262

DEATHS DOINGS.

ject of his vision—" I come," said the horribleappearance—fixing upon his victim the dismal ca-vities where eyes had been—" I come, armed asat all times, to strike and to destroy. But evenbeneath the shaft, and within the grasp of Death,conditions of mercy may exist. Mark!—I comeunto the despot, who, with violence and injustice,has expelled from their establishments and theirhomes, the men of physic, my ministers and agents,and to offer him one or the other of two things :will he consent to recall and to reinstate the saidmen of physic or leeches, never again to be by himdisturbed, or forbidden to cultivate and to use theirarts ; or will he prefer that this uplifted hand dis-charge the arrow which he beholds, thus winged forits deadly mission, and ready to fulfil it ? Your re-solve !—speak !—answer, even now—or—" Theprince observed the arm rising higher, and drawinga little backward : a moment, and it might be toolate ; in agony of haste he called out,—" Hold!spare me, spare me! I will execute thy com-mands: I will instantly recall the leeches; I willdo whatever thou demandest: I will do it now,even now." Death lowered his arm, and pro-