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college； and me they nicknamed the Beast。 Beauty and
the Beast was what they called us when we went out
walking together； as we used to do every day。 Once Leo
attacked a great strapping butcher's man； twice his
size； because he sang it out after us； and thrashed
him； toothrashed him fairly。 I walked on and
pretended not to see； till the combat got too
exciting； when I turned round and cheered him on to
victory。 It was the chaff of the college at the time；
but I could not help it。 Then when he was a little
older the undergraduates got fresh names for us。 They
called me Charon and Leo the Greek god！ I will pass
over my own appellation with the humble remark that I
was never handsome； and did not grow more so as I grew
older。 As for his； there was no doubt about its
fitness。 Leo at twenty…one might have stood for a
statue of the youthful Apollo。 I never saw anybody to
touch him in looks； or anybody so absolutely
unconscious of them。 As for his mind； he was brilliant
and keen witted； but not a scholar。 He had not the
dullness necessary for that result。 We followed out
his father's instructions as regards his education
strictly enough； and on the whole the results；
especially so far as the Greek and Arabic went； were
satisfactory。 I learned the latter language in order
to help to teach it to him； but after five years of it
he knew it as well as I didalmost as well as the
professor who instructed us both。 I always was a great
sportsmanit is my one passionand every autumn we
went away somewhere shooting or fishing； sometimes to
Scotland； sometimes to Norway； once even to Russia。 I
am a good shot； but even in this he learned to excel
me。
When Leo was eighteen I moved back into my rooms； and
entered him at my own college； and at twenty…one he
took his degreea respectable degree； but not a very
high one。 Then it was that I； for the first time； told
him something of his own story； and of the mystery
that loomed ahead。 Of course he was very curious about
it； and of course I explained to him that his
curiosity could not be gratified at present。 After
that； to pass the time away； I suggested that he
should get himself called to the bar； and this he did；
reading at Cambridge； and only going up to London to
eat his dinners。
I had only one trouble about him； and that was that
every young woman who came across him； or； if not
every one； nearly so； would insist on falling in love
with him。 Hence arose difficulties which I need not
enter into here； though they were troublesome enough
at the time。 On the whole； he behaved fairly well； I
cannot say more than that。
And so the time went by till at last he reached his
twenty…fifth birthday； at which date this strange and；
in some ways； awful history really begins。
CHAPTER III
THE SHERD OF AMENARTAS
ON the day preceding Leo's twenty…fifth birthday we
both proceeded to London； and extracted the mysterious
chest from the bank where I had deposited it twenty
years before。 It was； I remember； brought up by the
same clerk who had taken it down。 He perfectly
remembered having hidden it away。 Had he not done so；
he said； he should have had difficulty in finding it；
it was so covered up with cobwebs。
In the evening we returned with our precious burden to
Cambridge； and I think that we might both of us have
given away all the sleep we got that night and not
have been much the poorer。 At daybreak Leo arrived in
my room in a dressing…gown； and suggested that we
should at once proceed to business。 I scouted the idea
as showing an unworthy curiosity。 The chest had waited
twenty years； I said； so it could very well continue
to wait until after breakfast。 Accordingly at ninean
unusually sharp ninewe breakfasted； and so occupied
was I with my own thoughts that I regret to state that
I put a piece of bacon into Leo's tea in mistake for a
lump of sugar。 Job； too； to whom the contagion of
excitement had； of course； spread； managed to break
the handle off my Se‘vres china tea…cup； the identical
one I believe that Marat had been drinking from just
before he was stabbed in his bath。
At last； however； breakfast was cleared away； and Job；
at my request； fetched the chest； and placed it upon
the table in a somewhat gingerly fashion； as though he
mistrusted it。 Then he prepared to leave the room。
〃Stop a moment； Job；〃 I said。 〃If Mr。 Leo has no
objection； I should prefer to have an independent
witness to this business； who can be relied upon to
hold his tongue unless he is asked to speak。〃
〃Certainly； Uncle Horace；〃 answered Leo； for I had
brought him up to call me unclethough he varied the
appellation somewhat disrespectfully by calling me
〃old fellow；〃 or even 〃my avuncular relative。〃
Job touched his head； not having a hat on。
〃Lock the door； Job；〃 I said； 〃and bring me my
despatch…box。〃
He obeyed； and from the box I took the keys that poor
Vincey； Leo's father； had given me on the night of his
death。 There were three of them； the largest a
comparatively modern key； the second an exceedingly
ancient one； and the third entirely unlike anything of
the sort that we had ever seen before； being fashioned
apparently from a strip of solid silver； with a bar
placed across to serve as a handle； and some nicks cut
in the edge of the bar。 It was more like a model of
some antediluvian railway key than anything else。
〃Now； are you both ready？〃 I said； as people do when
they are going to fire a mine。 There was no answer； so
I took the big key； rubbed some salad oil into the
wards； and after one or two bad shots； for my hands
were shaking； managed to fit it； and shoot the lock。
Leo bent over and caught the massive lid in both his
hands； and with an effort； for the hinges had rusted；
leaned it back。 Its removal revealed another case
covered with dust。 This we extracted from the iron
chest without any difficulty； and removed the
accumulated filth of years from it with a clothes…
brush。
It was； or appeared to be； of ebony； or some such
close…grained black wood； and was bound in every
direction with flat bands of iron。 Its antiquity must
have been extreme； for the dense； heavy wood was
actually in parts commencing to crumble away from age。
〃Now for it；〃 I said； inserting the second key。
Job and Leo bent forward in breathless silence。 The
key turned； and I flung back the lid； and uttered an
exclamation； as did the others； and no wonder； for
inside the ebony case was a magnificent silver casket；
about twelve inches square by eight high。 It appeared
to be of Egyptian workmanship； for the four legs were
formed of Sphinxes； and the dome…shaped cover was also
surmounted by a Sphinx。 The casket was of course much
tarnished and dinted with age； but otherwise in fairly
sound condition。
I drew it out and set it on the table； and then； in
the midst of the most perfect silence； I inserted the
strange…looking silver key； and pressed this way and
that until at last the lock yielded； and the casket
stood open before us。 It was filled to the brim with
some brown shredded material； more like vegetable
fibre than paper； the nature of which I have never
been able to discover。 This I carefully removed to the
depth of some three inches； when I came to a letter
enclosed in an ordinary modern looking envelope； and
addressed in the handwriting of my dead friend Vincey…
…
〃To my son Leo； should he live to open this casket。〃
I handed the letter to Leo； who glanced at the
envelope； and then put it down upon the table； making
a motion to me to go on emptying the casket。
The next thing that I found was a parchment carefully
rolled up。 I unrolled it； and seeing that it was also
in Vincey's handwriting； and headed 〃Translation of
the Uncial Greek writing on the Potsherd；〃 put it down
by the letter。 Then followed another ancient roll of
parchment； that had become yellow and crinkled with
the passage of years。 This I also unrolled。 It was
likewise a translation of the same Greek original； but
into black…letter Latin this time； which at the first
glance appeared to me from the style and character to
date from somewhere about the beginning of the
sixteenth century。 Immediately beneath this roll was
something hard and heavy； wrapped up in yellow linen；
and reposing upon another。 layer of the fibrous
material。 Slowly and carefully we unrolled the linen；
exposing to view a very large but undoubtedly ancient
potsherd of a dirty yellow color！ This potsherd had；
in my judgment； once been a part of an ordinary
amphora of medium size。 For the rest； it measured ten
and a half inches in length by seven in width； was
about a quarter of an inch thick； and densely covered
on the convex side that lay towards the bottom of the
box with writing in the later uncial Greek character；
faded here and there； but for the most part perfectly
legible； the inscription having evidently been
executed with the greatest care； and by means of a
reed pen； such as the ancients often used。 I must not
forget to mention that in some remote age this
wonderf