the　mob　that　applauded　at　the　execution　of　Burke　called
  loudly　for　the　blood　of　his　employer。　　But　Mr。　K…　was　then　at
  the　top　of　his　vogue；　he　enjoyed　a　popularity　due　partly　to
  his　own　talent　and　address；　partly　to　the　incapacity　of　his
  rival；　the　university　professor。　　The　students；　at　least；
  swore　by　his　name；　and　Fettes　believed　himself；　and　was
  believed　by　others；　to　have　laid　the　foundations　of　success
  when　he　had　acquired　the　favour　of　this　meteorically　famous
  man。　　Mr。　K…　was　a　BON　VIVANT　as　well　as　an　accomplished
  teacher；　he　liked　a　sly　illusion　no　less　than　a　careful
  preparation。　　In　both　capacities　Fettes　enjoyed　and　deserved
  his　notice；　and　by　the　second　year　of　his　attendance　he　held
  the　half…regular　position　of　second　demonstrator　or　sub…
  assistant　in　his　class。
  In　this　capacity　the　charge　of　the　theatre　and　lecture…room
  devolved　in　particular　upon　his　shoulders。　　He　had　to　answer
  for　the　cleanliness　of　the　premises　and　the　conduct　of　the
  other　students；　and　it　was　a　part　of　his　duty　to　supply；
  receive；　and　divide　the　various　subjects。　　It　was　with　a　view
  to　this　last　…　at　that　time　very　delicate　…　affair　that　he
  was　lodged　by　Mr。　K…　in　the　same　wynd；　and　at　last　in　the
  same　building；　with　the　dissecting…rooms。　　Here；　after　a
  night　of　turbulent　pleasures；　his　hand　still　tottering；　his
  sight　still　misty　and　confused；　he　would　be　called　out　of　bed
  in　the　black　hours　before　the　winter　dawn　by　the　unclean　and
  desperate　interlopers　who　supplied　the　table。　　He　would　open
  the　door　to　these　men；　since　infamous　throughout　the　land。
  He　would　help　them　with　their　tragic　burden；　pay　them　their
  sordid　price；　and　remain　alone；　when　they　were　gone；　with　the
  unfriendly　relics　of　humanity。　　From　such　a　scene　he　would
  return　to　snatch　another　hour　or　two　of　slumber；　to　repair
  the　abuses　of　the　night；　and　refresh　himself　for　the　labours
  of　the　day。
  Few　lads　could　have　been　more　insensible　to　the　impressions
  of　a　life　thus　passed　among　the　ensigns　of　mortality。　　His
  mind　was　closed　against　all　general　considerations。　　He　was
  incapable　of　interest　in　the　fate　and　fortunes　of　another；
  the　slave　of　his　own　desires　and　low　ambitions。　　Cold；　light；
  and　selfish　in　the　last　resort；　he　had　that　modicum　of
  prudence；　miscalled　morality；　which　keeps　a　man　from
  inconvenient　drunkenness　or　punishable　theft。　　He　coveted；
  besides；　a　measure　of　consideration　from　his　masters　and　his
  fellow…pupils；　and　he　had　no　desire　to　fail　conspicuously　in
  the　external　parts　of　life。　　Thus　he　made　it　his　pleasure　to
  gain　some　distinction　in　his　studies；　and　day　after　day
  rendered　unimpeachable　eye…service　to　his　employer；　Mr。　K…。
  For　his　day　of　work　he　indemnified　himself　by　nights　of
  roaring；　blackguardly　enjoyment；　and　when　that　balance　had
  been　struck；　the　organ　that　he　called　his　conscience　declared
  itself　content。
  The　supply　of　subjects　was　a　continual　trouble　to　him　as　well
  as　to　his　master。　　In　that　large　and　busy　class；　the　raw
  material　of　the　anatomists　kept　perpetually　running　out；　and
  the　business　thus　rendered　necessary　was　not　only　unpleasant
  in　itself；　but　threatened　dangerous　consequences　to　all　who
  were　concerned。　　It　was　the　policy　of　Mr。　K…　to　ask　no
  questions　in　his　dealings　with　the　trade。　　'They　bring　the
  body；　and　we　pay　the　price；'　he　used　to　say；　dwelling　on　the
  alliteration　…　'QUID　PRO　QUO。'　　And；　again；　and　somewhat
  profanely；　'Ask　no　questions；'　he　would　tell　his　assistants；
  'for　conscience'　sake。'　　There　was　no　understanding　that　the
  subjects　were　provided　by　the　crime　of　murder。　　Had　that　idea
  been　broached　to　him　in　words；　he　would　have　recoiled　in
  horror；　but　the　lightness　of　his　speech　upon　so　grave　a
  matter　was；　in　itself；　an　offence　against　good　manners；　and　a
  temptation　to　the　men　with　whom　he　dealt。　　Fettes；　for
  instance；　had　often　remarked　to　himself　upon　the　singular
  freshness　of　the　bodies。　　He　had　been　struck　again　and　again
  by　the　hang…dog；　abominable　looks　of　the　ruffians　who　came　to
  him　before　the　dawn；　and　putting　things　together　clearly　in
  his　private　thoughts；　he　perhaps　attributed　a　meaning　too
  immoral　and　too　categorical　to　the　unguarded　counsels　of　his
  master。　　He　understood　his　duty；　in　short；　to　have　three
  branches：　to　take　what　was　brought；　to　pay　the　price；　and　to
  avert　the　eye　from　any　evidence　of　crime。
  One　November　morning　this　policy　of　silence　was　put　sharply
  to　the　test。　　He　had　been　awake　all　night　with　a　racking
  toothache　…　pacing　his　room　like　a　caged　beast　or　throwing
  himself　in　fury　on　his　bed　…　and　had　fallen　at　last　into　that
  profound；　uneasy　slumber　that　so　often　follows　on　a　night　of
  pain；　when　he　was　awakened　by　the　third　or　fourth　angry
  repetition　of　the　concerted　signal。　　There　was　a　thin；　bright
  moonshine；　it　was　bitter　cold；　windy；　and　frosty；　the　town
  had　not　yet　awakened；　but　an　indefinable　stir　already
  preluded　the　noise　and　business　of　the　day。　　The　ghouls　had
  come　later　than　usual；　and　they　seemed　more　than　usually
  eager　to　be　gone。　　Fettes；　sick　with　sleep；　lighted　them
  upstairs。　　He　heard　their　grumbling　Irish　voices　through　a
  dream；　and　as　they　stripped　the　sack　from　their　sad
  merchandise　he　leaned　dozing；　with　his　shoulder　propped
  against　the　wall；　he　had　to　shake　himself　to　find　the　men
  their　money。　　As　he　did　so　his　eyes　lighted　on　the　dead　face。
  He　started；　he　took　two　steps　nearer；　with　the　candle　raised。
  'God　Almighty！'　he　cried。　　'That　is　Jane　Galbraith！'
  The　men　answered　nothing；　but　they　shuffled　nearer　the　door。
  'I　know　her；　I　tell　you；'　he　continued。　　'She　was　alive　and
  hearty　yesterday。　　It's　impossible　she　can　be　dead；　it's
  impossible　you　should　have　got　this　body　fairly。'
  'Sure；　sir；　you're　mistaken　entirely；'　said　one　of　the　men。
  But　the　other　looked　Fettes　darkly　in　the　eyes；　and　demanded
  the　money　on　the　spot。
  It　was　impossible　to　misconceive　the　threat　or　to　exaggerate
  the　danger。　　The　lad's　heart　failed　him。　　He　stammered　some
  excuses；　counted　out　the　sum；　and　saw　his　hateful　visitors
  depart。　　No　sooner　were　they　gone　than　he　hastened　to　confirm
  his　doubts。　　By　a　dozen　unquestionable　marks　he　identified
  the　girl　he　had　jested　with　the　day　before。　　He　saw；　with
  horror；　marks　upon　her　body　that　might　well　betoken　violence。
  A　panic　seized　him；　and　he　took　refuge　in　his　room。　　There　he
  reflected　at　length　over　the　discovery　that　he　had　made；
  considered　soberly　the　bearing　of　Mr。　K…'s　instructions　and
  the　danger　to　himself　of　interference　in　so　serious　a
  business；　and　at　last；　in　sore　perplexity；　determined　to　wait
  for　the　advice　of　his　immediate　superior；　the　class
  assistant。
  This　was　a　young　doctor；　Wolfe　Macfarlane；　a　high　favourite
  among　all　the　reckless　students；　clever；　dissipated；　and
  unscrupulous　to　the　last　degree。　　He　had　travelled　and
  studied　abroad。　　His　manners　were　agreeable　and　a　little
  forward。　　He　was　an　authority　on　the　stage；　skilful　on　the
  ice　or　the　links　with　skate　or　golf…club；　he　dressed　with
  nice　audacity；　and；　to　put　the　finishing　touch　upon　his
  glory；　he　kept　a　gig　and　a　strong　trotting…horse。　　With
  Fettes　he　was　on　terms　of　intimacy；　indeed；　their　relative
  positions　called　for　some　community　of　life；　and　when
  subjects　were　scarce　the　pair　would　drive　far　into　the
  country　in　Macfarlane's　gig；　visit　and　desecrate　some　lonely
  graveyard；　and　return　before　dawn　with　their　booty　to　the
  door　of　the　dissecting…room。
  On　that　particular　morning　Macfarlane　arrived　somewhat
  earlier　than　his　wont。　　Fettes　heard　him；　and　met　him　on　the
  stairs；　told　him　his　story；　and　showed　him　the　cause　of　his
  alarm。　　Macfarlane　examined　the　marks　on　her　body。
  'Yes；'　he　said　with　a　nod；　'it　looks　fishy。'
  'Well；　what　should　I　do？'　asked　Fettes。
  'Do？'　repeated　the　other。　　'Do　you　want　to　do　anything？
  Least　said　soonest　mended；　I　should　say。'
  'Some　one　else　might　recognise　her；'　objected　Fettes。　　'She
  was　as　well　known　as　the　Castle　Rock。'
  'We'll　hope　not；'　said　Macfarlane；　'and　if　anybody　does　…
  well；　you　didn't；　don't　you　see；　and　there's　an　end。　　The
  fact　is；　this　has　been　going　on　too　long。　　Stir　up　the　mud；
  and　you'll　get　K…　into　the　most　unholy　trouble；　you'll　be　in
  a　shocking　box　yourself。　　So　will　I；　if　you　come　to　that。　　I
  should　like　to　know　how　any　one　of　us　would　look；　or　what　the
  devil　we　should　have　to　say　for　ourselves；　in　any　Christian
  witness…box。　　For　me；　you　know　there's　one　thing　certain　…
  that；　practically　speaking；　all　our　subjects　have　been
  murdered。'
  'Macfarlane！'　cried　Fettes。
  'Come　now！'　sneered　the　other。　　'As　if　you　hadn't　suspected
  it　yourself！'
  'Suspecting　is　one　thing　…　'
  'And　proof　another。　　Yes；　I　know；　and　I'm　as　sorry　as　you　are
  this　should　have　come　here；'　tapping　the　body　with　his　cane。
  'The　next　best　thing　for　me　is　not　to　recognise　it；　and；'　he
  added　coolly；　'I　don't。　　You　may；　if　you　please。　　I　don't