arrival of a medical student with whom I had some acquaintance, (Mr.
Theodore L--l,) relieved me from farther embarrassment. It had been my
design, originally, to wait for the physicians; but I was induced to
proceed, first, by the urgent entreaties of M. Valdemar, and secondly,
by my conviction that I had not a moment to lose, as he was evidently
sinking fast.

Mr. L--l was so kind as to accede to my desire that he would take notes
of all that occurred, and it is from his memoranda that what I now have
to relate is, for the most part, either condensed or copied verbatim.

It wanted about five minutes of eight when, taking the patient's hand, I
begged him to state, as distinctly as he could, to Mr. L--l, whether he
(M. Valdemar) was entirely willing that I should make the experiment of
mesmerizing him in his then condition.

He replied feebly, yet quite audibly, "Yes, I wish to be. I fear you
have mesmerized"--adding immediately afterwards, "deferred it too long."

While he spoke thus, I commenced the passes which I had already found
most effectual in subduing him. He was evidently influenced with the
first lateral stroke of my hand across his forehead; but although I
exerted all my powers, no farther perceptible effect was induced
until some minutes after ten o'clock, when Doctors D-- and F-- called,
according to appointment. I explained to them, in a few words, what I
designed, and as they opposed no objection, saying that the patient was
already in the death agony, I proceeded without hesitation--exchanging,
however, the lateral passes for downward ones, and directing my gaze
entirely into the right eye of the sufferer.

By this time his pulse was imperceptible and his breathing was
stertorous, and at intervals of half a minute.

This condition was nearly unaltered for a quarter of an hour. At the
expiration of this period, however, a natural although a very deep
sigh escaped the bosom of the dying man, and the stertorous breathing
ceased--that is to say, its stertorousness was no longer apparent; the
intervals were undiminished. The patient's extremities were of an icy
coldness.

At five minutes before eleven I perceived unequivocal signs of the
mesmeric influence. The glassy roll of the eye was changed for that
expression of uneasy inward examination which is never seen except in
cases of sleep-waking, and which it is quite impossible to mistake.
With a few rapid lateral passes I made the lids quiver, as in