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Windows 7 Tweaks A Comprehensive Guide on
Customizing Increasing Performance and Securing
Microsoft Windows 7 Steve Sinchak Digital Instant
Download
Author(s): Steve Sinchak
ISBN(s): 9780470525913, 0470525916
Edition: Original
File Details: PDF, 7.81 MB
Year: 2009
Language: english
Windows® 7 Tweaks
Published by
Wiley Publishing, Inc.
10475 Crosspoint Boulevard
Indianapolis, IN 46256
www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published simultaneously in Canada
ISBN: 978-0-470-52591-3
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form
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mentioned in this book.
xiv Contents at a Glance

Chapter 15 Optimizing Core Windows Components 263

Chapter 16 Optimizing Your Network 281

Part IV Securing Windows 293

Chapter 17 Windows Security 295
Chapter 18 Internet Security 319
Chapter 19 Protecting Your Privacy 337

Index 355
xvi Contents

Part II Customizing Windows 7 29

Chapter 4 Customizing the Startup 31
Customizing the Logon Screen 31
Changing User Pictures 32
Hiding Users on the Logon Screen 33
Clearing the Last User Logon 35
Changing the Logon Screen Screensaver 36
Displaying a Security Message 37
Enabling Num Lock by Default 38
Changing the Logon Screen Background 39
Summary 41
Chapter 5 Customizing User Navigation 43
Customizing the Start Menu 43
Customizing Navigation Shortcuts 44
Customizing the Frequently Run Programs List 46
Customizing the Program List and Search 51
Customizing the Taskbar 53
Pinning Applications 54
Modifying Icon Locations 55
Tweaking Jump Lists 55
Enable Classic Taskbar Look and Behavior 57
Customize Taskbar Icon Sizes 57
Tweaking Taskbar Preview Delay 58
Restore Classic Quick Launch Bar 59
Modifying the Taskbar Location 60
Customizing the Notification Area 60
Using Group Policy Editor to Customize the
Start Menu and Taskbar 62
Setting Policies with the Group Policy Editor 63
Start Menu and Taskbar Policies 64
Summary 69
Chapter 6 Personalizing the Desktop 71
Customizing the Desktop Icons 71
Removing All Icons from the Desktop 72
Customizing the Icon Drop Shadow Effect 72
Displaying Windows System and User Icons on the Desktop 73
Adjusting the Size of Desktop Icons 74
Renaming the Recycle Bin 75
Removing the Shortcut Arrow from Icons on the Desktop 76
Customizing the Icons 76
Customizing the Desktop 79
Automatically Rotate Your Wallpaper 79
Using Desktop Gadgets 80
Summary 86
 Contents xvii

Chapter 7 Customizing the Appearance of the Windows Interface 87

Working with Themes 87
Changing the Current Theme 88
Downloading More Themes 89
Making Your Own Theme 89
Automatic RSS Background Themes 95
Customizing Aero Glass 96
Tweaking the Color of Aero Glass 97
Changing the Aero Glass Borders 98
Disabling Animations 100
Disabling Aero Glass 101
Skinning Windows 7 101
Using Hacked Visual Styles 102
Changing the Look of Windows 7 Via WindowBlinds 103
Adding More Skins for WindowBlinds 104
Summary 105
Chapter 8 Fine-Tuning Windows Explorer 107
Customizing Windows Layout 107
Customizing Panes 108
Tweaking Search 110
Modifying File Associations 114
Changing the Default Launch App 114
Customizing the Context Menu 115
Removing Items from the Context Menu 116
Modifying the Send To Menu 117
Working with Libraries 118
Creating Your Own Libraries 118
Customizing Your Folders 119
Changing a Folder Icon and Picture 119
Changing the Template of a Folder 120
Customizing the Folder View 121
Applying Your Settings to All Folders 124
Working with Hidden Files 125
Showing Hidden Files 125
Revealing the Super Hidden Files 126
Summary 127
Chapter 9 Personalizing Internet Explorer 8 129
Customizing Search 129
Adding Popular Search Engines 130
Managing Your Configured Search Engines 131
Adding Custom Search Entries 131
Creating Registry Files to Import Sites to Search 132
Tweaking the Tabs 133
Tab Keyboard Shortcuts 133
Multitab Home Pages 134
Customizing Tabs 135
xviii Contents

Fun with RSS 137

Subscribing to Feeds 137
Viewing Your IE-Subscribed RSS Feeds on Your Desktop 138
Customizing Feed Settings 139
Using Add-ons in Internet Explorer 140
Using ieSpell 140
Using RoboForm 141
Advanced Internet Explorer 8 Features 141
Using Accelerators 141
Using Web Slices 143
Summary 144
Chapter 10 Customizing Windows Media 145
Adjusting Your Audio Experience 145
Bass Boost 147
Virtual Surround 147
Room Correction 147
Loudness Equalization 149
Headphone Virtualization 149
Customizing Windows Media Player 12 149
Tweaking the UI 149
Sharing Your Library 151
Sharing Your Library over the Internet 153
Using Audio Effects 154
Customizing Media Center 157
Turning Your PC into a DVR 157
Summary 164
Part III Increasing Your System’s Performance 165
Chapter 11 Analyzing Your System 167
Monitoring Your System Hardware 167
Using the Resource Monitor 168
Using Performance Monitor to Get More System Stats 173
Using the Reliability Monitor 179
Using Event Viewer 180
Using Task Manager 183
Other Performance Monitoring Utilities 186
Benchmarking Your System 186
Windows Experience Index 187
Benchmarking with PCMark Vantage 189
Summary 191
Chapter 12 Speeding Up the System Boot 193
Working with the BIOS 193
Changing the Boot Order of Your Drives 194
Using Quick Boot Feature of the BIOS 196
 Contents xix

Modifying the Operating System Boot 197

Windows Boot Manager 198
Disabling the System Boot Screen 200
Disabling Unneeded Hardware Devices 202
Removing Extra Fonts for Speed 204
Disabling Unneeded Services 207
Optimizing the Location of the Boot Files 222
Summary 226
Chapter 13 Making Your Computer Log On Faster 227
Speeding Up the Logon 228
Enabling Automatic Logon 228
Adjust the Startup Programs 229
Customizing Auto-Start Programs for Other Users 238
Other Time-Saving Tips 239
Assigning Alternative IP Addresses 239
Turning Off the Logon Sound 241
Summary 242
Chapter 14 Speeding Up Windows Explorer 243
Speeding Up File Browsing and Access 243
Disabling Legacy Filename Creation 244
Disabling the File Access Timestamp 247
Adjusting NTFS Memory Allocation 248
Speeding Up the User Interface 250
Fine-Tuning Performance Options 251
Adjusting Animations 251
Disabling Aero Glass for Faster Performance 255
Windows Classic Look for Maximum Performance 257
Adjusting Explorer’s Search 258
Adjusting Search Scope 258
Adjusting Windows Indexing Service 259
Using Windows Search without an Index 261
Summary 261
Chapter 15 Optimizing Core Windows Components 263
Windows Loves RAM 264
Adding RAM to Your Computer 264
Using a USB Storage Device to Add Memory 266
Tweaking the Paging File 268
Disabling the Paging File 269
Adjusting the Size of the Paging File 271
Changing the Location of the Paging File 273
Defragmenting Your Hard Drive 274
Using the Windows Defrag Utility 275
Using Third-Party Defrag Utilities 275
xx Contents

Adjusting Your Application Priorities 277

Using Task Manager to Adjust Priorities 278
Starting Applications with a User Set Priority 279
Summary 280
Chapter 16 Optimizing Your Network 281
Optimizing Your Web Browser 281
Speeding Up Internet Explorer 282
Speeding Up Firefox 283
Accelerating Your Downloads 285
Speeding Up Your Network Connection 288
Tweaking Auto Tuning 289
Disabling Unneeded Protocols 289
Summary 292
Part IV Securing Windows 293
Chapter 17 Windows Security 295
Actively Protecting Your Computer 296
Staying Up-to-Date 296
Updating Windows 7 297
Active Security Tips 299
Controlling Your Computer Accounts 301
Managing User Accounts 301
Tweaking User Account Control 307
Controlling User Account Control 307
Using File Encryption 312
Encrypting Your Files 312
Using BitLocker Drive Encryption 315
Summary 318
Chapter 18 Internet Security 319
Analyzing Your Security 319
Testing Internet Security 320
Watch the Action Center 321
Using a Firewall 323
Using the Windows 7 Firewall 323
Web Browser Security 327
Internet Explorer 8 327
Defending against Spyware and Malware 330
Using Windows Defender 331
Using Antivirus Software 333
Using avast! Antivirus Software 333
Summary 335
Chapter 19 Protecting Your Privacy 337
Internet Explorer Privacy 337
Removing Address Bar Suggestions 338
Clearing Temporary Internet Files, History, and Cookies 339
 Contents xxi

Adjusting Your Cookie Security Policy 341

Protecting Sensitive Online Data 343
Disabling AutoComplete 344
Clearing Temporary Internet Files Automatically 344
Running Internet Explorer 8 in Super Privacy Mode 345
Windows Interface Privacy 346
Clearing Frequently Run and Opened Files Lists
Including Jump Lists 347
Removing Specific Entries from Taskbar Jump Lists 348
Removing Temporary Files from Your Hard Drive 349
Removing Saved Passwords with Credential Manager 350
Setting File and Folder Permissions 352
Summary 354
Index 355
xxiv Introduction

While the majority of users may prefer to do a task one way, others may pre-
fer a completely different way. The same goes for the appearance of the user
interface. Everyone has different preferences and likes different things. This is
where Windows 7 Tweaks will help you customize Windows 7 so it is tuned
just for you. I show you how to customize almost every aspect of Windows. By
the time you are finished with this book, your Windows 7 will look and feel as
if Microsoft designed it just for you.
As I mentioned earlier, performance has been greatly improved in Windows 7,
driven by performance data and focused optimization. The result provides a much
better experience than Windows Vista, but there are still many features that you
may not use that contribute to slower performance, depending on how you use
your computer. This book is going to help you cut the fat and help you improve
the performance of Windows 7 even further. I guide you through speeding up
Windows 7 from the boot to the core Windows components.
Security is another important topic with Windows, in general. Windows XP had
a horrible security track record when it was first released, with numerous viruses
attacking and crippling the OS. I remember setting up a brand new Windows XP
computer for a neighbor that was compromised within seconds of connecting to
the Internet, before I could even run Windows Update on it. The major update
known as Windows XP Service Pack 2 fixed a lot of the major security holes, but
the OS was far from perfect. Windows Vista shifted the security pendulum far
in the other direction aiming to increase security significantly, but at the cost of
annoying so much that many simply turned off the security features. Learning
from past mistakes, and also from data collected from the beta and RC users,
Microsoft has found a good balance of security and annoyance in Windows 7.
It’s not perfect, but it is significantly better than Windows XP or Windows Vista.
This book shows you how to use and configure Windows 7 security features and
increase the security of your computer.
Are you ready to customize, speed up, and secure your Windows 7 computer?
Read on to get started!

Who Should Read This Book

This book is intended for all Windows 7 users who are interested in customizing,
improving the performance of, and using the latest security features and tools
to secure Windows 7. Previous Windows experience is necessary for this book.
Most of the topics in this book are geared toward a more advanced Windows
user, but every section is written in a way that even beginner Windows users
can understand and complete.
 Introduction xxv

How This Book Is Organized

In this book you will find 19 chapters spread across four parts. Each part
covers a different theme and each chapter is broken into sections supporting
the chapter’s topic.

Part I: Getting Started with Windows 7

Chapter 1 will begin with an introduction to the many versions of Windows 7
and will make sure that you select the right version. Chapter 2 will guide you
through the different methods to install Windows 7 and Chapter 3 will show
you how to tweak your computer safely using proper backup precautions.

Part II: Customizing Windows 7

The second part will help you customize the look and behavior of just about
every component of Windows 7. Chapter 4 will begin showing you how to cus-
tomize the startup of your computer. Chapter 5 covers customizing user navi-
gation elements, such as the Start menu and the Taskbar. Chapter 6 shows you
how to customize the desktop, and Chapter 7 guides you through using themes
and skinning the interface. Chapter 8 will help you fine tune the Windows
explorer interface, and Chapter 9 will customize Internet Explorer 8. Chapter 10
is all about customizing your Windows Media experience, including tweaking
Windows Media Player and Media Center.

Part III: Increasing System Performance

The third part of Windows 7 Tweaks is all about increasing the power of your
computer. Chapter 11 will help you analyze your system’s performance and
identify bottlenecks. Chapter 12 guides you through improving boot speed,
and Chapter 13 will help with logon speed. Chapter 14 will target streamlining
Windows Explorer, and Chapter 15 will cover optimizing the core Windows
components, such as the file system and RAM. The attention turns to network
performance in Chapter 16.

Part IV: Securing Your System

The final section will help you improve the security of your computer and main-
tain a secure operating environment. Chapter 17 guides you through actively
protecting your data and also controlling one of the most talked about features,
User Account Control. Chapter 18 will focus on Internet and network security,
and Chapter 19 will help you protect your privacy by clearing history data
from Windows 7.
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if I did Reginald any wrong, he is amply avenged. One thing seems
certain—he has retained the secret of the means by which he
obtained the poison. He has not compromised me there; or else this
harsh man would have been only too glad to throw that also in my
teeth. Thus, my position might have been worse!"
Such was the substance of Lady Cecilia Harborough's musing
during the absence of the lawyer.
This absence lasted nearly a quarter of an hour; and then he
returned to the office.
He held an open letter in his hand.
"Lady Cecilia Harborough," he said, in a tone of increased
sternness, "the measure of your guilt is now so full, that justice
demands an explanation at your hands."
"Justice, sir!" faltered the frail woman, an icy coldness striking to
her heart.
"Yes, madam," answered the lawyer; "and even from the grave
will the wrongs of Reginald Tracy cry out against you."
"My God! what do you mean?" she exclaimed, her pallor now
becoming actually livid.
"Before Reginald Tracy took the poison which hurried him to his
last account," continued the solicitor in a low and solemn tone, "he
wrote two letters. These were found upon the table in his cell. One
was to Katherine Wilmot—the other was to me. The governor of
Newgate has just been with me, and has delivered to me this last
communication from my poor friend."
"The governor of Newgate!" repeated Cecilia, now overwhelmed
with vague terrors.
"Yes, madam: and the contents are to inform me that you—you,
madam, with an assumed name, and passing yourself off as Mr.
Tracy's sister, visited him twice in his cell, and, on the latter
occasion, furnished him with the means of self-destruction."
"Heaven protect me! it is but too true!" cried Cecilia; and,
throwing herself upon her knees before the lawyer, she almost
shrieked the words, "You would not give me up to justice, sir—you
will not betray me?"
 "No, madam," answered Mr. Wharton; "I had punished you
sufficiently when these tidings arrived."
"Thank you, sir—thank you," cried Cecilia, rising from her knees.
"But the governor of Newgate——"
"Is gone, madam. I did not tell him that you were here. I must,
however, warn you that I communicated to him, as in duty bound,
the contents of this letter."
"Then he is aware that I——"
"He is aware that you conveyed the poison to Reginald Tracy; and
the officers of justice will be in search of you in another hour,"
replied the lawyer, coldly.
"My God! what will become of me?" ejaculated Cecilia, now
pushed to an extremity which she never had contemplated.
"I would not say that you were here, madam," continued the
lawyer, "because Reginald Tracy had contemplated making me the
means of handing you over to the grasp of justice; and I am sorry
that he should so far have misunderstood me. I now comprehend
why he directed you to come hither. He thought that his letter would
reach me earlier—before you came, and that I should be the willing
instrument of his vengeance. I will not show you the letter, because
he has mistaken me—he has misunderstood me; and for this reason
alone—and for no merciful feeling towards you—have I shielded you
thus far. Now go, madam: when once you are away from this house,
you must adopt the best measures you can devise to ensure your
safety."
"But can you not counsel me, sir—will you not direct me how to
act?" cried Cecilia: "I am bewildered—I know not what step to take!"
"I have no counsel to offer, madam," returned the lawyer, briefly.
Cecilia could not mistake the meaning conveyed by this tone.
She rose; and bowing in a constrained manner to the solicitor, left
the office.
But when she found herself in the street, she was cruelly
embarrassed how to act.
She dared not return home; the paternal door had long been
closed against her; she had not a friend—and she had not a
resource.
 A few sovereigns in her purse were all her available means.
She thought of quitting the country at once, and proceeding to
join her husband, whom she knew to be in Paris.
But how would he receive her? The newspapers would soon be
busy with her name; and Sir Rupert was not the man to burden
himself with a woman penniless in purse and ruined in reputation.
For an instant she thought of Greenwood; but this idea was
discarded almost as soon as entertained. She was aware of his utter
heartlessness, and felt confident that he would repulse her coldly
from his dwelling.
To whom could she apply? whither was she to betake herself?
And yet concealment was necessary—oh! she must hide
somewhere!
The feelings of this woman were terrible beyond description.
And now she was walking rapidly along the streets towards
London Bridge; for the idea of quitting the country was uppermost in
her mind.
Her veil was drawn carefully over her countenance; and yet she
trembled at every policeman whom she passed.
She was hurrying down Gracechurch Street, when she heard
herself called by name.
She knew the voice, and turned round, saying to herself, "Help
may come from this quarter!"
It was the old hag who had spoken to her.
"My good woman," said Lady Cecilia hastily, "all is known—all is
discovered!"
"What is known?" asked the old hag, in her usual imperturbable
tone.
"It is known that I conveyed the poison, which you procured for
me, to Reginald Tracy," replied Cecilia, in a hoarse whisper. "You
have heard that he is dead?"
"I heard that last evening," said the hag. "What are you going to
do?"
"To hide myself from the officers of justice," returned Cecilia. "But
step into this court, or we shall be observed."
The old woman followed the unhappy lady under an archway.
 "I must conceal myself—at least for the present," resumed Cecilia.
"Will you grant me an asylum?"
"I! my dear lady!" ejaculated the hag, shaking her head
ominously: "I am in danger myself—I am in danger myself! Did I not
procure you the poison?"
"True. But I would not betray you."
"No—we must each shift for ourselves—we must each shift for
ourselves, as best we can," replied the hag flatly. "Indeed, I may as
well remind you, Lady Cecilia, that your day is gone—you are ruined
—and, if you had any spirit, you would not survive it!"
"My God! what do you mean?" faltered Cecilia, in a faint tone.
"The river is deep, or the Monument is high," answered the hag,
in a significant tone; "and you are near both!"
The wrinkled old harridan then hobbled out of the court as quickly
as her rheumatic limbs would carry her.
"Even she deserts me!" murmured Cecilia to herself, and with
difficulty suppressing an ebullition of feeling which would have
attracted notice, and probably led to her detection: "even she
deserts me! My God—is there nothing left to me but suicide? No—
nothing!"
Her countenance wore, beneath her veil, an expression of blank
despair, as she arrived at this appalling conviction; and for some
moments she stood as if rooted to the spot.
"No—nothing left but that," she murmured, awaking from her
temporary stupefaction: "nothing—nothing!"
And although these words were uttered in the lowest whisper, still
it seemed as if she shrieked them within herself.
Then she hurried from the court.
"The river—or the Monument," she said, as she continued her
rapid way: "the river is near—but the Monument is nearer. Drowning
must be slow and painful—the other will be instantaneous. From the
river I might be rescued; but no human power can snatch me from
death during a fall from that dizzy height."
And she glanced upwards to the colossal pillar whose base she
had now reached.
 At that moment two men, evidently belonging to the working
classes, passed her.
A portion of their conversation met her ears.
"And so she was not his sister, then?" said one.
"No such thing," replied the other. "I heard the governor of
Newgate tell all about it to one of the City officers scarcely half an
hour ago. The governor was coming out of a lawyer's house—Tracy's
lawyer, I believe—and the City officer was waiting for him at the
door. He then told him that it was a lady of fashion—with a name
something like Cecilia Scarborough, I think——"
The men were now too far for the wretched woman to hear any
more of their conversation.
"Merciful heavens!" she said, scarcely able to prevent herself from
wringing her hands; "even at this moment I am not safe!"
Then, without farther hesitation, she passed round the base of the
Monument, and crossed the threshold.
"Sixpence, if you please, ma'am," said the man who received the
fees from visitors.
Lady Cecilia exercised an almost superhuman power over her
distracted feelings, so as to appear composed, while she drew forth
the coin from her purse.
"It's a fine day to view London, ma'am," said the man, as he took
the money.
"Beautiful," answered Cecilia.
She then began the tedious ascent.
And now what awful emotions laboured in her breast as she toiled
up that winding staircase.
"My God! my God!" she murmured to herself; "is it indeed come to
this?"
Once she was compelled to stop and lean against the wall for
support.
Then she wrung her hands in agony—indescribable agony of mind.
"And yet there is no alternative!" she thought; "none—none! But
my mother—my poor mother! what will be her feelings? Oh! better
to know that I am dead, than an inmate of Newgate!"
 And, somewhat encouraged in her dreadful purpose by this idea,
she pursued her way.
In a few moments the fresh air blew in her face.
She was near the top!
A dozen more steps—and the brilliant sun-light burst upon her
eyes.
It was indeed a lovely morning; and the Thames appeared like a
huge serpent of quicksilver, meandering its way amidst the myriads
of buildings that stretched on either side, far as the eye could reach.
The din of the huge city reached the ears of the wretched woman
who now stood upon that tremendous eminence.
All was life—bustle—business—activity below!
And above was the serene blue sky of an early spring, illuminated
by the bright and cloudless sun.
"But yesterday," thought Cecilia, as she surveyed the exciting
scene spread beneath her, "had any one said to me, 'Thou wilt seek
death to-morrow,' I should have ridiculed the idea. And yet it has
come to this! Oh! it is hard to quit this world of pleasure—to leave
that city of enjoyment! Never more to behold that gorgeous sun—
never more to hear those busy sounds! But if I hesitate, my heart
will turn coward; and then—Newgate—Newgate!"
These last words were uttered aloud in the shrill and piercing
tones of despair.
She clasped her hands together, and prayed for a few moments.
Then, as if acting by a sudden impulse,—as if afraid to trust
herself with the thoughts that were crowding into her mind,—she
placed her hands upon the railing.
One leap—and she stood upon the rail.
For a single instant she seemed as if she would fall backwards
upon the platform of the Monument; and her arms were agitated
convulsively, like the motions of one who endeavours to gain a lost
balance.
Then she sprang forwards.
Terrific screams burst from her lips as she rolled over and over in
her precipitate whirl.
Down she fell!
 Her head dashed against the pavement, at a distance of three
yards from the base of the Monument.
Her brains were scattered upon the stones.
She never moved from the moment she touched the ground:—the
once gay, sprightly, beautiful patrician lady was no more!
A crowd instantaneously collected around her; and horror was
depicted on every countenance, save one, that gazed upon the sad
spectacle.
And that one wretch who showed no feeling, was the old hag of
Golden Lane.
"She cannot now betray me for procuring the poison," thought the
vile harridan, as she calmly contemplated the mangled corpse at her
feet.
 CHAPTER CLXII.

THE BEQUEST.

Two days after the suicide of Lady Cecilia Harborough,—an event

which created a profound sensation in the fashionable world, and
plunged the Tremordyn family into mourning,—Richard Markham
was a passenger in a coach that passed through Hounslow.
At this town he alighted, and inquired the way to the residence of
Mr. Bennet, a small farmer in the neighbourhood.
A guide was speedily procured at the inn; and after a pleasant
walk of about three miles, across a country which already bore signs
of the genial influence of an early spring, Richard found himself at
the gate of a comfortable-looking farm-house.
He dismissed his guide with a gratuity, and was shortly admitted
by a buxom servant-girl into a neat little parlour, where he was
presently joined by Katherine.
The young maiden was rejoiced to see her benefactor; and tears
started into her eyes, though her lips were wreathed in smiles;—but
they were tears of pleasure and gratitude.
"This is kind of you, Mr. Markham," she said, as he shook her hand
with friendly warmth.
"I am come to see you upon important business, Katherine,"
observed Richard. "But first let me inquire after the good people
with whom you reside?"
"I am sorry to say," answered Katherine, "that Mrs. Bennet
experienced a relapse after her return from London; and she is not
able to leave her chamber. She is, however, much better. Her
husband is a kind-hearted, good man, and he behaves like a father
to me. He is now occupied with the business of his farm, but will be
in presently."
"And now, Katherine, listen to the tidings which I have to
communicate," said Markham. "Have you received any news from
London within the last day or two?"
"No—not a word," returned Katherine, already alarmed lest some
new misfortune was about to be announced to her.
"Compose yourself," said Richard; "the news that I have for you
are good. But first I must inform you that your late master, Mr.
Reginald Tracy, is no more."
"Dead!" exclaimed Katherine.
"He put a period to his own existence," continued Markham; "but
not before he made you all the amends in his power for the deep
injury which his own guilt entailed upon you."
"Then he confessed his crime, and thus established my innocence
beyond all doubt?" said Katherine.
"And he has bequeathed to you his whole fortune, with the
exception of a small legacy to Mrs. Bennet, whom his guilt deprived
of a sister," added our hero.
"Oh! then he died penitent!" exclaimed Katherine, weeping—for
her goodness of heart prompted her to shed tears even for one who
had involved her in such a labyrinth of misery as that from which
she had only so recently been extricated.
"He died by his own hands," said Richard; "and the world will not
generally admit that such an act can be consonant with sincere
penitence. That he attempted to make his peace with heaven ere he
rushed into the presence of the Almighty, let us hope:—that he did
all he could to recompense those whom his crime had injured, is
apparent. But this letter will probably tell you more on that head."
Richard handed to Katherine a letter, as he uttered these words.
It was addressed, "Miss Katherine Wilmot."
With a trembling hand the young girl opened it; and with tearful
eyes she read the following words:—
"To you, Katherine Wilmot, a man about to appear before his Maker appeals
for pardon. That man is deeply imbued with a sense of the injury—the almost
irreparable injury which his enormous guilt caused you to sustain. But in
 confessing that this guilt was all and solely his own,—in proclaiming your
complete innocence,—and in offering you the means of henceforth enjoying
independence, and fulfilling the dictates of your charitable disposition,—that
great criminal entertains a hope that you will accord him your forgiveness,
and that you will appreciate his anxiety to do you justice in his last moments.
My solicitor is already acquainted with my intentions; and he will faithfully
execute my wishes. This letter will be forwarded to him, to be delivered to
you, through your benefactor—that noble-hearted young man, Mr. Richard
Markham. The bulk of my fortune, amounting to eighteen thousand pounds, I
have made over to my solicitor in trust for yourself, and under certain
conditions which I have devised exclusively for your benefit. The sum of five
hundred pounds I have, in addition, bequeathed to Rachel Bennet, with the
hope that she will extend her pardon also to the man who deprived her of an
affectionate sister. This letter is written in a hurried manner, and under
circumstances whose appalling nature you may well conceive. May heaven
bless you! Refuse not to pray for the soul of
"REGINALD TRACY."

Katherine perused this letter, and then handed it to Richard

Markham.
While he read it, the young maiden prayed inwardly but sincerely
for the eternal welfare of him whose course had been dazzling like a
meteor, but had terminated in a cloud of appalling blackness.
"Those conditions, to which the unhappy man alluded, I can
explain to you," said Richard, after a long interval of silence, during
which he allowed Katherine to compose her thoughts. "This letter
was placed in the hands of Mr. Tracy's solicitor, by the governor of
Newgate, the day before yesterday. The lawyer immediately wrote to
me, being unacquainted with your address. I saw him yesterday
afternoon; and he gave me the letter to convey to you, entrusting
me at the same time with the duty of communicating to you this last
act of Reginald Tracy. Mr. Wharton acquainted me with the
conditions which Mr. Tracy had named. These are that you shall
enjoy the interest of the money until you attain the age of twenty-
one, when the capital shall be placed at your whole and sole
disposal; but should you marry previous to that period, then the
capital may also be transferred to your name. And now I must touch
upon a more delicate point—inasmuch as it alludes to myself. Mr.
Tracy was pleased to place such confidence in me, as to have
stipulated that should you contract any marriage previous to the
attainment of the age of twenty-one, without my approval of the
individual on whom you may settle your affections, you will then
forfeit all right and title to the fortune, which is in that case to be
devoted to purposes of charity specified in the instructions given by
Mr. Tracy to his solicitor."
"Oh! I should never think of taking any step—however trivial, or
however important—without consulting you, as my benefactor—my
saviour!" exclaimed Katherine.
"You are a good and a grateful girl, Katherine," said Richard; "and
never for a moment did I mistake your excellent heart—never did I
lose my confidence in your discretion and virtue."
"No—for when all the world deserted me," said the maiden, "you
befriended me!"
"I have yet other matters of business to consult you upon,"
continued Markham. "Yesterday evening your uncle called upon me.
Never—never have I seen such an alteration so speedily wrought in
any living being! He said that certain representations which I had
made to him at the tavern in the Old Bailey, after you had departed
with Mrs. Bennet, had induced him to reflect more seriously upon
the course of life which he had been for years pursuing."
"Oh! these news are welcome—welcome indeed!" ejaculated
Katherine, clasping her hands together in token of gratitude.
"I communicated to him your good fortune, Katherine," proceeded
Markham; "and he wept like a child."
"Poor uncle! His heart was not altogether closed against me!"
murmured Katherine.
"I desired him to call upon me to-morrow, and I assured him that
in the meantime I would devise some project by which he should be
enabled to earn a livelihood whereof he need not be ashamed."
"You are not content with being my benefactor, Mr. Markham: you
intend to make my relatives adore your name!" cried Katherine, her
heart glowing with gratitude towards our hero.
"I now intend that you shall be the means of doing good,
Katherine," said Richard, with a smile.
"Oh! tell me how!" exclaimed the amiable girl, joyfully.
 "You shall draw upon the first year's interest of your fortune, for a
sufficient sum to enable your uncle to retire to some distant town,
where, under another name, he may commence a business at whose
nature he will not be forced to blush."
"Oh! that proposal is indeed a source of indescribable happiness to
me," said Katherine.
"Then I will carry the plan into effect to-morrow," continued
Richard. "Your uncle and cousin shall both visit you here, when they
leave London."
"Poor John!" said Katherine. "Do you think that his father——"
"Will treat him better in future?" added Markham, seeing that the
maiden hesitated. "Yes: I will answer for it! A complete change has
taken place in your uncle: he is another man."
"He contemplated your benevolence, and he could not do
otherwise than be struck by the example," said Kate.
"I asked him if he desired you to live with him in future; and he
replied, 'Not for worlds!' He then continued to say that dwell where
he might, conceal his name how he would, there would be danger of
his ancient calling transpiring; and he would not incur the chance of
involving you in the disgrace that might ensue. This consideration on
his part speaks volumes in favour of that change which has been
effected within him."
"The tidings you have brought me concerning my uncle, Mr.
Markham," said Katherine, "far outweigh in my estimation the news
of my good fortune."
"Your uncle and your cousin will yet be happy—no doubt,"
observed Richard. "In reference to yourself, what course would you
like to adopt? Would you wish me to seek some respectable and
worthy family in London, with whom you can take up your abode in
entire independence? or——"
"Oh! no—not London!" exclaimed Katherine, recoiling from the
name in horror.
"My counsel is that you remain here—in this seclusion,—at least
for the present," said Richard. "The tranquillity of this rural dwelling
—the charms of the country—the unsophisticated manners of these
good people, will restore your mind to its former composure, after all
you have passed through."
"This advice I have every inclination to follow," said Katherine;
"and even were I otherwise disposed—which I could not be—your
counsel would at once decide me."
"Remember, Katherine," resumed Markham, "I do not wish you to
pass the best portion of your youth in this retirement. With your
fortune and brilliant prospect, such a proceeding were unnatural—
absurd. I only feel desirous that for a short time you should remain
afar from society—until recent events shall be forgotten, and until
your own mind shall become calm and relieved from the excitement
which past misfortunes have been so painfully calculated to
produce."
"I will remain here until you tell me that it is good for me to go
elsewhere," said Katherine.
At this moment an old man, dressed in a rustic garb, but with a
good-natured countenance and venerable white hair, entered the
room.
This was the farmer himself.
Katherine introduced Richard to him as her benefactor; and the
old man shook hands with our hero in a cordial manner, saying at
the same time, "By all I have heard Miss Kate tell of you, sir, you
must be an honour to any house, whether rich or poor, that you
condescend to visit."
Richard thanked the good-natured rustic for the well-meant
compliment, and then communicated to him the fact that his wife
was entitled to a legacy of five hundred pounds, which would be
paid to her order in the course of a few days.
The old man was overjoyed at these tidings, although his
countenance partially fell when he heard the source whence the
bequest emanated; but Richard convinced him that it would be
unwise and absurd to refuse it.
Mr. Bennet hastened up-stairs to communicate the news to his
wife.
While he was absent, the farmer's servant-girl entered to spread
the table for the afternoon's repast.
 On the return of the old man to the room, the dinner was served
up; and our hero sat down to table with the farmer and Katherine.
A happy meal was that; and in the pure felicity which Katherine
now enjoyed, Richard beheld to a considerable extent the results of
his own goodness. How amply did the spectacle of that young
creature's happiness reward him for all that he had done in her
behalf!
It was four o'clock in the afternoon when our hero took his leave
of the old farmer and Miss Wilmot, in order to retrace his steps to
Hounslow.
 CHAPTER CLXIII.

THE ZINGAREES.

The old farmer had offered to convey Richard to Hounslow in his

own spring-cart, or to provide him with a guide to conduct him
thither; but our hero felt so confident of being enabled to find his
way back to the town, that he declined both offers.
He walked on, across the fields, pondering upon various subjects,
—Isabella, his brother, Katherine, Reginald Tracy's crimes, and the
frightful suicide of Lady Cecilia Harborough,—and with his mind so
intent upon these topics, that some time elapsed ere he perceived
that he had fallen into a wrong path.
He looked around; but not an object of which he had taken notice
in the morning, when proceeding to the farm, could he now discover.
Thus he had lost the only means which could assist his memory in
regaining the road.
As he stood upon a little eminence, gazing around to find some
clue towards the proper direction which he should follow, a light blue
wreath of smoke, rising from behind a hill at a short distance, met
his eyes.
"There must be a dwelling yonder," he said to himself; "I will
proceed thither, and ask my way; or, if possible, obtain a guide."
Towards the light blue cloud which curled upwards, Markham
directed his steps; but when he reached the brow of the hill, from
the opposite side of which the smoke at first met his eye, he
perceived, instead of a cottage as he expected, an encampment of
gipsies.
 A covered van stood near the spot where two men, two women,
and a boy were partaking of a meal, the steam of which
impregnated the air with a powerful odour of onions.
The caldron, whence the mess was served up in earthenware
vessels, was suspended by means of stakes over a cheerful wood-
fire.
We need attempt no description of the persons of those who were
partaking of the repast: it will be sufficient to inform the reader that
they consisted of King Zingary, Queen Aischa, Morcar, Eva, and this
latter couple's son.
They were, however, totally unknown to Richard: but the moment
he saw they were of the gipsy tribe, he determined to glean from
them any thing which they might know and might choose to reveal
concerning the Resurrection Man.
He therefore accosted them in a civil manner, and, stating that he
had lost his way, inquired which was the nearest path to Hounslow.
"It would be difficult to direct you, young gentleman, by mere
explanation," answered Zingary, stroking his long white beard in
order to impress Richard with a sense of veneration; "but my
grandson here shall show you the way with pleasure."
"That I will, sir," exclaimed the boy, starting from the ground, and
preparing to set off.
"But perhaps the gentleman will rest himself, and partake of some
refreshment," observed Morcar.
"If you will permit me," said Markham, whose purpose this
invitation just suited, "I will warm myself for a short space by your
cheerful fire; for the evening is chilly. But you must not consider me
rude if I decline your kind hospitality in respect to food."
"The gentleman is cold, Morcar," said Zingary: "produce the rum,
and hand a snicker."
The King's son hastened to the van to fetch the bottle of spirits;
and Markham could not help observing his fine, tall, well-knit frame,
to which his dark Roman countenance gave an additional air of
manliness—even of heroism.
Richard partook of the spirits, in order to ingratiate himself with
the gipsies; and King Zingary then called for his "broseley."
 "You appear to lead a happy life," observed Richard, by way of
encouraging a conversation.
"We are our own masters, young gentleman," answered Zingary;
"and where there is freedom, there is happiness."
"Is it true that your race is governed by a King?" asked Markham.
"I am the King of the united races of Bohemians and Egyptians,"
said Zingary, in a stately manner. "This is my beloved Queen, Aischa:
that is my son, Morcar; here is my daughter-in-law, Eva; and that lad
is my grandson."
Richard started when these names fell upon his ears; for they had
been mentioned to him by Skilligalee in the Palace of the Holy Land.
He also remembered to have been informed that it was in
consequence of something which the Resurrection Man told Aischa,
when she was attending to his wound, that the gipsies took him with
them when they removed from the Palace to the encampment near
the Penitentiary at Pentonville.
"I feel highly honoured by the hospitality which your Majesty has
afforded me," said Richard, with a bow—an act of courtesy which
greatly pleased King Zingary. "On one occasion I was indebted to
some of your subjects for a night's lodging at your establishment in
St. Giles's."
"Indeed!" exclaimed the King; and now all the gipsies surveyed
Richard with some interest.
"Yes," continued our hero; "and I may as well state to you frankly
and candidly under what circumstances I became your guest—for
you were all inmates of the house at the time I entered it."
"Speak, young gentleman," said Zingary: "we will listen with
attention to all you may please to tell us; but we do not seek your
confidence of our own accord, as curiosity is forbidden to our race."
"I must inform you," resumed Richard, "that I have sustained
great and signal injuries at the hands of a miscreant, whom I one
night traced to your dwelling in St. Giles's."
"Call it the Palace, young gentleman," said Zingary, smoking his
pipe, and listening with great complacency.
"On that night, the man to whom I allude was desperately
wounded——"
 "Ah!" ejaculated the gipsies, as it were in a breath.
"And you removed him with you, away from the Palace during the
night—or rather very early in the morning."
"Then you, young gentleman," said the King, "were the stranger
whom the porter locked in the room to which you were shown, and
who escaped from the Palace by some means or other? The matter
was duly reported to us by letter."
"It is perfectly true that I liberated myself from the room in which
I was imprisoned," said Markham. "But, answer me—I implore you—
one question; did that vile man die of the wound which he
received?"
"Before I reply to you," observed Zingary, "you will have the
goodness to inform me why you left the Palace by stealth on that
occasion, and whether you saw or heard any thing remarkable after
we had taken our departure?"
"I will answer you frankly," returned Markham. "I left my room on
that occasion, because I wished to discover whether Anthony
Tidkins, to whom I have alluded, was in the house——"
"The Palace," said Zingary.
"I beg your Majesty's pardon—the Palace," continued Richard;
"and I thank God that I was more or less instrumental in releasing
from a horrible dungeon a poor woman——"
 "We know whom you mean," interrupted Zingary, sternly. "Did you
see a tall young man——"
"Who called himself by the strange name of Skilligalee?" added
Markham, concluding the King's question for him. "I did;—I helped
him to release that woman he named Margaret."
"And whom the laws of the Zingarees had condemned to the
penalty from which you freed her," said the King. "Was it right,
young man, thus to step between the culprit and the decree of
justice?"
"I acted in accordance with the dictates of humanity," replied
Richard firmly; "and under such circumstances I should act in a
similar way again."
 "The young gentleman speaks well," said Morcar, who admired the
resolution evinced in our hero's tone and manner.
"And he showed a good heart," observed Eva, now speaking for
the first time since Richard's arrival, and displaying her brilliant
teeth.
"Well—well," exclaimed Zingary: "I will not upbraid the young man
more, since even my pretty Eva takes his part. You see," he
continued, addressing himself especially to the gipsies, "it is as we
thought. Skilligalee deserted us in order to liberate Margaret
Flathers. I always believed that such was the case, from the moment
we received the account of her escape. But I have one more
question to ask our guest. Let him satisfy us how he traced Anthony
Tidkins to the Palace, and how he learnt that Anthony Tidkins was
wounded in the Palace."
"On that head I must remain silent," said Richard. "I will not
invent a falsehood, and I cannot reveal the truth. Be you, however,
well assured that I never betrayed the secrets and mysteries of your
establishment in Saint Giles's."
"Our guest is an honourable man," observed Morcar. "We ought to
be satisfied with what he says."
"I am satisfied," exclaimed the King. "Aischa, answer you the
questions which it is now the young man's turn to put to us."
"I wish to know whether Anthony Tidkins died of the wound which
he received?" said Richard.
"It was my lot to attend to his wound," began Aischa. "When he
was so far recovered as to be able to speak—which was about half
an hour after the blood was stanched—he implored me to have him
removed from the Palace. He told me a long and pathetic story of
persecutions and sufferings which he had undergone; and he offered
to enrich our treasury if we would take him beyond the reach of the
person who had wounded him. His anxiety to get away was
extreme; and it was in consequence of his representations and
promises that I prevailed upon the King to issue orders to those who
were to leave London with us, to hurry the departure as much as
possible. That accounts for the abrupt manner in which we left at
such an hour, and for the removal of the wounded man with us. In
answer to your direct question, I must inform you that he did not die
of the wound which he received."
"He did not die!" repeated Markham. "Then he is still alive—and
doubtless as active as ever in purposes of evil."
"Is he such a bad man?" asked Aischa.
"He belongs to the atrocious gang called Burkers," answered
Richard emphatically.
"Merciful heavens!" cried Eva, with a shudder. "To think that we
should have harboured such a wretch!"
"And to think that I should have devoted my skill to resuscitate
such a demon!" exclaimed Aischa.
"The vengeance of the Zingarees will yet overtake him," said the
King calmly.
"Wherever I meet him, there will I punish him with the stoutest
cudgel that I can find ready to hand," cried Morcar, with a fierce air.
"Have you then cause to complain against him?" asked Richard.
"The wretch, sir," answered Morcar, "remained nearly a month in
our company, until his wound was completely healed by the skill of
my mother. We treated him with as much kindness as if he had been
our near and dear relative. One morning, when he was totally
recovered, he disappeared, carrying away my father's gold with
him."
"The ungrateful villain!" ejaculated Richard. "And he was indebted
to your kindness for his life?"
"He was," returned Morcar." Fortunately there was but little in the
treasury at the time—very little;—nevertheless, it was all we had—
and he took our all."
"And you have no trace of him?" said Richard, eagerly.
"Not yet," replied Morcar. "But we have adopted measures to
discover him. The King my father has sent a description of his
person and the history of his treachery to every chief of our race in
the kingdom; and thousands of sharp eyes are on the look-out for
him through the length and breadth of the land."
"Heaven be thanked!" exclaimed Markham. "But when you
discover him, hand him over to the grasp of justice, and instantly
acquaint me with the fact."
 "The Zingarees recognise no justice save their own," said the
King, in a dignified manner. "But this much I promise you, that the
moment we obtain a trace of his whereabouts, we will communicate
it to you, and you may act as seemeth good to yourself. We have no
sympathy in common with a cowardly murderer."
"None," added Morcar, emphatically.
"I thank you for this promise," said Richard, addressing himself to
the King. "Here is my card; and remember that as anxious as I am
to bring a miscreant to justice, so ready shall I be to reward those
who are instrumental in his capture."
"You may rely upon us, young gentleman," said Zingary. "We will
not shield a man who belongs to the miscreant gang of Burkers. To-
morrow morning I will issue fresh instructions to the various district
chiefs, but especially to our friends in London."
"And is it possible that, with no compulsory means to enforce
obedience, you can dispose of thousands individuals at will?"
exclaimed Markham.
"Listen, young man," said the King, stroking his beard. "When the
great Ottoman monarch, the Sultan Selim, invaded Egypt at the
beginning of the sixteenth century, and put to death the Mameluke
sovereign Toumanbai,—when the chivalry of Egypt was subdued by
the overwhelming multitudes of warriors who fought beneath the
banner of Selim and his great Vizier Sinan-Pacha,—then did a certain
Egyptian chief place himself at the head of a chosen body of
Mamelukes, and proclaim death and destruction to the Ottomans.
This chief was Zingarai. For some time he successfully resisted the
troops of Selim; but at length he was compelled to yield to numbers;
and Selim put him to death. His followers were proscribed; and
those who did not fall into the hands of the Turkish conquerors
escaped into Europe. They settled first in Bohemia, where their
wandering mode of life, their simple manners, their happy and
contented dispositions, and their handsome persons soon attracted
notice. Then was it that the Bohemian maidens were proud to
bestow their hands upon the fugitive followers of Zingarai; and many
Bohemian men sought admittance into the fraternity. Hence the
mixed Egyptian and Bohemian origin of the gipsy race. In a short
time various members of this truly patriarchal society migrated to
other climes; and in 1534 our ancestors first settled in England. Now
the gipsy race may be met with all over the globe: in every part of
Asia, in the interior of Africa, and in both the Americas, you may
encounter our brethren, as in Europe. The Asiatics call us Egyptians,
the Germans Ziguener, the Italians Cingani, the Spaniards Gitanos,
the French Bohemians, the Russians Saracens, the Swedes and
Danes Tartars, and the English Gipsies. We most usually denominate
ourselves the united races of Zingarees. And Time, young
gentleman, has left us comparatively unchanged; we preserve the
primitive simplicity of our manners; our countenances denote our
origin; and, though deeply calumniated—vilely maligned, we
endeavour to live in peace and tranquillity to the utmost of our
power. We have resisted persecution—we have outlived oppression.
All Europe has promulgated laws against us; and no sovereigns
aimed more strenuously to extirpate our race in their dominions than
Henry the Eighth and Elizabeth of England. But as the world grows
more enlightened, the prejudice against us loses its virulence; and
we now enjoy our liberties and privileges without molestation, in all
civilised states."
"I thank you for this most interesting account of your origin," said
Richard.
"Henceforth you will know how to recognise the real truth
amongst all the wild, fanciful, and ridiculous tales which you may
hear or read concerning our race," proceeded Zingary. "From the
two or three hundred souls who fled from Egypt and took refuge in
Bohemia, as I have ere now explained to you, has sprung a large
family, which has increased with each generation; and at the present
moment we estimate our total number, scattered over all parts of
the earth, at one million and a half."
"I was not aware that you were so numerous," said Richard, much
interested by these details. "Permit me to ask whether the members
in every country have one sovereign or chief, as those in England?"
"There is a King of the Zingarees in Spain; another in France; a
third in Italy; and a fourth in Bohemia. In the northern provinces of
European Turkey, in Hungary, and in Transylvania, there is a prince
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