by H G Wells

I

The transitory mental aberration of Sidney Davidson, remarkable enough in itself, is still more remarkable if Wade's explanation credited It sets one dreaming oddest possibilities of intercommunication , of spending an intercalary five minutes other side world, or being watched most secret operations by unsuspected eyes It happened that I immediate witness of Davidson's seizure, and so it falls naturally the story upon paper

When that I immediate witness seizure, I mean that I first scene The thing happened Harlow Technical College, just beyond the Highgate Archway alone larger laboratory thing happened in smaller room, where the balances are, writing up some notes The thunderstorm had completely upset my work, just after louder peals that I heard some glass smash other room I stopped writing, and turned round to listen For moment I heard nothing; the hail was playing the devil's tattoo corrugated zinc roof Then came another sound, smash-- of it Something heavy knocked off the bench I jumped up at once and went and opened the door leading big laboratory

surprised to hear queer sort of laugh, and saw Davidson standing unsteadily middle room, with dazzled look face My first impression drunk notice me clawing out at something invisible yard in front face He put out his hand, slowly, rather hesitatingly, and then clutched nothing "What's come ? " He held up his hands face, fingers spread out "Great Scott ! " The thing happened three or four , when swore personage Then he began raising his feet clumsily, he had expected them glued floor

"Davidson ! " cried I "What's the matter ? " He turned round in my direction and looked about He looked over me and at me and on either side of me, without the slightest sign of seeing me "Waves," ; "and remarkably neat schooner I'd swear that was Bellow's voice _Hullo ! " He shouted suddenly top voice

some foolery Then littered about his feet the shattered remains best electrometers "What's up, man ? " said I "You've smashed the electrometer ! "

"Bellows again ! " said he "Friends left, hands are gone Something about electrometers , Bellows ? " He suddenly came staggering towards me "The damned stuff cuts like butter," He walked straight bench and recoiled "None so buttery that ! " , and stood swaying

scared "Davidson," said I, "what on earth's come over you ? "

He looked round him in every direction " swear that was Bellows Why don't you show yourself like man, Bellows ? "

It occurred that suddenly struck blind I walked round the table and laid my hand upon his arm I never saw man more startled in my life He jumped away from me, and came round into an attitude of self-defence, his face fairly distorted with terror "Good God ! " he cried "What ? "

"It's I--Bellows Confound it, Davidson ! "

He jumped when I answered him and stared--how can I express it ? --right through me He began talking, not , but to himself "Here in broad daylight on clear beach Not place to hide in " He looked about him wildly "Here ! I'm off " He suddenly turned and ran headlong big electro-magnet--so violently that, as afterwards, he bruised his shoulder and jawbone cruelly he stepped back pace, and cried out with almost whimper, "What, in Heaven's name, over me ? " He stood, blanched with terror and trembling violently, right arm clutching his left, where that had collided magnet

excited and fairly scared "Davidson," said I, "don't be afraid "

startled at my voice, but not so excessively as before I repeated my words in as clear and as firm tone as assume "Bellows," , " you ? "

"Can't it's me ? "

He laughed " 't even see it's myself Where the devil are we ? "

"Here," said I, " laboratory "

"The laboratory ! " he answered in puzzled tone, and put his hand forehead " laboratory--till that flash came, but I'm hanged if I'm there now What ship ? "

"There's no ship," said I "Do be sensible, old chap "

"No ship ! " he repeated, and seemed to forget my denial forthwith "I suppose," said he slowly, "we're both dead But the rummy part is just I still had body Don't get used all at once, I suppose The old shop was struck by lightning, I suppose Jolly quick thing, Bellows--eigh ? "

"Don't talk nonsense You're alive laboratory, blundering about You've just smashed new electrometer I don't envy you when Boyce arrives "

He stared away from me towards the diagrams of cryohydrates " deaf," said he "They've fired gun, for there goes the puff of smoke, and I never heard sound "

I put my hand arm again, and less alarmed "We seem sort of invisible bodies," said he "By Jove ! there's boat coming round the headland It's like the old life after all--in different climate "

I shook his arm "Davidson," I cried, "wake up ! "

II

just then that Boyce came in So soon as he spoke Davidson exclaimed: "Old Boyce ! Dead too ! What lark ! " I hastened to explain that Davidson was in kind of somnambulistic trance Boyce was interested at once We both did all to rouse the fellow out extraordinary state He answered our questions, and asked us some own, but his attention seemed distracted by his hallucination about beach and ship He kept interpolating observations concerning some boat davits, and sails filling wind It made one feel queer, dusky laboratory, to hear him saying such things

blind and helpless We had to walk him down the passage, one at each elbow, to Boyce's private room, and while Boyce talked to him there, and humoured him ship idea, I went along the corridor and asked old Wade and look at him The voice Dean sobered him little, but not He asked where his hands were, and why he had to walk about up waist ground Wade thought over him -- how he knits his brows--and then made him feel the couch, guiding his hands "That's couch," said Wade "The couch private room of Professor Boyce Horse-hair stuffing "

Davidson felt about, and puzzled over it, and answered presently that feel it all right, but he couldn't see it

"What do ? " asked Wade Davidson said he nothing but lot of sand and broken-up shells Wade gave him some other things , telling him what they were, and watching him keenly

"The ship is almost hull down," said Davidson presently, apropos of nothing

"Never mind the ship," said Wade "Listen , Davidson what hallucination means ? "

"Rather," said Davidson

"Well, everything is hallucinatory "

"Bishop Berkeley," said Davidson

"Don't mistake me," said Wade " alive and room of Boyce's But something has happened to your eyes ; feel and hear, but not see follow me ? "

"It seems that " Davidson rubbed his knuckles into his eyes "Well ? "

"That's all Don't let it perplex you Bellows here take you home in cab "

"Wait bit " Davidson thought "Help me to sit down," said he presently; "and now--I'm sorry to trouble you--but tell me all that over again ? "

Wade repeated it very patiently Davidson shut his eyes, and pressed his hands upon his forehead "Yes," said he "It's quite right Now my eyes are shut you're right That's you, Bellows, sitting by me couch I'm in England again And we're dark "

Then he opened his eyes "And there," said he, " sun just rising, yards ship, and tumbled sea, and couple of birds flying I never saw anything so real And I'm sitting my neck in bank of sand "

He bent forward and covered his face hands Then he opened his eyes again "Dark sea and sunrise ! And yet I'm sitting on sofa in old Boyce's room ! . God help me ! "

III

That beginning For three weeks this strange affection of Davidson's eyes continued unabated far worse than being blind absolutely helpless, and had fed like newly-hatched bird, and led about and undressed If he attempted to move, he fell over things or struck himself against walls or doors After day or so he got used to hearing our voices without seeing us, and willingly admitted at home, Wade was right in what him My sister, engaged, insisted on coming him, and would sit for hours every day while he talked beach Holding her hand seemed to comfort him immensely He explained that when we left the College and drove home--he lived in Hampstead village--it appeared to him we drove right through sandhill-- perfectly black until he emerged again--and through rocks and trees and solid obstacles, and when taken own room it made him giddy and almost frantic fear of falling, because going upstairs seemed to lift him thirty or forty feet above the rocks imaginary island He kept saying smash all the eggs The end he had taken down into his father's consulting room and laid upon couch that stood there