At eleven o'clock the family went to bed , and by half-past all the lights were out. Some time after, Mr Otis woke up because of a noise outside his room. It sounded like the clank of metal. He got up at once, struck a match and looked at the time. It was exactly one o'clock. Mr Otis was quite calm. The strange noise continued, and with it he heard the sound of footsteps. He put on his slippers, took a small bottle out of his dressing case and opend the door. Right in front of him he saw sn old man. He looked terrible. His eyes were red. His hair was long and grey. His clothes were old-fashioned and dirty, and there were handcuffs and rusty chains on his wrists and ankles. "My dear sir," said Mr Otis, "those chains need oiling. Here take this small bottle of lubricant. I will leave it here for you and I willgive you more if you need it." With these words the ambassador put the bottle down on a marble table, and went back to bed, closing the door behind him.