The Turtles of Tasman eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 192 pages of information about The Turtles of Tasman.

The Turtles of Tasman eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 192 pages of information about The Turtles of Tasman.

* * * * *

Whenever I leave the room to go to bed, I look back, and there is my brother sitting in the chair.  And then I cannot sleep because of thinking of him sitting through all the long night-hours.  And in the morning, when I open the study door, there he is, and I know he has sat there the night long.

* * * * *

I am becoming desperate from lack of sleep.  I wish I could confide in a physician.

* * * * *

Blessed sleep!  I have won to it at last.  Let me tell you.  Last night I was so worn that I found myself dozing in my chair.  I rang for the servant and ordered him to bring blankets.  I slept.  All night was he banished from my thoughts as he was banished from my chair.  I shall remain in it all day.  It is a wonderful relief.

* * * * *

It is uncomfortable to sleep in a chair.  But it is more uncomfortable to lie in bed, hour after hour, and not sleep, and to know that he is sitting there in the cold darkness.

* * * * *

It is no use.  I shall never be able to sleep in a bed again.  I have tried it now, numerous times, and every such night is a horror.  If I could but only persuade him to go to bed!  But no.  He sits there, and sits there—­I know he does—­while I stare and stare up into the blackness and think and think, continually think, of him sitting there.  I wish I had never heard of the eternity of forms.

* * * * *

The servants think I am crazy.  That is but to be expected, and it is why I have never called in a physician.

* * * * *

I am resolved.  Henceforth this hallucination ceases.  From now on I shall remain in the chair.  I shall never leave it.  I shall remain in it night and day and always.

* * * * *

I have succeeded.  For two weeks I have not seen him.  Nor shall I ever see him again.  I have at last attained the equanimity of mind necessary for philosophic thought.  I wrote a complete chapter to-day.

* * * * *

It is very wearisome, sitting in a chair.  The weeks pass, the months come and go, the seasons change, the servants replace each other, while I remain.  I only remain.  It is a strange life I lead, but at least I am at peace.

* * * * *

He comes no more.  There is no eternity of forms.  I have proved it.  For nearly two years now, I have remained in this chair, and I have not seen him once.  True, I was severely tried for a time.  But it is clear that what I thought I saw was merely hallucination.  He never was.  Yet I do not leave the chair.  I am afraid to leave the chair.

TOLD IN THE DROOLING WARD

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
The Turtles of Tasman from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.