Thefourpoundsaweekwasalurewhichmustdrawhim，andwhatwasittothem，whowereplayingforthousands？Theyputintheadvertisement，oneroguehasthetemporaryoffice，theotherrogueincitesthemantoapplyforit，andtogethertheymanagetosecurehisabsenceeverymorningintheweek。FromthetimethatIheardoftheassistanthavingcomeforhalfwages，itwasobvioustomethathehadsomestrongmotiveforsecuringthesituation。“
　　“Buthowcouldyouguesswhatthemotivewas？“
　　“Hadtherebeenwomeninthehouse，Ishouldhavesuspectedamerevulgarintrigue。That，however，wasoutofthequestion。Theman’sbusinesswasasmallone，andtherewasnothinginhishousewhichcouldaccountforsuchelaboratepreparations，andsuchanexpenditureastheywereat。Itmustthenbesomethingoutofthehouse。Whatcoulditbe？Ithoughtoftheassistant’sfondnessforphotography，andhistrickofvanishingintothecellar。Thecellar！Therewastheendofthistangledclew。ThenImadeinquiriesastothismysteriousassistant，andfoundthatIhadtodealwithoneofthecoolestandmostdaringcriminalsinLondon。
　　Hewasdoingsomethinginthecellar——somethingwhichtookmanyhoursadayformonthsonend。Whatcoulditbe，oncemore？I
　　couldthinkofnothingsavethathewasrunningatunneltosomeotherbuilding。
　　“SofarIhadgotwhenwewenttovisitthesceneofaction。I
　　surprisedyoubybeatinguponthepavementwithmystick。Iwasascertainingwhetherthecellarstretchedoutinfrontorbehind。
　　Itwasnotinfront。ThenIrangthebell，and，asIhoped，theassistantansweredit。Wehavehadsomeskirmishes，butwehadneverseteyesuponeachotherbefore。Ihardlylookedathisface。HiskneeswerewhatIwishedtosee。Youmustyourselfhaveremarkedhowworn，wrinkled，andstainedtheywere。Theyspokeofthosehoursofburrowing。Theonlyremainingpointwaswhattheywereburrowingfor。Iwalkedroundthecorner，sawthattheCityandSuburbanBankabuttedonourfriend’spremises，andfeltthatI
　　hadsolvedmyproblem。WhenyoudrovehomeaftertheconcertI
　　calleduponScotlandYard，anduponthechairmanofthebankdirectors，withtheresultthatyouhaveseen。“
　　“Andhowcouldyoutellthattheywouldmaketheirattemptto-
　　night？“Iasked。
　　“Well，whentheyclosedtheirLeagueofficesthatwasasignthattheycarednolongeraboutMr。JabezWilson’spresence；inotherwords，thattheyhadcompletedtheirtunnel。Butitwasessentialthattheyshoulduseitsoon，asitmightbediscovered，orthebullionmightberemoved。Saturdaywouldsuitthembetterthananyotherday，asitwouldgivethemtwodaysfortheirescape。ForallthesereasonsIexpectedthemtocometo-night。“
　　“Youreasoneditoutbeautifully，“Iexclaimed，inunfeignedadmiration。“Itissolongachain，andyeteverylinkringstrue。“
　　“Itsavedmefromennui，“heanswered，yawning。“Alas！Ialreadyfeelitclosinginuponme。Mylifeisspentinonelongefforttoescapefromthecommonplacesofexistence。Theselittleproblemshelpmetodoso。“
　　“Andyouareabenefactoroftherace，“saidI。Heshruggedhisshoulders。“Well，perhaps，afterall，itisofsomelittleuse，“
　　heremarked。“’L’hommec’estrien——l’oeuvrec’esttout，’asGustaveFlaubertwrotetoGeorgesSands。“
　　EgertonCastleTheBaron’sQuarry“Oh，no，Iassureyou，youarenotboringMr。Marshfield，“saidthispersonagehimselfinhisgentlevoice——thatcuriousvoicethatcouldflowonforhours，promulgatingprofoundandstartlingtheoriesoneverydepartmentofhumanknowledgeorconductingparadoxicalargumentswithoutasingleinflectionorpauseofhesitation。“Iam，onthecontrary，muchinterestedinyourhuntingtalk。Toparaphraseawell-wornquotationsomewhatwidely，nihilhumanumamealienumest。Evenhuntingstoriesmayhavetheirpointofbiologicalinterest；thephilologistsometimesprickshiseartothejargonofthechase；moreover，Iamnotincapableofappreciatingthesubjectmatteritself。Thisseemstoexcitesomederision。IadmitIamnotmuchofasportsmantolookat，nor，indeed，byinstinct，yetIhavehadsomeout-of-the-wayexperiencesinthatline——generallywhenintentonotherpursuits。
　　Idoubt，forinstance，ifevenyou，MajorTravers，notwithstandingyourwell-knownexploitsagainstmanandbeast，notwithstandingthatdoubtfulsmileofyours，couldmatchthestrangenessofacertainhuntingadventureinwhichIplayedanimportantpart。“
　　Thespeaker’ssmall，deep-set，blackeyes，thatneverwarmedtoanythingmorehumanthanapurelyspeculativescientificinterestinhissurroundings，herewanderedroundtheskepticalyetexpectantcirclewithblandamusement。Hestretchedouthisbloodlessfingersforanotherofhishost’ssuperfinecigarsandproceeded，withonlysuchinterruptionsaswereoccasionedbythelightingandcarefulsmokingofthelatter。
　　“IwasreturninghomeaftermyprolongedstayinPetersburg，intendingtolingeronmywayandtestwithmineownearscertainamongthemanydialectsofEasternEurope——anentwhichthereisasymmetricallittleclusterofphilologicalknottypointsitismymodestintentiononedaytounravel。However，thatisneitherherenorthere。OntheroadtoHungaryIbethoughtmyselfopportunelyofprovingtheoncepressinglyofferedhospitalityoftheBaronKossowski。
　　“Youmayhavemettheman，MajorTravers；hewasatremendoussportsman，ifyoulike。IfirstcameacrosshimatMcNeil’splaceinremoteIreland。Now，beinginBukowina，withinmeasurabledistanceofhisCarpathianabode，andcurioustoseeaPolishlordathome，Irememberedhisinvitation。Itwasalreadyoflongstanding，butithadbeenwarm，borninfactofasuddenfitofenthusiasmforme“——hereahalf-mockingsmilequiveredaninstantunderthespeaker’sblackmustache——“which，asitwascharacteristic，Imayaswelltellyouabout。
　　“Itwasonthedayof，or，rather，tobeaccurate，onthedayaftermyarrival，towardthesmallhoursofthemorning，inthesmokingroomatRathdrum。Ourhostwaspeacefullysnoringoverhisemptypipeandhisseventhglassofwhisky，alsoempty。Therestofthemenhadslunkofftobed。Thebaron，whoallunknowntohimselfhadbeenasubjectofmostinterestingobservationtomethewholeevening，beingnowpracticallyalonewithme，condescendedtoturnaneye，aswideawakeasafox’s，albeitslightlybloodshot，uponthecontemptiblewhite-facedpersonwhohadpreferredspendingtherawhoursoverhispapers，withintheradiusofagloriousfire’swarmth，tocreepingslylyovertreacherousquagmiresinthepursuitoftimidbogcreaturessnipeshootinghadbeentheorderoftheday——thebaron，Isay，becameawareofmyexistenceandenteredintoconversationwithme。
　　“Hewouldnodoubthavebeenmuchsurprisedcouldhehaveknownthathewasalreadymappedout，craniologicallyandphysiognomically，cataloguedwithcareandneatlylaidbyinhisproperethnologicalbox，inmyprivatetypemuseum；that，asIsatandexaminedhimfrommydifferentcoignsofvantageinlibrary，indiningandsmokingroomthatevening，notalookofhis，notagesturewentforthbuthadsignificanceforme。
　　“You，Ihadthought，withyourbroadshouldersanddeepchest；yourmassiveheadthatshouldhavegonewithatallstature，notwiththoseshortsturdylimbs；withyourthickredhair，thatshouldhavebeenblackforthatmatter，asshouldyourwide-setyelloweyes——youwouldbearealpuzzletoonewhodidnotrecognizeinyouequalmixturesofthefair，stalwartandmuscularSlavwiththebilious-sanguine，thick-set，wiryTuranian。Yourpedigreewouldnodoubtbearmeout:thereisasmuchoftheMagyarasofthePoleinyouranatomy。Athlete，andyetatangleofnerves；aferociousbruteatbottom，Idaresay，foryourbroadforeheadinclinestoflatness；underyourbristlingbeardyourjawmustprotrude，andthebaseofyourskullisominouslythick。And，withallthat，capableofidealtransports:whenthatgirlplayedandsangto-
　　nightIsawtheswellingofyoureyelidveins，andhowthatsmall，tenacious，claw-likehandofyourstwitched！Youwouldbeafineleaderofmen——butGodhelpthewretchesinyourpower！
　　“SohadImuseduponhim。YetIconfessthatwhenwecameinclosercontactwitheachother，evenIwasnotproofagainstthesingularcourtesyofhismannerandhisunaccountablepersonalcharm。
　　“Ourconversationsoongrewinteresting；tomeasamatterofcourse，andevidentlytohimalso。Afewgeneralwordsledtointerchangeofremarksuponthecountrywewerebothvisitorsinandsotonationalcharacteristics——PoleandIrishmanhavenotafewincommon，bothintheirnatureandhistory。Anobservationwhichhemade，notwithoutacertainflashinhislighteyesandatransientuncoveringoftheteeth，ontheIrishtypeoffemalebeautysuddenlysuggestedtomeastanzaofanancientPolishballad，veryfullofmilk-and-bloodimagery，ofalternatingferocityandvoluptuousness。ThisIquotedtotheastoundedforeignerinthevernacular，andthisitwasthatmetamorphosedhismereperfectionofcivilityintosuddenwarmth，and，infact，procuredmetheinvitationinquestion。
　　“WhenIleftRathdrumthebaron’slastwordstomewerethatifI
　　everthoughtofvisitinghiscountryotherwisethaninbooks，heheldmeboundtomakeYany，hisGalicianseat，myheadquartersofstudy。
　　“FromCzernowicz，therefore，whereIstoppedsometime，Iwrote，receivedinduetimeafewlinesofprettilywordedreply，andultimatelyenteredmysledinthenearesttownto，yetatamostforbiddingdistancefrom，Yany，andstartedonmyjourneythither。
　　“TheundertakingmeantmanylonghoursofundulationandskiddingovertheNovembersnow，tothesomniferousbelljangleofmydirtylittlehorses，theonlyimpressionofinterestbeingaweirdgypsyconcertIcameinforatamiserabledrinking-boothhalfburiedinthesnowwherewehaltedfortherefreshmentofmanandbeast。
　　Here，Iremember，Idiscoveredaverydefiniteconnectionbetweenthecharacteristicrunofthetsimbol，thepeculiarbiteoftheZigeuner’sbowonhisfiddle-string，andsomedistinctivepointsofTuraniantongues。Inothercountries，inSpain，forinstance，yourgypsyspeaksdifferentlyonhisinstrument。But，oddlyenough，whenIlaterattemptedtoputthisobservationonpaperIcouldfindnowordtoexpressit。“
　　Afewofourcompanyevincedsignsofsleepiness，butmostofuswhoknewMarshfield，andthathecould，unlesshehadsomethingnoveltosay，beassilentandretiringashenowevincedsignsofbeingcopious，awaitedfurtherdevelopmentswithpatience。Hehashisowndeliberatewayofspeaking，whichheevidentlyenjoysgreatly，thoughitbeoccasionallytryingtohislisteners。
　　“Ontheafternoonofmysecondday’sdrive，thesnow，whichtillthenhadfallenfineandcontinuous，ceased，andmyJehu，suddenlyinterruptinghimselfinthemidstofsomeexcitingwolfstoryquiteinkeepingwiththetimeofyearandthewildsurroundings，pointedtoadistantspotagainstthegrayskytothenorthwest，betweentwowood-coveredfoldsofground——thefirsteasternspursofthegreatCarpathianchain。
　　“’TherestandsYany，’saidhe。Ilookedatmyfar-offgoalwithinterest。Aswedrewnearer，thesinkingsun，justdippingbehindthehills，tingedthenowdistinctfrontagewithacoldcopper-likegleam，butitwasonlyforaminute；thenextthebuildingbecamenothingmoretotheeyethanablackirregularsilhouetteagainstthecrimsonsky。
　　“Beforeweenteredthelong，steepavenueofpoplars，theearlywinterdarknesswasuponus，renderedallthemoredepressingbygraymistswhichgaveaghostlyaspecttosuchobjectsasthesheenofthesnowrenderedvisible。Onceortwicetherewerefeebleflashesoflightloominginiridescenthalosaswepassedlittleclustersofhovels，butforwhichIshouldhavebeeninducedtofancythatthegreatHofstoodaloneinthewilderness，suchwasthedeathlystillnessaround。Butevenasthetall，squarebuildingrosebeforeusabovethevapor，yellowlightedinvariousstories，andmightyinheightandbreadth，therebrokeuponmyearadeep-mouthed，menacingbay，whichgaveatoncealmostalarmingrealitytotheeeriesurroundings。’Hislordship’sboarandwolfhounds，’quothmycharioteercalmly，unmindfuloftheregularpandemoniumofhowlsandbarkswhichensuedasheskillfullyturnedhishorsesthroughthegatewayandfloggedthetiredbeastsintoasortofshamblingcanterthatwemightlandwithglorybeforethehousedoor:aweaknesscommon，Ibelieve，todriversofallnations。
　　“Ialightedinthecourtofhonor，andwhileawaitingananswertomytugatthebell，stood，brokenwithfatigue，depressed，chilledandaching，questioningthewisdomofmyproceedingsandtheamountofcomfort，physicalandmoral，thatwaslikelytoawaitmeinatete-a-tetevisitwithawell-manneredsavageinhisownhome。
　　“Theunkempttribeofstableretainerswhobegantogatherroundmeandmyroughvehicleinthegloom，withtheirevil-smellingsheepskinsandtheirresigned，batteredvisages，werenotcalculatedtoreassureme。Yetwhenthedooropened，therestoodasmartchasseurandasolemnmajor-domowhomightbutjusthavesteppedoutofMayfair；andtherewasdisplayedaspreadingvistaofwarm，deep-coloredhalls，withhereastatueandthereastuffedbear，andunderfootpilecarpetsstrewnwithrarestskins。
　　“Marveling，yetcomfortedwithal，Ifollowedthesolemnbutler，whoreceivedmewiththedeferenceduetoanexpectedguestandexpressedthemaster’sregretforhisenforcedabsencetilldinnertime。Itraversedvastrooms，eachmoresumptuousthanthelast，feelingthestrangenessofthecontrastbetweentheouterdesolationandthissybariticexcessofluxurygrowingevermorestronglyuponme；caughtaglimpseofapicturegallery，wherepeculiaryetadmirablyexecutedlatter-dayFrenchpictureshungsidebysidewithferociousboarhuntsofSnyderandsuchkin；and，atlength，wasusheredintoamostcheerfulroom，moderntoexcessinitscomfortablepromise，where，inadditiontothetallstovenecessaryforwarmth，thereburnedonanopenhearthavastlypleasantfireofresinouslogs，andwhere，onalowtable，awaitedmeadaintyserviceoffragrantRussiantea。