Dragon's blood

nexplicable noises endured, the same smells. Under lamps, the shaven foreheads still bent toward microscopic labor. The curtained window of a fantan shop still glowed in orange t

d imperceptibly given place to this other dimness, in which lanterns swung lik

ke out, as though from among the crowded carcasses in a butcher's stall.

song poured loud through an open doorway. Nodding at a placard, he added: "Here we are: 'Jesus Rel

ling about, stared at the late-comers, nudged their neighbors, and pointed, with guttural exclamations. The song had ended, and the padre was lifting up his giant's voice. To Rudolph, the words had been mere sound and fury, but for a compelling honesty that needed no translation. This man was not preaching to heathen, but talking to men. His eyes had the look of one who speaks earnestl

ttered, "Rot!" Toward the close, however, he leaned across and whispered, "T

ching and listening, surprised

and surrounding the tall preacher, questioned him concerning the new faith. The last, a broad, misshapen fellow with hanging jowls, was answered sharply. He

miling, but like a man who

everance, gentlemen. A merchant, well-to-do: he has a lawsuit coming on--notorious--and tries to join us for protection. Cheaper to buy a little beli

mpulse came

se people so--as--I do not know. But I listened, I felt--Before alw

reat head like a silv

replied, "they're rema

se, he adde

he same image." His deep voice altered, his eyes lighted shrew

really came for something else." In a few brief sentences, he pictured the death in the shop.--So, like winking! The beggar

od, who found and restored the hemp, nearly all. Merchant lets the matter drop. But the neighbors kept after this cormorant fellow, worked one beastly squeeze or another, ingenious baiting, devilish--Rot! you know their neighborhoods better than I! Well, they pushed him down-hill--poor d

One thread I don't follow--the relig

ou," said Heywood. "One of your

r man sa

chapel, "he's one of us. Extremely honest.

and audience, you know. All at once, the hindmost began squalling 'Foreign Dog,' 'Goat Man

adre, as in doubt. "

ict; keen reader; might be a mandarin, but prefers the country gentleman sort; bally mischief-maker, he's done more p

his heavy brows, a

. Given this chance--Humph! Saul of Tarsus.--We're not the Roman Church," h

n heaved his big shoulders

Mr. Hackh, they're not devils. The only fault is, they're just human

he called after them a resounding "Good-night! Thanks!"--and stood a resolute, gigantic silh

and a look. Somehow, for the first time since landing, Rudolph perceived that through this difficult, troubled, ignorant present, a man might burrow tow

see Wutzler first. To lose sight of any man for twenty-

a hand's-breadth of the dirty path, a litter of broken withes and basket-weavers' refuse, between the mouldy wall of the

e of Heywood's match revealed a heavy wooden door, which he hammered with his fist. After

id? Wutzler, you ol

ve ventured out from a masquerade of gnomes. The wrinkled face was Wutzler's, but his weazened body was lost in the glossy black folds of a nativ

with a nervous cackle. "I th

cell, lighted by a European lamp, but smelling of soy and Asiatics. Stiff black-wood chairs lined the walls. A distorted landsca

en," sighed Wutzler, crin

ng himself

cried. "And we came all the w

ter. "My--she--I will speak, I go bring you."

aned forwa

u can or not! Pleases the old one,

ld a bottle against the light, and squinted ruefully at th

skipping about,--all the flurry of a rabbit-hutch in Wonderland. Once, near the threshold, a chubby face, very pale, with round eyes of shining jet, pee

stuffed with dice of fat pork and lumps of sugar; three-cornered rice puddings, no-me boiled in plantain-leaf wrappers; with th

ng man iss goot! No! He hass to me--immer--" He choked, turned away, and began fussing with

rted Heywood, over his shoulder. "You talk like a bonze

he has gifen her, when she iss all op inside for him. I haf rebaired, but she blay only one song yet. A man does not know, Herr Hackh, what he may be. Once I haf piano, and viola my own, yes, and

hem in a gabble of words, at first husky and broken, then clea

did

ha-ha

, ha,

ot help b

aha-h

hearted guffaws. Heywood sat smoking, with the countenance of a stoi

t came to see you were all up-standing. Tough as e

er held aloft his

ad in der Silk-Weafer Street. Dey haf hong up nets, and dorns, to keep out der plague's-goblins off deir house. Listen, now, dey beat gongs!--But we are

cleft, and into a main corr

ke a spaniel. "Queer it should get into me s

istance, maintained a throbbing uproar, pierced now and then by sava

blins they're scaring away. Think, behind their nets and thorns, what wretches--women, too, and kids--may be crouched down, quaking, sick with terror. Humph!--I