Told by the Death's Head

prisoner continue

truction, as well as the miraculous restoration of my cripple

piety, made a deep impression on me; but the most comfor

nfide in him all the secrets that tortured my dreams by night, and my thoughts by day.

ood Father Agapitus the sins which burdened my conscience. And one day I confessed, too, that I was becoming weary of the life in the monaster

e Polish noble, with whom I should have little work and much amusement. There wer

what I can for you. Here is the crutch you left with us-the gold is still in it. Take it, garb yourself in beggar raiment, and limp to Lemberg, where lives a Master Malachi in the Jewish quarter of the city. You need only to inquire for him, and you will be directed to his house. He is a

dates; it was enough if he directed me where to find an accomplished counterfeiter, who could supply my wants. So, I kissed his hand in gratitude; bade him farewell, and,

ow two wagons cannot pass one another. Directly I entered the principal thoroughfare, which seem

e of Malachi, whereupon the youngsters began to quarrel as to which of them should become the possessor of the coin. The large

here was hardly room for two persons to pass, to a shop in front of w

r I had placed the

;" and before I could stop him, the little rascal was o

he were assenting to anything I might say to her, took from

in shall be yours if you will

the shop, where she filled a small vial with red Polish brandy. This she ha

know where Malachi lives?" I

the shop and brought a bott

er ear for the third time the name of Malachi, she fetched from the shop a p

sful in like cases: I took from my pocket a crown and held

he said in a cautious whisper, no

gh a narrow passage, between two old buildings, into a wood-shed; from there into a cellar; then over a swinging bridge across an ill-smelling canal; and, lastly, through a l

e brought you to the thaumaturgus, who knows eve

tall form was enveloped in a black silk robe girt about the waist by an oriental sash. From his ga

who knows everyth

e birds of the air; the speech of the beasts of the field; that he could converse with dragons; could discover subterranean s

y of these things. If you will tell me where M

world as many Malachis as there are flowers in the field, and stars in the sky. There are seventy-seven in this very city; a M

-counterfeiter," I answe

d sadly, "how sorry I am to hear that you are on such evil ways! A

nto his palm. He turned it over and over in his fingers; tested it in various ways; and, after

find. I have never seen him-I am b

ntil he found a long steel needle. This he thrust between the leaves of a heavy book lying on the table, opened

Ben Malachi Peixoto, the Portugue

I find this Por

irectly opposite. Knock twice, then once, then twice again, an

street from which I had started on my quest. Malachi's house was the first one on the corner. I had been led a t

a lad. I could not understand the language he spoke-indeed, I don't believe it was a language at all! He conducted me up a creaking staircase, into a darkened room, i

t the mysterious creature had no beard; his face was quite smooth, which I believe is the fashion among Portuguese Jews; it had been

at home?"

home; what do y

I could not have sworn that he to whom I

cademic testimonial; a certificate of baptism and confirmation in the Roman Catholic Church; and, lastly, I want a letter of recommendation from some grand duke or other, which testifies to my erudition, and

sire to become such a knight as you describe, and have the money to pay for the transformation, go to Malachi's cousin, Malchus, the tailor, who sells gentlemen's clothing. He lives on the corner of Bethel street, beside the fountain. From him you can buy all manner of fin

ed heart, and betook myself to Bethel street, to the house beside the fountain, where I found

and back? Have not I, Malchus the tailor, eyes to see? I'll wager my head against a button, that nobody but myself would recognize your lordship in those ragged garments. Could the beautiful Persida, from whom your lordship received the magnificent wreath at the tournament, see you now, she would say: 'Give this ragged beggar a penny, and drive him away.' She is a duchess no

ttle tailor, and call myself Zdenko Kochanovszki; and when I found how admirably the puissant

s completely garbed-and a stately mazar, I looked in th

urse, I did not count in the loan the jeweled clasps your lordship desired to

on. "Why there isn't in all Poland a waywode

to care for them as for the apple of my eye, I knew they must be of great importance. So I have kept them safely concealed all these years. I don't know what the papers contain as I can read only what I write with my own hand. I don't understand L

my own escutcheon, only I had not come into possession of it on the battlefield!) There was also an academic certificate, from the Rector of Sarbonne, with the baccalaureate degree; also certificates of baptism and confirmation, signed by the bishop

e I was examining the documents, and

k these handsome clothes ar

"round hundred ducats." The clothes were not worth one-te

he ducal palace; as Zdenko Kochanovszki I mig

e infidels in Hungary. Whoever still remembered the beardless youth, would not wonder at the great change eight years of hardship and danger had made

oad surcingle as support to his rotund paunch. His hair and beard were gray on t

efore him, he seized both

The devil! What a man you are grown!

r what I had never known? However, I had to reply

each other,

! That is what we did! But, do

other guess,

ould drink the oth

me. "That's what we wagered-and the devil fly away with me if I do

hat holds two quarts. This was brough

hirsty, so that it did not require much of an effort on my

vial duke. "If I had not recognized

nder the table; and from that hour I bec