thoughtthatitbroughtusluck，swimacrossthefloorofourroomandlookfirstintoyourfaceandthenintomine。Well，thenextnightthatnegrotellshisstory。WhatamItomakeofit？“
“Can’ttellyou，“answeredMr。Champers-Haswellwithagroan。“AllI
knowisthatitnearlymadeacorpseofme。Iamnotlikeyou，Aylward，IwasbroughtupasanEvangelical，andalthoughIhaven’tgivenmuchthoughttothesemattersoflateyears——well，wedon’tshakethemoffinahurry。Idaresaythereissomethingsomewhere，andwhentheblackmanwasspeaking，thatsomethingseemeduncommonlynear。Itgotupandgrippedmebythethroat，shakingthemortalbreathoutofme，anduponmyword，Aylward，IhavebeenwishingallthemorningthatIhadledadifferentkindoflife，asmyoldparentsandmybrotherJohn，Barbara’sfather，whowasaveryreligiouskindofman，didbeforeme。“
“Itisratherlatetothinkofallthatnow，Haswell，“saidSirRobert，shrugginghisshoulders。“Onetakesone’slineandthere’sanend。PersonallyIbelievethatweareoverstrainedwiththefearfulandanxiousworkofthisflotation，andhavebeenthevictimsofanhallucinationandacoincidence。AlthoughIconfessthatIcametolookuponthethingasakindofmascot，Iputnotrustinanyfetish。
Howcanabitofgoldmove，andhowcanitknowthefuture？Well，I