Evening star., 1927-09-28

author of a great many varied tales, One
Contributed a great deal to his international
fame. He is thoroughly Russian In style
and treatment)
1t was a dark Autumn night. The
old banker was pacing from corner
to corner of his study, recalling to
mind the conversation at a party OF
Is wears before. They had got into
Rashly, angered by the turn Of the
argument, the banker had bet two
million that a young lawyer would
not stay in a cell, from choice, Tor
five years. In the heat of youth the
lawyer had taken the bet and wagered
that he would stay in cell not fve,
but Is years. So this wild and ridic.
ulous bet came to pass.
Come to your senses, young man."
the banker had said, before 1t is too
late. Two millions are nothing to
me, but you stand to lose three or
four of the best years of your life. l
say three or four, because you'll never
stick it out any longer. Don't forget,
also, that voluntary punishment is
heavier than, enforced. The idea that
you can free yourself at any time will
poison all Your hfe..;~I pity you"
1t was decided that the lawyer must
. undergo his imprisonment under the
strictest observation, in q garden
wing of the bankers home. 1t was
agreed that during the 15-year period
he would be deprived of seeing people,
Or hearing voices, or Of receiving let
ters or newspapers. He could, how.
ever, have musical instrument, read
books, write letters, drink wine, have
all he wanted to eat, and smoke If
"a .traio 70 xxyfft1
the outside world, but only in silence
through a tiny aperture especially
constructed for the purpose. Every
thing necessary, as he might request,
he could receive in any quantity by
writing a note. Thus the confine-
ment was strictly solitary. It COM
PEELED the lawyer, aged 25, to remain
there from noon Of November IA, 1870,
10 noon of November IA, 1885. The
least attempt on his part to violate
any OF the conditions, if he should
escape even two minutes before the
time, freed the banker from any obli.
cation to pay him the two millions.
During the first year, judging from
his notes. the young man suffered
much from loneliness and boredom.
From his wing day and night the
sound Of a piano could be heard. He
rejected wine and tobacco, for wine
made him want liberty and tobacco
spoiled the air in his room. During
this first year he read books of a
light character-love stories, novels,
detective stories, etc.
In the second year the piano was
silent, and the lawyer wanted classics
to read. In the fifth year music was
heard again. In the second half of
the sixth year he began to study
languages, philosophy and history. In
the next four years over 600 books
were bought at his request. He passed
out letter written in six Languages,
to show what he had learned, request
ing that IL be examined by experts,
and if they found no mistakes that
TWO shots be fired in the garden. The
two shots were fired. The lawyer had
studied well.
During the last two years Of his
confinement the prisoner read great
deal-an unheard-of number of books.
it was quite haphazard, however; now
the natural sciences and now Byron
and Shakespeare.
Now, as he thought over all this,
the banker realized that the fifteen
years would be up on the morrow and
he would have to pay the lawyer the
wagered two millions. Fifteen years
before that sum had meant little to
him. Now to pay it would mean his
ruin. Speculation had brought its
failures to him. There was only one
thing to do--in desperation the bank
er determined that the lawyer should
die ere he regained his freedom.
Going out TO the garden wing it oc
CURED To the banker that the watch
man would the first to be suspected
He was not on duty-probably away
somewhere out Of the cold, sleeping
With his one key the banker unlocked
the prisoners cell. He entered.
Only a candle lighted the dim room
The prisoner sat at a table. Only hi:
back, his hair and his hands could bs
seen. All about were shrewn oper
books. In five minutes the prisoner
never moved a muscle-15 years O
solitary confinement had taught hin
how TO sit motionless.
Viewed more closely, this man wa
like no ordinary human being. II,
was a skeleton with taut skin, Ionl
curly hair and shaggy beard. Hi
face was yellow, the cheeks wer'
sunken. His hair was already silver
ing with gray. No one could have be
tieved that this man was only 40 year
cid. ON the table before him lay
sheet Of paper with writing on 1t. An
all this time the prisoner never move
in effect. he was still solitariy cor
fined.
The banker thought he was aslee
and picked up the paper and read
Tomorrow at noon / shall obtain m
freedom and the right to mingle wit
other people. But before l leave thi
room and again see the sun l think
should write a few words to you. o
my own clear conscience and befor
God I declare that l despise freedom
life, health, and all that your book
call the blessings Of the WOrM 10