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“And,” I exclaimed, carried away by my indignation, “you suppose that the sight of these two happy girls, beaming with the quiet joy of brides, was torture to some miserable wretch who had lost his bride.”

I had gone too far. His eyes looked into mine. I read in his that he divined the whole drift of my suspicion–the allusion made to himself. There often passes into a look more than words can venture to express. In that look he read that he was discovered, and I read that he had recognized it. With perfect calmness, but with a metallic ring in his voice which was like the clash of swords, he said:

“I did not say that I supposed this; but as we were on the wide field of conjecture–utterly without evidence one way or the other, having no clue either to the man or his motives–I drew from the general principles of human nature a conclusion which was just as plausible–or absurd if you like–as the conclusion that the motive must have been vanity.”

“As you say, we are utterly without evidence, and conjecture drifts aimlessly from one thing to another. After all, the most plausible explanation is that of a contagion of imitation.”

I said this in order to cover my previous imprudence. He was not deceived–though for a few moments I fancied he was–but replied:

“I am not persuaded of that either. The whole thing is a mystery, and I shall stay here some time in the hope of seeing it cleared up. Meanwhile, for a subject of conjecture, let me show you something on which your ingenuity may profitably be employed.”

He rose and passed into his bedroom. I heard him unlocking and rummaging the drawers, and was silently reproaching myself for my want of caution in having spoken as I had done, though it was now beyond all doubt that he was the murderer, and that his motive had been rightly guessed; but with this self-reproach there was mingled a self-gratulation at the way I had got out of the difficulty, as I fancied.

He returned, and as he sat down I noticed that the lower part of his surtout was open. He always wore a long frogged and braided coat reaching to the knees–as I now know, for the purpose of concealing the arm which hung (as he said, withered) at his side. The two last fastenings were now undone.

He held in his hand a tiny chain made of very delicate wire. This he gave me, saying:

“Now what would you conjecture that to be?”

“Had it come into my hands without any remark, I should have said it was simply a very exquisite bit of ironwork; but your question points to something more out of the way.”

“It IS iron-work,” he said.

Could I be deceived? A third fastening of his surtout was undone! I had seen but two a moment ago.

“And what am I to conjecture?” I asked.

“Where that iron came from? It was NOT from a mine.” I looked at it again, and examined it attentively. On raising my eyes in inquiry–fortunately with an expression of surprise, since what met my eyes would have startled a cooler man–I saw the fourth fastening undone!

“You look surprised,” he continued, “and will be more surprised when I tell you that the iron in your hands once floated in the circulation of a man. It is made from human blood.”

“Human blood!” I murmured.

He went on expounding the physiological wonders of the blood,–how it carried, dissolved in its currents, a proportion of iron and earths; how this iron was extracted by chemists and exhibited as a curiosity; and how this chain had been manufactured from such extracts. I heard every word, but my thoughts were hurrying to and fro in the agitation of a supreme moment. That there was a dagger underneath that coat–that in a few moments it would flash forth– that a death-struggle was at hand,–I knew well. My safety depended on presence of mind. That incalculable rapidity with which, in critical moments, the mind surveys all the openings and resources of an emergency, had assured me that there was no weapon within reach–that before I could give an alarm the tiger would be at my throat, and that my only chance was to keep my eyes fixed upon him, ready to spring on him the moment the next fastening was undone, and before he could use his arm.