or, whereon was painted
what purported to be a leopard asleep and below the following legend,
viz.:

ROUSE ME NOT

and below this again:

YE CONISBY ARMS.

From this I glanced at the third finger of my left hand, which was a
battered signet ring that bore the semblance of another sleeping
leopard and the like inscription; and looking from the sleeping leopard
on the signboard to the sleeping leopard on my ring, I fell to deep and
gloomy thought. Howbeit, rousing in a while, I perceived a
horse-trough hard by full of clean water, and came thither minded to
wash the dust and sweat from me. But, stooping, I paused and stood
thus, staring down at the face that scowled up at me; a face lean and
haggard with wide, fierce eyes agleam beneath knitted brows, a
prominent nose and square chin with short, peaked, golden beard; an
unlovely face framed in shaggy, yellow hair patched and streaked with
silver; and beholding lowering brow and ferocious mouth and jaw I stood
awhile marvelling at the ill-changes evil and hardship had wrought in
me.

For thus was it that I first beheld myself after five years of slavery.

Having looked my fill, I nodded grimly at my watery image and plunged
my face and head within the trough to my great refreshment, which done,
I made shift to dry myself on my tattered shirt. Thereafter, coming to
the broad oak settle beside the tavern door, I sat down and fell to
meditation. But now, moved by sudden impulse, I unbuckled the wallet
at my girdle and taking thence the strange dagger, unwound the
neckerchief that swathed it and began to examine the weapon, first
carelessly enough, then with growing interest and wonder. The blade
(as I have told elsewhere) was triangular of form, very narrow and some
eight inches in length and exceeding sharp of point; but that which
drew and held my gaze was the wonder of its haft. I have seen and
handled many fair weapons in my day, but never before or since have I
beheld such rare craftsmanship as went to the chiselling of this hilt.
Of silver it was, wrought into the shape of a standing woman, her feet
poised upon the small, chiselled cross-guard, her head forming the
pommel; naked she stood in languorous pose, arms raised and hands
locked behind her head. The delicate chiselling of the features was
worn somewhat by handling and rough usage, but even so the evil beauty
of the face was plain and manifest, the wanton languor of the long
eyes, the mocking