“Men don’t live beyond ten dozen. It’s not in the order of things,” said the old man. “I’m not a fool. Fools may believe it, but not me.”
Graham became angry with the old man’s assurance. “Whether you are a fool or not,” he said, “it happens you are wrong about the Sleeper.”
“Eh?”
“You are wrong about the Sleeper. I haven’t told you before, but I will tell you now. You are wrong about the Sleeper.”
“How do you know? I thought you didn’t know anything—not even about Pleasure Cities.”
Graham paused.
“You don’t know,” said the old man. “How are you to know? It’s very few men—”
“I am the Sleeper.”
He had to repeat it.
There was a brief pause. “There’s a silly thing to say, sir, if you’ll excuse me. It might get you into trouble in a time like this,” said the old man.