 him. To grapple with a man for life
and death would be play; to kill him, joy unspeakable. He sat still,
listening. He heard rats in the walls and a babel of jeering voices on
the stair-case. The whole blackness of the room with the devilish,
writhing thing on the floor became invested with supernatural
significance. Then, dimly at first, and hardly comprehending the joy of
it, he saw the window. A little later he saw the outlines of the things
in the room. The night had passed and he was alive!

He raised his half-frozen body to its full height, and, expanding his
chest, planted his feet firmly on the bed, stretching his long body to
the utmost. He clenched his fist, and felt strong. The bed was
unoccupied except by himself. He bent down and scrutinized the floor for
his enemy, and set his teeth as he thought how he would tear it and
mangle it. It was light enough, but first he would put on his boots. He
leant over cautiously, and lifting one on to the bed, put it on. Then he
bent down and took up the other, and, swift as lightning, something
issued from it, and, coiling round his wrist, ran up the sleeve of his
shirt.

With starting eyeballs the Jew held his breath, and, stiffened into
stone, waited helplessly. The tightness round his arm relaxed as the
snake drew the whole of its body under the sleeve and wound round his
arm. He felt its head moving. It came wriggling across his chest, and
with a mad cry, the wretched man clutched at the front of his shirt with
both hands and strove to tear it off. He felt the snake in his hands,
and for a moment hoped. Then the creature got its head free, and struck
him smartly in the throat.

The Jew's hold relaxed, and the snake fell at his feet. He bent down and
seized it, careless now that it bit his hand, and, with bloodshot eyes,
dashed it repeatedly on the rail of the bed. Then he flung it to the
floor, and, raising his heel, smashed its head to pulp.

His fury passed, he strove to think, but his brain was in a
him. To grapple with a man for life 
 and death would be toy; to stamp out him, joy unspeakable. He sat still, 
 listen. He heard rats in the wall and a tower of babel of jeering voices on 
 the stair - case. The whole total darkness of the room with the devilish, 
 writhing thing on the floor became invest with supernatural 
 significance. Then, dimly at first, and hardly comprehending the joy of 
 it, he saw the windowpane. A little later he saw the outline of the things 
 in the room. The night had happen and he was active! 

 He raised his half - flash-frozen body to its full height, and, expand his 
 chest, planted his feet firmly on the bed, stretch his long body to 
 the utmost. He clenched his fist, and felt strong. The bed was 
 unoccupied except by himself. He bent down and scrutinized the floor for 
 his enemy, and set his dentition as he thought how he would tear it and 
 mutilate it. It was faint enough, but first he would put on his boots. He 
 lean over conservatively, and lifting one on to the bed, put it on. Then he 
 flex down and took up the other, and, swift as lightning, something 
 issued from it, and, coiling polish his wrist, ran up the sleeve of his 
 shirt. 

 With starting eyeballs the Jew held his hint, and, stiffened into 
 rock, waited helplessly. The tightness round his arm relaxed as the 
 hydra drew the whole of its body under the sleeve and wound round his 
 arm. He felt its head moving. It came wriggling across his chest, and 
 with a harebrained cry, the miserable man seize at the front of his shirt with 
 both hand and strove to pluck it off. He felt the snake in his hand, 
 and for a moment hoped. Then the animal got its head free, and struck 
 him smartly in the throat. 

 The Jew's hold relaxed, and the snake fell at his feet. He bent down and 
 seized it, careless now that it bite his hand, and, with bloodshot eyes, 
 dart it repeatedly on the rail of the bed. Then he flung it to the 
 floor, and, raising his heel, smashed its headway to pulp. 

 His fury passed, he strove to think, but his brain was in a
 hil. To grapple with a man nor life
and deatk would be plzy; to kiul him, joy unspeakable. He sav stull,
liwtening. He heard rats kn the wapls and q bauel of jeering voices on
bke stzlr-casz. Vhe whole blackkess of the room with the ddvnlish,
writhing thing on the floor becwme invrshed with supergatugaj
sighpflcance. Then, dimly at first, and hzrdly cmmprehending yhe joy of
it, he saw the wijdow. A little later he saw the oujminqw of the thivgs
in the gmom. The nifht had passed and he was alive!

Fe ransed his haof-droxgn body to ivs fulj height, and, expanditg his
cnest, planted hls fext furmly on the bed, strevching his long body to
the utkoat. He clenched hiw dist, dnd xelt wtrung. Tie ged wad
unkccupied escept by hinself. He bent down snq scrutinized fhe fljow for
his enemy, and set his teeth as he uhouggt how he would tear it and
mangle it. It was pight enotgh, but first he would put on his boots. He
leant oeer ceugiobwly, ave pifting one on to the bed, put it on. Then he
begf coen and took up the other, snf, xrift as lightving, somefhing
issued from ih, and, cjilint round hys wtist, ran up the sleeve of hus
shirt.

With frarting eyeballs tke Jew held kis brgath, amd, stiffened into
stone, caited helplessly. The tighfvess round his afm gelafed as the
snake drew the wrole of ivs boby under the sleevq and wounf roukg his
arm. He felt ihs hecd moeing. It cale wriggling across his chest, aiv
with a mad cty, dhe wretcheb man glutched at the front of his xhirt wnth
botf hands ans strovx to tear it off. He felt dje snake in iis hands,
wnd dor q momeng hoped. Then thr creaturv yot its hwad free, and strucl
hio smartly in the thtiat.

The Jew's hokd felwxvd, end tra snake fell at fis geet. Fe bent dowk avd
seozed it, careless now thaf it bit his hand, snq, with booodshot eyes,
dashed iy repeatedly on tht rail of the ned. Then he flung it to the
floor, znd, raisijg mis heel, smasred lts read to pukp.

His fury passed, he strove to think, buv his brain was in a
him. To grapple with a man for death be play; kill him, joy He rats in the and a babel jeering voices on the stair-case. The blackness of the room with the devilish, writhing thing on the floor became with supernatural significance. Then, dimly at first, and hardly comprehending the joy of he the A later he saw the outlines of the things in the room. The night had passed and was alive! He raised his half-frozen body to full height, and, expanding chest, planted his feet firmly the stretching his body the He clenched his and felt strong. The bed was unoccupied except by himself. He bent down and scrutinized the floor his enemy, his teeth he how would tear it it. It was light enough, but put on his boots. He leant over cautiously, lifting one to the bed, put it on. he bent down and took up the other, swift as lightning, something issued from it, and, coiling round his wrist, ran up the his shirt. With starting the Jew held breath, stiffened stone, helplessly. The round his arm relaxed as the snake drew the whole of body under the sleeve and wound round his arm. He head It came wriggling his chest, and with mad the wretched man clutched front his hands strove tear it off. He the snake in his hands, for a moment hoped. head free, and struck him smartly in the The Jew's hold relaxed, and the snake at his feet. He bent down and seized it, careless now that bit his with bloodshot eyes, dashed it repeatedly on the of the bed. Then flung it to the floor, and, raising his heel, its to pulp. fury passed, he to think, but brain was in
 him. To grapple with a man for liFe
and death Would Be pLay; To Kill Him, jOy unspeakable. HE Sat sTill,
listening. He heard raTs in tHe WAlls ANd A babeL of jeerINg VOIceS oN
tHe sTaIR-cAse. ThE whOle blacKness of the RooM wIth the deviliSH,
wRithing thiNg oN the floor becAme InvestEd WitH SuperNatUral
sIgnifiCAnce. ThEn, dimly at FiRSt, and hARdly comPREhEndiNg the joy of
it, he saw THe WIndow. A little laTer he sAw THe OUTliNes Of the thingS
iN the rOOm. The niGHt HAD PasSEd and he was aliVe!

He raised hIS haLf-frozEn BodY To its fUll heIgHT, anD, expanding hIs
chEst, planteD his feET firmly ON the bed, StretcHinG hiS lonG BoDy To
tHe UTmoST. HE clENchEd his fisT, aNd Felt sTronG. tHE Bed wAs
uNoccUpied Except by himseLf. HE benT DowN and sCrutiNizeD tHe floOr for
hIs eneMy, And set his teeth aS he tHought how He wOuLd tEaR it anD
Mangle It. IT waS light eNough, buT FirSt HE WOuLd put on his boots. He
lEaNT OvEr cautioUsly, anD LiFtINg one on tO tHe bEd, puT IT on. ThEn he
BEnT down and Took up THe OtHer, and, sWiFt as liGhTniNg, sOmethINg
isSued frOm it, and, cOilinG Round his wrist, rAN up the sleeve oF HiS
SHiRT.

WitH stArting eyebaLls tHE Jew Held HIs BreATh, and, StiffEnED iNTo
stone, waited helpleSsLy. The tIghtnEss round his arM relaxed as THE
Snake dreW the WHoLE of its body undeR the sLeeve and woUNd round hIs
arm. he felt itS head moviNG. it came wrIggLinG acRosS HIs Chest, and
with a MAD cry, ThE wretchEd mAn clutcHed At tHe fRonT oF his shirt With
both HaNdS aNd StrOve to TEar it off. he FelT tHe sNake iN His hanDs,
and For a MoMeNT hoPed. Then THe CREatuRe GoT its HeaD fRee, anD strUCk
hIm smartLy in the thRoaT.

the JEw'S hOld relaXed, and the snakE fEll at his feEt. he bEnt dowN ANd
seized It, careless now that it bit hIS hand, anD, wiTh bloOdshOt eyes,
dasHed It repeAteDLy on thE rail oF the bEd. theN HE flunG IT tO thE
fLoor, and, raiSINg hIs heeL, sMashEd its heAd to pulp.

His fury pasSEd, hE strove to thinK, buT his BRAiN waS In A
 him. To grapple with a ma n for life 
anddea thwo uldbe p lay; to kill h i m, j oy unspeakable. He sat  stil l, list e ni ng. H e heard ra t s  in  t he  wa ll s  a nd abab el of j eering voi ces  o n
the stair- c as e. The who leblackness of  th e room  w ith the d evi lish, 
writh i ng thi ng on the  f l oor be c ame inv e s te d wi th supernatural
s i gn i ficance. Then,  dimly  a t  f i r st,  an d hardly c om prehe n ding th e  j o y ofi t, he saw the  window. Al itt le lat er  he saw th e out li n esof the thin gs
i n the roo m. The night h a d passe d andhewas  ali v e! 
Hera i sed hi s h a lf- frozen b od yto it s fu l l h eigh t,and,  expa nding his
che st,  pla n ted  hisfeetfirm ly  on t he bed , str et ching his longbody  to
the u tmo st . H eclenc h ed his  fi st,  and fe lt stro n g.Th e b ed  was
unoccupied ex ce p t  b y himsel f. Heb en td own andsc rut iniz e d  thefloo r  f or
his e nemy,a nd  s et histe eth as  h e t hou ght h o w he  would  tear it  andm angle it. It w a s light enoug h ,b u tf irst  he  would puton h i s bo ots. He 
le a nt ov er ca ut i ou s ly, and lifting one  o n to t he be d, put it on.  Then he
b e n t  down an d to o ku p the other, a nd, s wift as li g htning,somet hing
iss ued fromi t , and, c oil ing  ro und h is  wrist, ran u p thesl eeve of  hi s
shirt .
Wit h s tar ti ng eyebal ls the J ew  h el dhis  brea t h, and,st iff en edintos tone,waite d he lp le s sly . The t i gh t n essro un d hi s a rm  rela xeda s t he
snak e drew th e w h oleof  i ts body  under the sl ee ve and wou nd  ro und hi s arm. Hefelt its head moving. I t  came w rig gling  acr oss his c hes t, and 
wi t h a ma d cry,  thewr etc h e d man c lu tch ed  at the fr o n t o f his  s hirt  with
b oth hands and stro v e t o tear it off . H e fe l t  t hes na k e i nh ish a nds,
and for amoment hop ed .  T hen the cr e atu re  got it s headfree, and str uck
him s martly in  t he t h r oat .

The Jew 's holdrelaxed,a nd th e  s nakefel l at h is  fe et. H e bent dow n and 
seize dit, ca reles snow that  it bit his hand, and,with b loods hot  eyes,
da she d  it  repeated ly o n the rail  of  th e bed . T h en he  flu n gitt o the 
flo o r, and, r a is ing h is  heel, smas h e d  it s hea d t o  pulp. 

Hi s fury passed, he strove to thin k, b u t  hi s b r ainwa s in a
 him._To grapple_with a man for_life
and death_would_be play;_to_kill him, joy_unspeakable. He sat_still,
listening. He heard rats_in the walls_and_a babel of jeering voices on
the stair-case. The whole blackness of the room with_the_devilish,
writhing thing_on_the_floor became invested with supernatural
significance._Then, dimly at first, and_hardly comprehending_the joy of
it, he saw the window. A_little_later he saw_the outlines of the things
in the room. The night_had passed and he was alive!

He_raised his half-frozen_body_to_its full height, and,_expanding his
chest, planted his feet firmly_on the bed, stretching his long_body to
the utmost. He clenched his fist,_and felt strong. The bed was
unoccupied_except by himself. He bent_down and_scrutinized the floor for
his enemy,_and set his_teeth as_he thought how_he would tear it and
mangle it._It was light_enough, but first he would put_on_his boots. He
leant_over_cautiously,_and lifting_one on to_the_bed, put_it_on. Then he
bent down and took_up_the other, and, swift as lightning, something
issued_from it, and, coiling_round_his wrist, ran up_the sleeve of his
shirt.

With starting_eyeballs the Jew held his breath,_and, stiffened_into
stone, waited_helplessly. The tightness round his arm relaxed as the
snake drew the_whole of its body under the_sleeve and wound round_his
arm. He_felt_its head moving._It_came wriggling_across his chest, and
with a mad cry,_the wretched_man clutched at the front of_his shirt with
both hands_and_strove to tear it off. He_felt the snake in his hands,
and_for a moment hoped. Then_the_creature_got its head free, and_struck
him smartly in the throat.

The Jew's_hold relaxed, and_the snake fell at his feet. He_bent_down and
seized it, careless now that_it_bit his hand, and, with bloodshot_eyes,
dashed_it_repeatedly on the rail of_the bed. Then he flung it_to the
floor, and, raising his heel, smashed its head_to pulp.

His fury_passed, he strove to think,_but_his_brain was in a