ll
why you should feel so extraordinarily grateful, for in doing what I
propose to do I shall only be very inadequately repaying you for much
valuable assistance rendered, and much very pleasant companionship
during the time of your pupilage with me. And do not think that because
I have not expressed much voluble regret at this abrupt severance of our
connection I do not feel it, for I do very keenly, I assure you; but I
see quite clearly that the thing is inevitable, therefore to complain
about it would be both useless and foolish.

"Now, there is one other way in which I can help you; and when I have
explained to you how tremendous is the power which I propose to place in
your hands you will understand, more clearly than I could show you in
any other way, the absolute trust that I repose in you. For I tell you
this, Dick, in all sincerity, there is not another person in the whole
circle of my acquaintance--and it is pretty wide--whom I feel I could
safely trust with this power, so potent is it for evil as well as good.
But I am convinced that I can trust you; and that is why I have
determined to endow you with the ability to perform deeds which to many
people will seem positively miraculous.

"You have often expressed amazement at the uniform success which attends
my treatment of even my most difficult cases, both medical and surgical,
but especially the surgical; and I know, from the remarks you have made,
that you attribute those successes purely to the extent of my knowledge.
Well, of course, knowledge has something to do with it; but the true
secret of my success lies in the free use which I make of hypnotism.
Yes, no doubt you are surprised; for you have never seen me employ any
of the well-known methods of the ordinary hypnotist. Very true. But my
method is not the ordinary method at all; it is one which I claim as my
own exclusive discovery, and it is as far in advance of ordinary
hypnotism as that is in advance of the methods of the stage hypnotist.

"Almost at the outset of my professional career I directed my attention
to the investigation of hypnotism, determined to ascertain whether or
not there was anything in the claims set up by its exponents; and I soon
discovered that there was something in it, despite the disrepute cast
upon it by the grotesque performances of certain so-called entertainers.
There is no need for me to detail to you the successive steps by which
I at length attained my present k