to wake up again at all in this world, which was a most unpleasant
possibility. Another thing, suppose I woke and she didn't! What should
I say then? Of a certainty I should find myself in the dock. Yes, and
there were further dreadful eventualities, quite conceivable, every
one of them, the very thought of which plunged me into a cold
perspiration and made me feel so weak that I was obliged to sit down.

Then I heard the gong; to me it sounded like the execution bell to a
prisoner under sentence of death. I crept downstairs feebly and found
Lady Ragnall waiting for me in the drawing-room, clothed with gaiety
as with a garment. I remember that it made me most indignant that she
could be so happy in such circumstances, but I said nothing. She
looked me up and down and remarked,

"Really from your appearance you might have seen the Ragnall ghost, or
be going to be married against your will, or--I don't know what. Also
you have forgotten to fasten your tie."

I looked in the glass. It was true, for there hung the ends down my
shirt front. Then I struggled with the wretched thing until at last
she had to help me, which she did laughing softly. Somehow her touch
gave me confidence again and enabled me to say quite boldly that I
only wanted my dinner.

"Yes," she replied, "but you are not to eat much and you must only
drink water. The priestesses in Kendah Land told me that this was
necessary before taking /Taduki/ in its strongest form, as we are
going to do to-night. You know the prophet Harut only gave us the
merest whiff in this room years ago."