"Itcan't be . . . Is this some sort of sick joke?"
"Itcan't be . . . Is this some sort of sick joke?"
at all amusing."
"Do you recall when you first started studying with me in your first semester at the college in Cambridge?
I called on you in class once and you were stumped for the answer, so you tried to use your gift to look
into my mind. Knowing of your talent, I had expected something like that, so when you extended your
awareness into mine, I rather unceremoniously tossed you out. A bit harder than I'd intended,
unfortunately. You had a migraine headache for about a week, as I recall. When you came to, I
cautioned you that with your gift came a great responsibility and warned you that I'd be much less
forgiving the next time you misused it."
"I remember," Paul said slowly, "but there were other students present when that happened. You might
have heard about that . . ."
"Ah, yes, quite true. And I can well understand your skepticism. Very well, then. When you left
Cambridge for Santa Fe, I gave you a parting gift, a gold amulet in the shape of a pentagram, with an
amethyst in the center. I trust you still have it?"
Paul swallowed hard. "Yes . . . I . . . I've always worn it. But I've told other people that it was a gift
from Merlin. You could have—"
"Are you wearing it now?"
"Yes . . ."
"Look at it, Paul."
Paul glanced down at the amulet around his neck. Suddenly its amethyst stone began to glow. The weird
purple light coming from it grew brighter and brighter, until it was blinding, filling the whole room.
"My God!" said Paul. "Merlin! Itis you!"
The glow faded rapidly.
"Are you convinced now?"
"You'realive !" Paul said. "Buthow ? The whole world thinks you're—"
"Dead?" said Merlin. "That's because I did die, Paul. Or at least, in a sense I did. My body perished,
though not as reported, in the fire that consumed my mansion. However, that's a long story. My spirit
survives, although you wouldn't recognize me now. I look . . . rather different."
"I can't believe it! Whereare you?"
"At the La Fonda Hotel."