events. The
house was quiet as the grave--there was not a stir, and gradually my
nerves, excited as they were, began to calm down. As I had fully
expected, overpowering sleepiness seized me, and, notwithstanding
every effort, I found myself drifting away into the land of dreams. I
began to wish that whatever apparition was to appear would do so at
once and get it over. Gradually but surely I seemed to pass from all
memory of my present world, and to live in a strange and terrible
phantasmagoria. In that state I slept, in that state also I dreamt, and
dreamt horribly.
I thought that I was dancing a waltz with an enormously tall woman.
She towered above me, clasping me in her arms, and began to whirl me
round and round at a giddy speed. I could hear the crashing music of a
distant band. Faster and faster, round and round some great empty hall
was I whirled. I knew that I was losing my senses, and screamed to her
to stop and let me go. Suddenly there was a terrible crash close to me.
Good God! I found myself awake, but--I was still moving. Where was I?
Where was I going? I leapt up on the bed, only to reel and fall heavily
backwards upon the floor. What was the matter? Why was I sliding,
sliding? Had I suddenly gone mad, or was I still suffering from some
hideous nightmare? I tried to move, to stagger to my feet. Then by slow
degrees my senses began to return, and I knew where I was. I was in
the circular room, the room where Wentworth had died; but what was
happening to me I could not divine. I only knew that I was being
whirled round and round at a velocity that was every moment
increasing. By the moonlight that struggled in through the window I
saw that the floor and the bed upon it was revolving, but the table was
lying on its side, and its fall must have awakened me.
I could not see any other furniture in the room. By what mysterious
manner had it been removed? Making a great effort, I crawled to the
centre of this awful chamber, and, seizing the foot of the bed, struggled
to my feet. Here I knew there would be less motion, and I could just
manage to see the outline of the door. I had taken the precaution to slip
the revolver into my pocket, and I still felt that if human agency
appeared, I had a chance of selling my life dearly; but surely the horror
I was passing through was invented by no living man! As the floor of
the room revolved in the direction of the door I made a dash for it, but
was carried swiftly past, and again fell heavily. When I came round
again I made a frantic effort to cling to one of the steps, but in vain; the
head of the bedstead caught me as it flew round, and tore my arms
away. In another moment I believe I should have gone raving mad with
terror. My head felt as if it would burst; I found it impossible to think
consecutively. The only idea which really possessed me was a mad
wish to escape from this hideous place. I struggled to the bedstead, and
dragging the legs from their sockets, pulled it into the middle of the
room away from the wall. With this out of the way, I managed at last to
reach the door in safety.
[Illustration: "I flung myself upon him." A Master of Mysteries.--Page
47]
The moment my hand grasped the handle I leapt upon the little step and
tried to wrench the door open. It was locked, locked from without; it
defied my every effort. I had only just standing room for my feet.
Below me the floor of the room was still racing round with terrible
speed. I dared scarcely look at it, for the giddiness in my head increased
each moment. The next instant a soft footstep was distinctly audible,
and I saw a gleam of light through a chink of the door. I heard a hand
fumbling at the lock, the door was slowly opened outwards, and I saw
the face of Bindloss.
For a moment he did not perceive me, for I was crouching down on the
step, and the next instant with all my force I flung myself upon him. He
uttered a yell of terror. The lantern he carried dropped and went out, but
I had gripped him round the neck with my fingers, driving them deep
down into his lean, sinewy throat. With frantic speed I pulled him along
the passage up to a window, through which the moonlight
![](qr/7471/9.png)
Continue reading on your phone by scaning this QR Code
Tip: The current page has been bookmarked automatically. If you wish to continue reading later, just open the
Dertz Homepage, and click on the 'continue reading' link at the bottom of the page.