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air of great dignity。 'This will shake England to the heart。
Gladstone； the truculent old man； will quail before the
pointing finger of revenge。 And now that my dynamite is
proved effective … '
'Heavens； you remind me！' ejaculated Somerset。 'That brick
in your bag must be instantly disposed of。 But how？ If we
could throw it in the river … '
'A torpedo；' cried Zero； brightening； 'a torpedo in the
Thames！ Superb； dear fellow！ I recognise in you the marks
of an accomplished anarch。'
'True！' returned Somerset。 'It cannot so be done； and there
is no help but you must carry it away with you。 Come on；
then； and let me at once consign you to a train。'
'Nay； nay； dear boy；' protested Zero。 'There is now no call
for me to leave。 My character is now reinstated； my fame
brightens； this is the best thing I have done yet； and I see
from here the ovations that await the author of the Golden
Square Atrocity。'
'My young friend；' returned the other； 'I give you your
choice。 I will either see you safe on board a train or safe
in gaol。'
'Somerset； this is unlike you！' said the chymist。 'You
surprise me； Somerset。'
'I shall considerably more surprise you at the next police
office；' returned Somerset； with something bordering on rage。
'For on one point my mind is settled： either I see you
packed off to America； brick and all； or else you dine in
prison。'
'You have perhaps neglected one point；' returned the
unoffended Zero： 'for； speaking as a philosopher； I fail to
see what means you can employ to force me。 The will； my dear
fellow … '
'Now； see here；' interrupted Somerset。 'You are ignorant of
anything but science； which I can never regard as being truly
knowledge； I； sir； have studied life； and allow me to inform
you that I have but to raise my hand and voice … here in this
street … and the mob … '
'Good God in heaven； Somerset；' cried Zero； turning deadly
white and stopping in his walk； 'great God in heaven； what
words are these？ Oh； not in jest； not even in jest； should
they be used！ The brutal mob； the savage passions 。 。 。 。
Somerset； for God's sake； a public…house！'
Somerset considered him with freshly awakened curiosity。
'This is very interesting；' said he。 'You recoil from such a
death？'
'Who would not？' asked the plotter。
'And to be blown up by dynamite；' inquired the young man；
'doubtless strikes you as a form of euthanasia？'
'Pardon me；' returned Zero： 'I own； and since I have braved
it daily in my professional career； I own it even with pride：
it is a death unusually distasteful to the mind of man。'
'One more question；' said Somerset： 'you object to Lynch
Law？ why？'
'It is assassination；' said the plotter calmly； but with
eyebrows a little lifted； as in wonder at the question。
'Shake hands with me；' cried Somerset。 'Thank God； I have
now no ill…feeling left； and though you cannot conceive how I
burn to see you on the gallows； I can quite contentedly
assist at your departure。'
'I do not very clearly take your meaning；' said Zero； 'but I
am sure you mean kindly。 As to my departure； there is
another point to be considered。 I have neglected to supply
myself with funds； my little all has perished in what history
will love to relate under the name of the Golden Square
Atrocity； and without what is coarsely if vigorously called
stamps； you must be well aware it is impossible for me to
pass the ocean。'
'For me；' said Somerset； 'you have now ceased to be a man。
You have no more claim upon me than a door scraper； but the
touching confusion of your mind disarms me from extremities。
Until to…day； I always thought stupidity was funny； I now
know otherwise； and when I look upon your idiot face；
laughter rises within me like a deadly sickness； and the
tears spring up into my eyes as bitter as blood。 What should
this portend？ I begin to doubt； I am losing faith in
scepticism。 Is it possible；' he cried； in a kind of horror
of himself … 'is it conceivable that I believe in right and
wrong？ Already I have found myself； with incredulous
surprise； to be the victim of a prejudice of personal honour。
And must this change proceed？ Have you robbed me of my
youth？ Must I fall； at my time of life； into the Common
Banker？ But why should I address that head of wood？ Let
this suffice。 I dare not let you stay among women and
children； I lack the courage to denounce you； if by any means
I may avoid it； you have no money： well then； take mine； and
go； and if ever I behold your face after to…day； that day
will be your last。'
'Under the circumstances；' replied Zero； 'I scarce see my way
to refuse your offer。 Your expressions may pain； they cannot
surprise me； I am aware our point of view requires a little
training； a little moral hygiene； if I may so express it； and
one of the points that has always charmed me in your
character is this delightful frankness。 As for the small
advance； it shall be remitted you from Philadelphia。'
'It shall not；' said Somerset。
'Dear fellow； you do not understand；' returned the plotter。
'I shall now be received with fresh confidence by my
superiors； and my experiments will be no longer hampered by
pitiful conditions of the purse。'
'What I am now about； sir； is a crime；' replied Somerset；
'and were you to roll in wealth like Vanderbilt； I should
scorn to be reimbursed of money I had so scandalously
misapplied。 Take it； and keep it。 By George； sir； three
days of you have transformed me to an ancient Roman。'
With these words； Somerset hailed a passing hansom； and the
pair were driven rapidly to the railway terminus。 There； an
oath having been exacted； the money changed hands。
'And now；' said Somerset； 'I have bought back my honour with
every penny I possess。 And I thank God； though there is
nothing before me but starvation； I am free from all
entanglement with Mr。 Zero Pumpernickel Jones。'
'To starve？' cried Zero。 'Dear fellow； I cannot endure the
thought。'
'Take your ticket！' returned Somerset。
'I think you display temper；' said Zero。
'Take your ticket；' reiterated the young man。
'Well；' said the plotter； as he returned； ticket in hand；
'your attitude is so strange and painful； that I scarce know
if I should ask you to shake hands。'
'As a man； no；' replied Somerset； 'but I have no objection to
shake hands with you； as I might with a pump…well that ran
poison or bell…fire。'
'This is a very cold parting；' sighed the dynamiter； and
still followed by Somerset； he began to descend the platform。
This was now bustling with passengers； the train for
Liverpool was just about to start； another had but recently
arrived； and the double tide made movement difficult。 As the
pair reached the neighbourhood of the bookstall； however；
they came into an open space； and here the attention of the
plotter was attracted by a STANDARD broadside bearing the
words： 'Second Edition： Explosion in Golden Square。' His
eye lighted； groping in his pocket for the necessary coin； he
sprang forward … his bag knocked sharply on the corne