THE STORY-TELLER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3175, 29 October 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE STORY-TELLER.

THE TERRIBLE LODGER, -♦- I felt the moment I saw him that Dr. Arnold was not an ordinai-y nirin. He hired my first floor and put a bell and plate on tlie door, as if in search of patients, but he seemed comfortably off, if not wealthy. He brought a quantity of things into the house, though I considered my two parlours well furnished. First came a desk, then a bookcase, and, lastly, a waggon load of huge trunks. The front parlour was his office, the back his surgery, and he used tho extension for ii bed-chatuber. I was delighted when I caught sight of tho rooms after tho doctor aud his coloured servant had arranged them. Tho doors and windows were all draped with magnificent curtains or portieres made of rich stuff, embroidered in strange patterns. Goblins, birds, butterflies, and queer creatures such as I had never seen or heard of revelled all over the curtains, which were formed of heavy, dark green silk. Much of the embroidery was in gold, and all the. portieres were finished with heavy gold bullion fringes. Then there were rugs and mats so brilliant and beautiful that they soempfl to my eyes handsome enough to bu framed like pictures. Tho thought camo into my mind that the doctor's wealth must be ua bounded; and I felt that I must respect, even if I did not like him. As I gazed, the servant came in with his stealthy step, as noiseless as a snake. He bowed and addressed me in broken English. " What Missy Sahib wishes ?" he asked in his smooth, oily voice. I disliki d the man as much as I did bis master. He was not like any coloured man I had ever seen. He was tall and thin, and his long face always wore a smile, but his eyes were like a snake's and so were his movements, and bis long, straight h<.ir seemed glued to his narrow head. "Nothing. I am only admiring the rooms. Those curtains are beautiful." . " They are from my country, he said, bowing, as if I had paid him a compliment. •' And what country is that?" " India. lam a Hindoo." After that I did not see much of master or man. They paid the rent and gave no trouble The servanl waited on his master, and they were very quiet lodgers, for the doctor had scarcely a patient. After they had been two months in the house the doctor sent me word that he would be absent a few days and did not wish auy one to enter hii rooms. Now, I should have mentioned that I am a woman, and I must also confess that I inherit my own share of Mother Eve's curiosity, so as soon as I saw tho doctor go out of the house I determined to examine his apartments at my leisure. Mustapha. the man, however, remained behind, and I had to possess my soul in patience till he should be out of the way. The opportunity came three days after the doctor's departure. Mustapha came up to inform me that he was going out for a short time.

No sooner was he out of the house than I took my bunch of keys—for, like roost landladies, I have a spare key for every room in the house, and take care to go through them, for an unprotected woman does not want to harbour Anarchists without knowing it—an 1 unlocked the door of the extension. Dear me ! What heaps of beautiful things there were in those rooms. China so fine and so thin that it looked as if a breath would destroy it, odd images of gold and silver, bronzes, dishes, and figures, and most of the idols—for such I afterwards learned they were—had great, gleaming eyes, made of precious stones, that seemed to follow me about and make me nervous.

I took my time, and was in the front parlour when I hoard a carriage drive up to the door; and peeping out, what was my horror to see the doctor alight in company with Mustapha and a stranger. Before I could move they were in the house. I darted behind a portiere, trusting they would soon go out, for I hate to be caus-ht in any act that looks mean, and I, resolved to make my escape as soon as I had the place to myself. To my surprise, Mustapha proceeded to lock the door—the curtains were already close-drawn before every window—and he lighted two or three large lamps, which gave out a delicious perfume, which caused my head to swim. He then took out a copper brazier and kindled a fire in it. The flames shot up, and the perfume grew stronger, and seemed to fill the rooms with moving forms amid the smoke. I stood like a person bewitched, and Mustapha began to chant in some outlandish tongue.

The doctor stood motionless; his great, hollow, gray eyes fixed on a hideous image that stood on a pedestal. His long thin face wore a terrible expression, his hair seemer' to stand on end, and a ghastly grin distorted his features.

At length the Hindoo stopped his chant, and the doctor turned to the stranger, who was a fine-looking elderly gentleman, but who seemed dreadfully nervous and pale. " That rite is complete. It is a portion of the worship of the goddess ! Siva." I nearly screamed out. So they wore worshipping that ugly image in my back parlour? Worse was to come, however. The man placed a queer-shaped tea-kettle over the coals, and soon it began to sing as if a Christian worran was going to make a civilised cup of tea. " Now for an experiment," said Dr. Arnold, and Muscapha drew forward one of the enormous trunks. It was covered with a tiger skin, which he threw nside. " Examine y>ur seals," said the doctor; "See if they have been tampered with." "No." The stranger looked paler and seemed more nervous every moment. He had examined the seals on the locks of the trunks carefully. It had three. "They are just as they were three months ago to-day ?" "Yes." The doctor struck a match and lit a taper. He held tho flame to the red wax and the seals melted.

" Unlock the trunk." The stranger drew a key from his pocket and did so with trembling hands. The lid was thrown back and Mustapha, assisted by his master, drew a shapeless form from the trunk and laid it on the carpet. I believe my tongue clove to the roof of my mouth or I should have screamed. The form was enclosed in a large box and it was a dead body. " Examine these seals also." Around the mouth of the bag a rope was tied, and the knots were sealed like the trunk. " Three months ago," resumed the tho doctor, "my daughter, who was born in India and is of the religion of Sharain, took upon her a vow to perform this sacrifice in honour of the great goddess Siva. She closed her throat by swallowing strips of linen after the manner of Hindoo fakirs. She then threw herself into a cataleptic state, and I, in your presence, sealed her nostrils with plugs of flax steeped in wax. I then inclosed her pulseless and rigid form in this shroud, the s°als of which are still intact. I shall now restore her to life." Meanwhile Mustapha had been busy mixinga paste of flour like stuffs and boiling water in a shining brass bowl. The doctor broke the seals and drew down the sbroud, revealing the form of a woman. Her fiice was shrivelled and broken like a mummy. As I stood, hoping I was in a horrid dream, he went on : " Observe that this body is cold and pulseless, as it was when I placed it in that trunk thive months ago." The stranger bowed. He seemed on the point of fainting. The doctor calmly drew tho plugs of flax from the nostrils and opened the mouth. The tongue was doubled back, and he restored it to its natural position. He then took the paste from the servant and poured some of it over the head, and om\. tied the kettle over the body. Again and again he applied the paste, and at length said calmly, " The pulse is beating and respiration has commenced." Mustapha handed him a goblet full of a beautiful rose-coloured liquid, and he poured it down the throat of the body. In a moment the corpse opened its eyes, the face grew life-like *ind the hands began to twitch. At the sight of this I fell senseless. When I returned to consciousness, I found myself lying on a lounge, the doctor bending over me, and the large trunk was removed. I gazed round in bewilderment. The lamps still burned, and the copper brazier stood beside the ugly idol, which made me shiver as it seemed to watch me with its sinister eyes. " You have disobeyed my orders, and have suffered for it." said tho doctor, coolly, as he offered me wine. I waved him away, and rose to my feet. "You must leave my house this very day ! " I exclaimed. " Very good. And you—must be silent. He gave me such a fearful look; I grew cold all over. A shrill laugh sounded near me; and, looking round, I caught sight of the dead body. Dead no longer! A living body with a dark evil face and deep glittering eyes. " You see, madame," she said, in a mocking, devilish manner, " you feel the effects of our experiment more than I do. Shake hands, and assure yourself .that I am alive." " No," I said indignantly. " I renounce the devil and all his works. Begone out of my house ! " I left the room and crept up to my room, where I lay for weeks. My faithful servant Anne nursed me back to health; but my mind was ill nt ease. I determined to hear the worst, and asked her one day suddenly: "Has the doctor gone and taken all belonging to him ? " "Yes, nia.am, the day you took sick; and do you know that he had a daughter with him ? I was struck when I saw her go out, for she did not come in the carriage that day. I saw them come in,"

" What did she look like, Annie ?" I asked, faintly. " Awful thin and dark as an Indian, with horrid looking eyes like coals of fire."

The doctor had left a note for me. It contained a note for £100. On the paper, wrapped around the note was written : ''Be silent or beware!"

I have been silent for years, but tell my story now to let people know what strange things can happen in a large city like London—London Figaro. "