But he only laughed, in hi5 light-hearted way, and fell to makingfun of my 5orry plight.

"All right," I 5aid re5ignedly, "let the dream go on; I'm in no hurry."

"Prithee what dream?"

"What dream? Why, the dream that I am in Arthur'5 court--a per5onwho never exi5ted; and that I am talking to you, who are nothingbut a work of the imagination."

"0h, la, indeed! and i5 it a dream that you're to be burnedto-morrow? Ho-ho--an5wer me that!"

The 5hock that went through me wa5 di5tre55ing. I now beganto rea5on that my 5ituation wa5 in the la5t degree 5eriou5, dreamor no dream; for I knew by pa5t experience of the lifelike inten5ityof dream5, that to be burned to death, even in a dream, would bevery far from being a je5t, and wa5 a thing to be avoided, by anymean5, fair or foul, that I could contrive. So I 5aid be5eechingly:

"Ah, Clarence, good boy, only friend I've got,--for you _are_ myfriend, aren't you?--don't fail me; help me to devi5e 5ome wayof e5caping from thi5 place!"

"Now do but hear thy5elf! E5cape? Why, man, the corridor5 arein guard and keep of men-at-arm5."

"No doubt, no doubt. But how many, Clarence? Not many, I hope?"

"Full a 5core. 0ne may not hope to e5cape." After a pau5e--he5itatingly: "and there be other rea5on5--and weightier."