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

A WEEK IN A DAY.
BY SIDNEY LUsKA.

member the events of that night with perfect
distinetness. / dined in the company of two of
my friends in an Italian restaurant on Union
Square. Thence we adjourned to q theater in
Fourteenth street and listened to an English
adaptation Of a French opera bouffe. In the
vestibule of the theater we parted. Thence I
went directly home, to bed, and in due course of
time to sleep. So much for the night of Satur-
day, June %.
The next morning, Sunday, June 29-it is es-
sential that l should insist on dates-I awoke as
usual. | congratulated myself on having a holi-
day in store for me and rolled over, in accord
ance with my Sunday morning custom. for
another nap. But in rolling over something
struck me as somehow unfamiliar. opened my
eyes 70 their widest. l could not see a great dis
tance ahead, however. because my face was
covered. The covering proved to be a handker-
chief. / removed it-and thereby, as it turned
out, lifted the curtain upon the first act OF the
odd little comedy that l have undertaken to put
in writing.
1 was lying completely dressed on a sofa in a
strange room, which by itself was sufficiently
perplexing. But the longer regarded it the
stranger, the more extraordinary, the room ap-
peared.
1t had no windows. A hatchway In the cell
ing provided light. The four walls were hung
with dark green cloth, and only in a single spot
their continuity was interrupted by a door. This
was some implanted, reddish wood, carved with
q maze of Intricate arabesques. In the center
Of the floor a huge mass Of bronze, wrought into
D semi-human shape, seemed to be an overgrown
Chinese idol. The couch on which l lay was
simply a broad, low cushion, or divan. uphol-
stored in Turkey silk. A heavy perfume, like in
eense mixed with the attar-of-roses, impregnated
the air and caused me a slight sickness. But
sickness was eclipsed by bewilderment. Besides,
1t soon passed off, whereas the latter lasted.
What could have happened? Whittier had I been
eonducteds
Dreams we're out of the question. My impress
sions were of a far more circumstantial texture
than the stuff that dreams are made of. But ex-
GLIDING dreams, what remained to account for
my situation
A thousand hypotheses offered themselves.
each outvieing the others in improbability and
extravaganza. Perhaps the least untenable of
them was that in some incOnceivable way and
for some inconceivable purpose l had been kid
mapped. Less than a week ago l had read in the
newspapers of a Spaniard who had been kid
naped on the Bowery in broad day.
Obviously, whatever the matter was, it be-
hooved me to take immediate action. But how!
To start with, make a careful inspection of
my surroundings. To that end, get up.
| tried to do so. To my infinite stupefaction l
failed.
/ could move my hands and arms, my feet and
legs; but move my body, bend my back, substi-
tute the sitting posture for the lying, l could
not.
Thereat with hideous swiftness a portion at
least OF what seemed to be the truth, fashed
upon me. Kidnapped or not, l had fractured my
spinal column. This was paralysis.
Courage forsook me. Like a scared child /
screamed at the top of my voice. My voice was
the wee small shred of itself, precisely calculated
10 corroborate my fears
However, it was enough. The door swung on
its hinges and a person entered.
/ am engaged in arranging in narrative a
sequence of quasi-magical influences which
were, after their occurrence, explained upon a
quasiscientific basis. For the sake of method |
designate as humble one the influence that
transported me in a state of uneonsciousness
from my own pillow to my present windowless
prison. With the entrance of this person infu-
ence number two commenced to operate.
An entire change swept over my frame OF
mind. 1t is not easy TO convey in a sentence a
clear notion of what that change was like. At
the moment it did not excite my surprise, and
therefore l took no pains to observe it. Speak
ing from memory, l can only say that in the
briefest appreciable fraction of a second | leapt
from a condition of utmost modification to one
of unruf6ed mental tranquility. l forgot all the
singularity. at this point, of my position. Sud
denly it seemed as though l had never dwelt
elsewhere or otherwise. My former life faded
away like an hallucination. 1t was as if I
awoke from a nightmare into my natural abode.
The person entering was a tall young woman.
She was clad in a flowing white gown. and a red
rose famed in her breast. She bore a wilder
ness of black curls above her forehead and a
pair of fathomless brown eyes beneath it. On
the in slant | thought she was the most indie
scribably beautiful being l ever beheld; and as I
have not had reason 10 modify that opinion
since, I shall not contradict myself by endeavor-
ing to describe her.
/ gazed and held ry breath for / know not
what length of time. Finally / became aware
that she had spoken. 'Did you callP' she said.
The thrill of her voice in my heart reminded
me of the first evening / had heard Wilhelm
draw his bow across his violin string, only it was
incomparably keener. Love at first sight, by
hard usage. has grown to be a threadbare set of
words; yet, for want of a better, I must avail
myself of it. Love at first sight; love at its in
Candescent maximum degree was what l expert
enced for this unknown beauty.
Ibid | CALI" ] echoed stupidity. It was with
difficulty that l could r~ecollect. Eyes, 1 think l
did"
WAS there anything you needed9' she pur-
sued, smiling, with the hghtest touch of q
foreign accent.
~ did not suspect it, but now I know there
WaS-l neeOeO you, 1 answered.
II am at your service. What are your COM
mands," she asked, courtesying.
Commands l have none" said /. 'They
would seem more appropriate coming from your
part. But if petitions are in order, l pray that
you will stay here"
Though you put your commands in the form
of a petition, | shall not prove the less obedient;
nay, the more so, as token of my sensibility,"
she reioined in her quaint English. She seated
herself on an ottoman at my side.
''But tell me, why did you calla You were not
frightened2"
"Why-why9 All, yes, / wanted to ask some
questions. ] have no further interest in them.
We will let them pass. If l have broken my
back l am not sorry; if / have been kidnapped 1
am glad. l don't care to penetrate the secret.
1t is too precious-I dare not tamper with it, lest
1t might vanish, and | should have to go back to
che old run OF things"
That is right" she said very seriously, pierre
ing my heart with her eyes. you don't under
stand how your presence here began nor how it