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I sat up。 The act of sitting up made me conscious of the fact that
I had been lying down。 Conscious； too； that I was feeling more
than a little dazed。 It seemed as though I was waking out of some
strange； lethargic sleepa kind of feeling which I have read of
and heard about； but never before experienced。
〃Where am I？〃
〃You're on the couch in your own room。 You WERE on the floor； but
I thought it would be better to pick you up and place you on the
couchthough no one performed the same kind office to me when I
was on the floor。〃
Again Tress's tone was distinctly dry。
〃How came YOU here？〃
〃Ah； that's the question。〃 He rubbed his china habit of his
which has annoyed me more than once before。 〃Do you think you're
sufficiently recovered to enable you to understand a little simple
explanation？〃 I stared at him； amazed。 He went on stroking his
chin。 〃The truth is that when I sent you the pipe I made a slight
omission。〃
〃An omission？〃
〃I omitted to advise you not to smoke it。〃
〃And why？〃
〃Becausewell； I've reason to believe the thing is drugged。〃
〃Drugged！〃
〃Or poisoned。〃
〃Poisoned！〃 I was wide awake enough then。 I jumped off the couch
with a celerity which proved it。
〃It is this way。 I became its owner in rather a singular manner。〃
He paused； as if for me to make a remark； but I was silent。 〃It is
not often that I smoke a specimen； but； for some reason； I did
smoke this。 I commenced to smoke it； that is。 How long I
continued to smoke it is more than I can say。 It had on me the
same peculiar effect which it appears to have had on you。 When I
recovered consciousness I was lying on the floor。〃
〃On the floor？〃
〃On the floor。 In about as uncomfortable a position as you can
easily conceive。 I was lying face downward； with my legs bent
under me。 I was never so surprised in my life as I was when I
found myself WHERE I was。 At first I supposed that I had had a
stroke。 But by degrees it dawned upon me that I didn't FEEL as
though I had had a stroke。〃 Tress； by the way； has been an army
surgeon。 〃I was conscious of distinct nausea。 Looking about； I
saw the pipe。 With me it had fallen on to the floor。 I took it
for granted； considering the delicacy of the carving； that the fall
had broken it。 But when I picked it up I found it quite uninjured。
While I was examining it a thought flashed to my brain。 Might it
not be answerable for what had happened to me？ Suppose； for
instance； it was drugged？ I had heard of such things。 Besides； in
my case were present all the symptoms of drug poisoning； though
what drug had been used I couldn't in the least conceive。 I
resolved that I would give the pipe another trial。〃
〃On yourself？ or on another party； meaning me？〃
〃On myself； my dear Pughon myself！ At that point of my
investigations I had not begun to think of you。 I lit up and had
another smoke。〃
〃With what result？〃
〃Well； that depends on the standpoint from which you regard the
thing。 From one point of view the result was wholly satisfactory
I proved that the thing was drugged； and more。〃
〃Did you have another fall？〃
〃I did。 And something else besides。〃
〃On that account； I presume； you resolved to pass the treasure on
to me？〃
〃Partly on that account； and partly on another。〃
〃On my word； I appreciate your generosity。 You might have labeled
the thing as poison。〃
〃Exactly。 But then you must remember how often you have told me
that you NEVER smoke your specimens。〃
〃That was no reason why you shouldn't have given me a hint that the
thing was more dangerous than dynamite。〃
〃That did occur to me afterwards。 Therefore I called to supply the
slight omission。〃
〃SLIGHT omission； you call it！ I wonder what you would have called
it if you had found me dead。〃
〃If I had known that you INTENDED smoking it I should not have been
at all surprised if I had。〃
〃Really； Tress； I appreciate your kindness more and more！ And
where is this example of your splendid benevolence？ Have you
pocketed it； regretting your lapse into the unaccustomed paths of
generosity？ Or is it smashed to atoms？〃
〃Neither the one nor the other。 You will find the pipe upon the
table。 I neither desire its restoration nor is it in any way
injured。 It is merely an expression of personal opinion when I say
that I don't believe that it COULD be injured。 Of course； having
discovered its deleterious properties； you will not want to smoke
it again。 You will therefore be able to enjoy the consciousness of
being the possessor of what I honestly believe to be the most
remarkable pipe in existence。 Good day； Pugh。〃
He was gone before I could say a word。 I immediately concluded；
from the precipitancy of his flight； that the pipe WAS injured。
But when I subjected it to close examination I could discover no
signs of damage。 While I was still eying it with jealous scrutiny
the door reopened； and Tress came in again。
〃By the way； Pugh； there is one thing I might mention； especially
as I know it won't make any difference to you。〃
〃That depends on what it is。 If you have changed your mind； and
want the pipe back again； I tell you frankly that it won't。 In my
opinion； a thing once given is given for good。〃
〃Quite so； I don't want it back again。 You may make your mind easy
on that point。 I merely wanted to tell you WHY I gave it you。〃
〃You have told me that already。〃
〃Only partly； my dear Pughonly partly。 You don't suppose I
should have given you such a pipe as that merely because it
happened to be drugged？ Scarcely！ I gave it you because I
discovered from indisputable evidence； and to my cost； that it was
haunted。〃
〃Haunted？〃
〃Yes； haunted。 Good day。〃
He was gone again。 I ran out of the room； and shouted after him
down the stairs。 He was already at the bottom of the flight。
〃Tress！ Come back！ What do you mean by talking such nonsense？〃
〃Of course it's only nonsense。 We know that that sort of thing
always is nonsense。 But if you should have reason to suppose that
there is something in it besides nonsense； you may think it worth
your while to make inquiries of me； But I won't have that pipe back
again in my possession on any termsmind that！〃
The bang of the front door told me that he had gone out into the
street。 I let him go。 I laughed to myself as I reentered the
room。 Haunted！ That was not a bad idea of his。 I saw the whole
position at a glance。 The truth of the matter was that he did
regret his generosity； and he was ready to go any lengths if he
could only succeed in cajoling me into restoring his gift。 He was
aware that I have views upon certain matters which are not wholly
in accordance with those which are popularly supposed to be the
views of the day； and particularly that on the question of what are
commonly call