The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-16
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bodies.
Why should persons formed exactly
alike as far as the mere presence of
blood, bone, sinew and nerves is con-
cerned, be so variously affected? If there
be such forces at work why do they
not pervade all sentient, tieshP We ask
many questions, but the true replies
are not as yet vouchsafed to us; per-
haps they will never be. There will al
ways be creatures whose eyes see and ears
hear what is unknown to many. The
presence of influences in the world around
US will thrill through those VINO, endowed
with ethereal qualities, feel things which
most of us. fashioned with more earthly
substance, failed to discern.
Notwithstanding his exquisite suscep-
tibility, Wake was pleasant companion,
and did not take amiss any amusement
afforded to his grosser comrades by his
peculi arities. He was fond Of making ex-
cursions on foot through the Swiss nigh.
lands. and one companion only was what
he asked, and generally obtained, for we
all liked him, and he was easily pleased.
Content with almost anything except con-
slant noise or stormy weather he would
pied along, singing sometimes 10 himself,
and full of interest in all he saw. The
only circumstance that made him seem at
all unre asonable was in the matter of &C.
eommodation at an inn. The hotels were
often crowded, but however full they might
be, Wake always insisted on having a
room to himself. He said he could not
sleep with another person snoring In an
other bed, however remote, in the same
room.
This unreasonable apprehension was
especially aggtavating when l was with
him on one of these excursions, for l am
an excellent walker and an excellent
sleeper, and feel certain that ] never
snore. People don't who lie on their
sides and not on their backs, and know
that never lie on my back, and, if ever
disagreeable, | am only disagreeable when
l am awake. But this assertion had no
influence with Cecil Wake. We had ar
rived late and hungry at an Inn and were
shown a room where there were two beds,
the one with its back to the side of the
room where was the window, the other
placed with its head the other way and
near the door. There was considerable
interval between the beds. Wake told the
landlord he wanted room to himself,
however small. Excellent as Swiss hotels
are, they cannot contain more rooms than
they do contain, and the landlord said be
could not give another unless he gave his
own. and that he could not do, for be had
a wife and [ don't know how many chill
dren sleeping there. So there was no
help for it, and The landlord retired. l
told Wake that l feared there was no
avoiding the inconvenience, and that he
must allow me a bed, and that | promised
not to snOre. But although he at first
N ade no demur. and although | had my
bag carried up to the room, he presently
began 10 look so unhappy-so ridiculously
put out and twitchy-that |, 10 whom it
was matter of perfect indiffer-
ence whether | slept in bed or on a sofa,
said tn | had made up my mind not 10
plague him by nv presence. and that /
would go down and sleep on couch l had
, observed In the dinlng-room of the hotel,
nIah Md t. -.
fore mounting the stairs. He thanked me-
effusively. aud although l thought him
rather selfish, | shook his hand and
wished him pleasant dreams. He said
that he would not act thus were it not
that he felt that he himself would be an
annoyance to me, for. unless he slept we'll.
his restlessness would be sufficient to keep
us both awake.
Besides" he added, to nv establishment,
There are very peculiar Influences at work
here, and especially, as II seems to me. in
that part of the room where your bed" in
dica ing the one near the door, sis placed,
and | would much rather that no friend of
mine slept there. | cannot tell you what
it is, but it Is alpabe-pGlpable," he re-
peated. with sigh and a shudder, land l
shall certainly take the. bed near the
window, where l can get fresh air."
l said: Nonsense, old man; thunder
IN the air and on your nerves. as usual
Nice clean bed-whars the matter with
to" But as l said this draught coming
from the door blew out my candle and
made his flicker so that he shaded it
with his hand, causing the shadow to
fall on that side of the room where the
door and bed were, and | looked, ami
while / was speaking the shadow of his
fingers above the bed seemed to make
them point on the wall at something, and
underneath the shadow of them the be:
appeared to my fancy to be shining in an
Il Il 4,
that seen in the sky when 1t is lit by aurO-
raj light tlnated over it and illuminated the
white sheets. l hastily lit my candle again
at his. and, repeating my good night"
went out at the door, an odd chilly sensa-
ton passing down my back as did so. |
found the couch in the dining-room. lay
down on IL, put my plaid over my legs
and was soon asleep.
Durlog the early hours of morning there
must have been storm which failed To
wake me. As 1t came nearer, however, I
became half-c0nsciOuS, and my thoughts,
taking pleasant shapes, made me In my
dreams i'm CINE myself at breakfast with
Wake, preparatory to a start for noun
tain ramble. / saw before me on the clean
tablecloth the low glass jar of the IneVita-
bic Swiss honey, and my mouth seemed
filled with the excellent bread and butter,
and | lifted to my lips the cup of cafe au
lalt. but sudden jar made me drop the
cup, and with start l awoke. A loud
peal of thunder shook the hotel, and l lay
on my back. thinking what would happen
were the lightning to strike me house.
The position of Wakes room, immedia tely
over the dining-room occurred 10 me-
| ran over in my mind The construction
of the place. its verandas, and its many
windows under the tall roof. which had
a great gable. l wondered If there was
lightning conductor, and thought how
the chimney was placed, and il the stories
of bolts coming down chimneys were true.
Pah! what uonsensel Why should / have
such ideas? Let me 90 to sleep again.
What did it matter, one thunder storm or
more among the Alps, which were always
re-echoing such concerts? Then | looked
round me, and l saw the door l had en-
tered by slowly opening and in another
moment Wakes face appeared, then his
body followed, clothed in his dressing
gown.
Are you here. DIP" he asked.
"Yes, yes; here l am. quite comfort
able" l replied, thinking laZily that he
might have suddenly become uneasy about
my accommodations. Here l am, woke
up by this beastly thunder storm. / sup
pose it woke yOu?"
He came to me without answering, and
by a night light had kept burning [ saw