he had come to be but the fragment of a human being, a part of one foot having been chopped off by an axe, and an entire hand torn away by the devilish grip of a steam-engine. yet, though the corporeal hand was gone, a spiritual member remained; for, stretching forth the stump, giles steadfastly averred that he felt an invisible thumb and fingers with as vivid a sensation as before the real ones were amputated. a maimed and miserable wretch he was; but one, nevertheless, whom the world could not trample on, and had no right to scorn, either in this or any previous stage of his misfortunes, since he had still kept up the courage and spirit of a man, asked nothing in charity, and with his one hand and that the left one fought a stern battle against want and hostile circumstances.