ra?" A pause, a
quiver of the released eyelids, which opened slowly, allowing the eyes
to gaze at the Doctor; then the lids closed again, a shiver passed
over the sleeper's body, and the voice spoke:

"I will obey! I will forget!"

"You will forget that you followed me?"

"I will forget!"

"Repeat what I say. You will forget that you followed me?"

"I will forget that I followed you!"

"You will forget that you saw me and heard me speaking to a woman?"

"I will forget that you were speaking to a woman!"

"You will forget that there was a fire?"

"I will forget the fire!"

"You will forget the secret staircase?"

"I will forget the staircase!"

"The secret staircase!" The Doctor was determined to take no risk.

"I will forget the secret staircase!" said the sleeper.

"You will forget this room?"

"I will forget this room!"

"Finally, you will forget that you have been asleep?"

"Finally, I will forget that I have been asleep!"

"Good! That ought to be safe enough!" This the Doctor said to himself,
but the sleeper replied:

"Good! That ought to be safe enough!"

"Pah! He is a mere automaton," said the Doctor.

"A mere automaton!" repeated Barnes.

At this last sally the Doctor burst out into uncontrolled laughter, so
much heartier than before that it was plain that his previous laughing
had been but a part of his scheme to overawe the strong young will of
his companion, by raising up the affrighting echoes. The sleeper
joined in with this laughing, imitating it almost note for note, and
the answering echoes adding to the bedlam, made the place indeed like
some dwelling-place of evil spirits. The Doctor's hilarity passed, and
placing one hand upon Barnes's shoulder, in a voice of command he
cried!

"Silence!" At once the stillness of death ensued, as though each
gibbering demon had scurried back into his hiding-place. The Doctor
took the young man's head in both hands, the palms open against the
temples, and a thumb over each eye. Rubbing the closed lids gently, at
the same time pressing the temples, he spoke in deep resonant tones.

"Sleep! Sleep more deeply! Sleep unconscious! Sleep oblivious! Sleep
as though dead, but awaken when I call upon you to awaken!"

He continued his manipulations a few moments, and then removed his
hands. The eyelids released, slowly opened, and the sleeper gazed at
him. Then as slowly they closed again, and being shut, twitched and
fluttered as the heart of a d