, but the plaster had fallen away in many places
leaving the rough stones visible at every turn of the eye.

There were two men in the cell, and these the Philosopher saluted; but
they did not reply, nor did they speak to each other. There was a low,
wooden form fixed to the wall, running quite round the room, and on
this, far apart from each other, the two men were seated, with their
elbows resting on their knees, their heads propped upon their hands,
and each of them with an unwavering gaze fixed on the floor between his
feet.

The Philosopher walked for a time up and down the little cell, but soon
he also sat down on the low form, propped his head on his hands and
lapsed to a melancholy dream.

So the day passed. Twice a policeman came down the ladder bearing three
portions of food, bread and cocoa; and by imperceptible gradations the
light faded away from the grating and the darkness came. After a great
interval the policeman again approached carrying three mattresses and
three rough blankets, and these he bundled through the hole. Each of the
men took a mattress and a blanket and spread them on the floor, and the
Philosopher took his share also.

By this time they could not see each other and all their operations were
conducted by the sense of touch alone. They laid themselves down on the
beds and a terrible, dark silence brooded over the room.

But the Philosopher could not sleep, he kept his eyes shut, for the
darkness under his eyelids was not so dense as that which surrounded
him; indeed, he could at will illuminate his own darkness and order
around him the sunny roads or the sparkling sky. While his eyes were
closed he had the mastery of all pictures of light and colour and
warmth, but an irresistible fascination compelled him every few minutes
to reopen them, and in the sad space around he could not create any
happiness. The darkness weighed very sadly upon him so that in a short
time it did creep under his eyelids and drowned his happy pictures until
a blackness possessed him both within and without "Can one's mind go to
prison as well as one's body?" said he.

He strove desperately to regain his intellectual freedom, but he could
not. He could conjure up no visions but those of fear. The creatures of
the dark invaded him, fantastic terrors were thronging on every side:
they came from the darkness into his eyes and beyond into himself, so
that his mind as well as his fancy was captured, and he knew he