Theresultofthecommittalmaybereadilyforeseen。Mr。Pennifeather，amidtheloudexecrationsofallRattleborough，wasbroughttotrialatthenextcriminalsessions，whenthechainofcircumstantialevidencestrengthenedasitwasbysomeadditionaldamningfacts，whichMr。
　　Goodfellow’ssensitiveconscientiousnessforbadehimtowithholdfromthecourtwasconsideredsounbrokenandsothoroughlyconclusive，thatthejury，withoutleavingtheirseats，returnedanimmediateverdictof“Guiltyofmurderinthefirstdegree。”Soonafterwardtheunhappywretchreceivedsentenceofdeath，andwasremandedtothecountyjailtoawaittheinexorablevengeanceofthelaw。
　　Inthemeantime，thenoblebehaviorof“OldCharleyGoodfellow，haddoublyendearedhimtothehonestcitizensoftheborough。Hebecametentimesagreaterfavoritethanever，and，asanaturalresultofthehospitalitywithwhichhewastreated，herelaxed，asitwere，perforce，theextremelyparsimonioushabitswhichhispovertyhadhithertoimpelledhimtoobserve，andveryfrequentlyhadlittlereunionsathisownhouse，whenwitandjollityreignedsupreme-dampenedalittle，ofcourse，bytheoccasionalremembranceoftheuntowardandmelancholyfatewhichimpendedoverthenephewofthelatelamentedbosomfriendofthegeneroushost。
　　Onefineday，thismagnanimousoldgentlemanwasagreeablysurprisedatthereceiptofthefollowingletter：-
　　CharlesGoodfellow，Esq。，RattleboroughFromH。F。B。&Co。
　　Chat。Mar。ANo。1。6doz。bottles1/2Gross
　　{TheaboveinscriptionliesverticallytotheleftofthefollowingletterintheprintversionEd。}
　　_“CharlesGoodfellow，Esquire。_
　　_“DearSirInconformitywithanordertransmittedtoourfirmabouttwomonthssince，byouresteemedcorrespondent，Mr。BarnabusShuttleworthy，wehavethehonorofforwardingthismorning，toyouraddress，adoubleboxofChateau-Margauxoftheantelopebrand，violetseal。Boxnumberedandmarkedaspermargin。_
　　_“Weremain，sir_，_
　　__“Yourmostob’ntser’ts，___“HOGGS，FROGS，BOGS，&CO。
　　“Cityof，June21，18。
　　_“P。S。Theboxwillreachyoubywagon，onthedayafteryourreceiptofthisletter。OurrespectstoMr。Shuttleworthy。_
　　“H。，F。，B。，&CO。”
　　Thefactis，thatMr。Goodfellowhad，sincethedeathofMr。
　　Shuttleworthy，givenoverallexpectationofeverreceivingthepromisedChateau-Margaux；andhe，therefore，lookeduponitnowasasortofespecialdispensationofProvidenceinhisbehalf。Hewashighlydelighted，ofcourse，andintheexuberanceofhisjoyinvitedalargepartyoffriendstoapetitsouperonthemorrow，forthepurposeofbroachingthegoodoldMr。Shuttleworthy’spresent。Notthathesaidanythingabout“thegoodoldMr。Shuttleworthy“whenheissuedtheinvitations。Thefactis，hethoughtmuchandconcludedtosaynothingatall。HedidnotmentiontoanyoneifIrememberarightthathehadreceivedapresentofChateau-Margaux。Hemerelyaskedhisfriendstocomeandhelphimdrinksome，ofaremarkablefinequalityandrichflavour，thathehadorderedupfromthecityacoupleofmonthsago，andofwhichhewouldbeinthereceiptuponthemorrow。Ihaveoftenpuzzledmyselftoimaginewhyitwasthat“OldCharley“cametotheconclusiontosaynothingabouthavingreceivedthewinefromhisoldfriend，butIcouldneverpreciselyunderstandhisreasonforthesilence，althoughhehadsomeexcellentandverymagnanimousreason，nodoubt。
　　Themorrowatlengtharrived，andwithitaverylargeandhighlyrespectablecompanyatMr。Goodfellow’shouse。Indeed，halftheboroughwasthere，Imyselfamongthenumber，but，muchtothevexationofthehost，theChateau-Margauxdidnotarriveuntilalatehour，andwhenthesumptuoussuppersuppliedby“OldCharley“hadbeendoneveryamplejusticebytheguests。Itcameatlength，however，amonstrouslybigboxofittherewas，tooandasthewholepartywereinexcessivelygoodhumor，itwasdecided，nem。con。，thatitshouldbelifteduponthetableanditscontentsdisembowelledforthwith。
　　Nosoonersaidthandone。Ilentahelpinghand；and，inatricewehadtheboxuponthetable，inthemidstofallthebottlesandglasses，notafewofwhichweredemolishedinthescuffle。“OldCharley。”whowasprettymuchintoxicated，andexcessivelyredintheface，nowtookaseat，withanairofmockdignity，attheheadoftheboard，andthumpedfuriouslyuponitwithadecanter，callinguponthecompanytokeeporder“duringtheceremonyofdisinterringthetreasure。”
　　Aftersomevociferation，quietwasatlengthfullyrestored，and，asveryoftenhappensinsimilarcases，aprofoundandremarkablesilenceensued。
　　Beingthenrequestedtoforceopenthelid，Icomplied，ofcourse，“withaninfinitedealofpleasure。”Iinsertedachisel，andgivingitafewslighttapswithahammer，thetopoftheboxflewsuddenlyoff，andatthesameinstant，theresprangupintoasittingposition，directlyfacingthehost，thebruised，bloody，andnearlyputridcorpseofthemurderedMr。Shuttleworthyhimself。Itgazedforafewseconds，fixedlyandsorrowfully，withitsdecayingandlack-lustreeyes，fullintothecountenanceofMr。Goodfellow；utteredslowly，butclearlyandimpressively，thewords“Thouarttheman！”andthen，fallingoverthesideofthechestasifthoroughlysatisfied，stretchedoutitslimbsquiveringlyuponthetable。
　　Thescenethatensuedisaltogetherbeyonddescription。Therushforthedoorsandwindowswasterrific，andmanyofthemostrobustmenintheroomfaintedoutrightthroughsheerhorror。Butafterthefirstwild，shriekingburstofaffright，alleyesweredirectedtoMr。Goodfellow。IfIliveathousandyears，Icanneverforgetthemorethanmortalagonywhichwasdepictedinthatghastlyfaceofhis，solatelyrubicundwithtriumphandwine。Forseveralminuteshesatrigidlyasastatueofmarble；hiseyesseeming，intheintensevacancyoftheirgaze，tobeturnedinwardandabsorbedinthecontemplationofhisownmiserable，murderoussoul。Atlengththeirexpressionappearedtoflashsuddenlyoutintotheexternalworld，when，withaquickleap，hesprangfromhischair，andfallingheavilywithhisheadandshouldersuponthetable，andincontactwiththecorpse，pouredoutrapidlyandvehementlyadetailedconfessionofthehideouscrimeforwhichMr。Pennifeatherwasthenimprisonedanddoomedtodie。
　　Whatherecountedwasinsubstancethis：Hefollowedhisvictimtothevicinityofthepool；thereshothishorsewithapistol；despatcheditsriderwiththebuttend；possessedhimselfofthepocket-book，and，supposingthehorsedead，draggeditwithgreatlabourtothebramblesbythepond。UponhisownbeastheslungthecorpseofMr。Shuttleworthy，andthusboreittoasecureplaceofconcealmentalongdistanceoffthroughthewoods。
　　Thewaistcoat，theknife，thepocket-book，andbullet，hadbeenplacedbyhimselfwherefound，withtheviewofavenginghimselfuponMr。
　　Pennifeather。Hehadalsocontrivedthediscoveryofthestainedhandkerchiefandshirt。
　　Towardstheendoftheblood-churningrecitalthewordsoftheguiltywretchfalteredandgrewhollow。Whentherecordwasfinallyexhausted，hearose，staggeredbackwardfromthetable，andfell-dead。
　　Themeansbywhichthishappily-timedconfessionwasextorted，althoughefficient，weresimpleindeed。Mr。Goodfellow’sexcessoffranknesshaddisgustedme，andexcitedmysuspicionsfromthefirst。IwaspresentwhenMr。Pennifeatherhadstruckhim，andthefiendishexpressionwhichthenaroseuponhiscountenance，althoughmomentary，assuredmethathisthreatofvengeancewould，ifpossible，berigidlyfulfilled。Iwasthuspreparedtoviewthemanoeuveringof“OldCharley“inaverydifferentlightfromthatinwhichitwasregardedbythegoodcitizensofRattleborough。Isawatoncethatallthecriminatingdiscoveriesarose，eitherdirectlyorindirectly，fromhimself。Butthefactwhichclearlyopenedmyeyestothetruestateofthecase，wastheaffairofthebullet，foundbyMr。G。inthecarcassofthehorse。Ihadnotforgotten，althoughtheRattleburghershad，thattherewasaholewheretheballhadenteredthehorse，andanotherwhereitwentout。Ifitwerefoundintheanimalthen，afterhavingmadeitsexit，Isawclearlythatitmusthavebeendepositedbythepersonwhofoundit。Thebloodyshirtandhandkerchiefconfirmedtheideasuggestedbythebullet；forthebloodonexaminationprovedtobecapitalclaret，andnomore。WhenIcametothinkofthesethings，andalsoofthelateincreaseofliberalityandexpenditureonthepartofMr。
　　Goodfellow，IentertainedasuspicionwhichwasnonethelessstrongbecauseIkeptitaltogethertomyself。
　　Inthemeantime，IinstitutedarigorousprivatesearchforthecorpseofMr。Shuttleworthy，and，forgoodreasons，searchedinquartersasdivergentaspossiblefromthosetowhichMr。Goodfellowconductedhisparty。Theresultwasthat，aftersomedays，Icameacrossanolddrywell，themouthofwhichwasnearlyhiddenbybrambles；andhere，atthebottom，IdiscoveredwhatIsought。
　　NowitsohappenedthatIhadoverheardthecolloquybetweenthetwocronies，whenMr。GoodfellowhadcontrivedtocajolehishostintothepromiseofaboxofChateaux-Margaux。UponthishintIacted。Iprocuredastiffpieceofwhalebone，thrustitdownthethroatofthecorpse，anddepositedthelatterinanoldwinebox-takingcaresotodoublethebodyupastodoublethewhalebonewithit。InthismannerIhadtopressforciblyuponthelidtokeepitdownwhileIsecureditwithnails；andI
　　anticipated，ofcourse，thatassoonastheselatterwereremoved，thetopwouldflyoffandthebodyup。
　　Havingthusarrangedthebox，Imarked，numbered，andaddresseditasalreadytold；andthenwritingaletterinthenameofthewinemerchantswithwhomMr。Shuttleworthydealt，IgaveinstructionstomyservanttowheeltheboxtoMr。Goodfellow’sdoor，inabarrow，atagivensignalfrommyself。ForthewordswhichIintendedthecorpsetospeak，I
　　confidentlydependeduponmyventriloquialabilities；fortheireffect，I
　　countedupontheconscienceofthemurderouswretch。
　　Ibelievethereisnothingmoretobeexplained。Mr。Pennifeatherwasreleaseduponthespot，inheritedthefortuneofhisuncle，profitedbythelessonsofexperience，turnedoveranewleaf，andledhappilyeverafterwardanewlife。
　　IT’Sonmyvisitingcardssureenoughandit’sthemthat’sallo’pinksatinpaperthatinnygintlemanthatplasesmaybehouldtheintheristhinwords，“SirPathrickO’Grandison，Barronitt，39SouthamptonRow，RussellSquare，Parrisho’Bloomsbury。”Andshudyebewantin’todiskiverwhoisthepinkofpurlitenessquite，andthelaiderofthehottuninthehoulcityo’Lononwhyit’sjistmesilf。Andfaitthatsameisnowonderatallatallsobeplasedtostopcurlinyournose，foreveryincho’thesixwakesthatI’vebeenagintleman，andleftaffwidthebogthrothingtotakeupwidtheBarronissy，it’sPathrickthat’sbeenlivinglikeahoulyimperor，andgittingtheiddicationandthegraces。Och！andwouldn’titbeablessedthingforyourspirritsifyecudlayyourtwopeepersjist，uponSirPathrickO’Grandison，Barronitt，whenheisallriddydrissedforthehopperer，orstippingintotheBriskyforthedriveintotheHydePark。Butit’stheilligantbigfiggurthatIave，fortherasono’whichalltheladiesfallinlovewidme。Isn’titmyownswatesilfnowthat’llmissurethesixfut，andthethreeinchesmorenorthat，inmestockins，andthatamexcadinglywillproportionedallovertomatch？Anditisralellymorethanthreefutandabitthatthereis，innyhow，ofthelittleouldfurrenerFrinchmanthatlivesjistovertheway，andthat’saogglingandagogglingthehoulday，andbadlucktohim，atthepurtywiddyMisthressTraclethat’smyownnixt-doorneighbor，Godblissher！
　　andamostparticullerfrindandacquaintance？Youpercavethelittlespalpeenissummatdowninthemouth，andwearshislifthandinasling，andit’sforthatsamething，byyurlave，thatI’mgoingtogiveyouthegoodrason。
　　Thetruthofthehoulmatterisjistsimpleenough；fortheveryfirstdaythatIcom’dfromConnaught，andshowdmyswatelittlesilfinthestraittothewiddy，whowaslookingthroughthewindy，itwasagonecasealthegitherwiththehearto’thepurtyMisthressTracle。Ipercavedit，yesee，allatonce，andnomistake，andthat’sGod’struth。Firstofallitwasupwidthewindyinajiffy，andthinshethrewopenhertwopeeperstotheitmost，andthinitwasalittlegouldspy-glassthatsheclappedtighttooneo’themanddivilmayburnmeifitdidn’tspaketomeasplainasapeepercudspake，andsaysit，throughthespy-glass：