CHRISTMAS NIGHT--THE FORGING OF THE CHAIN
"You have more than redeemed your promise, Voltaire," said Tom Temple,
after a silence that was almost painful. "Certainly there is enough
romance and mystery in your story to satisfy any one. What do you think
of it, Justin?"--turning to me.
"Mr. Voltaire used the word 'imagination' in his story," I replied, "and
I think it would describe it very well. Still, it does not account for
much after one has read Dumas' _Memoirs of a Physician_."
"Am I to understand that you doubt the truth of my words?" asked
Voltaire sharply.
"I think your story is all it appears to be," I replied.
Honestly, however, I did not believe in one word of it. On the very face
of it, it was absurd. The idea of taking a spirit from a living body and
sending it after some one that was dead, in order that some secret might
be learned, might pass for a huge joke; but certainly it could not be
believed in by any well-balanced mind. At any rate, such was my
conviction.
"I have heard that Mr. Blake has attempted to write a novel," said
Voltaire. "Perhaps he believes my story is made on the same principle."
"Scarcely," I replied. "My novel was a failure. It caused no sensation
at all. Your story, on the other hand, is a brilliant success. See with
what breathless interest it was listened to, and how it haunts the
memories of your hearers even yet!"
This raised a slight titter. I do not know why it should, save that some
of the young ladies were frightened, and accepted the first opportunity
whereby they could in some way relieve their feelings. Anyhow it aroused
Mr. Voltaire, for, as he looked at me, there was the look of a demon in
his face, and his hand trembled.
"Do you doubt the existence of the forces I have mentioned?" he asked.
"Do you think that the matters to which I have referred exist only in
the mind? Are they, in your idea, no sciences in reality?"
"Pardon me, Mr. Voltaire," I replied, "but I am an Englishman. We are
thought by foreigners to be very conservative, and perhaps there may be
truth in it. Anyhow, I, for one, like tangible proof before I believe in
anything that does not appeal to my reason. Your story does not appear
reasonable, and, although I hope I do not offend you by saying so, I
cannot accept it as gospel."
"Perhaps," said Kaffar, who spoke for the first time, "Mr. Blake would
like some proofs. Perhaps he would like not only to _see_ manifestations
of the power of the unseen, but to _feel_ them. Ah! pardon me, ladies
and gentlemen, but I cannot stand by and hear the greatest of all
sciences maligned, and still be quiet. I cannot be silent when that
which is dearer to me than life itself is submitted to the cool test of
bigoted ignorance. You may not believe it true, but I would give much to
know what Ilfra the Understanding One knew. I was reared under Egypt's
sunny skies; I have lain under her stately palms and watched the
twinkling stars; I am a child of the East, and believe in the truths
that are taught there. I have only dabbled in the mysteries of the
unseen, but I know enough to tell you that what my friend says is true."
Was this a ruse on the part of the Egyptian? Looking at the whole matter
in the light of what followed I believe it was. And yet at the time I
did not know.
"I am sorry," I replied, "if I have caused annoyance. But we English
people possess the right of our opinions. However, I do not wish to bias
other minds, and trust that my scepticism may cause no unpleasantness."
"But would Mr. Blake like to be convinced?" said Voltaire.
"I am perfectly indifferent about the matter," I replied.
"That is very convenient for one who has stated his beliefs so doggedly.
Certainly I do not think that is English; if it is, I am glad I am not
an Englishman."
With this he fixed his eyes steadily on me, and tried to fasten my
attention, but did not at the time succeed.
"I was asked for my opinion," I said; "I did not force it. But still,
since you place it in that light, I _should_ like to be convinced."
By this time the interest manifested in the matter was great. Every one
watched breathlessly for what was to be done or said next, and certainly
I felt that I was regarded by the guests in anything but a favourable
light.
I saw Voltaire and Kaffar exchanging glances, and I felt sure that I
heard the former say in Arabic, "Not yet."
After this the two arranged to give us some manifestations of their
power. While they were conversing I went across the room and spoke to
Miss Forrest; but she was very reserved, and I thought her face looked
very pale.
"This is becoming interesting," I said.
"I wish you had said nothing about his story," was her reply.
"Pray why?"
She only shook her head.
"Surely you do not believe in his foolish story or conjuring tricks?" I
said laughingly.
But she did not reply in the same vein.
"Mr. Voltaire is a wonderful man," she said, "a clever man. If I were a
man I should not like to make him my enemy."
"I have heard of an old saying at my home," I replied, "which ran
something like this, 'Brag is a good dog, but Holdfast is better.'"
"Still I should have nothing to do with Brag," she said.
"I hope you will not," I replied meaningly.
She did not answer me, but I fancied she blushed; and again I felt
happy.
By this time Voltaire was ready with his performance. "You will see," he
said, "that here we have no chance for stage tricks. All is plain and
open as the day. Moreover, I will have no secrets from you even with
regard to the subject itself. The phenomena that will be brought before
you are purely psychological. The mind of my friend Kaffar will be, by a
secret power, merged into mine. What I see he will see, although in your
idea of the matter he does not see at all. Now, first of all, I wish you
to blindfold my friend Kaffar. Perhaps Mr. Blake, seeing he longs for
truth, may like to do this. No? Well, then, perhaps our host will. Thank
you, Mr. Temple."
With this Tom Temple completely blindfolded the Egyptian, and then we
awaited the further development of the matter.
"Would you mind leading him to the library?" Voltaire continued. "He
will certainly not be able to see anything of us here, and still he will
not be out of earshot."
Kaffar was accordingly led into the library, blindfolded.
"Now," said Voltaire, "I told you that by a secret power his mind and
mine became one. I will prove to you that I have not spoken boastingly.
Will any gentleman or lady show me any curiosity he or she may have?"
Accordingly several of the party pulled from their pockets articles of
interest, and of which neither Voltaire nor Kaffar could have known.
Each time the former asked what the article was, and each time the
latter, although at a distance, correctly described it.
A look of wonder began to settle on the faces of the guests, and
exclamations of surprise and bewilderment were apparent. It was apparent
that nearly all were converts to his beliefs, if beliefs they might be
called. After a number of articles were shown and described, Kaffar was
recalled, and was loudly applauded.
"You see," said Voltaire, "the evident truth of this. Certainly this is
a very simple affair, and my old friend Abou al Phadre would have smiled
at its littleness. Still it must convince every unprejudiced mind that
there is something deeper and more wonderful than those things which are
constantly passing before your view."
Miss Staggles, who had been almost as silent as a sphinx, spoke now. "We
are convinced that you are a wonderful man," she said; "and what I have
seen to-night will be ever a matter of marvel, as well as thankfulness
that I have been privileged to see it."
This was evidently the opinion of every one in the room. Even Gertrude
Forrest was carried away by it, while Miss Edith Gray was enraptured at
what she termed "a glorious mystery."
"I should like," said Miss Staggles, "to hear what Mr. Blake, the Thomas
of the party, has to say to it."
There was an ugly leer in the old woman's eye as she spoke, and the
thought struck me that Voltaire had been making friends with her.
"Yes," said Voltaire; "I am sure we should all like to know whether Mr.
Blake is convinced."
"I am convinced that Mr. Kaffar has a good memory," I said.
"Good memory! What do you mean?"
"Why, Mr. Voltaire and his friends have come a few years too late to
make a good impression. I have not only seen a better performance at a
dozen entertainments, but I have found out the secret of what is called
'thought-reading.'"
"Do you mean to say you have seen similar feats before?" asked Voltaire,
savagely.
"At least a dozen times," I replied. "In a few years' time, we shall see
the like performed on the sands at our fashionable watering-places."
"I am glad," said Kaffar, "that the education of your country has so far
advanced."
I went on talking, not realizing that I was all the time forging a chain
that should hold me in cruel bondage. "I am afraid it says very little
for our education," I replied. "Some clever fellow has invented a clever
system for asking and answering questions, and those who have taken the
trouble to learn it have been able to deceive a credulous public."
Voltaire's eyes flashed fire. All the malignity and cruelty that could
be expressed in a human face I thought I saw expressed in his. And yet
he wore his old fascinating smile; he never lost his seeming
self-possession.
"I must deny Mr. Blake's statement," he said; "and, further, I would
defy him to find or produce such a code of questions as he mentions."
I immediately left the room, and soon afterwards returned with a book by
a renowned thought-reader, wherein he explained what, to so many, has
appeared marvellous. I pointed out how, according to his system, by
asking a question, the first word of which should begin with a certain
letter, a particular thing should be indicated, and all that would be
needed was that the performers should be perfectly conversant with the
system.
The company quickly saw the truth of what I was saying, and for the
time, at any rate, Mr. Voltaire's marvellous knowledge was held at a
discount. "But does Mr. Blake mean to insinuate that Mr. Kaffar and
myself have learnt such a code as this?" said Voltaire at length.
"I insinuate nothing," I replied. "I am simply showing how your
performance can be done by those possessing no knowledge of the occult
sciences."
"But does Mr. Blake decline to believe that we know nothing of the
mysterious--that we have not dived into subjects of which the ordinary
mind can know nothing?" said Kaffar.
"Pardon me," I replied, "but I decline to answer. I have not volunteered
any opinion either as to Mr. Voltaire's story or your performance. I was
asked my opinion, and I gave it."
I watched Mr. Voltaire's face as I spoke. He seemed to be pondering some
matter in his mind, and appeared irresolute as to what action he should
take. At length, a strange light shot from his eyes, and he raised his
head and spoke.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he said, "evidently Mr. Blake, with his hard
English common-sense, has raised some amount of doubt in your minds as
to the validity of my story and of our performance. I am sure you will
allow me to vindicate and prove any assertion I have made. If I have
claimed a knowledge of the mysterious, I have not done so without
reason."
"We believe that is true," said Miss Staggles; "we believe you are a
wonderful man."
"Thank you," said Voltaire. "I am sure I have Miss Staggles' sympathies,
but will some one assist me in what I am about to do? I will allow no
possibility of a _system_ in this, and consequently I shall be glad if
any gentleman will help me in the manifestation of the hidden powers of
the human mind. Perhaps"--turning, I thought, eagerly to me--"Mr. Blake
will be the one?"
"No," I said; "I prefer to be a spectator."
I could no longer mistake the hate that flashed from his eyes; but he
said nothing, and waited quietly for a volunteer. No one was
forthcoming. At length Tom Temple said--
"Would one of the servants do, Voltaire?"
"I would rather have a visitor," said Voltaire, "and for two reasons:
first, you could not then have any reason for suspecting a collusion;
and, second, the ordinary English servant is extremely unsusceptible to
the play of higher powers. If, however, none of you will volunteer, I
can see no other alternative."
Accordingly, a man about my own age was brought in, and introduced as
Simon Slowden. I saw that he was no ordinary character as soon as he
entered, and was by no means one who could be easily imposed upon. I
afterwards found that Simon had spent his boyhood in London, had when a
youth joined a travelling circus, and tramped the country for a few
years. He had also travelled with several "shows," two or three
travelling theatres, and had finally settled down with a lame leg at
Temple Hall, where he made himself generally useful.
His dialect was a mixture of the Cockney and a dozen others equally bad,
until it was almost impossible to tell from that source the part of the
country from which he hailed. He was, however, a good-hearted fellow,
and for a wonder, considering his history, as honest as the day.
"Now, Simon," said Tom Temple, "this gentleman is a scientist and wants
to show some experiments, and he can't get any one to assist him, so I
thought I'd ask you."
"Well," said Simon, "I don't know as I think mich on these science
gents. They're allays a-bringin' in some new-fangled thing or other, but
generally there's nowt in 'em. Still, to 'blige the company, I'll do owt
raisonable. I'm tough has a crocodile's tongue, and can stand a goodish
bit o' jingo and nonsense. Here goes, yer honour." Voltaire eyed him
doubtfully, and Simon coolly returned the stare.
"You are not a-gwine to waccinate me, be 'ee?" said Simon at length.
"No--why?"
"'Cause I can't stand that, tough as I be. I lived wi' a doctor once,
and says he to me, 'Simon, I want to speriment on ye,' says he. 'I'm
tough 'nough,' says I. 'I want to waccinate you 'gainst cholera, hoopin'
cough, and small-pox,' says he. 'What's that? give 'em to me?' says I.
'No,' says he, 'but to prevent you from a hevin' 'em.' 'That's yer
sorts,' says I. Well, gentlemen, he waccinated me, and I said to un,
'Never no more, yer honour.'"
"Why?" asked I.
"'Cause I'd rather hev cholera, hoopin' cough, and small-pox all
together than be waccinated. Jes like women, you never know where
they'll break out."
"Will you kindly sit down," said Voltaire, "while I go to my room for a
book?"
While he was gone I went to Simon, and spoke to him, and that gentleman
got very communicative.
"I'm not overmich in love wi' that chap," he says; "and sure's I'm a
right-down Cockney, he hates you like pizen. Give 'im a wide berth, yer
honour, and doan't hev nothin' to do wi' 'im."
"Oh," I replied, "he can't hurt me."
"Don't know, yer honour. You and he's got your peepers fixed in the same
place, and scuse me; but if you give 'im a chance, he'll beat yer. He'd
charm a serpiant vith thews peepers o' hisn."
"Aren't you afraid yourself, then?"
"He can't hurt me, for I'm too tough, and I'm noan sighin' for anybody,
I ain't; and I hain't a got a good-lookin' jib, and--"
But here Voltaire entered the room and spoke to Tom Temple.
"Simon," said Tom a second after, "what colour are the chestnut mare's
eyes?"
Simon heaved himself, struggled, looked vacant, and said dreamily,
"They're loike women, and--waccination, you--you--" But a film came over
his eyes, and he was unconscious.
Again there was deathly silence in the room, and all eyes were turned
towards Voltaire, who had walked close to Simon Slowden.
"The man is not very susceptible," said Voltaire, "consequently I cannot
do so much with him as I should had he been more highly organized; but I
can at least convince sceptics. You will see," he went on, "that I have
not touched him, and yet he is no longer conscious. I will now ask him
any question, concerning either the dead or the living, that you may be
inclined to ask."
"I will ask a test question," said Gertrude Forrest. "What are the
servants doing at this time?"
"The cook's examinin' a goose," was the reply, "and the housemaid's
talking wi' a chap as is just come from t' village."
He went on telling what the rest were doing; but Tom Temple immediately
sent to the kitchen, and found that things were as was described.
"Where's Dr. Sharp?" said Mrs. Temple, adding that they could easily
find out the doctor's present whereabouts the next day.
"He's comin' up here with his long-nosed pointer," was the reply, "and
'll be 'ere in a jiffy."
Five minutes after, Dr. Sharp came into the room. "I did not know I
could come until half-an-hour ago," he said as he entered, and then
stared as he saw how matters stood.
"Will you tell me," said Miss Forrest, "what my aunt is doing just now?"
She mentioned no name, and I do not know how the man sitting in the
chair could know anything about her.
"She is jest gwine to bed," he said; "she's a bit ov a cold in 'er
chest, and housekeeper is gwine to take some warmin' stuff to her."
"I'll know if this is true to-morrow," said Miss Forrest, and then
relapsed into silence.
Meanwhile question after question was asked and answered, while Voltaire
and Kaffar stood side by side, each with a terrible glitter in his eyes.
Under some secret influence Simon Slowden was led to the piano, and
there executed some of the latest and most difficult pieces of music,
and, without hesitation, told things that were at least marvellous.
Then, when excitement was at the highest, he woke up, and coolly rubbed
his eyes.
No one uttered a word, we were all too much amazed. At last Voltaire,
with a sidelong glance at me, asked whether we were convinced, and one
by one the members of the party expressed their wonder and astonishment.
I, however, was silent. Some power of obstinacy seemed to possess me. I
would not tamely admit his victory, after I had openly defeated him
before. Still I did not speak a word.
"Is Mr. Blake convinced?" said Miss Staggles, leering towards me.
"Of what?" I asked.
"Of Mr. Voltaire's power."
"Undoubtedly."
"Come," said Kaffar, "Mr. Blake is still a sceptic. I think it fair that
he should consent to test this for himself."
"Certainly not," I replied.
"But I think it our right," said Voltaire. "You have expressed your want
of faith in our power; now, if you have the courage of a man with an
opinion, test the matter. Sit here as Simon did, and see whether you are
right."
I thought I heard a voice saying "Don't!" close to my ear, and I
hesitated.
At this there was a titter among the young ladies.
"Evidently our Thomas is afraid," said Miss Staggles.
There was an ugly look in her eyes as she said this, but the titter
increased into a kind of derisive laugh.
I know it was an evidence of my cowardice, but I could not withstand
their laughter. I forgot the warning voice behind me; I refused to take
notice of Mrs. Temple's warning glance; I rose up, went to the chair in
the middle of the room, and defiantly said, "There! do all you can with
me."
Voltaire and Kaffar came up to me, while the rest crowded around. The
former fixed his terrible eye upon me as if he would peer into my very
soul. A strange feeling began to creep over me; but I struggled against
it with all my strength, and for a minute I seemed to gain the mastery.
I laughed in his face, as if I scorned his boasted strength. A strange
gleam was emitted from his light grey eyes, while his lips became ashy
pale. Then I saw him grip Kaffar's hand. Instantly the room was peopled
with a strange crowd. Dark forms seemed to come from Voltaire's eyes;
peculiar influences were all around me. The faces of the two men became
dimmer and dimmer, the people appeared to float in mid air, and I with
them; then something heavy seemed to move away, I thought I heard
strange creeping noises, like that of an adder crawling amidst thick dry
grass, and then all was blank.