where at any moment in the dark a Spanish knife may be stuck
betwixt your ribs？〃
〃Why； no；〃 said Jonathan； somewhat surprised that so foreign a
topic should have been so suddenly introduced into the discourse。
〃I am a man of peace and not of blood。 The people of the Society
of Friends never carry weapons； either of offence or defence。〃
As Jonathan concluded his reply the little gentleman suddenly
arose from his chair and moved briskly around to the other side
of the room。 Our hero； watching him with some surprise； beheld
him clap to the door and with a single movement shoot the bolt
and turn the key therein。 The next instant he turned to Jonathan
a visage transformed as suddenly as though he had dropped a mask
from his face。 The gossiping and polite little old bachelor was
there no longer； but in his stead a man with a countenance
convulsed with some furious and nameless passion。
〃That ball！〃 he cried； in a hoarse and raucous voice。 〃That ivory
ball！ Give it to me upon the instant！〃
As he spoke he whipped out from his bosom a long； keen Spanish
knife that in its every appearance spoke without equivocation of
the most murderous possibilities。
The malignant passions that distorted every lineament of the
countenance of the little old gentleman in black filled our hero
with such astonishment that he knew not whether he were asleep or
awake； but when he beheld the other advancing with the naked and
shining knife in his hand his reason returned to him like a
flash。 Leaping to his feet； he lost no time in putting the table
between himself and his sudden enemy。
〃Indeed； friend；〃 he cried； in a voice penetrated with
terror〃indeed； friend； thou hadst best keep thy distance from
me； for though I am a man of peace and a shunner of bloodshed； I
promise thee that I will not stand still to be murdered without
outcry or without endeavoring to defend my life！〃
〃Cry as loud as you please！〃 exclaimed the other。 〃No one is near
this place to hear you！ Cry until you are hoarse； no one in this
neighborhood will stop to ask what is the matter with you。 I tell
you I am determined to possess myself of that ivory ball； and
have it I shall； even though I am obliged to cut out your heart
to get it！〃 As he spoke he grinned with so extraordinary and
devilish a distortion of his countenance； and with such an
appearance of every intention of carrying out his threat as to
send the goose…flesh creeping like icy fingers up and down our
hero's spine with the most incredible rapidity and acuteness。
Nevertheless； mastering his fears； Jonathan contrived to speak up
with a pretty good appearance of spirit。 〃Indeed； friend；〃 he
said； 〃thou appearest to forget that I am a man of twice thy bulk
and half thy years； and that though thou hast a knife I am
determined to defend myself to the last extremity。 I am not going
to give thee that which thou demandest of me； and for thy sake I
advise thee to open the door and let me go free as I entered； or
else harm may befall thee。〃
〃Fool！〃 cried the other； hardly giving him time to end。 〃Do you；
then； think that I have time to chatter with you while two
villains are lying in wait for me； perhaps at the very door？
Blame your own self for your death！〃 And； gnashing his teeth with
an indescribable menace； and resting his hand upon the table； he
vaulted with incredible agility clean across it and upon our
hero； who； entirely unprepared for such an extraordinary attack；
was flung back against the wall； with an arm as strong as steel
clutching his throat and a knife flashing in his very eyes with
dreadful portent of instant death。
With an instinct to preserve his life； he caught his assailant by
the wrist； and； bending it away from himself； set every fibre of
his body in a superhuman effort to guard and protect himself。 The
other； though so much older and smaller； seemed to be composed
entirely of fibres of steel； and； in his murderous endeavors； put
forth a strength so extraordinary that for a moment our hero felt
his heart melt within him with terror for his life。 The spittal
appeared to dry up within his mouth； and his hair to creep and
rise upon his head。 With a vehement cry of despair and anguish；
he put forth one stupendous effort for defence； and； clapping his
heel behind the other's leg； and throwing his whole weight
forward； he fairly tripped his antagonist backward as he stood。
Together they fell upon the floor； locked in the most desperate
embrace； and overturning a chair with a prodigious clatter in
their descentour hero upon the top and the little gentleman in
black beneath him。
As they struck the floor the little man in black emitted a most
piercing and terrible scream； and instantly relaxing his efforts
of attack； fell to beating the floor with the back of his hands
and drubbing with his heels upon the rug in which he had become
entangled。
Our hero leaped to his feet； and with dilating eyes and expanding
brain and swimming sight stared down upon the other like one
turned to a stone。
He beheld instantly what had occurred； and that he had； without
so intending； killed a fellow…man。 The knife； turned away from
his own person； had in their fall been plunged into the bosom of
the other； and he now lay quivering in the last throes of death。
As Jonathan gazed he beheld a thin red stream trickle out from
the parted and grinning lips； he beheld the eyes turn inward； he
beheld the eyelids contract； he beheld the figure stretch itself；
he beheld it become still in death。
IV。 The Momentous Adventure with the Stranger with the Silver
Ear…rings
So our hero stood stunned and bedazed； gazing down upon his
victim； like a man turned into a stone。 His brain appeared to him
to expand like a bubble； the blood surged and bummed in his ears
with every gigantic beat of his heart； his vision swam； and his
trembling hands were bedewed with a cold and repugnant sweat。 The
dead figure upon the floor at his feet gazed at him with a wide；
glassy stare； and in the confusion of his mind it appeared to
Jonathan that he was； indeed； a murderer。
What monstrous thing was this that had befallen him who； but a
moment before； had been so entirely innocent of the guilt of
blood？ What was he now to do in such an extremity as this； with
his victim lying dead at his feet； a poniard in his heart？ Who
would believe him to be guiltless of crime with such a dreadful
evidence as this presented against him？ How was he； a stranger in
a foreign land； to totally defend himself against an accusing of
mistaken justice？ At these thoughts a developed terror gripped at
his vitals and a sweat as cold as ice bedewed his entire body。
No； he must tarry for no explanation or defense！ He must
immediately fly from this terrible place； or else； should he be
discovered； his doom would certainly be sealed！
At that moment； and in the very extremity of his apprehensions；
there fell of a sudden a knock upon the door； sounding so loud
and so startling upon the silence of the room that every
shattered nerve in our hero's frame tingled and thrilled in
answer to it。 He stood petrified； scarcely so much as daring to
breathe； and then； observing that his mouth was agape； he
moistened his dry and parching lips； and drew his jaws together
with a snap。
Again there fell the same loud； insistent knock upon the panel；
followed by the imperative words： 〃Open within！〃
The wretched Jonathan flung about him a glance at once of terror
and of despair； but there was for him no possible escape。 He was
shut tight in the room with his dead victim； like a rat in a
trap。 Nothing remained for him but to obey the summons from
without。 Indeed； in the very extremity of his distraction； he
possessed reason enough to perceive that the longer he delayed
opening the door the less innocent he might hope to appear in the
eyes of whoever stood without。
With the uncertain and spasmodic movements of an ill…constructed
automaton； he crossed the room； and stepping very carefully over
the prostrate body upon the floor； and with a hesitating
reluctance that he could in no degree master； he unlocked；
unbolted； and opened the door。
The figure that outlined itself in the light of the candle；
against the blackness of the passageway without was of such a
singular and foreign aspect as to fit extremely well into the
extraordinary tragedy of which Jonathan was at once the victim
and the cause。
It was that of a lean； tall man with a thin； yellow countenance；
embellished with a long； black mustache； and having a pair of
forbidding； deeply set； and extremely restless black eyes。 A
crimson handkerchief beneath a lace cocked hat was tied tightly
around the head； and a pair of silver earrings； which caught the
light of the candle； gleamed and twinkled against the inky
darkness of the passageway beyond。
This extraordinary being； without favoring our hero with any word
of apology for his intrusion； immediately thrust himself forward
into the room； and stretching his long； lean； bird…like neck so
as to direct his gaze over the intervening table； fixed a gaping
and concentrated stare upon the figure lying still and motionless
in the centre of the room。
〃Vat you do dare；〃 said he； with a guttural and foreign accent；
and thereupon； without waiting for a reply； came forward and
knelt down beside the dead man。 After thrusting his hand into the
silent and shrunken bosom； he presently looked up and fixed his
penetrating eyes upon our hero's countenance； who； benumbed and
bedazed with his despair； still stood like one enchained in the
bonds of a nightmare。 〃He vas dead！〃 said the stranger； and
Jonathan nodded his head in reply。
〃Vy you keel ze man？〃 inquired his interlocutor。
〃Indeed；〃 cried Jonathan； finding a voice at last； but one so
hoarse that he could hardly recognize it for his own； 〃I know not
what to make of the affair！ But； indeed； I do assure thee；
friend； that I am entirely innocent of what thou seest。〃
The stranger still kept his piercing gaze fixed upon our hero's
countenance； and Jonathan； feeling that something further was
demanded of him； continued： 〃I am； indeed； a victim of a most
extr