"I'll get you another phenobarbital. Dr. Amos said for you to take them and sleep until tomorrow."
"I know. I'll take one presently. You know—hearing that clock just now reminded me of something."
"Yes?"
"Just before I came to this afternoon, after the crash, I had a strange impression of hearing a bell ring. It sounded so loud in my ears I opened my eyes to see where it was."
"A—bell?"
"Yes. Just auditory hallucination, of course."
"But Mark—"
"Yes?"
"A—a bell did ring. I mean, I had the crystal bell in my bag and it tinkled a little. Do you suppose—"
"Of course not." But though he spoke swiftly he did not sound convincing. "This was a loud bell. Like a great gong."