one morning , in cool blood , i slipped a noose about its neck and hung it to the limb of a tree ; -- hung it with the tears streaming from my eyes , and with the bitterest remorse at my heart ; -- hung it because i knew that it had loved me , and because i felt it had given me no reason of offence ; -- hung it because i knew that in so doing i was committing a sin -- a deadly sin that would so jeopardize my immortal soul as to place it -- if such a thing wore possible -- even beyond the reach of the infinite mercy of the most merciful and most terrible god .