windowless, ventilation being
secured by forced draught from an engine-room in the basement.
Consequently, artificial light was necessary at all times, and a very
agreeable quality of it was furnished by electroliers concealed behind
ground-glass slides in the walls and ceilings of the various
apartments. The light thus obtained was diffused rather than direct,
and, being colorless, it closely approximated natural conditions, the
delusion being heightened by the construction of the wall panels so as
to simulate windows. To add again to the effect, these lights had been
gradually lowered as the day wore on. Now it must be almost dark in the
outside world, and it was twilight in the common room of the Utinam
Club; I could no longer distinguish between the motionless figures of
the men around me and the shadows that enveloped them. Even the fire
was dying out; in a few moments the darkness would become profound, and
I felt my pulse slow down with the chill of the thought.

One single ember remained in the fireplace; I watched it gleaming like
a great red eye in its bed of ashes, then it winked and went out, and
at the same instant the last ray from the false windows disappeared.
Strain my eyes as I would, the sensitive retina remained absolutely
unaffected; the darkness had finally come, and from one to another of
that desolate company ran a little, tremulous sigh, then the silence of
complete negation.

From the apex of the domed ceiling a sudden and wonderful effulgence of
rose-colored light streamed forth, flooding the great room with
glorious color and life. Magical were its effects. Men straightened up
in their chairs and looked about them, the flush of returning animation
in their cheeks, and their eyes bright with questioning interest. A
youngish chap leaned over and spoke earnestly to his neighbor, then
some one laughed aloud. Instantly the flood-gates were opened; the air
was vibrant with the hum of conversation, the ringing of call-bells,
and the sputtering of fusees. A blue haze of cigarette-smoke formed
itself above the heads of the assemblage; the Utinam Club had come to
its own again.

The large folding-doors at the east end were now opened, disclosing the
supper-room beyond--a spacious apartment, and decorated with a barbaric
splendor of gilding and intricate plastic work. I remarked particularly
the preponderance of the red tints; indeed, no other shade of color
could I discover--but of this more particu