Year: 1872

face betrayed the wonder that felt, for, turn
ing to me, he shouted


NSay not a word! Your hour is come!


He then took from drawer large whet-
stone and long black leather case, and pull
ing his chair to the table, he placed them
upon it and sat down, staring me full in the
face. Then, in deliberate voice, he said:


eyes, man, your time has come. l have
had it revealed to me, long years ago, that
should see you this day. The stars in their
courses predicted your destiny, and this day
it is decreed that you should be offered up a
glorious sacrifice to the powers of Heaven.
We are alone, and I tell you, truly, the star
of your destiny is in bloody house. tell
you your destiny is fulfilled 1 say, you die
to-day-this day you die p


must admit that when | saw him shut and
lock the door, certainly did feel some ap-
prehension of violence. But when l saw him
Sitting there, glaring upon me with fierce,
blood thirsty eyes, and talking such nonsense,
which nevertheless implied threat, | saw at
once that was locked in with madman, and
he, too, evidently dangerous one. What to
say or do I could not tell. 1 am small
weak man, and he was very powerful; and
even had the case been reversed, every one
knows that lunatics possess an almost super
natural strength. He had the key in his
pocket, and his back was to the door. 10
shout out would, knew, be useless-no one
in the house would hear. We were three
stories above the street, so to leap from the
window was impossible; while, if attempted
IL 70
tance, the first movement on my part would
probably be the signal for violence on his. l
could think of nothing feasible, and so sat in
silence, trusting to the chapter of accidents or
some happy idea for deliverance from my per-
ilous situation.


Seeing that was silent, he paused for a
few minutes, all the while steadfastly fixing
his bright eyes fercely upon me. He then
abruptly said:


81 must talk with you must reason and
prove to you the heavenly mission which / have.
The stars themselves have given you to me by
an eternal decree. Show me your hand, and
I will prove it. Your hand!"


(Which hand?" asked.


"The right, the dexter hand-that hand
upon which the planets have written your
destiny in lines of blood. Your hand, 1 say !"
went over to where he sat, and very calm
ly held out my right hand toward him. He
took it by the tips of the fingers and looked
intently upon the palm. ''There! seest thou
that?" he exclaimed, pointing to a long, ir-
regular line which ran across the palm.
"There is my destiny-clear, that all the world
may read it, and Justify my deed to-day.
That is the line of life. See how it branches
off and melts away-a sure token Of an early
and bloody dissolution. My part is to offer
the sacrifice; yours is to endure. There! ST
down. When that clock strikes one you will
depart, to wander among the stars"


So saying, he thrust my hand away, and l
quietly went and sat down, saying nothing.
He leaned back in his chair, folded his arms
upon his breast, and gazed at the clock. 1t
now wanted about fifteen minuter to one.
After silence of about five minutes, in which
I was vainly racking my brains to contrive
some means Of escape, he suddenly started,
and fixing his piercing eyes on me, said:


awe will prepare the instruments for the
sacrifice"


Suiting the action to the word, he pulled
the stone toward him, and opening the leather
case, took from it frightful two-edged Span
ish knife or dagger, the blade of which was, I
think, certainly foot long. He tried its edge
upon hair, and although it appeared to me
to be as sharp as razor, he began to rub it
carefully upon the stone. His words and the
sight of the horrible glittering knife, and the
knowledge of his maniac purpose, fully
awakened me to a sense Of my danger. l
could do nothing, for he was watching like a
cat my every movement. But might gain
time at least, and I resolved to do so. Often
before I had experienced the powerful inhu:
ence of fluent tongue-the Golden mouth, y
as the Greeks of old termed it; and now the
fear of death nerved me to exert myself to the
very utmost. Turning with as much calm
ness as I could to him, said:


"And what do you propose to do? How
are you going to carry out tie decree OF the
stars"


"You see this knife?" he asked, leaving off
his task and pointing the ugly blade toward
me. "When the clock strikes one, [ shall
sever your head from your body with this, and
then with your blood shall baptize myself;
and after that I shall place your head on that
shelf for me to divine by, and cast away your
body-the gross, material part of humanity
into the street."


No words can tell the fearful wildness of
his expression, as he uttered these words.
With an effort, I replied as calmly as could ::


eyes, all that is true; but, as learned man,
I should like to discuss with you various SUBJ
jects, as shall need knowledge when I reach
the stars. I should like also to understand
fully the modus operandi of your proceedings.
Let me ask you few questions"


I had some slight knowledge of palmistry,
necromancy and astrology-follies which 1
saw had turned the unhappy madman's brain,
and I had what was perhaps better, the power
of language. So I entered into great dis
cussion, always appearing to bow to his supe-
rior knowledge. He replied, and although
his speech was very incoherent, he must have
received very good education. But for my
peril l should have been interested in his case.
I then said that I had three very important
statements to make, the justice Of which he
would at once perceive.


"Firstly," said, "I had friend waiting
below for me. The horoscope had declared
that that friend should be present at my i'm
notation. We must not fight against the
stars. Should I, or should not, 60 and fetch
him or would he?"


He arose and went to the window and
opened it, causing me, with all the cunning OF
madness, to move to the other side Of the


u II