And as he sat thus, at once busy and absent, he was startled to his feet.  A flash of ice, a flash of fire, a bursting gush of blood, went over him, and then he stood transfixed and thrilling.  A step mounted the stair slowly and steadily, and presently a hand was laid upon the knob, and the lock clicked, and the door opened.

Fear held Markheim in a vice.  What to expect he knew not—­whether the dead man walking, or the official ministers of human justice, or some chance witness blindly stumbling in to consign him to the gallows.  But when a face was thrust into the aperture, glanced round the room, looked at him, nodded and smiled as if in friendly recognition, and then withdrew again, and the door closed behind it, his fear broke loose from his control in a hoarse cry.  At the sound of this the visitant returned.

“Did you call me?” he asked, pleasantly, and with that he entered the room and closed the door behind him.

Markheim stood and gazed at him with all his eyes.  Perhaps there was a film upon his sight, but the outlines of the new comer seemed to change and waver like those of the idols in the wavering candle-light of the shop; and at times he thought he knew him; and at times he thought he bore a likeness to himself; and always, like a lump of living terror, there lay in his bosom the conviction that this thing was not of the earth and not of God.

And yet the creature had a strange air of the commonplace, as he stood looking on Markheim with a smile; and when he added, “You are looking for the money, I believe?” it was in the tones of everyday politeness.

Markheim made no answer.

“I should warn you,” resumed the other, “that the maid has left her sweetheart earlier than usual and will soon be here.  If Mr. Markheim be found in this house, I need not describe to him the consequences.”

“You know me?” cried the murderer.

The visitor smiled.  “You have long been a favourite of mine,” he said; “and I have long observed and often sought to help you.”

“What are you?” cried Markheim; “the devil?”

“What I may be,” returned the other, “cannot affect the service I propose to render you.”

“It can,” cried Markheim; “it does!  Be helped by you?  No, never; not by you!  You do not know me yet; thank God, you do not know me!”

“I know you,” replied the visitant, with a sort of kind severity or rather firmness.  “I know you to the soul.”

“Know me!” cried Markheim.  “Who can do so?  My life is but a travesty and slander on myself.  I have lived to belie my nature.  All men do; all men are better than this disguise that grows about and stifles them.  You see each dragged away by life, like one whom bravos have seized and muffled in a cloak.  If they had their own control—­if you could see their faces, they would be altogether different, they would shine out for heroes and saints!  I am worse than most; myself is more overlaid; my excuse is known to me and God.  But, had I the time, I could disclose myself.”