vera, the medium-第20章

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at　the　audacity　of　his　niece；　he　shook　his　head　reprovingly。　〃I
don't　think　I　meant　reporters；〃　he　remonstrated。

〃You　said　in　your　note；〃　returned　his　niece；　〃that　as　I　had　so
much　at　stake；　I　could　bring　any　one　I　pleased；　and　the　less　he
believed　in　spiritualism；　the　better。　Mr。　Lee；〃　she　added　dryly；
〃believes　even　less　than　I　do。〃

〃Then　it　will　be　all　the　more　of　a　triumph；　if　we　convince　him；〃
declared　Hallowell。　〃Understand；　young　man；〃　he　proclaimed
loudly；　〃I　am　not　a　spiritualist。　I　am　merely　conducting　an
investigation。　I　want　the　truth。　If　you；　or　my　niece；　detect　any
fraud　tonight；　I　want　to　know　it。〃　Including　in　his　speech　the
others　in　the　room；　he　glared　suspiciously　in　turn　at　each。
〃Keep　your　eyes　open；〃　he　ordered；　〃you　will　be　serving　me　quite
as　much　as　you　will　Miss　Coates。〃

Miss　Coates　and　Lee　thanked　him　and；　recognizing　themselves　as
the　opposition　and　in　the　minority；　withdrew　for　consultation
into　a　corner　of　the　bay　window。

Vance　approached　Mr。　Hallowell。

〃If　you　are　ready；〃　he　said；　〃we　will　examine　the　cabinet。　Shall
I　wheel　it　over　here；　or　will　you　look　at　it　where　it　is？〃

〃If　it　is　to　be　in　that　corner　during　the　seance；〃　declared　Mr。
Hallowell；　〃I'll　look　at　it　where　it　is。〃

As　he　struggled　from　his　chair；　he　turned　to　Mrs。　Marsh；　and
nodded　his　head　knowingly。　〃You　see；　Mrs。　Marsh；〃　he　said；　〃I　am
taking　no　chances。〃

〃That　is　quite　right；　Mr。　Hallowell；〃　purred　the　old　lady。　〃If
there　be　any　doubt　in　your　mind；　you　must　get　rid　of　it；　or　we
will　have　no　results。〃

With　a　dramatic　gesture；　Vance　swept　aside　from　the　opening　in
the　cabinet　the　black　velvet　curtain。　〃It's　a　simple　affair；〃　he
said　indifferently。　〃As　you　see；　it's　open　at　the　top　and
bottom。　The　medium　sits　inside　on　that　chair；　bound　hand　and
foot。〃

In　turn；　Mr。　Hallowell；　Mrs。　Marsh；　Gaylor；　Rainey；　Professor
Strombergk　entered　the　cabinet。　With　their　knuckles　they　beat
upon　its　sides。　They　moved　it　to　and　fro。　They　dropped　to　their
knees；　and　with　their　fingers　tugged　at　the　carpet　upon　which　it
stood。

Under　cover　of　their　questions；　in　the　corner　of　the　bay　window；
Miss　Coates　whispered　to　Lee；　〃Don't　look　now；〃　she　warned；　〃but
later；　you　will　see　on　the　left　of　that　door　the　switch　that
throws　on　the　lights。　When　I　am　sure　she　is　outside　the　cabinet；
when　she　has　told　him　not　to　give　the　money　to　me；　I'll　cry
now！'　and　whichever　one　of　us　is　seated　nearer　the　switch　will
turn　on　all　the　lights。　I　think；　〃Miss　Coates　added　with；　in　her
voice；　a　thrill　of　triumph　not　altogether　free　from　a　touch　of
vindictiveness；　〃when　my　uncle　sees　her　caught　in　the　middle　of
the　room；　disguised　as　his　sister　　we　will　have　cured　him。〃

〃It　may　be；〃　said　the　man。

The　possibility　of　success　as　Miss　Coates　pointed　it　out　did　not
appear　to　stir　in　him　any　great　delight。　He　glanced　unwillingly
over　his　shoulder。　〃I　see　the　switch；〃　he　said。

Leaning　on　the　arm　of　Gaylor；　Mr。　Hallowell　returned　from　the
cabinet　to　his　chair。　What　he　had　seen　apparently　strengthened
his　faith　and；　in　like　degree；　inspired　him　to　greater
enthusiasm。

〃Well；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃there　are　no　trapdoors　or　false　bottoms
about　that！　If　they　can　project　a　spirit　from　that　sentry　box；
it　will　be　a　miracle。　For　whom　are　we　waiting？〃　he　asked
impatiently。　〃Where　is　Winthrop？〃

Judge　Gaylor　explained　that　Winthrop　preferred　to　wait
downstairs；　and　that　he　had　said　he　would　remain　there　until　the
seance　was　finished。

〃Afraid　of　compromising　his　position；〃　commented　the　old　man。
〃I'm　sorry。　I'd　like　to　have　him　here。〃　He　motioned　Gaylor　to
bend　nearer。　In　a　voice　that　trembled　with　eagerness　and
excitement；　he　whispered：　〃Henry；　I　have　a　feeling　that　we　are
going　to　witness　a　remarkable　phenomenon。〃

Gaylor's　countenance　grew　preternaturally　grave。　He　nodded
heavily。

〃I　have　the　same　feeling；　Stephen；〃　he　returned。

Vance　raised　his　hand　to　command　silence。

〃Every　one；〃　he　called；　〃except　the　committee；　who　are　to　bind
and　tie　the　medium；　will　take　the　place　I　give　him；　and　remain
in　it。　Mr。　Day　will　please　acquaint　Miss　Vera　and　Mrs。　Vance
with　the　fact　that　we　are　ready。〃

Up　to　this　point　Vance　had　appeared　only　as　a　stage　manager。　He
had　been　concerned　with　his　groupings；　his　lights；　in　assigning
to　his　confederates　the　parts　they　were　to　play。　Now　that　the
curtain　was　to　rise；　as　an　actor　puts　on　a　wig　and　grease　paint；
Vance　assumed　a　certain　voice　and　manner。　On　the　stage　the
critics　would　have　called　him　a　convincing　actor。　He　made　his
audience　believe　what　he　believed。　He　knew　the　eloquence　of　a
pause；　the　value　of　a　surprised；　unintelligible　exclamation。　One
moment　he　was　as　professionally　solemn　as　a　〃funeral　director；〃
the　next；　his　voice；　his　whole　frame；　would　shake　with
excitement；　in　an　outburst　of　fanatic　fervor。　As　it　pleased　him
he　could　play　Hamlet；　tenderly　shocked　at　the　sight　of　his　dead
father；　or　Macbeth；　retreating　in　horror　before　the　ghost　of
Banquo。　For　the　moment　his　manner　was　that　of　the　undertaker。

〃Now；　Mr。　Hallowell；〃　he　said　hoarsely；　〃please　to　name　those
you　wish　to　serve　on　the　committee。〃

Mr。　Hallowell　waved　his　arm　to　include　every　one　in　the　room。

〃Everybody　will　serve　on　the　committee；〃　he　declared。
〃Everything　is　to　be　open　and　above…　board。　The　whole　city　is
welcome　on　the　committee。　I　want　this　to　be　above　suspicion。〃

〃That　is　my　wish；　also；　sir；〃　said　Vance　stiffly。　〃But　a
committee　of　more　than　three　is　unwieldy。　Suppose　you　name　two
gentlemen　and　I　one？　Or；〃　he　shrugged　his　shoulders；　〃you　can
name　all　three。〃

After　a　moment　of　consideration　Mr。　Hallowell　pointed　at　Lee。　〃I
choose　Mr。　　that　young　man；〃　he　announced；　〃and　Judge　Gaylor。〃

〃I　would　much　rather　not；　Stephen；〃　Judge　Gaylor　whispered。

〃I　know；　Henry；〃　answered　the　other。　〃But　I　ask　it　of　you。　It
will　give　me　confidence。〃　He　turned　to　Vance。　〃You　select　some
one；〃　he　commanded。

With　a　bow；　Vance　designated　the　tall　German。

〃Will　Professor　Strombergk　be　acceptable？〃　he　asked。　Mr。
Hallowell　nodded。

〃Then；　the　three　gentlemen　chosen　will　please　come　to　the
cabinet。〃

Vance；　his　manner　now　that　of　a　master　of　ceremonies；　assigned
to　each　person　the　seat　he　or　she　was　to　occupy。　Miss　Coates
with　satisfaction　noted　that　only　Mrs。　Vance　separated　Lee　from
the　electric　switch。

〃I　must　ask　you；〃　said　Vance；　〃to　keep　the　sears　I　have　assigned
to　you。　With　us　tonight　are　both　favorable　and　unfavorable
influences。　And　what　I　have　tried　to　do　in　placing　you；　is　to
obtain　the　best　psychic　results。〃　He　moved　to　the　door　and
looked　into　the　hall；　then　turned；　and　with　uplifted　arm
silently　demanded　attention。

〃Miss　Vera；〃　he　announced。　Followed　closely；　like　respectful
courtiers；　by　Mannie　and　Mrs。　Vance；　Vera　appeared　in　the
doorway；　walked　a　few　feet　into　the　room；　and　stood　motionless。
As　though　already　in　a　trance；　she　moved　slowly；　without
volition；　like　a　somnambulist。　Her　head　was　held　high；　but　her
eyes　were　dull　and　unseeing。　Her　arms　hung　limply。　She　wore　an
evening　gown　of　soft　black　stuff；　that　clung　to　her　like　a　lace
shawl；　and　which　left　her　throat　and　arms　bare。　In　spite　of　the
clash　of　interests；　of　antagonism；　of　mutual　distrust；　there　was
no　one　present　to　whom　the　sight　of　the　young　girl　did　not　bring
an　uneasy　thrill。　The　nature　of　the　thing　she　proposed　to　do；
contrasted　with　the　loveliness　of　her　face；　which　seemed　to　mock
at　the　possibility　of　deceit；　something　in　her　rapt；　distant
gaze；　in　the　dignity　of　her　uplifted　head；　in　her　air　of
complete　detachment　from　her　surroundings；　caused　even　the　most
skeptical　to　question　if　she　might　not　possess　the　power　she
claimed；　to　feel　for　a　moment　the　approach　of　the　supernatural。

The　voices　of　the　committee；　consulting　together；　dropped
suddenly　to　a　whisper；　the　others　were　instantly　silent。

In　his　arms　Mannie　carried　silken　scarfs；　cords；　and　ropes。　In
each　hand　he　held　a　teacup。　One　contained　flour；　the　other　shot。
Vance　took　these　from　him；　and　Mannie　hurriedly　slipped　into　his
chair　in　front　of　the　organ。

〃Gentlemen；〃　explained　Vance；　〃you　will　use　these　ropes　and
scarfs　to　tie　the　medium。　Also；　as　a　further　precautio