“I looked at him with disgust and an instantaneous revulsion of feeling.  What!  Should I call in the aid of all those elaborate appliances to dispatch a poor trembling devil like this?  I would have none of them.  The concussor was good enough for him.  Nay, it was too good.

“I reached out behind me and lifted one of the nooses from its hook.  Its own weight had nearly closed the loop, for the steel eyelet spliced into the end ran very easily and smoothly on the well-greased rope.  I opened the loop wide, and leaning towards Piragoff from behind, quietly dropped it over his shoulders, pulling it tight as it fell to the level of his elbows.  He sprang up, but at that instant I kicked away one of his feet and pushed him to the unsupported side, when he fell sprawling face downwards.  I gave another tug at the rope, and, as he struggled to get to his feet, I snatched the fall of the tackle from its hook and ran away with it, hauling as I went.  Looking back, I saw Piragoff slowly rise to the pull of the tackle until he was upright with his feet just touching the floor.  Then I belayed the fall securely to one of a pair of cleats, and approached him.

“Hitherto, sheer amazement had kept him silent, but as I drew near him he gave a yell of terror.  This would not do.  Taking the gag from the place where I had hidden it in readiness, I came behind him and slipped it over his mouth where I secured it, cautiously evading his attempts to clutch at me.  It was a poor gag—­having no tongue-piece—­but it answered its purpose, for it reduced his shouts to mere muffled bellowings, inaudible outside.

“Now that the poor wretch was pinioned and gagged and helpless, my feelings urged me to get the business over quickly.  But certain formalities had to be observed.  It was an execution.  I stepped in front of the prisoner and addressed him.

“‘Listen to me, Piragoff.’  At the sound of his name he stopped bellowing and stared at me, and I continued, ’Twenty years ago a burglar came to this house.  He was in the dining-room at two o’clock in the morning preparing to steal the plate.  A lady came into the room and disturbed him.  He tried to prevent her from ringing the bell.  But she rang it; and he shot her dead.  I need not tell you, Piragoff, who that burglar was.  But I will tell you who I am.  I am the husband of that lady.  I have been looking for you for twenty years, and now I have caught you; and you have got to pay the penalty of that murder.’

“As I ceased speaking he broke out into fresh bellowings.  He wagged his head from side to side and the tears coursed down his ghastly face.  It was horrible.  Trembling, myself, from head to foot, I took the second noose from its hook, passed it over his head and quickly adjusted it.  Then I snatched the second fall and walked away with it, gathering in the slack.  As the rope tightened in my hand the bellowings suddenly ceased.  I never looked back.  I continued to haul until I felt the tackle-blocks come together.  I belayed the rope to the second cleat and set a half-hitch on the turns.  Then I walked out of the museum and shut the door.