The times., 1901-03-24
How Number Eight
Bsea@s Number Nine

modern inquisition: but to do two at
one and the same time maddening.
Sum number one: Given two men. one
A. Z. TO die on the morrow, by grace OF
block and dOubie-headed sword; of
what value to him is an hours compan-
iOnship with the other, c. D.? Second
sum: Take the same two men; Of what
value TO g. j. is an hours companion
ship with A B., considering that the
same G. l.. is to be released on the NOR
row after ten years of Los Perdido?
Truly a faffiing puzzle. complicated per-
hapS by the fact that neither a. b. or
c. D. had knowledge Of the impending
changes. nor did Pedro MartoVaI him
self. as Will be explained later, know
for which the scanOld was reserved and
for which Gods sunlight and sweet air
For ten minutes did Pedro Martoval
bite his fingers; then, like a man of
genius, he brushed aside what he could
not solve. Let each purchase this hours
companiOnship at its legitimate value
neither knowing aught Of freedom or the
scafuld. Thus the sum simDlified itself
TO the value Of sixty minutes talk TO
two men who for ten years have weaFied
of themselves and Pedro Martoval
There was no room for fear as 10 the
means OF payment, men of certain rank
have stil friends, even after ten years
and humane Master Pedro always hon
estly HANDED the dOleS Unreduced to their
rightfui OWners-would they not all come
back TO him and al little cOst2 Clearly
II would have been a feeble policy TO di-
vert the stream TO his own purposes; il
would probably have dried at the source
and been barren Of benefit forever after
The man who cannot be honest TO his
own profit must be q weak rogue in
deed, and no weak rogue would have
held the keys Of Los Perdido for twenty
years.
with a rattle and crash Pedro flung
open the door 10 the right, and added
crimuesS fell upon the passage; il had
been black before, but now you could
see its blacluess. The cell was feet
square aTd II feet high with two win
dows. end-up against the roof windows
- inches long and inches wide which
opened out toward the blank wall of the
neigFhoring house u feet away ana sug-
gested daylight A mattress was stretch
ed IRON one corner to within yard of
! the opposite wall. a stone block the
| height Of an ordinary table filed the
diagonal corner, and beside il was fixed
another and smaller block to serve as n
I seat. Fixtures were wise precaution
IN los Ferdldo, since you cannot brain
! your gaoler with an immovabIe stone
block unless. indeed, you invert the
gaOler, and that requires time and
I strength besides occasioning outcrv.
which at such times is to be deprecated
For their lower half the walls were pol
! lshed into CLASSY smoOthnesS like such
antiques as the Gaul of the Capitol or
| the much be-kissed bronze toe of St Pc
] ter. a mute evidence Of the contfuuitv
full quarter-inch beyond the lower nv
reason of accumulated layers of filth.
| There were no hOuse-cleanings at Los
Perdido.
On the block in the corner. with his
feet on the stone stool. sat the prisoner.
HlHglng up and catching morseIS Of crust
as Jnggief does balls in circus-one
two, three, four-in rhythmicai success
sion. The light was atrocious but after
l ten years nature proves it's adapta bilitv
10 circumstances. and becomes tolerant of
alTociliies' ali,,i so that the player seldom
As the key grated in the lock he leaped
TO the Hoor and stood facing the gaoer as
this Master Pedro, coming AT a time
there news"
Faith answered the gaoler. IF its
a 1901 trick to do a Kindness, then I'm
a fool. No, senior no news but-but I
thought httie talk"
The other turned and stopped for his
crusts which had fallen on the floor
'Oh, aye, but when the door opened
and not for breakfast, dinner, or supper
why. why, / thought-I-Eh?-let us talk,
If after ten years there is anything new
10 be said" and he tossed his cr7Ists into
the air, one, two, three four, and began
his juggling anew.
Master Pedro was somewhat at n loss.
HIS scheme was in danger of falling fiat
/ and he well knew that even in Los Per-
dido freshness and excitement had a good
influence on the market
"Senor Enrico. how clever YOU are
with Your hands: but, in spite of your
play, does it not come that you are dull
at tines
Again the prisoner let the crusts fan
on the floor and looked up curiously.
My friend" he said, lis the King dead
perchanCe, or have you only gone stark
! mad to ask such a thing? Dull, Saints
! In Heaven, what fool question:
Then" went on Master Pedro. "a little
| change, say an hours gossip with a
| neighbour would not come amiss?"
The prisoner laughed.
My friend everything in this world is
a question of cost. and 1 have learnt val
| ueS in my ten years. Nine years ago |