Adventure Magazine Cover, June 18, 1921 — page 82: what you’re looking at

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

not at all attractive; so that it seemed wholly out of place. | It was a German book, full of grotesque engravings, and the last thing in the world that I would have supposed Zoronna Sy- mondi would have in her presence; Hol- bein’s “Dance of Death,” if 1 remember the title accurately. Anyway it was a_ book of dark, distressing illustrations for any one who loves the vain things of life; and, being a little interested, I began to examine it with some care until just inside of the cover I found a notation in English that caused me to close the book hastily and feel a great urge to wash my hands. The notation was clipped from a book- seller’s catalog, and gave a description of this very copy and in black letters, as if the statement might otherwise escape the at- tention. It said— “Bound with human skin.” Though-my aversion to the book was strong, yet somehow its presence there gave a peculiar twist to my opinion of Zoronna. The book, or rather its binding and associa- tion, was detestable, but her sense of irony in keeping it where it could scarcely escape her eye was almost admirable. That did more than anything else could possibly have done to make me understand that the woman was bold enough to realize the truth about herself and her mode of life, and that she must have enjoyed rather than inordinately valued the wilfully luxurious trappings with which she surrounded herself. I have not perhaps made myself clear, for J am unfitted to describe the finer shades of psychology, being a card-gambler and re- volver-expert; but to try again: The pres- ence of the ghastly book made me feel that Zoronna had not lost her head through her triumphant notoriety and extreme affecta- tion of esthetic debauchery. The only ef- fect this change of opinion really had was to make me think that she was probably more dangerous than I had suspected; and my original impression of her dangerous quality had been strong. ZORONNA returned in twenty or ey thirty minutes, having changed her brilliant costume for one scarcely less spectacular, though it was of black— solid black from aigret to slippers, unre- lieved except for the collar, which I thought was of diamonds, and a large dark-blue enameled belt-buckle. Even the glittering Adventure buckles had been removed from her slippers. I was to learn eventually that the brilliant collar was not of diamonds, but of rhine- stones, and that even the stones she wore on her fingers when she reappeared were of paste also. She well knew Hurgronje’s mad love for gems. He was an expert in their value. Those who had intimate relations with him never tempted his cupidity by showing any piece of jewelry with which they did not care to part. He had a greater passion for precious stones than for anything else. Though a “magician,” he would engage in any profitable and safe crookedness to make money. But he spent money, lots of it. He never parted with a gem upon which he had set his fancy, though he was seldom known to go to the expense of honestly purchasing what he wanted. He would spend twice the jewel’s value, so I have been told, in laying and putting through plans for stealing it. Gems and an ape, raised from babyhood— very nearly like a human being—were all that he seems really to have regarded with anything like love. Zoronna’s dress, as I have said, was black. It was rather short of skirt and of a flimsy silken black, not nearly so short nor so stiff and bunchy as a ballet dancer’s, but with something of that effect. She seemed preoccupied, and her effort to be gracious was a little labored. This was surprizing in one so accomplished. Flashes of something like fear passed across her eyes, and she was obviously with great resolution holding her courage to the sticking-point. Once she turned impulsively toward me as if to make a confession. The confession did not come. She checked herself. She was troubled; but also determined, yet a little uneasy. I watched her closely, and with no effort to be agreeable. That may have increased her nervousness. Perhaps I imagined it, but it seemed that she had grown just a little afraid of me. There was no reason to be unless she was meddling with trickery. : She asked me to step into the next room with her and carry in the screen behind which I was to conceal myself. She said that she had sent her maids to bed. She did not want them to know that I was there. She tried to speak carelessly, but there was much uneasiness in her manner. When she opened the door into the next room she COmicloo \ Wf) CO