offins. The
immense pit yawned like the mouth of hell; corpses were heaped upon
corpses, and still it yawned the same. Suddenly, by the light of a torch,
I saw an old man beside me. He wept. I had seen him before. He is a
Jew--the keeper of the house in the Rue Saint-Francois--you know what I
mean." Here the man in the cloak started.

"Yes, I know; but what is the matter? why do you stop short?"

"Because in that house there has been for a hundred and fifty years the
portrait of a man whom I once met in the centre of India, on the banks of
the Ganges." And the man in the cloak again paused and shuddered.

"A singular resemblance, no doubt."

"Yes, my lord, a singular resemblance--nothing more."

"But the Jew--the old Jew?"

"I am coming to that, my lord. Still weeping, he said to a gravedigger,
'Well! and the coffin?' 'You were right,' answered the man; 'I found it
in the second row of the other grave. It had the figure of a cross on it,
formed by seven black nails. But how could you know the place and the
mark?' 'Alas! it is no matter,' replied the old Jew, with bitter
melancholy. 'You see that I was but too well informed on the subject. But
where is the coffin?' 'Behind the great tomb of black marble; I have
hidden it there. So make haste; for, in the confusion, nothing will be
noticed. You have paid me well, and I wish you to succeed in what you
require.'"

"And what did the old Jew do with the coffin marked with the seven black
nails?"

"Two men accompanied him, my lord, bearing a covered litter, with
curtains drawn round it. He lighted a lantern, and, followed by these two
men, went towards the place pointed out by the gravedigger. A stoppage,
occasioned by the dead-carts, made me lose sight of the old Jew, whom I
was following amongst the tombs. Afterwards I was unable to find him."

"It is indeed a strange affair. What could this old Jew want with the
coffin?"

"It is said, my lord, that they use dead bodies in preparing their magic
charms."

"Those unbelievers are capable of anything--even of holding communication
with the Enemy of mankind. However, we will look after this: the
discovery may be of importance."

At this instant a clock struck twelve in the distance.

"Midnight! already?"

"Yes, my lord."

"I must be gone. Good-bye--but for the last time swear to me that, should
matters so turn out, as soon as you receive the other half of the ivory
crucifix I have just given you, you will keep