"No," I said. "You will get no convert here. I must be going."
"I will open the gate for you," he said, in another tone, and led the
way down the stairs, through the library, and out upon the gravelled walk.
After the drugged atmosphere of his room, the pure night air was like
a refreshing bath, and I drew in long breaths of it. Silva walked
beside me silently; he unlocked the gate with a key which he carried
in his hand, and pulled it open.
"Good-night, Mr. Lester," he said. "The sphere is at your service
should you desire again to test it. Think over what I have said to you."
"Good-night," I answered, and stepped through into the road.
The gate swung shut and the key grated in the lock. Mechanically I
turned my steps toward Godfrey's house; but I seemed to be bending
under a great burden--the burden of the vision.
CHAPTER XXII
THE SUMMONS
I was confused and shaken; I had no idea of the hour; I did not know
whether that vision had lasted a minute or a thousand years. But when
I blundered up the path to Godfrey's house, I found him and Simmonds
sitting on the porch together.
"I had Godfrey bring me out," said Simmonds, as he shook hands,
"because I wanted another look at those midnight fireworks.
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