-one hours from the
time we started from London. We had spent some little time in Paris, or
we could have done it more quickly. We found Turin lit up with a pure
bright light, and, as Simon declared, "looking one of the most purtiest
places like, as ever he'd clapped his eyes on."

We stayed at Hotel Trombetta. We had several reasons for doing this.
First, it was a good hotel. I had stayed there before, and so I knew. It
was also near the station, and fairly near the place where, according to
Simon's sketch, Kaffar was staying. We got into the hotel just in time
for dinner. Simon declared that he "dar'n't go into the dining-room amo'
the swells like; it would take away his appetite jist like waccination
did;" but as I insisted, he gave way, and certainly did not draw any
one's attention by his awkwardness. I had got him a perfectly fitting
suit of clothes in Paris, in which he looked a respectable member of
society.

Directly after dinner I went out, to try to find Kaffar's whereabouts;
but although Turin is beautifully built, and the streets very straight,
I found I had to put off my search until the morning.

Every hour of waiting was, as the reader may imagine, of great anxiety
to me. I was now making my great move. If I missed in this, all was
lost. Was Kaffar in Turin? Was he or had he been there? Was all this
mesmerism so much hocus-pocus and nonsense to deceive me, a credulous
fool? And yet I was sure Simon would not be a party in deceiving me. But
might not I have been deceived by the professor? Could he not make my
friend say, not what really existed, but what existed in his own mind?
And yet the little man seemed honest! Anyhow, I could do no more, and it
was my only hope. There could be no harm in trying. If I failed, well, I
could not help it; I had done my best. I would go back and face Voltaire
and Miss Forrest, and--well--I knew not what--! But if I found the
Egyptian! Ah, it was too good to be true. I dared not dwell upon the
thought. It was not for me to build castles in the air, and weave
bright fancies; but to work, until I had accomplished the work I had set
out to do.

And so I went quietly to bed, and, much to my astonishment, slept long
and soundly. The sun was shining in at my window when I awoke, and this
Italian city looked wondrously beautiful as it lay there this clear
December morning, in the light of the bright sun.

We wasted no time after breakfast before setting out--I with beating