advantage。　　I　simply　acted　without　any　thought　whatever。　　His
  attitude　was　such；　as　he　hissed　his　venom　into　my　face；　as　to　enable
  me　to　give　him　a　powerful　〃upper　cut〃　under　the　jaw。　　This；　as　I
  was　so　much　lighter　than　he；　was　the　most　effective　blow　I　could
  deliver；　yet；　although　it　took　him　off　his　feet；　it　did　not　disable
  him。　　　I　had　not　succeeded　in　placing　it　as　I　had　intended；　and　it
  had　only　the　effect　of　rendering　him　demoniacal。　　In　an　instant　he
  was　again　upon　his　feet；　and　unsheathing　a　long　knife。　　I　knew　it
  meant　death　for　me　if　he　were　able　to　close　with　me。　　It　was　useless
  for　me　to　call　for　help；　for　in　those　days　this　part　of　Malabar　Hill
  was　as　deserted　as　a　wilderness。　　Now；　the　very　spot　on　which　we
  stood　is　highly　cultivated；　and　forms　a　part　of　the　garden　of　the
  Blasehek　villa。　　There；　early　in　the　eighties；　as　the　guest　of　the
  hospitable　Herr　Blasehek；　Professor　Ernst　Haeckel　botanised　a　week；
  on　his　way　to　Ceylon。　　Now；　in　response　to　a　cry　from　his　intended
  victim；　an　assassin　might　be　frustrated　by　assistance　from　a　dozen
  bungalows；　but　at　the　time　of　which　I　write；　the　victim；　if　he　were
  wise；　saved　his　breath　for　the　struggle　which　he　knew　he　must　make
  unaided。
  Ragobah　paused；　and　coolly　bared　his　right　arm　to　the　elbow。　　There
  was　a　studied　deliberation　in　his　movements；　which　said　only　too
  plainly：　〃There　is　no　hurry　in　killing　you；　for　you　cannot　escape。〃
  I　grasped　my　stick　firmly　as　my　only　hope；　and　awaited　his　onslaught。
  My　early　military　drill　now　stood　me　in　good　stead；　and　to　it　I　owe
  my　life。　　Without　the　knowledge　which　I　had　derived　from　the　use　of
  the　broadsword；　I　should　have　been　all　but　certain　to　have　attempted
  to　strike　him　a　downward　blow　upon　the　head。　　This　is　just　what　he
  was　expecting；　and　it　would　have　cost　me　my　life。　　He　would　have　had
  only　to　throw　up　his　left　arm　to　catch　the　blow；　while　with　his　right
  hand　he　plunged　the　knife　into　my　heart。　　My　experience　had　taught
  me　how　much　easier　it　is　to　protect　one's　self　from　a　cutting　blow
  than　from　a　thrust；　and　I　determined　to　adopt　this　latter　means　of
  assault。　　Ragobah　advanced　upon　me　slowly；　much　as　a　cat　steals　upon
  an　unsuspecting　bird。　　I　raised　my　stick　as　if　to　strike　him；　and　he
  instinctively　threw　up　his　left　arm；　and　advanced　upon　me。　　My
  opportunity　had　come；　I　lowered　the　point　of　my　cane　to　the　level
  of　his　face；　and　made　a　vigorous　lunge　forward；　throwing　my　whole
  weight　upon　the　thrust。　　As　nearly　as　I　could　tell；　the　point　of　my
  stick　caught　him　in　the　socket　of　the　left　eye；　just　as　he　sprang
  forward；　and　hurled　him　backward；　blinded　and　stupefied。　　Before
  he　had　recovered　sufficiently　to　protect　himself；　I　dealt　him　a　blow
  upon　the　head　that　brought　him　quickly　to　the　earth。　　Without
  stopping　to　ascertain　whether　or　not　I　had　killed　him；　I　fled
  precipitately　to　my　lodgings；　hastily　packed　my　belongings；　and　set
  out　for　Matheron　Station　by　the　same　train　I　had　so　fondly　believed
  would　convey　Lona　and　me　to　our　nuptial　altar。　　Words　cannot　describe
  the　suffering　I　endured　upon　that　journey。　　For　the　first　time　since
  my　terrible　desertion　I　had　an　opportunity　to　think；　and　I　did　think；
  if　the　pulse　of　an　overwhelming　pain；　perpetually　recurring　like　the
  beat　of　a　loaded　wheel；　can　be　called　thought。　　Although　there　is
  no　insanity　in　our　family　nearer　than　a　great…uncle；　I　marvel　that
  I　retained　my　wits　under　this　terrible　blow。　　I　seriously
  contemplated　suicide；　and　probably　should　have　taken　my　life　had　not
  my　mental　condition　gradually　undergone　a　change。　　I　was　no　longer
  conscious　of　suffering；　nor　of　a　desire　to　end　my　life。　　I　was
  simply　indifferent。　　It　was　all　one　to　me　whether　I　lived　or　died。
  The　power　of　loving　or　caring　for　anything　or　anybody　had　entirely
  left　me；　and　when　I　would　reflect　how　utterly　indifferent　I　was　even
  to　my　own　father　and　mother；　I　would　regard　myself　as　an　unnatural
  monster。　　I　tried　to　conceal　my　lack　of　affection　by　a　greater
  attention　to　their　wishes；　and　it　was　in　this　way　that　I　yielded；
  without　remonstrance；　to　those　same　views　regarding　my　marriage；
  to　which；　but　a　little　while　before；　I　had　made　such　strenuous
  objections　as　to　quite　enrage　my　father。　　I　was　an　only　child；　and
  （as　often　happens　in　such　cases）　my　father　never　could　be　brought
  to　realise　that　I　had　many　years　since　attained　my　majority。　　It
  had　been　his　wish；　ever　since　my　boyhood；　that　I　should　marry　your
  mother；　and　he　made　use；　when　I　was　nearly　forty；　of　the　selfsame
  insistent　and　coercive　methods　with　which　he　had　sought　to　subdue　my
  will　when　I　was　but　twenty；　and　at　last　he　attained　his　end。　　I　had
  learned　from　friends　in　Bombay　that　not　only　had　Rama　Ragobah
  recovered　from　the　blows　I　had　given　him；　but　that；　shortly　after　my
  encounter　with　him；　he　had　married　Lona；　she　whom　I　had　loved；　God
  only　knows　how　madly！　　It　was　all　one　to　me　now　whether　I　was
  married　or　single；　living　or　dead。　　So　it　was　all　arranged。　　I
  myself　told　the　lady　that；　so　far　as　I　then　understood　my　feelings；
  I　had　no　affection　for　any　person　on　earth；　but　it　seemed　only　to
  pique　her；　and　I　think　she　determined　then　and　there　to　make　herself
  an　exception　to　this　universal　rule。　　This　is　how　I　came　to　marry
  your　mother。　　There　was　not　the　slightest　community　of　thought；
  sentiment；　or　interest　between　us。　　The　things　I　liked　did　not
  interest　her；　what　she　liked　bored　me；　yet　she　was　pre…eminently　a
  sensible　woman；　and　when　she　learned　the　real　state　of　affairs　was
  the　first　to　suggest　a　separation；　which　was　effected。　　We　parted
  with　the　kindliest　feelings；　and；　as　you　know；　remained　fast　friends
  up　to　her
  death。
  It　was　nearly　a　year　after　the　affair　on　Malabar　Hill　before　I　had
  the　heart　to　return　with　your　mother　to　Bombay。　　I　had　thought　all
  emotion　forever　dead　within　me；　but；　ah！　　how　little　do　we　understand
  ourselves。　　Twelve　months　had　not　passed；　and　already　I　was　conscious
  of　a　vague　ache　…　a　feeling　that　something；　I　scarcely　knew　what；　had
  gone　wrong；　so　terribly　wrong！　　I　told　myself　that　I　was　now　married；
  and　had　a　duty　both　to　my　wife　and　society；　and　I　tried　hard　to
  ignore　the　ache；　on　the　one　hand；　and　not　to　permit　myself　to　define
  and　analyse　it　on　the　other。　　But　a　man　does　not　have　to　understand
  anatomy　in　order　to　break　his　heart；　and　so　my　longing　defined　itself
  even　by　itself。　　The　old　fire；　built　on　a　virgin　hearth；　was　far
  from　out。　　Society　had　heaped　a　mouthful　of　conventional　ashes　upon
  it；　but　they　had　served　only　to　preserve　it。　　From　the　fiat　of　the
  human　heart　there　is　no　court　of　appeal。
  One　night；　to　my　utter　amazement；　I　received　a　letter　from　Lona　which
  you　will　find　filed　away　among　my　other　valuable　documents。
  It　was　addressed　in　her　own　quaint　little　hand；　and　I　trembled
  violently　as　I　opened　the　envelope。　　It　was　but　a　brief　note；　and
  ran　as　follows：
  〃I　am　dying；　and　have　much　to　explain　before　I　go。　　Be　generous；
  and　do　not　think　too　harshly　of　me。　　Suspend　your　judgment　until
  I　have　spoken。　　You　must　come　by　stealth；　or　you　will　not　be
  permitted　to　see　me。　　Follow　my　directions　carefully　and　you　will
  have　no　trouble　in　reaching　me。　　Go　at　once　to　the　cave　on　Malabar
  Hill；　whistle　thrice；　and　one　will　appear　who　will　conduct　you
  safely　to　me。　　Follow　him；　and　whatever　happens；　make　no　noise。
  Do　not　delay　…　I　can　last　but　little　longer。
  〃LONA。〃
  I　did　not　even　pause　to　re…read　the　letter；　or　to　ask　why　it　was
  necessary　to　follow　such　singular　directions　in　order　to　be　led　to
  her。　　I　simply　knew　she　had　written　to　me；　that　she　was　dying；　that
  she　wanted　me；　that　was　all；　but　it　was　enough。　　Dazed；　filled　with
  a　strange　mixture　of　dread　and　yearning；　I　hurried　to　the　cave。　　It
  was　already　night　when　I　reached　it　…　just　such　a　moonlit　night　as
  that　on　which；　nearly　a　year　before；　Lona　and　I　had　planned　our
  elopement；　and　now　that　heart；　which　then　had　beaten　so　wildly
  against　mine；　was　slowly　throbbing　itself　into　eternal　silence；
  …　and　I　…　I　had　been　more　than　dead　ever　since。
  I　looked　about　on　all　sides；　but　no　human　being　was　visible。　　I
  whistled　thrice；　but　no　sound　came　in　response。　　Again　I　whistled；
  with　the　same　result。　　Where　was　my　guide？　　Perhaps　he　was　in　the
  cave　and　had　not　heard　me。　　I　entered　it　to　see；　but　had　barely
  passed　the　narrow　portal　when　a　voice　said　close　behind　me：　〃Did
  you　whistle；　Sahib？〃　　The　suddenness；　the　strangeness　of　this
  uncanny　appearance；　so　close　to　me　that　I　felt　the　breath　of　the
  words　upon　my　neck；　sent　a　chill　over　me。　　I　shall　never　forget　that
  feeling！　　Many　times　since　then　have　I　dreamt　of　a　hand　that　struck
  me　from　out　the　darkness；　while　the　same　unspeakable　dread　froze　up
  my　life；　until；　by　repetition；　it　has　sunk　deep　into　my　soul　with
  the　weight　of　a　positive　conviction。　　I　know；　as　I　now　write；　that
  this　will　be　my　end；　and　his　will　be　the　hand　that　strikes。　　The
  fibre　of　our　lives　is　twisted　in　a　certain　way；　and　each　has　its　own
  fixed　mode　of　unravelling；　…　this　will　be　mine。
  When　I　had　recovered　from　the　first　momentary　shock　I　turned　and
  looked　behind　me。　　There；　close　upon　me；　with　his　huge　form　blocking
  the　narrow　entrance；　stoo