you had stopped below, and it was only a little
while ago that the truth flashed upon me. Then I rushed out and
began looking up for you. I knew that you had wax matches in your
pocket, and hoped that you would keep on striking them, so that you
would be seen."

"But I did not wish to be seen," I said, as we hurried to the hotel;
"and I can never be sufficiently thankful that it was you who found
me and brought me down. Do you know that it is Mr. Gilbert and his
daughter who have just arrived? I must see him instantly. I will
explain it all to you when I come upstairs."

I took off my knapsack and gave it to my wife, who carried it to our
room, while I went to look for Mr. Gilbert. Fortunately I found him
just as he was about to go up to his chamber. He took my offered
hand, but looked at me sadly and gravely.

"Mr. Gilbert," I said, "I must speak to you in private. Let us step
into this room. There is no one here."

"My friend," said Mr. Gilbert, "it will be much better to avoid
discussing this subject. It is very painful to both of us, and no
good can come from talking of it."

"You cannot now comprehend what it is I want to say to you," I
replied. "Come in here, and in a few minutes you will be very glad
that you listened to me."

My manner was so earnest and impressive that Mr. Gilbert was
constrained to follow me, and we went into a small room called the
smoking-room, but in which people seldom smoked, and closed the
door. I immediately began my statement. I told my old friend that I
had discovered, by means that I need not explain at present, that he
had considered me crazy, and that now the most important object of
my life was to set myself right in his eyes. I thereupon gave him
the whole history of my invention, and explained the reason of the
actions that had appeared to him those of a lunatic. I said nothing
about the little incident of that evening. That was a mere accident,
and I did not care now to speak of it.

Mr. Gilbert listened to me very attentively.

"Your wife is here?" he asked, when I had finished.

"Yes," I said; "and she will corroborate my story in every item, and
no one could ever suspect her of being crazy. I will go and bring
her to you."

In a few minutes my wife was in the room, had shaken hands with Mr.
Gilbert, and had been told of my suspected madness. She turned pale,
but smiled.

"He did act like a crazy man," she said, "but I never supposed that
anybody would think h