"It is, as you say, a terrible power," she answered gravely, "and the more you know of it the more terrible will it seem to you." "May I ask," said I, "what you meant when you said that this matter of suggestion is only at the fringe of it? What do you consider the essential?" "I had rather not tell you." I was surprised at the decision of her answer. "You understand," said I, "that it is not out of curiosity I ask, but in the hope that I may find some scientific explanation for the facts with which you furnish me." "Frankly, Professor Gilroy," said she, "I am not at all interested in science, nor do I care whether it can or cannot classify these powers." "But I was hoping----" "Ah, that is quite another thing. If you make it a personal matter," said she, with the pleasantest of smiles, "I shall be only too happy to tell you any thing you wish to know. Let me see; what was it you asked me? Oh, about the further powers. Professor Wilson won't believe in them, but they are quite true all the same. For example, it is possible for an operator to gain complete command over his subject-- presuming that the latter is a good one. Without any previous suggestion he may make him do whatever he likes." "Without the subject's knowledge?" "That depends. If the force were strongly exerted, he would know no more about it than Miss Marden did when she came round and frightened you so. Or, if the influence was less powerful, he might be conscious of what he was doing, but be quite unable to prevent himself from doing it." "Would he have lost his own will power, then?" "It would be over-ridden by another stronger one." "Have you ever exercised this power yourself?" "Several times." "Is your own will so strong, then?" "Well, it does not entirely depend upon that. Many have strong wills which are not detachable from themselves. The thing is to have the gift of projecting it into another person and superseding his own. I find that the power varies with my own strength and health." "Practically, you send your soul into another person's body." "Well, you might put it that way." "And what does your own body do?" "It merely feels lethargic." "Well, but is there no danger to your own health?" I asked. "There might be a little. You have to be careful never to let your own consciousness absolutely go; otherwise, you might experience some difficulty in finding your way back again. You must always preserve the connection, as it were. I am afraid I express myself very badly, Professor Gilroy, but of course I don't know how to put these things in a scientific way. I am just giving you my own experiences and my own explanations."