his heart still beating from the encounter, he went on, approaching the square near his home. The macabre bacchanal was there too. But suddenly he stopped as he beheld a familiar figure: Mina! He caught his breath, fear and joy contesting in his heart. But no, she was not dancing. He thanked the saints for that. She was merely standing. Someone was talking to her. Christian hurried. He could not run fast enough. She should nut be out, he was thinking; not even out of the house at a time like this!
The man talking to Mina was making gestures. Now he was taking her hands. Mina was swaying. Now he held her by the shoulders—was looking forcefully into her eyes.
Christian shouted. Then he recognized the man—to his amazement, Hynek Zerotin. He had both her hands now, and they were swirling. In an instant Christian reached them and with all the power of his arm his fist crashed into Hynek's jaw. The student fell to the ground senseless. Christian seized Mina and half dragged her until she stumbled and then he carried her to her home.
Mina's mother, her face blank, saw then coming. She opened the door and quickly bolted it again after they entered. Christian carried his senseless Mina to a cot and tenderly placed her on it while others of the family came gaping about. He pressed his lips on hers, and spoke, and finally her blue eyes opened slowly but she didn't reply.
"Why did you let her out?" demanded Christian, arising suddenly.
"She all at once became possessed," said her mother, "and we couldn't control her."
"Give her these pellets. Keep her in bed. I will return within the hour—after I have seen my family. But even then my visit will be brief, for I am with others on a mission to destroy this scourge."
After greeting his family and explaining, Christian returned to Mina.
Restored, she was sitting up, her face, prim and sweet, nestled in a wealth of golden tresses.
"Oh, I am glad to see you, my Christian. They told me you kissed me before. But I didn't know it!"
Christian leaned over. "Then, my love, here is one for you to remember. But now listen, sweetest Mina. My time I count in minutes. With my famous uncle I am en route to seek out and destroy the source of this evil. More on that later. Tell me first and quickly how you knew this Hynek—the man I found seeking liberty with you."
"Pray, believe me, Christian. Until this minute I didn't know his name. I can relate only this much, that a passion to go out into the street seized and overpowered me. Every nerve in me tingled to go out and dance. And yet, I am sure that I was not fully taken by the madness. No, not fully. The lad you called Hynek approached me most abruptly. He paid me what I at first took to be a compliment, but a moment later recognized it as an insult. As he took me in his arms I felt a power in his eyes. Then I saw you, and remember little else until I awoke here."
"That is strange—very strange indeed," said Christian. He sat by her pillow and took her slowly in his arms until he held her. "But we shan't let it bother us now," he whispered.
Then he related swiftly the events with which he had been connected, concluding: "But Dr. Planquette knows more than he has told us." He made her promise
3-5
