THE STORY
OF A
CARVED IVORY UPBRELLA HANDLE.
!Q6. --Zosor)'s. C.lcv-
"T,, - r+)-,) - to-' - Rle-)fs- Gc"-5cs- IrD;ldlis,
CAVEAT FILED,
By CURRY & DEARING, PUBLISHERS.
LOUISVILLE, KY.
O1E PEzsEz TjaXED:
5tIe ;tor of a. ZDagger.
BY DOdGLASS S&1ERLEYX
WHO WROTE
TIrlE STOlrV OF A PICTURE.
AN ED ITION DE LdXE [SPECIlL] iET, 0 00- LIr-TED dJ1BER.
NINETY-NI NE COPIES-SIGJED BY T jE AUThOR. RIG IT RESEK\/ED
TO AGDVArCE PRICE AT A 'Y TIrE. SdBSCRIPTIOPS WEGEIVED [OW.
P PoL\R ED ITION-A\ CMRIST1AS CARD BOOKLET [IN A BOX], I1.OO.
LIBEv\L DISCOdNT 0 T E TNADE.
EDITION DE LdXE REA\DY DECEI1BER FIFTEE 4N1T.
POpULA\S EDITION RE\DY DECEIBER FIST.
JOIr P. MORTON AND &01PANY.
1NWAIN FT., OtOUISVILLE, KY.
This page in the original text is blank.
S P ECIAL-DED I CA\TION
TO
TV ErmBERS-OF-T E S M FXLEY C LIJB
OF
LITTLE:8 BITA\I N:
- MDEF spAl\i .YE- NOT.AT.ALL--
LL2EsB E.MSTIGATED!
This page in the original text is blank.
DEDICA\TED
TPoEAC MSi fGLEOSO[.OF.ST..PENDE[ NIS
W4O-WORSj IpS-NOT-AT.TIE-S.E ] NE-OF
T E.JJAIDE N.pRI ESTESSeOFCTo-DAy
--LET.H UImLoo TO 'T,-'-
0N LI kEWISE-HE./AyVSO E Wu ERE.PI ND
LIE PERPETRATED.
This page in the original text is blank.
VE NSTIGATED-
IT WVS A DA\ISy BIT OF ORY.
IT WAS A\ CdRIOfS PIECE OF WO9rtA S p.
IT W\AS CA\RVED AND Ci\R\/ED AGA,\IV WITM CONVEN-
TIONAL L[INES, W\ICh FOIr1ED \ F Er1ALE HE,\D OF
EAST- DIA1 UNEXCEPTIO NABLENEMS.
IT SEEIED T SIILE AND TO BECRON, A[D ThEN TO
SCOWL NEPELLAINTLY---i\ LIVI1NG MOC;CERY!
IT VAS H 01TEFdL ---O, so H\TEFJLi---T -E SIG.IT
OF SO CONVEINTIONAL , TNIG.
ANDYET TIERE Ij\D BFE[4 SLJGC A LONIGI[G TO TOdCM
IT AND TO HOLD IT IN TIlE HAND!
BdT SEE TjE SEQdEL.
IT WAS NT AN IDOL OF INDIf.
IT WAS TIE CAYVED IVORY HANDLE OF q TANNED
GIGI1ANG UtBRELLA, OF VERy PLEBEIAN ACERICAN
MA N dFAUCTL!RE.
IT STOOD IN t HAND-PAINTED CYN RECEPTACLE IN
ThE LONG QdIET H LL, IN TPE HOJSE OF A\ F IEND.
IT V\S TlERE WMEN I DINED WITU 1I1 TME NIGHT
AFTER C -I ISTI1iS.
IT GLEAI1ED A\T JE WITj A SINISTER GLEAj OF ITS
DEXTER EYE!
AND 'T SEEr1ED TO SMJLE AND To BECKON AjT jE,
'TOF TFE SOFT, VOLJPTJOdS ENVMoNJENT OF
T]E INNER. SISTERqOOD, OF WVlI- IT WAS A
FELLOW.
AND W/EN WE WERE SEATED NT TlE G LITTR-
ING ABLE, BEALTIFLJL VW/Tt CRXSTAL AND SILVER-
AND LEJON.ADE A'ND CASE-
AN ESTM ETIc BvYQdETm
IT ClANCED, B MEREST ACCIDENT, T AYT I WAS
Gl\/EN '\ SE'\T OPPOSITE TlE PONTIERED ARCb-
WAY W1ICl LED INTO
TlE LONG QdIET HALL,
WITh ITS WINE-COLORED WE'NLTl OF TLKISI-
B'NTl TO/WELI NG T- OWN BA\CG.
AND AS WE SAT BENEATtl TlE KRIDESCENT GLOW
0F TMlE KEELY-MOTO
ELECTRIC LArlp, WJIGJ
GLISTENED' AND SFIIr1IERED ITS ST\'I ED-GL'NSS
I KDESCENCE ON ALL ABOdT T, AND GAVE ITS F-piE TO
TE INVIGOKATI NG BEVERQGE, WE jEEDED NOT TIE
ELEIEENTAL WVAR WAGING fpON Tl-E QdEEN ANNE
EXTEFI-OR OF ThE HOSPITABLE MANSION OF rly
FKIEND.
A ND W\1EN WE WEKE LEFT TO OdR COFFEE AND OLIK
PIPES, WVE TALK\ED OF D\GGERS, AND EPITAPhS,
\ND TOiBS!
A ND AS hE TOLD r1E N I\P\YSTEKIOS W/I6PEK T'E
STORY OF TlE MV\LAY DAGGER, "GILTLESS OF ALL
GUI LE," T E VITKEOlJS EYE OF TF`1\T QdAINTLY
CAR\/ED ODALISQA JE-FOK SdCI 11 y FEVEKED FANCY
p ICTdfED IT-WV\S EVER GL0RING AT -E WITj ITS
S INISTEK GL/RE !
AND WliEN odU GIOOTLY T\LK wAs INTERRdPTED
BY TjE ENTRANCE OF OTjE GUESTS, I QdAFFED
ANOTIEN CRYSTNL GOBLET OF Miy FRIEND S BRAN-
MADDENING CONCOCTION, AND CASTING A\ LONG, LIN-
GERING LOOK\AT TIE PERSIAN RdG WVIC- JID TIE
GRAECO-ROrIANESQdE ANCIITECTdRE OF TIE VA&ULT-
ED CEILING, I PADSSED FROJ1 TIE GOTIIC pOTALS
OF TlIS ESTIETIC SIRINE INT0 TIE OUTER DAKKN-
NESS BEYOND TIE GLAJ1Odl OF TIE SEVEN LArIPS
OF ANCIITECTVE.
BdT,;-O FITFUL FvTE!-0s I pASSED TljOdGl-
TIE LONG, QUIET H LL AND By TIE WINE-COLOKED
PL!SI CORNE FROJ Wl1OSE VOLdPTUOdS SIADOW
TIE SINISTER-EYED, CARVED- OVRY-HANDLE ODH0L-
ISQJE CA\ST AN ALLLJRI NG, APPEELING [ oLOO TOW\ARD
ME, AND \LL UNCONSCIOJSLY, UNINTENTION\LLY,
AND UNKESISTINGL/ I TOOK IT FROt ITS HAND-
PAIN TED ClNm RECEPTACLE, AND CLOSING T1-E
H EAV\X DOOS OF ROLLED, CNTIEDRAL PLATE GL0SS
AFTER t1E, I UNFJRLED ITS SIN-TA4NEDG GNGAPA1
FOLDS TO TjE AFOREJENTIONED WAIRING ELErlENTS.
MD A\S I WENDED ri DESOLJTE WAY TO T jE
SINTED S1INE OF PENDENNIS, ly SEETIUNG
BRAIN PEOPLED TI-E VA\LLEY OF UNREST wITMi ELFSX
AND R-VENS AND BmA IAN GODS, AND TIE D.AGGER
W\O1SEBLQOD-STA\IN BELONGED TA AVENETIAN DIJKE
W-EN I PRESENTLY ENTERED TI1E RESOJNDI NG
CLOISTERS OF TjE ODER OF ST PENDENNIS
-W qEN, I ENTERED TUjIS "HOdSE WITIOdT A WOJANI
1 SOtIGqT TjE SECLL[SIO[ OF A\ DARK, W\I[E-COLONED,
PLdSq-L[JED CELL, AND CARELESSLY PLA3ING TME
TANNED G1NGqAj, VEGET0BLE-IVOR/-q1AWLED UX-
BRELLf\ ON TIE EIGITEENTq CErTJRY HEATI BE-
FOIE r1 E,
TqNEW ly rE NTALLY-EXlAEdSTED FRAiE INTO A\
AI A\,SSI\vE, DAnASS-COVERED CqAIV WITq qEA\/ILY-
CARVED ARnS OF qIIGqLY-POLISqED OAR, AND SOdQD-
ED TFE T1 IY, NY TINT r ABdLLA\TIG CA\LL-BELL FOR
SO1EThING T COJNT ERACT TjE EFFECTS OF TIE
TOO-EXqILERA\TIrG POTABLES OF XY FSIEND, ANID
qIS NO LESS HARSOWING STORIES!
BdT WqILE I TqIdS SAT WAIT'rNG, /IJTq nY FEET TO
TlE COjFORTAEBLE FINE, ALL AT ONCE rlx GAZE
W,\S UrCONSCIOdSLY, UNINTENTIONALLY AND UNRE-
SISTIr4GLY TA!\SFIXED By TMjE SIN1STER GLANCE OF
TH E DEXTER. EYE OF ThE Ci0YED-IVORX ODIL-
ISQdE.
AN AS I AT ThERE IN ThE TwILIGIT GLARE OF
Th E SLOWLY-CONS&JING E rBERS ON TjE WIDE
A\ND DEEP, OLD-FASlIONED, OPEN FIRE-PLACE,
WITI LUA\CQAJEKED-BRASS FlRE-DOGS-BE N EATl TIlE
SPELL OF ThOSE STEA\LThY, ROGJISl GLA\NCES, 1[
AGA\INST XYWWIls AND WILL, WA9 LED TO TMINKOF
TE DARK, STRANGE AND WEINDLYGROTESQ9E T1INGS
OF wMICh MY FRIEND lAD TOLD 1E.
A ND FINALLy, A\ INDER TIE STANGE FASCI NATION
OF TIE VITREOUS DEXTER AND SlHISTER EYES OF
T E CAN\VED-IVORX ODlLJSQdE, v-Ipcj H ELD rJE
SPELL-BOUND, I LEAKNED FIO1 TIE T'rN' CURLED
LIPS OF TIE SA\ID CARVED-1VORY OD1LISQUE 'Ts
Owv STORY-
IT W\s NOT GEATED By LyE.
N OR V/A\S IT 1J ITSELF T1E EiBODI IEHT OF LOVE.
BdT IT BOSE I[N O[E OF ITS FLEXIBLE RIBS T IE
T1ANGIEBLE EVIDENCE OF TIE ADIlESIVE QUA\LITIES
OF A LOVEDRIVEN BACK UpoN ITSELF,-ThE CON-
CENTATION OF AN OT'1EIWISE WASTED FORCE.
LESS TI1AJ A TIIOUSA[4D YEANS A\GO, A DUDISIl
RODEICK DOlU STOOD FLUSTRATED wITIl FIERY IN-
DIGHATION, F.A\CE TO FA\CE WV[TT P\PMAMDEr PWIESThSS
m-\ PRIDEFJLL, HAdGMTY WO.Ar!
IT WAS ON1 TMjE RJE QLdAT1IEJE. IT WAS AT TI E
I lTESECTIONl OF TWO GRE\T vTIONOdGqFARES.
TtiE CLOJDS tjAD PARTED TtEIR BANGS IN Tl1E
M\IDDLE, ANPlD WEFE S411XERPNG TlJEI CRY9TAL
DNOPs OF DISTILLED OCEAN IN TOIENTAL VOLdr)E
LpON TIjE LdGJLESS WAXFA\RERS.
IT GqACED TjAT ThE pIDEFLJL 1A\IDEN PRIESTESS
WAS HdLRYING ADOWN ThE BOJLEVARD WITj Tl1E
S ELF-SCE CAK\/ED -IVORY - HWNDLED UJBRELLA
CLOSELY CLASPED I jER DELIC,\TE MARIE ANTOIN-
ETTE FINGERS. SIE WAS TNS ENSCONCED BEIIND
TIE SIELT ERPG PAJTNESS OF T E STOdT-RIBBED
GNcIAii UJBKELLA WITj T-E CAKVE/D-1vOR/ HAN-
DLE, WV/If SFE pi\SSED adT OF TMFE S3I-jDovv OF
T 1-JE /J\ASSIVAE P'AKBLE EDIFICE OF GOTOic AKCW1-
TEcTJRE AN' D TUR rED T0 TTfE RAE D E LA CI 1 sTAI Gi HE
-AHD UNCONSCIOAsLY, UHHTE1IO \L LX AH D D Urt
KESISTIHGLX PLJHCIED A TERA\ OdT OF TIE DEXTER
EY/E OF TI-FE RESISTLESS RODEKICR DUd!
I Al SdlE THAT CARVED-IVOR/, OGGLIMG ODALISQUE
WAS To BLAI1E! I Al SUKE TI-tAT 3T \4ANTOHL/
DOV\/E TI-fE SPARE RIB OF ThE STOdT Gl HGA I
U IBKELL\T TE ACCOIPLISI 1ENT OF I8 0H-/
FOLL PURpOSE !
TIE PKIDEFUL ['A\IDEH PKIESTEBS I-AD GKEAI CT y
r1iSEKATION FOR TI-E AkDEHT RODERICR.
S 11r- RA N' Ly TOLD 1IjI. SO.
AND IN A TACIT BdT POTENT--mO, SO POTENT-
WAY, B\DE y I, IF E LIJED, TO GO WITj 1-ER TO
1FER SI-WINE AID TI1ERE IAVE yIS WEEPING WOdNDS
BOUND dp WITH \ BIT OF EAST INDIA\ SIL LA T
I-E SYrINE, /WhOSE DooNs SIjOALD EVESE BE OPEN
To Hii.
OIJ! ChANCE, FORTdITOdS ChANCE! How .JA[y
FOLLOWERS OF ST. PENDEN[1S ARE ANNdJLLY E[-
SNPiRED IN Tvj NA E!
ERE LONG,;-W1TYN A\MONT1, d\hITTLE RJONTI-.
TI E DUJDISh RODEfICKS D'1 WAS A GRI NGI NG DEVOTEE
AT ThE VESTAL ShRINE OF ThE MA\IDEN pIESTESS,
PJAyING TI-AT ShE ShOdLD RECEIVE \LL iIS SJP-
PLIANT LOVE, AND WIGjT SrART OF FIS DEVOTION.
H E VOLJLD NEVER LEA\VE H ER SIDE.
HE WOJLD
NEVER, NEVER StILE ON OTI-ER [\AMIDENS.
H E
WOdLD S\CRIFICE EAC j
F\IEND
AND CKEDITOR.
HEAST AND HAND, AND
TRdSTED AND TUIJSTI NG
S'E PE UST RECEIVE IS
yIS P0ANTlLL/-[CLIpSED
OCCJLARW!
ELSE, WIERE, ALL TjE W\ILE, WA\S A\LL TWS
WEA\LTI OF PASSIONATE LOVE TO GO TO-IF IT WAS
SPdRNED AND SEND B0c TO ITS DoNo PJjo
WOLLD 1-AVAE IT SECOND-HA\NDED
ThIS WAS, INDEED, A POSER.
IT WAS UNANSWERABLE!
S 1E DIT NOT ATTEIPT To ANswE 'T S
S E 0 IN L
CO1SIDEKED T-E FIRST PROPOSITION.
A VD S-E TFOJGIT OF TlE CRJEL, CRJEL DEED
IW/lCIC SIE IAD BEEN LED BY TI-E VITREOdS-EYED
ODALISQJE OF CAYVED-IVOR/ TO UYINTENTIONALLY
UNCONSCIOdSL/, AND UNRESISTYNGLY pERpETATE
UPP H'i; AHND-TO c lT A SV TSTOV S RT-
ER-SFE CAST IER '[1I\D SEYEE, HORATIO,'LPOQ MIS
QJEEN ANNE Mwsl0oN[ FRONT, A[D DETERJIHED
T BESTOW Lfd0ON TjE INJdRED INYOCEtT WhA\T VE-
]AIN\ED-A\FTER FIVE SEA\SONS-OF TIE WEA\LTI
OF HEK YOdING LOVE.
--ftJs SljPL/ IS LO\/E IMSTGA\TED---
HAD TIE MA\IDEH PfINCESS REFdSED I I I 1 ER
SILVEKE-TIHGED LOVE _-HAD S5E SPJRNED AND
TRyOWi B\CKJPOjN Iis HANDS 'IIS PAssION TORN
To TA TTERS-mE MIGiT HVE PERPETdATED ws
LOVE ByWRITING tA Boo WIT1OdTAWOJAN; N
BETT ER STILL, lE MIGqT HAVE SPENT TMjE FOKCE
OF FIS EXTRN\/AGANT PA\SSION By EXECIITIIG, 1 M
E[DLESS NIJJBER AND \/ARIETY, P/TEVT IV/ORt-lAH8-
DLED UjlBRELLAS; QdAITLY CARVED IN TiE VEKI-
SIJILIT/ OF TjE OGGLIHG ODALISQJE, WVICqj IPELL-
ED T1jE HAND ThAT I STIGATED i1S LOVE a/ PEEL-
ING yIs DEXTER EyE.
B T AL\S! TlE TFOfGITLESS PA\IOF IHHOCE-7S
DID NOT COHSIDER T1A\T TjEIR LOVE, BEING N1dTG J.,
WdsT; B/ TqE DECREE OF ST. DodGL0SS, DIEm-UN-
PERPETIA\TEDVWITh TqECi!
9; IF TIEy WEIGhED ThE DIvE DECfEE IN TjE
BALANCES OF TIEIN SOCIAL PjILOSOPUY, I DOUBT
NOT TAT TCEy CON SIDERED ThAT IF ThEY PERPET-
TED TE LOVE ThE LENGTI OF ThEIR NATdRAL
LIVES ThEY WOL(LD I1 \VE ACCOiP LIShED ENOdJG1.
A[ND, jET[I1hpS, ThEI. HEDS WERE EQdJIPO[SED.
TflS WOK -A-DAy WONLD IAS ALL TE DJDISI
BOOKLETS AND CGRVED-VORY DAGGE AND UJBSELLA
HN\NDLES ThAT IT CAN EAslILy CARRY. LET N T
ANOThER BOOKLET BREA9 OLD ATLAS' BACK.
A ND DOJGLA\S, 0 DOdGLASS, TENDER AND TLE,
CARVE FOR ds N OioOE HEATI EN GODS OF LOVE.
'EN LJOw/ ThEIR ROccdPTIoi's GONE.
T 1E STAR-EYED GODDESS ThAT ShINES PORTI
FP.or ThE GLITTERI NG SdRFACE OF TUjE ALWIGITY
DOL LA\R is GODDESS POTENT ENOIJGjl TO PERPETATE
T1jE LIOVE OF TF- IS DAY AND GEN ERATION, EVEN AS
By -ER INFLfENCE OFTEN IS
LVE I NSTIGATED,
BdT TI-E QJI\INTLY CERVED VEGET0BLE-I VORY ODAL-
ISQ(JE HANDLE OF TFE TANNED-GNGIAMj UJBRELLA
T`1NT RESTED IN TIE HA ND-PA\INTE ChINA REc- p
TACLE TIAT STOOD IN TIE VOLdPTdOdS ENvIRON-
11ENT OF ThE WlINE-COLORED PLWSj CORNER OF
TIE LONG, Qd IT HALL OF TqjE HOUSE OF \FRIEND
W\IEI E I SUPPED TIE NIG'T AFTER C`1-'I8T.1A A
[WA\S Th1S T'lE HOUJSE TjA\T ZLC. BUILTIT
STILL GLARED AT IE WITI A SINISTEN. GLEAN OF
ITS DEXTEK EYE A\S IT OGGLED IE FROI ITS PLACE
ON TFE H EART OF ThE WI[NE-SCE[TED CELL-
PLdSlS-LYED CELL-IN TIE CLOISTERED PVECIHCTS
OF SAINT PENDE[NyIS.
SEEIED T SILE A REDy, G0RRdLOJS ASSEIT
T ALL TIjT WVICH, I IjAVE SAID.
Th ESE WORDS IT SEE.IED TO ftJrldl
OMt! TMOJU[qhITIG'TED UJB2ELLA-1 -EIF! RET dR
ME TO THE h1O1E OF T1OSE W/IOSE LOvE I ISTIGATED,
\V/jOSE HAPPY H OJSEtOLD [ A i RESPOISJBLE FOK.
WARE YE! SLEEPIYG SON OF PENDENIhS, OR B/ T-E
GODDESS Sl[L]/K1 I WILL EXECIJTE DIRE VENGEANICE
UPON' Yod!
EvEr A\S I ON CE WA\S T jE EISTIGATOR OF LovE, JpoH
YOd -JAY BEE
Ns/E1\ST IGATED !
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