thing in
particular--'

'If it be the evergreen tree at Upsal,' said I, interrupting him, 'I hold
it to have been a yew--what else? The evergreens of the south, as the
old bishop observes, will not grow in the north, and a pine was unfitted
for such a locality, being a vulgar tree. What else could it have been
but the yew--the sacred yew which our ancestors were in the habit of
planting in their churchyards? Moreover, I affirm it to have been the
yew for the honour of the tree; for I love the yew, and had I home and
land, I would have one growing before my front windows.'

'You would do right, the yew is indeed a venerable tree, but it is not
about the yew.'

'The star Jupiter, perhaps?'

'Nor the star Jupiter, nor its moons; an observation which escaped you at
the inn has made a considerable impression upon me.'

'But I really must take my departure,' said I; 'the dark hour is at
hand.'

And as I uttered these latter words the stranger touched rapidly
something which lay near him--I forget what it was. It was the first
action of the kind which I had observed on his part since we sat down to
table.

'You allude to the evil chance,' said I; 'but it is getting both dark and
late.'

'I believe we are going to have a storm,' said my friend, 'but I really
hope that you will give me your company for a day or two; I have, as I
said before, much to talk to you about.'

'Well,' said I, 'I shall be most happy to be your guest for this night; I
am ignorant of the country, and it is not pleasant to travel unknown
paths by night--dear me, what a flash of lightning.'

It had become very dark; suddenly a blaze of sheet lightning illumed the
room. By the momentary light I distinctly saw my host touch another
object upon the table.

'Will you allow me to ask you a question or two?' said he at last.

'As many as you please,' said I; 'but shall we not have lights?'

'Not unless you particularly wish it,' said my entertainer; 'I rather
like the dark, and though a storm is evidently at hand, neither thunder
nor lightning has any terrors for me. It is other things I quake at--I
should rather say ideas. Now permit me to ask you--'

And then my entertainer asked me various questions, to all of which I
answered unreservedly; he was then silent for some time, at last he
exclaimed, 'I should wish to tell you the history of my life--though not
an adventurous one, I think it contains some things which will interest
you.'