Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Jew's Breastplate
Willyoujoinme?"
"Withtheutmostpleasure,"saidI;andsoitwasagreed.
Itwasteno’clockthatnightwhenIreturnedtotheBelmoreStreetMuseum.Mortimerwas,asIcouldsee,inastateofsuppressednervousexcitement,butitwasstilltooearlytobeginourvigil,soweremainedforanhourorsoinhischambers,discussingallthepossibilitiesofthesingularbusinesswhichwehadmettosolve.Atlasttheroaringstreamofhansomcabsandtherushofhurryingfeetbecamelowerandmoreintermittentasthepleasure-seekerspassedontheirwaytotheirstationsortheirhomes.ItwasnearlytwelvewhenMortimerledthewaytothelumber-roomwhichoverlookedthecentralhallofthemuseum.
Hehadvisiteditduringtheday,andhadspreadsomesackingsothatwecouldlieatourease,andlookstraightdownintothemuseum.Theskylightwasofunfrostedglass,butwassocoveredwithdustthatitwouldbeimpossibleforanyonelookingupfrombelowtodetectthathewasoverlooked.Weclearedasmallpieceateachcorner,whichgaveusacompleteviewoftheroombeneathus.Inthecoldwhitelightoftheelectriclampseverythingstoodouthardandclear,andIcouldseethesmallestdetailofthecontentsofthevariouscases.
Suchavigilisanexcellentlesson,sinceonehasnochoicebuttolookhardatthoseobjectswhichweusuallypasswithsuchhalf-heartedinterest.
