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Jonathan that he was； indeed； a murderer。
What monstrous thing was this that had befallen him who； but a
moment before； had been so entirely innocent of the guilt of
blood？ What was he now to do in such an extremity as this； with
his victim lying dead at his feet； a poniard in his heart？ Who
would believe him to be guiltless of crime with such a dreadful
evidence as this presented against him？ How was he； a stranger in
a foreign land； to totally defend himself against an accusing of
mistaken justice？ At these thoughts a developed terror gripped at
his vitals and a sweat as cold as ice bedewed his entire body。
No； he must tarry for no explanation or defense！ He must
immediately fly from this terrible place； or else； should he be
discovered； his doom would certainly be sealed！
At that moment； and in the very extremity of his apprehensions；
there fell of a sudden a knock upon the door； sounding so loud
and so startling upon the silence of the room that every
shattered nerve in our hero's frame tingled and thrilled in
answer to it。 He stood petrified； scarcely so much as daring to
breathe； and then； observing that his mouth was agape； he
moistened his dry and parching lips； and drew his jaws together
with a snap。
Again there fell the same loud； insistent knock upon the panel；
followed by the imperative words： 〃Open within！〃
The wretched Jonathan flung about him a glance at once of terror
and of despair； but there was for him no possible escape。 He was
shut tight in the room with his dead victim； like a rat in a
trap。 Nothing remained for him but to obey the summons from
without。 Indeed； in the very extremity of his distraction； he
possessed reason enough to perceive that the longer he delayed
opening the door the less innocent he might hope to appear in the
eyes of whoever stood without。
With the uncertain and spasmodic movements of an ill…constructed
automaton； he crossed the room； and stepping very carefully over
the prostrate body upon the floor； and with a hesitating
reluctance that he could in no degree master； he unlocked；
unbolted； and opened the door。
The figure that outlined itself in the light of the candle；
against the blackness of the passageway without was of such a
singular and foreign aspect as to fit extremely well into the
extraordinary tragedy of which Jonathan was at once the victim
and the cause。
It was that of a lean； tall man with a thin； yellow countenance；
embellished with a long； black mustache； and having a pair of
forbidding； deeply set； and extremely restless black eyes。 A
crimson handkerchief beneath a lace cocked hat was tied tightly
around the head； and a pair of silver earrings； which caught the
light of the candle； gleamed and twinkled against the inky
darkness of the passageway beyond。
This extraordinary being； without favoring our hero with any word
of apology for his intrusion； immediately thrust himself forward
into the room； and stretching his long； lean； bird…like neck so
as to direct his gaze over the intervening table； fixed a gaping
and concentrated stare upon the figure lying still and motionless
in the centre of the room。
〃Vat you do dare；〃 said he； with a guttural and foreign accent；
and thereupon； without waiting for a reply； came forward and
knelt down beside the dead man。 After thrusting his hand into the
silent and shrunken bosom； he presently looked up and fixed his
penetrating eyes upon our hero's countenance； who； benumbed and
bedazed with his despair； still stood like one enchained in the
bonds of a nightmare。 〃He vas dead！〃 said the stranger； and
Jonathan nodded his head in reply。
〃Vy you keel ze man？〃 inquired his interlocutor。
〃Indeed；〃 cried Jonathan； finding a voice at last； but one so
hoarse that he could hardly recognize it for his own； 〃I know not
what to make of the affair！ But； indeed； I do assure thee；
friend； that I am entirely innocent of what thou seest。〃
The stranger still kept his piercing gaze fixed upon our hero's
countenance； and Jonathan； feeling that something further was
demanded of him； continued： 〃I am； indeed； a victim of a most
extravagant and extraordinary adventure。 This evening； coming an
entire stranger to this country； I was introduced into the house
of a beautiful female； who bestowed upon me a charge that
appeared to me to be at once insignificant and absurd。 Behold
this little ivory ball；〃 said he； drawing the globe from his
pocket； and displaying it between his thumb and finger。 〃It is
this that appears to have brought all this disaster upon me； for；
coming from the house of the young woman； the man whom thou now
beholdest lying dead upon the floor induced me to come to this
place。 Having inveigled me hither； he demanded of me to give him
at once this insignificant trifle。 Upon my refusing to do so； he
assaulted me with every appearance of a mad and furious
inclination to deprive me of my life！〃
At the sight of the ivory ball the stranger quickly arose from
his kneeling posture and fixed upon our hero a gaze the most
extraordinary that he had ever encountered。 His eyes dilated like
those of a cat； the breath expelled itself from his bosom in so
deep and profound an expiration that it appeared as though it
might never return again。 Nor was it until Jonathan had replaced
the ball in his pocket that he appeared to awaken from the trance
that the sight of the object had sent him into。 But no sooner had
the cause of this strange demeanor disappeared into our hero's
breeches…pocket than he arose as with an electric shock。 In an
instant he became transformed as by the touch of magic。 A sudden
and baleful light flamed into his eyes； his face grew as red as
blood； and he clapped his hand to his pocket with a sudden and
violent motion。 〃Ze ball！〃 he cried； in a hoarse and strident
voice。 〃Ze ball！ Give me ze ball！〃 And upon the next instant our
hero beheld the round and shining nozzle of a pistol pointed
directly against his forehead。
For a moment he stood as though transfixed； then in the mortal
peril that faced him； he uttered a roar that sounded in his own
ears like the outcry of a wild beast； and thereupon flung himself
bodily upon the other with the violence and the fury of a madman。
The stranger drew the trigger； and the powder flashed in the pan。
He dropped the weapon； clattering； and in an instant tried to
draw another from his other pocket。 Before he could direct his
aim； however； our hero had caught him by both wrists； and；
bending his hand backward； prevented the chance of any shot from
taking immediate effect upon his person。 Then followed a struggle
of extraordinary ferocity and frenzythe stranger endeavoring to
free his hand； and Jonathan striving with all the energy of
despair to prevent him from effecting his murderous purpose。
In the struggle our hero became thrust against the edge of the
table。 He felt as though his back were breaking； and became
conscious that in such a situation he could hope to defend
himself only a few moments longer。 The stranger's face was
pressed close to his own。 His hot breath； strong with the odor of
garlic； fanned our hero's cheek； while his lips； distended into a
ferocious and ferine grin； displayed his sharp teeth shining in
the candlelight。
〃Give me ze ball！〃 he said； in a harsh and furious whisper。
At the moment there rang in Jonathan's ears the sudden and
astounding detonation of a pistol…shot； and for a moment he
wondered whether he had received a mortal wound without being
aware of it。 Then suddenly he beheld an extraordinary and
dreadful transformation take place in the countenance thrust so
close to his own； the eyes winked several times with incredible
rapidity； and then rolled upward and inward； the jaws gaped into
a dreadful and cavernous yawn； the pistol fell with a clatter to
the floor； and the next moment the muscles； so rigid but an
instant before； relaxed into a limp and listless flaccidity。 The
joints collapsed； and the entire man fell into an
indistinguishable heap upon and across the dead figure stretched
out upon the floor； while at the same time a pungent and blinding
cloud of gunpowder smoke filled the apartment。 For a few moments
the hands twitched convulsively； the neck stretched itself to an
abominable length； the long； lean legs slowly and gradually
relaxed； and every fibre of the body gradually collapsed into the
lassitude of death。 A spot of blood appeared and grew upon the
collar at the throat； and in the same degree the color ebbed from
the face leaving it of a dull and leaden pallor。
All these terrible and formidable changes of aspect our hero
stood watching with a motionless and riveted attention； and as
though they were to him matters of the utmost consequence and
importance； and only when the last flicker of life had departed
from his second victim did he lift his gaze from this terrible
scene of dissolution to stare about him； this way and that； his
eyes blinded； and his breath stifled by the thick cloud of
sulphurous smoke that obscured the objects about him in a pungent
cloud。
V。 The Unexpected Encounter with the Sea…captain with the Broken
Nose
I