iserably, or will sink
into beggary, while he himself becomes as rich as ever he pleases."

"It makes ones mouth water!" cried Andrew unconsciously, so completely
was he carried away by the visions presented to him.

Conrad turned his back upon him, drew his chair nearer to the miner,
and then said: "If we had not this rabble so close at our side, I
could explain the matter to you with greater tranquillity of mind. The
truth is this. When the Zahuri has been promoted from being an
apprentice or pounding-lad, to be a brother, and then a master or
mine-surveyor, he will seat himself on his chair in his room, here
overhead in this inn, or wherever it may be, will think of the
warehouse of our old man of the mountain, or of the London docks, or
of some place down in Spain where he knows that some banker, jeweller,
or ship-master has valuable goods in his hands, and so soon as ever he
thinks of them with his eyes, he has them before him, and nobody knows
of it or can hinder it. In like manner by merely willing it he can
also send them forthwith from the place whence he takes them, to
Russia, or Calcutta, or anywhere else, and bring back the money he
asks for them. Now should there be a man of this class living here, in
the neighbourhood, or even in America, and he took a fancy to rob the
warehouse, you will easily understand, with your unassisted reason,
that then your peeled and boiled twigs would be of just as much avail,
as a basin of well-made water gruel to cure an earthquake."

The stranger had wit enough to perceive that Conrad was making a fool
of him; but the peasants, though there were some things that puzzled
them, swallowed all these nonsensical stories. Conrad exulted in his
superiority, and went on: "Look you man, if there were no conjurers of
this kind, how would all the contraband goods get in, which we find in
every part of the world? and this is the reason why the preventive
service can do so little, however strict and vigilant they may be. The
learning the art indeed must probably cost some trouble; and this no
doubt is why so very few seem to reach any mastery in it."

"All that you have been telling me," answered the traveller, is mighty
strange; "and perhaps the neatest way of winding up our dialogue would
be, if I were to affirm that I am one of the masters in this art.
However you would immediately require some specimen of my skill; and
at that indeed I might boggle a little. Nevertheless be it in