“But the answers of the oracle are often very obscure.”

“Obscure!  The answers my daughter received are as clear as day.”

“Apparently, she is fortunate in the way she frames her questions; for on this the reply depends.”

“After dinner we will try if I am so fortunate—­at least, if you will be so kind as to help me.”

“I can refuse you nothing, as I consider father and daughter as one being.”

At table we discussed other subjects, as the chief clerks were present—­notably the manager, a vulgar-looking fellow, who had very evident aspirations in the direction of my fair Esther.  After dinner we went into M. d’O ’s private closet, and thereupon he drew two long questions out of his pocket.  In the first he desired to know how to obtain a favourable decision from the States-General in an important matter, the details of which he explained.  I replied in terms, the obscurity of which would have done credit to a professed Pythoness, and I left Esther to translate the answer into common sense, and find a meaning in it.

With regard to the second answer I acted in a different manner; I was impelled to answer clearly, and did so.  M. d’O asked what had become of a vessel belonging to the India Company of which nothing had been heard.  It was known to have started on the return voyage, and should have arrived two months ago, and this delay gave rise to the supposition that it had gone down.  M. d’O——­ wished to know if it were still above water, or whether it were lost, etc.  As no tidings of it had come to hand, the company were on the look-out for someone to insure it, and offered ten per cent., but nobody cared to run so great a risk, especially as a letter had been received from an English sea captain who said he had seen her sink.

I may confess to my readers, though I did not do so to M. d’O——. that with inexplicable folly I composed an answer that left no doubt as to the safety of the vessel, pronouncing it safe and sound, and that we should hear of it in a few days.  No doubt I felt the need of exalting my oracle, but this method was likely to destroy its credit for ever.  In truth, if I had guessed M. d’O——­’s design, I would have curbed my vanity, for I had no wish to make him lose a large sum without profiting myself.

The answer made him turn pale, and tremble with joy.  He told us that secrecy in the matter was of the last importance, as he had determined to insure the vessel and drive a good bargain.  At this, dreading the consequences, I hastened to tell him that for all I knew there might not be a word of truth in the oracle’s reply, and that I should die of grief if I were the involuntary cause of his losing an enormous sum of money through relying on an oracle, the hidden sense of which might be completely opposed to the literal translation.

“Have you ever been deceived by it?”

“Often.”

Seeing my distress, Esther begged her father to take no further steps in the matter.  For some moments nobody spoke.