the combination of
the two emotions, possibly, that were responsible also for the two
remarkable impulses of which he was first conscious: first, a mad desire
to strike and kill; secondly, an imperious feeling that he must hide his
eyes in some act or other of worship!

And it was then he realized that the man was--Philip Skale!

Mr. Skale, scarcely a foot high, dressed as usual in black, flowing
beard, hooked nose, lambent, flashing eyes and all, stood there upon the
mantelpiece level with his secretary's face, not three feet separating
them, and--smiled at him. He was small as a Tanagra figure, and in
perfect proportion.

It was unspeakably terrible.

II

"Of course--I'm dreaming," cried Spinrobin, half aloud, half to the
figure before him. He searched behind him with one hand for solid
support. "You're a dream thing. It's some awful trick--God will
protect me--!"

Mr. Skale's tiny lips moved. "No, no," his voice said, and it sounded as
from a great distance. "I'm no dream thing at all, and you are wide
awake. Look at me well. I am the man you know--Philip Skale. Look
straight into my eyes and be convinced." Again he smiled his kindly,
winning smile. "What you now see is nothing but a result of sounding my
true name in a certain way--very softly--to increase the cohesion of my
physical molecules and reduce my visible expression. Listen, and watch!"

And Spinrobin, half stupefied, obeyed, feeling that his weakening knees
must in another moment give way and precipitate him to the floor. He was
utterly unnerved. The onslaught of terror and amazement was overwhelming.
For something dreadful beyond all words lay in the sight of this man,
whom he was accustomed to reverence in his gigantic everyday shape, here
reduced to the stature of a pygmy, yet compelling as ever, terrific even
when thus dwarfed. And to hear the voice of thunder that he knew so well
come to him disguised within this thin and almost wailing tone, passed
equally beyond the limits of what he could feel as emotion or translate
into any intelligible words or gesture.

While, therefore, the secretary stood in awful wonder, doing as he was
told simply because he could do nothing else, the figure of the clergyman
moved with tiny steps to the edge of the mantelpiece, until it seemed as
though he meant in another moment to leap on to his companion's shoulder,
or into his arms. At the edge, however, he stopped--the brink of a
precipice, to him!--and S