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demanded of him； continued： 〃I am； indeed； a victim of a most
extravagant and extraordinary adventure。 This evening； coming an
entire stranger to this country； I was introduced into the house
of a beautiful female； who bestowed upon me a charge that
appeared to me to be at once insignificant and absurd。 Behold
this little ivory ball；〃 said he； drawing the globe from his
pocket； and displaying it between his thumb and finger。 〃It is
this that appears to have brought all this disaster upon me； for；
coming from the house of the young woman； the man whom thou now
beholdest lying dead upon the floor induced me to come to this
place。 Having inveigled me hither； he demanded of me to give him
at once this insignificant trifle。 Upon my refusing to do so； he
assaulted me with every appearance of a mad and furious
inclination to deprive me of my life！〃
At the sight of the ivory ball the stranger quickly arose from
his kneeling posture and fixed upon our hero a gaze the most
extraordinary that he had ever encountered。 His eyes dilated like
those of a cat； the breath expelled itself from his bosom in so
deep and profound an expiration that it appeared as though it
might never return again。 Nor was it until Jonathan had replaced
the ball in his pocket that he appeared to awaken from the trance
that the sight of the object had sent him into。 But no sooner had
the cause of this strange demeanor disappeared into our hero's
breeches…pocket than he arose as with an electric shock。 In an
instant he became transformed as by the touch of magic。 A sudden
and baleful light flamed into his eyes； his face grew as red as
blood； and he clapped his hand to his pocket with a sudden and
violent motion。 〃Ze ball！〃 he cried； in a hoarse and strident
voice。 〃Ze ball！ Give me ze ball！〃 And upon the next instant our
hero beheld the round and shining nozzle of a pistol pointed
directly against his forehead。
For a moment he stood as though transfixed； then in the mortal
peril that faced him； he uttered a roar that sounded in his own
ears like the outcry of a wild beast； and thereupon flung himself
bodily upon the other with the violence and the fury of a madman。
The stranger drew the trigger； and the powder flashed in the pan。
He dropped the weapon； clattering； and in an instant tried to
draw another from his other pocket。 Before he could direct his
aim； however； our hero had caught him by both wrists； and；
bending his hand backward； prevented the chance of any shot from
taking immediate effect upon his person。 Then followed a struggle
of extraordinary ferocity and frenzythe stranger endeavoring to
free his hand； and Jonathan striving with all the energy of
despair to prevent him from effecting his murderous purpose。
In the struggle our hero became thrust against the edge of the
table。 He felt as though his back were breaking； and became
conscious that in such a situation he could hope to defend
himself only a few moments longer。 The stranger's face was
pressed close to his own。 His hot breath； strong with the odor of
garlic； fanned our hero's cheek； while his lips； distended into a
ferocious and ferine grin； displayed his sharp teeth shining in
the candlelight。
〃Give me ze ball！〃 he said； in a harsh and furious whisper。
At the moment there rang in Jonathan's ears the sudden and
astounding detonation of a pistol…shot； and for a moment he
wondered whether he had received a mortal wound without being
aware of it。 Then suddenly he beheld an extraordinary and
dreadful transformation take place in the countenance thrust so
close to his own； the eyes winked several times with incredible
rapidity； and then rolled upward and inward； the jaws gaped into
a dreadful and cavernous yawn； the pistol fell with a clatter to
the floor； and the next moment the muscles； so rigid but an
instant before； relaxed into a limp and listless flaccidity。 The
joints collapsed； and the entire man fell into an
indistinguishable heap upon and across the dead figure stretched
out upon the floor； while at the same time a pungent and blinding
cloud of gunpowder smoke filled the apartment。 For a few moments
the hands twitched convulsively； the neck stretched itself to an
abominable length； the long； lean legs slowly and gradually
relaxed； and every fibre of the body gradually collapsed into the
lassitude of death。 A spot of blood appeared and grew upon the
collar at the throat； and in the same degree the color ebbed from
the face leaving it of a dull and leaden pallor。
All these terrible and formidable changes of aspect our hero
stood watching with a motionless and riveted attention； and as
though they were to him matters of the utmost consequence and
importance； and only when the last flicker of life had departed
from his second victim did he lift his gaze from this terrible
scene of dissolution to stare about him； this way and that； his
eyes blinded； and his breath stifled by the thick cloud of
sulphurous smoke that obscured the objects about him in a pungent
cloud。
V。 The Unexpected Encounter with the Sea…captain with the Broken
Nose
If our hero had been distracted and bedazed by the first
catastrophe that had befallen； this second and even more dreadful
and violent occurrence appeared to take away from him； for the
moment； every power of thought and of sensation。 All that
perturbation of emotion that had before convulsed him he
discovered to have disappeared； and in its stead a benumbed and
blinded intelligence alone remained to him。 As he stood in the
presence of this second death； of which he had been as innocent
and as unwilling an instrument as he had of the first； he could
observe no signs either of remorse or of horror within him。 He
picked up his hat； which had fallen upon the floor in the first
encounter； and； brushing away the dust with the cuff of his coat
sleeve with extraordinary care； adjusted the beaver upon his head
with the utmost nicety。 Then turning； still stupefied as with the
fumes of some powerful drug； he prepared to quit the scene of
tragic terrors that had thus unexpectedly accumulated upon him。
But ere he could put his design into execution his ears were
startled by the sound of loud and hurried footsteps which； coming
from below； ascended the stairs with a prodigious clatter and
bustle of speed。 At the landing these footsteps paused for a
while； and then approached； more cautious and deliberate； toward
the room where the double tragedy had been enacted； and where our
hero yet stood silent and inert。
All this while Jonathan made no endeavor to escape； but stood
passive and submissive to what might occur。 He felt himself the
victim of circumstances over which he himself had no control。
Gazing at the partly opened door； he awaited for whatever
adventure might next befall him。 Once again the footsteps paused；
this time at the very threshold； and then the door was slowly
pushed open from without。
As our hero gazed at the aperture there presently became
disclosed to his view the strong and robust figure of one who was
evidently of a seafaring habit。 From the gold braid upon his hat；
the seals dangling from the ribbon at his fob； and a certain
particularity of custom； he was evidently one of no small
consideration in his profession。 He was of a strong and powerful
build； with a head set close to his shoulders； and upon a round；
short bull neck。 He wore a black cravat； loosely tied into a
knot； and a red waistcoat elaborately trimmed with gold braid； a
leather belt with a brass buckle and hanger； and huge sea…boots
completed a costume singularly suggestive of his occupation in
life。 His face was round and broad； like that of a cat； and a
complexion stained； by constant exposure to the sun and wind； to
a color of newly polished mahogany。 But a countenance which
otherwise might have been humorous； in this case was rendered
singularly repulsive by the fact that his nose had been broken so
flat to his face that all that remained to distinguish that
feature were two circular orifices where the nostrils should have
been。 His eyes were by no means so sinister as the rest of his
visage； being o