vera, the medium-第11章
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message from his dead sister。 He wants another message from her。
He wants her to decide how he shall dispose of a very large sum
of money his entire fortune。〃
〃His entire fortune！〃 exclaimed Vera。 〃Do you imagine；〃 she
asked； 〃that Mr。 Hallowell will take advice from the spirit
world about that？ I don't！〃
〃I do；〃 Gaylor answered stoutly； 〃I know I would。〃
〃You？〃 asked Vera incredulously。
〃If I could believe my sister came from the dead to tell me what
to do；〃 said the lawyer； 〃of course； I'd do it。 I'd be afraid
not to。 But I don't believe he does。 And he believes you can
bring his sister herself before him。 He insists that tonight you
hold a seance in his house； and that you materialize the spirit
of his dead sister。 So that he can see his sister； and talk with
his sister。 Vance says you can do that。 Can you？〃
From Vera's face the look of girlishness； of happy anticipation；
had already disappeared。
〃It is my business to do that；〃 the girl answered。 She turned to
Vance and； in a matter…of…fact voice； inquired； 〃What does his
sister look like that photograph we used this morning。？〃
〃No；〃 Vance answered。 〃I've a better one； Rainey gave me。 Taken
when she was older。 Has white hair and a cap and a kerchief
crossed so。〃 He drew his hands across his shoulders。 〃Rainey；
show Miss Vera that picture。〃
〃Not now；〃 Gaylor commanded。 〃The important thing now is that
Miss Vera understands the message Mr。 Hallowell is to receive
from his sister。〃
The two other men nodded quickly in assent。 Gaylor turned to
Vera。 He spoke slowly； earnestly。
〃Miss Vera；〃 he said； 〃Mr。 Hallowell's present will leaves his
fortune to his niece。 He has made another will； which he has not
signed； leaving his fortune to the Hallowell Institute。 He will
ask his sister to which of these he should leave his money。 You
will tell him 〃 he corrected himself instantly。 〃She will tell
him to give it where it will be of the greatest good to the most
people to the Institute。〃 There was a pause。 〃Do you
understand？〃 he asked。
〃To the Institute。 Not to the niece；〃 Vera answered。 Gaylor
nodded gravely。
〃What；〃 asked Vera； 〃are the fewest words in which that message
could be delivered？ I mean should she say； You are to endow
the Hallowell Institute； or Brother； you are to give Sign
the new will？〃 With satisfaction the girl gave a sharp shake of
her head； and nodded to Vance。 〃 Destroy the old will。 Sign the
new will。 That is the best；〃 she said。
〃That's it exactly；〃 Gaylor exclaimed eagerly； 〃that's
excellent！〃 Then his face clouded。 〃I think；〃 he said in a
troubled voice； 〃we should warn Miss Vera； that to guard himself
from any trickery； Mr。 Hallowell insists on subjecting her to
the most severe tests。 He 〃
〃That will be all right；〃 said the girl。 She turned to Vance
and； in a lower tone but without interest； asked： 〃What； for
instance？〃 Vance merely laughed and shrugged his shoulders。 The
girl smiled。 Nettled； and alarmed at what appeared to be their
overconfidence； Gaylor objected warmly。
〃That's all very well；〃 he cried； 〃but for instance； he insists
that the entire time you are in the cabinet； you hold a handful
of flour in one hand and of shot in the other〃 he illustrated
with clenched fists 〃which makes it impossible；〃 he
protested； 〃for you to use your hands。〃
The face of the girl showed complete indifference。
〃Not necessarily；〃 she said。
〃But you are to be tied hand and foot；〃 cried the Judge。 〃And on
top of that；〃 he burst forth indignantly； pointing aggrievedly
at Vance； 〃he himself proposed this flour…and…shot test。 It was
silly； senseless bravado！〃
〃Not necessarily；〃 repeated the girl。 〃He knew that I invented
it。〃 Rainey laughed。 Gaylor gave an exclamation of
enlightenment。
〃If it will be of any comfort to you； Judge；〃 said Vance； 〃I'll
tell you one thing； every test that ever was put to a medium
was invented by a medium。〃
Vera rose。 〃If there is nothing more；〃 she said； 〃I will go and
get the things ready for this evening。 Destroy the old will。
Sign the new will。〃 she repeated。 She turned suddenly to Vance；
her brow drawn in consideration。 〃I suppose by this new will；〃
she asked； 〃the girl gets nothing？〃 〃Not at all！〃 exclaimed
Gaylor emphatically。 〃We don't want her to fight the will。 She
gets a million。〃
〃A million dollars？〃 demanded Vera。 For an instant； as though
trying to grasp the possibilities of such a sum； she stood
staring ahead of her。 With doubt in her eyes； and shaking her
head； she turned to Vance。
〃How can one woman spend a million dollars？〃 she protested。
〃Well； you see； we don't intend to starve her；〃 exclaimed Gaylor
eagerly； 〃and at the same time the Institute will be benefiting
all humanity。 Doing good to 〃
Vera interrupted him with a sharp； peremptory movement of the
hand。
〃We won't go into that； please；〃 she begged。
The Judge inclined his head。 〃I only meant to point out；〃 he
said stiffly； 〃that you are giving Mr。 Hallowell the best
advice； and doing great good。〃
For a moment the girl looked at him steadily。 On her lips was a
faint smile of disdain； but whether for him or for herself； the
Judge could not determine。
〃I don't know that；〃 the girl said finally。 〃I don't ask。〃 She
turned to Rainey。 〃Have you that photograph？〃 He gave her a
photograph and after； for an instant； studying it in silence；
she returned it to him。
〃It will be quite easy；〃 she said to Vance。 She walked to the
door； and instinctively the two men； who were seated； rose。
〃I will see you tonight at Mr。 Hallowell's；〃 she said； and； with
a nod； left them。
〃Well；〃 exclaimed Rainey； 〃you didn't tell her！〃
〃I know；〃Vance answered。 〃I decided we'd be wiser to take advice
from my wife。 She understands Vera better than I do。〃 He opened
the door to the hall； and called 〃Mannie！ Tell Mabel Oh；
Mabel；〃 he corrected； 〃come here a minute。〃 He returned to his
seat on the piano stool。 〃She can tell us；〃 he said。
In expectation of the arrival of Winthrop； Mrs。 Vance had
arrayed herself in a light blue frock； and； as though she had
just come in from the street； in such a hat as she considered
would do credit not only to Vera but to herself。
〃Mabel；〃 her husband began； 〃we're up against a hard
proposition。 Hallowell insists that Winthrop and Miss Coates
must come to the seance tonight。〃
〃Winthrop and Miss Coates！〃 cried Mabel。 In astonishment she
glanced from her husband to Rainey and Gaylor。 〃Then； it's all
off！〃 she exclaimed。
〃That's what I say；〃 growled Rainey。
〃We want you to tell us；〃 continued Vance； unmoved； 〃whether
Vera should know that now； or wait until tonight？〃
〃Paul Vance！〃 almost shrieked his wife； 〃do you mean to tell me
you're thinking of giving a materialization in front of the
District Attorney！ You're crazy！〃
〃That's what I tell them；〃 chorused Rainey。
Gaylor raised his hand for silence。
〃No； Mrs。 Vance；〃 he said wearily。 〃We are not crazy； but；〃 he
added bitterly； 〃we can't help ourselves。 You mediums have got
Mr。 Hallowell in such a state that he'll only do what his
sister's spirit tells him。 He says； if he's robbing his niece；
his sister will tell him so； if he's to give the money to the
Institute； his sister will tell him that。 He says； if Vance is
fair and above…board； he shouldn't be afraid to have his niece
and any friends of hers present。 We can't help ourselves。〃
〃I helped a little；〃 said Vance； 〃by insisting on having our own
friends there told him the spirit could not materialize
unless there were believers present。〃
〃Did he stand for that？〃 asked Mabel。
〃Glad to have them；〃 her husband assured her。 〃They like to
think there are others as foolish as they are。 And I'm going to
place Mr。 District Attorney；〃 he broke out suddenly and
fiercely； 〃between two mediums。 They'll hold his hands！〃
Already frightened by the possible result of the plot； Rainey；
with a vehemence born of fear； retorted sharply： 〃Hold his
hands！ How're you going to make him hold his tongue； afterward？〃
Gaylor turned upon him savagely。
〃My God； man！〃 he cried； 〃we're not trying to persuade the
District Attorney that he's seen a ghost。 If your frien
