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In the middle of the gate； just opposite my face； there was a
small sliding panel； not more than a few inches long； this was
presently pushed aside from within。 I saw； through a bit of iron
grating； two dull； light gray eyes staring vacantly at me； and
heard a feeble husky voice saying：
〃What may you please to want？'
〃I am a traveler〃 I began。
〃We live in a miserable place。 We have nothing to show travelers
here。〃
〃I don't come to see anything。 I have an important question to
ask； which I believe some one in this convent will be able to
answer。 If you are not willing to let me in； at least come out
and speak to me here。〃
〃Are you alone？〃
〃Quite alone。〃
〃Are there no women with you？〃
〃None。〃
The gate was slowly unbarred； and an old Capuchin； very infirm；
very suspicious； and very dirty； stood before me。 I was far too
excited and impatient to waste any time in prefatory phrases； so；
telling the monk at once how I had looked through the hole in the
outhouse； and what I had seen inside； I asked him； in plain
terms； who the man had been whose corpse I had beheld； and why
the body was left unburied？
The old Capuchin listened to me with watery eyes that twinkled
suspiciously。 He had a battered tin snuff…box in his hand； and
his finger and thumb slowly chased a few scattered grains of
snuff round and round the inside of the box all the time I was
speaking。 When I had done； he shook his head and said： 〃That was
certainly an ugly sight in their outhouse； one of the ugliest
sights； he felt sure； that ever I had seen in all my life！〃
〃I don't want to talk of the sight；〃 I rejoined； impatiently； 〃I
want to know who the man was； how he died； and why he is not
decently buried。 Can you tell me？〃
The monk's finger and thumb having captured three or four grains
of snuff at last； he slowly drew them into his nostrils； holding
the box open under his nose the while； to prevent the possibility
of wasting even one grain； sniffed once or twice
luxuriouslyclosed the boxthen looked at me again with his
eyes watering and twinkling more suspiciously than before。
〃Yes；〃 said the monk； 〃that's an ugly sight in our outhousea
very ugly sight； certainly！〃
I never had more difficulty in keeping my temper in my life than
at that moment。 I succeeded； however； in repressing a very
disrespectful expression on the subject of monks in general；
which was on the tip of my tongue； and made another attempt to
conquer the old man's exasperating reserve。 Fortunately for my
chances of succeeding with him； I was a snuff…taker myself； and I
had a box full of excellent English snuff in my pocket； which I
now produced as a bribe。 It was my last resource。
〃I thought your box seemed empty just now；〃 said I； 〃will you try
a pinch out of mine？〃
The offer was accepted with an almost youthful alacrity of
gesture。 The Capuchin took the largest pinch I ever saw held
between any man's finger and thumbinhaled it slowly without
spilling a single grainhalf closed his eyesand； wagging his
head gently； patted me paternally on the back。
〃Oh； my son；〃 said the monk； 〃what delectable snuff！ Oh； my son
and amiable traveler； give the spiritual father who loves you yet
another tiny； tiny pinch！〃
〃Let me fill your box for you。 I shall have plenty left for
myself。〃
The battered tin snuff…box was given to me before I had done
speaking； the paternal hand patted my back more approvingly than
ever； the feeble； husky voice grew glib and eloquent in my
praise。 I had evidently found out the weak side of the old
Capuchin； and； on returning him his box； I took instan t
advantage of the discovery。
〃Excuse my troubling you on the subject again；〃 I said； 〃but I
have particular reasons for wanting to hear all that you can tell
me in explanation of that horrible sight in the outhouse。〃
〃Come in；〃 answered the monk。
He drew me inside the gate； closed it； and then leading the way
across a grass…grown courtyard； looking out on a weedy
kitchen…garden； showed me into a long room with a low ceiling； a
dirty dresser； a few rudely…carved stall seats； and one or two
grim； mildewed pictures for ornaments。 This was the sacristy。
〃There's nobody here； and it's nice and cool；〃 said the old
Capuchin。 It was so damp that I actually shivered。 〃Would you
like to see the church？〃 said the monk； 〃a jewel of a church； if
we could keep it in repair； but we can't。 Ah！ malediction and
misery； we are too poor to keep our church in repair！〃
Here he shook his head and began fumbling with a large bunch of
keys。
〃Never mind the church now；〃 said I。 〃Can you； or can you not；
tell me what I want to know？〃
〃Everything； from beginning to endabsolutely everything。 Why； I
answered the gate…bellI always answer the gate…bell here；〃 said
the Capuchin。
〃What； in Heaven's name； has the gate…bell to do with the
unburied corpse in your house？〃
〃Listen； son of mine； and you shall know。 Some time agosome
monthsah！ me； I'm old； I've lost my memory； I don't know how
many monthsah！ miserable me； what a very old； old monk I am！〃
Here he comforted himself with another pinch of snuff。
〃Never mind the exact time；〃 said I。 〃I don't care about that。〃
〃Good；〃 said the Capuchin。 〃Now I can go on。 Well； let us say it
is some months agowe in this convent are all at
breakfastwretched； wretched breakfasts； son of mine； in this
convent！we are at breakfast； and we hear _bang！ bang！_ twice
over。 'Guns；' says I。 'What are they shooting for？' says Brother
Jeremy。 'Game；' says Brother Vincent。 'Aha！ game；' says Brother
Jeremy。 'If I hear more； I shall send out and discover what it
means；' says the father superior。 We hear no more； and we go on
with our wretched breakfasts。〃
〃Where did the report of firearms come from？〃 I inquired。
〃From down belowbeyond the big trees at the back of the
convent； where there's some clear groundnice ground； if it
wasn't for the pools and puddles。 But； ah！ misery； how damp we
are in these parts！ how very； very damp！〃
〃Well； what happened after the report of firearms？〃
〃You shall hear。 We are still at breakfast； all silentfor what
have we to talk about here？ What have we but our devotions； our
kitchen…garden； and our wretched； wretched bits of breakfasts and
dinners？ I say we are all silent； when there comes suddenly such
a ring at the bell as never was heard beforea very devil of a
ringa ring that caught us all with our bitsour wretched；
wretched bits！in our mouths； and stopped us before we could
swallow them。 'Go； brother of mine；' says the father superior to
me； 'go； it is your dutygo to the gate。' I am bravea very
lion of a Capuchin。 I slip out on tiptoeI waitI listenI
pull back our little shutter in the gateI wait； I listen
againI peep through the holenothing； absolutely nothing that
I can see。 I am braveI am not to be daunted。 What do I do next？
I open the gate。 Ah！ sacred Mother of Heaven； what do I behold
lying all along our threshold？ A mandead！a big man； bigger
than you； bigger than me； bigger than anybody in this
conventbuttoned up tight in a fine coat； with black eyes；
staring； staring up at the sky； and blood soaking through and
through the f