I wanted to pursue
my studies, I wanted to be left in peace, so I let that fiend prey upon my
fears. But now--now I feel that the burden has rolled away. I shall tell
you my story, and afterwards I will do great things yet, great things for
science, great things for the world."
They listened to him, spellbound. Only Lenora stood a little apart with a
faint frown upon her forehead. She touched Quest on the shoulder.
"Mr. Quest," she murmured, "he is lying!"
Quest turned his head. His lips scarcely moved.
"What do you mean?" he whispered.
"He is lying!" Lenora insisted. "I tell you there's another creature
there, something we don't understand. Let me bring the Electro-thought
transference apparatus; let us read his mind. If I am wrong, I will go
down on my knees and beg for forgiveness."
Quest nodded. Lenora hastened to the further end of the room, snatched the
cloth from the instrument and wheeled down the little mirror with its
coils and levers. The Professor watched her. Slowly his face changed. The
benevolence faded away, his teeth for a moment showed in something which
was almost a snarl.
"You believe me?" he cried, turning to Quest. "You are not going to try
that horrible thing on me--Professor Lord Ashleigh? I am all broken up. I
am not fit for it. Look at my hands, how they shake."
"Professor," Quest said sternly, "we are surrounded by the shadow of some
terrible deeds for which as yet there is no explanation. I do not say that
we mistrust you, but I ask you to submit to this test.
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