Alan Austen found himself in a tiny room, which contained no furniture but a plain table, a rocking chair, and an ordinary chair. On one of the walls were a couple of shelves, containing a dozen bottles and jars.

An old man sat in the rocking chair, reading a newspaper. Alan, without a word, handed him his card.

"Sit down, Mr. Austen," said the old man very politely. (A)________.

"Is it true," asked Alan, "that you have a certain mixture that has – er – quite extraordinary effects?"

"My dear sir," replied the old man, "I think nothing I sell has effects which could be precisely described as ordinary."

"Well, the fact is – "began Alan. "Here, for example," interrupted the old man, reaching for a bottle from the shelf.

"Here is a liquid as colorless as water, quite imperceptible in any beverage. (B)________.

"Do you mean it is a poison?" cried Alan, much horrified.

"Call it a glove-cleaner if you like," said the old man indifferently. "Maybe it will clean gloves. I have never tried. One might call it a life-cleaner. Lives need cleaning sometimes."

"I want nothing of the sort," said Alan.

"Do you know the price of this? For one teaspoonful, I ask five thousand dollars."

"I hope all your mixtures are not as expensive," said Alan apprehensively.

"Oh dear, no," said the old man. "It would be no good charging that sort of price for a love portion. Young people who need a love potion very seldom have five thousand dollars. Otherwise they would not need a love potion."

"I am glad to hear that," said Alan.

"I look at it like this," said the old man. "Please a customer with one article, and he will come back when he needs another. Even if it is more costly. He will save up for it, if necessary."

"So," said Alan, "you really do sell love potions?"

(C)________ said the old man, reaching for another bottle, "I should not have mentioned the other matter to you."

"And these potions," said Alan. "They are not just – just – er –" "Oh, no," said the old man. "Their effects are permanent. For indifference," said the old man, "they substitute devotion. For scorn, adoration. Give one tiny measure of this to the young lady – its flavor is imperceptible in orange juice, soup, or cocktails – and she will change altogether. She will want nothing but solitude and you."

"I can hardly believe it," said Alan. (D)________.

"She will not like them any more," said the old man. (E)________.

"She will actually be jealous?" cried Alan in rapture. "Of me?"

"Yes, she will want to be everything to you."

"She is already. Only she doesn't care about it."

"She will, when she has taken this. She will care intensely. You will be her sole interest in life."

"Wonderful!" cried Alan.

"She will want to know all you do," said the old man. "All that happened to you during the day. She will want to know what you are thinking about, why you smile suddenly, why you are looking sad."

"That is love!" cried Alan.

"How carefully she will look after you! She will never allow you to be tired, to sit in the draft, to neglect your food. If you are an hour late, she will be terrified. She will think you are killed, or that some siren has caught you. And by the way, since there are always sirens, you need not worry. She will forgive you – in the end."

"That will not happen," said Alan fervently.

"Of course not," said the old man. "But, if it did, you need not worry. She would never divorce you."

"How much is the love potion?" said Alan.

"Oh, that is just a dollar."

"I can’t tell you how grateful I am," said Alan.

"I like to oblige," said the old man. "Then customers came back, later in life, (F)________, and want more expensive things. Here you are. You will find it very effective."

"Thank you again," said Alan. "Goodbye."

"Au revoir," said the old man.