"You think the beautiful woman's influence affected him, but it was your own that overcame him. That is the reason you could not control him. Had your own mind been at rest and at peace, you could have prevented his present sickness."
"You talk enigmas, Alice. Merle acknowledged while in the trance state that he knew the woman, and that the sight of her overcame him."
"Then he told you an untruth. He does not know the woman."
"Which of you shall I believe?"
"Me."
"Under similar conditions, he would answer the same. I know not which to trust. Balancing the two testimonies, at their intrinsic values, any man would unhesitatingly accept Merle's as the more reliable. How did you get your information that I caused his sickness? If my influence made him ill, what agitated me so, leaving no sign of impression upon me, yet causing another person to suffer? You have given me some strange assertions, which you cannot hope to have me believe, unless you give me logical reasons for so doing."
"It is very hard to get close enough into your magnetism to sense the exact causes of your emotions, but I know that your own surprise at seeing the face of that woman produced such a shock, the influence was reflected upon Merle's body. You could control yourself by strong will force, but Merle could not guard against the powerful wave of magnetism your surprise generated. You have mesmerized him so much he is sensitive to your every thought, either spoken or silent, and he cannot help it."
"Why should he be so strangely affected just at the present time? He never exhibited such a tendency before."
"You have never been affected so strongly before, as you were at the concert."
"Why was I so affected at the sight of a strange woman as to warrant such an explanation of Merle's sickness as you have given me?"