He handed me the slip of paper which had marked the place in the book.

It contained a few lines of writing, as follows:-"There seems much ground for the belief, that every sensory impression

which has once been recognised by the perceptive consciousness, is

registered (so to speak) in the brain, and may be reproduced at some

subsequent time, although there may be no consciousness of its existence

in the mind during the whole intermediate period." "Is that plain, so

far?" asked Ezra Jennings.

"Perfectly plain."

He pushed the open book across the table to me, and pointed to a

passage, marked by pencil lines.

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"Now," he said, "read that account of a case, which has--as I believe--a

direct bearing on your own position, and on the experiment which I am

tempting you to try. Observe, Mr. Blake, before you begin, that I am now

referring you to one of the greatest of English physiologists. The book

in your hand is Doctor Elliotson's HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY; and the case which

the doctor cites rests on the well-known authority of Mr. Combe."

The passage pointed out to me was expressed in these terms:-"Dr. Abel informed me," says Mr. Combe, "of an Irish porter to a

warehouse, who forgot, when sober, what he had done when drunk; but,

being drunk, again recollected the transactions of his former state of

intoxication. On one occasion, being drunk, he had lost a parcel of some

value, and in his sober moments could give no account of it. Next time

he was intoxicated, he recollected that he had left the parcel at a

certain house, and there being no address on it, it had remained there

safely, and was got on his calling for it."

"Plain again?" asked Ezra Jennings.

"As plain as need be."

He put back the slip of paper in its place, and closed the book.

"Are you satisfied that I have not spoken without good authority to

support me?" he asked. "If not, I have only to go to those bookshelves,

and you have only to read the passages which I can point out to you."

"I am quite satisfied," I said, "without reading a word more."

"In that case, we may return to your own personal interest in this

matter. I am bound to tell you that there is something to be said

against the experiment as well as for it. If we could, this year,

exactly reproduce, in your case, the conditions as they existed last

year, it is physiologically certain that we should arrive at exactly the

same result. But this--there is no denying it--is simply impossible. We

can only hope to approximate to the conditions; and if we don't succeed

in getting you nearly enough back to what you were, this venture of ours

will fail. If we do succeed--and I am myself hopeful of success--you

may at least so far repeat your proceedings on the birthday night, as to

satisfy any reasonable person that you are guiltless, morally speaking,

of the theft of the Diamond. I believe, Mr. Blake, I have now stated

the question, on both sides of it, as fairly as I can, within the limits

that I have imposed on myself. If there is anything that I have not made

clear to you, tell me what it is--and if I can enlighten you, I will."




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