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just invented and perfected。 One day he was to lay his own head
under his own ax。 Peace be to his name！ With him I deal not！
〃In a frame of mahogany； neatly worked； was a board with a half
circle in it； over which another board fitted。 Above was a heavy
ax； which fellyou know how。 It was held up by a rope； and when
this rope was untied； or cut； the steel fell。
〃To the story which I now have to relate； you may give credence； or
not； as you will。 The sleeping man went up to that instrument。
〃He laid his head in it； asleep。〃
〃Asleep？〃
〃He then took a little penknife out of the pocket of his white
dimity waistcoat。
〃He cut the rope asleep。
〃The ax descended on the head of the traitor and villain。 The
notch in it was made by the steel buckle of his stock； which was
cut through。
〃A strange legend has got abroad that after the deed was done； the
figure rose； took the head from the basket； walked forth through
the garden； and by the screaming porters at the gate； and went and
laid itself down at the Morgue。 But for this I will not vouch。
Only of this be sure。 'There are more things in heaven and earth；
Horatio； than are dreamed of in your philosophy。' More and more
the light peeps through the chinks。 Soon； amidst music ravishing；
the curtain will rise； and the glorious scene be displayed。 Adieu！
Remember me。 Ha！ 'tis dawn；〃 Pinto said。 And he was gone。
I am ashamed to say that my first movement was to clutch the check
which he had left with me； and which I was determined to present
the very moment the bank opened。 I know the importance of these
things； and that men change their mind sometimes。 I sprang through
the streets to the great banking house of Manasseh in Duke Street。
It seemed to me as if I actually flew as I walked。 As the clock
struck ten I was at the counter and laid down my check。
The gentleman who received it； who was one of the Hebrew
persuasion； as were the other two hundred clerks of the
establishment； having looked at the draft with terror in his
countenance； then looked at me； then called to himself two of his
fellow clerks； and queer it was to see all their aquiline beaks
over the paper。
〃Come； come！〃 said I； 〃don't keep me here all day。 Hand me over
the money； short； if you please！〃 for I was； you see； a little
alarmed； and so determined to assume some extra bluster。
〃Will you have the kindness to step into the parlor to the
partners？〃 the clerk said； and I followed him。
〃What； AGAIN？〃 shrieked a bald…headed； red…whiskered gentleman；
whom I knew to be Mr。 Manasseh。 〃Mr。 Salathiel； this is too bad！
Leave me with this gentleman； S。〃 And the clerk disappeared。
〃Sir；〃 he said； 〃I know how you came by this： the Count de Pinto
gave it you。 It is too bad！ I honor my parents； I honor THEIR
parents； I honor their bills！ But this one of grandma's is too
badit is； upon my word； now！ She've been dead these five…and…
thirty years。 And this last four months she has left her burial
place and took to drawing on our 'ouse！ It's too bad； grandma； it
is too bad！〃 and he appealed to me； and tears actually trickled
down his nose。
〃Is it the Countess Sidonia's check or not？〃 I asked； haughtily。
〃But； I tell you； she's dead！ It's a shame！it's a shame！it is；
grandmamma！〃 and he cried； and wiped his great nose in his yellow
pocket handkerchief。 〃Look yearwill you take pounds instead of
guineas？ She's dead； I tell you！ It's no go！ Take the pounds
one tausend pound！ten nice； neat； crisp hundred…pound notes； and
go away vid you； do！〃
〃I will have my bond； sir； or nothing；〃 I said； and I put on an
attitude of resolution which I confess surprised even myself。
〃Wery veil；〃 he shrieked； with many oaths； 〃then you shall have
notingha； ha； ha！noting but a policeman！ Mr。 Abednego； call a
policeman！ Take that； you humbug and impostor！〃 and here with an
abundance of frightful language which I dare not repeat； the
wealthy banker abused and defied me。
Au bout du compte； what was I to do； if a banker did not choose to
honor a check drawn by his dead grandmother？ I began to wish I had
my snuff…box back。 I began to think I was a fool for changing that
little old…fashioned gold for
this slip of strange paper。
Meanwhile the banker had passed from his fit of anger to a paroxysm
of despair。 He seemed to be addressing some person invisible； but
in the room： 〃Look here； ma'am； you've really been coming it too
strong。 A hundred thousand in six months； and now a thousand more！
The 'ouse can't stand it； it WON'T stand it； I say！ What？ Oh！
mercy； mercy！
As he uttered these words； A HAND fluttered over the table in the
air！ It was a female hand： that which I had seen the night before。
That female hand took a pen from the green baize table； dipped it
in a silver inkstand； and wrote on a quarter of a sheet of foolscap
on the blotting book； 〃How about the diamond robbery？ If you do
not pay； I will tell him where they are。〃
What diamonds？ what robbery？ what was this mystery？ That will
never be ascertained； for the wretched man's demeanor instantly
changed。 〃Certainly； sir；oh； certainly；〃 he said； forcing a
grin。 〃How will you have the money； sir？ All right； Mr。 Abednego。
This way out。〃
〃I hope I shall often see you again；〃 I said； on which I own poor
Manasseh gave a dreadful grin； and shot back into his parlor。
I ran home； clutching the ten delicious； crisp hundred pounds； and
the dear little fifty which made up the account。 I flew through
the streets again。 I got to my chambers。 I bolted the outer
doors。 I sank back in my great chair； and slept。 。 。 。
My first thing on waking was to feel for my money。 Perdition！
Where was I？ Ha！on the table before me was my grandmother's
snuff…box； and by its side one of those awfulthose admirable
sensation novels； which I had been reading； and which are full of
delicious wonder。
But that the guillotine is still to be seen at Mr。 Gale's； No。 47；
High Holborn； I give you MY HONOR。 I suppose I was dreaming about
it。 I don't know。 What is dreaming？ What is life？ Why shouldn't
I sleep on the ceiling？and am I sitting on it now； or on the
floor？ I am puzzled。 But enough。 If the fashion for sensation
novels goes on； I tell you I will write one in fifty volumes。 For
the present； DIXI。 But between ourselves； this Pinto； who fought
at the Colosseum； who was nearly being roasted by the Inquisition；
and sang duets at Holyrood； I am rather sorry to lose him after
three little bits of Roundabout Papers。 Et vous？
Bourgonef
I
AT A TABLE D'HOTE
At the close of February； 1848； I was in Nuremberg。 My original
intention had been to pass a couple of days there on my way to
Munich； that being； I thought； as much time as could reasonably be
spared for so small a city； beckoned as my footsteps were to the
Bavarian Athens； of whose glories of ancient art and German
Renaissance I had formed expectations the most exaggerated
expectations fatal to any perfect enjoyment； and certain to be
disappointed； however great the actual merit of Munich might be。
But after two days at Nuremberg I was so deeply interested in its
antique sequestered life； the charms of which had not been deadened
by previous anticipations； that I resolved to remain there until I
had mastered every detail and knew the place by heart。
I have a story to tell which will move amidst tragic circumstances
of too engrossing a nature to be disturbed by archaeological
interests； and shall not； therefore； minutely describe here what I
observed in Nuremberg； although no adequate description of that
wonderful city has yet fallen in my way。 To readers unacquainted
with this antique place； it will be enough to say that in it the
old German life seems still to a great extent rescued from the all…
devouring； all…equalizing tendencies of European civilization。 The
houses are either of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries； or are
constructed after those ancient models。 The citizens have
preserved much of the simple manners and customs of their
ancestors。 The hurrying feet of commerce and curiosity pass
rapidly by； leaving it sequestered from the agitations and the
turmoils of metropolitan existence。 It is as quiet as a village。
During my stay there rose in its quiet streets the startled echoes
of horror at a crime unparalleled in its annals； which； gathering
increased horror from the very peacefulness and serenity of the
scene； arrested the attention and the sympathy in a degree seldom
experienced。 Before narrating that； it will be necessary to go
back a little； that my own connection with it may be intelligible；
especially in the fanciful weaving together of remote conjectures
which strangely involved me in the story。
The table d'hote at the Bayerischer Hof had about thirty visitors
all； with one exception； of that local commonplace which escapes
remark。 Indeed this may almost always be said of tables d'hote；
though there is a current belief； which I cannot share； of a table
d'hote being very delightfulof one being certain to meet pleasant
people there。〃 It may be so。 For many years I believed it was so。
The general verdict recei