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.Cargill,may have witnessed your performance, and may know you again.""That is not impossible," said Vosper, "and if a medium is aware that aprofessional conjurer is present the manifestations are apt to dry up in amost unaccountable manner.We had better come incognito.We shall haveno difficulty in disguising our identity sufficiently to pass muster.Pleaseconsider, for the time being, that my name is Wilkinson and my assistant'sPaulett.We are acquaintances of yours, but strangers to each other.I mustask you, by the way, to make the meetings tolerably late in the evening.'Our turn' here lasts till nine, and you must allow us half an hour to makeour arrangements and reach the place of meeting.""By all means," said Sir Reginald."I will make an appointment for the firstmeeting at once, and let you know by letter what is decided on."Accordingly, two days later, a note came to hand from Sir Reginald,informing us that he had appointed the following Monday, at his ownrooms in the Avenue de l'Opera for the first meeting.Mrs.Carrick's talent in "make-up" had been employed to good purpose onour behalf, and few would have recognised in the full-bearded Mr.Wilkinson the smooth-shaven Professor Vosper, or in thehttp://thelearnedpig.com.pa/magos/books/conjdick/024.html (2 of 10) [4/23/2002 3:37:23 PM]Chapter XXIIelegantly-moustached Mr.Paulett his still smoother assistant, Dick Hazard.We arrived separately, and were formally introduced to each other and thecompany by our host.The persons present, other than the medium, wereMajor Marjoribanks, a tall, military-looking man; a Mr.Tozer, a florid,loud-voiced gentleman, who looked like a country squire; a thin, paleyoung man, who was introduced as Mr.Vincent; an American gentlemannamed Padbury and his wife, and a Dr.Seward, a middle-aged man, with aslight cast in one eye, and very black hair and moustache.The medium, Mr.Cargill, was a young man of short build and somewhat heavy appearance,and spoke with a slight American accent.A second lady, who wasintroduced to us as Miss Musgrave, was also present.There was a large loo-table in the room.We sat around it, our hands laidflat upon it and our little fingers crossing those of our next neighbours.Aguitar, a musical box, and a couple of tambourines were laid in the centre."These gentlemen are aware of the conditions, and accept them, Ipresume?" said the medium, addressing Sir Reginald."That no one is tostrike a light or break the circle?" said the supposed Mr.Wilkinson."Certainly; that is always understood." "And the other gentleman?" askedthe medium.Taking my cue from the Professor, I expressed my willingnessto be bound by the same conditions.The gas was turned down to the pointof "darkness visible," and we waited in expectation, the medium sittingbetween Dr.Seward, on the one side, and Mrs.Padbury, on the other.MissMusgrave sat on the opposite side of Dr.Seward; I was placed between SirReginald and Mr.Padbury, and the Professor between Mrs.Padbury andMr.Vincent.For some time we sat without any result, when the mediumsuggested that it might be as well to have a little singing, in order toharmonise the influences.There was a little diffidence as to who shouldlead, but Miss Musgrave finally began, in a voice like the bleat of anasthmatic lamb, "Hand in hand with angels," which was forthwith taken upby the rest of the company.I cannot say that in a musical sense it was avery successful performance; indeed, it brought to my mind so forciblyGoles and his broken-winded concertina that it was with the utmostdifficulty that I refrained from scandalising the company by laughing aloud.Happily I managed to control my emotions, and presently the medium wasseized with one of those convulsive wriggles which are considered to beindicative of spirit presence."Are you here, dear spirits?" asked the timidvoice of Miss Musgrave.The table tilted three times, being theconventional signal for "Yes." "Are the conditions favourable?" was asked,to which the reply was a single knock, indicating a negative."Can weimprove them?" "Yes." "Are we wrongly seated?" "No." "Have we toomuch light?" "Yes [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]