miracle than admit an improbability? Would you solve a difficulty
rather by overturning the powers of nature than by believing an artful
and uncommon combination of them?"

"Though the fact will not justify a conclusion such as you have
condemned, you must, however, grant that it is far beyond our
conception."

"I am almost tempted to dispute even this," said the prince, with a
quiet smile. "What would you say, my dear count, if it should be
proved, for instance, that the operations of the Armenian were prepared
and carried on, not only during the half-hour that he was absent from
us, not only in haste and incidentally, but during the whole evening and
the whole night? You recollect that the Sicilian employed nearly three
hours in preparation."

"The Sicilian? Yes, my prince."

"And how will you convince me that this juggler had not as much concern
in the second apparition as in the first?"

"How so, your highness?"

"That he was not the principal assistant of the Armenian? In a word,
how will you convince me that they did not co-operate?"

"It would be a difficult task to prove that," exclaimed I, with no
little surprise.

"Not so difficult, my dear count, as you imagine. What! Could it have