Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Jew's Breastplate
"Howabouttheanti-Semiticmovement?Couldoneconceivethatafanaticofthatwayofthinkingmightdesecrate——"
"No,no,no!"criedMortimer."Thatwillneverdo!SuchamanmightpushhislunacytothelengthofdestroyingaJewishrelic,butwhyonearthshouldhenibbleroundeverystonesocarefullythathecanonlydofourstonesinanight?Wemusthaveabettersolutionthanthat,andwemustfinditforourselves,forIdonotthinkthatourinspectorislikelytohelpus.Firstofall,whatdoyouthinkofSimpson,theporter?"
"Haveyouanyreasontosuspecthim?"
"Onlythatheistheonepersononthepremises."
"Butwhyshouldheindulgeinsuchwantondestruction?Nothinghasbeentakenaway.Hehasnomotive."
"Mania?"
"No,Iwillsweartohissanity."
"Haveyouanyothertheory?"
"Well,yourself,forexample.Youarenotasomnambulist,byanychance?"
"Nothingofthesort,Iassureyou."
"ThenIgiveitup."
"ButIdon’t—andIhaveaplanbywhichwewillmakeitallclear."
"TovisitProfessorAndreas?"
"No,weshallfindoursolutionnearerthanScotland.Iwilltellyouwhatweshalldo.Youknowthatskylightwhichoverlooksthecentralhall?Wewillleavetheelectriclightsinthehall,andwewillkeepwatchinthelumber-room,youandI,andsolvethemysteryforourselves.Ifourmysteriousvisitorisdoingfourstonesatatime,hehasfourstilltodo,andthereiseveryreasontothinkthathewillreturntonightandcompletethejob."
"Excellent!"Icried.
"Wewillkeepourownsecret,andsaynothingeithertothepoliceortoSimpson.
