"
He made no reply, but, seizing me by the coat, dragged me after him as
he hurried out of the room, and making for a back door, led me out,
bareheaded as I was, into the wood. The darkness had waxed to
pitchiness, and the noises were hushed. The crows had gone to roost; and
had it not been for some too-hoos of the jolly owl, sounding his horn as
he rejoiced that the hated sun had gone to annoy other owls in the west,
the silence would have been complete. But, in truth, I hate silence as
well as darkness, and have no more sympathy with the followers of
Pythagoras than I have with the triumph of the blind Roman who silenced
the covey of pretty women, in the heat of their condolences for his
blindness, by reminding them that they forgot he could feel in the dark.
I thought more of the fire inside, and the bottle of Burgundy, on which
I had made as yet only a small impression.
"If I want darkness, I can as well shut my eyes," said I peevishly, "and
I would even have the advantage of some phosphorescent touches of the
fancy."
"Will you see that with your eyes shut?" he exclaimed triumphantly, as
he bent his body forward to an angle of forty-five, and pointed with
his finger to an object clearly illumined, and exhibiting distinctly a
large card, with ten red diamonds sharply traced upon it.
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