“What is in my pocket?”
“A case of lancets,” was the reply.
“True,” said the doctor, somewhat startled. “But the young lady may know that I am a medical man; hence her guess that I carry a case of instruments in my pocket. But if she will tell me the number of lancets in the case, I will believe.”
“Ten,” was the correct answer.
Still the doctor was sceptical, and said,—
“I cannot yet believe but if the form of the case is described I must yield to conviction.” And the form of the case was given.
“This certainly is very singular,” said the doctor, “but still I cannot believe. Now, if the young lady will give the color of the velvet lining of the case, I really must believe.”
“The color is dark blue,” was her prompt reply.
“True, true!” said the puzzled doctor, and he went away, saying, “It is very curious, very, but still I cannot believe.”
Now, if the doctor had not known that the case was in his pocket, or no one present had known beforehand, no clairvoyant could have described it. What does this prove? That her mind was led by his inquiry to his mind, thence to the article on his mind at the moment. “This is a book” I say. The fact of my saying it, or thinking it, leads my mind to the book.