self.

"You shall hear it out," he said. "Look here!" and he pulled a
greasy book from his pocket. "Here is a nautical almanack. What day
is it? December 23rd, or rather some time in the morning of December
24th, Christmas Eve. On the evening of December 24th it is full
moon, and dead low water at Falmouth about 11.30 p.m. Fate (do you
believe in fate, Mr. Trenoweth?) could not have chosen the time
better. In something under twenty hours one of us will have his
hands upon the treasure. Which will it be, eh? Which will it be?"

Well I knew which it would be, and the knowledge was bitter as gall.

"A merry Christmas, Mr. Jasper Trenoweth! Peace on earth and
good-will--You will bear no malice by that time. So a merry
Christmas, and a merry Christmas-box! likewise the compliments of the
season, and a happy New Year to you! Where are you going to spend
Christmas, Mr. Trenoweth--eh? I am thinking of passing it by the
sea. You will, perhaps, try the sea too, only you will be _in_ it.
Thames runs swiftly when it has a corpse for cargo. Oho!

"At his red, red lips the merrymaid sips
For the kiss that his sweetheart stole, my lads--
Sing ho! for the bell shall toll!

"I'm afraid no bell will toll for you, Mr. Trenoweth; not yet awhile
at any rate. Not till your sweetheart is weary of waiting--

"And the devil has got his due, my lads--
Sing ho! but he waits for you!

"Both waiting for you, Mr. Trenoweth, your sweetheart and the devil--
which shall have you? 'Ladies first,' you would say. Aha! I am not
so sure. By the way, might I give a guess at your sweetheart's name?
Might it begin with a C? Might she be a famous actress? Claire
perhaps she calls herself? Aha! Claire's pretty eyes will go red
with watching before she sets them on you again. Fie on you to keep
so sweet a maiden waiting! And where will you be all the time, Mr.
Jasper Trenoweth?"

He stopped at last, mastered by his ferocity and almost panting. But
I, for the sound of Claire's name had maddened me, broke out in
fury--

"Dog and devil! I shall be lying with all the other victims of your
accursed life; dead as my father whom you foully murdered within
sight of his home; dead as those other poor creatures you slew upon
the _Belle Fortune_; dead as my mother whose pure mind fled at sight
of your infernal face, whose very life fled at sight of your
handiwork; dead as John Railton whom you stabbed to dea