had
brought up, some days before, to cut a piece of cord, and had forgotten
to take away with him. He moved slowly towards it, passing Hallward as
he did so. As soon as he got behind him, he seized it, and turned round.
Hallward stirred in his chair as if he was going to rise. He rushed at
him, and dug the knife into the great vein that is behind the ear,
crushing the man's head down on the table, and stabbing again and again.

There was a stifled groan, and the horrible sound of someone choking
with blood. Three times the outstretched arms shot up convulsively,
waving grotesque stiff-fingered hands in the air. He stabbed him twice
more, but the man did not move. Something began to trickle on the floor.
He waited for a moment, still pressing the head down. Then he threw the
knife on the table, and listened.

He could hear nothing but the drip, drip on the threadbare carpet. He
opened the door and went out on the landing. The house was absolutely
quiet. No one was about. For a few seconds he stood bending over the
balustrade, and peering down into the black seething well of darkness.
Then he took out the key and returned to the room, locking himself in as
he did so.

The thing was still seated in the chair, straining over the table with
bowed head, and humped back, and long fantastic arms. Had it not been
for the red jagged tear in the neck, and the clotted black pool that was
slowly widening on the table, one would have said that the man was
simply asleep.

How quickly it had all been done! He felt strangely calm, and, walking
over to the window, opened it, and stepped out on the balcony. The wind
had blown the fog away, and the sky was like a monstrous peacock's tail,
starred with myriads of golden eyes. He looked down, and saw the
policeman going his rounds and flashing the long beam of his lantern on
the doors of the silent houses. The crimson spot of a prowling hansom
gleamed at the corner, and then vanished. A woman in a fluttering shawl
was creeping slowly by the railings, staggering as she went. Now and
then she stopped, and peered back. Once, she began to sing in a hoarse
voice. The policeman strolled over and said something to her. She
stumbled away, laughing. A bitter blast swept across the Square. The
gas-lamps flickered, and became blue, and the leafless trees shook their
black iron branches to and fro. He shivered, and went back, closing the
window behind him.

Having reached the door, he turned the