A. Merritt's Fantasy Magazine, October 1950 — page 84: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE BLIXIR OF HATE 83 face; but he quickly restrained himself. For, whence it had come he knew not, a sudden idea had been born in his an- guished brain. A new thought, a hope, a desire so keen that the mere conception of it left him weak and trembling. But still, with lowered head, he veiled himself from the old man’s piercing scrutiny. He took the gold-piece. “Thank you, mon oncle,” said he. “You are very, very kind to me.” “Ah! Glad to hear you say that! Glad you are duly grateful. my nephew. But now tell me, what will you buy with so much money ?” ““Can—can I have anything I want, for —my birthday present ?” faltered the child, his face- going singularly pale. “Anything, in reason.” “Well, then, 'd—I’d like—” “Yes? What?” “You know that history-book you gave me, a little while ago. The one with Wil- liam Tell in it?” “Yes. What about it?” “Oh, I—I wish I could have a little bow and some arrows, like that, uncle, and play William Tell!” Il Vecchio laughed heartily. How this amused him, to see the one-time strong and lusty American doctor, the man who had robbed him of his Alkahest, now stand cringing there before him in the sunlight, clutching a louis in his little hand and fal- teringly beg for a toy bow and arrows so he might play William Tell! The old man’s heart swelled with pride in his experiment, and with another even sweeter sentiment —revenge! And, patting the lad upon his shoul- der, with a simulation of great affection, he replied: “So then, my little Totor wants to be William Tell, does he: Well, that’s no very unreasonable desire. It’s easy to ac- complish—just to imitate a myth!” “You—you mean—TI can have it?” “Of course! Of course you can! There, there, now run along. See Lombard has got the pony harnessed. Auntie is wait- ing. I'll find out about that little boy to play with you. And tomorrow you and he can play William Tell to your heart's desire. But mind, my nephew—blunt arrows! Don't forget!’ “T won't, dear uncle,” answered the . child, climbing into the wicker pony-cart, where Stasia sat very pale and quiet. He tried to smile, but had II Vecchio known what lay beneath the mockery of joy, his own amusement would have turned to Dead Sea fruit and horror. CHAPTER 24 Bo.:s and Arrows ITH the old man’s golden louis, “Totor” bought, in a toyshop on the Rue de I’Hospice, a stout bow of ash and twelve arrows. The bow was more than a full meter long, and capable of throwing a shaft easily two hundred yards or more. The arrows, blunted into flat heads, measured about two feet six inches in length. They were gaily feathered with red, blue and green. A quiver, withal, completed the outfit, and a red leather belt with a brass buckle to strap it round the waist. Never was there a prettier toy. In the days following, now accompanied by Jean-Paul Beziers, the nephew of Lom- bard the child assiduously practised arch- ery. Neglected were the miniature rail- ways and the box-kite, quite cast aside were the other trifles. Even the secret study of the Italian grammar was for- gotten. You never saw a boy so utterly absorbed in a new sport as Totor in this marksmanship of his. William Tell was acted and re-acted scores of times. Every tree and bush on the estate had to serve as a target. The lad also drew rings on the blind wall at the rear of the pony-shed, and there, for hours at a time, he would stand, gradually increasing his distance till finally at fifty yards he could invariably put every one of the dozen arrows inside at least the two central rings. He caught the vibration and the set of the bow to perfection, and come to know each individual arrow and what it would do, how to allow for wind, calculate dis- tance and judge heights. The apparatus seemed to become almost a part of him, an extension of his own bodily members, wherewith to do his will. Thus two weeks passed. And II Vec- chio, pleased by the success of his gift, by its extraordinary efficacy in diverting MICLOOKS (C(O) (C(O)