You were very nearly dead to-night, Macumazahn." "Very nearly indeed," I answered, still panting, and arranging the rags of my night-dress round me as best I might.

Then the memory of my horrid dream flashed into my mind.

Doubtless it had been conjured up by the sound of Hendrika dropping to the floor--in my dream it had been a grave that she dropped into.

All of it, then, had been experienced in that second of time.

Well, dreams are swift; perhaps Time itself is nothing but a dream, and events that seem far apart really occur simultaneously.
We passed the rest of the night watching Hendrika.