In an instant I put out my light and slipped behind the
window-curtains. Next moment the door was flung open and two
Spaniards strode into the room, fierce, swarthy men in the dress
of citizens, but with muskets slung over their shoulders. I
looked through the chink in the curtains in an agony of fear lest
they had come upon my traces, but it was evident that their visit
was simply in order to feast their eyes upon my unfortunate
compatriot.

One of them held the lantern which he carried up in front of the
dying man, and both of them burst into a shout of mocking
laughter. Then the eyes of the man with the lantern fell upon
the flagon of wine upon the table. He picked it up, held it,
with a devilish grin, to the lips of Hubert, and then, as the
poor wretch involuntarily inclined his head forward to reach it,
he snatched it back and took a long gulp himself. At the same
instant he uttered a loud cry, clutched wildly at his own throat,
and fell stone-dead upon the floor. His comrade stared at him in
horror and amazement. Then, overcome by his own superstitious
fears, he gave a yell of terror and rushed madly from the room.
I heard his feet clattering wildly on the cobble-stones until the
sound died away in the distance.

The lantern had been left burning upon the table, and by its
light I saw, as I came out from behind my curtain, that the
unfortunate Hubert's head had fallen forward upon his chest and
that he also was dead. That motion to reach the wine with his
lips had been his last. A clock ticked loudly in the house, but
otherwise all was absolutely still. On the wall hung the twisted