New York (N.Y.) -- Fiction; Science fiction; Time travel -- Fiction
"We'll get it," said Alan.
Turber made an abrupt decision. "You may see her. You're an annoying
young cub, Tremont. I know you well enough to realize that."
"Can we see her now?" Alan demanded.
"Yes. But only for a moment. Her memory is gone. I was hoping, with my
routine treatment, we could get it back."
He led us into the corridor, stalking ahead of us with his heavy head.
"This way--she is upstairs."
He turned a corner. Alan whispered: "Watch where we're going! Try to
remember the location of the room! How old is she, Dr. Turber?"
"About twenty, apparently. A strange-looking little creature. I would
say, of a cultured family."
We mounted a staircase. Passed down another corridor. I tried to keep
my sense of location. I said: "Is she an American?"
"Probably not." He shrugged. "She is dressed very strangely. She
resisted the matrons at Bellevue who would have changed her robe. She
looks as though she might have wandered from some fancy dress affair
last night. But by now something would be known of it, I suppose. The
police have full details. I shall send her back to Bellevue--I'm not
looking for any bizarre publicity."
We passed occasional inmates in the halls; they stared at us curiously,
scattering and vanishing at Turber's glance. One was the young fellow,
Charlie. He appeared magically at my elbow, flashed me a swift, knowing
glance, and disappeared.
Abnormality was in the air, everywhere about this place. Heavy carpeted
hallways; dim, with lights not yet lighted in the afternoon twilight.
These patients--most of them seemed to be young men--free to move
about, in apparent health; indefinably, but unmistakably abnormal. The
whole place struck me as almost gruesome.
"This way, Tremont."
We were in the upper story, close under the roof. There was an elevator
in the front of the building; we had not used it, but had mounted three
separate flights of stairs, each remote from the other. I fancied we
were at the top of the wing across from the reception room.
Turber paused and took a key from his pocket. I had noticed as we
came along the halls that all the rooms opened outward; the inner
side facing the courtyard was always a blank corridor wall, with no
suggestion of rooms. But Turber now paused at a small, heavy mahogany
door--on the courtyard side.
"She is here, Tremont. I have her locked in. She escaped from
somewhere. It is often a trait of these cases--the desire to escape. If
she eluded me here, the authorities would have plenty to say."
He stood a moment, cautioning us in low tones. The girl would be
startled--she was startled at seeing any one. But to be mildly startled
might be good for her. He smiled. "Amnesia has been cured by a blow
upon the head. But I don't recommend it."
We were to do no more than stand in the doorway. For a moment only.
"May I talk to her?" I suggested.
"That," he said, "would be useless. She could not understand; and her
own words are wholly unrecognizable."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account