The Antiquary Puzzle.
Some members enjoy knotty kinks. There are not a few in the following story. See how many you can unravel. No prizes are offered, and you are not to send answers to us. We will publish the answers in a week or two. The story was written by a member of our Order. Here it is:
In the early fall of the year (1) in which Captain Cook died I set sail in the White Lady of Berlin (2) from the Modern Athens (3) for a three years' trip abroad. The brother of the historian (4) whose name signifies the long-armed ape had handed me an object the night before, attached to which was a card reading as follows:
My name is short—it's in my head.
Behead me, and consider only
My threefold nature, and you'll find
That I'm in yours.
Yours truly.
I followed the directions, and found a roll of paper containing these lines:
I once in hour of wicked wrath
Slew one fourth of this great earth's race.
I fled o'er plain and mountain path,
But ne'er could that crime efface.
In any clime may I be seen,
Of rustic form or city made.
I oft conceal a weapon keen;
Am found in many a street parade.
To arctic regions cold and drear
I once did journey years ago.
My faith was strong, nor was there fear
Of floating berg or deadly floe (5).
I read the verses to a group of passengers, and one gentleman, a friend of the musician (6) who never could compose without his diamond ring, laughed so immoderately that he tripped over a spare mineral (7) that can box, and broke his leg. The physician (8) who first made use of chloroform was summoned, and in short order had the tonic plant (9) used in chills.
I reached Cairo in the month (10) of the gate, and spent five days in studying the Great Sphinx and its near-by temple. While exploring the latter I found a secret passage to the Sphinx itself, and there, in a square excavation, on a massive altar of the stone (11) that is dainty lay a huge black stone carved to represent the insect (12) worshipped by the ancient Egyptians. On it was this inscription, which, deciphered, reads thus:
"I am older than the Earth. I was born in Space. Once I was Fire. Now I am Stone. Yet no man ever quarried me. I have journeyed to the Sun, yet the Earth is now my tomb" (13).
After much difficulty I secured the stone for the museum (14) which contains the Elgin marbles, together with treasures from the Petrified City (15) and the City of Zenobia (16). I then sailed for England, reaching Cockagne (17) in March. One day, as I was passing the Old Lady (18) of Threadneedle Street, I saw a strange bronze-green sign-board which read, "ANTIQUES." Being interested in antiques I crossed the street and entered the shop.
An enormous claymore (19) hung by the door, and at a black-oak desk which had once belonged to Old Noll (20) sat a little weazened man of kindly look. As I entered he laid down a copy of the Vinegar Bible (31) which he had been reading, and rose to greet me.
"As I live!" he exclaimed. "You remind me of the Man (22) of Blood. Where do you hail from?"
"O, I have been visiting old worlds and new," I replied.
"Here are two busts," he went on. "They are of the Laughing Philosopher (23) and the Weeping Philosopher (24), and the contents of these cases are worth having. If you can answer my descriptions, they are yours. Others have tried—and have failed."
He handed me the following rhymes:
My first was used in Shakespeare's time
To exorcise the evil one.
My second's life is spent in toil;
Reward it never yet has won.
The wondrous beauty of my whole
May well be praised in poets' verse.
To purchase it would much reduce
The contents of the longest purse (25).
My first is a large reflector,
Old, but as good as new.
My second's the bone and sinew
Of lands that we travel through.
My whole is little, and lucky, and white;
Much like my first, but not so bright (26).
I gave up.
"Here is an easy one," he said. "It describes an every-day object, and is no quiz (27), I assure you, but an honest riddle."
I was born in the sun, but I lived in the earth.
I died where I lived, and was buried from sight.
I rose from the tomb that had long been my home
To curse or to comfort, destroy or delight (28).
To my surprise my answer was correct.
An image of the Egyptian Mercury (29) brought to mind my recent solution of the Riddle of the Great Sphinx. The old Antiquary was surely the man to whom I should open my heart.
"Are you interested in Egypt?" I began. "I have just arrived from Cairo, and, to be plain, have made a stupendous discovery—I have solved the Riddle of the Great Sphinx!" And I gave him an account of my discovery in detail.
The Antiquary seemed to drink in my last words, and in another moment had dragged me to the back of the shop.
"Man!" he gasped, "do you know what you have done? By this solution you have the chance of solving another and greater mystery!"
Leading me to a dark corner, the Antiquary lighted a taper and showed me a narrow door of oak strengthened with iron.
"What is this?" I asked. The Antiquary slipped a roll of parchment into my hand. I found on it this verse, engrossed in old English characters:
JVGUVAGUVFANEEBJCBEGNYQVZ
VAWRJRYYRQPNFXRGOEBHTUGSEBZSNE
UNFYNVASBEGUVEGRREPRAGHEVRF
XVATNEGUHEFFJBEQRFPNYVONE (30)
Though I carried the cryptogram back to America with me, it has to this day remained unsolved—and the Antiquary is dead!