登陆注册
14820400000090

第90章

An expression of the opposite desire followed, however, from the other ladies. Their curiosity seemed to strive with their fears, and to overcome them.

"I hope we shall have nothing to do with it in any other way than merely as spectators?" said Mrs. Elton.

"Nothing more than you please. It is doubtful if you can even be spectators. That remains to be seen.""Good gracious!" exclaimed Mrs. Elton.

Lady Emily looked at her with surprise--almost reproof.

"I beg your pardon, my dear; but it sounds so dreadful. What can it be?""Let me entreat you, ladies, not to imagine that I am urging you to anything," said Funkelstein.

"Not in the least," replied Mrs. Elton. "I was very foolish." And the old lady looked ashamed, and was silent.

"Then if you will allow me, I will make one small preparation. Have you a tool-chest anywhere, Mr. Arnold?""There must be tools enough about the place, I know. I will ring for Atkins.""I know where the tool chest is," said Hugh; "and, if you will allow me a suggestion, would it not be better the servants should know nothing about this? There are some foolish stories afloat amongst them already.""A very proper suggestion, Mr. Sutherland," said Mr. Arnold, graciously. "Will you find all that is wanted, then?""What tools do you want?" asked Hugh.

"Only a small drill. Could you get me an earthenware plate--not china--too?""I will manage that," said Euphra.

Hugh soon returned with the drill, and Euphra with the plate. The Bohemian, with some difficulty, and the remark that the English ware was very hard, drilled a small hole in the rim of the plate--a dinner-plate; then begging an H B drawing-pencil from Miss Cameron, cut off a small piece, and fitted it into the hole, making it just long enough to touch the table with its point when the plate lay in its ordinary position.

"Now I am ready," said he. "But," he added, raising his head, and looking all round the room, as if a sudden thought had struck him--"I do not think this room will be quite satisfactory."They were now in the drawing-room.

"Choose the room in the house that will suit you," said Mr. Arnold.

"The dining-room?"

"Certainly not," answered Funkelstein, as he took from his watch-chain a small compass and laid it on the table. "Not the dining-room, nor the breakfast-room--I think. Let me see--how is it situated?" He went to the hall, as if to refresh his memory, and then looked again at the compass. "No, not the breakfast-room."Hugh could not help thinking there was more or less of the charlatan about the man.

"The library?" suggested Lady Emily.

They adjourned to the library to see. The library would do. After some further difficulty, they succeeded in procuring a large sheet of paper and fastening it down to the table by drawing-pins. Only two candles were in the great room, and it was scarcely lighted at all by them; yet Funkelstein requested that one of these should be extinguished, and the other removed to a table near the door. He then said, solemnly:

"Let me request silence, absolute silence, and quiescence of thought even."After stillness had settled down with outspread wings of intensity, he resumed:

"Will any one, or, better, two of you, touch the plate as lightly as possible with your fingers?"All hung back for a moment. Then Mr. Arnold came forward.

"I will," said he, and laid his fingers on the plate.

"As lightly as possible, if you please. If the plate moves, follow it with your fingers, but be sure not to push it in any direction.""I understand," said Mr. Arnold; and silence fell again.

The Bohemian, after a pause, spoke once more, but in a foreign tongue. The words sounded first like entreaty, then like command, and at last, almost like imprecation. The ladies shuddered.

"Any movement of the vehicle?" said he to Mr. Arnold.

If by the vehicle you mean the plate, certainly not," said Mr. Arnold solemnly. But the ladies were very glad of the pretext for attempting a laugh, in order to get rid of the oppression which they had felt for some time.

"Hush!" said Funkelstein, solemnly.--"Will no one else touch the plate, as well? It will seldom move with one. It does with me.

But I fear I might be suspected of treachery, if I offered to join Mr. Arnold.""Do not hint at such a thing. You are beyond suspicion."What ground Mr. Arnold had for making such an assertion, was no better known to himself than to any one else present. Von Funkelstein, without another word, put the fingers of one hand lightly on the plate beside Mr. Arnold's. The plate instantly began to move upon the paper. The motion was a succession of small jerks at first; but soon it tilted up a little, and moved upon a changing point of support. Now it careered rapidly in wavy lines, sweeping back towards the other side, as often as it approached the extremity of the sheet, the men keeping their fingers in contact with it, but not appearing to influence its motion. Gradually the motion ceased.

Von Funkelstein withdrew his hand, and requested that the other candle should be lighted. The paper was taken up and examined.

Nothing could be discovered upon it, but a labyrinth of wavy and sweepy lines. Funkelstein pored over it for some minutes, and then confessed his inability to make a single letter out of it, still less words and sentences, as he had expected.

"But," said he, "we are at least so far successful: it moves. Let us try again. Who will try next?""I will," said Hugh, who had refrained at first, partly from dislike to the whole affair, partly because he shrank from putting himself forward.

A new sheet of paper was fixed. The candle was extinguished. Hugh put his fingers on the plate. In a second or two, it began to move.

"A medium!" murmured Funkelstein. He then spoke aloud some words unintelligible to the rest.

同类推荐
  • 性善恶论

    性善恶论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 佛说月明菩萨经

    佛说月明菩萨经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 梵网经述记卷第一

    梵网经述记卷第一

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 煎茶水记

    煎茶水记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 吏学指南

    吏学指南

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 格林童话(语文新课标课外读物)

    格林童话(语文新课标课外读物)

    现代中、小学生不能只局限于校园和课本,应该广开视野,广长见识,广泛了解博大的世界和社会,不断增加丰富的现代社会知识和世界信息,才有所精神准备,才能迅速地长大,将来才能够自由地翱翔于世界蓝天。否则,我们将永远是妈妈怀抱中的乖宝宝,将永远是温室里面的豆芽菜,那么,我们将怎样走向社会、走向世界呢?
  • 戏中戏之年少轻狂

    戏中戏之年少轻狂

    年少轻狂.胜者为王.这是一场爱情与事业的巅峰对决;雄资的企业,溺宠的爱情,展开了一发不可收拾的爱恨情仇,在这里为你拉开奢华盛世的帷幕!那时烟雨痴梦;多情的她爱上了无情的他,一场梦醒,变得专情的他却爱上了绝情的她。那时梦葬南风,她已经分不清他到底是她的错过的爱情,还是友情!后来她戴上那个沉重耀眼的戒指的时候,他许她童颜白发!在事业与爱情的脚步同时前进时,利刃出鞘只为斩断那烦乱的故事,而她也是那故事中的人物。这一场场较量在他们眼中到底是拼命还是简单的博弈!爱的游戏,事业的成败,是为爱掠夺还是放弃。其实这只是一群人的青春,被大雨冲刷留下的印记;或者只是一个少女的成长足迹。此番一段修行。
  • 爆笑魔妃:农女修仙

    爆笑魔妃:农女修仙

    哎呦诶,现在妖怪越来越多了,为了人生安全,伊贝贝只好选择去修仙。不过她这是什么运气?有美男当师傅,魔君当相公,太子当男宠,神兽当小弟,她第一次发现生活竟然是如此美好多娇。
  • 强制钱钱

    强制钱钱

    死胖子,滚过来给我捏捏腿”“小师妹,第一我不是死胖子,第二我滚不动,第三,你真的不需要一个全身按摩吗?”“打湿胸,我想吃糖糖了!”“小薇,我不是你师兄,我也不是打湿胸,是大师兄,糖糖现在没有,我把手指涂层蜜糖你看行吗?”“李钱钱!你能不能给我好好的,我是你正儿八经定了亲的媳妇,你怎么乱招蜂引蝶的?就不能对我一心一意吗?你要再这样我就死给你看!”“我的好媳妇啊,我这么出众的男人,就是无星的夜晚唯一的月亮,要不怎么能吸引得到像太阳的你吶?而且我面对你真的是一心一意没有想别人啊,咱们平静下心今天晚上喝喝酒赏赏月一起看看巫山.....”
  • 灵魂者的舞会

    灵魂者的舞会

    在这个世界里,只有每个国家的政府首脑才知道,有关灵力的存在。那是可以反抗一切物理法则的力量,而我们的主人公叶晨,轩辕家的败子,天子剑的主人。当众人的心思从横交错时,叶晨手中的剑,将指向何方?银发的剑王。剑舞的巫女。天子的圣剑。三者会擦出怎样的火花?当一切真相水落石出之时,来吧,选择吧。
  • The Man Versus the State

    The Man Versus the State

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 暗夜重生:霸宠杀手妻

    暗夜重生:霸宠杀手妻

    她,是世界顶尖的杀手,腹黑邪魅的存在,每一株任务的花朵都在她手中完美地绽放。当她重生到一个偏远的小镇,成为那个平凡懦弱的少女,遇到尖酸刻薄的亲戚,狂傲如她,又该如何做呢?!当初的懦弱少女又会发生怎样的蜕变?!他,是翻手为云,覆手为雨,人人敬畏的存在,对女人有洁癖的他,却偏偏钟情于她,非她不娶!且看他们之间会产生怎样的火花!
  • 雪天狐

    雪天狐

    我是一只狐狸,世间最高贵的天狐。我是奶奶教大的,一千多年来,不管什么狐族法术、人类修行经典、云族道法,我都学得有模有样,我很棒。奶奶说,这个世界,只有两个人她打不过,一个在西边,一个在东边,都不是好人,她要我长大了去揍他们。可我不喜欢打打杀杀,我只喜欢吃鸡腿、睡懒觉。“哎呦,奶奶,我错了,您别打我了……”
  • 夜帝独宠:假面王妃别逃

    夜帝独宠:假面王妃别逃

    叶子新文《鬼王嗜宠:女人,为夫错了!》连载更新中……真真假假,若即若离,情难自禁,他的心乱了。只是,当初拜他所赐的痛苦,怎能忘!她,逃也似的离开,他,穷追不舍……“怎么见到本王就躲啊?是不是昨晚对你太凶了。”某男邪魅一笑。某女一步一步靠近,狡黠一笑,“对啊,你看你又没经验,昨晚,把人家弄疼了。”某男石化,竟无可奈何……重生归来,她誓要活个精彩!
  • 法海遗珠

    法海遗珠

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。