Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Japanned Box
Theotherendofthesecretpassagemightlieamongsometangleofbrambleintheneighbouringcopse.Isaidnothingtoanyone,butIfeltthatthesecretofmyemployerlaywithinmypower.
AndthemoreconvincedIwasofthisthemoreImarvelledatthemannerinwhichheconcealedhistruenature.OftenasIwatchedhisausterefigure,Iaskedmyselfifitwereindeedpossiblethatsuchamanshouldbelivingthisdoublelife,andItriedtopersuademyselfthatmysuspicionsmightafterallprovetobeill-founded.Buttherewasthefemalevoice,therewasthesecretnightlyrendezvousintheturret-chamber—howcouldsuchfactsadmitofaninnocentinterpretation.Iconceivedahorroroftheman.Iwasfilledwithloathingathisdeep,consistenthypocrisy.
OnlyonceduringallthosemonthsdidIeverseehimwithoutthatsadbutimpassivemaskwhichheusuallypresentedtowardshisfellow-man.ForaninstantIcaughtaglimpseofthosevolcanicfireswhichhehaddampeddownsolong.Theoccasionwasanunworthyone,fortheobjectofhiswrathwasnoneotherthantheagedcharwomanwhomIhavealreadymentionedasbeingtheonepersonwhowasallowedwithinhismysteriouschamber.Iwaspassingthecorridorwhichledtotheturret—formyownroomlayinthatdirection—whenIheardasudden,startledscream,andmergedinitthehusky,growlingnoteofamanwhoisinarticulatewithpassion.Itwasthesnarlofafuriouswildbeast.ThenIheardhisvoicethrillingwithanger."Youwoulddare!"hecried.
