The Strand Magazine, Vol. 1 - No. 1,

the same place at the same time; and "Three, seven, ace" soon drove away Hermann's recollection of the

forms. Threes seemed to be spread before him like magnolias, seve

so dearly purchased? What if he applied for leave to travel? At Paris, he said to himself, he

who had passed all his life playing at cards, and had amassed millions. For while he lost silver only, he gained bank-notes. His m

to Tchekalinski by Naroumoff. They passed through a long suite of rooms, full of the most attentive, obsequious servants. The place was crowded. Generals and high officials were playing at whist; young men

he was glad to see him, that no one stood on ceremony in his house; and then went on dealing. The deal occupied some time, and stakes were made on more than thirty cards. Tchekalinski waited patiently to allow the winners time to double their stakes, paid what he had lost, listened polite

Tchekalinski, with a gracious smile, bowed in consent. Naroumoff complimented Hermann, with a laugh, on the cessation of the austerity by which h

fter writing some figure

er, half closing his eyes.

ousand roubles,

were directed tow

is head," thou

l smile, "that you are playing rather high. We never put down here

mann; "but do you acc

of my friends, I can only play against ready money. I am quite convinced that your word is as good as gold; but to keep up

anded it to Tchekalinski, who, after examining

turned up on the right a t

Hermann, exhib

mbly. The banker knitted his eyebrows, but sp

ttle at onc

ind enough to do

from his pocket-book, and paid. Hermann

shment. Hermann drank a glas

he players hastened to make room for him. Tchekalinski received him with a most gracious bow. Hermann waited, took a ca

e turned up on the right a kn

exhibite

se, but he counted out the ninety-four thousand roubles to Hermann, w

nerals and high officials had left their whist to watch this extraordinary play. The young

the approach of his antagonist and prepared to meet him. Each of them untied at the same time a pack of cards. Tchekalinski shuffled, and Hermann cut. T

ling hands and dealt. On one side he put

s," said

RE HIM A QUE

oses," said

n fascination, on the fatal card, he fancied that he saw the queen of spades open and then close her eye, while at the s

an! He answers no questions which we put to him. Only he mumbles to

wo Ge

dren; from the F

AND

might say, a lord. His father, the Mirza, had a good estate. Rustem was to be married to the daughter of a Mirza of his own rank, as

ince of Cashmere had brought his daughter to the fair. He had lost the two most precious objects in his treasury: one was a diamond as big as my thumb, on which, by an art then

hem to the Princess. "Take the greatest care of these two things," said h

ur quarters of the earth, there might not be one who had his diamond or his weapon. He took his daughter with him wherever he went, and she carried the dia

e ardour of their nation. As a love-token the Princess gave him the diamo

ise as a Parsee. The other was called Ebony, a good-looking negro; more active and more industrious than Topaz, and who never made objections. To them he spoke about his journey. Topaz tried to dissuade him, with the cautious zeal of a

r him. Ebony provided it. He quietly stole his master's diamond, and had a false one made exactly li

AS LOADED WITH

ady to start. An elephant was loaded with

ise; but after speaking it was my duty to obey. I am your slave. I love you, and will

l turn to the west." Rustem could not understand this. Topaz maintained that it bo

ws: "If you possess you will not possess; if you get the best of it, you will get the worst; if you

," said

osed, seemed to his master to be always in the rig

the service, when it was discovered that Topaz and Ebony were no longer with the party. They called them loudly; the forest echoed with the names of Topaz and Ebony; the men sought them in every direction an

s fighting with his horn, the other with his trunk. On seeing Rustem the rhinoceros retreated, and the elephant was led back. But now the horses were gone. "Strange things happen to travellers in the forest!" exclaimed

e is nothing rarer, swifter, or more beautiful than an ass of this kind. This one retorted on the rustic for his thrashing by kicks which might have uprooted an oak. The young Mirza very naturally took the ass's

RETORTED

k the road to Cashmere with his servants,

vain his rider tugged at the bridle, jerked at the bit, squeezed his ribs with his knees, drove the spurs into his f

rate, when he met a came

ing you where you do not want to go. If you will let me have him, I

thought he, "to say that my journey would be unlucky." He mounted the finest of the camels, and

bling over rocks all white with foam. On each shore rose precipitous cliffs which bewildered the eye and

and I very wrong to undertake it. If he were but here he might give me some good advice, and if I had Ebo

lamentations. At last fatigue and dejection brought sleep to the love-sick traveller. He awoke,

their knees, got up again, went to the bridge, kissed the ground, looked up to heaven, lifted their hands; then tremulously set foot on it, went over, and came back in perfe

safety, when the bridge fell into

be Prince of Cashmere. In that way, when I possess my Princess, I shall not possess my humble rank in Candahar; I shall be Rustem, and I shall not, since I shall be a great prince. There is a

, steeper than a rampart, and higher than the Tower of Babel would have been when fi

hat we may have no hope of returning; He has raised up this mountain to hinder our going forward. Oh,

joy and hopes which had intoxicated him. He was now very far from interpreting the oracl

his despairing followers, behold, the base of the mountain opened, and a long vaul

stem was destined to govern the world. Rustem himself believed it, and was uplifted beyond measure. "Ah! Ebony, my dear Ebony, where are you?" he c

d by brooks. Beyond this meadow, avenues of trees stretched into the far distance; at the end of them was a river bordered by delightful houses in the loveliest gardens. On every s

olding great rejoicings. We are doing honour to the wedding of our beautiful Princess, who is about to mar

PHYSICIANS WE

his own house, where he lay some time unconscious. The two cleverest physicians of the district were called in; they felt their patient'

agree with him, and he must be sent home again. I can see by his eyes that he is mad; leave him in my hands; I will take him back to his own country and cu

recovered his powers; the two physicians were s

w that it is not good manners, and I entreat you to accept my elephant

of Brahma," said he, "tell me who is this happy Barbabou who is to be married to the Princess of Cashmere,

n the contrary, she is drowned in tears, while the province rejoices over her marriage. She is

in his soul, and the colour which sorro

the Prince of Cashmere persists in mar

ow that our august Prince lost some time ago a diamon

well," sa

fter searching for them all the world over, promised his daughter in marriage to anyone who would bring him eit

eached the palace of the sovereign, announced that he had matters of importance to communicate to him, and craved an audience. He was told that the Prince

wn your days with glory and magnifi

t the way to speak to a Prince of Cash

ove it to your Highness, here is your di

wo diamonds, and, as he knew nothing about ge

he, "but I have only one daugh

bought the diamond of an Armenian. Rustem did not say from whom he had got his, but he proposed, as

said he, "he ought also to show proof of valour. Do you not think

OMBAT

two shall fight it out at once. The conqueror shall have the armour of the

gpie and a raven. The raven cried, "Fight it out, fight it out!" the magpie, "Do

picion that her lover could be in Cashmere, and she had such a horror of Barbabou that she would not look on. The fight went off as well as possible. Barbabo

handsome bridegroom who has killed his hideous rival!" and the ladies repeated the words. The Princess unfortunately looked out of window, and seeing the armour of the man she abhorred she flew in despair to the Chinese trunk,

m was lying in her father's arms. She saw him! What a moment, what a sight! Who can express the

d destroyer." Then snatching the dart from his wound, she plunged i

he fatal weapon into fragments, and flung away the ill-starred diamonds; and while preparations were proceeding for

, were Topaz and Ebony. Surprise gave him strength. "Cruel that you were," said he; "wh

ft you for a mom

ways at your si

nsult me in my last moments?" r

I was the elephant which made off with your baggage to compel you to return home; I was the striped ass which would fain have carried you back to your father; it was I who led your horses astray, who produce

who beat the ass, the merchant who gave you the camels to hasten you to your ruin; I raised the bridge you crossed; I bored

added Topaz; "'If you turn to th

ou possessed and you possessed not; for you had the diamond, but it was a false one, and you did not know it; you got the best of it

peared on the shoulders of Topaz, a

Topaz and Ebony replied: "We are your two gen

our black wings, are ap

ay," repl

lf in his father's house which he had not quitted, an

ly scared. He shouted, he called, he rang. His s

WO GE

Rustem. "Will the beautiful

s dreaming?" sai

cruel Ebony, with his two black wings? Is it h

stairs snoring. Sha

at Cabul; it was he who stole the diamond the Princess gave me; he is the sole cause of my journe

shmere; the Prince has but two sons, and they are now at school. You never had any diamond.

turn an eagle, an elephant, an ass, a doc

ping than when awake. The Almighty sent that string of ideas through your

me," said Rustem. "How l

ve only slep

t understand i

t, and learnt to doubt whether all he

riber'

ed to access higher

tencies of hyphenation (e.g. "tea urn" v

quote to "NETTA AND UGHTRED

po "or" to "of" in

ul rapidity, order, discipline, and exactness

"buildings" in "public and p

for readability (e.g. changed "From a] AGE

ing period to image

open quote to image c

ote after "What could a Ven

nsole me for my blindness" and removed duplicate "i

"Lisabeta" in "Lisabeta Ivanovna wa

quote to double quote af

fter "I will give you four of my came