laughed.
Laughed long and loud! Laughed until the answering echoes reverberated
through the place as though a million tongues had been hidden in the
recesses. Stopping suddenly, he began racing around again, and resumed
his story:

"And so came that great cataclysm which all corners of the world
record as the flood. So the great Atlantis, the centre of the
civilization of the world, was lost for centuries, until at last
re-discovered and re-christened America. AEsculapius perished, and his
wisdom died. His records were hidden. But he left a son, and that son
another, and from him sprung another, and another, and another, and so
on, and on, as time sped, until to-day I am the last of the great
line. Ha! You doubt it. You think that I am lying. Then how comes it
that I am here? Here in the treasure house of my great ancestor?
Because among my people there are traditions, and one told of this
temple. I studied it, and worked it out, until I located it. Then I
came here and found this old house built over it. And I knew that it
covered the greatest secret in all the world. But it contained another
secret too. A simple, easy secret for a man like me to solve. A secret
staircase, built by some stupid old colonist, to lead him down to a
secret wine-cellar, which is on the other side of that stairway. But
Providence would not permit the old drunkard to turn to the right, in
digging for his vault, or he would have entered this chamber, as I
have done. I found this staircase, and cut my way into this place,
which I closed with that iron door. And you, you fool, thought that I
did not know how to open a door that I had built myself." His laugh
rang out again, and the piercing shrieks, coming back from the echoes,
darted through Barnes's brain, confused by his pivotal turning on the
stone as he tried to follow the Doctor racing around the chamber, and
as the man now rushed at him screaming:

"Now! Now! You fool, you are mine! Mine! All mine!" Barnes felt as
though something in his brain had snapped, and, tottering, he threw up
his arms, and then sank down, to be caught by Dr. Medjora, who lifted
him as though he had been a child, and laid him upon the floor.
Placing his ear to his heart a moment, the Doctor arose to his feet
with a satisfied expression and speaking low, said:

"He is now thoroughly frightened, but the shock will not kill him.
When he wakes he will be mine indeed! I will play the little trick,
and I can be safe