I had just finished breakfast, and deeply perplexed had risen from the table in order to get a box of matches to light a cigarette, when my black cat got between my feet and tripped me up.
    I fell forwards, making a clutch at the table-cloth. My forehead struckthe corner of the fender and the last thing I remembered was a crash offalling crockery. Then all became darkness. My parlour-maid found melying face downwards on the hearth-rug ten minutes later. My cat wassitting near my head, blinking contentedly at the fire. A little blood wasoozing from a wound above my left eye.