I.

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

When I say that I was the immediate witness of his seizure, I mean that I was the first on the scene.  The thing happened at the Harlow Technical College, just beyond the Highgate Archway.  He was alone in the larger laboratory when the thing happened.  I was in a smaller room, where the balances are, writing up some notes.  The thunderstorm had completely upset my work, of course.  It was just after one of the louder peals that I thought I heard some glass smash in the other room.  I stopped writing, and turned round to listen.  For a moment I heard nothing; the hail was playing the devil’s tattoo on the corrugated zinc of the roof.  Then came another sound, a smash—­no doubt of it this time.  Something heavy had been knocked off the bench.  I jumped up at once and went and opened the door leading into the big laboratory.

I was surprised to hear a queer sort of laugh, and saw Davidson standing unsteadily in the middle of the room, with a dazzled look on his face.  My first impression was that he was drunk.  He did not notice me.  He was clawing out at something invisible a yard in front of his face.  He put out his hand, slowly, rather hesitatingly, and then clutched nothing.  “What’s come to it?” he said.  He held up his hands to his face, fingers spread out.  “Great Scott!” he said.  The thing happened three or four years ago, when every one swore by that personage.  Then he began raising his feet clumsily, as though he had expected to find them glued to the floor.

“Davidson!” cried I.  “What’s the matter with you?” He turned round in my direction and looked about for me.  He looked over me and at me and on either side of me, without the slightest sign of seeing me.  “Waves,” he said; “and a remarkably neat schooner.  I’d swear that was Bellow’s voice. Hullo!” He shouted suddenly at the top of his voice.

I thought he was up to some foolery.  Then I saw littered about his feet the shattered remains of the best of our electrometers.  “What’s up, man?” said I.  “You’ve smashed the electrometer!”

“Bellows again!” said he.  “Friends left, if my hands are gone.  Something about electrometers.  Which way are you, Bellows?” He suddenly came staggering towards me.  “The damned stuff cuts like butter,” he said.  He walked straight into the bench and recoiled.  “None so buttery that!” he said, and stood swaying.

I felt scared.  “Davidson,” said I, “what on earth’s come over you?”