I suppose there are some supercilious mortals who will cavil at what they may be pleased to term the sensationalism of those doings in the London opera house and the Italian villa. There will surely be others ready to scoff at the fine rage into which Hooper and I worked ourselves in order to arrange the somewhat involved love affairs of a friend. Well, to the one set of critics, I can only reply that Karl did not die--in fact, if they turn back to the opening lines of this history, they will find his future career, a peaceful life blessed by an enchanted matrimony, set forth in the clearest words at my command. As for the others, the utterers of jibes, I have no such logical hammer with which to pound them to a jelly. There are those who have eyes and see not, ears and hear not; and who shall give them the additional senses the lack of which was thus deplored by the Evangelist Mark? Indeed, I must not expect a host of believers. Some few will understand me when I say that it is possible for a man or a woman to love at first sight, instantly, absolutely, and forever. But--goodness me!--that doctrine will not go down with the multitude, and my natural candor impels me to admit that it would be a very troublesome and evil thing for the multitude if it did. Nevertheless, I wish to explain, for the benefit of the elect (and we, dear fellow-visionary, you who are blessed with the full heart and the dreaming brain, we are the elect--of that there can be no manner of doubt in _our_ minds), why it came about that Nora Cazenove and Maggie Hutchinson actually knew that Karl was suddenly stricken out of consciousness, a state which, to their overladen souls, was equivalent to his death. Karl, locked in the suite of rooms at the Pall Mall Hotel, awoke from his restful sleep about eight o’clock. He was surprised to see by the shadows and the appearance of the streets that the hour was really as late as a glance at a clock revealed to his incredulous eyes. He wondered why and where Hooper had gone. Thinking that his friend, having evidently dressed for dinner, was dining alone rather than disturb him, he rang for the valet, and then came the explanation of the locked door. It was the easiest thing for Karl to discover what Hooper was doing. The additional demand on his telegnomic sense made by such a quest was infinitesimal. But, probably because he was exceedingly run down and weak from want of food and sufficient rest, he yielded to a quick anger, determinedly set himself against any inquiry, and ordered the attendant to open the outer door immediately. Of course, he was obeyed.