nd looked into my pocket-book; and as I sat there, the wind rose
outside, and there was a knocking in the gallery, as if some one was
knocking who wanted to get in, and could not open a door. I was
frightened, and put up my letters, and cried, 'If any one is there, let
him say so.' No one answered, but the knocking went on all the time.
Then I summoned up courage, took up the lamp, and went into the gallery,
and searched every room. I could see no one. And again there was the
knocking close to me, and then a great crack, and a door flew open,
which had never been open before, and from the door steps led down to
the water. When I put the lamp near the steps, I saw that a wet foot had
come up them, and the marks of it were to be seen all the way to the
room--wet spots on the floor. And I marveled, and said to myself,
'Schmeie,' said I, 'who has gone by night out of the water into the
room, leaving the door open, like a spirit?' And I was afraid; and
before I closed the door, I once more looked along the steps with the
lamp, and then I saw something sparkle in the light close to the water,
on the last step of all, and I ventured down one step after the other:
woe is me, Mr. Wohlfart, it was a hard task. The wind howled, and blew
my lamp about, and the staircase became as dark as a well; and that
which I picked up is yonder"--pointing to the spectacles--"the glasses
that he wore before his eyes."

"And how do you know that they are the dead man's spectacles?" asked
Anton, in painful suspense.

"I know them by the joint, which is tied round with black worsted. I
have often seen him in Pinkus's room with those spectacles on. So I hid
the spectacles, and thought to myself that I would say nothing about
them to Pinkus, but give them myself to Hippus, and see whether he could
be of use to me in business. I carried about the glasses till to-day,
expecting to see him; and when he did not come, I asked Pinkus for him,
and he answered, 'I know not where he is hiding.' And to-day, at noon,
as I entered the inn, Pinkus came running toward me, and said,
'Schmeie,' said he, 'if you want to speak to Hippus, you'll have to go
into the water; he has been found in the water.' It went through me like
a shot when he said this, and I had to hold on by the wall."

Anton went to his writing-table, dashed off a few lines to the
detective, who had not long left him, rang the bell, and desired the
servant to take the note in all haste.

Meanwhi