Thesheetslookedmadeoutofsail-cloth，butwerefreshandcleaninspiteoftheirbrownness。Againstthewallwerewaferedtworoughdrawingsofvesselswiththeirnameswrittenunderneath，onwhichthemother’seyescaught，andgazeduntiltheyfilledwithtears。Butshebrushedthedropsawaywiththebackofherhand；andinacheerfultonewentontoassureMarythebedwaswellaired。“Icannotsleep，thankyou。Iwillsithere，ifyouplease，“saidMary，sinkingdownonthewindow-seat。“Come，now，“saidMrsSturgis，“mymastertoldmetoseeyoutobed，andImun。What’stheuseofwatching？Awatchedpotneverboils，andIseeyouareafterwatchingthatweathercock。Whynow，Itrynevertolookatit，elseIcoulddonoughtelse。Myheartmanyatimegoessickwhenthewindrises，butIturnawayandworkaway，andtrynevertothinkonthewind，butonwhatIha’gettentodo。““Letmestayupalittle，“pleadedMary，asherhostessseemedsoresoluteaboutseeinghertobed。Herlookswonhersuit。“Well，IsupposeImun。Ishallcatchitdown-stairs，Iknow。He’llbeinafidgettillyou’regettentobed，Iknow；soyoumunbequietifyouaresobentuponstayingup。“Andquietly，noiselessly，Marywatchedtheunchangingweathercockthroughthenight。Shesatonthelittlewindow-seat，herhandholdingbackthecurtainwhichshadedtheroomfromthebrightmoonlightwithout；herheadrestingitswearinessagainstthecornerofthewindow-frame；hereyesburning，andstiffwiththeintensityofhergaze。Theruddymorningstoleupthehorizon，castingacrimsonglowintothewatcher’sroom。Itwasthemorningofthedayoftrial!
“Thoustand’stherearraign’d，Thatwithpresumptionimpiousandaccurs’d，Thouhastusurp’dGod’shighprerogative，Makingthyfellowmortal’slifeanddeathWaitonthymoodyanddiseasedpassions；ThatwithaviolentanduntimelysteelHathsetabroachtheblood，thatshouldhaveebbedIncalmandnaturalcurrenttosumallInonewildname——anamethepaleairfreezesat，Andeverycheekofmansinksinwithhorror——Thouartacoldandmidnightmurderer。MILMAN’SFAZIO。Ofalltherestlesspeoplewhofoundthatnight’shoursagonizingfromexcessofanxiety，thepoorfatherofthemurderedmanwasperhapsthemostrestless。Hehadsleptbutlittlesincetheblowhadfallen；hiswakinghourshadbeenfullofagitatedthought，whichseemedtohauntandpursuehimthroughhisunquietslumbers。Andthisnightofallotherswasthemostsleepless。Heturnedoverandoveragaininhismindthewonderifeverythinghadbeendone，thatcouldbedone，toensuretheconvictionofJemWilson。Healmostregrettedthehastewithwhichhehadurgedforwardtheproceedings，andyet，untilhehadobtainedvengeance，hefeltasiftherewerenopeaceonearthforhimIdon’tknowthatheexactlyusedthetermvengeanceinhisthoughts；
hespokeofjustice，andprobablythoughtofhisdesiredendassuch；
nopeace，eitherbodilyormental，forhemovedupanddownhisbedroomwiththerestlessincessanttrampofawildbeastinacage，andifhecompelledhisachinglimbstoceaseforaninstant，thetwitchingswhichensuedalmostamountedtoconvulsions，andherecommencedhiswalkasthelesserevil，andthemorebearablefatigue。Withdaylight，increasedpowerofactioncame；andhedroveofftoarousehisattorney，andworryhimwithfurtherdirectionsandinquiries；andwhenthatwasended，hesat，watchinhand，untilthecourtsshouldbeopened，andthetrialbegin。Whatwerealltheliving，——wifeordaughters，——whatweretheyincomparisonwiththedead，——themurderedsonwholayunburiedstill，incompliancewithhisfather’searnestwish，andalmostvowedpurpose，ofhavingtheslayerofhischildsentencedtodeathbeforehecommittedthebodytotherestofthegrave。Atnineo’clocktheyallmetattheirawfulplaceofrendezvous。Thejudge，thejury，theavengerofblood，theprisoner，thewitnesses——allweregatheredtogetherwithinthebuilding。Andbesidestheseweremanyothers，personallyinterestedinsomepartoftheproceedings，inwhich，however，theytooknopart；JobLegh，BenSturgis，andseveralotherswerethere，amongstwhomwasCharleyJones。JobLeghhadcarefullyavoidedanyquestioningfromMrsWilsonthatmorning。
Indeed，hehadnotbeenmuchinhercompany，forhehadbeenupearlytogooutoncemoretomakeinquiryforMary；andwhenhecouldhearnothingofher，hehaddesperatelyresolvednottoundeceiveMrsWilson，assorrownevercametoolate；andiftheblowwereinevitable，itwouldbebettertoleaveherinignoranceoftheimpendingevilaslongaspossible。Shetookherplaceinthewitness-room，wornanddispirited，butnotanxious。AsJobstruggledthroughthecrowdintothebodyofthecourt，MrBridgenorth’sclerkbeckonedtohim。“Here’saletterforyoufromourclient!“Jobsickenedashetookit。Hedidnotknowwhy，buthedreadedaconfessionofguiltwhichwouldbeanoverthrowofallhope。Theletterranasfollows：“DEARFRIEND，——Ithankyouheartilyforyourgoodnessinfindingmealawyer，butlawyerscandonogoodtome，whatevertheymaydotootherpeople。