!" p. 270.]
(Transcriber's note: Illustration not available.)

His head was buried in his arms, and he was becoming indifferent to
how frequently the kourbash fell on his shoulders. Had he but known
it, it was the beginning of unconsciousness; he uttered no sound, he
cared nothing for what was going on; he no longer, as the blows were
rained on him, shut his teeth to bear the pain--it was not
necessary, he was already beyond crying out. All sense of feeling
had left him.

Now and again he could hear, as if a long way off, the voice of the
inquisitor repeating his question, but it had no meaning for him,
the words were blurred and indistinct to his mental faculties, and
he made no attempt to answer.

Presently the blows ceased to fall; his body lost all feeling as his
legs became cramped, and he fell into unconsciousness. Suddenly he
was aroused from his torpor by angry voices. Far away they sounded,
but still they penetrated to his dulled and aching brain. He could
hear a high-pitched, shrill, screaming sound that struck on his
almost senseless nerves with a shock.

Vaguely he became aware that his flogging had ceased, and that
something had gone wrong with his persecutors.

With a supreme effort he roused himself, but he was too weak and
feeble to be able to grasp the meaning of what he heard, and quickly
sank down to full length again, as he felt a warm touch on his
hands.

CHAPTER XXIV

A FRIEND INDEED

The oblivion into which our hero had fallen did not last long, the
suspension of brain-power was but passing and soon gave place to
dreams. With that extraordinary irony of reduced mental power these
dreams were of the most beautiful description; all the agony he had
suffered had passed away, and he dreamt that he was in a gorgeous
garden on the banks of his beloved Danube; all around him the most
beautiful fountains played, and people were wandering about terraces
and lawns dressed in lovely white flowing robes. Many of the faces
he saw about him were those of the friends of his earlier
associations, and they smiled and bowed to him as they passed by
where he was reclining. No one seemed to speak, and a silence too
peaceful and delightful for words reigned everywhere.

In the distance beyond the limits of this perfect place, he saw many
dark shadows, in each of which he could distinctly trace the figures
of dusky Egyptians vainly endeavouring