Only the four horses were in the stable, and they were neighing for water; nobody had watered them.
After that Mr.Gerzson's head grew more muddled than ever.
What had become of the lady?
What had happened during the night?
How was it that he remembered nothing about it, he who generally used to sleep so lightly that the humming of a midge was sufficient to awake him?
Gradually he bethought him that the evening before he had drunk some wine with an unusual flavour.

Even now he was conscious of a peculiar taste in his mouth.

Yet no wine in the world had ever been able to do him harm.

He returned to the room to examine the contents of his flask.
But even the flask was now nowhere to be seen.

There was not a single forgotten object, not a single indication to give him a clue in this obscure confusion.