this was so dark and so indistinct in my mind
that these events seemed to belong to another life than mine, and yet
mixed with mine in fantastic duality.

"At times the state into which I had fallen appeared so strange that I
believed myself dreaming. I arose trembling. My clothes were near me on
a chair; I neither remembered having undressed myself nor going to bed.
Then by degrees the reality broke upon me, full of chaste terrors. I was
no longer in the house where I had dwelt. As well as I could judge by
the light of the sun, the day was already two-thirds gone. It was the
evening before when I had fallen asleep; my sleep, then, must have
lasted twenty-four hours! What had taken place during this long sleep?

"I dressed myself as quickly as possible; my slow and stiff motions
all attested that the effects of the narcotic were not yet entirely
dissipated. The chamber was evidently furnished for the reception of a
woman; and the most finished coquette could not have formed a wish, but
on casting her eyes about the apartment, she would have found that wish
accomplished.

"Certainly I was not the first captive that had been shut up in this
splendid prison; but you may easily comprehend, Felton, that the more
superb the prison, the greater was my terror.

"Yes, it was a prison, for I tried in vain to get out of it. I sounded
all the walls, in the hopes of discovering a door, but everywhere the
walls returned a full and flat sound.

"I made the tour of the room at least twenty times, in search of an
outlet of some kind; but there was none. I sank exhausted with fatigue
and terror into an armchair.

"Meantime, night came on rapidly, and with night my terrors increased.
I did not know but I had better remain where I was seated. It appeared
that I was surrounded with unknown dangers into which I was about to
fall at every instant. Although I had eaten nothing since the evening
before, my fears prevented my feeling hunger.

"No noise from without by which I could measure the time reached me; I
only supposed it must be seven or eight o'clock in the evening, for it
was in the month of October and it was quite dark.

"All at once the noise of a door, turning on its hinges, made me start.
A globe of fire appeared above the glazed opening of the ceiling,
casting a strong light into my chamber; and I perceived with terror that
a man was standing within a few paces of me.

"A table, with two covers, bearing a supper ready