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bodies； at the moment I only knew he was directly in my line as I
descended； and him round the waist I seized； giddy with the light and fresh
air； waltzed him down the slope with the force of my impetus； and；
tripping at the bottom； rolled over and over recklessly with him sheer into
the arms of the gaping crowd below。 Over and over we went into the
thickest mass of bodies； making a way through the people； until at last we
came to a stop in a perfect mound of writhing forms and waving legs and
arms。 When we had done the mass disentangled itself and I was able to
raise my head from the shoulder of someone on whom I had fallen； lifting
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him； or herwhich was it？into a sitting posture alongside of me at the
same time； while the others rose about us like wheat…stalks after a storm；
and edged shyly off； as well as they might。
Such a sleek； slim youth it was who sat up facing me； with a flush of
gentle surprise on his face； and dapper hands that felt cautiously about his
anatomy for injured places。 He looked so quaintly rueful yet withal so
good… tempered that I could not help bursting into laughter in spite of my
own amazement。 Then he laughed too； a sedate； musical chuckle； and
said something incomprehensible； point… ing at the same time to a cut
upon my finger that was bleed… ing a little。 I shook my head； meaning
thereby that it was nothing； but the stranger with graceful solicitude took
my hand； and； after examining the hurt； deliberately tore a strip of cloth
from a bright yellow toga…like garment he was wearing and bound the
place up with a woman's tenderness。
Meanwhile； as he ministered； there was time to look about me。
Where was I？ It was not the Broadway； it was not Staten Island on a
Saturday afternoon。 The night was just over； and the sun on the point of
rising。 Yet it was still shadowy all about； the air being marvellously tepid
and pleasant to the senses。 Quaint； soft aromas like the breath of a new
worldthe fragrance of unknown flowers； and the dewy scent of never…
trodden fields drifted to my nostrils； and to my ears came a sound of
laughter scarcely more human than the murmur of the wind in the trees；
and a pretty undulating whisper as though a great concourse of people
were talking softly in their sleep。 I gazed about scarcely knowing how
much of my senses or surroundings were real and how much fanciful； until
I presently be… came aware the rosy twilight was broadening into day； and
under the increasing shine a strange scene was fashion… ing itself。
At first it was an opal sea I looked on of mist； shot along its upper
surface with the rosy gold and pinks of dawn。 Then； as that soft；
translucent lake ebbed； jutting hills came through it； black and crimson；
and as they seemed to mount into the air other lower hills showed through
the veil with rounded forest knobs till at last the brightening day dis…
pelled the mist； and as the rosy…coloured gauzy fragments went slowly
floating away a wonderfully fair country lay at my feet； with a broad sea
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glimmering in many arms and bays in the distance beyond。 It was all
dim and unreal at first； the mountains shadowy； the ocean unreal； the
flowery fields be… tween it and me vacant and shadowy。
Yet were they vacant？ As my eyes cleared and day brightened still
more； and I turned my head this way and that； it presently dawned upon
me all the meadow cop… pices and terraces northwards of where I lay； all
that blue and spacious ground I had thought to be bare and vacant； were
alive with a teeming city of booths and tents； now I came to look more
closely there was a whole town upon the slope； built as might be in a night
of boughs and branches still unwithered； the streets and ways of that city
in the shadows thronged with expectant people moving in groups and
shifting to and fro in lively streamschatting at the stalls and clustering
round the tent doors in soft； gauzy； parti…coloured crowds in a way both
fascinating and per… plexing。
I stared about me like a child at its first pantomime； dimly
understanding all I saw was novel； but more allured to the colour and life
of the picture than concerned with its exact meaning； and while I stared
and turned my finger was bandaged； and my new friend had been lisping
away to me without getting anything in turn but a shake of the head。
This made him thoughtful； and thereon followed a curious incident which
I cannot explain。 I doubt even whether you will believe it； but what am I
to do in that case？ You have already accepted the episode of my com…
ing； or you would have shut the covers before arriving at this page of my
modest narrative； and this emboldens me。 I may strengthen my claim on
your credulity by pointing out the extraordinary marvels which science is
teaching you even on our own little world。 To quote a single instance： If
any one had declared ten years ago that it would shortly be practicable and
easy for two persons to converse from shore to shore across the Atlantic
without any intervening medium； he would have been laughed at as a
possibly amusing but certainly extravagant romancer。 Yet that pic…
turesque lie of yesterday is amongst the accomplished facts of today！
Therefore I am encouraged to ask your in… dulgence； in the name of your
previous errors； for the following and any other instances in which I may
appear to trifle with strict veracity。 There is no such thing as the
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impossible in our universe！
When my friendly companion found I could not under… stand him； he
looked serious for a minute or two； then shortened his brilliant yellow toga；
as though he had ar… rived at some resolve； and knelt down directly in
front of me。 He next took my face between his hands； and putting his
nose within an inch of mine； stared into my eyes with all his might。 At
first I was inclined to laugh； but before long the most curious sensations
took hold of me。 They commenced with a thrill which passed all up my
body； and next all feeling save the consciousness of the loud beating of my
heart ceased。 Then it seemed that boy's eyes were inside my head and
not outside； while along with them an intangible something pervaded my
brain。 The sensation at first was like the application of ether to the skina
cool； numbing emotion。 It was followed by a curious tingling feeling； as
some dormant cells in my mind answered to the thought…transfer； and were
filled and fertil… ised！ My other brain…cells most distinctly felt the
vitalising of their companions； and for about a minute I experi… enced
extreme nausea and a headache such as comes from over…study； though
both passed swiftly off。 I presume that in the future we shall all obtain
knowledge in this way。 The Professors of a later day will perhaps keep
shops for the sale of miscellaneous information； and we shall drop in and
be inflated with learning just as the bicyclist gets his tire pumped up； or
the motorist is recharged with electricity at so much per unit。
Examinations will then become matters of capacity in the real meaning of
that word； and we shall be tempted to invest our pocket…money by
advertisements of 〃A cheap line in Astrology；〃 〃Try our double…strength；
two… minute course of Classics；〃 〃This is remnant day for Trig… onometry
and Metaphysics；〃 and so on。
My friend did not get as far as that。 With him the process did not
take more than a minute； but it was startling in its results； and reduced me
to an extraordinary state of hypnotic r