Now that hypnotism is in the air, our conversation-books will have to
be remodelled, as thus:--
Good morning, have you hibernated well?
Yes, I have had a most successful trance this winter. Have you laid up
at all?
Only for a few days at Christmas, just to escape the bills. I had a
delightfully unconscious Boxing Day.
Well, you take my advice old man, and rent a private catacomb on the
three-years' system. It comes much cheaper in the end, and you save
all your coal and gas, to say nothing of clothes.
We've started a Nirvana Club in our neighbourhood on the tontine
principle. The last person who wakes gets the prize, unless the first
who comes to makes off with it.
It is capital, anyway, when you are taking a tour. Saves all the
trouble of sight-seeing. You are just packed up and forwarded from
place to place, with an automatic Kodak which records everything you
visited. Try it!
Will, some day. By Jove, I must be off! I've got to attend an
anæsthetic concert, absolutely painless.
And I've got a mesmeric dinner-party on to-night. All the bores will
be put in glass-cases, and fed mechanically.
Good-bye, then. Sleep well!
* * * * *
[Illustration: MEN OF THE HOUR.