InattemptingourselvesanexplanationoftheAutomaton，wewill，inthefirstplace，endeavortoshowhowitsoperationsareeffected，andafterwardsdescribe，asbrieflyaspossible，thenatureofthe_observations_fromwhichwehavededucedourresult。
Itwillbenecessaryforaproperunderstandingofthesubject，thatwerepeathereinafewwords，theroutineadoptedbytheexhibiterindisclosingtheinterioroftheboxaroutinefromwhichhe_never_deviatesinanymaterialparticular。InthefirstplaceheopensthedoorNo。I。Leavingthisopen，hegoesroundtotherearofthebox，andopensadoorpreciselyatthebackofdoorNo。I。Tothisbackdoorheholdsalightedcandle。Hethen_closesthebackdoor，_locksit，and，comingroundtothefront，opensthedrawertoitsfullextent。Thisdone，heopensthedoorsNo。2andNo。3，thefoldingdoorsanddisplaystheinteriorofthemaincompartment。Leavingopenthemaincompartment，thedrawer，andthefrontdoorofcupboardNo。I，henowgoestotherearagain，andthrowsopenthebackdoorofthemaincompartment。Inshuttinguptheboxnoparticularorderisobserved，exceptthatthefoldingdoorsarealwaysclosedbeforethedrawer。
Now，letussupposethatwhenthemachineisfirstrolledintothepresenceofthespectators，amanisalreadywithinit。HisbodyissituatedbehindthedensemachineryincupboardNo。T。therearportionofwhichmachineryissocontrivedastoslip_enmasse，_fromthemaincompartmenttothecupboardNo。I，asoccasionmayrequire，andhislegslieatfulllengthinthemaincompartment。
WhenMaelzelopensthedoorNo。I，themanwithinisnotinanydangerofdiscovery，forthekeenestevecannotpenetratemorethanabouttwoinchesintothedarknesswithin。ButthecaseisotherwisewhenthebackdoorofthecupboardNo。I，isopened。Abrightlightthenpervadesthecupboard，andthebodyofthemanwouldbediscoveredifitwerethere。Butitisnot。Theputtingthekeyinthelockofthebackdoorwasasignalonhearingwhichthepersonconcealedbroughthisbodyforwardtoanangleasacuteaspossiblethrowingitaltogether，ornearlyso，intothemaincompartment。This，however，isapainfulposition，andcannotbelongmaintained。AccordinglywefindthatMaelzel_closesthebackdoor。
_Thisbeingdone，thereisnoreasonwhythebodyofthemanmaynotresumeitsformersituationforthecupboardisagainsodarkastodefyscrutiny。Thedrawerisnowopened，andthelegsofthepersonwithindropdownbehinditinthespaceitformerlyoccupied。{*4}