"That's an order of the Three Fat Men!" someone was shouting.
The doctor was not asleep any more.
The shouting was very real.
He pulled his hat off his eyes and looked about.
The night had got a good deal blacker while he had been sleeping.
The carriage had come to a stop.
It was surrounded by black figures. It was they who were shouting, it was they who had got mixed up in the doctor's dream.
Their waving lanterns cast flickering shadows.
"What's the matter?" the doctor asked. "Where are we?
Who are you?"
One of the men came closer and raised his lantern, shining the light on the doctor.
The lantern swayed.
The hand that held it had on a glove of coarse leather with a wide cuff.
The doctor understood who the men were: they were Palace Guards.
"That's an order of the Three Fat Men!" the Guard repeated.
The yellow light made his shiny oilskin hat look like a hat of iron.
"No one can come within a mile of the Palace.
The order was issued today.
There's trouble in town.
You can't go any farther!"
"But I simply must get to the Palace."
The doctor was angry.
The Guard said in a steely voice:
"I'm Captain Tserep, in charge of the Guard.
Don't take another step!
Turn back!" he shouted to the driver, waving his lantern at him.
Now the doctor was really worried.
However, he was sure that as soon as they learned who he was and why he was on his way to the Palace, they'd let him through.
"I'm Doctor Caspar Arnery," he said.
The Guards all laughed.
Their lanterns danced up and down.
"Look, mister, we don't feel like joking so late at night and in such bad times," the Captain of the Guard said.
"But I am Doctor Caspar Arnery."
The Captain became furious.
He said slowly, clanging his sword at each word:
"You're lying, because you want to get into the Palace.
Doctor Arnery doesn't go roaming at night.
Especially tonight, of all nights.
He's very busy right now. He's bringing the doll of Tutti the Heir back to life.
He won't come to the Palace before tomorrow morning.
I'm going to arrest you for lying to me!"
"What!" Now it was the doctor's turn to become furious.
"So, he doesn't believe me?
Very well, I'll show him the doll," the doctor thought as he felt around on the seat for it. But...
The doll was gone.
It had fallen out of the carriage while he was sleeping.
A chill ran down the doctor's spine.
"Maybe I'm still dreaming?" he thought.
Alas!
He was not.