r away? If she questioned him, what would he not
say?

For the first time he asked himself if he had done right to marry,
and if, on the contrary, he had not committed a mad imprudence in
introducing a woman into a life so tormented as his. He had asked
calmness from this woman, and now she brought him terror.

To tell the truth, she was dangerous only at night; and if he found a
way to occupy another room he would have nothing to fear from her during
the day, on condition that he held himself rigorously on the defensive.
Loving him as she did, she would resist the curiosity that drew her; if
uneasiness drove her, her love would restrain her, as she herself had
said; little by little this uneasiness and curiosity, being no longer
excited, would die out, and they would again enjoy the sweet days that
followed their marriage.

But in the present circumstances this way was difficult to find, for to
propose another room to Phillis would be equal to telling her that he
was afraid of her, and consequently it would give her a new mystery to
study. He reflected, and starting with the idea that the proposition of
two rooms must come from Phillis, he arranged a plan which, it seemed to
him, would accomplish what he wished.

Ignorant of the fact that she had been hypnotized, and not remembering
that she had talked, without doubt Phillis still feared that he would
hypnotize her; he would threaten it again, and surely she would find a
way to defend herself and escape from him.

This is what happened. The next day, when he told her decidedly that he
wished to put her to sleep in order that he might learn what troubled
her, she showed the same fright as on the first time.

"All that you have asked of me, everything that you have desired, I have
wished as you and with you; but I will never consent to this."

"Your resistance is absurd; I will not yield to it."

"You shall not put me to sleep against my will."

"Easily."

"It is not possible."

Without replying, he took a book from the library, and turning over
the leaves, he read: "Is it possible to make a sleeping person, without
awaking him, pass from the natural to the hypnotic sleep? The thing is
possible, at least with certain subjects."

Then handing her the book:

"You see that to put you to sleep artificially I need only the
opportunity of finding you sleeping naturally. It is very simple."

"That would be odious."

"Those are merely words."

He threw her i