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I awoke abruptly out of dream of strange beasts, and found myself lying on my back Probably knows that dismal, emotional dream one escapes, awake indeed, but strangely cowed curious taste in my mouth, tired feeling in my limbs, sense of cutaneous discomfort I lay with my head motionless on my pillow, expecting that my feeling of strangeness and terror would pass away, then doze off again to sleep But instead , my uncanny sensations increased At first perceive nothing wrong about me faint light room, so faint the very next thing to darkness, furniture stood out as vague blots of absolute darkness I stared with my eyes just over the bedclothes

It came into my mind that some one had entered the room to rob me rouleau of money, but after lying for some moments, breathing regularly to simulate sleep, I realised mere fancy Nevertheless, the uneasy assurance of something wrong kept fast hold of me With an effort I raised my head pillow, and peered about me dark What conceive I looked dim shapes around me, the greater and lesser darknesses that indicated curtains, table, fireplace, bookshelves, and so forth Then I began to perceive something unfamiliar forms darkness Had the bed turned round ? Yonder the bookshelves, and something shrouded and pallid rose there, something not answer bookshelves, however I looked at it far too big my shirt thrown on chair

Overcoming childish terror, I threw back the bedclothes and thrust my leg out of bed Instead of coming out truckle-bed floor, my foot scarcely reached the edge mattress another step, as it were, and sat up edge bed side bed the candle, matches broken chair I put out my hand and touched--nothing I waved my hand darkness, and it came against some heavy hanging, soft and thick in texture, which gave rustling noise at my touch I grasped this and pulled it; it appeared curtain suspended over the head bed

now thoroughly awake, and beginning to realise that in strange room puzzled I tried to recall the overnight circumstances, and them now, curiously enough, vivid in my memory: the supper, my reception little packages, my wonder whether intoxicated, my slow undressing, the coolness to my flushed face pillow sudden distrust last night, or the night before ? At any rate, this room was strange , and imagine how I had got The dim, pallid outline was growing paler, and I perceived window, dark shape of an oval toilet-glass against the weak intimation dawn that filtered blind I stood up, and was surprised by curious feeling of weakness and unsteadiness With trembling hands outstretched, I walked slowly towards the window, getting, nevertheless, bruise knee from chair I fumbled round the glass, large, with handsome brass sconces, the blind cord find any By chance hold tassel, and click of spring the blind ran up

myself looking out upon scene that was altogether strange The night was overcast, and flocculent grey heaped clouds there filtered faint half-light of dawn Just edge sky the cloud-canopy had blood-red rim Below, everything was dark and indistinct, dim hills distance, vague mass of buildings running up into pinnacles, trees like spilt ink, and below the window tracery of black bushes and pale grey paths so unfamiliar that moment myself still dreaming the toilet-table; it appeared made of some polished wood, and was rather elaborately furnished--there were little cut-glass bottles and brush upon it also queer little object, horse-shoe shape it felt, with smooth, hard projections, lying in saucer find no matches nor candlestick

I turned my eyes room again Now the blind was up, faint spectres furnishing came darkness huge curtained bed, fireplace at its foot had large white mantel with something shimmer of marble

I leant against the toilet-table, shut my eyes and opened them again, and tried The whole thing was far too real for dreaming inclined to imagine still some hiatus in my memory, as consequence draught strange liqueur; that I had come into my inheritance perhaps, and suddenly lost my recollection of everything since my good fortune announced Perhaps if I waited little, things clearer again Yet my dinner with old Elvesham was now singularly vivid and recent The champagne, the observant waiters, the powder, liqueurs-- staked my soul it all happened few

And then occurred thing so trivial and yet so terrible that I

shiver now moment I spoke aloud , "How the devil did I get here ? " . voice was not my own

not my own, thin, the articulation was slurred, the resonance facial bones was different Then, to reassure myself I ran one hand over the other, and felt loose folds of skin, the bony laxity of age "Surely," , horrible voice that had somehow established itself in my throat, "surely this thing is dream ! " Almost as quickly it involuntarily, I thrust my fingers into my mouth My teeth had gone My finger-tips ran flaccid surface of an even row of shrivelled gums sick with dismay and disgust

then passionate desire myself, to realise at once in its full horror the ghastly change that had come upon me I tottered mantel, and felt along it for matches As so, barking cough sprang up in my throat, and I clutched the thick flannel nightdress about me There were no matches there, and I suddenly realised that my extremities were cold Sniffing and coughing, whimpering little, perhaps, I fumbled back to bed " surely dream," I whispered to myself as I clambered back, "surely dream " senile repetition I pulled the bedclothes over my shoulders, over my ears, I thrust my withered hand under the pillow, and determined to compose myself to sleep dream morning the dream over, and wake up strong and vigorous again to my youth and studies I shut my eyes, breathed regularly, and, finding myself wakeful, began to count slowly powers of three

But the thing I desired come get to sleep persuasion inexorable reality change that had happened grew steadily Presently myself with my eyes wide open, the powers of three forgotten, and my skinny fingers upon my shrivelled gums, , indeed, suddenly and abruptly, an old man I had in some unaccountable manner fallen through my life and come to old age, in some way I cheated of all the best life, of love, of struggle, of strength, I grovelled pillow and tried myself that such hallucination was possible Imperceptibly, steadily, the dawn grew clearer

At last, despairing of further sleep, I sat up in bed and looked about me chill twilight rendered the whole chamber visible spacious and well-furnished, better furnished than any room I had ever slept in before candle and matches became dimly visible upon little pedestal in recess I threw back the bedclothes, and, shivering rawness early morning, albeit summer-time, I got out and lit the candle Then, trembling horribly, so extinguisher rattled on its spike, I tottered glass and saw--_Elvesham's face ! none the less horrible because I had already dimly feared He had already seemed physically weak and pitiful , but seen now, dressed only in coarse flannel nightdress, that fell apart and showed the stringy neck, seen now as my own body, describe its desolate decrepitude The hollow cheeks, the straggling tail of dirty grey hair, the rheumy bleared eyes, the quivering, shrivelled lips, the lower displaying gleam pink interior lining, and those horrible dark gums showing You mind and body together, at your natural years, cannot imagine what this fiendish imprisonment meant young and full desire and energy of youth, and caught, and presently crushed tottering ruin of body .