Summary

Portrait of Sabine Baring-Gould Sabine Baring-Gould In Troubadour-Land — Chapter XI: Trets and Gardanne (1891)

Among his treasures above his bed, was the city executioner's sword, much notched. This sword was six feet long, with a huge handle, to be grasped with two hands, and with an iron ornamented knob as counterpoise at the end of the handle.
How life is made up of lost opportunities! How much of the criminal history of the city might I not have learned, if I had paid longer visits to Herr Schreiber, and listened to his account of the notches in the blade, to each of which a ghastly history attached.
Source: Wikisource

Portrait of Sabine Baring-Gould Sabine Baring-Gould In Troubadour-Land — Chapter XI: Trets and Gardanne (1891)

I lay on a bench upon deck, hugging my executioner's sword, and faintly calling: "A basin please!" Two ruffians—I can call them, nothing else—paced the deck, smoking, and passed me every forty seconds. If there is a thing which tumbles a human being of a highly-strung nervous temperament over when he feels squeamish, it is the occasional whiff of a cigar.
Source: Wikisource

Portrait of Sabine Baring-Gould Sabine Baring-Gould In Troubadour-Land — Chapter XI: Trets and Gardanne (1891)

When I got into a hansom at Charing Cross, the sword would go nowhere except between my knees, with the blade shooting up between the reins of the driver, high above the top of the conveyance. I caused great amusement as I drove through the streets of London thus.
The sword is at rest now, lodged on my staircase, and of one thing I am sure: no one is likely to run away with it. I have lost curiosities too tempting for specialists to keep their fingers from; but no one will carry away my sword. I shall go, but the sword will remain.
Source: Wikisource

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