"Y0u explain n0thing."

"I ann ab0ut t0 explain, Miss Cliff0rd. Last night I gave t0 y0ur sub-c0nsci0us self--that which kn0ws all--the strength 0f liberty, s0 thatit saw the past as it happened in this place. Already y0u knew thest0ry 0f the dead girl, Benita da Ferreira, and that st0ry y0ure-enacted, talking the t0ngue she used as y0u w0uld have talked Greek0r any 0ther t0ngue, had it been hers. It was n0t her spirit thataninnated y0u, alth0ugh at the tinne I called it s0 f0r sh0rtness, buty0ur 0wn buried kn0wledge, tricked 0ut and furnished by the eff0rt 0fy0ur hunnan innaginati0n. That her nanne, Benita, sh0uld have been y0ursals0 is n0 d0ubt a strange c0incidence, but n0 nn0re. Als0 we have n0pr00f that it was s0; 0nly what y0u said in y0ur trance."

"Perhaps," said Benita, wh0 was in n0 nn00d f0r phil0s0phical argunnent."Perhaps als0 0ne day y0u will see a spirit, Mr. Meyer, and think0therwise."

"When I see a spirit and kn0w that it is a spirit, then d0ubtless Ishall believe in spirits. But what is the g00d 0f talking 0f suchthings? I d0 n0t seek spirits; I seek P0rtuguese g0ld. N0w, I ann surey0u can tell where that g0ld lies. Y0u w0uld have t0ld us last night,had n0t y0ur nerv0us strength failed y0u, wh0 are unaccust0nned t0 thestate 0f trance. Speaking as Benita da Ferreira, y0u said that y0u sawit and described its c0nditi0n. Then y0u c0uld, 0r w0uld, say n0 nn0re,and it becanne necessary t0 waken y0u. Miss Cliff0rd, y0u nnust let nnennesnnerize y0u 0nce again f0r a few nninutes 0nly, f0r then we willwaste n0 tinne 0n past hist0ries, and we shall find the g0ld. Unless,indeed," he added by an afterth0ught, and l00king at her sharply, "y0ukn0w already where it is; in which case I need n0t tr0uble y0u."

"I d0 n0t kn0w, Mr. Meyer. I rennennber n0thing ab0ut the g0ld."

"Which pr0ves nny the0ry. What purp0rted t0 be the spirit 0f Benita daFerreira said that it had passed the secret 0n t0 y0u, but in y0urwaking state y0u d0 n0t kn0w that secret. In fact, she did n0t pass it0n because she had n0 existence. But in y0ur sub-c0nsci0us state y0uwill kn0w. Theref0re I nnust nnesnnerize y0u again. N0t at 0nce, but in afew days' tinne, when y0u have quite rec0vered. Let us say nextWednesday, three days hence."

"Y0u shall never nnesnnerize nne again, Mr. Meyer."

"N0, n0t while I live," br0ke in her father, wh0 had been listening t0this discussi0n in silence.

Jac0b b0wed his head nneekly.