Spook. “I can find out where the money is in another way. You are very stupid not to have understood simple Armenian, though it is not in Armenian characters. If you had understood he might have told you where the treasure is. (Moïse, aside, “Mon Dieu!”) But never mind, I forgive you. You have missed a good chance. (Moïse, aside, “Mon Dieu!”) I am sorry for you. However, in five days I shall be ready with a new plan, and I will begin to fulfil my promise and tell you how the treasure was hidden. The presence of OOO here to-night was a lucky chance that may not occur again. Good-night, I am tired.”
Moïse. “Good-night, Sir.”
Spook. “Good-night. Hard luck.”
Next day Moïse complained to us that the Commandant had cursed him for a fool (i) because he did not know Armenian, (ii) because his translation of the early part of the séance was not understandable in Turkish!! The poor little man remarked that during the séance he understood everything, and knew quite well that the Spook was revealing valuable knowledge to us, but when he came to read it over afterwards he found that his former clarity of vision had departed, and the more he studied the record, the more fogged he became. Only one thing was quite clear—the strength of thought-waves varied inversely with the square of the distance.
As this was precisely the item of knowledge we wished him to imbibe, Hill and I were thoroughly satisfied. We told him we also were fogged now, but no doubt we would understand it again some day.
“But,” Moïse grumbled, “that fool of a Commandant says I told lies to the Spook—because I said I understood when I didn’t! He will not believe I understood at the time.”
“Oh, never mind him, Moïse,” said Hill, “he’s an uneducated, incredulous ass.”
“He is!” said Moïse, with great fervour. “But in one thing he was right. I should have asked the name of OOO in this world.”
“Why?” I asked. “Don’t you know it already?”
“Oh, yes,” said the Pimple, “we know it. We only want to see if the name is the same—if it is the same treasure. But I can ask next time!”