ver Suvaroff. There was a soft tap upon the door. The
three women and Suvaroff looked up. Flavio Minetti stood in the doorway.

The three women gave the hunchback swift, inclusive glances, such as
women always use when they measure a newcomer, and speedily dropped
their eyes. Suvaroff stared silently at the warped figure. Minetti
leaned against the door; his smile was at once both cruel and curiously
touching. At length Minetti spoke. The sound of his voice provoked a
sort of terror in the breast of Suvaroff.

"I have just heard," he said, benevolently, "from the proprietor of the
wine-shop across the way, that your neighbor has been murdered. The
landlady tells me that his mother is here."

The old woman roused herself. "Yes--you can see for yourself that I am
here. I am a poor old woman, and my son--Ah! I was washing his socks
when--"

"Yes, yes!" interrupted the hunchback, advancing into the room. "You are
a poor old woman! Let me give you some money in all charity."

He threw gold into her lap. She began to tremble. Suvaroff saw her hands
greedily close over the coins, and the sight sickened him.

"Why did you come?" Suvaroff demanded of Minetti. "Go away! You are not
wanted here!"

The three women rose. The old woman began to mumble a blessing. She even
put up her hand in the fashion of bestowing a benediction. Suvaroff
fancied that he saw Minetti wince.

"He was a good son," the old woman began to mutter they led her out. At
the door she looked back. Suvaroff turned away. "Once a week he came to
me and brought me five dollars," she said, quite calmly. "He was a good
son. He even played his music to give pleasure to others. Yes, yes! He
was like that all his life...."

When the women were gone, Suvaroff felt the hunchback's hand upon his.
Suvaroff turned a face of dry-eyed hopelessness toward his tormentor.

"Did you not sleep peacefully last night, my friend?" Minetti inquired,
mockingly.

"After the thud I knew nothing," replied Suvaroff.

"The thud?"

"He fell from his chair."

"Of course. That was to be expected. Just so."

"You see for yourself what you have done? Fancy, this man has a mother!"

"See, it is just as I said. Already you are dragging this dead thing
about, chained to your wrist. Come, forget it. I should have killed him,
anyway."

"That is not the point. The point is--My God! Tell me, in what fashion
do these people laugh at you? Tell me how it is done."

"Laughter cannot b