But always when I am alone." "What are they ?" she asked eagerly.
"I can't quite explain," he replied in a slow voice.

"They come and they go, and I forget them, because they fade out, just like a dream does, you know." "You must remember something; try to tell me about them." "Well, I seem to be among a great many people whom I have never met.
Yet I know them and they know me, and talk to me about all sorts of things.

For instance, if I am puzzling over anything they will explain it quite clearly, but afterwards I always forget the explanation and am no wiser than I was before.

A hand holding a cloth seems to wipe it out of my mind, just as one cleans a slate." "Is that all ?" "Not quite.

Occasionally I meet the people afterwards.