M. G. Moretti

Name: The Strangling Hands
Author: M. G. Moretti

The Strangling Hands (1938)

Summary

“The Strangling Hands”, published in 1938, is a work by M. G. Moretti. It explores elements such as Tony, Nyi and Clark.

Quotes from The Strangling Hands (M. G. Moretti)

M. G. Moretti, The Strangling Hands (1938)

“ Our conversation was perfunctory until the head waiter had found us a table in
"The stone of Nyi was never found after the night of Tony's death."
a secluded corner and Tony had ordered the regular dinner. "Well, what's up?" I asked again. "Something to do with 1925?"
He started violently. "How'd you know?"
"It wasn't hard to guess. You have friends to go to when you want other things."
He gave a rueful little smile. "Prejudices die hard around you, don't they, Mac? But you'll be glad–in the end–that I wrote that book." ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

M. G. Moretti, The Strangling Hands (1938)

“ You don't question that a voice or picture can be sent through the air from anywhere to you, because scientists say it can be done. You don't know how, you just believe them. They talk about the possibilities of recovering the voices of the past or of sending thought-waves, and you believe them. But I'm telling you what I know!"
Unable to answer his arguments with any assurance, I picked up a newspaper and turned to the sports section, hunted in vain for my favorite columnist, and after a brief glance at the other periodicals, looked at my watch.
"It's eighteen minutes of midnight, Tony. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

M. G. Moretti, The Strangling Hands (1938)

“ When you're in danger of death, it helps to know that it won't be painful." He took out his watch and compared his time with mine. "It's eleven twenty-five." with a shudder; "that means forty-two more minutes. Mac. It is the sixth of July?"
"As far as I know, unless the whole world's gone as coocoo as you seem to be. Now, look here, Tony, there's absolutely no danger of any kind; even if those priests did want to kill you, just wishing it couldn't do it. They're in Africa; you're in America; there are some five thousand miles of ocean between you." ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

M. G. Moretti, The Strangling Hands (1938)

“ And you're quite ready to sit down any evening and listen to a man singing in London. And when you're told that no wires connect you across the ocean and that you're hearing it just as it's being given and at virtually the same time–that very same voice coming across thousands of miles of emptiness–what do you say? If you remember to marvel at all, you say, 'Science certainly is wonderful.' You don't begin to doubt that you're really hearing anything, do you? ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

M. G. Moretti, The Strangling Hands (1938)

“ Even my own lawyers do not believe the truth I tell them about the night that Tony died.
Johnson supported my story at first, but later, when he saw, as the pilot of "Cheeky's" plane had seen, that the truth would brand him liar or accomplice, he, too, changed his "I know" to "I think," and later lied that he had been drinking. Johnson knows that I know he is lying, but I don't blame him. What else could he do?
My lawyers are going to try a plea of self-defense, and, if the worst comes to the worst, of insanity. Strange thing, this having to lie that I killed a man I never touched. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

M. G. Moretti, The Strangling Hands (1938)

“ We stole that eye, Mac; we ravaged the statue of Nyi. We were the enemies of the god of death. Oh, there's a connection all right."
"If you're going to start some nonsense about a curse running around the globe from one generation to another, you can save your breath. I may be a fool, but I'm not as big a one as that."
"Listen," he said. "On the seventh of July, 1925, we took a stone from the statue of Nyi. It was just after midnight, when the priests were sleeping below the altar steps. Captain Clark put it among his curios in the bank vault when he reached this country. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

M. G. Moretti, The Strangling Hands (1938)

“ Nothing particularly interesting, as I remember, except the pretty visible proof that the custom was still extant, and the two eyes of the statue that shone a smoky greenish gray or blue at night Captain Clark took one out for his collection, as I remember."
Tony's gaze was riveted on my face.
"Well, what about it?" I demanded.
"Do you remember, Mac, how Nyi's victims were killed?"
After a bit I said, "Strangled. Some were throttled to death by the fingers of the priests; others had ropes drawn about their throats. Bloodless but unpleasant. I don't get the connection with you." ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

M. G. Moretti, The Strangling Hands (1938)

“ I told him, "and don't go moving about. That wall's solid and nothing can get in behind you. I'm going to sit against the door to be sure no key's used."
Tony walked wearily to his place. "Okay, Mac. Just as you say."
It was two minutes before twelve as I sat down with my back to the door. After a minute of inaction, I went to the table, extracted a bit of cotton from the box which held the Eye-stone, carefully replaced the cover, and went back to the door.
"I'm stuffing the keyhole," I said in answer to a question from Tony. "We've got to keep out any points of light." ”

M. G. Moretti

Summary

Quotes from The Strangling Hands (M. G. Moretti)

Common terms

Similar works

Get perspective with Kwize: daily news enlightened by great literature