THE MAN-COVER
And the man-who-lost-his-cover came into the room
again.
“Well,” said he, “I thought that by now you would have
found your way to submit to necessity and reintegrate your
real personality. What did you see in my box?”
I told him, and instantly he grew pale and staggered. But
after a moment he looked furiously at me, and resumed his
former manner.
“ By God !” he said, “I cannot believe you. How you have
found out my secret and learned by heart the things which one
ought to see in my box, but which one does not, I ignore.
But you cannot possibly have seen them.”
I swore that I was no impostor. But he refused to listen
to me, and called his two men. They came, and began verifying
the measure he had taken of me.
“ Too long,” said he, when it was completed. ‘“ You have
grown out of shape. We shall have to cut out and plane
you in order that you should exactly fit my mighty box.
However, as you pretend to have seen in it things which a cover
cannot possibly see, I must give myself a day to think it
over.”
I felt instantly relieved, and began to hope again.
“Perhaps I shall not be cut out and planed after all,”
thought I; and smiled humorously upon the man.
Fool! I felt almost certain that a crueller punishment
could not be conceived by the morbid imagination of a mad-
man. And now I am here, in this secluded spot, with no
prospect but the most horrible of lives. .. . But, dear unknown
reader of this history, you to whoma trustworthy messenger will
deliver it, do not let my personal sorrow trouble you because
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