, saw Vincey sitting attentive and alert in
his arm-chair by the fire.

And clustering also about him, as they clustered ever about all that
lives and breathes, was another multitude of these vain voiceless
shadows, longing, desiring, seeking some loophole into life.

For a space Mr. Bessel sought ineffectually to attract his friend's
attention. He tried to get in front of his eyes, to move the objects
in his room, to touch him. But Mr. Vincey remained unaffected,
ignorant of the being that was so close to his own. The strange
something that Mr. Bessel has compared to a sheet of glass separated
them impermeably.

And at last Mr. Bessel did a desperate thing. I have told how that in
some strange way he could see not only the outside of a man as we see
him, but within. He extended his shadowy hand and thrust his vague
black fingers, as it seemed, through the heedless brain.

Then, suddenly, Mr. Vincey started like a man who recalls his attention
from wandering thoughts, and it seemed to Mr. Bessel that a little
dark-red body situated in the middle of Mr. Vincey's brain swelled and
glowed as he did so. Since that experience he has been shown
anatomical figures of the brain, and he knows now that this is that
useless structure, as doctors call it, the pineal eye. For, strange as
it will seem to many, we have, deep in our brains--where it cannot
possibly see any earthly light--an eye! At the time this, with the
rest of the internal anatomy of the brain, was quite new to him. At
the sight of its changed appearance, however, he thrust forth his
finger, and, rather fearful still of the consequences, touched this
little spot. And instantly Mr. Vincey started, and Mr. Bessel knew
that he was seen.

And at that instant it came to Mr. Bessel that evil had happened to his
body, and behold! a great wind blew through all that world of shadows
and tore him away. So strong was this persuasion that he thought no
more of Mr. Vincey, but turned about forthwith, and all the countless
faces drove back with him like leaves before a gale. But he returned
too late. In an instant he saw the body that he had left inert and
collapsed--lying, indeed, like the body of a man just dead--had arisen,
had arisen by virtue of some strength and will beyond his own. It
stood with staring eyes, stretching its limbs in dubious fashion.

For a moment he watched it in wild dismay, and then he stooped towards
it. But the pane of glass had c