MISCELLANEOUS PUZZLES
after the man of magic had foretold the most favourable issues, and
concocted a love-potion that was certain to help his cause, the con-
versation drifted on to occult subjects generally.
" And art thou learned also in the magic of numbers ? " asked the
knight. " Show me but one sample of thy wit in these matters/'
The old wizard took five blocks bearing numbers, and placed
them on a shelf, apparently at random, so that they stood in
the order, 41096, as shown in our illustration. He then took
in his hands an 8 and a 3, and held them together to form the
number 83.
" Sir knight, tell me," said the wizard, " canst thou multiply one
number into the other in thy mind ? "
" Nay, of a truth," the good knight replied. " I should need to
set out upon the task with pen and scrip."
99
H
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