vera, the medium-第2章

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come　to　you　for　the　facts。〃　The　lawyer　halted；　hesitated。　〃What
facts　do　you　want？〃　he　asked。　The　reporter　bowed；　and　waved　his
broad　felt　hat　toward　the　listening　men。　In　polite　embarrassment
he　explained　what　he　had　to　say　could　not　be　spoken　in　their
presence。

Something　in　the　manner　of　the　stranger　led　Judge　Gaylor　to
pause。　He　directed　Garrett　to　accompany　the　reporters　from　the
room。　Then；　with　mock　politeness；　he　turned　to　the　one　who
remained。　〃I　take　it；　you　are　a　new　comer　in　New　York
journalism。　What　is　your　name？〃　he　asked。

〃My　name　is　Homer　Lee；〃　said　the　Southerner。　〃I　am　a　New　Orleans
boy。　I've　been　only　a　month　in　your　city。　Judge；〃　he　began
earnestly；　but　in　a　voice　which　still　held　the　drawl　of　the
South；　〃I　met　a　man　from　home　last　week　on　Broadway。　He　belonged
to　that　spiritualistic　school　on　Carondelet　Street。　He　knows　all
that's　going　on　in　the　spook　world；　and　he　tells　me　the　ghost
raisers　have　got　their　hooks　into　the　old　man　pretty　deep。　Is
that　so？〃

The　bewilderment　of　Judge　Gaylor　was　complete　and；　without
question；　genuine。

〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean；〃　he　said。

〃My　informant　tells　me；〃　continued　the　reporter；　〃that　Mr。
Hallowell　has　embraced　　if　that's　what　you　call　it　
spiritualism。〃

Gaylor　started　forward。

〃What！〃　he　roared。

Unmoved；　the　other　regarded　the　Judge　keenly。

〃Spiritualism；〃　he　repeated；　〃and　that　a　bunch　of　these　mediums
have　got　him　so　hypnotized　he　can't　call　his　soul　his　own；　or
his　money；　either。　Is　that　true？〃

Judge　Gaylor's　outburst　was　overwhelming。　That　it　was　genuine
Mr。　Lee；　observing　him　closely；　was　convinced。

〃Of　all　the　outrageous；　ridiculous〃　　the　judge　halted；　gasping
for　words　　〃and　libelous　statements！〃　he　went　on。　〃If　you
print　that；〃　he　thundered；　〃Mr。　Hallowell　will　sue　your　paper
for　half　a　million　dollars。　Can't　you　see　the　damage　you　would
do？　Can't　your　people　see　that　if　the　idea　got　about　that　he　was
unable　to　direct　his　own　affairs；　that　he　was　in　the　hands　of
mediums；　it　would　invalidate　everything　he　does？　After　his
death；　every　act　of　his　at　this　time；　every　paper　he　had　signed；
would　be　suspected；　and　　and〃　　stammered　the　Judge　as　his
imagination　pictured　what　might　follow　　〃they　might　even
attack　his　will！〃　He　advanced　truculently。　〃Do　you　mean　to
publish　this　libel？〃

Lee　moved　his　shoulders　in　deprecation。　〃I'm　afraid　we　must；〃　he
said。

〃You　must！〃　demanded　Gaylor。　〃After　what　I've　told　you？　Do　you
think　I'm　lying　to　you？〃

〃No；〃　said　the　reporter；　〃I　don't　think　you　are。　Looks　more　like
you　didn't　know。〃

〃Not　know？　I？〃　Gaylor　laughed　hysterically。　〃I　am　his　lawyer。　I
am　his　best　friend！　Who　will　you　believe？〃　He　stepped　to　the
table　and　pressed　an　electric　button；　and　Garrett　appeared　in
the　hall。　〃Tell　Dr。　Rainey　I　want　to　see　him；〃　Gaylor　commanded；
〃and　return　with　him。〃

As　they　waited；　Judge　Gaylor　paced　quickly　to　and　fro。　〃I've　had
to　deny　some　pretty　silly　stories　about　Mr。　Hallowell；〃　he　said；
〃but　of　all　the　absurd；　malicious　…　…　There's　some　enemy　back　of
this；　some　one　in　Wall　Street　is　doing　this。　But　I'll　find　him
　I'll　　〃　he　was　interrupted　by　the　entrance　of　the　butler
and　Dr。　Rainey；　Mr。　Hallowell's　personal　physician。

Rainey　was　a　young　man　with　a　weak　face；　and　knowing；　shifting
eyes　that　blinked　behind　a　pair　of　eyeglasses。　To　conceal　an
indecision　of　character　of　which　he　was　quite　conscious；　he
assumed　a　manner　that；　according　to　whom　he　addressed；　was
familiar　or　condescending。　At　one　of　the　big　hospitals　he　had
been　an　ambulance　surgeon　and　resident　physician；　later　he　had
started　upon　a　somewhat　doubtful　career　as　a　medical　〃expert。〃
Only　two　years　had　passed　since　the　police　and　the　reporters　of
the　Tenderloin　had　ceased　calling　him　〃Doc。〃　In　a　celebrated
criminal　case　in　which　Gaylor　had　acted　as　chief　counsel；　he　had
found　Rainey　complaisant　and　apparently　totally　without　the
moral　sense。　And　when　in　Garrett　he　had　discovered　for　Mr。
Hallowell　a　model　servant；　he　had　also　urged　upon　his　friend；
for　his　resident　physician；　his　protege　Rainey。

Still　at　white　heat；　the　older　man　began　abruptly：　〃This
gentleman　is　from　the　Republic。　He　is　going　to　publish　a　story
that　Mr。　Hallowell　has　fallen　under　the　influence　of　mediums；
clairvoyants；　that　everything　he　does　is　on　advice　from　the
spirit　world　　〃　he　turned　sharply　upon　Lee。　〃Is　that　right？〃
The　reporter　nodded。

〃You　can　see　the　effect　of　such　a　story。　It　would　invalidate
every　act　of　Mr。　Hallowell's！〃

Dr。　Rainey　laughed　offensively。

〃It　might；〃　he　said；　〃but　who'd　believe　it？〃

〃He　believes　it！〃　cried　Gaylor；　〃or　he　pretends　to　believe　it。
Tell　him！〃　he　commanded。　〃He　won't　believe　me。　Does　Mr。
Hallowell　associate　with　mediums；　and　spirits　　and　spooks？〃

Again　the　young　doctor　laughed。

〃Of　course　not！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃It's　not　worth　answering；　Judge。
You　ought　to　treat　it　with　silent　contempt。〃　From　behind　his
glasses　he　winked　at　the　reporter　with　a　jocular；　intimate
smile。　He　was　adapting　himself　to　what　he　imagined　was　his
company。　〃Where　did　you　pick　up　that　pipe　dream？〃　he　asked。

Without　answering；　the　Southerner　regarded　him　steadily　with
inquiring；　interested　eyes。　The　doctor　coughed　nervously　and
turned　to　Judge　Gaylor。　In　the　manner　of　a　cross…examination
Gaylor　called　up　his　next　witness。

〃Garrett；　does　any　one　visit　Mr。　Hallowell　without　your
knowledge？〃　he　asked。　You　may　not　open　the　door　for　him；　but　you
know　every　one　who　gets　in　to　see　Mr。　Hallowell；　do　you　not？〃

〃Every　one；　sir。〃

〃Do　you　admit　any　mediums；　palm…readers；　or　people　of　that
sort？〃

〃Certainly　not；〃　returned　the　butler。

〃Dr。　Rainey；〃　he　added；　〃would　not　permit　it；　sir。〃

Gaylor　stamped　his　foot　with　impatience。

〃Do　you　admit　any　one；〃　he　demanded；　〃without　Dr。　Rainey's
permission？〃

〃No；　sir！〃　The　reply　could　not　have　rung　with　greater　emphasis。
Triumphantly；　Gaylor；　with　a　wave　of　the　hand；　as　though　saying；
〃Take　the　witness；〃　turned　to　Lee。　〃There　you　are；〃　he　cried。
〃Now；　are　you　satisfied？〃

The　reporter　moved　slowly　toward　the　door。　〃I　am　satisfied；〃　he
said；　〃that　the　man　doesn't　admit　any　one　without　Dr。　Rainey's
permission。〃

Indignantly；　as　though　to　intercept　him；　Judge　Gaylor　stepped
forward。　Both　Rainey　and　himself　spoke　together。

〃What　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　Rainey　demanded。

〃Are　you　trying　to　be　insolent；　sir？〃　cried　the　Judge。

Lee　smiled　pleasantly。　〃I　had　no　intention　of　being　insolent；〃
he　said。　〃We　have　the　facts　　I　only　came　to　give　you　a　chance
to　explain　them。〃

Gaylor　lost　all　patience。

〃What　facts？〃　he　shouted。　〃What　facts？　That　mediums　come　here？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Lee。

〃When？〃　Gaylor　cried。　〃Tell　me　that！　When？〃

Lee　regarded　the　older　man　thoughtfully。

〃Well；　today　is　Thursday；〃　he　said。　〃They　were　here　Monday
morning；　and　Tuesday　morning　　and　　the　one　they　call　Vera　
will　be　here　in　half　an　hour。〃

Rainey　ran　across　the　room；　stretching　out　eager；　detaining
hands。

〃See　here！〃　he　begged。　〃We　can　fix　this！〃

〃Fix　it？〃　said　the　reporter。　〃Not　with　me；　you　can't。〃　He　turned
to　the　door　and　found　Garrett　barring　his　exit。　He　halted；　fell
back　on　his　heels；　and　straightened　his　shoulders。　For　the　first
time　they　saw　how　tall　he　was。

〃Get　out　of　my　way；〃　he　said。　The　butler　hesitated　and　fell
back。　Lee　walked　into　the　hall。

〃I'll　leave　you　gentlemen　to　fight　it　out　among　you；〃　he　said。
〃It's　a　better　story　than　I　thought。〃

As　he　descended　to　the　floor　below；　the　men　remained　motionless。
The　face　of　Judge　Gaylor　seemed　to　have　grown　older。　When　the
front　door　closed；　he　turned　and　searched　the　countenance　of
each　of　his　companions。　The　butler　had　dropped　into　a　chair
muttering　and　beating　his　fist　into　his　open　palm。

Gaylor's　voice　was　hardly　louder　than　a　whisper。　〃Is　this　true？〃
he　asked。

Like　a　cur　dog　pinned　in　a　corner　and　forced　to　fight；　Rainey
snarled　at　him　evilly。　〃Of　course　it's　true；〃　he　said。

〃You've　let　these　people　see　him！〃　cried　Gaylor。　〃After　I
forbade　it？　After　I　told　you　what　would　happen？〃

〃He　would　see　them；〃　Rainey　answered　hotly。　〃Twas　better　I
chose　them　than　　〃

Gaylor　raised　his　clenched　hands　and　took　a　sudden　step　fo