He forgot the gallows, so they hung down to the floor behind him after he had dressed. He tried to light the candle after the old slow way, for the ladder to the cockloft was “poky,” when he heard something clink behind him. He turned around, when an iron hoof seemed to follow him around, clink, clink, clink. The sound was not alarming or vengeful or in a way terrible, but to his imagination it shook the roof.
He whirled around again.
Clink, clink!
Again.
Clink!
His heart seemed bursting, his brain to be on fire. He rushed toward the ladder and the “thing” followed him. He attempted to go down the ladder, but after some steps the “thing” held him back, when he uttered a cry that shook the whole tavern and made the people leap from their beds.
“Hel-up! Hel-up! Let go! Let go!”
The landlord came running, and saw the situation.
“I never thought that you would come to the gallows,” said he, “but you have!”
“All the powers have mercy on me now!” cried Mordecai. “But I’ll confess. Will you let me go if I confess?”