“Youwillsaynow，ofcourse，thatIdreamed；butnotso。WhatIsawwhatIheardwhatIfeltwhatIthoughthadaboutitnothingoftheunmistakableidiosyncrasyofthedream。Allwasrigorouslyself-consistent。Atfirst，doubtingthatIwasreallyawake，Ienteredintoaseriesoftests，whichsoonconvincedmethatIreallywas。Now，whenonedreams，and，inthedream，suspectsthathedreams，thesuspicionneverfailstoconfirmitself，andthesleeperisalmostimmediatelyaroused。ThusNovaliserrsnotinsayingthat’wearenearwakingwhenwedreamthatwedream。’HadthevisionoccurredtomeasIdescribeit，withoutmysuspectingitasadream，thenadreamitmightabsolutelyhavebeen，but，occurringasitdid，andsuspectedandtestedasitwas，Iamforcedtoclassitamongotherphenomena。”
“InthisIamnotsurethatyouarewrong。”observedDr。Templeton，“butproceed。Youaroseanddescendedintothecity。”
“Iarose。”continuedBedloe，regardingtheDoctorwithanairofprofoundastonishment“Iarose，asyousay，anddescendedintothecity。OnmywayIfellinwithanimmensepopulace，crowdingthrougheveryavenue，allinthesamedirection，andexhibitingineveryactionthewildestexcitement。Verysuddenly，andbysomeinconceivableimpulse，Ibecameintenselyimbuedwithpersonalinterestinwhatwasgoingon。IseemedtofeelthatIhadanimportantparttoplay，withoutexactlyunderstandingwhatitwas。
Againstthecrowdwhichenvironedme，however，Iexperiencedadeepsentimentofanimosity。Ishrankfromamidthem，and，swiftly，byacircuitouspath，reachedandenteredthecity。Hereallwasthewildesttumultandcontention。Asmallpartyofmen，cladingarmentshalf-Indian，half-European，andofficeredbygentlemeninauniformpartlyBritish，wereengaged，atgreatodds，withtheswarmingrabbleofthealleys。Ijoinedtheweakerparty，armingmyselfwiththeweaponsofafallenofficer，andfightingIknewnotwhomwiththenervousferocityofdespair。Weweresoonoverpoweredbynumbers，anddriventoseekrefugeinaspeciesofkiosk。Herewebarricadedourselves，and，forthepresentweresecure。Fromaloop-holenearthesummitofthekiosk，Iperceivedavastcrowd，infuriousagitation，surroundingandassaultingagaypalacethatoverhungtheriver。Presently，fromanupperwindowofthisplace，theredescendedaneffeminate-lookingperson，bymeansofastringmadeoftheturbansofhisattendants。Aboatwasathand，inwhichheescapedtotheoppositebankoftheriver。
“Andnowanewobjecttookpossessionofmysoul。Ispokeafewhurriedbutenergeticwordstomycompanions，and，havingsucceededingainingoverafewofthemtomypurposemadeafranticsallyfromthekiosk。Werushedamidthecrowdthatsurroundedit。Theyretreated，atfirst，beforeus。Theyrallied，foughtmadly，andretreatedagain。Inthemeantimewewerebornefarfromthekiosk，andbecamebewilderedandentangledamongthenarrowstreetsoftall，overhanginghouses，intotherecessesofwhichthesunhadneverbeenabletoshine。Therabblepressedimpetuouslyuponus，harrassinguswiththeirspears，andoverwhelminguswithflightsofarrows。Theselatterwereveryremarkable，andresembledinsomerespectsthewrithingcreeseoftheMalay。Theyweremadetoimitatethebodyofacreepingserpent，andwerelongandblack，withapoisonedbarb。Oneofthemstruckmeupontherighttemple。Ireeledandfell。Aninstantaneousanddreadfulsicknessseizedme。IstruggledI