The Malignant Jewel

by Sidney Porcelain

Palpo found it amidst the rubble of a gutted house. The house was one of many which had been disemboweled when the Nazis retreated before the Allied advances. Palpo had passed along that street daily on his way to the office of the Military Government where he worked as a porter. Strange that he had never noticed it before.

He bent and picked it up, a wonderfully blue gem suspended on a gossamer chain. Valuable! He shoved it hastily into his pocket lest it be seen, though he was alone. The rainbow fire flashed for a moment and was gone. Even that fleeting glimpse burned in his memory.

A blonde braided head passed his eyes. Fraulein on a bicycle. Had she seen? No. She pedalled on, bare legs and low-heeled shoes.

He walked rapidly to the Steinhaus where the Military Government had set up its headquarters. Oh, for the day to be through so he could return to the privacy of his room, where he could take another look at the jewel! It must be worth—

“Palpo!”

Disgustedly he saw his friend Kala approaching. Better not to tell him. Say nothing.

“Beer tonight, yah?”

“What? No.” I’m tired, very tired. “Going to bed early tonight. Need some sleep.” When transportation is improved I can leave here, get away from all this, and I’ll be rich! “Was awake all last night.”

Kala laughed and slapped his shoulder, said something about old age, his own face close, knitted with cells, thick moustache threaded with silver and grey strands. His teeth yellow with black empty places between.

“Must get to work. Late.” He quickly escaped from Kala and Kala’s penetrating humor. He might see, guess.

That afternoon Palpo, dodging people, ran to the partly bombed house where he slept. Once locked in his room, he took the jewel from his pocket.

It was indeed beautiful: Held in the sunlight, its many facets sent shimmering color against the white walls and over his bare arm and hand. Ah, it was a wonderful sight to enjoy! There was not much of beauty in this world.

He prepared a little box for it, lining it with cotton. Then he let the blue stone sink into it as if in a downy bed. How gracefully the chain knelt down beside it, forming a tiny silver puddle, like a faithful dog sleeping beside its master! Ah, to serve a master as handsome as that!

Palpo sighed and reluctantly put the jewel away, saving the pleasure of gazing upon it until tomorrow. Lying in the darkness he planned a hiding-place. It would not do to carry it on his person. The American soldiers stopped him in the street. “What have you got in your pocket?”

“Nothing, nothing!”

“Search him!”

Palpo cringing, rough hands turning him this way and that. The box! They have found it! Taken it!

No! The blackness came back to him. I must hide it. Where? In my room. Surprise raid. Soldiers throwing aside the mattress. “Any weapons?” The floorboards. “What’s this box? Ah!” Gone!

Or the citizens browsing through the ruined streets, soft and silent. One has crept up the stairs. Here’s a room! Something in here perhaps. And deft fingers sliding through his belongings, oval nails like vapid eyes, seeking, seeking.

I must be clever. Sleep.

He awoke, startled to find daylight in his room. The gem! Where is the box?

He found it where he had put it the night before, in the toe of his shoe. He lifted the box-cover and removed the jewel with tender fingers. Oh, what was wrong? It looked dull and lifeless. He held the chain and the deep-blue stone slid out of the box, dangling in the air. Something stirred within it, lights began to flash, bluish-white lights that suddenly suggested other colors. It had been sleeping, that was it! Now it was awake and dancing.

His unbewitched ears heard a step on the stair. Somebody. Hurriedly he replaced the gem in the box and slipped it into his pocket. There was a heavy, imperative knock on the door.

Who? Key. Nothing. Just Kala. No soldiers. No returned Nazis to claim the jewel. Kala, loud and peppery. What an annoyance!

Palpo sat on the edge of his bed and drew on his shoes, body bent, head down, muttering replies to Kala’s remarks.

“...and vomited! What a night! You missed it.”

Palpo, fully-dressed, stood up.

“You’re up early.”

“Up! Didn’t get to bed!” Stupid laughter. “Feel fine. I’m not getting old like some people I know!”

Hard finger poking his rib. That hurt. Why does he have to bother me? Why doesn’t he go home?

“Long day ahead of us.”

“Look,” Kala touched his shoulder. “Make an excuse for me. I’m taking off today.”

So that was it. His eyes are looking around room. Does he suspect? Taking day off to search? Good thing it’s in my pocket. I’ll carry it today, take a chance.

“All right.” Let him look, then I can hide it later, when he’s through.

“Aren’t you going to lock your door?”

“What? Oh, yes, yes. Thanks. Almost forgot.”

Key. He’s not interested in my room. Just a pest, loud.

Palpo and Kala descended the stairs. Work today and tonight I’ll look at the jewel again! Tonight!

Days passed before Palpo observed a curious thing. The jewel was growing! He could not be mistaken. Every day he removed it from the box and studied it. Every day he thought about it, yearning for the afternoon to come so that he could examine it. The setting sun bathed it in a warm fire that lasted long after the sun had gone. And so he could not be mistaken. The stone was larger. It was now flush with the sides of the box whereas at first it had been surrounded by cotton.

O magic gem! That night Palpo wept tears of unendurable joy. There was no telling what good fortune lay ahead!

He began to talk to it as though it were another person. Shunning Kala, by-passing the beerhall, he would hasten to his room and relate to the jewel the happenings of the day.

The sides of the box bulged under the pressure of it. The blue stone had grown a third larger. Palpo no longer wondered. He held it to the rays of the departing sun and allowed the jewel to splash color over the drab walls, spreading over his tattered quilt to make it a robe of beautiful texture, transforming his hovel to an enchanted palace.

And later he fashioned a larger box for it because it had grown the size of a turnip and its chain was as thick as a wedding band. Why, the chain alone could buy Palpo a life of comfort. But ... if he should sell the chain, he would then lose the value of its future growth! That would not do. He would keep it and the jewel.

It seemed that because he had discovered its secret, the stone grew more and more rapidly. Soon it was necessary to leave it behind his door covered with an old sheet because it was too heavy to move. He could sit upon it, see his reflection in its planes, embrace it. And what beauty!

Kala prodded him with unanswered questions. Why did he rush home every night? Was he ill? Why did he talk to himself and stop listening when others spoke?

Palpo chuckled. Kala and the others thought he was going mad. Little did they know!

Then one day Palpo came home and couldn’t open his door. Something shoved against his pressure. He managed to push his head through the opening and saw that the stone had grown so large that it completely filled one end of the room! When would it stop growing? How could he prevent its being seen by others?

He removed the hinges of the door, and managed to get into the room. With great difficulty he tugged the stone toward the window, and then he replaced the door, locking it securely. What a problem! He stood looking down at the jewel. What could he do with it? It was as beautiful as ever but too big to enjoy. No longer could he dangle it and watch the rays of the sun sparkle through it. It was too clumsy! Its facets were so large they sent solid sheets of color across the room, not tiny specks. And if he looked deeply into it, too long, he became dizzy and weak.

He went to bed. His dreams were troubled and disturbing. Soldiers saw his sheet from the window. “Sniper! Covered machine-gun!” they cried out, and sent ammunition up, exploding ... fire ... he was shot! He was burning alive!

He awoke in the morning to find that the jewel had nearly doubled its size during the night. He could not move the bed, and the chain formed such a tangle that he could not get to the door. He had to stay home from work. Perhaps Kala would make up an excuse. If Kala would only come! Together they might move the stone.

But Kala did not come and Palpo lay on his bed in terror because the stone continued to grow! The silver chain coiled larger and larger about him, and the jewel loomed higher and higher, to the ceiling, cracking the bricks of the window and the wall.

And when the shadows gathered indicating that the day was over, Kala knocked on the door and shouted inside, but Palpo was too weak to answer. He lay, sweating, listening to Kala’s retreating footsteps down the stairs. Help me!

Then from outside, silence. A link of the silver chain dug into his throat, another link crushed his body. His hands pushed against it vainly. An awe-ful force pressed against him; his thin, fleshless fingers writhed, and suddenly went limp. There was a great cracking noise as the seams of the room gave way....