“Apparently I am the Jarados.

“For my coming had been foretold almost to the hour.  As I went on with the research I found many other points that seemed familiar.  Plainly there was something that had led me into the Spot; and most certainly it was not mere chance.  I became convinced that not merely my own destiny, but a higher, a transcendental fate was at stake.

“In the course of time I became certain of this.  Meanwhile I mastered most of the secrets of this palace—­the wisdom of the ancient Jarados.  Though a prisoner, I was the happiest of men—­ which I still remain.  The Bars kept close watch over me, constantly changing their guard.  And it was on one of those occasions that I found MacPherson.

“Well, after MacPherson’s coming I was pretty much my own master.  I induced the Senestro to allow MacPherson to remain as a constant bodyguard.  But I never told Pat what was what, except that some day we should extricate ourselves.

“You may wonder why I did not open the Spot.

“There were several reasons:  First, in the nature of the phenomenon it must be opened only on the earth side, except on rare occasions when certain conditions are peculiarly favourable.  That’s why the Rhamda Avec could not do it alone; I know now that I should have imparted to him certain technicalities.  I possessed two of the keys then; now, I know there are three.

“And I have learned that each of these is a sinister thing.

“The blue stone, for instance, is life, and it is male.  Rather a sweeping and ambiguous statement; but you will comprehend it in the end.  Were a man to wear it it would kill him, in time; but a woman can wear it with impunity.

“Perhaps you will appreciate that statement better if you note what I have just done through the medium of that crystal.  The blue gem is an inductor of the ether; in a sense, it is one of the anchors of the Spot of Life, or the Blind Spot—­whatever we want to call it—­the Spot of Contact.

“The other two particles—­the red and the green one—­are respectively the Soul and the Material.  Or, let us say, the etheric embryos of these essentials.

“The three stones constitute an eternal trinity.

“As for the substance of the Spot itself, that I cannot tell, just yet.  But I do know that the whole truth will come out clear in the fulfilment of the Prophecy.  I am convinced that it has translated Watson, and now Harry Wendel and the Nervina.”

“Can you control it?” asked Chick.

“To a limited extent.  I have been able to watch you ever since your coming.  You did not know about Harry, but I saw him come—­in the arms of the Nervina.”

The Nervina nodded.

“It is so.  I knew the Senestro.  I was afraid that Harry would fall into his hands.  I had previously endeavoured to have him give the jewel to Charlotte Fenton.  I didn’t trust the great Bar—­”