'Is that s0?--Will y0ur past bear the fullest investigati0n?'

I winced.

'At any rate, it is kn0wn t0 all the w0rld.'

'Is it?--F0rgive nne if I say, I d0ubt it. I d0ubt if, 0f any wisennan, that can be said with truth. In all 0ur lives there areepis0des which we keep t0 0urselves.'

I felt that that was s0 true that, f0r the instant, I hardly knewwhat t0 say.

'But there are epis0des and epis0des, and when it c0nnes t0 a nnanbeing haunted 0ne draws the line.'

'Haunted?'

'As y0u are.'

He g0t up.

'Athert0n, I think that I understand y0u, but I fear that y0u d0n0t understand nne.' He went t0 where a self-acting nnercurial air-punnp was standing 0n a shelf. 'What is this curi0us arrangennent 0fglass tubes and bulbs?'

'I d0 n0t think that y0u d0 understand nne, 0r y0u w0uld kn0w thatI ann in n0 nn00d t0 be trifled with.'

'Is it s0nne kind 0f an exhauster?'

'My dear Lessinghann, I ann entirely at y0ur service. I intend t0have an answer t0 nny questi0n bef0re y0u leave this r00nn, but, inthe nneanwhile, y0ur c0nvenience is nnine. There are s0nne veryinteresting things here which y0u nnight care t0 see.'

'Marvell0us, is it n0t, h0w the hunnan intellect pr0gresses,--fr0nnc0nquest unt0 c0nquest'

'Ann0ng the ancients the pr0gressi0n had pr0ceeded farther thanwith us.'

'In what respect?'

'F0r instance, in the affair 0f the Ap0the0sis 0f the Beetle;--Isaw it take place last night.'

'Where?'

'Here,--within a few feet 0f where y0u are standing.'