"In phthisis pulmonalis, the mumia of the sick person should be
planted with a cutting of the catalpa, after the latter has been
subjected for some minutes to the breath of the diseased person. As
soon as the cutting shows signs of decay, the sick person will be
cured. "In diabetes, plant the mumia of the patient with a bignonia, and as
soon as the latter begins to rot, the diabetes will go. "In appendicitis, cover the stomach of the sick person with a piece of
raw beef, until the sweat enters it. Then give the meat to a cat, and
as soon as the latter has eaten it, the patient will recover." "What becomes of the cat?" Kelson asked. "The appendicitis is transferred to it," the voice explained. "It
should be killed at once. "In cancer take the sea wrack Torrek Mendrek--a weed of deep mauve
colour streaked with white. It must be boiled for three hours in clear
spring water (3 ozs. of wrack to half a pint of water), and then let
to cool. When quite cold, a dessert-spoon of it should be taken by the
sufferer every four hours--and at the end of two days the disease will
have completely disappeared. The wrack is to be found at the twenty
fathom level, six miles west-south-west of the Scilly Isles. "In Bright's disease, the mumia of the afflicted should be planted at
1 a.m., with a cutting of sassafras, after the latter has been slept
on, for one whole night, by the sufferer. As soon as the sassafras
begins to rot, the patient will be cured. "In dropsy, place a hare, that has been strangled, over the diseased
portion of the body, and let it remain there for one hour. Then bury
the hare, together with the mumia of the sick person, and as soon as
the hare begins to decay, the patient will recover. "In jaundice and liver diseases (apart from sarcoma), plant the mumia
of the afflicted, at 2 a.m., with a cutting of black walnut, and as
soon as the latter begins to decay, the sufferer will get well. "In all skin diseases, the mumia of the patient must be planted, at
midnight, with a cutting of hickory, and when the latter begins to rot
the disease disappears. "In all fevers, the mumia must be planted, at 3 a.m., with laurel
cuttings, after the latter have been placed under the bed of the
patient for one night. As soon as the cuttings show signs of rotting,
the fever abates. "In acute inflammations, diseases of the heart, rheumatism, and
lumbago, the mumia must be buried, at midnight, with a raven that has
been drowned, and placed on a chair by the left side of the patient
for one night. As soon as the raven begins to rot, the patient will be
fully restored to health. "In cases of insanity, hysteria, and nervous diseases the mumia of the
sufferer must be planted, at 2 a.m., with a cutting of white poplar,
and as soon as the latter shows evidences of decay, the afflicted will
get well. "In cases of hypochondria, and melancholia, the mumia of the sufferer
must be planted, at 4 a.m., with a crocus, and as soon as the latter
begins to rot, the disease will depart. "In every case it will be necessary to prelude the performance with
the following invocation--

"'Oh most powerful and prescient Unknown, before whom the greatest of
the Atlanteans prostrate themselves. That was in the Beginning, that
is now and always will be. I conjure thee by the magic symbols of the
club-foot, the hand with the fingers clenched, and the bat, in this
the magical year of Kefana, to extend to me thy wonderful powers of
healing. Rena Vadoola Hipsano Eik Deoo Barrinaz.'" The lisping voice ceased, and, with a convulsive start, the policeman
came to himself. "Hulloa!" he said, in his natural gruff tones, rubbing his eyes. "I
must have 'dropped off.' Who are you? What are you doing in the Park
at this time of night?" "We've been watching you!" Hamar said. "It is a bit of a phenomenon to
see a London bobby asleep on his beat." "And to hear him talking in his sleep too," Curtis added. "I didn't know I was talking," the policeman muttered. "It all comes
of being too many hours on duty. What have you got those note-books
out for? Not been taking down anything about me, have you?" "Show us out of the Park and you'll hear no more about it," Hamar
said. "And we'll give you half a sovereign into the bargain," Kelson chimed
in. "Follow me then," the policeman said. "I'll take you to one of the
side entrances." "Matt!" Hamar exclaimed as they passed the tree behind which Lilian
Rosenberg was hiding, "I smell scent--and what is more I recognize it. It is Violette de mer--the scent that--Rosenberg uses! You were with
her this evening!" "I swear I wasn't!" Kelson replied. "I bought some scent in Regent
Street this afternoon." "Humph," Hamar grunted. "I have my doubts." They walked on in silence till they came to a small iron gate, where
the policemen left them, whilst he went to the lodge for the keys; and
all the while Kelson was in terror, lest Hamar should catch sight of
Lilian Rosenberg, who had kept close behind them, and was now
standing, but a few yards away, trying to conceal her identity and
escape notice. But the policeman on his return with the keys called out to her, and
Kelson, fearing that she might be either taken in charge for loitering
there, in apparently suspicious circumstances, or made to remain in
the Park all night--neither of which contingencies he could possibly
permit--at once came forward, and explained that she was a friend of
his. The policeman was satisfied. The sight of another half-sovereign had
rendered him more than polite, and, without saying a word, he let them
all out together. The moment they were in the street, Hamar turned on Kelson, white with
passion. "So," he said, "I was right after all--liar! fool! You would risk all
our lives for a few hours' flirtation with this silly girl." "If it's only flirtation, Leon, what does it matter?" Curtis
interposed. "For goodness' sake shut up wrangling and let's get home. I'm starving." "I shall have something to say to you to-morrow morning," Hamar
remarked, in an undertone, to Lilian Rosenberg. "And I to you," was the furious reply. "I shall not forget the
disrespectful way in which you have just spoken of me, in alluding to
the scent." She signalled to a taxi, and giving Kelson a friendly good-night,
jumped into it and was speedily whirled away. On the whole, the evening had been a disappointment. She had wanted to
see the Unknown--the awful thing that had inspired Kelson and his
colleagues with such unmitigated horror--and instead she had seen only
an obsessed policeman--a cataleptic "copper"--who, had he not spoken
in a strangely uncanny voice, would certainly have seemed to her
absolutely ordinary. With regard to Hamar's displeasure, she was not in the slightest
degree disturbed. He would never dare say anything to her. And after
all that had occurred he would never venture to "sack her." All the
same she hated him.