Had you the password?

Had you the password?

• A. Yes, I had it.
• B. No, I did not have it; my conductor had it for me.
• C. I forgot it.
• D. No, I did not have it, but my conductor had it for me.

Answer: (D)

The idea being tested is who holds the password during the rite. In this setting, the password is a confidential credential and is kept by the conductor, not by the candidate, so it can be used or revealed at the proper moment under supervision. That’s why the best statement is that you did not have the password, but your conductor had it for you. It reflects the standard practice that the conductor is the custodian of the password and provides it to the candidate when appropriate. The other options don’t fit because claiming you personally had the password goes against the usual procedure of keeping it with the conductor, and saying you forgot it implies a lapse rather than a formal arrangement.

The idea being tested is who holds the password during the rite. In this setting, the password is a confidential credential and is kept by the conductor, not by the candidate, so it can be used or revealed at the proper moment under supervision. That’s why the best statement is that you did not have the password, but your conductor had it for you. It reflects the standard practice that the conductor is the custodian of the password and provides it to the candidate when appropriate.

The other options don’t fit because claiming you personally had the password goes against the usual procedure of keeping it with the conductor, and saying you forgot it implies a lapse rather than a formal arrangement.