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burned them。 How those stains were dispersed about the room！
The very feet of the dog were bloody。
All this time he had； never once； turned his back upon the
corpse； no； not for a moment。 Such preparations completed； he
moved； backward； towards the door； dragging the dog with him；
lest he should soil his feet anew and carry out new evidences of
the crime into the streets。 He shut the door softly； locked it； took
the key； and left the house。
He crossed over； and glanced up at the window； to be sure that
nothing was visible from the outside。 There was the curtain still
drawn； which she would have opened to admit the light she never
saw again。 It lay nearly under there。 He knew that。 God； how the
sun poured down upon the very spot！
The glance was instantaneous。 It was a relief to have got free of
the room。 He whistled on the dog and walked rapidly away。
He went through Islington； strode up the hill at Highgate on
which stands the stone in honour of Whittington； turned down to
Highgate Hill； unsteady of purpose； and uncertain where to go；
struck off to the right again； almost as soon as he began to descend
it； and taking the footpath across the fields； skirted Caen Wood；
and so came out on Hampstead Heath。 Traversing the hollow by
the Vale of Health； he mounted the opposite bank； and crossing
the road which joins the villages of Hampstead and Highgate；
made along the remaining portion of the heath to the fields at
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North End； in one of which he laid himself down under a hedge；
and slept。
Soon he was up again； and away—not far into the country； but
backwards towards London by the highroad—then back again—
then over another part of the same ground as he already
traversed—then wandering up and down in fields； and lying on
ditches’ brinks to rest； and starting up to make for some other
spot； and do the same； and ramble on again。
Where could he go； that was near and not too public； to get
some meat and drink？ Hendon。 That was a good place； not far off；
and out of most people’s way。 Thither he directed his steps—
running sometimes； and sometimes； with a strange perversity；
loitering at a snail’s pace； or stopping altogether and idly breaking
the hedges with his stick。 But when he got there； all the people he
met—the very children at the doors—seemed to view him with
suspicion。 Back he turned again； without the courage to purchase
bit or drop； though he had tasted no food for many hours； and
once more he lingered on the heath uncertain where to go。
He wandered over miles and miles of ground； and still came
back to the old place。 Morning and noon had passed； and the day
was on the wane； and still he rambled to and fro； and up and
down； and round and round； and still lingered about the same
spot。 At last he got away； and shaped his course for Hatfield。
It was nine o’clock at night； when the man； quite tired out； and
the dog； limping and lame from the unaccustomed exercise；
turned down the hill by the church of the quiet village； and
plodding along the little street； crept into a small public…house；
whose scanty light had guided them to the spot。 There was a fire
in the taproom； and some country labourers were drinking before
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it。 They made room for the stranger； but he sat down in the
farthest corner； and ate and drank alone； or rather with his dog； to
whom he cast a morsel of food from time to time。
The conversation of the men assembled here； turned upon the
neighbouring land； and farmers； and when those topics were
exhausted； upon the age of some old man who had been buried on
the previous Sunday； the young men present considering him very
old； and the old men present declaring him to have been quite
young—not older； one white…haired grandfather said； than he
was—with ten or fifteen year of life in him at least if he had taken
care； if he had taken care。
There was nothing to attract attention； or excite alarm in this。
The robber； after paying his reckoning； sat silent and unnoticed in
the corner； and had almost dropped asleep； when he was half…
awakened by the noisy entrance of a newcomer。
This was an antic fellow； half…pedlar and half…mountebank； who
travelled about the country on foot to vend hones； strops； razors；
wash…balls； harness…paste； medicine for dogs—and horses； cheap
perfumery； cosmetics； and such like wares； which he carried in a
case slung to his back。 His entrance was the signal for various
homely jokes with the countrymen； which slackened not until he
had made his supper； and opened his box of treasures； when he
ingeniously contrived to unite business with amusement。
“And what be that stoof？ Good to eat； Harry？” asked a grinning
countryman； pointing to some composition…cakes in one corner。
“This；” said the fellow； producing one—“this is the infallible
and invaluable composition for removing all sorts of stain； rust；
dirt； mildew； spick； speck； spot； or spatter； from silk； satin； linen；
cambric； cloth； crape； stuff； carpet； merino； muslin； bombazeen； or
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woollen stuff。 Wine…stains； fruit…stains； beer…stains； water…stains；
paint…stains； pitch…stains； any stains； all come out at one rub with
the infallible and invaluable composition。 If a lady stains her
honour； she has only need to swallow one cake and she’s cured at
once—for it’s poison。 If a gentleman wants to prove this； he has
only need to bolt one little square； and he has put it beyond
question—for it’s quite as satisfactory as a pistol…bullet； and a
great deal nastier in the flavour； consequently the more credit in
taking it。 One penny a square。 With all these virtues； one penny a
square！”
There were two buyers directly； and more of the listeners
plainly hesitated。 The vendor observing this； increased in
loquacity。
“It’s all bought up as fast as it can be made；” said the fellow。
“There are fourteen water…mills； six steam…engines； and a galvanic
battery； always a…working upon it； and they can’t make it fast
enough； though the men work so hard that they die off； and the
widows is pensioned directly； with twenty pound a year for each of
the children； and a premium of fifty for twins。 One penny a
square！ Two halfpence is all the same； and four farthings is
received with joy。 One penny a square！ Wine…stains； fruit…stains；
beer…stains； water…stains； paint…stains； pitch…stains； mud…stains；
blood…stains！ Here is a stain upon the hat of a gentleman in
company； that I’ll take clean out； before he can order me a pint of
ale。”
“Ah！” cried Sikes； starting up。 “Give that back。”
“I’ll take it clean out； sir；” replied the man； winking to the
company； “before you can come across the room to get it。
Gentlemen all； observe the dark stain upon this gentleman’s hat；
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no wider than a shilling； but thicker than a half…crown。 Whether it
is a wine…stain； fruit…stain； beer…stain； water…stain； paint…stain；
pitch…stain； mud…stain； or blood…stain。”
The man got no further； for Sikes with a hideous imprecation
overthrew the table； and tearing the hat from him； burst out of the
house。
With the same perversity of feeling and irresolution that has
fastened upon him； despite himself； all day； the murderer； finding
that he was not followed； and that they most probably considered
him some drunken； sullen fellow； turned back up the town； and
getting out of the glare of the lamps of a stagecoach that was
standing in the street； was walking past； when he recognised the
mail from London； and saw that it was standing at the little post…
office。 He almost knew what was to come； but he crossed over； and
listened。
The guard was standing at the door； waiting for the letter…bag。
A man； dressed like a gamekeeper； came up at the moment； and
he handed him a basket which lay ready on the pavement。
“That’s for your people；” said the guard。 “Now； look alive in
there； will you。 Damn that ’ere bag； it warn’t ready night afore last；
this won’t do； you know！”
“Anything new up in town； Ben？” asked the gamekeeper；
drawing back to the window…shutters； the better to admire the
horses。
“No； nothing that I knows on；” replied the man； pulling on his
gloves。 “Corn’s up a little。 I heerd talk of a murder； too； down
Spitalfields way； but I don’t reckon much upon it。”
“Oh； that’s quite true；” said a gentleman inside； who was
looking out of the window。 “And a dreadful murder it was。”
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“Was it； sir？” rejoined the guard； touching his hat。 “Man or
woman； pray； sir？”
“A woman；” replied the gentleman。 “It is supposed—”
“Now； Ben；” replied the coachman impatiently。
“Damn that ’ere bag；” said the guard； “are you gone to sleep in
there？”
“Coming！” cried the office keeper； running out。
“Coming；” growled the guard。 “Ah；