The Making of A Novelist

"[...]life went unappreciated, and that his long-suffering devotion and the passion of jealousy which at length overcame him might have furnished Shakspeare himself with a theme as terrible as he found in 'Othello.' Anyway, the man was to be hanged and I was deputed to attend the execution. At that time I had never been a witness at a death scene. I have seen thousands hurried out of life since then; and though even now I should [...]."