The Giant Spider (1928)

Abstract

Once upon a time there was a rich man, a very rich man. However, he had made his fortune in dishonest ways, for he was a swindler of the worst sort. He lent money to people who were desperate, and he made them pay a great deal for the loans. Yet the more money he earned, the more restless he became. Soon it was impossible for him to relax and sleep at night. He constantly imagined himself in some sort of danger. Sometimes he believed that the banks in which he had deposited his money had gone bankrupt. Sometimes he imagined that a fire had broken out and had burned up his entire fortune. So he bought a fireproof safe for his money. Then he became afraid that thieves could break into his house, open the safe, and steal his money. So he collected all of his money and hid it in his bed. There were so many layers of money that he eventually needed a small ladder to climb up into his bed. The bumps in the mattress made it difficult for him to sleep, and his body became stiff. But that didn’t matter, for now he was certain that nobody could steal his money during the night. As time passed, however, the bed became too uncomfortable for him. Therefore, he dragged his armchair to the side of the bed and sat there with a revolver in each of his hands. That was the way he stood watch over his dazzling fortune.