Hereceivedthepaperverypeevishly，andwasabouttocrumpleit，apparentlytothrowitinthefire，whenacasualglanceatthedesignseemedsuddenlytorivethisattention。Inaninstanthisfacegrewviolentlyred-inanotherasexcessivelypale。Forsomeminuteshecontinuedtoscrutinizethedrawingminutelywherehesat。Atlengthhearose，tookacandlefromthetable，andproceededtoseathimselfuponasea-chestinthefarthestcorneroftheroom。Hereagainhemadeananxiousexaminationofthepaper；turningitinalldirections。Hesaidnothing，however，andhisconductgreatlyastonishedme；yetIthoughtitprudentnottoexacerbatethegrowingmoodinessofhistemperbyanycomment。Presentlyhetookfromhiscoatpocketawallet，placedthepapercarefullyinit，anddepositedbothinawriting-desk，whichhelocked。Henowgrewmorecomposedinhisdemeanor；buthisoriginalairofenthusiasmhadquitedisappeared。Yetheseemednotsomuchsulkyasabstracted。Astheeveningworeawayhebecamemoreandmoreabsorbedinreverie，fromwhichnosalliesofminecouldarousehim。Ithadbeenmyintentiontopassthenightatthehut，asIhadfrequentlydonebefore，but，seeingmyhostinthismood，Ideemeditpropertotakeleave。Hedidnotpressmetoremain，but，asIdeparted，heshookmyhandwithevenmorethanhisusualcordiality。
ItwasaboutamonthafterthisandduringtheintervalIhadseennothingofLegrandwhenIreceivedavisit，atCharleston，fromhisman，Jupiter。Ihadneverseenthegoodoldnegrolooksodispirited，andIfearedthatsomeseriousdisasterhadbefallenmyfriend。
“Well，Jup。”saidI，“whatisthematternow？-howisyourmaster？”
“Why，tospeakdetroof，massa，himnotsoberrywellasmoughtbe。”
“Notwell！Iamtrulysorrytohearit。Whatdoeshecomplainof？”
“Dar！dat’sit！-himneberplainofnotin-buthimberrysickforalldat。”
“Verysick，Jupiter！-whydidn’tyousaysoatonce？Isheconfinedtobed？”
“No，datheaint！-heaintfindnowhar-dat’sjustwhardeshoepinch-mymindisgottobeberryhebbyboutpoorMassaWill。”
“Jupiter，Ishouldliketounderstandwhatitisyouaretalkingabout。Yousayyourmasterissick。Hasn’thetoldyouwhatailshim？”
“Why，massa，taintworfwhilefortogitmadaboutdematter-
MassaWillsaynoffinatallaintdematterwidhim-butdenwhatmakehimgoaboutlookingdishereway，widheheaddownandhesoldiersup，andaswhiteasagose？Anddenhekeepasyphonalldetime-“
“Keepsawhat，Jupiter？”
“Keepsasyphonwiddefiggursondeslate-dequeerestfiggursIebberdidsee。Isegittintobeskeered，Itellyou。Habfortokeepmightytighteyeponhimnoovers。Todderdayhegibmeslipforedesunupandwasgonedewholeobdeblessedday。Ihadabigstickreadycutfortogibhimdeucedgoodbeatingwhenhedidcome-butIsesichafooldatIhadn’tdeheartarterall-helooksoberrypoorly。”
“Eh？-what？-ahyes！-uponthewholeIthinkyouhadbetternotbetooseverewiththepoorfellow-don’tfloghim，Jupiter-hecan’tverywellstandit-butcanyouformnoideaofwhathasoccasionedthisillness，orratherthischangeofconduct？HasanythingunpleasanthappenedsinceIsawyou？”
“No，massa，deyaintbinnoffinunpleasantsinceden-’twasforedenI’mfeared-’twasdeberrydayyouwasdare。”
“How？whatdoyoumean？”
“Why，massa，Imeandebug-darenow。”
“Thewhat？”
“Debug，-I’mberrysartaindatMassaWillbinbitsomewhereboutdeheadbydatgoole-bug。”
“Andwhatcausehaveyou，Jupiter，forsuchasupposition？”
“Clawsenuff，massa，andmouthtoo。Inebberdidseesickadeucedbug-hekickandhebiteeberytingwhatcumnearhim。MassaWillcotchhimfuss，buthadfortolethimgoginmightyquick，I
tellyou-denwasdetimehemusthagotdebite。Ididn’tlikedelookohdebugmouff，myself，nohow，soIwouldn’ttakeholdobhimwidmyfinger，butIcotchhimwidapieceobpaperdatIfound。I
raphimupindepaperandstuffpieceobitinhemouff-datwasdeway。”
“Andyouthink，then，thatyourmasterwasreallybittenbythebeetle，andthatthebitemadehimsick？”
“Idon’ttinknoffinaboutit-Inoseit。Whatmakehimdreamboutdegoolesomuch，iftaintcausehebitbydegoole-bug？Iseheerdboutdemgoole-bugsforedis。”
“Buthowdoyouknowhedreamsaboutgold？”
“HowIknow？whycausehetalkaboutitinhesleep-dat’showI
nose。”
“Well，Jup，perhapsyouareright；buttowhatfortunatecircumstanceamItoattributethehonorofavisitfromyouto-day？”
“Whatdematter，massa？”
“DidyoubringanymessagefromMr。Legrand“
“No，massa，Ibringdisherepissel；“andhereJupiterhandedmeanotewhichranthus：
MYDEAR
WhyhaveInotseenyouforsolongatime？Ihopeyouhavenotbeensofoolishastotakeoffenceatanylittle_brusquerie_ofmine；butno，thatisimprobable。SinceIsawyouIhavehadgreatcauseforanxiety。Ihavesomethingtotellyou，yetscarcelyknowhowtotellit，orwhetherIshouldtellitatall。
Ihavenotbeenquitewellforsomedayspast，andpooroldJupannoysme，almostbeyondendurance，byhiswell-meantattentionsWouldyoubelieveit？-hehadpreparedahugestick，theotherday，withwhichtochastisemeforgivinghimtheslip，andspendingtheday，_solus_，amongthehillsonthemainland。Iverilybelievethatmyilllooksalonesavedmeaflogging。
Ihavemadenoadditiontomycabinetsincewemet。
Ifyoucan，inanyway，makeitconvenient，comeoverwithJupiter。_Do_come。Iwishtoseeyouto-_night_，uponbusinessofimportance。Iassureyouthatitisofthe_highest_importance。
Everyours，WILLIAMLEGRAND。
Therewassomethinginthetoneofthisnotewhichgavemegreatuneasiness。ItswholestyledifferedmateriallyfromthatofLegrand。
Whatcouldhebedreamingof？Whatnewcrotchetpossessedhisexcitablebrain？What“businessofthehighestimportance“couldhepossiblyhavetotransact？Jupiter’saccountofhimbodednogood。I
dreadedlestthecontinuedpressureofmisfortunehad，atlength，fairlyunsettledthereasonofmyfriend。Withoutamoment’shesitation，therefore，Ipreparedtoaccompanythenegro。
Uponreachingthewharf，Inoticedascytheandthreespades，allapparentlynew，lyinginthebottomoftheboatinwhichweweretoembark。
“Whatisthemeaningofallthis，Jup？”Iinquired。
“Himsyfe，massa，andspade。”
“Verytrue；butwhataretheydoinghere？”
“HimdesyfeanddespadewhatMassaWillsisponmybuyingforhimindetown，anddedebbilsownlotofmoneyIhadtogibforem。”
“Butwhat，inthenameofallthatismysterious，isyour’MassaWill’goingtodowithscythesandspades？”
“Dat’smoredanIknow，anddebbiltakemeifIdon’tblieve’tismoredanheknow，too。Butit’sallcumobdobug。”
FindingthatnosatisfactionwastobeobtainedofJupiter，whosewholeintellectseemedtobeabsorbedby“debug。”Inowsteppedintotheboatandmadesail。WithafairandstrongbreezewesoonranintothelittlecovetothenorthwardofFortMoultrie，andawalkofsometwomilesbroughtustothehut。Itwasaboutthreeintheafternoonwhenwearrived。Legrandhadbeenawaitingusineagerexpectation。Hegraspedmyhandwithanervousempressementwhichalarmedmeandstrengthenedthesuspicionsalreadyentertained。Hiscountenancewaspaleeventoghastliness，andhisdeep-seteyesglaredwithunnaturallustre。Aftersomeinquiriesrespectinghishealth，Iaskedhim，notknowingwhatbettertosay，ifhehadyetobtainedthescarab鎢sfromLieutenantG。
“Oh，yes。”hereplied，coloringviolently，“Igotitfromhimthenextmorning。Nothingshouldtemptmetopartwiththatscarab鎢s。DoyouknowthatJupiterisquiterightaboutit？”
“Inwhatway？”Iasked，withasadforebodingatheart。
“Insupposingittobeabugofrealgold。”Hesaidthiswithanairofprofoundseriousness，andIfeltinexpressiblyshocked。
“Thisbugistomakemyfortune。”hecontinued，withatriumphantsmile，“toreinstatemeinmyfamilypossessions。Isitanywonder，then，thatIprizeit？SinceFortunehasthoughtfittobestowituponme，IhaveonlytouseitproperlyandIshallarriveatthegoldofwhichitistheindex。Jupiter；bringmethatscarab鎢s！”
“What！debug，massa？I’druddernotgofertrubbledatbug-youmusgithimforyourownself。”HereuponLegrandarose，withagraveandstatelyair，andbroughtmethebeetlefromaglasscaseinwhichitwasenclosed。Itwasabeautifulscarab鎢s，and，atthattime，unknowntonaturalists-ofcourseagreatprizeinascientificpointofview。Thereweretworound，blackspotsnearoneextremityoftheback，andalongoneneartheother。Thescaleswereexceedinglyhardandglossy，withalltheappearanceofburnishedgold。Theweightoftheinsectwasveryremarkable，and，takingallthingsintoconsideration，IcouldhardlyblameJupiterforhisopinionrespectingit；butwhattomakeofLegrand’sconcordancewiththatopinion，Icouldnot，forthelifeofme，tell。
“Isentforyou。”saidhe，inagrandiloquenttone，whenIhadcompletedmyexaminationofthebeetle，“Isentforyou，thatImighthaveyourcounselandassistanceinfurtheringtheviewsofFateandofthebug“-
“MydearLegrand。”Icried，interruptinghim，“youarecertainlyunwell，andhadbetterusesomelittleprecautions。Youshallgotobed，andIwillremainwithyouafewdays，untilyougetoverthis。
Youarefeverishand“-
“Feelmypulse。”saidhe。
Ifeltit，and，tosaythetruth，foundnottheslightestindicationoffever。
“Butyoumaybeillandyethavenofever。Allowmethisoncetoprescribeforyou。Inthefirstplace，gotobed。Inthenext“-
“Youaremistaken。”heinterposed，“IamaswellasIcanexpecttobeundertheexcitementwhichIsuffer。Ifyoureallywishmewell，youwillrelievethisexcitement。”
“Andhowisthistobedone？”
“Veryeasily。Jupiterandmyselfaregoinguponanexpeditionintothehills，uponthemainland，and，inthisexpeditionweshallneedtheaidofsomepersoninwhomwecanconfide。Youaretheonlyonewecantrust。Whetherwesucceedorfail，theexcitementwhichyounowperceiveinmewillbeequallyallayed。”
“Iamanxioustoobligeyouinanyway。”Ireplied；“butdoyoumeantosaythatthisinfernalbeetlehasanyconnectionwithyourexpeditionintothehills？”
“Ithas。”
“Then，Legrand，Icanbecomeapartytonosuchabsurdproceeding。”
“Iamsorry-verysorry-forweshallhavetotryitbyourselves。”
“Tryitbyyourselves！Themanissurelymad！-butstay！-howlongdoyouproposetobeabsent？”
“Probablyallnight。Weshallstartimmediately，andbeback，atallevents，bysunrise。”
“Andwillyoupromiseme，uponyourhonor，thatwhenthisfreakofyoursisover，andthebugbusinessgoodGod！settledtoyoursatisfaction，youwillthenreturnhomeandfollowmyadviceimplicitly，asthatofyourphysician？”
“Yes；Ipromise；andnowletusbeoff，forwehavenotimetolose。”
WithaheavyheartIaccompaniedmyfriend。Westartedaboutfouro’clock-Legrand，Jupiter，thedog，andmyself。Jupiterhadwithhimthescytheandspades-thewholeofwhichheinsisteduponcarrying-morethroughfear，itseemedtome，oftrustingeitheroftheimplementswithinreachofhismaster，thanfromanyexcessofindustryorcomplaisance。Hisdemeanorwasdoggedintheextreme，and“datdeucedbug“werethesolewordswhichescapedhislipsduringthejourney。Formyownpart，Ihadchargeofacoupleofdarklanterns，whileLegrandcontentedhimselfwiththescarab鎢s，whichhecarriedattachedtotheendofabitofwhip-cord；twirlingittoandfro，withtheairofaconjuror，ashewent。WhenIobservedthislast，plainevidenceofmyfriend’saberrationofmind，Icouldscarcelyrefrainfromtears。Ithoughtitbest，however，tohumorhisfancy，atleastforthepresent，oruntilIcouldadoptsomemoreenergeticmeasureswithachanceofsuccess。InthemeantimeI
endeavored，butallinvain，tosoundhiminregardtotheobjectoftheexpedition。Havingsucceededininducingmetoaccompanyhim，heseemedunwillingtoholdconversationuponanytopicofminorimportance，andtoallmyquestionsvouchsafednootherreplythan“weshallsee！”