As she dropped back in her chair, she said to Lord Leighton: "That was pretty wonderful, wasn't it?
I'm quite certain that there's no trickery about it.

What he did, he really did do." "I don't pretend to be able to explain it," he replied, "but for all that I've seen very much the same sort of thing done by the fakirs in India, and I think it's generally admitted that that is either a matter of trickery or hypnotism.

They make you believe you see what you really don't see at all." "That's about it," said Merrill, with a short laugh, "Of course no one who knows anything about the East will deny that hypnotism is a fact, although I must say that these same fakirs have tried it with me more than once and found me a quite hopeless subject." Even as though he had heard him, Phadrig came towards them at the moment, and said in his polite, impersonal tone: "Commander Merrill, I am going to try one or two experiments now which I should like to have very closely watched.

I know that there is no keener observer in the world than the skilled British naval officer.

May I ask for your assistance ?" There was something in his tone which made it quite impossible to refuse, so he replied: "You have shown us a good many wonders already, Mr Phadrig, and unless you've hypnotised the whole of us, I haven't a notion how you have done it; but if I can find you out I will." "That is exactly what I wish, sir," said Phadrig, as he bowed to the ladies and went back to the centre of the circle.