"I don't understand you," replied Jack, passing his hand over his brow as if to clear away the ever increasing drowsiness.
Jack opened his mouth to speak, his lips moved, but he could utter no sound. He stood still, staring stupidly at the man in front of him. His thoughts were befuddled. What did he--the man in the gray mask--want?
"I wish those eyes wouldn't glare at me so," Jack mumbled to himself. "I didn't do anything to them."
But the eyes behind the gray mask became larger, rounder, more compelling. Jack knew instinctively that they meant him harm. What power they held! Something within him fought to arouse him. He tried to move and could not. Larger, ever larger those eyes seemed to grow! The features of the man were lost; in fact, those eyes seemed to belong to no one; they seemed to have life and power, dreadful power, of their own.
Did it ever occur to you that nature plays many pranks? From the many learned books and men--and from daily events--we are lead to assume that nature is grim, relentless. On the whole, this assumption is true. But one of the things that has made nature a harder problem for man to solve is that there are the most unexpected exceptions to the most carefully proved rules. Sometimes these exceptions take place with things and sometimes with persons.
When he came to his senses he found de Garros solicitously bending over him, his broken English running riot in his native French.
"I--er--_phew_! Zee--la--_compron_--eh---- I understand not! You make zee big cry, I in rush--excited much--_phew_!"
"_We_, _we_, certainly!" de Garros hastened to assure him.
"De Garros," he said, "I have had the most remarkable nightmare!"
Whereupon Jack related to de Garros, as well as he could recall the details, the dream that had seemed so real.
De Garros was thrilled. Every now and then he broke into the recital with exclamations most expressive of the impressions they made upon him.
"And now," Jack said in conclusion, "I think it is best for us to dress. I have never dreamed before, and I never want to dream again, if all dreams are so terribly real."
When Jack had dressed, he began to explore the corridors of the hotel. He felt that Bill, Tom Jukes and Pottle were guests of it. Of course, the easiest way about it would have been to inquire at the office.