Page:Meda - a tale of the future.djvu/88

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MEDA:

disliked surgery, particularly when I was to be the subject. He saw my state of mind at once, and smiling, said, "My good Specimen, do not think we would hurt you by thought, word, or knife; you are far too valuable and instructive to us to allow one hair of your head to be hurt. Come here!" And so saying he lifted a screen, and there I saw myself, my very self, lying on the same sofa that I had slept on, dressed in my old tweed suit, and fast asleep. I started back in utter astonishment, and clasped my hands to my head. I felt quite dazed and stupid, and fully believed that my spirit must have come out of my body, and gone into that of another man, while the body was left to sleep. I stared at myself as I lay, and could see my chest heaving and falling in the gentle slumber that I so much enjoyed.

The Recorder was amused, I could see, at my dilemma. He said:—"You are not mad, my Specimen, you are only surprised." He went up to me as I lay; he opened my vest and shirt; he folded them back, but I never