Tales of Terror and Mystery

           "

           Kennedylovedhissubjectwithalovewhichwasalmostamania—alovewhichheldhimtruetoit,amidstallthedistractionswhichcometoawealthyanddissipatedyoungman.Hehadambition,buthisambitionwassecondarytohismereabstractjoyandinterestineverythingwhichconcernedtheoldlifeandhistoryofthecity.Heyearnedtoseethisnewunderworldwhichhiscompanionhaddiscovered.

           "Lookhere,Burger,"saidhe,earnestly,"Iassureyouthatyoucantrustmemostimplicitlyinthematter.NothingwouldinducemetoputpentopaperaboutanythingwhichIseeuntilIhaveyourexpresspermission.IquiteunderstandyourfeelingandIthinkitismostnatural,butyouhavereallynothingwhatevertofearfromme.Ontheotherhand,ifyoudon’ttellmeIshallmakeasystematicsearch,andIshallmostcertainlydiscoverit.Inthatcase,ofcourse,IshouldmakewhatuseIlikedofit,sinceIshouldbeundernoobligationtoyou."

           Burgersmiledthoughtfullyoverhiscigar.

           "Ihavenoticed,friendKennedy,"saidhe,"thatwhenIwantinformationoveranypointyouarenotalwayssoreadytosupplyit."

           "WhendidyoueveraskmeanythingthatIdidnottellyou?Youremember,forexample,mygivingyouthematerialforyourpaperaboutthetempleoftheVestals."

           "Ah,well,thatwasnotamatterofmuchimportance.IfIweretoquestionyouuponsomeintimatethingwouldyougivemeananswer,Iwonder!Thisnewcatacombisaveryintimatethingtome,andIshouldcertainlyexpectsomesignofconfidenceinreturn.