which they had quitted。 Tall brick houses stood upon either side；
between which stretched a narrow； crooked roadway； with a kennel
running down the centre。
In front of one of these housesa tall and gloomy structureour
hero's conductor stopped and； opening the door with a key；
beckoned for him to enter。 Jonathan having complied； his
new…found friend led the way up a flight of steps； against which
Jonathan's feet beat noisily in the darkness； and at length；
having ascended two stairways and having reached a landing； he
opened a door at the end of the passage and ushered Jonathan into
an apartment； unlighted； except for the Moonshine； which； coming
in through a partly open shutter； lay in a brilliant patch of
light upon the floor。
His conductor having struck a light with a flint and steel； our
hero by the illumination of a single candle presently discovered
himself to be in a bedchamber furnished with no small degree of
comfort； and even elegance； and having every appearance of a
bachelor's chamber。
〃You will pardon me；〃 said his new acquaintance； 〃if I shut these
shutters and the window； for that devilish fever of which I spoke
is of such a sort that I must keep the night air even out from my
room； or else I shall be shaking the bones out of my joints and
chattering the teeth out of my head by to…morrow morning。〃
So saying he was as good as his word； and not only drew the
shutters to； but shot the heavy iron bolt into its place。 Having
accomplished this he bade our hero to be seated； and placing
before him some exceedingly superior rum； together with some
equally excellent tobacco； they presently fell into the
friendliest discourse imaginable。 In the course of their talk；
which after awhile became exceedingly confidential； Jonathan
confided to his new friend the circumstances of the adventure
into which he had been led by the beautiful stranger； and to all
that he said concerning his adventure his interlocutor listened
with the closest and most scrupulously riveted attention。
〃Upon my word；〃 said he； when Jonathan had concluded； 〃I hope
that you may not have been made the victim of some foolish hoax。
Let me see what it is she has confided to you。〃
〃That I will；〃 replied Jonathan。 And thereupon he thrust his hand
into his breeches…pocket and brought forth the ivory ball。
No sooner did the one eye of the little gentleman in black light
upon the object than a most singular and extraordinary convulsion
appeared to seize upon him。 Had a bullet penetrated his heart he
could not have started more violently； nor have sat more rigidly
and breathlessly staring。
Mastering his emotion with the utmost difficulty as Jonathan
replaced the ball in his pocket； he drew a deep and profound
breath and wiped the palm of his hand across his forehead as
though arousing himself from a dream。
〃And you；〃 he said； of a sudden； 〃are； I understand it； a Quaker。
Do you； then； never carry a weapon； even in such a place as this；
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 entir