on Mr. Richard Ware to deliver his interesting lecture on the ingenious
instruments men have devised for butchering each other."

Dick put his hand to his head in a confused way. His real self was
beginning to merge itself into that of the quiet gentleman, and there
was a curious red mist before his eyes.

"Come on," cried Viviette. "Look at Katherine. Her mouth is watering for
tales of bloodshed."

Dick could not remember his usual starting-point. He stared stupidly at
the table for a moment; then picked up a weapon at random, and made a
great effort.

"This is a Toledo sixteenth-century sword--reported to have belonged to
Cosmo de Medici. You see here the '_palle_,' the Medici emblem. The one
next to it is a sword of the same period, only used by a meaner person.
I should prefer it, if there were any killing to be done."

He described one or two other weapons. Then, glancing over his shoulder
at Austin and Viviette, who were talking in low, confidential tones a
little way off, he stood stock still, and the beads of sweat gathered on
his forehead. Katherine's voice recalled his wandering wits.

"This is a cross-bow, isn't it? The thing the Ancient Mariner shot the
Albatross with."

"A cross-bow," said Dick. "The iron loop at the end was to put one's
foot into when one wanted to load it."