pale. Then I saw him grip Kaffar's hand. Instantly the room was peopled
with a strange crowd. Dark forms seemed to come from Voltaire's eyes;
peculiar influences were all around me. The faces of the two men became
dimmer and dimmer, the people appeared to float in mid air, and I with
them; then something heavy seemed to move away, I thought I heard
strange creeping noises, like that of an adder crawling amidst thick dry
grass, and then all was blank.




CHAPTER VI

AFTERWARDS


When I awoke to consciousness I was in my bedroom. For some time I could
not gather up my scattered senses; my mind refused to exercise its
proper functions. Presently I heard some one speak.

"I had no idea he was so far gone," a voice said. "You see, his power of
resistance is very great, and it needed four times the magnetism to
bring him under that it did your servant."

"I'm sorry you experimented on him at all," said another voice.

"Oh, I can assure you no harm's done. There, you see, he's coming to."

I felt something cold at my temples, then a strange shivering sensation
passed over me, and I was awake.