Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Jew's Breastplate
MyhopealwayswasthatIshouldgetitalloverbeforeIwasdetected.Thiswouldhavebeenmylastnight’swork."
"Howdidyougetin?"askedMortimer.
"Bytakingaverygreatlibertywithyourprivatedoor.Buttheobjectjustifiedit.Theobjectjustifiedeverything.Youwillnotbeangrywhenyouknoweverything—atleast,youwillnotbeangrywithme.Ihadakeytoyoursidedoorandalsotothemuseumdoor.IdidnotgivethemupwhenIleft.Andsoyouseeitwasnotdifficultformetoletmyselfintothemuseum.Iusedtocomeinearlybeforethecrowdhadclearedfromthestreet.ThenIhidmyselfinthemummy-case,andtookrefugetherewheneverSimpsoncameround.Icouldalwayshearhimcoming.IusedtoleaveinthesamewayasIcame."
"Youranarisk."
"Ihadto."
"Butwhy?Whatonearthwasyourobject—YOUtodoathinglikethat!"Mortimerpointedreproachfullyattheplatewhichlaybeforehimonthetable.
"Icoulddevisenoothermeans.Ithoughtandthought,buttherewasnoalternateexceptahideouspublicscandal,andaprivatesorrowwhichwouldhavecloudedourlives.Iactedforthebest,incredibleasitmayseemtoyou,andIonlyaskyourattentiontoenablemetoproveit."
"IwillhearwhatyouhavetosaybeforeItakeanyfurthersteps,"saidMortimer,grimly.
"Iamdeterminedtoholdbacknothing,andtotakeyoubothcompletelyintomyconfidence.IwillleaveittoyourowngenerosityhowfaryouwillusethefactswithwhichIsupplyyou."
"Wehavetheessentialfactsalready."
"Andyetyouunderstandnothing.
