A moment later the wizard came in—a tall scholarly-looking figure, with all the stigmata of the great thinker beneath one of the highest brows in Europe.
"And what," he asked, bowing with perfect courtesy, "can I do for you?"
"I have come hoping for the privilege of an interview," I said.
"But why," he replied with charming diffidence, "should you interview me? Why am I thus honoured?"
"Because you are a very remarkable person," I replied. "You are the only journalist who can contribute the same articles regularly to The Pall Mall, The Westminster and I don't know to how many other papers besides. That is a feat in itself. You are the only journalist who always has the same subject."
He admitted these fine performances.
"So I should like to ask you a few questions," I continued. "The public is naturally interested in the personality of so widely read an author. May I know how you obtained your amazing command of words? Your fluency?"
"I have ever made a study of the finest writers," he said. "From Moses to De Courville, I have read them all. These studies and constant intercourse with the brainiest Americans I can meet have made me what I am."
"But your certainty in discrimination," I said—"how did you acquire that? Most of us are so doubtful of ourselves."
"I never am," he replied; "I am sure. One thing at a time is my theory. Concentrate on one thing and forget all the rest. In other words, trust to elimination. That's what I do. Having found something that I know to be good I instantly eliminate all thought of the existence of rival claimants and concentrate on that discovery and its exploitation."