knew that he meant Mr. Maskew, and recollected that some had warned the
magistrate that he had better keep out of Elzevir's way, for there was no
knowing what a desperate man might do. And yet the two had met since in
the village street, and nothing worse come of it than a scowling look
from Block.

'Tush, man!' broke in the sexton, 'it was the foulest deed ever man
did; but let not thy mind brood on it, nor think how thou mayest get
thyself avenged. Leave that to Providence; for He whose wisdom lets
such things be done, will surely see they meet their due reward.
"Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, saith the Lord".' And he took his
hat off and hung it on a peg.

Block did not answer, but set three glasses on the table, and then took
out from a cupboard a little round long-necked bottle, from which he
poured out a glass for Ratsey and himself. Then he half-filled the third,
and pushed it along the table to me, saying, 'There, take it, lad, if
thou wilt; 'twill do thee no good, but may do thee no harm.'

Ratsey raised his glass almost before it was filled. He sniffed the
liquor and smacked his lips. 'O rare milk of Ararat!' he said, 'it is
sweet and strong, and sets the heart at ease. And now get the
backgammon-board, John, and set it for us on the table.' So they fell to
the game, and I took a sly sip at the liquor, but nearly choked myself,
not being used to strong waters, and finding it heady and burning in the
throat. Neither man spoke, and there was no sound except the constant
rattle of the dice, and the rubbing of the pieces being moved across the
board. Now and then one of the players stopped to light his pipe, and at
the end of a game they scored their totals on the table with a bit of
chalk. So I watched them for an hour, knowing the game myself, and being