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The hypnotist helped himself to some attractive amber-coloured jelly. "I
happen to be a good deal in request," he said modestly.
"
Heaven knows what we should do without you."
"
Oh! we're not so indispensable as all that," said the hypnotist,
ruminating the flavour of the jelly. "The world did very well without us
for some thousands of years. Two hundred years ago even--not one! In
practice, that is. Physicians by the thousand, of course--frightfully
clumsy brutes for the most part, and following one another like
sheep--but doctors of the mind, except a few empirical flounderers there
were none."
He concentrated his mind on the jelly.
"
But were people so sane--?" began Mwres.
The hypnotist shook his head. "It didn't matter then if they were a bit
silly or faddy. Life was so easy-going then. No competition worth
speaking of--no pressure. A human being had to be very lopsided before
anything happened. Then, you know, they clapped 'em away in what they
called a lunatic asylum."
"I know," said Mwres. "In these confounded historical romances that
every one is listening to, they always rescue a beautiful girl from an
asylum or something of the sort. I don't know if you attend to that
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