human
I must point out to you that the man is very ill. Don't treat him harshly.
gpt
I beg your pardon, sir! To treat a poor devil like that harshly! If you pity him, why were you so rough with him? He rubbed a lamp-glass with a coarse rag in order to get the black off.
human
That will do, Trapser.
gpt
Sir, I beg to resign my post.
human
What! exclaimed the judge,
gpt
I respectfully hand in my resignation. He stood up straight as a dart.
human
Do you know, I've got accustomed to most things here in six-and-twenty years, I've seen seventeen hanged--just seventeen, sir. There ought to have been twenty-four, but seven were granted imprisonment for life. They're still undergoing that mercy. Do you know, sir, it's a miserable calling! But as to that Ferleitner, I never afore saw anything like him. What has he done, I ask you? He's done nothing. You see we've had quite different gallows-birds here. A speculator who had ruined six families and driven the seventh to suicide--eight months. A student with two duel murders on his conscience--six months. But he is there now--because he's done nothing, it seems to me. Well, the long and the short of it is, it horrifies me.
gpt
Always the same in temper and disposition, you old bear! God keep you! And then a kindly tap on the shoulder. The attempt at resignation was again met with a refusal. The judge formally put it aside. But the old man growled on for a long time.
human
Old bear! old bear! That's his whole stock of wit every time, I'll show him the old bear. Good God! that's how things are with us!