Pagina 221 de 1294

Suddenly he remembered that the purse and the things he had taken

out of the old woman's box were still in his pockets! He had not

thought till then of taking them out and hiding them! He had not

even thought of them while he was examining his clothes! What

next? Instantly he rushed to take them out and fling them on the

table. When he had pulled out everything, and turned the pocket

inside out to be sure there was nothing left, he carried the

whole heap to the corner. The paper had come off the bottom of

the wall and hung there in tatters. He began stuffing all the

things into the hole under the paper: "They're in! All out of

sight, and the purse too!" he thought gleefully, getting up and

gazing blankly at the hole which bulged out more than ever.

Suddenly he shuddered all over with horror; "My God!" he

whispered in despair: "what's the matter with me? Is that hidden?

Is that the way to hide things?"