Liberian Literary Magazine
books were lying on the table , on the two easychairs , and on the carpet near the table .
Five minutes passed and the prisoner did not once stir . Fifteen years ' imprisonment had taught him to sit still . The banker tapped at the window with his finger , and the prisoner made no movement whatever in response . Then the banker cautiously broke the seals off the door and put the key in the keyhole . The rusty lock gave a grating sound and the door creaked . The banker expected to hear at once footsteps and a cry of astonishment , but three minutes passed and it was as quiet as ever in the room . He made up his mind to go in .
At the table a man unlike ordinary people was sitting motionless . He was a skeleton with the skin drawn tight over his bones , with long curls like a woman ' s and a shaggy beard . His face was yellow with an earthy tint in it , his cheeks were hollow , his back long and narrow , and the hand on which his shaggy head was propped was so thin and delicate that it was dreadful to look at it . His hair was already streaked with silver , and seeing his emaciated , aged-looking face , no one would have believed that he was only forty . He was asleep . . . . In front of his bowed head there lay on the table a sheet of paper on which there was something written in fine handwriting .
" Poor creature !" thought the banker , " he is asleep and most likely dreaming of the millions . And I have only to take this half-dead man , throw him on the bed , stifle him a little with the pillow , and the most conscientious expert would find no sign of a violent death . But let us first read what he has written here . . . ."
The banker took the page from the table and read as follows :
" To-morrow at twelve o ' clock I regain my freedom and the right to associate with other men , but before I leave this room and see the sunshine , I think it necessary to say a few words to you . With a clear conscience I tell you , as before God , who beholds me , that I despise freedom and life and health , and all that in your books is called the good things of the world .
" For fifteen years I have been intently studying earthly life . It is true I have not seen the earth nor men , but in your books I have drunk fragrant wine , I have sung songs , I have hunted stags and wild boars in the forests , have loved women . . . . Beauties as ethereal as clouds , created by the magic of your poets and geniuses , have visited me at night , and have whispered in my ears wonderful tales that have set my brain in a whirl . In your books I have climbed to the peaks of Elburz and Mont Blanc , and from there I have seen the sun rise and have watched it at evening flood the sky , the ocean , and
Promoting Liberian literature , Arts and Culture
the mountain-tops with gold and crimson . I have watched from there the lightning flashing over my head and cleaving the storm-clouds . I have seen green forests , fields , rivers , lakes , towns . I have heard the singing of the sirens , and the strains of the shepherds ' pipes ; I have touched the wings of comely devils who flew down to converse with me of God . . . . In your books I have flung myself into the bottomless pit , performed miracles , slain , burned towns , preached new religions , conquered whole kingdoms . . . .
" Your books have given me wisdom . All that the unresting thought of man has created in the ages is compressed into a small compass in my brain . I know that I am wiser than all of you .
" And I despise your books , I despise wisdom and the blessings of this world . It is all worthless , fleeting , illusory , and deceptive , like a mirage . You may be proud , wise , and fine , but death will wipe you off the face of the earth as though you were no more than mice burrowing under the floor , and your posterity , your history , your immortal geniuses will burn or freeze together with the earthly globe .
" You have lost your reason and taken the wrong path . You have taken lies for truth , and hideousness for beauty . You would marvel if , owing to strange events of some sorts , frogs and lizards suddenly grew on apple and orange trees instead of fruit , or if roses began to smell like a sweating horse ; so I marvel at you who exchange heaven for earth . I don ' t want to understand you .
" To prove to you in action how I despise all that you live by , I renounce the two millions of which I once dreamed as of paradise and which now I despise . To deprive myself of the right to the money I shall go out from here five hours before the time fixed , and so break the compact . . . ."
When the banker had read this he laid the page on the table , kissed the strange man on the head , and went out of the lodge , weeping . At no other time , even when he had lost heavily on the Stock Exchange , had he felt so great a contempt for himself . When he got home he lay on his bed , but his tears and emotion kept him for hours from sleeping .
Next morning the watchmen ran in with pale faces , and told him they had seen the man who lived in the lodge climb out of the window into the garden , go to the gate , and disappear . The banker went at once with the servants to the lodge and made sure of the flight of his prisoner . To avoid arousing unnecessary talk , he took from the table the writing in which the millions were renounced , and when he got home locked it up in the fireproof safe .
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