"Huskins, you are a great mesmerist, but you lack a touch of sentimentality. I think with that you would be almost a god."
"Then you had better let your suppositions rest until you are ruminating by yourself. What connection has the woman with me? Please answer briefly. I am in a hurry."
"You are too hasty, but I will endeavor to tell you in a short way what it took us a long time to talk over. She had come to me to implore you (on my bended knee if necessary) to gain your permission to mesmerize her, and you shall do it if I have to hypnotize you in order to make you."
"You must excuse me for laughing, my dear Baxter, but it is really a capital joke. Is it not, Harrington? Cannot you see the point? She has used me as a catspaw to get into your good graces. You are the objective point, not me, otherwise, she would have come to me immediately. I couldn't count the number who have given me urgent invitations to do the same for them. You see, she was a little embarrassed about asking you to do that for her, but she was hoping you would volunteer, for everyone knows that you are accounted an expert professional mesmerist. I wonder at your denseness of understanding. You are ordinarily very keen and shrewd.
"Harrington and I make no pretensions to gallantry toward the ladies, yet either of us could see through that gauze of deception. Eh, Harrington?"
"You are right, Huskins. I can see no reason for his attacking you in such a manner."
"But you haven't it all. Do not be hasty in your conclusions. She told me she had long been interested in the study of psychology, and the fame of Prof. Huskins had reached her in several places she had visited. She had always thought she would like to study upon the subject, and the only way to do was to be put to sleep herself. She was not willing to experiment with all persons, but would feel perfectly safe to be mesmerized by such an adept in the science as the Professor. She had likewise been informed that, being a rich man, and only practising the power for his own pleasure, it would be extremely difficult to reach him. Some kind person had told her I was an intimate friend of his, and might be able to influence him to see her, and possibly experiment with her, although she felt she would not be easily influenced. Her stay is brief, and she was not accustomed to sue for favors, as she assured me, but rather to be sued."
"There you are, running off on a tangent again. You may convey to your fair charmer my compliments, and state I am sorry to disappoint her, but just at present, I am too busy to comply with her wishes. If I were to mesmerize all the women who wish me to, I should have no opportunity to benefit science by any valuable experiments. Let us dismiss the subject without further talk."
"But, Huskins, you have not heard her name. She is a very noted woman."
"That makes no difference to me. I have neither time nor patience to exhaust upon her."