Told by the Death's Head: A Romantic Tale Read online

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  "Stay, Constable, I want to see what you put into thatfire pot--open it"]

  TOLD BY THEDEATH'S HEAD

  A ROMANTIC TALEBYMAURUS JOKAI

  TRANSLATED BYS. E. BOGGS

  _Translator of Prof. Haeckel's "India and Ceylon," Maurus Jokai's"The Nameless Castle," etc._

  ILLUSTRATED

  THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANYCHICAGO AKRON, OHIO NEW YORK1908

  COPYRIGHT, 1902,BYTHE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY

  MADE BYTHE WERNER COMPANYAKRON, OHIO

  PREFACE.

  In Part II, Vol. 2, of the Rhenish _Antiquarius_, I once came across askull that is said--see page 612--to swing, enclosed in a metalcasket, from an iron bar in the foundry of Ehrenbreitstein fortress.Distinction of this order does not fall to an ordinary mortal. Yonempty shell of human wisdom once bore the burden of no less thantwenty-one mortal sins--the seven _originalia_ trebled. Each crime isnoted. The criminal confessed to the entire three-times-seven, and yetthe death sentence was not passed upon him because of the twenty-onecrimes. His fate was decided by the transgression of a militaryregulation.

  What if this skull could speak? What if it could defenditself?--relate, with all the grim humor of one on the rack, the manypranks played--the mad follies committed, from the banks of theWeichsel to the delta of the Ganges!

  If my highly esteemed readers will promise to give me their credulousattention, I will relate what was told to me by the death's head.

  THE AUTHOR.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  PREFACE 1

  PART I

  I THE "FIRE-POT." 5II THE TRIAL. 17

  PART II

  I WITH THE ROBBERS--THE PRSJAKA CAVES. 25II THE BERDICZOV MONASTERY. 85

  PART IIIIN THE SERVICE OF THE DUKE.

  I MALACHI. 101II PERSIDA. 114

  PART IVWITH THE TEMPLARS.

  I IN THE HOLLOW TREE. 138

  PART VTHE HOMICIDE.

  I ON BOARD MYNHEER'S SHIP. 173II THE MOO-CALF. 179

  PART VI

  I THE FORGERY.--ONE CIPHER. 204II THE LEGACY. 207

  PART VII

  I PEACEFUL REPOSE. 215

  PART VIIIIN BENGAL.

  I BEGUM SUMRO. 232II IDOL WORSHIP. 242III MAIMUNA, AND DANESH. 249

  PART IXON THE HIGH SEAS.

  I THE PIRATES. 267

  PART XUXORICIDE.

  I THE SECUNDOGENITUR. 279II THE QUICKSANDS. 289

  PART XIIN SATAN'S REALM.

  I THE SATYRS. 300II WITCH-SABBATH. 311

  PART XIITHE BREAD OF SHAME.

  I THE MAGIC THALER. 323II THE HUSBAND OF THE WIFE OF ANOTHER MAN. 329

  PART XIIITHE EXCHANGE OF BODIES.

  I THE QUACK DOCTOR. 335

  PART XIV

  I THE WHITE DOVE 347