NextmorningIsentapenitentnotetoKitty，imploringhertooverlookmystrangeconductofthepreviousafternoonMyDivinitywasstillverywroth，andapersonalapologywasnecessaryIexplained，withafluencybornofnight-longponderingoverafalsehood，thatIhadbeenattackedwithsuddenpalpitationoftheheart-theresultofindigestionThiseminentlypracticalsolutionhaditseffect；andKittyandIrodeoutthatafternoonwiththeshadowofmyfirstliedividingus。
NothingwouldpleasehersaveacanterroundJakkoWithmynervesstillunstrungfromthepreviousnightIfeeblyprotestedagainstthenotion，suggestingObservatoryHill，Jutogh，theBoileaugungeroad-anythingratherthantheJakkoroundKittywasangryandalittlehurt：soIyieldedfromfearofprovokingfurthermisunderstanding，andwesetouttogethertowardChotaSimlaWewalkedagreaterpartoftheway，and，accordingtoourcustom，canteredfromamileorsobelowtheConventtothestretchoflevelroadbytheSanjowlieReservoirThewretchedhorsesappearedtofly，andmyheartbeatquickerandquickeraswenearedthecrestoftheascentMymindhadbeenfullofMrs。
Wessingtonalltheafternoon；andeveryinchoftheJakkoroadborewitnesstoouroldtimewalksandtalksThebowlderswerefullofit；thepinessangitaloudoverhead；therain-fedtorrentsgiggledandchuckledunseenovertheshamefulstory；andthewindinmyearschantedtheiniquityaloud。
Asafittingclimax，inthemiddleofthelevelmencalltheLadies’
MiletheHorrorwasawaitingmeNoother’rickshawwasinsight-onlythefourblackandwhitejhampanies，theyellow-
paneledcarriage，andthegoldenheadofthewomanwithin-allapparentlyjustasIhadleftthemeightmonthsandonefortnightago！ForaninstantIfanciedthatKittymustseewhatIsaw-weweresomarvelouslysympatheticinallthingsHernextwordsundeceivedme-’~Notasoulinsight！Comealong，Jack，andI’llraceyoutotheReservoirbuildings！”HerwirylittleArabwasofflikeabird，myWalerfollowingclosebehind，andinthisorderwedashedunderthecliffsHalfaminutebroughtuswithinfiftyyardsofthe’rickshawIpulledmyWalerandfellbackalittleThe’rickshawwasdirectlyinthemiddleoftheroad；andoncemoretheArabpassedthroughit，myhorsefollowing“Jack！Jackdear！
Peaseforgiveme。”rangwithawailinmyears，and，afteraninterval：-“It’samistake，ahideousmistake！”
IspurredmyhorselikeamanpossessedWhenIturnedmyheadattheReservoirworks，theblackandwhiteliverieswerestillwaiting-patientlywaiting-underthegreyhillside，andthewindbroughtmeamockingechoofthewordsIhadjustheardKittybanteredmeagooddealonmysilencethroughouttheremainderoftherideIhadbeentalkinguptillthenwildlyandatrandom。
TosavemylifeIcouldnotspeakafterwardnaturally，andfromSanjowlietotheChurchwiselyheldmytongue。
IwastodinewiththeManneringsthatnight，andhadbarelytimetocanterhometodressOntheroadtoElysiumHillIoverheardtwomentalkingtogetherinthedusk-“It’sacuriousthing。”saidone，“howcompletelyalltraceofitdisappearedYouknowmywifewasinsanelyfondofthewoman’nevercouldseeanythinginhermyself，andwantedmetopickupherold’rickshawandcooliesiftheyweretobegotforloveormoneyMorbidsortoffancyIcallit；butI’vegottodowhattheMemsahibtellsme。
Wouldyoubelievethatthemanshehireditfromtellsmethatallfourofthemen-theywerebrothers-diedofcholeraonthewaytoHardwar，poordevils，andthe’rickshawhasbeenbrokenupbythemanhimself’ToldmeheneverusedadeadMemsakib’s’rickshaw’SpoiledhisluckQueernotion，wasn’tit？FancypoorlittleMrsWessingtonspoilinganyone’sluckexceptherown！”I
laughedaloudatthispoint；andmylaughjarredonmeasIuttereditSotherewereghostsof’rickshawsafterall，andghostlyemploymentsintheotherworld！HowmuchdidMrsWessingtongivehermen？Whatweretheirhours？Wheredidtheygo？
AndforvisibleanswertomylastquestionIsawtheinfernalThingblockingmypathinthetwilightThedeadtravelfast，andbyshortcutsunknowntoordinarycooliesIlaughedaloudasecondtimeandcheckedmylaughtersuddenly，forIwasafraidIwasgoingmadMadtoacertainextentImusthavebeen，forIrecollectthatIreinedinmyhorseattheheadofthe’rickshaw，andpolitelywishedMrsWessington“Good-evening。”HeranswerwasoneI
knewonlytoowellIlistenedtotheend；andrepliedthatIhadhearditallbefore，butshouldbedelightedifshehadanythingfurthertosaySomemalignantdevilstrongerthanImusthaveenteredintomethatevening，forIhaveadimrecollectionoftalkingthecommonplacesofthedayforfiveminutestotheThinginfrontofme。
“Madasahatter，poordevil-ordrunkMax，tryandgethimtocomehome。”
SurelythatwasnotMrsWessington’svoice！Thetwomenhadoverheardmespeakingtotheemptyair，andhadreturnedtolookaftermeTheywereverykindandconsiderate，andfromtheirwordsevidentlygatheredthatIwasextremelydrunkIthankedthemconfusedlyandcanteredawaytomyhotel，therechanged，andarrivedattheMannerings’tenminuteslateIpleadedthedarknessofthenightasanexcuse；wasrebukedbyKittyformyunlover-liketardiness；andsatdown。
Theconversationhadalreadybecomegeneral；andundercoverofit，IwasaddressingsometendersmalltalktomysweetheartwhenIwasawarethatatthefurtherendofthetableashortred-
whiskeredmanwasdescribing，withmuchbroidery，hisencounterwithamadunknownthatevening。
AfewsentencesconvincedmethathewasrepeatingtheincidentofhalfanhouragoInthemiddleofthestoryhelookedroundforapplause，asprofessionalstory-tellersdo，caughtmyeye，andstraightwaycollapsedTherewasamoment’sawkwardsilence，andthered-whiskeredmanmutteredsomethingtotheeffectthathehad“forgottentherest。”therebysacrificingareputationasagoodstory~tellerwhichhehadbuiltupforsixseasonspastIblessedhimfromthebottomofmyheart，and-wentonwithmyfish。
Inthefulnessoftimethatdinnercametoanend；andwithgenuineregretItoremyselfawayfromKitty-ascertainasIwasofmyownexistencethatItwouldbewaitingformeoutsidethedoorThered-whiskeredman，whohadbeenintroducedtomeasDoctorHeatherlegh，ofSimla，volunteeredtobearmecompanyasfarasourroadslaytogetherIacceptedhisofferwithgratitude。
MyinstincthadnotdeceivedmeItlayinreadinessintheMall，and，inwhatseemeddevilishmockeryofourways，withalightedhead-lampThered-whiskeredmanwenttothepointatonce，inamannerthatshowedhebadbeenthinkingoveritalldinnertime。
“Isay，Pansay，whatthedeucewasthematterwithyouthiseveningontheElysiumroad？”ThesuddennessofthequestionwrenchedananswerfrommebeforeIwasaware。
“That！。”saidI，pointingtoIt。
“ThatmaybeeitherDTorEyesforaughtIknowNowyoudon’tliquorIsawasmuchatdinner，soitcan’tbeDTThere’snothingwhateverwhereyou’repointing，thoughyou’resweatingandtremblingwithfrightlikeascaredponyTherefore，I
concludethatit’sEyesAndIoughttounderstandallaboutthem。
ComealonghomewithmeI’montheBlessingtonlowerroad。”
Tomyintensedelightthe’rickshawinsteadofwaitingforuskeptabouttwentyyardsahead-andthis，toowhetherwewalked，trotted，orcanteredInthecourseofthatlongnightrideIhadtoldmycompanionalmostasmuchasIhavetoldyouhere。
“Well，you’vespoiledoneofthebesttalesI’veeverlaidtongueto。”
saidhe，“butI’llforgiveyouforthesakeofwhatyou’vegonethroughNowcomehomeanddowhatItellyou；andwhenI’vecuredyou，youngman，letthisbealessontoyoutosteerclearofwomenandindigestiblefoodtillthedayofyourdeath。”
The’rickshawkeptsteadyinfront；andmyred-whiskeredfriendseemedtoderivegreatpleasurefrommyaccountofitsexactwhereabouts。
“Eyes，Pansay-allEyes，Brain，andStomachAndthegreatestofthesethreeisStomachYou’vetoomuchconceitedBrain，toolittleStomach，andthoroughlyunhealthyEyesGetyourStomachstraightandtherestfollowsAndallthat’sFrenchforaliverpill。
I’lltakesolemedicalchargeofyoufromthishour！foryou’retoointerestingaphenomenontobepassedover。”
BythistimeweweredeepintheshadowoftheBlessingtonlowerroadandthe’rickshawcametoadeadstopunderapine-clad，over-hangingshalecliffInstinctivelyIhaltedtoo，givingmyreasonHeatherleghrappedoutanoath。
’Now，ifyouthinkI’mgoingtospendacoldnightonthehillsideforthesakeofastomach-cum-Brain-cum-EyeillusionLord，ha’mercy！What’sthat？”
Therewasamuffledreport，ablindingsmotherofdustjustinfrontofus，acrack，thenoiseofrentboughs，andabouttenyardsofthecliff-side-pines。，undergrowth，andall-sliddownintotheroadbelow，completelyblockingitupTheuprootedtreesswayedandtotteredforamomentlikedrunkengiantsinthegloom，andthenfellproneamongtheirfellowswithathunderouscrashOurtwohorsesstoodmotionlessandsweatingwithfearAssoonastherattleoffallingearthandstonehadsubsided，mycompanionmuttered：-“Man，ifwe’dgoneforwardweshouldhavebeentenfeetdeepinourgravesbynow’Therearemorethingsinheavenandearth。’Comehome，Pansay，andthankGodIwantapegbadly。”
WeretracedourwayovertheChurchRidge，andIarrivedatDr。
Heatherlegh’shouseshortlyaftermidnight。
Hisattemptstowardmycurecommencedalmostimmediately，andforaweekIneverlefthissightManyatimeinthecourseofthatweekdidIblessthegood-fortunewhichhadthrownmeincontactwithSimla’sbestandkindestdoctorDaybydaymyspiritsgrewlighterandmoreequableDaybyday，too，IbecamemoreandmoreinclinedtofallinwithHeatherlegh’s“spectralillusion“
theory，implicatingeyes，brain，andstomachIwrotetoKitty，tellingherthataslightspraincausedbyafallfrommyhorsekeptmeindoorsforafewdays；andthatIshouldberecoveredbeforeshehadtimetoregretmyabsence。
Heatherlegh’streatmentwassimpletoadegreeItconsistedofliverpills，cold-waterbaths，andstrongexercise，takenintheduskoratearlydawn-for，ashesagelyobserved：-“Amanwithasprainedankledoesn’twalkadozenmilesaday，andyouryoungwomanmightbewonderingifshesawyou。”
Attheendoftheweek，aftermuchexaminationofpupilandpulse，andstrictinjunction’astodietandpedestrianism，HeatherleghdismissedmeasbrusquelyashehadtakenchargeofmeHereishispartingbenediction：-“Man，Icancertifytoyourmentalcure，andthat’sasmuchastosayI’vecuredmostofyourbodilyailmentsNow，getyour’trapsoutofthisassoonasyoucan；andbeofftomakelovetoMissKitty。”
IwasendeavoringtoexpressmythanksforhiskindnessHecutmeshort。
“Don’tthinkIdidthisbecauseIlikeyouIgatherthatyou’vebehavedlikeablackguardallthroughBut，allthesame，youreaphenomenon，andasqueeraphenomenonasyouareablackguard。
No！”-checkingmeasecondtime“notarupeepleaseGooutandseeifyoucanfindtheeyes-brain-and-stomachbusinessagainI’llgiveyoualakhforeachtimeyouseeit。”
HalfanhourlaterIwasintheMannerings’drawing-roomwithKitty-drunkwiththeintoxicationofpresenthappinessandthefore-knowledgethatIshouldnevermorebetroubledwithItshideouspresenceStronginthesenseofmynew-foundsecurity，I
proposedarideatonce；and，bypreference，acanterroundJakko。
NeverhadIfeltsowell，sooverladenwithvitalityandmereanimalspirits，asIdidontheafternoonofthe30thofAprilKittywasdelightedatthechangeinmyappearance，andcomplimentedmeonitinherdelightfullyfrankandoutspokenmannerWelefttheMannerings’housetogether，laughingandtalking，andcanteredalongtheChotaSimlaroadasofold。
IwasinhastetoreachtheSanjowlieReservoirandtheremakemyassurancedoublysureThehorsesdidtheirbest，butseemedalltooslowtomyimpatientmindKittywasastonishedatmyboisterousness“Why，Jack！”shecriedatlast，“youarebehavinglikeachildWhatareyoudoing？”
WewerejustbelowtheConvent，andfromsheerwantonnessIwasmakingmyWalerplungeandcurvetacrosstheroadasItickleditwiththeloopofmyriding-whip。
“Doing？”Ianswered；“nothing，dearThat’sjustitIfyou’dbeendoingnothingforaweekexceptlieup，you’dbeasriotousasI。”
“’Singingandmurmuringinyourfeastfulmirth，Joyingtofeelyourselfalive；
LordoverNature，LordofthevisibleEarth，Lordofthesensesfive。’“
MyquotationwashardlyoutofmylipsbeforewehadroundedthecornerabovetheConvent；andafewyardsfurtheroncouldseeacrosstoSanjowlieInthecentreofthelevelroadstoodtheblackandwhiteliveries，theyellow-paneled’rickshaw，andMrs。