The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-05

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wearled of conversation. Occasionally she would
propose to read aloud, but before she
had finished a page i would stop her TO
resume our talk. Sometimes finding the
door ajar, she would say, Now we will have
some music" whereupon piano would be played
IN the adjoining room by an eXecutant who un.-
derstood his business. Simultaneously would
steal in the diluted fragrance of Russian ciga-
r%ettes, and when I commented upon the matter
an abundance of these was supplied tor my own
consumption. Once in a while l caught the
sound of voices, emanating whence l could not
determine, and speaking very rapidly a language
that l could not distinguish. At dusk Damozel
babe me goodbye until the morrow. and with
the thickening of darkness Invariably sank into
| a placid slumDeR. Each day was pretty much
the counterpart of its predecessor. but each day
was fraught with new intensity of delight.
The above epitome brings me to the late after
noon of the eighth day-Sunday, July 6.
1 was alone. With half closed eyes / watched
the blue sky simmer through the hatchway
oyer my head. Only enc thing was wanting to
fill my cup of happiness full. and that l was soon
going to obtain. l had just settled affirmatively
a resolution that | had been debating since early
morning. / had resolved to declare my senti-
ments to DamoZel. / was secure in the hope OF
a favorable answer.
Presently she came in and sat down beside me.
| had learned my speech by heart.
l began: II want you to give me a few Stats
tics in feminine psychology. 1t is usually as
serted that a woman has the talent of divining a
AAdhc uHCOulcSS6u lONG"
With the utterance of the word love, Damozel
gave a little cry and fed across the floor, where
the stood crouching against the wall with her
hands raised before her, as Sthough to avert a
blow. AT the same moment a loud metallic
clang resounded through the room, and | saw
the Chinese idol rent asunder, and from its
bowels emerge a gray old man. l can say moth
ing further. A shock like that from twenty
electric batteries contracted all my limbs, and |
lost consciousness with the abruptness of a flash
of lightning.
When l recovered-and my recovery was a
very gradual affair-when / recovered sufficient
ly to recognize myself, | was seated bolt upright
In the midst of Egyptian darkness. Still too
dazed to realize what had befallen, / go. up and
CROPPED my way in the direction where, by in
stinct, l believed l should strike a window.
The air worked a miracle, restoring my senses
to perfect activity in no time. Then began the
era of establishments.
In the first place, | was astonished to find
myself standing up. In the second place, / was
astonished to find myself standing by a window.
Evidently my location had been changed. Oh,
for a match-for light. | was oppressed by a
| vague, nameless terror.
My hand, mechanically fumbling in the pocket
OF my waistcoat, answered to my desire. 1t
produced a match and scratched it on my boot
heel.
What I witnessed by the feeble illumination
of that match overwhelmed me. / dropped back
into my chair.
By and by I collected myself. I procured a
second match, marched straight ahead and lit
the gas.
was iE my own room, the same identical
room where l had gone to bed Saturday night,
June %.
All the amazement that had been held in
allegiance for a week past now burst out like the
fires of a long pent-up volcano. Dumbfounded,
l stood there waiting for the tumult in my brain
to subside.
Eventually, when I had regained sufficient of
my shattered equanimity, ] said: Zone thing is
nlaIn IF fhic rnoftor &c 70 d o1oovaA r~ 4. 4 al
l must start at the very end of it and proceed
backward, step by step. The first step is to
interview O'Brien."
OBrien is a young lawyer who lodges ON the
floor above. / climbed the staircase and raped
at O'Brien's door. By a happy chance, OBrien
was in. He was extended in a big easychair,
reading a big book and smoking a big meer-
schaum pipe.
After the necessary interchange of ~civilities I
said: "O'Brien, l won der whether you can give
me a little help. The question l am going to ask
will be of a sort to arouse your suspicious, but l
assure l am not and have not been intoxicated.
Do you know anything about the manner of my
getting into the house to -nightP
OBrien. in spite of his Celtic blood, is as
phlegmatic as an Englishman. He replied
quietly: Eyes, a good deal"
Abr continued, then tell me all about it"
"Tell you about it9 What is there to tell you
means of the door. We were out on the stoop
to get a bit of the breeze after supper, and in
you passed without so much as a nod or a how
de-do for a single one of u.s."
''Bless mel" | could not help exclaiming, show
very strange!"
What are you muttering about9" demanded
| O'Brien.
/ was burning to tell my tale to somebody
why not to OBrieHa He had a legal mind and
perhaps could aid me in my search for a solution.
l pledged him to secrecy. With a nondescript
noise between a sigh and a sneeze he laid aside
his law book and composed himself to listen. I
told him the whole story, suppressing none. but
the chapters.
He did not once interrupt me. After / had
pronounced my last word he pulled at his pipe
tor a while in silence. At length he announced
with maddening elaboration, Stuart, you must
be crazy"
Jumped to my feet This was too much.
"Crazy2 What the devil do you mean?"
Eyes, exactly; insane, out of your head" he
explained with judicial calmness.
Il ask again, what do you meant" l said.
There, there, may good fellow, don't get on
your dig" urged O'Brien; ''but let me lead you
around to reason. You say you have been in
captivity a week, do you not9"
'Yes, a week and an extra day. What then9"
Then to-day, according to. your reckoning,
SIS Sunday"
Good. To-day is Sunday, the"
'The 9th of July"
'"The 9th of July9 Well, that's the pivot on
which your mania hangs. Today is not Sun
day, the 9th day of July. Today is Sunday, the
29th of June"
What !" l Numbered. The word was like an
explosion.
Don't wake the household" said O'Brien.
"but bark. To-day is the 29th of June. If you
doubt it, here is the morning paper-here is
but what's the use of arguingg Your dates are
wrong and your allegations concerning facts are
crooked. Now, for example, / saw you at break
fast this morning, discussed politics with you
and walked out at your side as far as Lexington
avenue. So all that stuff about your mysterious
extraction from your bed is pure delusion."
| pleaded with OBrien to the limit of NV
| capacity. He was not to be shaken. To day
was Sunday, the Goth of June. and no mistake,
and / had left the house that very morning on
my own legs and in my ordinary health, as
nearly as he could judge.
"Go down stairs and to bed" was his conclu-
sion, ''and tomorrow you will agree that you
he " a had q dpaapo aDd poth;po alca ~