parades--everything's under the tent after this. I want you to wean the
Patriarch entirely from that front room--that's to be free for anybody
to enter so's they can drink in atmosphere--and see the contribution
box. But they don't see the Patriarch. Get his armchair into his own
room, make him comfortable there--get the idea? Now, there's no
consultation hours--the Patriarch can't be seen just by asking for
him--the only chance they get at the Patriarch is by an exercise of
patience that'll work their faith up to a pitch that'll do them some
good. The harder it is to get a thing, the more it's worth and the more
you want it--that's the principle. See?"

"Sure," said the Flopper, licking his lips.

"Sometimes," Madison went on, "you're to keep the Patriarch under cover
for two or three days, while they hang around working themselves into a
frenzy. And when they do see him they have to scramble for it. You don't
lead him out to them--ever. Make them waylay him when you take him for
a walk--make them crawl and hop and show they've got faith, make them
believe they've got faith themselves--we'll get some more cures, or
near-cures anyway, that way, and we won't get them any other way, and
we've got to have some sort of cures coming along fairly regularly. Do
you get me, Flopper? If there's a party on a cot a hundred yards away
and he begs you to bring the Patriarch to him, say him nay. Everybody
has got to get into the reserved paddock by themselves--tell them that
no man can be cured who has not got the faith to reach the Patriarch by
himself--tell them to get up and _walk_ to him--tell them what you did."

"Swipe me!" said the Flopper. "Say, Doc, youse are de one an' only. I
gotcher--put it up to _dem_ everytime."