"Ah!" he said, and seemed for a moment to collect his thoughts.



"Your dreams don't mix with your memories?" he asked abruptly.

"You don't find yourself in doubt; did this happen or did it not?"



"Hardly ever. Except just for a momentary hesitation now and then.

I suppose few people do."



"Does HE say--" he indicated the book.



"Says it happens at times and gives the usual explanation about

intensity of impression and the like to account for its not happening

as a rule. I suppose you know something of these theories--"



"Very little--except that they are wrong."



His emaciated hand played with the strap of the window for a time.

I prepared to resume reading, and that seemed to precipitate his

next remark. He leant forward almost as though he would touch me.



"Isn't there something called consecutive dreaming--that goes on

night after night?"



"I believe there is. There are cases given in most books on mental

trouble."



"Mental trouble! Yes. I dare say there are. It's the right place

for them. But what I mean--" He looked at his bony knuckles.

"Is that sort of thing always dreaming? IS it dreaming? Or is it

something else? Mightn't it be something else?"



I should have snubbed his persistent conversation but for the drawn

anxiety of his face. I remember now the look of his faded eyes

and the lids red-stained--perhaps you know that look.



"I'm not just arguing about a matter of opinion," he said. "The

thing's killing me."



"Dreams?"



"If you call them dreams. Night after night. Vivid!--so vivid . . .

this--" (he indicated the landscape that went streaming by the

window) "seems unreal in comparison! I can scarcely remember who I am,

what business I am on. . . ."



He paused. "Even now--"



"The dream is always the same--do you mean?" I asked.



"It's over."



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