The voice sweetly answered: "Yes, I am Mina—"
"But Mina could not understand a word of English—how is that?"
The little voice hesitated. "It is hard to explain," she replied, still in German. "I can understand you in any language—but I can only speak as you taught me."
Thereupon he addressed her in French, to which she replied easily, but in her native tongue.
As this curious dialogue went on Serviss was searching vainly for an explanation. "Mr. Clarke, will you kindly speak at the same time that this voice appears?"
Clarke began a discourse, and the two voices went on at the same time. The young scientist then said: "Mrs. Lambert, will you permit Kate to lay her hand over your lips? You understand, it is for the sake of science—"
"Certainly," said Mrs. Lambert.
Here the test failed of completeness, it was so difficult to get the three voices precisely together; but at last it seemed that the child's voice was produced at the same time that Clarke spoke and while Kate's hand covered the mother's mouth.
Thereupon the little voice said farewell, and all was silent for a few moments. The cone rose again into the air and a soft, sibilant voice addressed Mrs. Lambert.
"Oh!" she cried, joyfully. "It is Robert!—Yes, dear, I'm listening. I'm so glad you've come. Can't you talk with Professor Serviss?—He says he will try," she said to the company.