HE WHO WISHES MISFORTUNES TO HAPPEN TO OTHERS EXPERIENCES THEM HIMSELF WELL ON MY WORD OF HONOR I ANSWERED NO I WISHED NO ILL TO MORCERF HE WAS A LITTLE PROUD PERHAPS FOR A MAN WHO LIKE MYSELF HAS RISEN FROM NOTHING


BUT WE ALL HAVE OUR FAULTS DO YOU KNOW COUNT THAT PERSONS OF OUR TIME OF LIFE NOT THAT YOU BELONG TO THE CLASS YOU ARE STILL A YOUNG MAN BUT AS I WAS SAYING PERSONS OF OUR TIME OF LIFE HAVE BEEN VERY UNFORTUNATE THIS YEAR


FOR EXAMPLE LOOK AT THE PURITANICAL PROCUREUR WHO HAS JUST LOST HIS DAUGHTER AND IN FACT NEARLY ALL HIS FAMILY IN SO SINGULAR A MANNER MORCERF DISHONORED AND DEAD


AND THEN MYSELF COVERED WITH RIDICULE THROUGH THE VILLANY OF BENEDETTO BESIDES BESIDES WHAT ASKED THE COUNT ALAS DO YOU NOT KNOW WHAT NEW CALAMITY MY DAUGHTER


EUGENIE HAS LEFT US GOOD HEAVENS WHAT ARE YOU TELLING ME THE TRUTH MY DEAR COUNT OH HOW HAPPY YOU MUST BE IN NOT HAVING EITHER WIFE OR CHILDREN DO YOU THINK SO INDEED I DO


SHE COULD NOT ENDURE THE INSULT OFFERED TO US BY THAT WRETCH SO SHE ASKED PERMISSION TO TRAVEL AND IS SHE GONE THE OTHER NIGHT SHE LEFT


NO WITH A RELATION BUT STILL WE HAVE QUITE LOST OUR DEAR EUGENIE FOR I DOUBT WHETHER HER PRIDE WILL EVER ALLOW HER TO RETURN TO FRANCE STILL BARON SAID MONTE CRISTO


FAMILY GRIEFS OR INDEED ANY OTHER AFFLICTION WHICH WOULD CRUSH A MAN WHOSE CHILD WAS HIS ONLY TREASURE ARE ENDURABLE TO A MILLIONAIRE PHILOSOPHERS MAY WELL SAY AND PRACTICAL MEN WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT THE OPINION


THAT MONEY MITIGATES MANY TRIALS AND IF YOU ADMIT THE EFFICACY OF THIS SOVEREIGN BALM YOU OUGHT TO BE VERY EASILY CONSOLED YOU THE KING OF FINANCE THE FOCUS OF IMMEASURABLE POWER


AS THOUGH TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER HE SPOKE SERIOUSLY YES HE ANSWERED IF A FORTUNE BRINGS CONSOLATION I OUGHT TO BE CONSOLED I AM RICH


IF YOU WISHED TO DEMOLISH THEM YOU COULD NOT AND IF IT WERE POSSIBLE YOU WOULD NOT DARE


THAT REMINDS ME HE SAID THAT WHEN YOU ENTERED I WAS ON THE POINT OF SIGNING FIVE LITTLE BONDS I HAVE ALREADY SIGNED TWO WILL YOU ALLOW ME TO DO THE SAME TO THE OTHERS PRAY DO SO


THERE WAS A MOMENT'S SILENCE DURING WHICH THE NOISE OF THE BANKER'S PEN WAS ALONE HEARD WHILE MONTE CRISTO EXAMINED THE GILT MOULDINGS ON THE CEILING ARE THEY SPANISH HAITIAN


OR NEAPOLITAN BONDS SAID MONTE CRISTO NO SAID DANGLARS SMILING


STAY COUNT HE ADDED YOU WHO MAY BE CALLED THE EMPEROR IF I CLAIM THE TITLE OF KING OF FINANCE HAVE YOU MANY PIECES OF PAPER OF THIS SIZE EACH WORTH A MILLION


TO THE GOVERNOR OF THE BANK PLEASE PAY TO MY ORDER FROM THE FUND DEPOSITED BY ME THE SUM OF A MILLION AND CHARGE THE SAME TO MY ACCOUNT BARON DANGLARS


ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SAID MONTE CRISTO FIVE MILLIONS WHY WHAT A CROESUS YOU ARE THIS IS HOW I TRANSACT BUSINESS SAID DANGLARS IT IS REALLY WONDERFUL SAID THE COUNT ABOVE ALL


IT IS INDEED SAID DANGLARS IT IS A FINE THING TO HAVE SUCH CREDIT REALLY IT IS ONLY IN FRANCE THESE THINGS ARE DONE FIVE MILLIONS ON FIVE LITTLE SCRAPS OF PAPER IT MUST BE SEEN TO BE BELIEVED


NO SAID MONTE CRISTO FOLDING THE FIVE NOTES MOST DECIDEDLY NOT THE THING IS SO CURIOUS I WILL MAKE THE EXPERIMENT MYSELF I AM CREDITED ON YOU FOR SIX MILLIONS I HAVE DRAWN NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND FRANCS


YOU THEREFORE STILL OWE ME FIVE MILLIONS AND A HUNDRED THOUSAND FRANCS I WILL TAKE THE FIVE SCRAPS OF PAPER THAT I NOW HOLD AS BONDS WITH YOUR SIGNATURE ALONE AND HERE IS A RECEIPT IN FULL FOR THE SIX MILLIONS BETWEEN US


AND MONTE CRISTO PLACED THE BONDS IN HIS POCKET WITH ONE HAND


IF A THUNDERBOLT HAD FALLEN AT THE BANKER'S FEET


WHAT HE STAMMERED DO YOU MEAN TO KEEP THAT MONEY EXCUSE ME EXCUSE ME BUT I OWE THIS MONEY TO THE CHARITY FUND A DEPOSIT WHICH I PROMISED TO PAY THIS MORNING OH WELL THEN SAID MONTE CRISTO


PAY ME IN A DIFFERENT FORM I WISHED FROM CURIOSITY TO TAKE THESE THAT I MIGHT BE ABLE TO SAY THAT WITHOUT ANY ADVICE OR PREPARATION THE HOUSE OF DANGLARS HAD PAID ME FIVE MILLIONS WITHOUT A MINUTE'S DELAY IT WOULD HAVE BEEN REMARKABLE BUT HERE ARE YOUR BONDS PAY ME DIFFERENTLY


THAT IS BEING WRESTED FROM ITS GRASP SUDDENLY HE RALLIED MADE A VIOLENT EFFORT TO RESTRAIN HIMSELF AND THEN A SMILE GRADUALLY WIDENED THE FEATURES OF HIS DISTURBED COUNTENANCE CERTAINLY HE SAID YOUR RECEIPT IS MONEY


OH DEAR YES AND IF YOU WERE AT ROME THE HOUSE OF THOMSON AND FRENCH WOULD MAKE NO MORE DIFFICULTY ABOUT PAYING THE MONEY ON MY RECEIPT THAN YOU HAVE JUST DONE PARDON ME COUNT PARDON ME THEN I MAY KEEP THIS MONEY YES SAID DANGLARS


WHILE THE PERSPIRATION STARTED FROM THE ROOTS OF HIS HAIR YES KEEP IT KEEP IT MONTE CRISTO REPLACED THE NOTES IN HIS POCKET WITH THAT INDESCRIBABLE EXPRESSION WHICH SEEMED TO SAY COME REFLECT IF YOU REPENT THERE IS STILL TIME


NO DECIDEDLY NO KEEP MY SIGNATURES BUT YOU KNOW NONE ARE SO FORMAL AS BANKERS IN TRANSACTING BUSINESS I INTENDED THIS MONEY FOR THE CHARITY FUND AND I SEEMED TO BE ROBBING THEM IF I DID NOT PAY THEM WITH THESE PRECISE BONDS HOW ABSURD


AS IF ONE CROWN WERE NOT AS GOOD AS ANOTHER EXCUSE ME AND HE BEGAN TO LAUGH LOUDLY BUT NERVOUSLY CERTAINLY I EXCUSE YOU SAID MONTE CRISTO GRACIOUSLY AND POCKET THEM AND HE PLACED THE BONDS IN HIS POCKET BOOK BUT


THERE IS STILL A SUM OF ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND FRANCS OH A MERE NOTHING SAID MONTE CRISTO THE BALANCE WOULD COME TO ABOUT THAT SUM BUT KEEP IT AND WE SHALL BE QUITS COUNT SAID DANGLARS ARE YOU SPEAKING SERIOUSLY


I NEVER JOKE WITH BANKERS SAID MONTE CRISTO IN A FREEZING MANNER WHICH REPELLED IMPERTINENCE


I THINK I ARRIVED JUST IN TIME TO OBTAIN YOUR SIGNATURES OR THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN DISPUTED WITH ME


WHO WAS STANDING IN THE WAITING ROOM AND WHO WAS INTRODUCED INTO DANGLARS ROOM AS SOON AS THE COUNT HAD LEFT THE COUNT'S SAD FACE WAS ILLUMINED BY A FAINT SMILE AS HE NOTICED THE PORTFOLIO WHICH THE RECEIVER GENERAL HELD IN HIS HAND


AT THE DOOR HE FOUND HIS CARRIAGE AND WAS IMMEDIATELY DRIVEN TO THE BANK


WE NEED NOT SAY THAT A SMILE OF CONDESCENSION WAS STAMPED UPON HIS LIPS GOOD MORNING CREDITOR SAID HE FOR I WAGER ANYTHING IT IS THE CREDITOR WHO VISITS ME


THE CHARITIES PRESENT THEMSELVES TO YOU THROUGH ME THE WIDOWS AND ORPHANS DEPUTE ME TO RECEIVE ALMS TO THE AMOUNT OF FIVE MILLIONS FROM YOU


BUT DID YOU RECEIVE MY LETTER YESTERDAY YES I HAVE BROUGHT MY RECEIPT


YOU DID SEE HIM I THINK YES WELL


HOW SO THE COUNT HAS AN UNLIMITED CREDIT UPON ME A CREDIT OPENED BY THOMSON AND FRENCH OF ROME HE CAME TO DEMAND FIVE MILLIONS AT ONCE WHICH I PAID HIM WITH CHECKS ON THE BANK MY FUNDS ARE DEPOSITED THERE AND YOU CAN UNDERSTAND


THAT IF I DRAW OUT TEN MILLIONS ON THE SAME DAY IT WILL APPEAR RATHER STRANGE TO THE GOVERNOR TWO DAYS WILL BE A DIFFERENT THING SAID DANGLARS SMILING COME SAID BOVILLE WITH A TONE OF ENTIRE INCREDULITY FIVE MILLIONS TO THAT GENTLEMAN WHO JUST LEFT


AND WHO BOWED TO ME AS THOUGH HE KNEW ME


FIVE MILLIONS HERE IS HIS RECEIPT BELIEVE YOUR OWN EYES


IT IS ONE OF THE BEST HOUSES IN EUROPE SAID DANGLARS CARELESSLY THROWING DOWN THE RECEIPT ON HIS DESK AND HE HAD FIVE MILLIONS IN YOUR HANDS ALONE WHY THIS COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO MUST BE A NABOB INDEED I DO NOT KNOW WHAT HE IS


HE HAS THREE UNLIMITED CREDITS ONE ON ME ONE ON ROTHSCHILD ONE ON LAFITTE AND YOU SEE HE ADDED CARELESSLY HE HAS GIVEN ME THE PREFERENCE BY LEAVING A BALANCE OF ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND FRANCS


I MUST VISIT HIM HE SAID AND OBTAIN SOME PIOUS GRANT FROM HIM OH YOU MAY MAKE SURE OF HIM HIS CHARITIES ALONE AMOUNT TO TWENTY THOUSAND FRANCS A MONTH IT IS MAGNIFICENT


I WILL SET BEFORE HIM THE EXAMPLE OF MADAME DE MORCERF AND HER SON WHAT EXAMPLE THEY GAVE ALL THEIR FORTUNE TO THE HOSPITALS WHAT FORTUNE THEIR OWN


FOR WHAT REASON BECAUSE THEY WOULD NOT SPEND MONEY SO GUILTILY ACQUIRED


UPON THE MOTHER RETIRES INTO THE COUNTRY AND THE SON ENTERS THE ARMY WELL I MUST CONFESS THESE ARE SCRUPLES I REGISTERED THEIR DEED OF GIFT YESTERDAY AND HOW MUCH DID THEY POSSESS OH NOT MUCH


FROM TWELVE TO THIRTEEN HUNDRED THOUSAND FRANCS BUT TO RETURN TO OUR MILLIONS


ARE YOU THEN PRESSED FOR THIS MONEY YES FOR THE EXAMINATION OF OUR CASH TAKES PLACE TO MORROW TO MORROW WHY DID YOU NOT TELL ME SO BEFORE WHY IT IS AS GOOD AS A CENTURY AT WHAT HOUR DOES THE EXAMINATION TAKE PLACE AT TWO O'CLOCK


NOW I THINK OF IT YOU CAN DO BETTER SAID DANGLARS HOW DO YOU MEAN


TAKE IT TO ROTHSCHILD'S OR LAFITTE'S AND THEY WILL TAKE IT OFF YOUR HANDS AT ONCE


CERTAINLY IT WILL ONLY COST YOU A DISCOUNT OF FIVE THOUSAND OR SIX THOUSAND FRANCS THE RECEIVER STARTED BACK MA FOI HE SAID I PREFER WAITING TILL TO MORROW WHAT A PROPOSITION


THAT YOU HAD A DEFICIENCY TO MAKE UP INDEED SAID THE RECEIVER AND IF THAT WERE THE CASE IT WOULD BE WORTH WHILE TO MAKE SOME SACRIFICE THANK YOU NO SIR THEN IT WILL BE TO MORROW YES BUT WITHOUT FAIL


AH YOU ARE LAUGHING AT ME SEND TO MORROW AT TWELVE AND THE BANK SHALL BE NOTIFIED I WILL COME MYSELF BETTER STILL SINCE IT WILL AFFORD ME THE PLEASURE OF SEEING YOU THEY SHOOK HANDS


NO SAID THE BANKER I HAVE APPEARED RATHER RIDICULOUS SINCE THAT AFFAIR OF BENEDETTO SO I REMAIN IN THE BACKGROUND BAH YOU ARE WRONG HOW WERE YOU TO BLAME IN THAT AFFAIR


LISTEN WHEN ONE BEARS AN IRREPROACHABLE NAME AS I DO ONE IS RATHER SENSITIVE


THEY ARE GONE TO SEEK A VERY STRICT CONVENT IN ITALY OR SPAIN


AFTER EXPRESSING ACUTE SYMPATHY WITH THE FATHER


WITH AN ENERGY OF ACTION THOSE CAN ALONE UNDERSTAND


FOOL THEN ENCLOSING MONTE CRISTO'S RECEIPT IN A LITTLE POCKET BOOK HE ADDED YES COME AT TWELVE O'CLOCK I SHALL THEN BE FAR AWAY THEN HE DOUBLE LOCKED HIS DOOR EMPTIED ALL HIS DRAWERS COLLECTED ABOUT FIFTY THOUSAND FRANCS IN BANK NOTES


BURNED SEVERAL PAPERS LEFT OTHERS EXPOSED TO VIEW


AS I GAZED UPON THEM I WONDERED TO WHAT SECRET PLACE WITHIN THEIR BROODING IMMENSITIES THE LITTLE METAL MYSTERIES HAD FLED AND TO WHAT MYRIADS IT MIGHT BE OF THEIR KIND


OF WHAT POWERS SMALL LIKE THESE OR OR QUICK ON THE SCREEN OF MY MIND FLASHED TWO PICTURES SIDE BY SIDE


THE LITTLE FOUR RAYED PRINT IN THE GREAT DUST OF THE CRUMBLING RUIN AND ITS COLOSSAL TWIN ON THE BREAST OF THE POPPIED VALLEY I TURNED ASIDE CREPT THROUGH THE SHATTERED PORTAL AND LOOKED OVER THE HAUNTED HOLLOW UNBELIEVING I RUBBED MY EYES


THEN LEAPED TO THE VERY BRIM OF THE BOWL A LARK HAD RISEN FROM THE ROOF OF ONE OF THE SHATTERED HEAPS AND HAD FLOWN CAROLING UP INTO THE SHADOWY SKY A FLOCK OF THE LITTLE WILLOW WARBLERS FLUNG THEMSELVES ACROSS THE VALLEY SCOLDING AND GOSSIPING


A HARE SAT UPRIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ANCIENT ROADWAY THE VALLEY ITSELF LAY SERENELY UNDER THE AMBERING LIGHT SMILING PEACEFUL EMPTIED OF HORROR


I DROPPED OVER THE SIDE WALKED CAUTIOUSLY DOWN THE ROAD UP WHICH BUT AN HOUR OR SO BEFORE WE HAD STRUGGLED SO DESPERATELY PACED FARTHER AND FARTHER WITH AN INCREASING CONFIDENCE AND A GROWING WONDER


GONE WAS THAT SOUL OF LONELINESS VANISHED THE WHIRLPOOL OF DESPAIR THAT HAD STRIVEN TO DRAG US DOWN TO DEATH THE BOWL WAS NOTHING BUT A QUIET SMILING LOVELY LITTLE HOLLOW IN THE HILLS I LOOKED BACK


EVEN THE RUINS HAD LOST THEIR SINISTER SHAPE WERE TIME WORN CRUMBLING PILES NOTHING MORE


A RIFLE SHOT RANG OUT ABOVE US ANOTHER AND ANOTHER FROM THE PORTAL SCAMPERED CHIU MING HIS ROBE TUCKED UP ABOUT HIS KNEES THEY COME HE GASPED THEY COME


DOWN IT WAS POURING AN AVALANCHE OF MEN I CAUGHT THE GLINT OF HELMETS AND CORSELETS THOSE IN THE VAN WERE MOUNTED GALLOPING TWO ABREAST UPON SURE FOOTED MOUNTAIN PONIES THEIR SHORT SWORDS LIFTED HIGH FLICKERED


AFTER THE HORSEMEN SWARMED FOOT SOLDIERS A FOREST OF SHINING POINTS AND DULLY GLEAMING PIKES ABOVE THEM CLEARLY TO US CAME THEIR BATTLECRIES AGAIN VENTNOR'S RIFLE CRACKED ONE OF THE FOREMOST RIDERS WENT DOWN ANOTHER STUMBLED OVER HIM FELL


THE RUSH WAS CHECKED FOR AN INSTANT MILLING UPON THE ROAD DICK I CRIED RUSH RUTH OVER TO THE TUNNEL MOUTH WE'LL FOLLOW WE CAN HOLD THEM THERE I'LL GET MARTIN CHIU MING AFTER THE PONY QUICK I PUSHED THE TWO OVER THE RIM OF THE HOLLOW


QUICK MART I SHOUTED UP THE SHATTERED STAIRWAY WE CAN GET THROUGH THE HOLLOW RUTH AND DRAKE ARE ON THEIR WAY TO THE BREAK WE CAME THROUGH HURRY ALL RIGHT JUST A MINUTE HE CALLED I HEARD HIM EMPTY HIS MAGAZINE WITH ALMOST MACHINE GUN QUICKNESS


ALL MY AMMUNITION IS ON HIM CHIU MING'S TAKING CARE OF THAT I GASPED WE DARTED OUT OF THE GATEWAY A GOOD FIVE HUNDRED YARDS AWAY WERE RUTH AND DRAKE RUNNING STRAIGHT TO THE GREEN TUNNEL'S MOUTH BETWEEN THEM AND US WAS CHIU MING URGING ON THE PONY


AS WE SPED AFTER HIM I LOOKED BACK THE HORSEMEN HAD RECOVERED WERE NOW A SCANT HALF MILE FROM WHERE THE ROAD SWEPT PAST THE FORTRESS I SAW THAT WITH THEIR SWORDS THE HORSEMEN BORE GREAT BOWS A LITTLE CLOUD OF ARROWS SPARKLED FROM THEM


FELL FAR SHORT DON'T LOOK BACK GRUNTED VENTNOR STRETCH YOURSELF WALTER THERE'S A SURPRISE COMING HOPE TO GOD I JUDGED THE TIME RIGHT WE TURNED OFF THE RUINED WAY


HE REACHED OUT TOUCHED ME YOU'RE RIGHT WALTER HE GRINNED IT DOES SEEM LIKE CARRYING COALS TO NEWCASTLE


SCATTERED PRONE AMONG THESE WERE MEN AND HORSES OTHERS STAGGERED SCREAMING ON THE FARTHER SIDE OF THIS STONY DIKE OUR PURSUERS WERE HELD LIKE RUSHING WATERS BEHIND A SUDDEN FALLEN TREE TIMED TO A SECOND CRIED VENTNOR HOLD EM FOR A WHILE


AND HOLDING RUTH BY THE HAND RACE BACK TOWARD US EVEN AS HE TURNED THE VINE SCREENED ENTRANCE THROUGH WHICH WE HAD COME THROUGH WHICH WE HAD THOUGHT LAY SAFETY STREAMED OTHER ARMORED MEN WE WERE OUTFLANKED TO THE FISSURE SHOUTED VENTNOR


DRAKE HEARD FOR HE CHANGED HIS COURSE TO THE CREVICE AT WHOSE MOUTH RUTH HAD SAID THE LITTLE THINGS HAD LAIN AFTER HIM STREAKED CHIU MING URGING ON THE PONY SHOUTING OUT OF THE TUNNEL DOWN OVER THE LIP OF THE BOWL LEAPED THE SOLDIERS


WE DROPPED UPON OUR KNEES SENT SHOT AFTER SHOT INTO THEM THEY FELL BACK HESITATED WE SPRANG UP SPED ON ALL TOO SHORT WAS THE CHECK BUT ONCE MORE WE HELD THEM AND AGAIN NOW RUTH AND DICK WERE A SCANT FIFTY YARDS FROM THE CREVICE I SAW HIM STOP


PUSH HER FROM HIM TOWARD IT SHE SHOOK HER HEAD NOW CHIU MING WAS WITH THEM RUTH SPRANG TO THE PONY LIFTED FROM ITS BACK A RIFLE THEN INTO THE MASS OF THEIR PURSUERS DRAKE AND SHE POURED A FUSILLADE THEY HUDDLED WAVERED BROKE FOR COVER


A CHANCE GASPED VENTNOR BEHIND US WAS A WOLFLIKE YELPING THE FIRST PACK HAD RE FORMED HAD CROSSED THE BARRICADE THE DYNAMITE HAD MADE WAS RUSHING UPON US I RAN AS I HAD NEVER KNOWN I COULD


OVER US WHINED THE BULLETS FROM THE COVERING GUNS CLOSE WERE WE NOW TO THE MOUTH OF THE FISSURE IF WE COULD BUT REACH IT CLOSE CLOSE WERE OUR PURSUERS TOO THE ARROWS CLOSER NO USE SAID VENTNOR


NATURE'S SUMMONING OF EVERY RESERVE TO MEET THAT PERIL MY EYES TOOK THEM IN WITH PHOTOGRAPHIC NICETY THE LINKED MAIL LACQUERED BLUE AND SCARLET OF THE HORSEMEN BROWN PADDED ARMOR OF THE FOOTMEN


THEIR BOWS AND JAVELINS AND SHORT BRONZE SWORDS THEIR PIKES AND SHIELDS AND UNDER THEIR ROUND HELMETS THEIR CRUEL BEARDED FACES WHITE AS OUR OWN WHERE THE BLACK BEARDS DID NOT COVER THEM THEIR FIERCE AND MOCKING EYES


IN THIS WORLD OF OURS TWENTY CENTURIES BEYOND THEIR TIME SWIFTLY ACCURATELY EVEN AS I SCANNED THEM WE HAD BEEN DRILLING INTO THEM THEY ADVANCED DELIBERATELY HEEDLESS OF THEIR FALLEN THEIR ARROWS HAD CEASED TO FLY


I WONDERED WHY FOR NOW WE WERE WELL WITHIN THEIR RANGE


WE'VE SAVED RUTH ANYWAY HE SAID DRAKE OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO HOLD THAT HOLE IN THE WALL HE'S GOT LOTS OF AMMUNITION ON THE PONY BUT THEY'VE GOT US ANOTHER WILD SHOUTING DOWN SWEPT THE PACK


WE LEAPED TO OUR FEET SENT OUR LAST BULLETS INTO THEM STOOD READY RIFLES CLUBBED TO MEET THE RUSH I HEARD RUTH SCREAM WHAT WAS THE MATTER WITH THE ARMORED MEN WHY HAD THEY HALTED


WHAT WAS IT AT WHICH THEY WERE GLARING OVER OUR HEADS AND WHY HAD THE RIFLE FIRE OF RUTH AND DRAKE CEASED SO ABRUPTLY SIMULTANEOUSLY WE TURNED WITHIN THE BLACK BACKGROUND OF THE FISSURE STOOD A SHAPE AN APPARITION


A WOMAN BEAUTIFUL AWESOME INCREDIBLE SHE WAS TALL STANDING THERE SWATHED FROM CHIN TO FEET IN CLINGING VEILS OF PALE AMBER SHE SEEMED TALLER EVEN THAN TALL DRAKE


YET IT WAS NOT HER HEIGHT THAT SENT THROUGH ME THE THRILL OF AWE OF HALF INCREDULOUS TERROR WHICH RELAXING MY GRIP LET MY SMOKING RIFLE DROP TO EARTH NOR WAS IT THAT ABOUT HER PROUD HEAD A CLOUD OF SHINING TRESSES SWIRLED AND PENNONED


LIKE A MISTY BANNER OF WOVEN COPPER FLAMES NO NOR THAT THROUGH HER VEILS HER BODY GLEAMED FAINT RADIANCE IT WAS HER EYES HER GREAT WIDE EYES WHOSE CLEAR DEPTHS WERE LIKE POOLS OF LIVING STAR FIRES


THEY SHONE FROM HER WHITE FACE NOT PHOSPHORESCENT NOT MERELY LUCENT AND LIGHT REFLECTING BUT AS THOUGH THEY THEMSELVES WERE SOURCES OF THE COLD WHITE FLAMES OF FAR STARS AND AS CALM AS THOSE STARS THEMSELVES


AND IN THAT FACE ALTHOUGH AS YET I COULD DISTINGUISH NOTHING BUT THE EYES I SENSED SOMETHING UNEARTHLY GOD WHISPERED VENTNOR WHAT IS SHE


THE WOMAN STEPPED FROM THE CREVICE NOT FIFTY FEET FROM HER WERE RUTH AND DRAKE AND CHIU MING THEIR RIGID ATTITUDES REVEALING THE SAME SHOCK OF AWE THAT HAD MOMENTARILY PARALYZED ME SHE LOOKED AT THEM BECKONED THEM


I SAW THE TWO WALK TOWARD HER CHIU MING HANG BACK THE GREAT EYES FELL UPON VENTNOR AND MYSELF SHE RAISED A HAND MOTIONED US TO APPROACH I TURNED THERE STOOD THE HOST THAT HAD POURED DOWN THE MOUNTAIN ROAD


HORSEMEN SPEARSMEN PIKEMEN A FULL THOUSAND OF THEM AT MY RIGHT WERE THE SCATTERED COMPANY THAT HAD COME FROM THE TUNNEL ENTRANCE THREESCORE OR MORE THERE SEEMED A SPELL UPON THEM


THEY STOOD IN SILENCE LIKE AUTOMATONS ONLY THEIR FIERCELY STARING EYES SHOWING THAT THEY WERE ALIVE QUICK BREATHED VENTNOR WE RAN TOWARD HER WHO HAD CHECKED DEATH EVEN WHILE ITS JAWS WERE CLOSING UPON US


BEFORE WE HAD GONE HALF WAY AS THOUGH OUR FLIGHT HAD BROKEN WHATEVER BONDS HAD BOUND THEM A CLAMOR AROSE FROM THE HOST A WILD SHOUTING A CLANGING OF SWORDS ON SHIELDS I SHOT A GLANCE BEHIND THEY WERE IN MOTION ADVANCING SLOWLY


HESITATINGLY AS YET BUT I KNEW THAT SOON THAT HESITATION WOULD PASS THAT THEY WOULD SWEEP DOWN UPON US ENGULF US TO THE CREVICE I SHOUTED TO DRAKE HE PAID NO HEED TO ME NOR DID RUTH


THEIR GAZE FASTENED UPON THE SWATHED WOMAN VENTNOR'S HAND SHOT OUT GRIPPED MY SHOULDER HALTED ME SHE HAD THROWN UP HER HEAD


FROM THE LIFTED THROAT CAME A LOW A VIBRANT CRY HARMONIOUS WEIRDLY DISQUIETING GOLDEN AND SWEET AND LADEN WITH THE EERY MINOR WAILINGS OF THE BLUE VALLEY'S NIGHT THE DRAGONED CHAMBER


BEFORE THE CRY HAD CEASED THERE POURED WITH INCREDIBLE SWIFTNESS OUT OF THE CREVICE SCORE UPON SCORE OF THE METAL THINGS THE FISSURES VOMITED THEM


GLOBES AND CUBES AND PYRAMIDS NOT SMALL LIKE THOSE OF THE RUINS BUT SHAPES ALL OF FOUR FEET HIGH DULLY LUSTROUS AND DEEP WITHIN THAT LUSTER THE MYRIADS OF TINY POINTS OF LIGHT LIKE UNWINKING STARING EYES


THEY SWIRLED EDDIED AND FORMED A BARRICADE BETWEEN US AND THE ARMORED MEN DOWN UPON THEM POURED A SHOWER OF ARROWS FROM THE SOLDIERS I HEARD THE SHOUTS OF THEIR CAPTAINS THEY RUSHED THEY HAD COURAGE THOSE MEN YES AGAIN CAME THE WOMAN'S CRY


UP FROM THEM THRUST A THICK RECTANGULAR COLUMN


EIGHT FEET IN WIDTH AND TWENTY FEET HIGH IT SHAPED ITSELF OUT FROM ITS LEFT SIDE FROM RIGHT SIDE SPRANG ARMS FEARFUL ARMS THAT GREW AND GREW AS GLOBE AND CUBE AND ANGLE RACED UP THE COLUMN'S SIDE AND CLICKED INTO PLACE EACH UPON EACH AFTER THE OTHER


WITH MAGICAL QUICKNESS THE ARMS LENGTHENED BEFORE US STOOD A MONSTROUS SHAPE A GEOMETRIC PRODIGY


A SHINING ANGLED PILLAR THAT THOUGH RIGID IMMOBILE SEEMED TO CROUCH BE INSTINCT WITH LIVING FORCE STRIVING TO BE UNLEASHED TWO GREAT GLOBES SURMOUNTED IT


FLEXING THEMSELVES IN GROTESQUE IMITATION OF A BOXER


AGAIN IN GIGANTIC AWFUL PARODY OF THE SPIKED GLOVES OF THOSE ANCIENT GLADIATORS WHO FOUGHT FOR IMPERIAL NERO


PREENING TESTING ITSELF LIKE AN ATHLETE


UNDER THE DARKENING SKY IN THE GREEN OF THE HOLLOW THE ARMORED HOSTS FROZEN BEFORE IT AND THEN IT STRUCK OUT FLASHED TWO OF THE ARMS WITH A GLANCING MOTION WITH APPALLING FORCE


THEY SLICED INTO THE CLOSE PACKED FORWARD RANKS OF THE ARMORED MEN CUT OUT OF THEM TWO GREAT GAPS SICKENED I SAW FRAGMENTS OF MAN AND HORSE FLY ANOTHER ARM JAVELINED FROM ITS PLACE LIKE A FLYING SNAKE CLICKED AT THE END OF ANOTHER


BECAME A HUNDRED FOOT CHAIN WHICH SWIRLED LIKE A FLAIL THROUGH THE HUDDLING MASS DOWN UPON A KNOT OF THE SOLDIERS WITH A STRAIGHT FORWARD BLOW DROVE A THIRD ARM DRIVING THROUGH THEM LIKE A GIANT PUNCH


ALL THAT HOST WHICH HAD DRIVEN US FROM THE RUINS THREW DOWN SWORD SPEAR AND PIKE FLED SHRIEKING THE HORSEMEN SPURRED THEIR MOUNTS RIDING HEEDLESS OVER THE FOOTMEN WHO FLED WITH THEM THE SMITING THING SEEMED TO WATCH THEM GO


WITH AMUSEMENT BEFORE THEY COULD COVER A HUNDRED YARDS IT HAD DISINTEGRATED I HEARD THE LITTLE WAILING SOUNDS THEN BEHIND THE FLEEING MEN CLOSE BEHIND THEM ROSE THE ANGLED PILLAR INTO PLACE SPRANG THE FLEXING ARMS AND AGAIN IT TOOK ITS TOLL OF THEM


THEY SCATTERED RUNNING SINGLY BY TWOS IN LITTLE GROUPS FOR THE SIDES OF THE VALLEY THEY WERE LIKE RATS SCAMPERING IN PANIC OVER THE BOTTOM OF A GREAT GREEN BOWL AND LIKE A MONSTROUS CAT THE SHAPE PLAYED WITH THEM YES PLAYED


IT MELTED ONCE MORE TOOK NEW FORM WHERE HAD BEEN PILLAR AND FLAILING ARMS WAS NOW A TRIPOD THIRTY FEET HIGH ITS LEGS ALTERNATE GLOBE AND CUBE AND UPON ITS APEX A WIDE AND SPINNING RING OF SPARKLING SPHERES


OUT FROM THE MIDDLE OF THIS RING STRETCHED A TENTACLE WRITHING UNDULATING LIKE A SERPENT OF STEEL FOUR SCORE YARDS AT LEAST IN LENGTH


WITH THE THREE LONG PRONGS OF THIS TRIDENT THE THING STRUCK SWIFTLY


IT WAS I THINK THAT LAST TOUCH OF SHEER HORROR THE PLAYFULNESS OF THE SMITING THING THAT SENT MY DRY TONGUE TO THE ROOF OF MY TERROR PARCHED MOUTH AND HELD OPEN WITH MONSTROUS FASCINATION EYES THAT STRUGGLED TO CLOSE


EVER THE ARMORED MEN FLED FROM IT AND EVER WAS IT SWIFTER THAN THEY TEETERING AT THEIR HEELS ON ITS TRIPOD LEGS FROM HALF ITS LENGTH THE DARTING SNAKE STREAMED RED RAIN I HEARD A SIGH FROM RUTH


WRESTED MY GAZE FROM THE HOLLOW TURNED SHE LAY FAINTING IN DRAKE'S ARMS BESIDE THE TWO THE SWATHED WOMAN STOOD LOOKING OUT UPON THAT SLAUGHTER CALM AND STILL SHROUDED WITH AN UNEARTHLY TRANQUILLITY


VIEWING IT IT CAME TO ME WITH EYES IMPERSONAL COLD INDIFFERENT AS THE UNTROUBLED STARS WHICH LOOK DOWN UPON HURRICANE AND EARTHQUAKE IN THIS WORLD OF OURS THERE WAS A RUSHING OF MANY FEET AT OUR LEFT A WAIL FROM CHIU MING


WERE THEY MADDENED BY FEAR DRIVEN BY DESPAIR DETERMINED TO SLAY BEFORE THEY THEMSELVES WERE SLAIN I DO NOT KNOW BUT THOSE WHO STILL LIVED OF THE MEN FROM THE TUNNEL MOUTH WERE CHARGING US THEY CLUSTERED CLOSE THEIR SHIELDS HELD BEFORE THEM


THEY HAD NO BOWS THESE MEN THEY MOVED SWIFTLY DOWN UPON US IN SILENCE SWORDS AND PIKES GLEAMING THE SMITING THING ROCKED TOWARD US THE METAL TENTACLE STRAINING OUT LIKE A RIGID RACING SERPENT FLYING TO CUT BETWEEN ITS WEIRD MISTRESS AND THOSE WHO MENACED HER


I HEARD CHIU MING SCREAM SAW HIM THROW UP HIS HANDS COVER HIS EYES RUN STRAIGHT UPON THE PIKES CHIU MING I SHOUTED CHIU MING THIS WAY I RAN TOWARD HIM


I SAW A SPEAR THROWN IT STRUCK THE CHINAMAN SQUARELY IN THE BREAST HE TOTTERED FELL UPON HIS KNEES EVEN AS HE DROPPED THE GIANT FLAIL SWEPT DOWN UPON THE SOLDIERS IT SWEPT THROUGH THEM LIKE A SCYTHE THROUGH RIPE GRAIN


IT THREW THEM BROKEN AND TORN FAR TOWARD THE VALLEY'S SLOPING SIDES IT LEFT ONLY FRAGMENTS THAT BORE NO SEMBLANCE TO MEN VENTNOR WAS AT CHIU MING'S HEAD I DROPPED BESIDE HIM THERE WAS A CRIMSON FROTH UPON HIS LIPS


I THOUGHT THAT SHIN JE WAS ABOUT TO SLAY US HE WHISPERED FEAR BLINDED ME HIS HEAD DROPPED HIS BODY QUIVERED LAY STILL WE AROSE LOOKED ABOUT US DAZEDLY


AT THE SIDE OF THE CREVICE STOOD THE WOMAN HER GAZE RESTING UPON DRAKE HIS ARMS ABOUT RUTH HER HEAD HIDDEN ON HIS BREAST THE VALLEY WAS EMPTY SAVE FOR THE HUDDLED HEAPS THAT DOTTED IT


HIGH UP ON THE MOUNTAIN PATH A SCORE OF FIGURES CREPT ALL THAT WERE LEFT OF THOSE WHO BUT A LITTLE BEFORE HAD STREAMED DOWN TO TAKE US CAPTIVE OR TO SLAY


HIGH UP IN THE DARKENING HEAVENS THE LAMMERGEIERS THE WINGED SCAVENGERS OF THE HIMALAYAS WERE GATHERING THE WOMAN LIFTED HER HAND BECKONED US ONCE MORE SLOWLY WE WALKED TOWARD HER STOOD BEFORE HER


CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN THE DRUMS OF DESTINY SLOWLY WE DESCENDED THAT MOUNT OF DESOLATION LINGERINGLY AS THOUGH THE BROODING EYES OF NORHALA WERE NOT YET SATED WITH DESTRUCTION


OF HUMAN LIFE OF GREEN LIFE OF LIFE OF ANY KIND THERE WAS NONE


PALACE TEMPLE AND HOME NORHALA HAD STAMPED FLAT SHE HAD CRUSHED THEM WITHIN THE ROCK EVEN AS SHE HAD PROMISED THE TREMENDOUS TRAGEDY HAD ABSORBED MY EVERY FACULTY


NOW IN THE PAINFUL SURGES OF AWAKENING REALIZATION OF FULL HUMAN UNDERSTANDING OF THAT INHUMAN ANNIHILATION I TURNED TO THEM FOR STRENGTH FAINTLY I WONDERED AGAIN AT RUTH'S SCANTINESS OF GARB HER MORE THAN HALF NUDITY


DWELT CURIOUSLY UPON THE RED BRAND ACROSS VENTNOR'S FOREHEAD


BUT IN THE EYES OF RUTH WAS NONE OF THIS STERNLY COLDLY TRIUMPHANT INDIFFERENT TO ITS PITEOUSNESS AS NORHALA HERSELF SHE SCANNED THE WASTE THAT LESS THAN AN HOUR SINCE HAD BEEN A PLACE OF LIVING BEAUTY I FELT A SHOCK OF REPULSION AFTER ALL


YET MOTHER AND BLOSSOMING MAID YOUTH AND OLDSTER ALL THE PAGEANT OF HUMANITY WITHIN THE GREAT WALLS WERE NOW BUT LINES WITHIN THE STONE ACCORDING TO THEIR DIFFERENT LIGHTS IT CAME TO ME THERE HAD BEEN


FROM NORHALA OF COURSE I LOOKED FOR NO PERCEPTION OF ANY OF THIS BUT FROM RUTH MY REACTION GREW


THERE WAS DRIED BLOOD ON THE EDGES A DOUBLE RING OF SWOLLEN WHITE FLESH RIMMING THE CINCTURE IT WAS THE MARK OF TORTURE MARTIN I CRIED THAT RING WHAT DID THEY DO TO YOU THEY WAKED ME WITH THAT HE ANSWERED QUIETLY


I SUPPOSE I OUGHT TO BE GRATEFUL ALTHOUGH THEIR INTENTIONS WERE NOT EXACTLY THERAPEUTIC THEY TORTURED HIM RUTH'S VOICE WAS TENSE BITTER SHE SPOKE IN PERSIAN FOR NORHALA'S BENEFIT I THOUGHT THEN NOT GUESSING A DEEPER REASON


THEY TORTURED HIM THEY GAVE HIM AGONY UNTIL HE RETURNED AND THEY PROMISED HIM OTHER AGONIES THAT WOULD MAKE HIM PRAY LONG FOR DEATH AND ME ME SHE RAISED LITTLE CLENCHED HANDS


ME THEY STRIPPED LIKE A SLAVE THEY LED ME THROUGH THE CITY AND THE PEOPLE MOCKED ME


BEFORE MY EYES THEY TORTURED MY BROTHER NORHALA THEY WERE EVIL ALL EVIL NORHALA YOU DID WELL TO SLAY THEM SHE CAUGHT THE WOMAN'S HANDS PRESSED CLOSE TO HER


NORHALA GAZED AT HER FROM GREAT GRAY EYES IN WHICH THE WRATH WAS DYING INTO WHICH THE OLD TRANQUILLITY THE OLD SERENITY WAS FLOWING AND WHEN SHE SPOKE THE GOLDEN VOICE HELD MORE THAN RETURNING ECHOES OF THE FAR AWAY FAINT CHIMINGS IT IS DONE SHE SAID


AND IT WAS WELL DONE SISTER NOW YOU AND I SHALL DWELL TOGETHER IN PEACE SISTER OR IF THERE BE THOSE IN THE WORLD FROM WHICH YOU CAME THAT YOU WOULD HAVE SLAIN


THEN YOU AND I SHALL GO FORTH WITH OUR COMPANIES AND STAMP THEM OUT EVEN AS I DID THESE MY HEART STOPPED BEATING FOR FROM THE DEPTHS OF RUTH'S EYES SHINING SHADOWS WERE RISING WRAITHS ANSWERING NORHALA'S CALLING


AND AS THEY ROSE STEADILY THEY DREW LIFE FROM THE CLEAR RADIANCE SUMMONING DREW CLOSER TO THE SEMBLANCE OF THAT TRANQUIL SPIRIT WHICH HER VENGEANCE HAD BANISHED


AND AT LAST IT WAS TWIN SISTER OF NORHALA WHO LOOKED UPON HER FROM THE FACE OF RUTH THE WHITE ARMS OF THE WOMAN ENCIRCLED HER THE GLORIOUS HEAD BENT OVER HER FLAMING TRESSES MINGLED WITH TENDER BROWN CURLS


SISTER SHE WHISPERED LITTLE SISTER THESE MEN YOU SHALL HAVE AS LONG AS IT PLEASES YOU TO DO WITH AS YOU WILL OR IF IT IS YOUR WISH THEY SHALL GO BACK TO THEIR WORLD AND I WILL GUARD THEM TO ITS GATES


BUT YOU AND I LITTLE SISTER WILL DWELL TOGETHER IN THE VASTNESSES IN THE PEACE SHALL IT NOT BE SO WITH NO FALTERING WITH NO GLANCE TOWARD US THREE


LOVER BROTHER OLD FRIEND RUTH CREPT CLOSER TO HER RESTED HER HEAD UPON THE VIRGINAL ROYAL BREASTS IT SHALL BE SO SHE MURMURED SISTER IT SHALL BE SO NORHALA I AM TIRED NORHALA I HAVE SEEN ENOUGH OF MEN


AN ECSTASY OF TENDERNESS A FLAME OF UNEARTHLY RAPTURE TREMBLED OVER THE WOMAN'S WONDROUS FACE HUNGRILY DEFIANTLY SHE PRESSED THE GIRL TO HER THE STARS IN THE LUCID HEAVENS OF HER EYES WERE SOFT AND GENTLE AND CARESSING


RUTH CRIED DRAKE AND SPRANG TOWARD THEM SHE PAID NO HEED AND EVEN AS HE LEAPED HE WAS CAUGHT WHIRLED BACK AGAINST US WAIT SAID VENTNOR


THERE WAS A CURIOUS UNDERSTANDING IN HIS VOICE A CURIOUS SYMPATHY TOO IN THE PATIENT UNTROUBLED GAZE THAT DWELT UPON HIS SISTER AND THIS WEIRDLY EXQUISITE WOMAN WHO HELD HER WAIT EXCLAIMED DRAKE WAIT HELL THE DAMNED WITCH IS STEALING HER AWAY FROM US


AGAIN HE THREW HIMSELF FORWARD RECOILED AS THOUGH SWEPT BACK BY AN INVISIBLE ARM FELL AGAINST US AND WAS CLASPED AND HELD BY VENTNOR AND AS HE STRUGGLED THE THING WE RODE HALTED


LIKE METAL WAVES BACK INTO IT RUSHED THE ENIGMATIC BILLOWS THAT HAD WASHED OVER THE FRAGMENTS OF THE CITY WE WERE LIFTED BETWEEN US AND THE WOMAN AND GIRL A CLEFT APPEARED IT WIDENED INTO A RIFT


IT WAS AS THOUGH NORHALA HAD DECREED IT AS A SYMBOL OF THIS HER SECOND VICTORY OR HAD SET IT BETWEEN US AS A BARRIER WIDER GREW THE RIFT


SAVE FOR THE BRIDGE OF OUR VOICES IT SEPARATED US FROM RUTH AS THOUGH SHE STOOD UPON ANOTHER WORLD HIGHER WE ROSE THE THREE OF US NOW UPON THE FLAT TOP OF A TOWER UPON WHOSE COUNTERPART FIFTY FEET AWAY


QUIETLY IT GLIDED TO THE CHASM IT HAD BLASTED IN THE CLIFF WALL THE SHADOW OF THOSE WALLS FELL UPON US AS ONE WE LOOKED BACK AS ONE WE SEARCHED OUT THE PATCH OF BLUE WITH THE BLACK BLOT AT ITS BREAST WE FOUND IT THEN THE PRECIPICES HID IT


SILENTLY WE STREAMED THROUGH THE CHASM THROUGH THE CANYON AND THE TUNNEL SPEAKING NO WORD DRAKE'S EYES FIXED WITH BITTER HATRED UPON NORHALA VENTNOR BROODING UPON HER ALWAYS WITH THAT ENIGMATIC SYMPATHY WE PASSED BETWEEN THE WALLS OF THE FURTHER CLEFT


STOOD FOR AN INSTANT AT THE BRINK OF THE GREEN FOREST THERE CAME TO US AS THOUGH FROM IMMEASURABLE DISTANCES A FAINT SUSTAINED THRUMMING LIKE THE BEATING OF COUNTLESS MUFFLED DRUMS THE THING THAT CARRIED US TREMBLED THE SOUND DIED AWAY


THE THING QUIETED IT BEGAN ITS STEADY EFFORTLESS STRIDING THROUGH THE CROWDING TREES BUT NOW WITH NONE OF THAT SPEED WITH WHICH IT HAD COME SPURRED FORWARD BY NORHALA'S AWAKENED HATE VENTNOR STIRRED


PURGED NOT ONLY BY SUFFERING BUT BY IT CAME TO ME SOME STRANGE KNOWLEDGE NO USE DRAKE HE SAID DREAMILY


BUT THIS I DO KNOW ONLY ONE WAY OR ANOTHER CAN THE BALANCE FALL AND IF IT BE ONE WAY THEN YOU AND WE SHALL HAVE RUTH BACK AND IF IT FALLS THE OTHER WAY THEN THERE WILL BE LITTLE NEED FOR US TO CARE FOR MAN WILL BE DONE MARTIN WHAT DO YOU MEAN


IT IS THE CRISIS HE ANSWERED WE CAN DO NOTHING GOODWIN NOTHING WHATEVER IS TO BE STEPS FORTH NOW FROM THE WOMB OF DESTINY AGAIN THERE CAME THAT DISTANT ROLLING LOUDER NOW AGAIN THE THING TREMBLED


IS IT TAPS FOR THEM THE DRUMMING DIED AS I LISTENED FEARFULLY ABOUT US WAS ONLY THE SWISHING THE SIGHING OF THE FALLING TREES BENEATH THE TREAD OF THE THING MOTIONLESS STOOD NORHALA


AND AS MOTIONLESS RUTH MARTIN I CRIED ONCE MORE A DREADFUL DOUBT UPON ME MARTIN WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHENCE DID THEY COME HIS VOICE WAS CLEAR AND CALM THE EYES BENEATH


THESE CREATURES THAT WHEN MANY STILL ARE ONE THAT WHEN ONE STILL ARE MANY WHENCE DID THEY COME WHAT ARE THEY HE LOOKED DOWN UPON THE CUBES THAT HELD US THEIR HOSTS OF TINY EYES SHONE UP AT HIM ENIGMATICALLY


AS THOUGH THEY HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD I DO NOT FORGET HE SAID AT LEAST NOT ALL DO I FORGET OF WHAT I SAW DURING THAT TIME WHEN I SEEMED AN ATOM OUTSIDE SPACE


AS I TOLD YOU OR THINK I TOLD YOU SPEAKING WITH UNTHINKABLE EFFORT THROUGH LIPS THAT SEEMED ETERNITIES AWAY FROM ME THE ATOM WHO STROVE TO OPEN THEM


REVELATIONS I KNOW NOT WHAT TO CALL THEM AND THOUGH EACH SEEMED EQUALLY REAL OF TWO OF THEM ONLY ONE I THINK CAN BE TRUE AND OF THE THIRD THAT MAY SOME TIME BE TRUE BUT SURELY IS NOT YET THROUGH THE AIR CAME A LOUDER DRUM ROLL


IN IT SOMETHING OMINOUS SOMETHING SINISTER IT SWELLED TO A CRESCENDO ABRUPTLY CEASED AND NOW I SAW NORHALA RAISE HER HEAD LISTEN I SAW A WORLD A VAST WORLD GOODWIN MARCHING STATELY THROUGH SPACE


IT WAS NO GLOBE IT WAS A WORLD OF MANY FACETS OF SMOOTH AND POLISHED PLANES


A GEOMETRIC THOUGHT OF THE GREAT CAUSE OF GOD IF YOU WILL MADE MATERIAL IT WAS AIRLESS WATERLESS SUNLESS


NORTH AND SOUTH TRIBE WAS GIVING PLACE TO TRIBE LANGUAGE TO LANGUAGE FOR THE INDIAN HOPELESSLY UNCHANGING IN RESPECT TO INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT WAS AS REGARDED TRIBAL RELATIONS AND LOCAL HAUNTS


MUTABLE AS THE WIND IN CANADA AND THE NORTHERN SECTION OF THE UNITED STATES THE ELEMENTS OF CHANGE WERE ESPECIALLY ACTIVE THE INDIAN POPULATION WHICH IN FIFTEEN THIRTY FIVE CARTIER FOUND AT MONTREAL AND QUEBEC


HAD DISAPPEARED AT THE OPENING OF THE NEXT CENTURY AND ANOTHER RACE HAD SUCCEEDED IN LANGUAGE AND CUSTOMS WIDELY DIFFERENT WHILE IN THE REGION NOW FORMING THE STATE OF NEW YORK A POWER WAS RISING TO A FEROCIOUS VITALITY WHICH


BUT FOR THE PRESENCE OF EUROPEANS WOULD PROBABLY HAVE SUBJECTED ABSORBED OR EXTERMINATED EVERY OTHER INDIAN COMMUNITY EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI AND NORTH OF THE OHIO THE VAST TRACT OF WILDERNESS FROM THE MISSISSIPPI TO THE ATLANTIC


AND FROM THE CAROLINAS TO HUDSON'S BAY WAS DIVIDED BETWEEN TWO GREAT FAMILIES OF TRIBES DISTINGUISHED BY A RADICAL DIFFERENCE OF LANGUAGE A PART OF VIRGINIA AND OF PENNSYLVANIA NEW JERSEY SOUTHEASTERN NEW YORK NEW ENGLAND


NEW BRUNSWICK NOVA SCOTIA AND LOWER CANADA WERE OCCUPIED SO FAR AS OCCUPIED AT ALL BY TRIBES SPEAKING VARIOUS ALGONQUIN LANGUAGES AND DIALECTS THEY EXTENDED MOREOVER ALONG THE SHORES OF THE UPPER LAKES


WESTWARD THE ERIES ALONG THE SOUTHERN SHORE OF LAKE ERIE AND THE NEUTRAL NATION ALONG ITS NORTHERN SHORE FROM NIAGARA


ON THE WHOLE THESE SAVAGES WERE FAVORABLE SPECIMENS OF THE ALGONQUIN STOCK BELONGING TO THAT SECTION OF IT WHICH TILLED THE SOIL AND WAS THUS IN SOME MEASURE SPARED THE EXTREMES OF MISERY AND DEGRADATION


TO WHICH THE WANDERING HUNTER TRIBES WERE OFTEN REDUCED THEY OWED MUCH ALSO TO THE BOUNTY OF THE SEA AND HENCE THEY TENDED TOWARDS THE COAST WHICH BEFORE THE EPIDEMIC CHAMPLAIN AND SMITH HAD SEEN AT MANY POINTS STUDDED WITH WIGWAMS


AND WAVING WITH HARVESTS OF MAIZE FEAR TOO DROVE THEM EASTWARD FOR THE IROQUOIS PURSUED THEM WITH AN INVETERATE ENMITY SOME PAID YEARLY TRIBUTE TO THEIR TYRANTS WHILE OTHERS WERE STILL SUBJECT TO THEIR INROADS


FLYING IN TERROR AT THE SOUND OF THE MOHAWK WAR CRY WESTWARD THE POPULATION THINNED RAPIDLY NORTHWARD IT SOON DISAPPEARED NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE THE WHOLE OF VERMONT AND WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS HAD NO HUMAN TENANTS BUT THE ROVING HUNTER


OR PROWLING WARRIOR WE HAVE SAID THAT THIS GROUP OF TRIBES WAS RELATIVELY VERY POPULOUS YET IT IS MORE THAN DOUBTFUL WHETHER ALL OF THEM UNITED HAD UNION BEEN POSSIBLE COULD HAVE MUSTERED EIGHT THOUSAND FIGHTING MEN TO SPEAK FURTHER OF THEM IS NEEDLESS


AND THE WHOLE OF NEW BRUNSWICK WERE OCCUPIED


TO WHOM AGRICULTURE WAS UNKNOWN THOUGH THE SEA PROLIFIC OF FISH LOBSTERS AND SEALS GREATLY LIGHTENED THEIR MISERIES


OR MICMACS OF NOVA SCOTIA CLOSELY RESEMBLED THEM IN HABITS AND CONDITION FROM NOVA SCOTIA TO THE SAINT LAWRENCE THERE WAS NO POPULATION WORTHY OF THE NAME FROM THE GULF OF SAINT LAWRENCE TO LAKE ONTARIO THE SOUTHERN BORDER OF THE GREAT RIVER


HAD NO TENANTS BUT HUNTERS NORTHWARD BETWEEN THE SAINT LAWRENCE AND HUDSON'S BAY ROAMED THE SCATTERED HORDES OF THE PAPINACHOIS BERSIAMITES AND OTHERS INCLUDED BY THE FRENCH UNDER THE GENERAL NAME


WHEN IN SPRING THE FRENCH TRADING SHIPS ARRIVED AND ANCHORED IN THE PORT OF TADOUSSAC THEY GATHERED FROM FAR AND NEAR TOILING PAINFULLY THROUGH THE DESOLATION OF FORESTS MUSTERING BY HUNDREDS AT THE POINT OF TRAFFIC


AND SETTING UP THEIR BARK WIGWAMS ALONG THE STRAND OF THAT WILD HARBOR


THEIR ORDINARY SUSTENANCE WAS DERIVED FROM THE CHASE THOUGH OFTEN GOADED BY DEADLY FAMINE THEY WOULD SUBSIST ON ROOTS THE BARK AND BUDS OF TREES


AND IN EXTREMITY EVEN CANNIBALISM WAS NOT RARE AMONG THEM ASCENDING THE SAINT LAWRENCE IT WAS SELDOM THAT THE SIGHT OF A HUMAN FORM GAVE RELIEF TO THE LONELINESS


FROM THE VERGE OF THE CLIFF ANNOUNCED THAT THE SAVAGE PROLOGUE OF THE AMERICAN DRAMA WAS DRAWING TO A CLOSE AND THAT THE CIVILIZATION OF EUROPE WAS ADVANCING ON THE SCENE ASCENDING FARTHER ALL WAS SOLITUDE EXCEPT AT THREE RIVERS


A NOTED PLACE OF TRADE WHERE A FEW ALGONQUINS OF THE TRIBE CALLED ATTICAMEGUES MIGHT POSSIBLY BE SEEN


AND AS THE VOYAGER PASSED SOME WOODED POINT OR THICKET COVERED ISLAND THE WHISTLING OF A STONE HEADED ARROW PROCLAIMED PERHAPS THE PRESENCE OF THESE FIERCE MARAUDERS AT MONTREAL THERE WAS NO HUMAN LIFE SAVE DURING A BRIEF SPACE IN EARLY SUMMER


WHEN THE SHORE SWARMED WITH SAVAGES WHO HAD COME TO THE YEARLY TRADE FROM THE GREAT COMMUNITIES OF THE INTERIOR


TO MORROW ALL AGAIN WAS SOLITUDE AND THE OTTAWA WAS COVERED WITH THE CANOES OF THE RETURNING WARRIORS ALONG THIS STREAM A MAIN ROUTE OF TRAFFIC THE SILENCE OF THE WILDERNESS WAS BROKEN ONLY BY THE SPLASH OF THE PASSING PADDLE


TO THE NORTH OF THE RIVER THERE WAS INDEED A SMALL ALGONQUIN BAND CALLED LA PETITE NATION TOGETHER WITH ONE OR TWO OTHER FEEBLE COMMUNITIES BUT THEY DWELT FAR FROM THE BANKS THROUGH FEAR OF THE UBIQUITOUS IROQUOIS


IT WAS NEARLY THREE HUNDRED MILES BY THE WINDINGS OF THE STREAM BEFORE ONE REACHED THAT ALGONQUIN TRIBE


THEN AFTER MANY A DAY OF LONELY TRAVEL THE VOYAGER FOUND A SAVAGE WELCOME AMONG THE NIPISSINGS ON THE LAKE WHICH BEARS THEIR NAME AND THEN CIRCLING WEST AND SOUTH FOR A HUNDRED AND FIFTY MILES OF SOLITUDE


HE REACHED FOR THE FIRST TIME A PEOPLE SPEAKING A DIALECT OF THE IROQUOIS TONGUE HERE ALL WAS CHANGED POPULOUS TOWNS RUDE FORTIFICATIONS AND AN EXTENSIVE THOUGH BARBAROUS TILLAGE


INDICATED A PEOPLE FAR IN ADVANCE OF THE FAMISHED WANDERERS OF THE SAGUENAY OR THEIR LESS ABJECT KINDRED OF NEW ENGLAND


TRUE NERVOUS VERY VERY DREADFULLY NERVOUS I HAD BEEN AND AM BUT WHY WILL YOU SAY THAT I AM MAD THE DISEASE HAD SHARPENED MY SENSES NOT DESTROYED NOT DULLED THEM


ABOVE ALL WAS THE SENSE OF HEARING ACUTE I HEARD ALL THINGS IN THE HEAVEN


I HEARD MANY THINGS IN HELL HOW THEN AM I MAD HEARKEN AND OBSERVE HOW HEALTHILY HOW CALMLY I CAN TELL YOU THE WHOLE STORY IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SAY HOW FIRST THE IDEA ENTERED MY BRAIN BUT ONCE CONCEIVED


IT HAUNTED ME DAY AND NIGHT OBJECT THERE WAS NONE PASSION THERE WAS NONE I LOVED THE OLD MAN HE HAD NEVER WRONGED ME HE HAD NEVER GIVEN ME INSULT FOR HIS GOLD I HAD NO DESIRE I THINK IT WAS HIS EYE


YES IT WAS THIS HE HAD THE EYE OF A VULTURE A PALE BLUE EYE WITH A FILM OVER IT WHENEVER IT FELL UPON ME MY BLOOD RAN COLD AND SO BY DEGREES VERY GRADUALLY


I MADE UP MY MIND TO TAKE THE LIFE OF THE OLD MAN AND THUS RID MYSELF OF THE EYE FOREVER NOW THIS IS THE POINT YOU FANCY ME MAD MADMEN KNOW NOTHING BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN ME YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN HOW WISELY I PROCEEDED


WITH WHAT CAUTION WITH WHAT FORESIGHT WITH WHAT DISSIMULATION I WENT TO WORK I WAS NEVER KINDER TO THE OLD MAN THAN DURING THE WHOLE WEEK BEFORE I KILLED HIM AND EVERY NIGHT ABOUT MIDNIGHT I TURNED THE LATCH OF HIS DOOR AND OPENED IT


OH SO GENTLY AND THEN WHEN I HAD MADE AN OPENING SUFFICIENT FOR MY HEAD I PUT IN A DARK LANTERN ALL CLOSED CLOSED THAT NO LIGHT SHONE OUT AND THEN I THRUST IN MY HEAD


OH YOU WOULD HAVE LAUGHED TO SEE HOW CUNNINGLY I THRUST IT IN I MOVED IT SLOWLY VERY VERY SLOWLY SO THAT I MIGHT NOT DISTURB THE OLD MAN'S SLEEP IT TOOK ME AN HOUR TO PLACE MY WHOLE HEAD WITHIN THE OPENING


SO FAR THAT I COULD SEE HIM AS HE LAY UPON HIS BED HA WOULD A MADMAN HAVE BEEN SO WISE AS THIS AND THEN WHEN MY HEAD WAS WELL IN THE ROOM I UNDID THE LANTERN CAUTIOUSLY OH SO CAUTIOUSLY


FOR IT WAS NOT THE OLD MAN WHO VEXED ME BUT HIS EVIL EYE AND EVERY MORNING WHEN THE DAY BROKE I WENT BOLDLY INTO THE CHAMBER AND SPOKE COURAGEOUSLY TO HIM CALLING HIM BY NAME IN A HEARTY TONE AND INQUIRING HOW HE HAS PASSED THE NIGHT


SO YOU SEE HE WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY PROFOUND OLD MAN INDEED TO SUSPECT THAT EVERY NIGHT JUST AT TWELVE I LOOKED IN UPON HIM WHILE HE SLEPT UPON THE EIGHTH NIGHT I WAS MORE THAN USUALLY CAUTIOUS IN OPENING THE DOOR


NEVER BEFORE THAT NIGHT HAD I FELT THE EXTENT OF MY OWN POWERS OF MY SAGACITY I COULD SCARCELY CONTAIN MY FEELINGS OF TRIUMPH TO THINK THAT THERE I WAS OPENING THE DOOR LITTLE BY LITTLE


AND HE NOT EVEN TO DREAM OF MY SECRET DEEDS OR THOUGHTS I FAIRLY CHUCKLED AT THE IDEA AND PERHAPS HE HEARD ME FOR HE MOVED ON THE BED SUDDENLY AS IF STARTLED NOW YOU MAY THINK THAT I DREW BACK BUT NO


HIS ROOM WAS AS BLACK AS PITCH WITH THE THICK DARKNESS FOR THE SHUTTERS WERE CLOSE FASTENED THROUGH FEAR OF ROBBERS AND SO I KNEW THAT HE COULD NOT SEE THE OPENING OF THE DOOR


STEADILY I HAD MY HEAD IN AND WAS ABOUT TO OPEN THE LANTERN WHEN MY THUMB SLIPPED UPON THE TIN FASTENING AND THE OLD MAN SPRANG UP IN BED CRYING OUT WHO'S THERE I KEPT QUITE STILL AND SAID NOTHING


FOR A WHOLE HOUR I DID NOT MOVE A MUSCLE AND IN THE MEANTIME I DID NOT HEAR HIM LIE DOWN HE WAS STILL SITTING UP IN THE BED LISTENING JUST AS I HAVE DONE NIGHT AFTER NIGHT HEARKENING TO THE DEATH WATCHES IN THE WALL


PRESENTLY I HEARD A SLIGHT GROAN AND I KNEW IT WAS THE GROAN OF MORTAL TERROR IT WAS NOT A GROAN OF PAIN OR OF GRIEF OH NO


WHEN OVERCHARGED WITH AWE I KNEW THE SOUND WELL MANY A NIGHT JUST AT MIDNIGHT WHEN ALL THE WORLD SLEPT


DEEPENING WITH ITS DREADFUL ECHO THE TERRORS THAT DISTRACTED ME I SAY I KNEW IT WELL I KNEW WHAT THE OLD MAN FELT AND PITIED HIM ALTHOUGH I CHUCKLED AT HEART


WHEN HE HAD TURNED IN THE BED HIS FEARS HAD BEEN EVER SINCE GROWING UPON HIM HE HAD BEEN TRYING TO FANCY THEM CAUSELESS BUT COULD NOT HE HAD BEEN SAYING TO HIMSELF IT IS NOTHING BUT THE WIND IN THE CHIMNEY


IT IS ONLY A MOUSE CROSSING THE FLOOR OR IT IS MERELY A CRICKET WHICH HAS MADE A SINGLE CHIRP YES HE HAD BEEN TRYING TO COMFORT HIMSELF WITH THESE SUPPOSITIONS BUT HE HAD FOUND ALL IN VAIN ALL IN VAIN BECAUSE DEATH


IN APPROACHING HIM HAD STALKED WITH HIS BLACK SHADOW BEFORE HIM AND ENVELOPED THE VICTIM AND IT WAS THE MOURNFUL INFLUENCE OF THE UNPERCEIVED SHADOW THAT CAUSED HIM TO FEEL ALTHOUGH HE NEITHER SAW NOR HEARD TO FEEL THE PRESENCE OF MY HEAD WITHIN THE ROOM


WHEN I HAD WAITED A LONG TIME VERY PATIENTLY WITHOUT HEARING HIM LIE DOWN I RESOLVED TO OPEN A LITTLE A VERY VERY LITTLE CREVICE IN THE LANTERN SO I OPENED IT YOU CANNOT IMAGINE HOW STEALTHILY


STEALTHILY UNTIL AT LENGTH A SIMPLE DIM RAY LIKE THE THREAD OF THE SPIDER


AND FELL FULL UPON THE VULTURE EYE IT WAS OPEN WIDE WIDE OPEN AND I GREW FURIOUS AS I GAZED UPON IT I SAW IT WITH PERFECT DISTINCTNESS ALL A DULL BLUE


WITH A HIDEOUS VEIL OVER IT THAT CHILLED THE VERY MARROW IN MY BONES BUT I COULD SEE NOTHING ELSE OF THE OLD MAN'S FACE OR PERSON FOR I HAD DIRECTED THE RAY AS IF BY INSTINCT PRECISELY UPON THE DAMNED SPOT


AND HAVE I NOT TOLD YOU THAT WHAT YOU MISTAKE FOR MADNESS IS BUT OVER ACUTENESS OF THE SENSE NOW I SAY THERE CAME TO MY EARS


SUCH AS A WATCH MAKES WHEN ENVELOPED IN COTTON I KNEW THAT SOUND WELL TOO IT WAS THE BEATING OF THE OLD MAN'S HEART IT INCREASED MY FURY AS THE BEATING OF A DRUM STIMULATES THE SOLDIER INTO COURAGE


BUT EVEN YET I REFRAINED AND KEPT STILL I SCARCELY BREATHED I HELD THE LANTERN MOTIONLESS I TRIED HOW STEADILY I COULD MAINTAIN THE RAY


MEANTIME THE HELLISH TATTOO OF THE HEART INCREASED IT GREW QUICKER AND QUICKER AND LOUDER AND LOUDER EVERY INSTANT THE OLD MAN'S TERROR MUST HAVE BEEN EXTREME IT GREW LOUDER I SAY LOUDER EVERY MOMENT


DO YOU MARK ME WELL I HAVE TOLD YOU THAT I AM NERVOUS SO I AM AND NOW AT THE DEAD HOUR OF THE NIGHT AMID THE DREADFUL SILENCE OF THAT OLD HOUSE SO STRANGE A NOISE AS THIS EXCITED ME TO UNCONTROLLABLE TERROR


YET FOR SOME MINUTES LONGER I REFRAINED AND STOOD STILL BUT THE BEATING GREW LOUDER LOUDER I THOUGHT THE HEART MUST BURST AND NOW A NEW ANXIETY SEIZED ME THE SOUND WOULD BE HEARD BY A NEIGHBOUR THE OLD MAN'S HOUR HAD COME


WITH A LOUD YELL I THREW OPEN THE LANTERN AND LEAPED INTO THE ROOM HE SHRIEKED ONCE ONCE ONLY IN AN INSTANT I DRAGGED HIM TO THE FLOOR


TO FIND THE DEED SO FAR DONE BUT FOR MANY MINUTES THE HEART BEAT ON WITH A MUFFLED SOUND THIS HOWEVER DID NOT VEX ME IT WOULD NOT BE HEARD THROUGH THE WALL AT LENGTH IT CEASED THE OLD MAN WAS DEAD


I REMOVED THE BED AND EXAMINED THE CORPSE YES HE WAS STONE STONE DEAD I PLACED MY HAND UPON THE HEART AND HELD IT THERE MANY MINUTES THERE WAS NO PULSATION HE WAS STONE DEAD HIS EYE WOULD TROUBLE ME NO MORE


IF STILL YOU THINK ME MAD YOU WILL THINK SO NO LONGER WHEN I DESCRIBE THE WISE PRECAUTIONS I TOOK FOR THE CONCEALMENT OF THE BODY THE NIGHT WANED AND I WORKED HASTILY BUT IN SILENCE FIRST OF ALL I DISMEMBERED THE CORPSE I CUT OFF THE HEAD


AND DEPOSITED ALL BETWEEN THE SCANTLINGS I THEN REPLACED THE BOARDS SO CLEVERLY SO CUNNINGLY THAT NO HUMAN EYE NOT EVEN HIS COULD HAVE DETECTED ANY THING WRONG THERE WAS NOTHING TO WASH OUT NO STAIN OF ANY KIND


NO BLOOD SPOT WHATEVER I HAD BEEN TOO WARY FOR THAT A TUB HAD CAUGHT ALL HA HA


IT WAS FOUR O'CLOCK STILL DARK AS MIDNIGHT AS THE BELL SOUNDED THE HOUR THERE CAME A KNOCKING AT THE STREET DOOR I WENT DOWN TO OPEN IT WITH A LIGHT HEART FOR WHAT HAD I NOW TO FEAR THERE ENTERED THREE MEN WHO INTRODUCED THEMSELVES


WITH PERFECT SUAVITY AS OFFICERS OF THE POLICE A SHRIEK HAD BEEN HEARD BY A NEIGHBOUR DURING THE NIGHT SUSPICION OF FOUL PLAY HAD BEEN AROUSED INFORMATION HAD BEEN LODGED AT THE POLICE OFFICE AND THEY THE OFFICERS


HAD BEEN DEPUTED TO SEARCH THE PREMISES I SMILED FOR WHAT HAD I TO FEAR I BADE THE GENTLEMEN WELCOME THE SHRIEK I SAID WAS MY OWN IN A DREAM THE OLD MAN I MENTIONED WAS ABSENT IN THE COUNTRY


I TOOK MY VISITORS ALL OVER THE HOUSE I BADE THEM SEARCH SEARCH WELL I LED THEM AT LENGTH TO HIS CHAMBER I SHOWED THEM HIS TREASURES SECURE UNDISTURBED IN THE ENTHUSIASM OF MY CONFIDENCE


PLACED MY OWN SEAT UPON THE VERY SPOT BENEATH WHICH REPOSED THE CORPSE OF THE VICTIM THE OFFICERS WERE SATISFIED MY MANNER HAD CONVINCED THEM I WAS SINGULARLY AT EASE THEY SAT AND WHILE I ANSWERED CHEERILY


THEY CHATTED OF FAMILIAR THINGS BUT ERE LONG I FELT MYSELF GETTING PALE AND WISHED THEM GONE MY HEAD ACHED AND I FANCIED A RINGING IN MY EARS BUT STILL THEY SAT AND STILL CHATTED THE RINGING BECAME MORE DISTINCT IT CONTINUED


AND BECAME MORE DISTINCT I TALKED MORE FREELY TO GET RID OF THE FEELING BUT IT CONTINUED AND GAINED DEFINITENESS UNTIL AT LENGTH I FOUND THAT THE NOISE WAS NOT WITHIN MY EARS NO DOUBT I NOW GREW VERY PALE BUT I TALKED MORE FLUENTLY


AND WITH A HEIGHTENED VOICE YET THE SOUND INCREASED AND WHAT COULD I DO IT WAS A LOW DULL QUICK SOUND MUCH SUCH A SOUND AS A WATCH MAKES WHEN ENVELOPED IN COTTON I GASPED FOR BREATH AND YET THE OFFICERS HEARD IT NOT


I TALKED MORE QUICKLY MORE VEHEMENTLY BUT THE NOISE STEADILY INCREASED I AROSE AND ARGUED ABOUT TRIFLES IN A HIGH KEY AND WITH VIOLENT GESTICULATIONS BUT THE NOISE STEADILY INCREASED WHY WOULD THEY NOT BE GONE


I PACED THE FLOOR TO AND FRO WITH HEAVY STRIDES AS IF EXCITED TO FURY BY THE OBSERVATIONS OF THE MEN BUT THE NOISE STEADILY INCREASED OH GOD WHAT COULD I DO I FOAMED I RAVED I SWORE


I SWUNG THE CHAIR UPON WHICH I HAD BEEN SITTING AND GRATED IT UPON THE BOARDS BUT THE NOISE AROSE OVER ALL AND CONTINUALLY INCREASED IT GREW LOUDER LOUDER LOUDER AND STILL THE MEN CHATTED PLEASANTLY AND SMILED


WAS IT POSSIBLE THEY HEARD NOT ALMIGHTY GOD NO NO THEY HEARD THEY SUSPECTED THEY KNEW THEY WERE MAKING A MOCKERY OF MY HORROR THIS I THOUGHT AND THIS I THINK


BUT ANYTHING WAS BETTER THAN THIS AGONY ANYTHING WAS MORE TOLERABLE THAN THIS DERISION I COULD BEAR THOSE HYPOCRITICAL SMILES NO LONGER I FELT THAT I MUST SCREAM OR DIE AND NOW AGAIN HARK LOUDER LOUDER


FIT FOR DRINK A COUNTRY WITHOUT A FIT DRINK FOR CHEESE HAS NO CHEESE FIT FOR DRINK GREECE WAS THE FIRST COUNTRY TO PROVE ITS EPICUREAN FITNESS ACCORDING TO THE OLD SAYING ABOVE FOR IT HAD WINE TO TIPPLE


AND SHEEP'S MILK CHEESE TO NIBBLE THE CLASSICAL GREEK CHEESE HAS ALWAYS BEEN FETA AND NO DOUBT THIS WAS THE KIND


FOR HER LOVERS SHE PUT FURTHER SWEETNESS AND BODY INTO THE STIRRUP CUP BY STIRRING HONEY AND BARLEY MEAL INTO IT TODAY WE MIGHT WHIP THIS UP IN AN ELECTRIC MIXER TO TOAST HER MEMORY


CHEESE IS ON THE HOUSE AT ALL WINE SALES FOR PROSPECTIVE CUSTOMERS TO SNACK UPON AND THUS BRING OUT THE FULL FLAVOR OF THE CELLARED VINTAGES BUT PROFESSIONAL WINE TASTERS ARE FORBIDDEN ANY CHEESE BETWEEN SIPS


THEY MAY CLEAR THEIR PALATES WITH PLAIN BREAD BUT NARY A CRUMB OF ROQUEFORT OR CUBE OF GRUYERE IN WORKING HOURS LEST IT GIVE THE WINE A SPURIOUS NOBILITY AND SPEAKING OF ROQUEFORT


HEAVENLY MARRIAGES ARE MADE IN BURGUNDY BETWEEN RED AND WHITE WINES OF BOTH COTES


AND DE BAUNE AND BURGUNDIAN CHEESES SUCH AS


AND PORT SALUT SEEM TO BE MADE FOR EACH OTHER AS DO CHATEAU MARGAUX


SUCH NOTABLES AS SAINTE MAURE


VENDOME AND THE LOIRE WINES VOUVRAY


AND ANJOU GRUYERE MATES WITH CHABLIS


AND ANY DRY RED WINE MOST COMMONLY CLARET IS A FIT DRINK FOR THE HUNDREDS OF OTHER FINE FRENCH CHEESES EVERY COUNTRY HAS SUCH HAPPY MARRIAGES AN ITALIAN STANDARD BEING PROVOLONE AND CHIANTI


THEN THERE IS A MOST UNUSUAL PAIR FRENCH NEUFCHATEL CHEESE AND SWISS NEUCHATEL WINE FROM JUST ACROSS THE BORDER SWITZERLAND ALSO HAS ANOTHER CHEESE FAVORITE AT HOME


GRAPE CHEESE NAMED FROM THE NEUCHATEL WINE IN WHICH IT IS AGED


IS ALSO UNIQUELY SUITED TO THE COMPANY OF ANY GOOD WINE BECAUSE IT IS MADE IN THE EXACT SHAPE AND SIZE OF A WINE BARREL BUNG A SIMILAR RELATION IS FOUND IN BRINZAS


THAT ARE PACKED IN MINIATURE WINE BARRELS STRONGLY SUGGESTING WHAT SHOULD BE DRUNK WITH SUCH EXCELLENT CHEESES HUNGARIAN TOKAY OTHER FOREIGN CHEESES GO TO MARKET WRAPPED IN VINE LEAVES THE AFFINITY HAS CLEARLY BEEN LAID DOWN IN HEAVEN


ONLY THE ENGLISH SEEM TO HAVE A FORTISSIMO TASTE IN THE GO WITH WINES ACCORDING TO THESE MATCHES REGISTERED BY ANDRE SIMON IN THE ART OF GOOD LIVING RED CHESHIRE WITH LIGHT TAWNY PORT WHITE CHESHIRE


WITH OLOROSO SHERRY BLUE LEICESTER WITH OLD VINTAGE PORT GREEN ROQUEFORT WITH NEW VINTAGE PORT TO THESE WE MIGHT ADD BRITTLE CHIPS


WITH NIPS OF AMONTILLADO FOR AN ELOQUENT APPETIZER THE ENGLISH ALSO POUR PORT INTO STILTON AND SUNDRY OTHER WINES AND LIQUORS INTO CHEDDARS AND SUCH THIS DOCTORING LEADS TO FRAUDULENT IMITATION HOWEVER


FOR EITHER PORT OR STOUT IS PUT INTO COUNTERFEIT CHESHIRE CHEESE TO MAKE UP FOR THE RICHNESS IT LACKS WHILE SOME COMBINATIONS OF CHEESES AND WINES MAY TURN OUT PALATABLE WE PREFER TAKING OURS STRAIGHT WHEN SOMETHING MORE FIERY IS NEEDED


DE DANZIG AND NIBBLE ON LEGITIMATE DANZIG CHEESE UNADULTERATED GOLDWASSER


WAS A FAVORITE LIQUEUR OF CHEESE LOVING FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT AND WE CAN BE SURE HE TOOK THE TWO SEPARATELY ANOTHER PERFECT COMBINATION IF YOU CAN TAKE IT


WITH ANY CARAWAY SEEDED CHEESE OR CREAM CHEESE WITH A HANDY SAUCER OF CARAWAY SEEDS IN THE SECTION OF FRANCE DEVOTED TO GIN THE JUNIPER BERRIES THAT FLAVOR THE DRINK ALSO GO INTO A LOCAL CHEESE FROMAGE FORT


THIS IS ALSO TRUE OF OUR NATIVE JERSEY LIGHTNING AND HARD CIDER WITH THEIR ACCOMPANYING NEW YORK STATE CHEESE


FARMERS ALSO DRINK HOMEMADE CIDER


THE ENGLISH SIP PEAR CIDER PERRY WITH ALMOST ANY BRITISH CHEESE MILK WOULD SEEM TO BE REDUNDANT BUT SAGE CHEESE AND BUTTERMILK DO GO WELL TOGETHER


WOULD HAVE FORMED HIS CHRISTIAN EMPIRE IN THE WILDERNESS BUT ONE BY ONE THESE KINDRED PEOPLES WERE UPROOTED AND SWEPT AWAY WHILE THE NEIGHBORING ALGONQUINS TO WHOM THEY HAD BEEN A BULWARK WERE INVOLVED WITH THEM IN A COMMON RUIN


FROM WHOSE CONVERSION IT WAS VAIN TO LOOK FOR THE SAME SOLID AND DECISIVE RESULTS IN A MEASURE THE OCCUPATION OF THE JESUITS WAS GONE SOME OF THEM WENT HOME WELL RESOLVED WRITES THE FATHER SUPERIOR


ABOUT TWENTY IN NUMBER SEVERAL SOON FELL VICTIMS TO FAMINE


THE GUNS AND TOMAHAWKS OF THE IROQUOIS WERE THE RUIN OF THEIR HOPES COULD THEY HAVE CURBED OR CONVERTED THOSE FEROCIOUS BANDS IT IS LITTLE LESS THAN CERTAIN


SAVAGES TAMED NOT CIVILIZED FOR THAT WAS SCARCELY POSSIBLE WOULD HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED IN COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE VALLEYS OF THE GREAT LAKES AND THE MISSISSIPPI RULED BY PRIESTS IN THE INTEREST OF CATHOLICITY AND OF FRANCE


UNMOLESTED BY INDIAN ENEMIES AND FED BY A RICH COMMERCE SHE WOULD HAVE PUT FORTH A VIGOROUS GROWTH TRUE TO HER FAR REACHING AND ADVENTUROUS GENIUS SHE WOULD HAVE OCCUPIED THE WEST WITH TRADERS SETTLERS AND GARRISONS


WHILE AS YET THE COLONIES OF ENGLAND WERE BUT A WEAK AND BROKEN LINE ALONG THE SHORE OF THE ATLANTIC AND WHEN AT LAST THE GREAT CONFLICT CAME ENGLAND AND LIBERTY WOULD HAVE BEEN CONFRONTED


NOT BY A DEPLETED ANTAGONIST STILL FEEBLE FROM THE EXHAUSTION OF A STARVED AND PERSECUTED INFANCY BUT BY AN ATHLETIC CHAMPION OF THE PRINCIPLES OF RICHELIEU AND OF LOYOLA LIBERTY MAY THANK THE IROQUOIS THAT BY THEIR INSENSATE FURY


AND A PERIL AND A WOE AVERTED FROM HER FUTURE THEY RUINED THE TRADE WHICH WAS THE LIFE BLOOD OF NEW FRANCE THEY STOPPED THE CURRENT OF HER ARTERIES AND MADE ALL HER EARLY YEARS A MISERY AND A TERROR NOT THAT THEY CHANGED HER DESTINIES


THE CONTEST ON THIS CONTINENT BETWEEN LIBERTY AND ABSOLUTISM WAS NEVER DOUBTFUL BUT THE TRIUMPH OF THE ONE WOULD HAVE BEEN DEARLY BOUGHT AND THE DOWNFALL OF THE OTHER INCOMPLETE


POPULATIONS FORMED IN THE IDEAS AND HABITS OF A FEUDAL MONARCHY AND CONTROLLED BY A HIERARCHY PROFOUNDLY HOSTILE TO FREEDOM OF THOUGHT WOULD HAVE REMAINED A HINDRANCE AND A STUMBLING BLOCK IN THE WAY OF THAT MAJESTIC EXPERIMENT


OF WHICH AMERICA IS THE FIELD THE JESUITS SAW THEIR HOPES STRUCK DOWN AND THEIR FAITH THOUGH NOT SHAKEN WAS SORELY TRIED THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD SEEMED IN THEIR EYES DARK AND INEXPLICABLE BUT FROM THE STAND POINT OF LIBERTY


THAT PROVIDENCE IS CLEAR AS THE SUN AT NOON MEANWHILE LET THOSE WHO HAVE PREVAILED YIELD DUE HONOR TO THE DEFEATED THEIR VIRTUES SHINE AMIDST THE RUBBISH OF ERROR LIKE DIAMONDS AND GOLD IN THE GRAVEL OF THE TORRENT


BUT NOW NEW SCENES SUCCEED AND OTHER ACTORS ENTER ON THE STAGE A HARDY AND VALIANT BAND MOULDED TO ENDURE AND DARE


THE IDENTITY OF THE FINAL VICTIM


AS AN EXCUSE I TALKED OVER CASES WITH HIM BUT HE SELDOM VOLUNTEERED AN OPINION OFTEN WAS OBVIOUSLY UNINTERESTED TRUTH TO TELL I WAS NOT THERE FOR HIS OPINION BUT TO SEE HIS GRANDDAUGHTER A DETECTIVE IN LOVE SOUNDS SOMETHING LIKE AN ABSURDITY


BUT SUCH WAS MY CASE AND SINCE ZENA'S MANNER DID NOT SUGGEST THAT SHE WAS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN ME MY LOVE AFFAIR SEEMED RATHER A HOPELESS ONE MY ASSOCIATION WITH CHRISTOPHER QUARLES HAS HOWEVER


LED TO THE SOLUTION OF SOME STRANGE MYSTERIES AND SINCE MY OWN ACHIEVEMENTS ARE SUFFICIENTLY WELL KNOWN I MAY CONFINE MYSELF TO THOSE CASES WHICH SINGLE HANDED I SHOULD HAVE FAILED TO SOLVE I KNOW THAT IN MANY OF THEM I WAS CREDITED WITH HAVING UNRAVELED THE MYSTERY


BUT THIS WAS ONLY BECAUSE PROFESSOR QUARLES PERSISTED IN REMAINING IN THE BACKGROUND IF I DID THE SPADE WORK THE DEDUCTIONS WERE HIS THEY WERE ALL CASES WITH PECULIAR FEATURES IN THEM


HE WAS OFTEN AS ASTONISHED AT MY ACUMEN IN FOLLOWING A CLEW AS I WAS AT HIS MARVELOUS THEORIES


PERHAPS HIS CURIOUS POWER WAS NEVER MORE NOTICEABLE THAN IN THE CASE OF THE WITHAN MURDER A FARMER RETURNING FROM MEDWORTH THE NEIGHBORING MARKET TOWN ONE NIGHT IN JANUARY


BY EVENING THE CLOUDS HAD GONE THE MOON SAILED IN A CLEAR SKY AND LOOKING ROUND TO FIND THE CAUSE OF HIS HORSE'S UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR THE FARMER SAW A MAN LYING ON A HEAP OF SNOW UNDER THE OPPOSITE HEDGE HE WAS DEAD MORE HE WAS HEADLESS


IT WAS NOT UNTIL SOME DAYS LATER THAT THE CASE CAME INTO MY HANDS AND IN THE INTERVAL THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES HAD NOT BEEN IDLE IT WAS NOTED THAT THE MAN WAS POORLY DRESSED THAT HIS HANDS PROVED HE WAS USED TO MANUAL LABOR BUT THERE WAS NO MARK EITHER ON HIS BODY OR ON HIS CLOTHING


NOR ANY PAPERS IN HIS POCKETS TO LEAD TO HIS IDENTIFICATION SO FAR AS COULD BE ASCERTAINED


AND APPARENTLY NO STRUGGLE HAD TAKEN PLACE FOOTPRINTS NEARLY OBLITERATED


SOON AFTER THE STORM BEGAN AND THAT SNOW HAD HIDDEN THE MURDERER'S TRACKS FROM THE WOOD THAT SNOW HAD DRIFTED ON TO THE DEAD BODY SEEMED TO ESTABLISH THIS THEORY


AND WOULD BE FOUND BURIED IN THE WOOD IT WAS NOT FOUND HOWEVER AND THE COUNTRYSIDE WAS IN A STATE BORDERING ON PANIC FOR A FEW DAYS THE WITHAN MURDER SEEMED UNIQUE IN ATROCITIES AND THEN CAME A COMMUNICATION FROM THE FRENCH POLICE


SOME TWO YEARS AGO AN ALMOST IDENTICAL MURDER HAD BEEN COMMITTED OUTSIDE A VILLAGE IN NORMANDY IN THIS CASE ALSO THE HEAD WAS MISSING AND NOTHING HAD BEEN FOUND UPON THE BODY TO IDENTIFY THE VICTIM HE WAS WELL DRESSED AND A MAN WHO WOULD BE LIKELY TO CARRY PAPERS WITH HIM BUT NOTHING WAS FOUND


AND THE MURDER HAD REMAINED A MYSTERY THESE WERE THE POINTS KNOWN AND CONJECTURED WHEN THE CASE CAME INTO MY HANDS AND MY INVESTIGATIONS ADDED LITTLE TO THEM ONE POINT HOWEVER IMPRESSED ME I FELT CONVINCED THAT THE MAN'S CLOTHES WHICH WERE SHOWN TO ME HAD NOT BEEN MADE IN ENGLAND


THEY WERE POOR WORN ALMOST THREADBARE BUT THEY HAD ONCE BEEN FAIRLY GOOD AND THE CUT WAS NOT ENGLISH THAT IT WAS FRENCH I COULD NOT POSSIBLY AFFIRM BUT IT MIGHT BE AND SO I FASHIONED A FRAGILE LINK WITH THE NORMANDY CRIME


ON THIS OCCASION I WENT TO QUARLES WITH THE OBJECT OF INTERESTING HIM IN THE WITHAN CASE AND HE FORESTALLED ME BY BEGINNING TO TALK ABOUT IT THE MOMENT I ENTERED THE ROOM HERE I MAY MENTION A FACT WHICH I HAD NOT DISCOVERED AT FIRST


WHENEVER HE WAS INTERESTED IN A CASE I WAS ALWAYS TAKEN INTO HIS EMPTY ROOM AT OTHER TIMES WE WERE IN THE DINING ROOM OR THE DRAWING ROOM IT WAS THE EMPTY ROOM ON THIS OCCASION AND ZENA REMAINED WITH US


THE FOREIGN CUT OF THE CLOTHES MAY BE OF IMPORTANCE HE SAID I AM NOT SURE IS THIS WOOD YOU MENTION OF ANY GREAT EXTENT NO IT RUNS BESIDE THE ROAD FOR TWO OR THREE HUNDRED YARDS TOWARD WITHAN NO IT WAS NEAR THE WITHAN END OF IT THAT THE DEAD MAN WAS FOUND


ANY TRACES THAT THE HEAD WAS CARRIED TO THE WOOD THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES SAY YES AND NOT A TRACE AFTERWARD THE GROUND IN THE WOOD WAS SEARCHED AT THE TIME AND I HAVE BEEN OVER IT CAREFULLY SINCE THROUGH ONE PART OF THE WOOD THERE RUNS A DITCH


WHICH IS CONTINUED AS A DIVISION BETWEEN TWO FIELDS WHICH FORM PART OF THE FARM LAND BEHIND THE WOOD BY WALKING ALONG THIS THE MURDERER MIGHT HAVE LEFT THE WOOD WITHOUT LEAVING TRACKS BEHIND HIM A GOOD POINT WIGAN AND WHERE WOULD THAT DITCH LEAD HIM EVENTUALLY TO THE HIGH ROAD


WHICH RUNS ALMOST AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE WITHAN ROAD MUCH WATER IN THE DITCH ASKED QUARLES HALF A FOOT WHEN I WENT THERE


THERE WAS A MOON THAT NIGHT WASN'T THERE FULL OR NEAR IT I RETURNED AND HOW SOON WAS THE ALARM RAISED ALONG THE COUNTRYSIDE


AND AFTER GOING TO THE VILLAGE THE FARMER RETURNED TO MEDWORTH FOR THE POLICE


SAID ZENA AND IF HE WERE MET ON THE ROAD CARRYING A BAG HE WOULD ARREST ATTENTION WHY CARRYING A BAG ASKED QUARLES WITH THE HEAD IN IT SHE ANSWERED THAT'S ANOTHER GOOD POINT WIGAN CHUCKLED QUARLES OF COURSE


THE HEAD MAY BE BURIED IN THE WOOD SAID ZENA QUARLES LOOKED AT ME INQUIRINGLY


ONE OR TWO DOUBTFUL PLACES I HAD DUG UP I THINK THE MURDERER MUST HAVE TAKEN THE HEAD WITH HIM TO BURY SOMEWHERE ELSE ASKED QUARLES


A MAD DOCTOR BENT ON BRAIN EXPERIMENTS IS THAT YOUR THEORY WIGAN


JANUARY THE SEVENTEENTH NEARLY THE SAME DATE AS THE ENGLISH ONE SAID ZENA TWO YEARS INTERVENING I RETURNED


AT THAT DATE SAID QUARLES YOU HAVE A THEORY PROFESSOR AN OUTLANDISH ONE WHICH WOULD MAKE YOU LAUGH NO NO I DO NOT LIKE BEING LAUGHED AT I NEVER MENTION MY THEORIES UNTIL I HAVE SOME FACTS TO SUPPORT THEM


I TOOK THE TROUBLE TO MAKE INQUIRY WHETHER ANY SIMILAR CRIME HAD HAPPENED IN ENGLAND IN THE JANUARY OF THE PRECEDING YEAR AND HAD THE SAME INQUIRY MADE IN FRANCE THERE WAS NO RECORD OF ANY MURDER BEARING THE SLIGHTEST RESEMBLANCE TO THE WITHAN TRAGEDY


A FEW DAYS LATER QUARLES TELEGRAPHED ME TO MEET HIM AT KINGS CROSS AND WE TRAVELED NORTH TOGETHER WAIT HE SAID WHEN I BEGAN TO QUESTION HIM I AM NOT SURE YET MY THEORY SEEMS ABSURD WE ARE GOING TO FIND OUT IF IT IS


WE TOOK ROOMS AT A HOTEL IN MEDWORTH QUARLES EXPLAINING THAT OUR INVESTIGATIONS MIGHT TAKE SOME DAYS NEXT MORNING INSTEAD OF GOING TO WITHAN AS I HAD EXPECTED HE TOOK ME TO THE POLICE COURT


THE NEXT AFTERNOON HE ARRANGED A DRIVE I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO WITHAN BUT WE TURNED AWAY FROM THE VILLAGE AND PRESENTLY QUARLES STOPPED THE CARRIAGE


FIVE OR SIX MILES THE ROAD WINDS A LOT IT'S A DEAL NEARER AS THE CROW FLIES YOU NEED NOT WAIT FOR US DRIVER MY FRIEND AND I ARE GOING TO WALK BACK THE COACHMAN POCKETED HIS MONEY AND DROVE AWAY COULDN'T KEEP HIM WAITING ALL NIGHT AS WE MAY HAVE TO DO


SAID QUARLES MIND YOU WIGAN I'M VERY DOUBTFUL ABOUT MY THEORY AT LEAST I AM NOT CERTAIN THAT I SHALL FIND THE FACTS I WANT A FEW HOURS WILL SETTLE IT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER AFTER WALKING ALONG THE ROAD FOR ABOUT A MILE


QUARLES SCRAMBLED THROUGH A HEDGE INTO A WOOD BY THE ROADSIDE


SHOULD WE MEET ANYONE BLAME ME SAY I AM A DODDERING OLD FOOL WHO WOULD WALK UNDER THE TREES


DO YOU GO ARMED ALWAYS I ANSWERED I DO SOMETIMES HE SAID TAPPING HIS POCKET WE MIGHT COME UP AGAINST DANGER IF MY THEORY IS CORRECT IF I TELL YOU TO SHOOT SHOOT AND QUICKLY


YOUR LIFE IS LIKELY TO DEPEND UPON IT AND KEEP YOUR EARS OPEN TO MAKE SURE NO ONE IS FOLLOWING US HE HAD BECOME KEEN LIKE A DOG ON THE TRAIL AND OLD AS HE WAS SEEMED INCAPABLE OF FATIGUE


WHETHER HE HAD STUDIED THE TOPOGRAPHY OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD I CANNOT SAY BUT HE DID NOT HESITATE IN HIS DIRECTION UNTIL HE REACHED A HIGH KNOLL WHICH WAS CLEAR OF THE WOOD AND COMMANDED A CONSIDERABLE VIEW WE WERE TRESPASSERS IN A PRIVATE PARK


TO OUR RIGHT WAS A LARGE HOUSE ONLY PARTIALLY SEEN THROUGH ITS SCREEN OF TREES BUT IT WAS EVIDENTLY MELLOW WITH AGE TO OUR LEFT TOWARD WHAT WAS EVIDENTLY THE EXTREMITY OF THE PARK WAS HILLY GROUND WHICH HAD BEEN ALLOWED TO RUN WILD


TO THIS QUARLES POINTED THAT IS OUR WAY HE SAID WE'LL USE WHAT COVER WE CAN WE PLUNGED INTO THE WOOD AGAIN AND WERE SOON IN THE WILDERNESS FORCING OUR WAY SOMETIMES WITH CONSIDERABLE DIFFICULTY THROUGH THE UNDERGROWTH


ONCE OR TWICE THE PROFESSOR GAVE ME A WARNING GESTURE BUT HE DID NOT SPEAK HE HAD EVIDENTLY SOME DEFINITE GOAL AND I WAS CONSCIOUS OF EXCITEMENT AS I FOLLOWED HIM FOR AN HOUR OR MORE HE TURNED THIS WAY AND THAT EXPLORING EVERY LITTLE RAVINE HE COULD DISCOVER


GRUNTING HIS DISAPPOINTMENT EACH TIME HE FAILED TO FIND WHAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR I SAID I WASN'T CERTAIN HE WHISPERED WHEN OUR PATH HAD LED US INTO A DAMP HOLLOW WHICH LOOKED AS IF IT HAD NOT BEEN VISITED BY MAN FOR CENTURIES MY THEORY SEEMS


AND YET THIS IS SUCH A LIKELY PLACE THERE MUST BE A WAY HE WAS GOING FORWARD AGAIN THE HOLLOW WAS SURROUNDED BY PERPENDICULAR WALLS OF SAND AND CHALK IT WAS A PIT IN FACT WHICH NATURE HAD FILLED WITH VEGETATION THE WAY WE HAD COME SEEMED THE ONLY WAY INTO IT


AH THIS LOOKS PROMISING QUARLES SAID SUDDENLY IN A CORNER OF THE WALL OR TO BE MORE PRECISE FILLING UP A RENT IN IT WAS A SHED ROUGHLY BUILT BUT WITH A DOOR SECURED BY A VERY BUSINESS LIKE LOCK I THINK THE SHED IS CLIMBABLE


SAID QUARLES LET'S GET ON THE ROOF I AM NOT SO YOUNG AS I WAS SO HELP ME UP IT WAS NOT MUCH HELP HE WANTED IN A FEW MOMENTS WE WERE ON THE ROOF AS I THOUGHT HE SAID


WE'LL GO CAREFULLY SAID QUARLES THERE MAY BE WORSE THAN POACHERS TRAPS HERE WITHOUT HELP FROM ME HE DROPPED FROM THE ROOF AND I FOLLOWED HIM THE NATURAL PASSAGE WAS WINDING AND ABOUT FIFTY YARDS LONG AND OPENED INTO ANOTHER PIT OF SOME SIZE


A PIT I CALL IT BUT IT WAS AS MUCH A CAVE AS A PIT PART OF IT RUNNING DEEPLY INTO THE EARTH AND ONLY ABOUT A THIRD OF IT BEING OPEN TO THE SKY THE CAVE PART HAD A ROUGH SANDY FLOOR AND HERE WAS A LONG SHED OF PECULIAR CONSTRUCTION


THE BACK PART BEING CLOSED IN THE ROOF WAS THATCHED WITH BARK AND DRIED BRACKEN AND AGAINST ONE END OF THE VERANDA WAS A NOTCHED TREE TRUNK SERVING AS A LADDER AS I EXPECTED SAID QUARLES WITH SOME EXCITEMENT WE MUST GET ONTO THE VERANDA FOR A MOMENT


I THINK WE ARE ALONE HERE BUT KEEP YOUR EARS OPEN THE SHED WAS EVIDENTLY USED SOMETIMES THERE WAS A STONE SLAB WHICH HAD SERVED AS A FIREPLACE AND FROM A BEAM ABOVE HUNG A SHORT CHAIN ON WHICH A POT COULD EASILY BE FIXED WE'LL GET AWAY QUICKLY SAID QUARLES


WHEN IN ABOUT THIRTY HOURS TIME THE PROFESSOR'S SENSE OF DIRECTION WAS MARVELOUS


I DARESAY ONE WOULD BE ALLOWED TO SEE OVER THE HOUSE


HE WAS ALWAYS AS SECRET AS THE GRAVE UNTIL HE HAD PROVED HIS THEORY AND THEN HE SEEMED ANXIOUS TO FORGET THE WHOLE AFFAIR AND SHRANK FROM PUBLICITY


WE GO THERE AGAIN THIS EVENING HE SAID AFTER LUNCH NEXT DAY SO A RESTFUL AFTERNOON WILL SUIT US IT WAS GETTING DARK WHEN WE SET OUT AND AGAIN QUARLES'S UNERRING SENSE OF LOCALITY ASTONISHED ME HE LED THE WAY WITHOUT HESITATION


I THINK WE ARE FIRST BUT GREAT CARE IS NECESSARY HE WHISPERED WE CREPT FORWARD AND CONCEALED OURSELVES AMONG THE SCRUB VEGETATION WHICH GREW IN THAT PART OF THE PIT WHICH WAS OPEN TO THE SKY IT WAS DARK THE LONG SHED BARELY DISCERNIBLE


BUT THE PROFESSOR WAS PARTICULAR ABOUT OUR POSITION WE MAY HAVE TO CREEP A LITTLE NEARER PRESENTLY HE WHISPERED FROM HERE WE CAN DO SO SILENCE WIGAN AND DON'T BE ASTONISHED AT ANYTHING THE WAITING SEEMED LONG MOONLIGHT WAS PRESENTLY ABOVE US


THROWING THE CAVE PART OF THE PIT INTO GREATER SHADOW THAN EVER I CANNOT ATTEMPT TO SAY HOW LONG WE HAD WAITED IN UTTER SILENCE WHEN QUARLES TOUCHED MY ARM SOMEONE WAS COMING AND WITH NO PARTICULAR STEALTH


I HEARD FOOTSTEPS ON THE RAISED FLOOR OF THE SHED A MAN'S STEP AND ONLY ONE MAN'S I HEARD HIM MOVING ABOUT FOR SOME TIME I THINK HE CAME DOWN THE LADDER ONCE AND WENT UP AGAIN


THEN THERE WAS A LIGHT AND SUDDEN TINY FLAMES IN THE DARK HE HAD EVIDENTLY GOT FUEL AND HAD STARTED A FIRE ON THE STONE SLAB AS THE FLAMES BRIGHTENED I WATCHED HIS RESTLESS FIGURE HE WAS NOT A YOUNG MAN


HE WAS SHORT THICK SET AND QUICK IN HIS MOVEMENTS


WHEN HE GOT DOWN AGAIN I SAW THAT A BUNDLE WAS SUSPENDED OVER THE FIRE


ONLY THE SMOKE CURLED ABOUT IT THEN THE MAN MOVED THE WOODEN BLOCK TO THE SIDE OF THE FIRE AND SAT DOWN FACING US THE FLICKERING FLAMES THROWING A RED GLOW OVER HIM WIGAN DO YOU SEE WHISPERED QUARLES NOT CLEARLY WE'LL GO NEARER CAREFULLY


FROM OUR NEW POINT OF VIEW I LOOKED AGAIN THE MAN'S FACE WAS FAMILIAR BUT JUST THEN I COULD NOT REMEMBER WHO HE WAS IT WAS THE BUNDLE HANGING OVER THE FIRE WHICH FASCINATED ME TIED TOGETHER AND SECURED IN A NETWORK OF STRING


WERE FIVE OR SIX HUMAN HEADS BLACKENED SHRIVELED FACES WHICH SEEMED TO GRIN HORRIBLY AS THEY SWUNG DEEPLY FROM SIDE TO SIDE LIT UP BY THE FLICKER OF THE FLAMES DO YOU SEE WIGAN QUARLES ASKED AGAIN YES


AND THE MAN WHO IS HE ON THE BENCH YESTERDAY SIR HENRY BUCKINGHAM


FOR AN HOUR TWO THREE I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT HORRIBLE BUNDLE SWUNG OVER THE FIRE AND THE MAN SAT ON HIS BLOCK OF WOOD STARING STRAIGHT BEFORE HIM


AND I WAITED EXPECTING SOME FURTHER REVELATION LISTENING FOR OTHER FOOTSTEPS NONE CAME THE FIRE FLICKERED LOWER AND WENT OUT THE MOON HAD SET AND THE COLD OF THE EARLY MORNING GOT INTO MY BONES


IN THE DARKNESS BEFORE THE DAWN THE MAN MOVED ABOUT THE SHED AGAIN AND PRESENTLY I HEARD HIM GO PATIENCE WHISPERED QUARLES AS I STARTED UP TO GO AFTER HIM HE WILL NOT RUN AWAY


MY DEAR WIGAN HE SAID WHEN AT LAST HE CONDESCENDED TO TALK IT WAS ZENA WHO FIRST SET ME ON THE RIGHT ROAD WHEN SHE REMARKED THAT A MAN WHO HAD WALKED IN A DITCH CARRYING A BAG WOULD ARREST ATTENTION TWO POINTS WERE SUGGESTED FIRST


THAT THE MAN MIGHT NOT HAVE FAR TO GO TO REACH A PLACE OF SAFETY SECONDLY THAT HE HAD COME PREPARED TO TAKE A HEAD AWAY WITH HIM A MERE SPECULATION YOU MAY SAY


WHY SHOULD A HEAD BE REQUIRED WHAT KIND OF MAN WOULD BE LIKELY TO WANT A HEAD


I SOUGHT FOR SOME PECULIARITY IN HIS MANNER AND FOUND NONE YET HIS HISTORY COINCIDED WITH MY THEORY YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT HIM I SUPPOSE NOTHING RATHER AN INTERESTING CAREER BUT WITH AN HEREDITARY TAINT IN IT QUARLES WENT ON


HIS MOTHER WAS ECCENTRIC HER HUSBAND WAS RICH ENOUGH TO HAVE HER LOOKED AFTER AT HOME HAD SHE BEEN A POORER PERSON SHE WOULD HAVE DIED IN A MADHOUSE RELIGIOUS MANIA HERS WAS AND HER SON HAS INHERITED IT IN A CURIOUS FASHION


HOW HAVE YOU LEARNT ALL THIS HE IS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO HAVE SOME OF HIS DOINGS CHRONICLED AND HE WROTE SOME INTERESTING ARTICLES FOR A COUNTRY GENTLEMEN'S NEWSPAPER ABOUT HIS NORMANDY TOUR NATURE STUDIES AND SUCH LIKE ANOTHER POINT BOTH THESE MURDERS HAPPENED AT THE TIME OF THE FULL MOON


I AM NOT ABSOLUTELY SURE BUT I THINK YOU WILL FIND THAT FOR THE LAST HALF DOZEN YEARS SIR HENRY HAS NOT BEEN IN ENGLAND IN JANUARY YOU THINK I THINK THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN OTHER HEADS MISSING IF HE HAD BEEN QUARLES ANSWERED


HE WAS SANE ENOUGH TO BE SOMEWHERE WHERE HE WAS NOT KNOWN WHEN THIS TIME OF THE YEAR CAME ROUND AT THE FULL MOON HE IS ALWAYS QUEER WITNESS LAST NIGHT BUT HE IS ONLY DANGEROUS IN JANUARY DANGEROUS I MEAN WITHOUT PROVOCATION


TO PRESERVE HIS SECRET I HAVE LITTLE DOUBT HE WOULD GO TO ANY LENGTH THAT IS WHY I WARNED YOU TO BE READY TO SHOOT WHEN WE WENT UPON OUR JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY NOW THIS YEAR HE WAS IN ENGLAND ILLNESS HAD KEPT HIM TO HIS HOUSE YONDER


AND THE INSANE DESIRE PROVED IRRESISTIBLE HE WAS CUNNING TOO HE MUST KNOW EVERYBODY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD YET THE MAN HE KILLED WAS UNKNOWN WE SHALL FIND PRESENTLY I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THE VICTIM WAS SOME WANDERER RETURNING UNEXPECTEDLY TO FRIENDS IN WITHAN


SIR HENRY WAITING IN THE WOOD PERHAPS FOR HOURS MAY HAVE ALLOWED OTHERS TO PASS BEFORE THIS MAN CAME HE REALIZED THAT HE WAS A STRANGER AND ATTACKED HIM BUT THE HEAD


WAS AMONG THOSE HANGING OVER THE FIRE SIR HENRY WAS FOR MANY YEARS IN BORNEO WIGAN AND FOR A LARGE PART OF THE TIME WAS UP COUNTRY HELPING TO PUT DOWN THE HEAD HUNTING WHICH STILL EXISTED THERE AND STILL DOES EXIST ACCORDING TO ALL ACCOUNTS WHEN THE NATIVES THINK THEY CAN ESCAPE DETECTION


THE HORRIBLE CUSTOM PROVED TOO MUCH FOR HIS DISEASED BRAIN AND FASCINATED HIM YOU SEE HOW MY THEORY GREW THEN I LOOKED FOR THE ACTUAL PROOF WHICH WE FOUND LAST NIGHT


THE ARREST OF SIR HENRY BUCKINGHAM CAUSED AN ENORMOUS SENSATION HE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY PUT INTO A LUNATIC ASYLUM WHERE HE DIED NOT MANY MONTHS AFTERWARD FORTUNATELY HE HAD NO CHILDREN TO RUN THE RISK OF MADNESS IN THEIR TURN


HOWEVER OBSCURE A MYSTERY MAY BE THERE IS ALWAYS SOME POINT OR CIRCUMSTANCE WHICH IF RIGHTLY INTERPRETED WILL LEAD TO ITS SOLUTION EVEN IN THOSE CRIMES WHICH HAVE NEVER BEEN ELUCIDATED THIS POINT EXISTS ONLY IT HAS NEVER BEEN DULY APPRECIATED


FOR WHICH THE DETECTIVE FIRST LOOKS AND SINCE FEW CRIMES IF ANY ARE COMMITTED WITHOUT SOME DEFINITE REASON IT IS MOST FREQUENTLY FOUND IN THE MOTIVE HIS ALMOST SUPERHUMAN POWER OF RECOGNIZING THIS KEY CLEW WAS THE FOUNDATION OF CHRISTOPHER QUARLES'S SUCCESS


AND HIS SOLUTION OF THE MYSTERIOUS BURGLARIES WHICH CAUSED SUCH SPECULATION FOR A TIME WAS NOT THE LEAST OF HIS ACHIEVEMENTS SIR JOSEPH MAYNARD THE EMINENT PHYSICIAN OF HARLEY STREET HAD GIVEN A SMALL DINNER PARTY ONE EVENING THE GUESTS LEFT EARLY


AND SOON AFTER MIDNIGHT THE HOUSEHOLD HAD RETIRED NEITHER SIR JOSEPH NOR LADY MAYNARD NOR ANY OF THE SERVANTS WERE DISTURBED DURING THE NIGHT BUT NEXT MORNING IT WAS FOUND THAT BURGLARS HAD ENTERED THEY HAD GOT IN BY A PASSAGE WINDOW AT THE BACK


NOT A VERY DIFFICULT MATTER AND HAD EVIDENTLY GONE TO THE DINING ROOM AND HELPED THEMSELVES TO SPIRITS FROM A TANTALUS WHICH WAS ON THE SIDEBOARD THREE GLASSES WITH A LITTLE OF THE LIQUOR LEFT IN THEM WERE ON THE TABLE AND NEAR THEM WERE SOME BISCUIT CRUMBS


THERE WERE SEVERAL SILVER ARTICLES ON THE SIDEBOARD BUT THESE HAD NOT BEEN TOUCHED THE BURGLARS APPEARED TO HAVE GIVEN ALL THEIR ATTENTION TO SIR JOSEPH'S ROOM WHICH WAS IN A STATE OF CONFUSION TWO CUPBOARDS AND EVERY DRAWER HAD BEEN TURNED OUT AND THE CONTENTS THROWN ABOUT IN ALL DIRECTIONS


BUT OF AN OLD FASHIONED TYPE PRESENTING LITTLE DIFFICULTY TO EXPERTS IN IT BESIDES PAPERS AND ABOUT SEVENTY POUNDS IN GOLD IN A CANVAS BAG


PRESENTATIONS WHICH HAD BEEN MADE TO HIM AND SOME UNIQUE SPECIMENS OF THE QUEEN ANNE PERIOD ALL THIS SILVER WAS UPON THE FLOOR ALSO THE BAG OF MONEY INTACT


IT LOOKED AS IF THE BOX HAD BEEN KNOCKED DOWN AND TRODDEN ON BY MISTAKE FOR THE COUNTERS WERE IN A LITTLE HEAP CLOSE TO THE BROKEN FRAGMENTS IT APPEARED THAT THE BURGLARS MUST HAVE BEEN DISTURBED AND HAD MADE OFF WITHOUT SECURING THEIR BOOTY


THIS WAS THE OBVIOUS EXPLANATION BUT IT DID NOT SATISFY ME I QUESTIONED SIR JOSEPH ABOUT HIS PAPERS HAD HE ANY DOCUMENT WHICH FOR PRIVATE OR PUBLIC REASONS SOMEONE MIGHT BE ANXIOUS TO OBTAIN HE SAID HE HAD NOT


WAS INCLINED TO LAUGH AT MY QUESTION AND PROCEEDED TO INFORM ME THAT HE HAD NO FAMILY SKELETON


HAD NEVER BEEN IN TOUCH WITH ANY MYSTERIOUS SOCIETY


BUT THERE WERE CERTAIN POINTS AGAINST THIS IDEA NO ONE HAD MOVED ABOUT THE HOUSE DURING THE NIGHT


THE SILVER ON THE FLOOR WAS SCATTERED


AND IT LOOKED AS IF IT HAD BEEN THROWN ASIDE CARELESSLY AS THOUGH IT WERE NOT WHAT THE THIEVES WERE IN SEARCH OF AND SURELY HAD THEY LEFT IN A HURRY THE BAG OF MONEY WOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN


MOREOVER THE CIGARETTE ENDS AND THE DIRTY GLASSES SUGGESTED A CERTAIN LEISURELY METHOD OF GOING TO WORK AND MEN OF THIS KIND WOULD NOT BE EASILY FRIGHTENED THE CIGARETTE ENDS PUZZLED ME THEY WERE OF A CHEAP AMERICAN BRAND


HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN FROM SIR JOSEPH'S BOX WHICH CONTAINED ONLY TURKISH ONES AND ALTHOUGH THEY HAD APPARENTLY BEEN THROWN DOWN CARELESSLY THERE WAS NO ASH UPON THE CARPET NOR ANYWHERE ELSE


IF MY IDEA WERE CORRECT IT WOULD MEAN THAT THEY HAD BEEN PUT THERE ON PURPOSE TO MISLEAD I EXAMINED THE THREE GLASSES ON THE DINING ROOM TABLE THERE WAS THE STAIN OF LIPS AT THE RIM OF ONE BUT NOT OF THE OTHER TWO ONLY ONE HAD BEEN DRUNK OUT OF


AND PROBABLY A LITTLE OF THE LIQUID HAD BEEN EMPTIED OUT OF THIS INTO THE OTHER TWO ON INQUIRY ONE OF THE SERVANTS TOLD ME THAT ONLY A VERY LITTLE OF THE SPIRIT HAD BEEN TAKEN SHE ALSO SAID THERE WAS ONLY ONE BISCUIT LEFT IN THE BOX LAST NIGHT AND IT WAS THERE NOW


BY DOING SO I CERTAINLY SAVED ONE VALUABLE LIFE POSSIBLY MORE THAN ONE THAT HE WAS INTERESTED WAS SHOWN BY OUR ADJOURNMENT TO THE EMPTY ROOM


HE SAID I THINK THERE WAS ONLY ONE BURGLAR BUT FOR SOME REASON HE THOUGHT IT IMPORTANT THAT IT SHOULD BE BELIEVED THERE WERE MORE A VERY IMPORTANT POINT AND A REASONABLE CONCLUSION I FANCY SAID QUARLES IF YOU ARE RIGHT IT NARROWS THE SPHERE OF INQUIRY


NARROWS IT VERY MUCH TAKEN WITH THE OTHER FACTS OF THE CASE EXACTLY I ANSWERED THERE IS A SUGGESTION TO MY MIND OF AMATEURISHNESS IN THE AFFAIR I GRANT THE SAFE WAS NOT A DIFFICULT ONE TO BREAK OPEN BUT IT HAD NOT BEEN DONE IN A VERY EXPERT MANNER


THE CIGARETTE ENDS THE DIRTY GLASSES AND THE BISCUIT CRUMBS SEEM TO ME RATHER GRATUITOUS DECEPTIONS AND WAIT SAID QUARLES YOU ASSUME A LITTLE TOO MUCH THEY WOULD HAVE DECEIVED NINE MEN OUT OF TEN YOU HAPPEN TO BE THE TENTH MAN


AMATEUR OR NOT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH A VERY SMART MAN SO DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE ENEMY WIGAN ASSUMING THIS TO BE THE WORK OF AN AMATEUR TO WHAT DEFINITE POINT DOES IT LEAD YOU TO THIS QUESTION I REPLIED DID SIR JOSEPH MAYNARD BURGLE HIS OWN HOUSE


WHY SHOULD YOU THINK SO HIS MANNER WAS CURIOUS THEN THERE IS ONLY HIS OWN STATEMENT THAT NOTHING HAS BEEN TAKEN BUT SUPPOSING HE WISHED TO GET RID OF PAPERS OR


WOULD HE NOT HAVE ROBBED HIMSELF OF SOMETHING TO MAKE THE AFFAIR MORE PLAUSIBLE SAID QUARLES THE AMATEUR CONSTANTLY OVERLOOKS THE OBVIOUS I ANSWERED THE PROFESSOR SHOOK HIS HEAD


I THINK THAT WOULD ENTIRELY DEPEND ON THE MAN'S TEMPERAMENT PROFESSOR


SIR JOSEPH'S STANDING IS VERY HIGH SUDDEN TEMPTATION OR NECESSITY MAY SUBVERT THE HIGHEST CHARACTER I ANSWERED


WHEN I QUESTIONED SIR JOSEPH ABOUT HIS PAPERS HIS MANNER SEEMED CURIOUS AS I HAVE SAID HE AT ONCE DECLARED THAT HE HAD NO PART IN ANY GOVERNMENT SECRET OR MYSTERIOUS SOCIETY GRATUITOUS INFORMATION YOU UNDERSTAND


NOT IN ANSWER TO ANY DIRECT QUESTION OF MINE SHOWING THAT THE IDEAS WERE IN HIS MIND WHY THE EXPLANATION WOULD BE SIMPLE IF HE WERE THE BURGLAR OF HIS OWN PAPERS


I ADMIT THE ARGUMENT IS SOUND WIGAN BUT IT DOES NOT CREEP INTO MY BRAIN WITH ANY COMPELLING INFLUENCE THERE IS A LINK MISSING IN THE CHAIN SOMEWHERE AND HE LOOKED AT ZENA HIS OFTEN REPEATED STATEMENT THAT SHE HELPED HIM BY HER QUESTIONS HAD NEVER IMPRESSED ME VERY GREATLY


WHEN A MYSTERY WAS CLEARED UP IT WAS EASY TO SAY THAT ZENA HAD PUT HIM ON THE RIGHT ROAD AND I CONSIDERED IT A WHIM OF HIS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE


IT WAS SO NOW YOU DO NOT SEEM INTERESTED IN THE BROKEN BOX OF COUNTERS SHE SAID TURNING TOWARD HER GRANDFATHER I WONDER WIGAN IS THAT THE CLEW QUARLES SAID QUICKLY IT CREEPS INTO MY BRAIN THE COUNTERS WERE IN A HEAP I SAID


ASKED QUARLES NO THAT WOULD HAVE SCATTERED THEM MORE THEY WERE ROUND AND MIGHT HAVE FALLEN OVER AFTER HAVING BEEN PUT ONE UPON ANOTHER AS ONE GATHERS COPPERS TOGETHER WHEN COUNTING A NUMBER OF THEM SIR JOSEPH PICKED THEM UP


DID THAT STRIKE YOU AS SIGNIFICANT ASKED QUARLES I CANNOT SAY IT DID


THEY ARE SIGNIFICANT WIGAN BUT I CANNOT SEE YET IN WHICH DIRECTION THEY LEAD US WE MUST WAIT FOR THE MOMENT THERE IS NOTHING TO BE DONE I HAD BECOME SO ACCUSTOMED TO QUARLES JUMPING TO SOME SUDDEN CONCLUSION THAT I WAS DISAPPOINTED


NATURALLY I WAS NOT IDLE DURING THE NEXT FEW DAYS BUT AT THE END OF THEM I HAD LEARNT NOTHING THEN THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENED ON CONSECUTIVE NIGHTS TWO DOCTORS HOUSES WERE BURGLED THE FIRST WAS IN KENSINGTON


RATHER THAN INTENDED ROBBERY NOTHING HAD BEEN STOLEN BUT EVERYTHING IN HIS ROOM WAS IN DISORDER AND A SMALL AND UNIQUE INLAID CABINET WITH A SECRET SPRING LOCK HAD BEEN SMASHED TO PIECES SEVERAL CIGARETTE ENDS WERE ON THE FLOOR


HE HAD SEVERAL CABINETS IN HIS ROOM CONTAINING SPECIMENS AND EVERYTHING HAD BEEN TURNED ON TO THE FLOOR AND DAMAGED MORE OR LESS IN FACT ALTHOUGH NOTHING HAD BEEN TAKEN THE DAMAGE WAS CONSIDERABLE ON THE NIGHT OF THE BURGLARY DOCTOR WOOD WAS AWAY FROM HOME


ONLY SERVANTS BEING IN THE HOUSE THE COOK SUFFERING FROM FACEACHE HAD BEEN RESTLESS ALL NIGHT BUT HAD HEARD NOTHING


FOR A REVOLVER LOADED IN EVERY CHAMBER WAS FOUND ON ONE OF THE CABINETS APPARENTLY HAVING PUT IT READY FOR USE HE HAD FORGOTTEN TO TAKE IT AWAY THE DOCTOR WAS FURIOUS AT THE WANTON DESTRUCTION OF HIS SPECIMENS


THE UNEXPECTED HAS HAPPENED I SAID NO NO THE EXPECTED


I'VE READ EVERY REPORT BUT TELL ME YOURSELF EVERY DETAIL I DID SO THE SAME BRAND OF CIGARETTES HE ASKED NO BUT ALL CHEAP AMERICAN ONES


YOU STILL THINK THAT NOTHING HAS HAPPENED


NO I HOLD TO THE ONE MAN THEORY AND YOU ARE RIGHT HE SNAPPED I ADMIT I MIGHT NOT HAVE GOT UPON THE RIGHT TRACK HAD YOU NOT MADE THAT DISCOVERY IT WAS CLEVER WIGAN IT DID NOT SEEM TO HELP YOU TO A THEORY I ANSWERED TRUE


MUCH DEPENDED UPON THE ANSWER IF HE HAD


IF THE THIEF HAD NOT FOUND WHAT HE WANTED HE WOULD CONTINUE HIS SEARCH I ARGUED FOR SOME REASON HE CONNECTED SIR JOSEPH MAYNARD WITH THE OBJECT OF HIS SEARCH


IN THE COURSE OF TEN DAYS I RECOVERED SUFFICIENTLY FROM MY INJURIES TO ATTEND SCHOOL WHERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE I WAS LOOKED UPON AS A HERO ON ACCOUNT OF HAVING BEEN BLOWN UP WHAT DON'T WE MAKE A HERO OF


THE DISTRACTION WHICH PREVAILED IN THE CLASSES THE WEEK PRECEDING THE FOURTH HAD SUBSIDED AND NOTHING REMAINED TO INDICATE THE RECENT FESTIVITIES EXCEPTING A NOTICEABLE WANT OF EYEBROWS ON THE PART OF PEPPER WHITCOMB AND MYSELF


IN AUGUST WE HAD TWO WEEKS VACATION IT WAS ABOUT THIS TIME THAT I BECAME A MEMBER OF THE RIVERMOUTH CENTIPEDES A SECRET SOCIETY COMPOSED OF TWELVE OF THE TEMPLE GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOYS


THIS WAS AN HONOR TO WHICH I HAD LONG ASPIRED BUT BEING A NEW BOY I WAS NOT ADMITTED TO THE FRATERNITY UNTIL MY CHARACTER HAD FULLY DEVELOPED ITSELF IT WAS A VERY SELECT SOCIETY THE OBJECT OF WHICH I NEVER FATHOMED


THOUGH I WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE BODY DURING THE REMAINDER OF MY RESIDENCE AT RIVERMOUTH AND AT ONE TIME HELD THE ONEROUS POSITION OF F C FIRST CENTIPEDE EACH OF THE ELECT WORE A COPPER CENT


SOME OCCULT ASSOCIATION BEING ESTABLISHED BETWEEN A CENT APIECE AND A CENTIPEDES SUSPENDED BY A STRING ROUND HIS NECK THE MEDALS WERE WORN NEXT THE SKIN AND IT WAS WHILE BATHING ONE DAY AT GRAVE POINT WITH JACK HARRIS AND FRED LANGDON


THAT I HAD MY CURIOSITY ROUSED TO THE HIGHEST PITCH BY A SIGHT OF THESE SINGULAR EMBLEMS AS SOON AS I ASCERTAINED THE EXISTENCE OF A BOYS CLUB OF COURSE I WAS READY TO DIE TO JOIN IT AND EVENTUALLY I WAS ALLOWED TO JOIN


THE INITIATION CEREMONY TOOK PLACE IN FRED LANGDON'S BARN WHERE I WAS SUBMITTED TO A SERIES OF TRIALS NOT CALCULATED TO SOOTHE THE NERVES OF A TIMOROUS BOY BEFORE BEING LED TO THE GROTTO OF ENCHANTMENT


SUCH WAS THE MODEST TITLE GIVEN TO THE LOFT OVER MY FRIEND'S WOOD HOUSE MY HANDS WERE SECURELY PINIONED AND MY EYES COVERED WITH A THICK SILK HANDKERCHIEF AT THE HEAD OF THE STAIRS I WAS TOLD IN AN UNRECOGNIZABLE HUSKY VOICE


IF I FELT MYSELF PHYSICALLY TOO WEAK TO UNDERGO THE NECESSARY TORTURES I REPLIED THAT I WAS NOT TOO WEAK IN A TONE WHICH I INTENDED TO BE RESOLUTE BUT WHICH IN SPITE OF ME SEEMED TO COME FROM THE PIT OF MY STOMACH IT IS WELL


A PROLONGED SILENCE FOLLOWED THIS PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION AND I WAS WONDERING WHAT WOULD COME NEXT


THE UNKNOWN VOICE THEN DIRECTED ME TO TAKE TEN STEPS FORWARD AND STOP AT THE WORD HALT I TOOK TEN STEPS AND HALTED STRICKEN MORTAL SAID A SECOND HUSKY VOICE MORE HUSKY IF POSSIBLE THAN THE FIRST


IF YOU HAD ADVANCED ANOTHER INCH YOU WOULD HAVE DISAPPEARED DOWN AN ABYSS THREE THOUSAND FEET DEEP I NATURALLY SHRUNK BACK AT THIS FRIENDLY PIECE OF INFORMATION A PRICK FROM SOME TWO PRONGED INSTRUMENT EVIDENTLY A PITCHFORK


GENTLY CHECKED MY RETREAT I WAS THEN CONDUCTED TO THE BRINK OF SEVERAL OTHER PRECIPICES AND ORDERED TO STEP OVER MANY DANGEROUS CHASMS WHERE THE RESULT WOULD HAVE BEEN INSTANT DEATH IF I HAD COMMITTED THE LEAST MISTAKE


I HAVE NEGLECTED TO SAY THAT MY MOVEMENTS WERE ACCOMPANIED BY DISMAL GROANS FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE GROTTO FINALLY I WAS LED UP A STEEP PLANK TO WHAT APPEARED TO ME AN INCALCULABLE HEIGHT


A SECOND PISTOL SHOT WAS HEARD THE SOMETHING I STOOD ON SUNK WITH A CRASH BENEATH MY FEET AND I FELL TWO MILES AS NEARLY AS I COULD COMPUTE IT AT THE SAME INSTANT THE HANDKERCHIEF WAS WHISKED FROM MY EYES AND I FOUND MYSELF STANDING IN AN EMPTY HOGSHEAD


SURROUNDED BY TWELVE MASKED FIGURES FANTASTICALLY DRESSED ONE OF THE CONSPIRATORS WAS REALLY APPALLING WITH A TIN SAUCE PAN ON HIS HEAD AND A TIGER SKIN SLEIGH ROBE THROWN OVER HIS SHOULDERS I SCARCELY NEED SAY


THAT THERE WERE NO VESTIGES TO BE SEEN OF THE FEARFUL GULFS OVER WHICH I HAD PASSED SO CAUTIOUSLY MY ASCENT HAD BEEN TO THE TOP OF THE HOGSHEAD AND MY DESCENT TO THE BOTTOM THEREOF HOLDING ONE ANOTHER BY THE HAND AND CHANTING A LOW DIRGE


THE MYSTIC TWELVE REVOLVED ABOUT ME THIS CONCLUDED THE CEREMONY WITH A MERRY SHOUT THE BOYS THREW OFF THEIR MASKS AND I WAS DECLARED A REGULARLY INSTALLED MEMBER OF THE R M C


I AFTERWARDS HAD A GOOD DEAL OF SPORT OUT OF THE CLUB FOR THESE INITIATIONS AS YOU MAY IMAGINE WERE SOMETIMES VERY COMICAL SPECTACLES ESPECIALLY WHEN THE ASPIRANT FOR CENTIPEDAL HONORS HAPPENED TO BE OF A TIMID DISPOSITION


IF HE SHOWED THE SLIGHTEST TERROR HE WAS CERTAIN TO BE TRICKED UNMERCIFULLY ONE OF OUR SUBSEQUENT DEVICES A HUMBLE INVENTION OF MY OWN WAS TO REQUEST THE BLINDFOLDED CANDIDATE TO PUT OUT HIS TONGUE WHEREUPON THE FIRST CENTIPEDE WOULD SAY


IN A LOW TONE AS IF NOT INTENDED FOR THE EAR OF THE VICTIM DIABOLUS FETCH ME THE RED HOT IRON THE EXPEDITION WITH WHICH THAT TONGUE WOULD DISAPPEAR WAS SIMPLY RIDICULOUS


OUR MEETINGS WERE HELD IN VARIOUS BARNS AT NO STATED PERIODS BUT AS CIRCUMSTANCES SUGGESTED ANY MEMBER HAD A RIGHT TO CALL A MEETING EACH BOY WHO FAILED TO REPORT HIMSELF WAS FINED ONE CENT


WHENEVER A MEMBER HAD REASONS FOR THINKING THAT ANOTHER MEMBER WOULD BE UNABLE TO ATTEND HE CALLED A MEETING FOR INSTANCE IMMEDIATELY ON LEARNING THE DEATH OF HARRY BLAKE'S GREAT GRANDFATHER I ISSUED A CALL


BY THESE SIMPLE AND INGENIOUS MEASURES WE KEPT OUR TREASURY IN A FLOURISHING CONDITION SOMETIMES HAVING ON HAND AS MUCH AS A DOLLAR AND A QUARTER I HAVE SAID THAT THE SOCIETY HAD NO SPECIAL OBJECT IT IS TRUE THERE WAS A TACIT UNDERSTANDING AMONG US


THAT THE CENTIPEDES WERE TO STAND BY ONE ANOTHER ON ALL OCCASIONS THOUGH I DON'T REMEMBER THAT THEY DID BUT FURTHER THAN THIS WE HAD NO PURPOSE UNLESS IT WAS TO ACCOMPLISH AS A BODY THE SAME AMOUNT OF MISCHIEF WHICH WE WERE SURE TO DO AS INDIVIDUALS


TO MYSTIFY THE STAID AND SLOW GOING RIVERMOUTHIANS WAS OUR FREQUENT PLEASURE SEVERAL OF OUR PRANKS WON US SUCH A REPUTATION AMONG THE TOWNSFOLK THAT WE WERE CREDITED WITH HAVING A LARGE FINGER IN WHATEVER WENT AMISS IN THE PLACE ONE MORNING


ABOUT A WEEK AFTER MY ADMISSION INTO THE SECRET ORDER THE QUIET CITIZENS AWOKE TO FIND THAT THE SIGNBOARDS OF ALL THE PRINCIPAL STREETS HAD CHANGED PLACES DURING THE NIGHT PEOPLE WHO WENT TRUSTFULLY TO SLEEP IN CURRANT SQUARE OPENED THEIR EYES IN HONEYSUCKLE TERRACE


JONES'S AVENUE AT THE NORTH END HAD SUDDENLY BECOME WALNUT STREET AND PEANUT STREET WAS NOWHERE TO BE FOUND CONFUSION REIGNED THE TOWN AUTHORITIES TOOK THE MATTER IN HAND WITHOUT DELAY


AND SIX OF THE TEMPLE GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOYS WERE SUMMONED TO APPEAR BEFORE JUSTICE CLAPBAM HAVING TEARFULLY DISCLAIMED TO MY GRANDFATHER ALL KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRANSACTION I DISAPPEARED FROM THE FAMILY CIRCLE AND WAS NOT APPREHENDED UNTIL LATE IN THE AFTERNOON


WHEN THE CAPTAIN DRAGGED ME IGNOMINIOUSLY FROM THE HAYMOW AND CONDUCTED ME MORE DEAD THAN ALIVE TO THE OFFICE OF JUSTICE CLAPHAM HERE I ENCOUNTERED FIVE OTHER PALLID CULPRITS WHO HAD BEEN FISHED OUT OF DIVERS COAL BINS GARRETS AND CHICKEN COOPS


TO ANSWER THE DEMANDS OF THE OUTRAGED LAWS CHARLEY MARDEN HAD HIDDEN HIMSELF IN A PILE OF GRAVEL BEHIND HIS FATHER'S HOUSE AND LOOKED LIKE A RECENTLY EXHUMED MUMMY THERE WAS NOT THE LEAST EVIDENCE AGAINST US AND INDEED WE WERE WHOLLY INNOCENT OF THE OFFENCE


THE TRICK AS WAS AFTERWARDS PROVED HAD BEEN PLAYED BY A PARTY OF SOLDIERS STATIONED AT THE FORT IN THE HARBOR WE WERE INDEBTED FOR OUR ARREST TO MASTER CONWAY WHO HAD SLYLY DROPPED A HINT WITHIN THE HEARING OF SELECTMAN MUDGE TO THE EFFECT THAT


YOUNG BAILEY AND HIS FIVE CRONIES COULD TELL SOMETHING ABOUT THEM SIGNS WHEN HE WAS CALLED UPON TO MAKE GOOD HIS ASSERTION HE WAS CONSIDERABLY MORE TERRIFIED THAN THE CENTIPEDES THOUGH THEY WERE READY TO SINK INTO THEIR SHOES AT OUR NEXT MEETING


IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED THAT CONWAY'S ANIMOSITY SHOULD NOT BE QUIETLY SUBMITTED TO HE HAD SOUGHT TO INFORM AGAINST US IN THE STAGECOACH BUSINESS HE HAD VOLUNTEERED TO CARRY PETTINGIL'S LITTLE BILL FOR TWENTY FOUR ICECREAMS TO CHARLEY MARDEN'S FATHER


AND NOW HE HAD CAUSED US TO BE ARRAIGNED BEFORE JUSTICE CLAPHAM ON A CHARGE EQUALLY GROUNDLESS AND PAINFUL AFTER MUCH NOISY DISCUSSION A PLAN OF RETALIATION WAS AGREED UPON


THERE WAS A CERTAIN SLIM MILD APOTHECARY IN THE TOWN BY THE NAME OF MEEKS IT WAS GENERALLY GIVEN OUT THAT MISTER MEEKS HAD A VAGUE DESIRE TO GET MARRIED BUT BEING A SHY AND TIMOROUS YOUTH LACKED THE MORAL COURAGE TO DO SO


IT WAS ALSO WELL KNOWN THAT THE WIDOW CONWAY HAD NOT BURIED HER HEART WITH THE LATE LAMENTED AS TO HER SHYNESS THAT WAS NOT SO CLEAR INDEED HER ATTENTIONS TO MISTER MEEKS WHOSE MOTHER SHE MIGHT HAVE BEEN


WERE OF A NATURE NOT TO BE MISUNDERSTOOD AND WERE NOT MISUNDERSTOOD BY ANYONE BUT MISTER MEEKS HIMSELF THE WIDOW CARRIED ON A DRESS MAKING ESTABLISHMENT AT HER RESIDENCE ON THE CORNER OPPOSITE MEEKS'S DRUG STORE


CASTING DESTRUCTIVE GLANCES ACROSS THE STREET THE ARTIFICIAL ROSES IN HER CAP AND HER WHOLE LANGUISHING MANNER SAYING AS PLAINLY AS A LABEL ON A PRESCRIPTION TO BE TAKEN IMMEDIATELY BUT MISTER MEEKS DIDN'T TAKE


THE LADY'S FONDNESS AND THE GENTLEMAN'S BLINDNESS WERE TOPICS ABLY HANDLED AT EVERY SEWING CIRCLE IN THE TOWN IT WAS THROUGH THESE TWO LUCKLESS INDIVIDUALS THAT WE PROPOSED TO STRIKE A BLOW AT THE COMMON ENEMY


TO KILL LESS THAN THREE BIRDS WITH ONE STONE DID NOT SUIT OUR SANGUINARY PURPOSE WE DISLIKED THE WIDOW NOT SO MUCH FOR HER SENTIMENTALITY AS FOR BEING THE MOTHER OF BILL CONWAY WE DISLIKED MISTER MEEKS NOT BECAUSE HE WAS INSIPID


LIKE HIS OWN SYRUPS BUT BECAUSE THE WIDOW LOVED HIM BILL CONWAY WE HATED FOR HIMSELF LATE ONE DARK SATURDAY NIGHT IN SEPTEMBER WE CARRIED OUR PLAN INTO EFFECT


ON THE FOLLOWING MORNING AS THE ORDERLY CITIZENS WENDED THEIR WAY TO CHURCH PAST THE WIDOW'S ABODE THEIR SOBER FACES RELAXED AT BEHOLDING OVER HER FRONT DOOR THE WELL KNOWN GILT MORTAR AND PESTLE WHICH USUALLY STOOD ON THE TOP OF A POLE ON THE OPPOSITE CORNER


WAS RECOGNIZED AT ONCE IT SPREAD LIKE WILDFIRE OVER THE TOWN AND THOUGH THE MORTAR AND THE PLACARD WERE SPEEDILY REMOVED OUR TRIUMPH WAS COMPLETE THE WHOLE COMMUNITY WAS ON THE BROAD GRIN AND OUR PARTICIPATION IN THE AFFAIR SEEMINGLY UNSUSPECTED


CHAPTER TEN I FIGHT CONWAY THERE WAS ONE PERSON HOWEVER WHO CHERISHED A STRONG SUSPICION THAT THE CENTIPEDES HAD HAD A HAND IN THE BUSINESS AND THAT PERSON WAS CONWAY


HIS RED HAIR SEEMED TO CHANGE TO A LIVELIER RED AND HIS SALLOW CHEEKS TO A DEEPER SALLOW AS WE GLANCED AT HIM STEALTHILY OVER THE TOPS OF OUR SLATES THE NEXT DAY IN SCHOOL HE KNEW WE WERE WATCHING HIM AND MADE SUNDRY MOUTHS


AND SCOWLED IN THE MOST THREATENING WAY OVER HIS SUMS CONWAY HAD AN ACCOMPLISHMENT PECULIARLY HIS OWN THAT OF THROWING HIS THUMBS OUT OF JOINT AT WILL SOMETIMES WHILE ABSORBED IN STUDY OR ON BECOMING NERVOUS AT RECITATION


HE PERFORMED THE FEAT UNCONSCIOUSLY THROUGHOUT THIS ENTIRE MORNING HIS THUMBS WERE OBSERVED TO BE IN A CHRONIC STATE OF DISLOCATION INDICATING GREAT MENTAL AGITATION ON THE PART OF THE OWNER WE FULLY EXPECTED AN OUTBREAK FROM HIM AT RECESS


BUT THE INTERMISSION PASSED OFF TRANQUILLY SOMEWHAT TO OUR DISAPPOINTMENT AT THE CLOSE OF THE AFTERNOON SESSION IT HAPPENED THAT BINNY WALLACE AND MYSELF HAVING GOT SWAMPED IN OUR LATIN EXERCISE


WERE DETAINED IN SCHOOL FOR THE PURPOSE OF REFRESHING OUR MEMORIES WITH A PAGE OF MISTER ANDREWS'S PERPLEXING IRREGULAR VERBS BINNY WALLACE FINISHING HIS TASK FIRST WAS DISMISSED I FOLLOWED SHORTLY AFTER


AND ON STEPPING INTO THE PLAYGROUND SAW MY LITTLE FRIEND PLASTERED AS IT WERE UP AGAINST THE FENCE AND CONWAY STANDING IN FRONT OF HIM READY TO DELIVER A BLOW ON THE UPTURNED UNPROTECTED FACE WHOSE GENTLENESS WOULD HAVE STAYED ANY ARM BUT A COWARD'S


BUT ON SEEING ME SWEEP ACROSS THE YARD WHIRLING MY STRAP OF BOOKS IN THE AIR LIKE A SLING HE CALLED OUT LUSTILY LAY LOW CONWAY HERE'S YOUNG BAILEY CONWAY TURNED JUST IN TIME TO CATCH ON HIS SHOULDER THE BLOW INTENDED FOR HIS HEAD


HE REACHED FORWARD ONE OF HIS LONG ARMS HE HAD ARMS LIKE A WINDMILL THAT BOY AND GRASPING ME BY THE HAIR TORE OUT QUITE A RESPECTABLE HANDFUL THE TEARS FLEW TO MY EYES


BUT THEY WERE NOT THE TEARS OF DEFEAT THEY WERE MERELY THE INVOLUNTARY TRIBUTE WHICH NATURE PAID TO THE DEPARTED TRESSES IN A SECOND MY LITTLE JACKET LAY ON THE GROUND AND I STOOD ON GUARD RESTING LIGHTLY ON MY RIGHT LEG


AND KEEPING MY EYE FIXED STEADILY ON CONWAY'S IN ALL OF WHICH I WAS FAITHFULLY FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS OF PHIL ADAMS WHOSE FATHER SUBSCRIBED TO A SPORTING JOURNAL CONWAY ALSO THREW HIMSELF INTO A DEFENSIVE ATTITUDE


AND THERE WE WERE GLARING AT EACH OTHER MOTIONLESS NEITHER OF US DISPOSED TO RISK AN ATTACK BUT BOTH ON THE ALERT TO RESIST ONE THERE IS NO TELLING HOW LONG WE MIGHT HAVE REMAINED IN THAT ABSURD POSITION HAD WE NOT BEEN INTERRUPTED


IT WAS A CUSTOM WITH THE LARGER PUPILS TO RETURN TO THE PLAYGROUND AFTER SCHOOL AND PLAY BASEBALL UNTIL SUNDOWN THE TOWN AUTHORITIES HAD PROHIBITED BALL PLAYING ON THE SQUARE AND THERE BEING NO OTHER AVAILABLE PLACE


THE BOYS FELL BACK PERFORCE ON THE SCHOOL YARD JUST AT THIS CRISIS A DOZEN OR SO OF THE TEMPLARS ENTERED THE GATE AND SEEING AT A GLANCE THE BELLIGERENT STATUS OF CONWAY AND MYSELF DROPPED BAT AND BALL AND RUSHED TO THE SPOT WHERE WE STOOD


IS IT A FIGHT ASKED PHIL ADAMS WHO SAW BY OUR FRESHNESS THAT WE HAD NOT YET GOT TO WORK YES IT'S A FIGHT I ANSWERED UNLESS CONWAY WILL ASK WALLACE'S PARDON PROMISE NEVER TO HECTOR ME IN FUTURE


AND PUT BACK MY HAIR THIS LAST CONDITION WAS RATHER A STAGGERER I SHA'N'T DO NOTHING OF THE SORT SAID CONWAY SULKILY THEN THE THING MUST GO ON SAID ADAMS WITH DIGNITY


RODGERS AS I UNDERSTAND IT IS YOUR SECOND CONWAY BAILEY COME HERE WHAT'S THE ROW ABOUT HE WAS THRASHING BINNY WALLACE NO I WASN'T INTERRUPTED CONWAY


BUT I WAS GOING TO BECAUSE HE KNOWS WHO PUT MEEKS'S MORTAR OVER OUR DOOR AND I KNOW WELL ENOUGH WHO DID IT IT WAS THAT SNEAKING LITTLE MULATTER POINTING AT ME O BY GEORGE I CRIED REDDENING AT THE INSULT


COOL IS THE WORD SAID ADAMS AS HE BOUND A HANDKERCHIEF ROUND MY HEAD AND CAREFULLY TUCKED AWAY THE LONG STRAGGLING LOCKS THAT OFFERED A TEMPTING ADVANTAGE TO THE ENEMY WHO EVER HEARD OF A FELLOW WITH SUCH A HEAD OF HAIR GOING INTO ACTION


MUTTERED PHIL TWITCHING THE HANDKERCHIEF TO ASCERTAIN IF IT WERE SECURELY TIED HE THEN LOOSENED MY GALLOWSES BRACES AND BUCKLED THEM TIGHTLY ABOVE MY HIPS NOW THEN BANTAM NEVER SAY DIE


CONWAY REGARDED THESE BUSINESS LIKE PREPARATIONS WITH EVIDENT MISGIVING FOR HE CALLED RODGERS TO HIS SIDE AND HAD HIMSELF ARRAYED IN A SIMILAR MANNER THOUGH HIS HAIR WAS CROPPED SO CLOSE THAT YOU COULDN'T HAVE TAKEN HOLD OF IT WITH A PAIR OF TWEEZERS


IS YOUR MAN READY ASKED PHIL ADAMS ADDRESSING RODGERS READY KEEP YOUR BACK TO THE GATE TOM


AND YOU'LL HAVE THE SUN IN HIS EYES BEHOLD US ONCE MORE FACE TO FACE LIKE DAVID AND THE PHILISTINE LOOK AT US AS LONG AS YOU MAY FOR THIS IS ALL YOU SHALL SEE OF THE COMBAT


ACCORDING TO MY THINKING THE HOSPITAL TEACHES A BETTER LESSON THAN THE BATTLE FIELD I WILL TELL YOU ABOUT MY BLACK EYE AND MY SWOLLEN LIP IF YOU WILL BUT NOT A WORD OF THE FIGHT


YOU'LL GET NO DESCRIPTION OF IT FROM ME SIMPLY BECAUSE I THINK IT WOULD PROVE VERY POOR READING AND NOT BECAUSE I CONSIDER MY REVOLT AGAINST CONWAY'S TYRANNY UNJUSTIFIABLE I HAD BORNE CONWAY'S PERSECUTIONS FOR MANY MONTHS WITH LAMB LIKE PATIENCE


I MIGHT HAVE SHIELDED MYSELF BY APPEALING TO MISTER GRIMSHAW BUT NO BOY IN THE TEMPLE GRAMMAR SCHOOL COULD DO THAT WITHOUT LOSING CASTE WHETHER THIS WAS JUST OR NOT DOESN'T MATTER A PIN SINCE IT WAS SO A TRADITIONARY LAW OF THE PLACE


THE PERSONAL INCONVENIENCE I SUFFERED FROM MY TORMENTOR WAS NOTHING TO THE PAIN HE INFLICTED ON ME INDIRECTLY BY HIS PERSISTENT CRUELTY TO LITTLE BINNY WALLACE I SHOULD HAVE LACKED THE SPIRIT OF A HEN IF I HAD NOT RESENTED IT FINALLY


I AM GLAD THAT I FACED CONWAY AND ASKED NO FAVORS AND GOT RID OF HIM FOREVER I AM GLAD THAT PHIL ADAMS TAUGHT ME TO BOX AND I SAY TO ALL YOUNGSTERS LEARN TO BOX TO RIDE TO PULL AN OAR AND TO SWIM


THE OCCASION MAY COME ROUND WHEN A DECENT PROFICIENCY IN ONE OR THE REST OF THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WILL BE OF SERVICE TO YOU IN ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS


EVER WRITTEN FOR BOYS ARE THESE WORDS LEARN TO BOX THEN AS YOU LEARN TO PLAY CRICKET AND FOOTBALL NOT ONE OF YOU WILL BE THE WORSE BUT VERY MUCH THE BETTER FOR LEARNING TO BOX WELL


THAT YOU HAVE TO SAY YES OR NO TO A CHALLENGE TO FIGHT SAY NO IF YOU CAN ONLY TAKE CARE YOU MAKE IT PLAIN TO YOURSELF WHY YOU SAY NO IT'S A PROOF OF THE HIGHEST COURAGE IF DONE FROM TRUE CHRISTIAN MOTIVES


IT'S QUITE RIGHT AND JUSTIFIABLE IF DONE FROM A SIMPLE AVERSION TO PHYSICAL PAIN AND DANGER BUT DON'T SAY NO BECAUSE YOU FEAR A LICKING AND SAY OR THINK IT'S BECAUSE YOU FEAR GOD FOR THAT'S NEITHER CHRISTIAN NOR HONEST AND IF YOU DO FIGHT


FIGHT IT OUT AND DON'T GIVE IN WHILE YOU CAN STAND AND SEE AND DON'T GIVE IN WHEN YOU CAN'T SEE FOR I COULD STAND VERY LITTLE AND SEE NOT AT ALL HAVING POMMELLED THE SCHOOL PUMP FOR THE LAST TWENTY SECONDS


WHEN CONWAY RETIRED FROM THE FIELD AS PHIL ADAMS STEPPED UP TO SHAKE HANDS WITH ME HE RECEIVED A TELLING BLOW IN THE STOMACH FOR ALL THE FIGHT WAS NOT OUT OF ME YET AND I MISTOOK HIM FOR A NEW ADVERSARY


CONVINCED OF MY ERROR I ACCEPTED HIS CONGRATULATIONS WITH THOSE OF THE OTHER BOYS BLANDLY AND BLINDLY I REMEMBER THAT BINNY WALLACE WANTED TO GIVE ME HIS SILVER PENCIL CASE


THE GENTLE SOUL HAD STOOD THROUGHOUT THE CONTEST WITH HIS FACE TURNED TO THE FENCE SUFFERING UNTOLD AGONY


ESCORTED BY TWO OR THREE OF THE SCHOOLFELLOWS I WALKED HOME THROUGH THE PLEASANT AUTUMN TWILIGHT BATTERED BUT TRIUMPHANT AS I WENT ALONG MY CAP COCKED ON ONE SIDE TO KEEP THE CHILLY AIR FROM MY EYE


I FELT THAT I WAS NOT ONLY FOLLOWING MY NOSE BUT FOLLOWING IT SO CLOSELY THAT I WAS IN SOME DANGER OF TREADING ON IT I SEEMED TO HAVE NOSE ENOUGH FOR THE WHOLE PARTY MY LEFT CHEEK ALSO WAS PUFFED OUT LIKE A DUMPLING


I COULDN'T HELP SAYING TO MYSELF IF THIS IS VICTORY HOW ABOUT THAT OTHER FELLOW TOM SAID HARRY BLAKE HESITATING WELL


DID YOU SEE MISTER GRIMSHAW LOOKING OUT OF THE RECITATION ROOM WINDOW JUST AS WE LEFT THE YARD NO WAS HE THOUGH I AM SURE OF IT


SHOULDN'T WONDER NO HE DIDN'T BROKE IN ADAMS OR HE WOULD HAVE STOPPED IT SHORT METRE


WELL IT CAN'T BE HELPED NOW I REFLECTED AS THE MONKEY SAID WHEN HE FELL OUT OF THE COCOANUT TREE ADDED CHARLEY MARDEN TRYING TO MAKE ME LAUGH IT WAS EARLY CANDLE LIGHT WHEN WE REACHED THE HOUSE


MISS ABIGAIL OPENING THE FRONT DOOR STARTED BACK AT MY HILARIOUS APPEARANCE I TRIED TO SMILE UPON HER SWEETLY BUT THE SMILE RIPPLING OVER MY SWOLLEN CHEEK AND DYING AWAY LIKE A SPENT WAVE ON MY NOSE


PRODUCED AN EXPRESSION OF WHICH MISS ABIGAIL DECLARED SHE HAD NEVER SEEN THE LIKE EXCEPTING ON THE FACE OF A CHINESE IDOL SHE HUSTLED ME UNCEREMONIOUSLY INTO THE PRESENCE OF MY GRANDFATHER IN THE SITTING ROOM


CAPTAIN NUTTER AS THE RECOGNIZED PROFESSIONAL WARRIOR OF OUR FAMILY COULD NOT CONSISTENTLY TAKE ME TO TASK FOR FIGHTING CONWAY NOR WAS HE DISPOSED TO DO SO


FOR THE CAPTAIN WAS WELL AWARE OF THE LONG CONTINUED PROVOCATION I HAD ENDURED AH YOU RASCAL CRIED THE OLD GENTLEMAN AFTER HEARING MY STORY JUST LIKE ME WHEN I WAS YOUNG ALWAYS IN ONE KIND OF TROUBLE OR ANOTHER


I BELIEVE IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY I THINK SAID MISS ABIGAIL WITHOUT THE FAINTEST EXPRESSION ON HER COUNTENANCE THAT A TABLE SPOONFUL OF HOT DRO THE CAPTAIN INTERRUPTED MISS ABIGAIL PEREMPTORILY


DIRECTING HER TO MAKE A SHADE OUT OF CARDBOARD AND BLACK SILK TO TIE OVER MY EYE MISS ABIGAIL MUST HAVE BEEN POSSESSED WITH THE IDEA THAT I HAD TAKEN UP PUGILISM AS A PROFESSION FOR SHE TURNED OUT NO FEWER THAN SIX OF THESE BLINDERS


THEY'LL BE HANDY TO HAVE IN THE HOUSE SAYS MISS ABIGAIL GRIMLY OF COURSE SO GREAT A BREACH OF DISCIPLINE WAS NOT TO BE PASSED OVER BY MISTER GRIMSHAW


HE HAD AS WE SUSPECTED WITNESSED THE CLOSING SCENE OF THE FIGHT FROM THE SCHOOL ROOM WINDOW AND THE NEXT MORNING AFTER PRAYERS I WAS NOT WHOLLY UNPREPARED WHEN MASTER CONWAY AND MYSELF WERE CALLED UP TO THE DESK FOR EXAMINATION


AS THE READER IS ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH THE LEADING POINTS IN THE CASE OF BAILEY VERSUS CONWAY I SHALL NOT REPORT THE TRIAL FURTHER THAN TO SAY THAT ADAMS MARDEN AND SEVERAL OTHER PUPILS TESTIFIED TO THE FACT


THAT CONWAY HAD IMPOSED ON ME EVER SINCE MY FIRST DAY AT THE TEMPLE SCHOOL THEIR EVIDENCE ALSO WENT TO SHOW THAT CONWAY WAS A QUARRELSOME CHARACTER GENERALLY BAD FOR CONWAY SETH RODGERS ON THE PART OF HIS FRIEND


PROVED THAT I HAD STRUCK THE FIRST BLOW THAT WAS BAD FOR ME IF YOU PLEASE SIR SAID BINNY WALLACE HOLDING UP HIS HAND FOR PERMISSION TO SPEAK BAILEY DIDN'T FIGHT ON HIS OWN ACCOUNT HE FOUGHT ON MY ACCOUNT AND IF YOU PLEASE SIR


I AM THE BOY TO BE BLAMED FOR I WAS THE CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE THIS DREW OUT THE STORY OF CONWAY'S HARSH TREATMENT OF THE SMALLER BOYS AS BINNY RELATED THE WRONGS OF HIS PLAYFELLOWS SAYING VERY LITTLE OF HIS OWN GRIEVANCES


I NOTICED THAT MISTER GRIMSHAW'S HAND UNKNOWN TO HIMSELF PERHAPS RESTED LIGHTLY FROM TIME TO TIME ON WALLACE'S SUNNY HAIR THE EXAMINATION FINISHED MISTER GRIMSHAW LEANED ON THE DESK THOUGHTFULLY FOR A MOMENT AND THEN SAID


EVERY BOY IN THIS SCHOOL KNOWS THAT IT IS AGAINST THE RULES TO FIGHT IF ONE BOY MALTREATS ANOTHER WITHIN SCHOOL BOUNDS OR WITHIN SCHOOL HOURS THAT IS A MATTER FOR ME TO SETTLE THE CASE SHOULD BE LAID BEFORE ME


I DISAPPROVE OF TALE BEARING I NEVER ENCOURAGE IT IN THE SLIGHTEST DEGREE BUT WHEN ONE PUPIL SYSTEMATICALLY PERSECUTES A SCHOOLMATE IT IS THE DUTY OF SOME HEAD BOY TO INFORM ME NO PUPIL HAS A RIGHT TO TAKE THE LAW INTO HIS OWN HANDS


IF THERE IS ANY FIGHTING TO BE DONE I AM THE PERSON TO BE CONSULTED I DISAPPROVE OF BOYS FIGHTING IT IS UNNECESSARY AND UNCHRISTIAN IN THE PRESENT INSTANCE I CONSIDER EVERY LARGE BOY IN THIS SCHOOL AT FAULT


BUT AS THE OFFENCE IS ONE OF OMISSION RATHER THAN COMMISSION MY PUNISHMENT MUST REST ONLY ON THE TWO BOYS CONVICTED OF MISDEMEANOR CONWAY LOSES HIS RECESS FOR A MONTH AND BAILEY HAS A PAGE ADDED TO HIS LATIN LESSONS FOR THE NEXT FOUR RECITATIONS