and was I left alone
in this appalling solitude? Was I in my right senses, or was I not? I
shouted again at the very pitch of my voice, and this time an answering
cry came to my relief. On turning in the direction from which it
proceeded, I observed Professor Gazen coming slowly towards me, round a
mass of turretted rocks.

"What is the meaning of all this?" I demanded petulantly, as he came
near, gingerly stepping from stone to stone.

He made no reply, but seemed to be meditating what he would say.

"A nice trick you've played me! Wherever have we got to?"

"Mercury," replied Gazen coolly.

"_Mercury!_" I exclaimed, fairly astounded. "Impossible!"

"Not at all."

"Oh, come!" said I sarcastically, "that won't do. A joke is a joke; but
I'm not in a merry mood this morning."

"So I see. A laugh would do you good."

"Well, where are we?"

"In Mercury."

"What nonsense!" I ejaculated. "Last night I went to bed in Venus, and
you want me to believe that I've woke up on Mercury. Tell that to the
marines."

"Last night you say; but do you know how long you have slept? And have
you forgotten that we are now so near the sun--that the attraction of
the sun on the car has assisted the machines to propel us through the
intermediate space?"

I had not thought of that.

"Then it is true."

"Of course."

"And why have you come here--what authority--what right--had you to
carry me off in this manner without my consent?" I burst out angrily.
"You knew I had made up my mind to stay in Venus. I took you into my
confidence and told you about my love affair. Why have you betrayed that
confidence, and kidnapped me like a slave or a lunatic?"

"Hear me, old friend," said Gazen softly. "We have all noticed a decided
change in you of late--ever since the day of the ceremony on the island.
You have been like a different person--absent in your mind--incoherent
in your speech--abrupt in your manner. You have forsaken your old
friends completely, and apparently lost all interest in their doings,
all desire for their company. In short, you have behaved like a man
beside himself, distraught. We could not make it out, and we had many
anxious consultations about the matter. I wondered whether you had had a
sunstroke. Carmichael suggested that the stimulating air of Venus had
affected your brain. Miss Carmichael alone suspected that you were in
love; but I would not believe her. I had been so much in your society
without having