The Clock and the Key

e see–I believe it was the day before

elevant, but I was accustomed to his sudden and startl

n he was denied that, he warned them that he should on a certain day go into bankruptcy. The night before he was to declare himself a bankrupt, however, when he

ary robbery,”

ief was his conf

ll the combination of the s

em. As I was saying, he was robbed by his own clerk, but the extraordinary feature of the case is that the confidential clerk robbed the m

s right. Da Sesto

o it. Granting, then, that he is mad, in what form will this madness manifest itself? Essentially in the very traits and qualities that make up the artistic te

ld be love for his work, irrespective of reward or gain, pride in it, patient th

ne artist. Now develop them, exaggerate them

he thought of giving up the casket. He longs to keep it for himself. He at last decides to do so. But without the jewels it is but a meaningless thing. It is a mere box. With them, it is one of the wonders of the world. This longing for the stones becomes at last insupportable. He must have them for himse

g, his capacity for detail, his patience, all the qualities of the a

ed affirmativel

in Venice. He has been told the very room in which the Doge is to receive from him the wonderful casket. He has thoroughly reconnoitered the ground. He knows that this bed-chamber of the

did not count on him. But, after all, he has the ad

o. The Doge had written him that he can not make the last payment until he has di

the cover is closed and it can not 87be opened for twel

l Palace without his just wage. If that is not forthcoming, he takes the casket with him. The Doge at last (as da Sestos has foreseen) is compe

as done its dread work. The rope is uncurled in the twinkling of an eye. It is lowered over the b

derate?” I aske

ignoring my question. “This time it is against himse

are his. After a few short weeks he

Sestos is imprisoned–at first in a dungeon, with tortures, then in his own house. He could stand the tortures. He could endure the awful heat and thirst under the leads of t

t he confess? Is his enemy to triumph at last? That thought was equally impossible. But, before he dies, he will indeed tell where the casket is hidden.

derate?” I int

nd because this son knew, he must be sacrificed. So that after 89he had worked side by side with his father on the clock, and had returned from his last errand in summoning the Doge, it was only to meet death at last. For we can not doubt that the father pois

, there is the doubt on which your ingenious fabric to

But one never has a certainty in this world. One must take something on tru

ut his eyes were burning like those of the jeweler Giovanni. Then he roused himself and bega

nything of aut

that they do extr

ou have never heard perhaps o

ok my

re and wonderful. An automaton child wrote ev

ossi

opedia. Then there was a man called Vancouver, who amused himself making a clock whos

assumed indifference. “I remember it was an automaton figure called Psyc

toys. I am speaking of veritable automatons, such as the clock you are to show me presently. Then there was a crazy 91genius who made an automaton that would lull him to sleep with an air as gentle as spring zephyrs,

h had repeatedly gone out, “is apropos of our clock. A

stered those twelve secrets, we shall know where our jewels are hidden. An

es

l help me to

es

fail.” He look

cour

ables. I believe you

am in

nterests. If we are successful,

more th

And now let us have

Piazza, has it. I left it with h

the armchair, and pull

It is a job above his caliber. And now to sleep, to sle

rney?

terdam; you, to St. Pe

stormily. “St. Petersburg!

ady asleep–or pretended