Suppose that in Newgate jail, in London, there is a prisoner condemned to death; he is to be executed in a week. Suppose I were near the Queen and she were to say: "Would you like to take a message to that man, a free pardon?" "Yes, I would like it very much." "Well, but he is a very obstinate man, and if you go, you must go in my name, and beg and beseech him to accept the pardon." So I agree to this, and I get the pardon signed and sealed up all right. I take the train to London, and get into a coach to drive to the prison. On the way I stop at a florist's and buy the finest bouquet of flowers I can get; then I go to another shop and say: "Have you any nice new songs, nice cheerful ones?" "Yes, we have some very nice ones." Well, I buy half a dozen, and so with the beautiful flowers in one hand and the songs in the other, I go to the prison gate. I knock; the turnkey says: "What do you want?" I show him the Queen's order for admittance, and he lets me in, and takes me to the condemned criminal's cell; he opens the door, and lets me in beside the manacled prisoner, and he tells me I have only a short time, say thirty minutes, to stay there. Well, I begin and say to the poor man, "My friend, I have seen the Queen." "Have you?" he says. "Yes." And then I begin to tell him about the Queen, about the palace, and to describe the pictures and the gardens. Then I tell him of the Queen's kindness to me, and so the time passes away. Then I say: "Here's a nice bouquet of flowers I have brought you." He stretches out his hand with the clanking irons on it and takes the flowers. "Now I have some nice songs; shall I sing them?" "You may sing if you like." So I sing one after the other, and by and by, when I have nearly finished the last one the turnkey comes and says: Time's up. You can't stop another minute." "Well," I say "haven't I entertained you nicely?" "Oh, yes, you have." Then I go out, the door is shut, the great iron gate is closed after me; and all the time I had the pardon in my pocket. I was to have prayed and besought him to accept it, but I never mentioned it. I have entertained him nicely; but I have not given the message. I was to have begged and reasoned with him to receive the pardon; but I have not spoken of it. Have I been faithful? No, I have not. Am I not as bad as the man himself? Is not his blood upon me?