheregisteronwhichtheforgeryhadbeencommitted，wastheother，andthesurestofthetwo。IfIcouldproducenoextractfromtheoriginalbooktocomparewiththecertifiedcopyatKnowlesbury，Icouldproducenopositiveevidence，andcouldthreatenhimwithnofatalexposure。Allthatwasnecessarytotheattainmentofhisendwas，thatheshouldgetintothevestryunperceived，thatheshouldtearoutthepageintheregister，andthatheshouldleavethevestryagainasprivatelyashehadenteredit。
Onthissupposition，itiseasytounderstandwhyhewaiteduntilnightfallbeforehemadetheattempt，andwhyhetookadvantageoftheclerk’sabsencetopossesshimselfofthekeys。Necessitywouldobligehimtostrikealighttofindhiswaytotherightregister，andcommoncautionwouldsuggesthislockingthedoorontheinsideincaseofintrusiononthepartofanyinquisitivestranger，oronmypart，ifIhappenedtobeintheneighbourhoodatthetime。
Icannotbelievethatitwasanypartofhisintentiontomakethedestructionoftheregisterappeartobetheresultofaccident，bypurposelysettingthevestryonfire。Thebarechancethatpromptassistancemightarrive，andthatthebooksmight，bytheremotestpossibility，besaved，wouldhavebeenenough，onamoment’sconsideration，todismissanyideaofthissortfromhismind。Rememberingthequantityofcombustibleobjectsinthevestry——thestraw，thepapers，thepacking-cases，thedrywood，theoldworm-eatenpresses——alltheprobabilities，inmyestimation，pointtothefireastheresultofanaccidentwithhismatchesorhislight。