San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-01-18
The Master Of BaIlantraae.
By ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON, Az
thor G "Dr. Jekyll and Mr., Hyde"



=snicn we naG oeen threatened; this led us on
20 the topic of assassination; and that offered
a temptation to the master more strong than
he was able to resist He must tell me tale,
and show me at the same time how clever lie
was and how wicked. 1t was thing lie did
always with afTectation and display; gener
ally with good effect. But this tale, told in
a high KEY in the midst of so great tumult,
and by a narrator who was one moment look
ing down at me from the skies and the next
peering up from under the soles of my feet
this particular tale, say, took hold upon me
in degree quite singular
"My friend the count" it was thus that he
began his story, had for an enemy certain
German baron n stranger in Rome. 1t mat
ters not what was the ground of the counts
enmity; but as he had a firm design to be re-
venged and that with safety to himself, he
kept it secret, even from the baron. Indeed,
that is the first principle of vengeance, and
hatred betrayed is hatred impOtent. The
count was man of a curious, searching mind.
He had something of the artist. If anything
fall for him TO do, it must always he done
with an exact perfection, not only as to the
result, but in the very means and instruments
OF he thought the thing miscarried. 1t
CHANGED he was one day riding in the outer
suburbs, when he came to disuoed by road
branching off into the moor which lies about
Rome On the one hand was an ancient
Roman tomb; on the other, a deserted hN'se
in q garden of evergreen trees. This road
brought him presently into field of RUNS,
in the midst of which, in the side of a hill, he
saw an open door and mot far Off a single
Stunted pine no greater than currant bush.
The place was desert and very secret; a
voice spoke in the counts bosom that there
was something here to his advantage. He
tied his horse to the pine tree, took his flint
and steel in his hand to make light, and en-
tered into the hill. The doorway opened Oh
a passage Of old Roman masonry, which
shortly after branched in two. The count
took the turning to the right and followed it,
cropping forward in the dark till he was
brought up by kind Of fence, about elbow
high, which extended quite across the passage.
Sounding forward with his foot. he found an
edge of polished stone, and then vacancy.
ALI his curiosity was now awakened, and,
getting some rotten sticks that lay about the
floor, he made fire. In front of him was a
profound well. doubtless some neighbOring
peasant had once used it for his water, and it
was he that had set up the fence A long
while the count stood leaning on the rail and
looking down into the pit.
1T was of Roman foundation, and like all
that nation set their hands to, built as for
eternity; the sides were still straight and the
joints smooth; to a man who should fall in,
no escape was possible. Now the count was
thinking, a strong impulsiOn brought me to
this place; what fOrf what have ! gaiHedl
Why should be sent to gaze into this Wells
when the rail Of the fence suddenly gave
way under his weight, and he came within
an ace of falling headlOng III. Leapmg back
to save himself, he trOd out tue last flicker of
his fire, which gave him thenceforward no
more light, only an incommOding smoke.
Was | sent here to my deathf says he, and
shook from head to foot. And then thought
flashed in his mind. He Crept forth on hands
and knees to the brink of the pit and felt
above him in the air. The rail had been fast
to a pair of uprights; it had only broken
from the one, and still depended from the
other. The count set it back again as he had
found it, so that the place meant death to the
first conner, and CROPPED out of the catacomb
ike q sick man.
The next day riding in the COrso with tho
baron, he purposely betrayed strong preoc-
cupation. The other las he had desigued) in
qured into tho cause; and he latter some
fencing) admitted that his spirits had been
dashed by an unusual dream This was cal
culatcd to draw on the baron-a superstitious
man who affected the sColm of superstition.
Some rallying followed; and then the count
aS if suddenly carried away called on his
friend to beware, for it was of him that he
had dreamed. You know enough of human
nature, my excellent Mackellar, to be certain
of one thing: mean, that the baron did not
rest till he had heard the dream Tho count
sure that he would never desst, kept him in
play till his curiosity was highly nfamed,
and then suffered himself with seeming re-
luctance to bo oyerborne. 4 warn YOU says
he, evil will come of it something tells me
80. But since thoFe is to be no peace either
for you or mo except on this condition, the
Ulnme DO on your own head This WAS the
iroan. | behold you riding, | know not
where, yet think it must have been near
Romo, for on your ono hand was an anoiont
tomb and On the other garden Of evergreen
trees. Methought cried and cried upon you
to come back in a very agony of terror.
whether you heard mo, know not,
but you went doggedly on. Tho road
brought you 10 a desert place among
ruins; where was q door in a hillsde,
and hard by tho door a misbesottan pune
Here you dismounted Il still crying on you
TO beware, tied your horse to the pins tree,
and entered resolutely in by the door Within
1t was dark; bus in my dream could still see
you, and still besought you to bold back
Yoa felt your way along the right hand wall,
took branching passage 10 tbs right, and
came to a little chamber, where was a well
with a railing. At this Il know sot Why
my alarm for you increased a thousand fold
30 that | seemed to scream myself hoarse with