"Like--like _it_, like _this_! By the beard of Father Moses, I should think not--I should think--I should--oh, beautiful--glor--glorious--splendid--did--splen--oh, what a light--li--light--li--oh----!" As each of the disjointed syllables came from his shaking lips he mumbled more and more, and his head sank lower towards the priceless thing in his palm. As he gazed, the stone grew round and bigger and brighter, till it seemed like a great green-blazing eye glaring into the utmost depths of his being. Then the light suddenly went out, his head fell on his breast, and as his hand sank, Phadrig caught it and took away the jewel. Then he put the Jew back in the chair, and standing in front of him began in a slow, penetrating voice: "Isaac Josephus, thou hast gazed upon the Horus Stone, and he who doeth that may not answer the questions of an Adept with lies save at the price of his life. Now answer me truly, or to-morrow morning those of thine household shall find thee dead in thy bed." Wide open the eyes of the hypnotised man stared at him, and the loose lips quivered, but these were the only signs of life. "Thou art not only a dealer in gems and curious things: thou art also a spy of the police; is not that so?" "Yes." "Believing that I am a very poor man, yet knowing that I dealt with objects of value, they thought me to be one who receives such things from thieves to sell them again, since they could not. Is that so?" "Yes." "And, believing this, and knowing thee to have dealings with me, they bribed thee to come here as my friend and fellow-dealer and spy upon my actions, so that they might have evidence against me and cast me into prison. Is that so?" "Yes." "Late on the last night but one thou didst go to the house of Nicol Hendry, who is no common catcher of thieves, but a spy of nations whose business is with the great ones of the earth. Tell me: whom did thy business with him concern?" "Prince Oscarovitch and yourself." "What were his orders?" "To watch you both, especially you, and find out when you went to him, and why you were sometimes a poor devil in a miserable hole like this, and sometimes a swell going to swagger places with him." "How were you going to do this?" "I know your servant or chum, Mr Pentana. I've lent him money: and Peter Petroff, the Prince's particular servant, gambles like a lord, and he owes me and a friend of mine a lot of money. We were going to work through them." "It is enough; and well for you that you have answered truthfully. Now tell me: do you know how to use a revolver?" "Never fired a shot in my life."