“I see Gordon has chosen his destiny and the manner of his death.  Two ways of dying have been offered him—­one that is slow, painful, and inglorious; the other sudden, and therefore sweeter to a man of his temperament.  He himself is perfectly aware of the approaching end of his career; he will receive his release at Khartoum.  England will lament over him for a little while, and then he will be declared an inspired madman, who rushed recklessly on his own doom; while those who allowed him to be slain will be voted the wisest, the most just and virtuous in the realm.”

This prophecy was carried out to the letter, as I fully believe certain things of which I am now informed will also be fulfilled.  But though there are persons who pin their faith on “Zadkiel,” I doubt if there are any who will believe in such a thing as electric divination.  The one is mere vulgar imposture, the other is performed on a purely scientific basis in accordance with certain existing rules and principles; yet I think there can be no question as to which of the two the public en masse is likely to prefer.  On the whole, people do not mind being deceived; they hate being instructed, and the trouble of thinking for themselves is almost too much for them.  Therefore “Zadkiel” is certain to flourish for many and many a long day, while the lightning instinct of prophecy dormant in every human being remains unused and utterly forgotten except by the rare few.

*****

I have little more to say.  I feel that those among my readers who idly turn over these pages, expecting to find a “Novel” in the true acceptation of the term, may be disappointed.  My narrative is simply an “experience:”  but I have no wish to persuade others of the central truth contained in it—­namely, the existence of powerful electric organs in every human being, which with proper cultivation are capable of marvellous spiritual force.  The time is not yet ripe for this fact to be accepted.

The persons connected with this story may be dismissed in a few words.  When I joined my friend Mrs. Everard, she was suffering from nervous hysteria.  My presence had the soothing effect Heliobas had assured me of, and in a very few days we started from Paris in company for England.  She, with her amiable and accomplished husband, went back to the States a few months since to claim an immense fortune, which they are now enjoying as most Americans enjoy wealth.  Amy has diamonds to her heart’s content, and toilettes galore from Worth’s; but she has no children, and from the tone of her letters to me, I fancy she would part with one at least of her valuable necklaces to have a small pair of chubby arms round her neck, and a soft little head nestling against her bosom.