and repeated my question. Then the figure said, in a
sorrowful tone--

"'"'Unhappy man! At the very moment when next you see her, she will be
lost to you for ever!'"

"'Lewis was about to try to cheer his friend, who had fallen into a
deep reverie, but some mutual acquaintances came in, and they were
interrupted.

"'The story of this fresh instance of a mysterious answer by the Turk
spread in the town, and people busied themselves in conjectures as to
the unfavourable prophecy which had so upset the unprejudiced
Ferdinand. His friends were besieged with questions, and Lewis had to
invent a marvellous tale, which had all the more universal a success
that it was remote from the truth. The coterie of people with whom
Ferdinand had been induced to go and see the Turk was in the habit of
meeting once a week, and at their next meeting the Turk was necessarily
the topic of conversation, as efforts were continually being made to
obtain, from Ferdinand himself, full particulars of an adventure which
had thrown him into such an evident despondency. Lewis felt most deeply
how bitter a blow it was to Ferdinand to find the secret of his
romantic love, preserved so long and faithfully, penetrated by a
fearful, unknown power; and he, like Ferdinand, was almost convinced
that the mysterious link which attaches the present to the future must
be clear to the vision of that power to which the most hidden secrets
were thus manifest. Lewis could not help believing the Oracle; but the
malevolence, the relentlessness with which the misfortune impending
over his friend had been announced, made him indignant with the
undiscovered Being which spoke by the mouth of the Turk, so that he
placed himself in persistent opposition to the Automaton's many
admirers; and whilst they considered that there was much impressiveness
about its most natural movements, enhancing the effect of its oracular
sayings, he maintained that it was those very turnings of the head and
rollings of the eyes which he considered so absurd, and that this was
the reason why he could not help making a joke on the subject; a joke
which had put the Exhibitor out of temper, and probably the invisible
agent as well. Indeed the latter had shown that this was so by giving a
number of stupid and unmeaning answers.

"'"I must tell you," said Lewis, "that the moment I went into the room
the figure reminded me of a most delightful Nutcracker which a cousin
of mine once gave me at Chri