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Excuse me。〃 Here he turned round as if he was addressing somebody；
and began rapidly speaking a language unknown to me。 〃It is
Arabic；〃 he said； 〃a bad patois； I own。 I learned it in Barbary；
when I was a prisoner among the Moors。 In anno 1609； bin ick aldus
ghekledt gheghaen。 Ha！ you doubt me： look at me well。 At least I
am like〃
Perhaps some of my readers remember a paper of which the figure of
a man carrying a barrel formed the initial letter； and which I
copied from an old spoon now in my possession。 As I looked at Mr。
Pinto I do declare he looked so like the figure on that old piece
of plate that I started and felt very uneasy。 〃Ha！〃 said he；
laughing through his false teeth （I declare they were falseI
could see utterly toothless gums working up and down behind the
pink coral）； 〃you see I wore a beard den； I am shafed now； perhaps
you tink I am A SPOON。 Ha； ha！〃 And as he laughed he gave a cough
which I thought would have coughed his teeth out； his glass eye
out； his wig off； his very head off； but he stopped this convulsion
by stumping across the room and seizing a little bottle of bright
pink medicine； which； being opened； spread a singular acrid
aromatic odor through the apartment； and I thought I sawbut of
this I cannot take an affirmationa light green and violet flame
flickering round the neck of the vial as he opened it。 By the way；
from the peculiar stumping noise which he made in crossing the
bare…boarded apartment； I knew at once that my strange entertainer
had a wooden leg。 Over the dust which lay quite thick on the
boards； you could see the mark of one foot very neat and pretty；
and then a round O； which was naturally the impression made by the
wooden stump。 I own I had a queer thrill as I saw that mark； and
felt a secret comfort that it was not CLOVEN。
In this desolate apartment in which Mr。 Pinto had invited me to see
him； there were three chairs； one bottomless； a little table on
which you might put a breakfast tray； and not a single other
article of furniture。 In the next room； the door of which was
open； I could see a magnificent gilt dressing case； with some
splendid diamond and ruby shirt studs lying by it； and a chest of
drawers； and a cupboard apparently full of clothes。
Remembering him in Baden…Baden in great magnificence I wondered at
his present denuded state。 〃You have a house elsewhere； Mr。
Pinto？〃 I said。
〃Many；〃 says he。 〃I have apartments in many cities。 I lock dem
up； and do not carry mosh logish。〃
I then remembered that his apartment at Baden； where I first met
him； was bare； and had no bed in it。
〃There is； then； a sleeping room beyond？〃
〃This is the sleeping room。〃 （He pronounces it DIS。 Can this； by
the way； give any clew to the nationality of this singular man？）
〃If you sleep on these two old chairs you have a rickety couch； if
on the floor； a dusty one。〃
〃Suppose I sleep up dere？〃 said this strange man； and he actually
pointed up to the ceiling。 I thought him mad or what he himself
called 〃an ombog。〃 〃I know。 You do not believe me； for why should
I deceive you？ I came but to propose a matter of business to you。
I told you I could give you the clew to the mystery of the Two
Children in Black； whom you met at Baden； and you came to see me。
If I told you you would not believe me。 What for try and convinz
you？ Ha hey？〃 And he shook his hand once； twice； thrice； at me；
and glared at me out of his eye in a peculiar way。
Of what happened now I protest I cannot give an accurate account。
It seemed to me that there shot a flame from his eye into my brain；
while behind his GLASS eye there was a green illumination as if a
candle had been lit in it。 It seemed to me that from his long
fingers two quivering flames issued； sputtering； as it were； which
penetrated me； and forced me back into one of the chairsthe
broken oneout of which I had much difficulty in scrambling； when
the strange glamour was ended。 It seemed to me that； when I was so
fixed； so transfixed in the broken chair； the man floated up to the
ceiling； crossed his legs； folded his arms as if he was lying on a
sofa； and grinned down at me。 When I came to myself he was down
from the ceiling； and； taking me out of the broken cane…bottomed
chair； kindly enough〃Bah！〃 said he； 〃it is the smell of my
medicine。 It often gives the vertigo。 I thought you would have
had a little fit。 Come into the open air。〃 And we went down the
steps； and into Shepherd's Inn； where the setting sun was just
shining on the statue of Shepherd； the laundresses were traipsing
about； the porters were leaning against the railings； and the
clerks were playing at marbles； to my inexpressible consolation。
〃You said you were going to dine at the 'Gray's…Inn Coffee…House；'〃
he said。 I was。 I often dine there。 There is excellent wine at
the 〃Gray's…Inn Coffee…House〃； but I declare I NEVER SAID so。 I
was not astonished at his remark； no more astonished than if I was
in a dream。 Perhaps I WAS in a dream。 Is life a dream？ Are
dreams facts？ Is sleeping being really awake？ I don't know。 I
tell you I am puzzled。 I have read 〃The Woman in White；〃 〃The
Strange Story〃not to mention that story 〃Stranger than Fiction〃
in the Cornhill Magazinethat story for which THREE credible
witnesses are ready to vouch。 I have had messages from the dead；
and not only from the dead； but from people who never existed at
all。 I own I am in a state of much bewilderment： but； if you
please； will proceed with my simple； my artless story。
Well； then。 We passed from Shepherd's Inn into Holborn； and looked
for a while at Woodgate's bric…a…brac shop； which I never can pass
without delaying at the windowsindeed； if I were going to be
hung； I would beg the cart to stop； and let me have one look more
at that delightful omnium gatherum。 And passing Woodgate's； we
come to Gale's little shop； 〃No。 47；〃 which is also a favorite
haunt of mine。
Mr。 Gale happened to be at his door； and as we exchanged
salutations； 〃Mr。 Pinto；〃 I said； 〃will you like to see a real
curiosity in this curiosity shop？ Step into Mr。 Gale's little back
room。〃
In that little back parlor there are Chinese gongs； there are old
Saxe and Sevres plates； there is Furstenberg； Carl Theodor；
Worcester； Amstel； Nankin and other jimcrockery。 And in the corner
what do you think there is？ There is an actual GUILLOTINE。 If you
doubt me； go and seeGale； High Holborn； No。 47。 It is a slim
instrument； much slighter than those which they make now；some
nine feet high； narrow； a pretty piece of upholstery enough。 There
is the hook over which the rope used to play which unloosened the
dreadful ax above； and look！ dropped into the orifice where the
head used to gothere is THE AX itself； all rusty； with A GREAT
NOTCH IN THE BLADE。
As Pinto looked at itMr。 Gale was not in the room； I recollect；
happening to have been just called