The Secret

He awoke in silence and darkness, listened and strained his eyes. He heard nothing and saw only the darkness. Then there were whispers.
"He has heard," said the first whisper.
"He has seen," whispered another.
He knew they were silently approaching, their hands closing invisibly on his ears and eyes. "I heard nothing," he cried, in hope of mercy.
"But what did you see?" asked the second whisper.
"Only the darkness," he said.
"Then you know," whispered the first; and he awoke in silence and darkness and was never heard, never seen again.