He did not hear the sound of the shot, but a violent blow on his chest sent him reeling.

He tried to clutch at the edge of the table, dropped the revolver, staggered, and sat down on the ground, looking about him in astonishment.

He did not recognize his room, looking up from the ground, at the bent legs of the table, at the wastepaper basket, and the tiger-skin rug.

The hurried, creaking steps of his servant coming through the drawing room brought him to his senses.