“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
　　gaspedIdied。”“Youwillhardlypersistnow。”saidIsmiling，“thatthewholeofyouradventurewasnotadream。Youarenotpreparedtomaintainthatyouaredead？”
　　WhenIsaidthesewords，IofcourseexpectedsomelivelysallyfromBedloeinreply，but，tomyastonishment，hehesitated，trembled，becamefearfullypallid，andremainedsilent。IlookedtowardTempleton。Hesaterectandrigidinhischairhisteethchattered，andhiseyeswerestartingfromtheirsockets。“Proceed！”
　　heatlengthsaidhoarselytoBedloe。
　　“Formanyminutes。”continuedthelatter，“mysolesentimentmysolefeelingwasthatofdarknessandnonentity，withtheconsciousnessofdeath。Atlengththereseemedtopassaviolentandsuddenshockthroughmysoul，asifofelectricity。Withitcamethesenseofelasticityandoflight。ThislatterIfeltnotsaw。InaninstantIseemedtorisefromtheground。ButIhadnobodily，novisible，audible，orpalpablepresence。Thecrowdhaddeparted。Thetumulthadceased。Thecitywasincomparativerepose。Beneathmelaymycorpse，withthearrowinmytemple，thewholeheadgreatlyswollenanddisfigured。ButallthesethingsIfeltnotsaw。I
　　tookinterestinnothing。EventhecorpseseemedamatterinwhichI
　　hadnoconcern。VolitionIhadnone，butappearedtobeimpelledintomotion，andflittedbuoyantlyoutofthecity，retracingthecircuitouspathbywhichIhadenteredit。WhenIhadattainedthatpointoftheravineinthemountainsatwhichIhadencounteredthehyena，Iagainexperiencedashockasofagalvanicbattery，thesenseofweight，ofvolition，ofsubstance，returned。Ibecamemyoriginalself，andbentmystepseagerlyhomewardbutthepasthadnotlostthevividnessoftherealandnotnow，evenforaninstant，canIcompelmyunderstandingtoregarditasadream。”
　　“Norwasit。”saidTempleton，withanairofdeepsolemnity，“yetitwouldbedifficulttosayhowotherwiseitshouldbetermed。Letussupposeonly，thatthesoulofthemanofto-dayisuponthevergeofsomestupendouspsychaldiscoveries。Letuscontentourselveswiththissupposition。FortherestIhavesomeexplanationtomake。Hereisawatercolordrawing，whichIshouldhaveshownyoubefore，butwhichanunaccountablesentimentofhorrorhashithertopreventedmefromshowing。”
　　Welookedatthepicturewhichhepresented。Isawnothinginitofanextraordinarycharacter，butitseffectuponBedloewasprodigious。Henearlyfaintedashegazed。Andyetitwasbutaminiatureportraitamiraculouslyaccurateone，tobesureofhisownveryremarkablefeatures。AtleastthiswasmythoughtasI
　　regardedit。
　　“Youwillperceive。”saidTempleton，“thedateofthispictureitishere，scarcelyvisible，inthiscorner1780。Inthisyearwastheportraittaken。ItisthelikenessofadeadfriendaMr。
　　OldebtowhomIbecamemuchattachedatCalcutta，duringtheadministrationofWarrenHastings。Iwasthenonlytwentyyearsold。
　　WhenIfirstsawyou，Mr。Bedloe，atSaratoga，itwasthemiraculoussimilaritywhichexistedbetweenyourselfandthepaintingwhichinducedmetoaccostyou，toseekyourfriendship，andtobringaboutthosearrangementswhichresultedinmybecomingyourconstantcompanion。Inaccomplishingthispoint，Iwasurgedpartly，andperhapsprincipally，byaregretfulmemoryofthedeceased，butalso，inpart，byanuneasy，andnotaltogetherhorrorlesscuriosityrespectingyourself。
　　“Inyourdetailofthevisionwhichpresenteditselftoyouamidthehills，youhavedescribed，withtheminutestaccuracy，theIndiancityofBenares，upontheHolyRiver。Theriots，thecombat，themassacre，weretheactualeventsoftheinsurrectionofCheyteSing，whichtookplacein1780，whenHastingswasputinimminentperilofhislife。ThemanescapingbythestringofturbanswasCheyteSinghimself。ThepartyinthekioskweresepoysandBritishofficers，headedbyHastings。OfthispartyIwasone，anddidallIcouldtopreventtherashandfatalsallyoftheofficerwhofell，inthecrowdedalleys，bythepoisonedarrowofaBengalee。Thatofficerwasmydearestfriend。ItwasOldeb。Youwillperceivebythesemanuscripts。”herethespeakerproducedanote-bookinwhichseveralpagesappearedtohavebeenfreshlywritten，“thatattheveryperiodinwhichyoufanciedthesethingsamidthehills，Iwasengagedindetailingthemuponpaperhereathome。”
　　Inaboutaweekafterthisconversation，thefollowingparagraphsappearedinaCharlottesvillepaper：
　　“WehavethepainfuldutyofannouncingthedeathofMr。AugustusBedlo，agentlemanwhoseamiablemannersandmanyvirtueshavelongendearedhimtothecitizensofCharlottesville。
　　“Mr。B。，forsomeyearspast，hasbeensubjecttoneuralgia，whichhasoftenthreatenedtoterminatefatally；butthiscanberegardedonlyasthemediatecauseofhisdecease。Theproximatecausewasoneofespecialsingularity。InanexcursiontotheRaggedMountains，afewdayssince，aslightcoldandfeverwerecontracted，attendedwithgreatdeterminationofbloodtothehead。Torelievethis，Dr。
　　Templetonresortedtotopicalbleeding。Leecheswereappliedtothetemples。Inafearfullybriefperiodthepatientdied，whenitappearedthatinthejarcontainingtheleeches，hadbeenintroduced，byaccident，oneofthevenomousvermicularsangsueswhicharenowandthenfoundintheneighboringponds。Thiscreaturefasteneditselfuponasmallarteryintherighttemple。Itscloseresemblancetothemedicinalleechcausedthemistaketobeoverlookeduntiltoolate。
　　“N。B。ThepoisonoussangsueofCharlottesvillemayalwaysbedistinguishedfromthemedicinalleechbyitsblackness，andespeciallybyitswrithingorvermicularmotions，whichverynearlyresemblethoseofasnake。”
　　Iwasspeakingwiththeeditorofthepaperinquestion，uponthetopicofthisremarkableaccident，whenitoccurredtometoaskhowithappenedthatthenameofthedeceasedhadbeengivenasBedlo。
　　“Ipresume。”Isaid，“youhaveauthorityforthisspelling，butI
　　havealwayssupposedthenametobewrittenwithaneattheend。”
　　“Authority？no。”hereplied。“Itisameretypographicalerror。
　　ThenameisBedlowithane，alltheworldover，andIneverknewittobespeltotherwiseinmylife。”
　　“Then。”saidImutteringly，asIturneduponmyheel，“thenindeedhasitcometopassthatonetruthisstrangerthananyfiction
　　forBedloe，withoutthee，whatisitbutOldebconversed！Andthismantellsmethatitisatypographicalerror。”
　　MANYyearsago，itwasthefashiontoridiculetheideaof“loveatfirstsight；“butthosewhothink，notlessthanthosewhofeeldeeply，havealwaysadvocateditsexistence。Moderndiscoveries，indeed，inwhatmaybetermedethicalmagnetismormagnetoesthetics，renderitprobablethatthemostnatural，and，consequently，thetruestandmostintenseofthehumanaffectionsarethosewhichariseintheheartasifbyelectricsympathyinaword，thatthebrightestandmostenduringofthepsychalfettersarethosewhicharerivetedbyaglance。TheconfessionIamabouttomakewilladdanothertothealreadyalmostinnumerableinstancesofthetruthoftheposition。
　　MystoryrequiresthatIshouldbesomewhatminute。Iamstillaveryyoungmannotyettwenty-twoyearsofage。Myname，atpresent，isaveryusualandratherplebeianoneSimpson。Isay“atpresent；“
　　foritisonlylatelythatIhavebeensocalledhavinglegislativelyadoptedthissurnamewithinthelastyearinordertoreceivealargeinheritanceleftmebyadistantmalerelative，AdolphusSimpson，Esq。Thebequestwasconditioneduponmytakingthenameofthetestator，thefamily，nottheChristianname；myChristiannameisNapoleonBonaparteor，moreproperly，thesearemyfirstandmiddleappellations。
　　Iassumedthename，Simpson，withsomereluctance，asinmytruepatronym，Froissart，IfeltaverypardonablepridebelievingthatIcouldtraceadescentfromtheimmortalauthorofthe“Chronicles。”
　　Whileonthesubjectofnames，bythebye，Imaymentionasingularcoincidenceofsoundattendingthenamesofsomeofmyimmediatepredecessors。MyfatherwasaMonsieurFroissart，ofParis。Hiswifemymother，whomhemarriedatfifteenwasaMademoiselleCroissart，eldestdaughterofCroissartthebanker，whosewife，again，beingonlysixteenwhenmarried，wastheeldestdaughterofoneVictorVoissart。MonsieurVoissart，verysingularly，hadmarriedaladyofsimilarnameaMademoiselleMoissart。She，too，wasquiteachildwhenmarried；andhermother，also，MadameMoissart，wasonlyfourteenwhenledtothealtar。TheseearlymarriagesareusualinFrance。Here，however，areMoissart，Voissart，Croissart，andFroissart，allinthedirectlineofdescent。Myownname，though，asIsay，becameSimpson，byactofLegislature，andwithsomuchrepugnanceonmypart，that，atoneperiod，Iactuallyhesitatedaboutacceptingthelegacywiththeuselessandannoyingprovisoattached。
　　Astopersonalendowments，Iambynomeansdeficient。Onthecontrary，IbelievethatIamwellmade，andpossesswhatninetenthsoftheworldwouldcallahandsomeface。InheightIamfivefeeteleven。Myhairisblackandcurling。Mynoseissufficientlygood。
　　Myeyesarelargeandgray；andalthough，infacttheyareweakaveryinconvenientdegree，stillnodefectinthisregardwouldbesuspectedfromtheirappearance。Theweaknessitself，however，hasalwaysmuchannoyedme，andIhaveresortedtoeveryremedyshortofwearingglasses。Beingyouthfulandgood-looking，Inaturallydislikethese，andhaveresolutelyrefusedtoemploythem。Iknownothing，indeed，whichsodisfiguresthecountenanceofayoungperson，orsoimpresseseveryfeaturewithanairofdemureness，ifnotaltogetherofsanctimoniousnessandofage。Aneyeglass，ontheotherhand，hasasavorofdownrightfopperyandaffectation。IhavehithertomanagedaswellasIcouldwithouteither。Butsomethingtoomuchofthesemerelypersonaldetails，which，afterall，areoflittleimportance。Iwillcontentmyselfwithsaying，inaddition，thatmytemperamentissanguine，rash，ardent，enthusiasticandthatallmylifeIhavebeenadevotedadmirerofthewomen。
　　OnenightlastwinterIenteredaboxattheP-Theatre，incompanywithafriend，Mr。Talbot。Itwasanoperanight，andthebillspresentedaveryrareattraction，sothatthehousewasexcessivelycrowded。Wewereintime，however，toobtainthefrontseatswhichhadbeenreservedforus，andintowhich，withsomelittledifficulty，weelbowedourway。