The Uttermost Farthing / A Savant's Vendetta

I had any doubt as to the issue of the adventure that it recorded. I had seen the specimen numbered "twenty-five"

o writing-and now I was to read the climax of that romantically terrible story; to witness the f

ne or two passages near the end, the reasons for t

cimen numbered 'twenty-five' in the Anthropological

abandoned since I had got scent of my real quarry. The concussor lay idle in its basket; the cellar steps were greased no more. I had but a passive r?le to play until the hour should strike to u

The newspapers were, of course, more active. One of them described circumstantially how 'the three anarchists who escaped from the house in Saul Street' had been seen together in an East End restaurant; and several others followed from day to day the su

instant my gorge rose at him. I cannot tell why. To the scientific mind, intuitions are abhorrent. They are mostly wrong and wholly unreasonable. But as I looked at that man a wave of instinctive dislike and suspicion swept over me. He was, indeed, an ill-looking fellow enough. A broad, lozenge-shaped Tartar face, with great cheekbones and massive jaws; a low forehead surmounted by a dense brush of up-standing

topped me repeatedly to give exhaustive directions as to the effect that he desired me to produce. He examined himself in the glass and consulted me anxiously as to the exact disposition of an artificially curled forelock. I cursed him inwardly, for I wanted him to be gone and leave me alone with the other man, but

k with heated tongs. With a sigh of relief I took off the cloth and waited for him to rise. But he rose not.

t appreciated my skill and complimented me patronizingly in very fair English, though with a slight Russian accent, delaying me intolerably to express his approval. When I had shaved him

iety of expressions and effects, including a slight and graceful bow. Then he approached the glass to examine a spot on his cheek; leaned against it with outspread hands to inspect his teeth, and finally put out his tongue to examine that too. I almost expected that

g chair and sat down sullenly, keeping an eye on me all the time; and something in his face express

sturbance must have reached the surface, some light in the eye, some tension of the mouth to tell of the fierce

cted a mere unanalyzable belief. For what is an intuition? Brutally stated, it is simply a conclusion reached without premises. I had always disbelieved in instinct and intuition and I disbelieved still. But what had made me connect

; and if it was I should have little doubt of the man's identity. But was it? I was getting on in years and cou

yesight was not good enough. Once I tried to get out my lens; but he challenged me furiously as to my object, and I put it away aga

nderlying structures that were so near to hand. Now I was at the angle of the jaw, and as the ringing blade swept over the skin I traced the edge of the strap-like muscle and mentally m

o act on. One moment a savage impatience for retribution urged me to take the chance; to fell him with a blow and fling him down into the cellar. The next, my re

icidal, and now I was rational-almost judicial. Now the vital necessity was to prevent

ssian waited for no lengthy inspection in the glass like his predecessor. As soon as he was finished he sprang from the chair, slapped down his coppe

ith the man who was gone. What a fiasco it had been! After waiting all these years, I had met a man wh

eemed to look at me and ask why they had been killed. I had let the man go; and he would certainly never come to my shop again. True, I should know hi

ievable failure. The carter-a regular customer-rose and looked askance at me as he rubbed his face with the towel. He rem

omy reverie. Had I failed finally? Was my long quest at

o the east, was now snow-white and the face beneath it was worn and wrinkled and aged. The sands of my life were running out apace. Soon the last grains would trickle out of the glass; and then would come the end-the futile end, with the t

as an old, old face; a weary face, too, that spoke of sorrow and anxious thought and strenuous, unsatisfying effort. And presently it would b

he had leaned on the glass to inspect his teeth. As they grew distinct to my vision, I was aware of a curious sense of familiarity; at first merely subconscious and not strongly attracting my attention. But this state lasted only for a few brief moments. Then the vag

patterns was engraved on my memory. For twenty years I had carried the slightly enlarged photographs in my pocket-book, and hardl

. There were seven finger-prints on the mirror; four on the right hand and three on the left, and all we

ut a glance at his hair. I grabbed up a tuft from the floor and gazed at it. Even to the unaided eye it had an unusual quality when looked at closely; a soft, shimmering appearance like

ld, were the broad gray stripes, each with its dark line of medulla obscured at intervals by rings of tiny bubbl

nts. It was the old story. Unconsciously I had built up the image of a particular kind of man, and when such a man appeared I had recognized him at a glance. The villainous Tartar face: I had looked for it. The fierce, furtive

middle term!" How many intu

n. That bird of ill omen was still a bird in the bush; in the tangled bush of criminal London. He had said that he wo

er, for, after the shop was shut, I went abroad nightly to frequent the foreign restaurants and other less reputable places of the East End in the hopes of meeting him and jogging his memory. The active employment kept my mind occupied and made the time of waiting seem l

an I; a sturdy ruffian and desperate, as I had seen. My own strength and activity had been failing for some time now. Obviously I could not meet him on equal terms. Moreover, I must not allow him to injure me

times when I looked at my white hair and doubted; when I almost despaired. But those times passed and my spirits reviv

recollect-when at last he came. Fortunately the shop was e

s flattered at the profound impression his former visit had made on me. I began very deliberately, for

r?' he asked in his excellent English. 'You h

over my first excitement. Meanwhile I let him talk-he was a boastful, egotistical oaf, as might have been expected-and I f

e Christian shops shut. Still, it was a serious danger which impelled me to open my attack with as little delay as possible. I had several alternative

y some valuable property without asking too many questions and who won't talk abou

iles were gone in an instant. The face that looked into mine was

y do you ask me if I know a fence? Who are you? Are you a spy for th

nctively opened my scissors and looked at the neighborhoo

ll say,' I remarked

o?' he

ay, "What should I know about fenc

' he asked less savagely and wit

o me. Naturally I want to sell it. But I don't want it talked about. I am a poor man. If I am known to be selling things of value, people may make unchari

you got?'

id with a smile. 'It is you w

f I don't know what you have got to sell? P

you can write a check for four

rhaps I can get the money.

could cut hair very quickly if I tried. No

want to say much about it if you're not in the line. I thought y

tiently, then glance

that room?

red, 'I live h

fter you?' he asked the questi

self. It's cheaper; a

he really infallible method of impressing a stranger with your wealth is to dilate on your poverty

y and let us go in ther

ugh the rest of the operation, whisked off the cloth and opened the parlor door. He rose, glanced at his reflection in t

gazed round the room with the frank curiosity of the barbarian, and the look of pleased surprise that he bestowed on the safe and the way in which his glance traveled from that object to m

m?' he asked, pointin

'is the cellar. It has a door opening into the back yard, which has a ga

ssion. Very useful indeed when you have knocked down an ol

his stuff,' said he.

yet' (his face fell perceptibly at this), 'but,' I added, 'I can

a safe to keep it

ere. Besides, that safe won't hold i

irly bulged with gr

of stuff is

rth while. You see this stuff is a collection. It belongs, at present, to one of those fools

that sort of fool myself.' He laughed uneasily, b

is when you want it, hei

eum; but where that museum is I am not going to

dently written me down an abject fool-and no

be a strong place. How are you goin

f in with a latch-k

got the l

d it. I had it from a

n. And it is strange too.' He glanced from me to his reflection in the little mirror over the safe; a

uff will be locked up. You are skilful, perhaps? Y

often opened packing cases. And I don't think there is an

have a friend who does these things and he has shown me. I have some skill-though I practice only for sport, you understand. It is very difficult. You shall let yourself in, you shall find the stuff locked u

ol that he thought me. 'That wou

d! The chance of a lifetime gone! Now, if yo

is my little nest egg. If I take

is more than you can carry. Besides, your friend shall not be greedy

aid to be worth a hun

seventy-five for you. It is impossible for one man. You could not carry it. My friend,' again he grasped my sleeve persuasively, 'I will come with you

make easy terms-unde

and gold is heavy-we should leave the silver. It would take two to carry it all. Yes, you sha

air of slight embarra

en your sho

speculating on what plan of action he would adopt.

, 'I never op

aturday night or Sunday morning. That will

gement. Will you come here on Sa

o. We must not be seen together. Give me a

itechapel where we were both known. The fact might be mention

hes; if you have an evening suit, put it on. And bring a new

which he agreed; and, after sending me out to see that the coast was

For, now that it really came to action, I found myself shying somewhat at the office of executioner; though I meant to do my duty all the same.

s were concluded, and I was of no further use, he would knock me on the head. The quiet back gate would enable him to carry away the booty in instalments to his lodgings. Then he would lock the gate and vanish. In a few days the police would br

ly in a hansom in pursuit of another hansom which was supposed to contain me. On that night I visited the museum. Not that I had anything special to do. My very complete and even elaborate arrangements had been made some time before and I now had only to look them over and see that they were in going o

first place, to the Criterion Restaurant and dined delicately but substantially, carefully avoiding indigestible dishes. From the restaurant I drove to the museum,

figure; a dim, dark blot on the gray of the summer night. It moved towards me, and, resolving itself into a defi

Is the house quiet yet? These are not, you see.' He nodded at the boarding-ho

e collector is an early bird. I have just been

e conversed cheerfully as we went and gave a pleasant 'Good night' to a policeman, who touched his helm

ured. 'Yes, I have been here before;

amusing incident. I set my teeth, inse

ly closed the door, slipping up the catch as the lock clicked.

ghostly twilight. Piragoff looked about him inquisitively and his eye fell on the long wall-case with the dim

aimed, 'what ar

llection. The fellow who owns this place hoards all

pered. 'Skeletons of men!

ll-case and he stared in at the twenty-four motionless, white figures, shuddering audibly. I must admit that their appearance was very striking in that f

e. They seem to beckon to one-to say, "Come in here: come in and

tious fear with which ignorant people view these interesting and beautiful structures. But surely this was an extreme case. Here was a callous wretch who would murder without a scruple a young and lo

to develop the ferocity

. 'Show it to me quickly or I will cut y

a state of panic, are like frightened cats; very dangerous to be near. An

ne of the cabi

n it quickly! I want to

ut the panel, I considered whether it was not time to set the apparatus going. For I had prepared a little surprise for Piragoff and I was now rather

o watch the result. Piragoff peered into the

nd those boxes. Lift the boxes down,

he boxes fr

I said. 'And here are tw

I had taken them from the pockets of the last two specimens and kept them fo

natched the weapons from the top of the box and took them o

is Plotcovitch's pistol! And this other belonge

which I had carefully unloaded-one in each tremblin

the beam there hung down two purchase-tackles. The tail-rope of each tackle ended in a noose that was hitched on a hook on the wall, and the falls of the

ss the room and lai

said gruffly, 'and let

tarted back with a gasp, but came back, sn

hese things?' he deman

ke dolls' head

e to kill him.' He glared with horrid fascination at the little dry preparations-there were eight in this box, each in its own little black velvet compa

ose these dates me

was intended to hold nine heads, but it contained only eight-at present. There was an empty compartment of red ve

and stood back to se

or two or three seconds. Suddenly he uttered a s

the box, his hair bristling, his white face running with sweat, his jaw dropped;

ll in the aid of all those elaborate appliances to dispatch a poor trembling devil like th

over his shoulders, pulling it tight as it fell to the level of his elbows. He sprang up, but at that instant I kicked away one of his feet and pushed him to the unsupported side, when he fell sprawling face downwards. I gave another tug at the rope, and, as he struggled to get to his feet, I

here I had hidden it in readiness, I came behind him and slipped it over his mouth where I secured it, cautiously evading his attempts to clutch at

ed me to get the business over quickly. But certain formalities had to be obser

morning preparing to steal the plate. A lady came into the room and disturbed him. He tried to prevent her from ringing the bell. But she rang it; and he shot her dead. I need not tell you, Piragoff, who

noose from its hook, passed it over his head and quickly adjusted it. Then I snatched the second fall and walked away with it, gathering in the slack. As the rope tightened in my hand the bellowings suddenly cease

ed in a cold sweat and I felt that it would have been a relief to weep. I was astonished at myself. Twenty-four of these vermin had I exterminated with a light heart, b

creant had robbed me of my darling. Gradually I grew more calm. But fully an hour passed before I could summon resolution to go

brought away such things as I cared to keep, leaving the rest for Mrs. Nathan. Then I shaved off my ragged beard and white mustache, set my Bloomsbury house in order, pensioned off the sergeant-major (who was now growing an old man

eem to herald a change. Wharton makes light of them, but I think and hope he is mistaken. And in that hope I rest content; believing that

E