I awakened in my room. The sun, already at its zenith, filled the
place with unbearable light and heat.
The first thing I saw, on opening my eyes, was the shade, ripped down,
lying in the middle of the floor. Then, confusedly, the night's events
began to come back to me.
My head felt stupid and heavy. My mind wandered. My memory seemed
blocked. "I went out with the leopard, that is certain. That red mark
on my forefinger shows how he strained at the leash. My knees are
still dusty. I remember creeping along the wall in the room where the
white Tuareg were playing at dice. That was the minute after King
Hiram had leapt past them. After that ... oh, Morhange and Antinea....
And then?"
I recalled nothing more. I recalled nothing more. But something must
have happened, something which I could not remember.
I was uneasy. I wanted to go back, yet it seemed as if I were afraid
to go. I have never felt anything more painful than those conflicting
emotions.
"It is a long way from here to Antinea's apartments. I must have been
very sound asleep not to have noticed when they brought me back--for
they have brought me back."