Thenfollowedpictureuponpictureinallofwhichthetalismanappearedinthehandsofsundryofitsowners。Someofthesepictureshadtodowithlove，somewithreligiousceremonies，andsomewithwar。One，too，withitssale，perhapsinatimeofsiegeorscarcity，forasmallloafofblack-lookingbread，byanagedwomanwhoweptatpartingwithit。
　　AfterthishesawanArab-lookingmanfindingthestoneamongstthecrumblingremainsofabrickwallthatshowedsignsofhavingbeenburnt，whichwallhewasknockingdownwithapick-axetoallowwatertoflowdownanirrigationchannelonhisgarden。Presentlyapersonwhoworeaturbanandwasgirtaboutwithalargescimitar，rodeby，andtohimthemanshowed，andfinallypresentedthestone，whichtheSaracenplacedinthefoldsofhisturban。
　　Thenextscenewasofthismanengagedinbattlewithaknightcladinmail。Thebattlewasaveryfineone，whichGodfreydescribedwithmuchgusto。ItendedintheknightkillingtheEasternmanandhackingoffhisheadwithasword。Thisviolentproceedingdisarrangedtheturbanoutofwhichfelltheblackstone。Theknightpickeditupandhiditabouthim。NextGodfreysawthissameknight，grownintoanoldmanandbeingborneonabiertoburial，cladinthesamearmourthathehadworninthebattle。Uponhisbreasthungtheblackstonewhichhadnowaholeboredthroughthetopofit。
　　Lastlytherecameapictureoftheoldsextonfindingthetalismanamongthebonesoftheknight，andgivingittohimself，Godfrey，thenasmallboy，afterwhicheverythingpassedaway。
　　“Iguessthateitherouryoungfriendherehasgotthevision，orthathewillmakeafirst-classnovelist，“saidColonelJosiahSmith。“Anyway，ifyoucaretopartwiththattalisman，MissOgilvy，Iwillbegladtogiveyoufivehundreddollarsforitonthechanceofhisintegrity。“
　　Shesmiledandshookherhead，stretchingoutherhandtorecovertheGnosticcharm。
　　“Besilent，BrotherJosiahSmith，“exclaimedMadameRiennes，angrily。
　　“Ifthiswereimposture，shouldInothavediscoveredit？Itisgoodvision——psychometryistherightterm——thoughofahumblerordersuchasmightbeexpectedfromabeginner。Still，thereishope，thereishope。Letussee，now。Younggentleman，besogoodastolookmeintheeye。“
　　MuchagainsthiswillGodfreyfoundhimselfboundtoobey，andlookedher“intheeye。“Afewmomentslaterhefeltdizzy，andafterthatherememberednomore。
　　WhenGodfreyawokeagainthecurtainwasdrawn，theblindswerepulledupandthebutlerwasbringingintea。MissOgilvysatbyhisside，lookingathimratheranxiously，whiletheotherswereconversingtogetherinasomewhatexcitedfashion。
　　“Itissplendid，splendid!“Madamewassaying。“Wehavediscoveredapearlbeyondprice，agreattreasure。Hush!heawakes。“
　　Godfrey，whoexperiencedacuriousfeelingofexhaustionandofemptinessofbrain，yawnedandapologizedforhavingfallenasleep，whereontheprofessorandthecolonelbothassuredhimthatitwasquitenaturalonsowarmaday。OnlyMadameRiennessmiledlikeasphinx，andaskedhimifhisdreamswerepleasant。Tothisherepliedthatherememberednone。
　　MissOgilvy，however，wholookedratheranxiousandguilty，didnotspeakatall，butbusiedherselfwiththeteawhichGodfreythoughtverystrongwhenhedrankit。However，itrefreshedhimwonderfully，which，asitcontainedsomeinvigoratingessence，wasnotstrange。Sodidthewalkinthebeautifulgardenwhichhetookafterwards，justbeforethecarriagecametodrivehimbacktoKleindorf。
　　Re-enteringthedrawing-roomtosaygoodbye，hefoundthepartyengagedlisteningtothecontentsofanumberofsheetsofpapercloselywritteninpencil，whichwerebeingreadtothembyColonelJosiahSmith，whomadecorrectionsfromtimetotime。
　　“/Aurevoir/，myyoungbrother，“saidMadameRiennes，makingsomemysterioussignbeforeshetookhishandinherfat，coldfingers，“youwillcomeagainnextSunday，willyounot？“
　　“Idon’tknow，“heansweredawkwardly，forhefeltafraidofthislady，anddidnotwishtoseehernextSunday。
　　“Oh!butIdo，youngbrother。Youwillcome，becauseitgivesmesomuchpleasuretoseeyou，“shereplied，staringathimwithherstrangeeyes。
　　ThenGodfreyknewthathewouldcomebecausehemust。
　　“Whydoesthatladycallme’youngbrother’？“heaskedMissOgilvy，whoaccompaniedhimtothehall。
　　“Oh!becauseitisawayshehas。Youmayhavenoticedthatshecalledme’sister’。“
　　“Idon’tthinkthatIshallcall/her/sister，“heremarkedwithdecision。“Sheistooalarming。“
　　“Notreallywhenyoucometoknowher，forshehasthekindestheartandiswonderfullygifted。“
　　“Giftswhichmakepeopletellothersthattheyaregoingtodiearenotpleasant，MissOgilvy。“
　　Sheshiveredalittle。
　　“Ifherspirit——Imeanthetruth——comestoher，shemustspeakit，I
　　suppose。Bytheway，Godfrey，don’tsayanythingaboutthistalismanandthestoryyoutoldofit，atKleindorf，orinwritinghome。“
　　“Whynot？“
　　“Oh!becausepeoplelikeyourdearoldPasteur，andclergymengenerally，aresoapttomisunderstand。Theythinkthatthereisonlyonewayoflearningthingsbeyond，andthateveryothermustbewrong。
　　AlsoIamsurethatyourfriend，IsobelBlake，wouldlaughatyou。“
　　“Idon’twritetoIsobel，“heexclaimedsettinghislips。
　　“Butyoumaylater，“shesaidsmiling。“Atanyrateyouwillpromise，won’tyou？“
　　“Yes，ifyouwishit，MissOgilvy，thoughIcan’tseewhatitmatters。
　　ThatkindofnonsenseoftencomesintomyheadwhenItoucholdthings。IsobelsaysthatitisbecauseIhavetoomuchimagination。“
　　“Imagination!Ah!whatisimagination？Well，goodbye，Godfrey，thecarriagewillcomeforyouatthesametimenextSunday。Perhaps，too，Ishallseeyoubeforethen，asIamgoingtocalluponMadameBoiset。“
　　Thenhewent，feelingratheruncomfortable，andyetinterested，thoughwhatitwasthatinterestedhimhedidnotquiteknow。ThatnighthedreamedthatMadameRiennesstoodbyhisbedwatchinghimwithherburningeyes。Itwasanunpleasantdream。
　　Hekepthisword。WhentheBoisetfamily，especiallyMadame，cross-
　　examinedhimastothedetailsofhisvisittoMissOgilvy，hemerelydescribedthesplendoursofthatopulentestablishmentandtheintellectualcharacterofitsguests。Oftheirmysticattributeshesaidnothingatall，onlyaddingthatMissOgilvyproposedtodoherselfthehonourofcallingattheMaisonBlanche，astheBoisets’
　　housewascalled。
　　AboutthemiddleoftheweekMissOgilvyarrivedand，asMadamehadtakencaretobeathomeinexpectationofhervisit，wasentertainedtotea。Afterwardsshevisitedtheobservatory，whichinterestedhermuch，andhadalongtalkwiththecuriousoldPasteur，whoalsointerestedherinhisway，forassheafterwardsremarkedtoGodfrey，onedoesnotoftenmeetanembodimentofhumangoodnessandcharity。
　　WhenherepliedthatthelatterqualitywaslackingtothePasteurwhereRomanCatholicswereconcerned，sheonlysmiledandsaidthateveryjewelhaditsflaw；nothingwasquiteperfectintheworld。
　　IntheendsheaskedMadameandJuliettetocometolunchwithher，leavingoutGodfrey，because，asshesaid，sheknewthathewouldbeengagedathisstudieswiththePasteur。SheexplainedalsothatshedidnotaskthemtocomewithhimonSundaybecausetheywouldbetakenupwiththeirreligiousduties，aremarkatwhichJuliettemadewhattheFrenchcalla“mouth，“andMadamesmiledfaintly。
　　Induecoursesheandherdaughterwenttolunchandreturneddelighted，havingfoundthemselvesfellow-guestsofsomeofthemostnotablepeopleinLucerne，thoughnotthosewhomMissOgilvyentertainedonSundays。NeedlesstosayfromthattimeforwardGodfrey’sintimacywiththischarmingandwealthyhostesswasineverywayencouragedbytheBoisetfamily。
　　Thecourseofthisintimacydoesnotneedanyverylongdescription。
　　EverySundayafterchurchthewell-appointedcarriageandpairappearedandboreGodfreyawaytoluncheonattheVillaOgilvy。HerehealwaysmetMadameRiennes，ColonelJosiahSmith，andProfessorPetersen；alsooccasionallyoneortwootherswithwhomtheseseemedtobesufficientlyintimatetoadmitoftheiraddressingthemas“Brother“or“Sister。“
　　SoonGodfreycametounderstandthattheywereallmembersofsomekindofsemi-secretsociety，thoughwhatthismightbehecouldnotquiteascertain。Allhemadesureofwasthatithadtodowithmatterswhichwerenotofthisworld。Nothingconcerningmundaneaffairs，howeverimportantorinteresting，seemedtoappealtothem；
　　alltheirconversationwasdirectedtowardswhatmightbecalledspiritualproblems，reincarnations，KarmasittookhimalongtimetounderstandwhataKarmais，astralshapes，mediumship，telepathicinfluences，celestialguides，andtherest。