"That boy," he said, "to change the conversation. That boy, used to say some odd things of you, Mr. Todd."
"Insanity," said Todd, "is a great calamity."
"Oh, very."
"And so clouds the faculties, that the poor boy no doubt said things of me, his best friend, that, if he had been restored to reason, he would have heard spoken of with a smile of incredulity."
"Ha! ha! By the bye—Ha! ha!"
"Well, sir?" said Todd, who did not in the smallest degree join in the odd laugh of Peter. "Well, sir?"
"I was merely going to say. Have you, by any chance, heard anything more of him?"
Todd walked close to Peter, and placed his two brawny hands upon his shoulders, as he slowly repeated—
"Have I by any chance heard anything more of him? What do you mean? Speak out, or by all that's powerful, this is the last moment of your existence. Speak out, I say."
"Murder!"