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
热门推荐
  • 圣世云图之泣血莲

    圣世云图之泣血莲

    一场怪异手术让苏霁瑶灵魂斗转,一场时空转换让她深陷谜团。朝堂,乱世,纷争不断;家族,生命,灾难不熄,时空踏错,乱世自有人来磨,风云朝堂,家国自有我来守,且看强悍她如何在乱世艰难存活,如何在险滩恶斗敌人!本文纯属虚构,请勿模仿。
  • 恶魔校草的傻丫头

    恶魔校草的傻丫头

    他与她从小就认识,并且父母为他们定了娃娃亲,却因为有些事她离开了,在她上高中的第一天就与他杆上了,然后无缘无故的搬进了他家,在他父母的牵线下,他们成功相爱,而经历了许多挫折后他也发现了她就是小时候的她,后来她也和他解释了自己的经历,他也原谅了她,就这样他们在一起期待着幸福的到来
  • 荒变

    荒变

    降大妖,斗万法,夺造化,逆阴阳,断生死。武者一生,跌宕起伏。一剑逐日月,一指碎凌霄,一语破玄机,一念定乾坤。修炼一途,浩淼如烟。古族弟子古尘,在一个意外中,跟随一颗神秘的巨蛋,来到这样一个世界。——————————————小二在此谢谢各位看官捧场!qq群:530816258,喜欢的朋友可以加个~
  • 联盟主宰

    联盟主宰

    2025年的地球,由于科学研究泄露的恐龙细胞,导致整个地球迎来了恐龙危机!同时,这也是电子竞技游戏《英雄联盟》风靡全球的时代!排位连败?晋级掉线?这只是狗屎运的开端!在这个武师和异能者崛起的时代,主角因为一次莫名的掉线而获得了自己的异能!光速QA?落地金身?什么?奥术跃迁加天崩地裂?左脚忍者足具右脚明朗之靴?我的异能就是,联盟主宰!
  • 异界之光明逆袭

    异界之光明逆袭

    光明属性是垃圾?意外来到异界的喜洋,好不容易获得的魔力居然是光明属性的。”让你们看看垃圾属性的威力!极光天堂!“
  • 尽风花

    尽风花

    自辽、金乱华以来,江湖崛起一神秘组织——天下盟,盟中以“天下”为己任。令之所出,可使江山沉浮,江湖中人称之“天下令”。天下盟从不涉足江湖,唯有无剑山庄知其一二,江湖中人凡有所请必求无剑山庄。时光如梭,日月更迭,江湖百年间,南疆蛮族常犯中原,为保中原百姓,武林八派联手击杀蛮族首领于南疆千蛇窟。那一役,武林八派高手伤亡惨重,幸得天香楼楼主慕容俊峰在洛阳施药救治,方免于南疆剧毒荼害。此后,天香楼在武林中威望日盛,第二任楼主慕容霸促成八派会武挑选各派精英,以防南疆蛮族再犯中原。
  • 极无真诀

    极无真诀

    但凡有灵根者,身强体壮,精神饱满,神藏神光熠熠必是聪慧之人。揽星星,捉日月,不感性趣。倒乾坤,移山倒海,没意思。震万古,独霸天上,太无聊。老大你厉害你先上,我断后。我会改字,最喜欢把偷改成借。谁在砍你?鬼才知道。老娘经常被仙人欺负,我用炸弹攻击试试看?仙帝总是爱以大欺小,我先定个小目标,踩几个仙帝在脚下研究研究。我本是老实人,突然爆发一次天都害怕。
  • 魂回大唐

    魂回大唐

    一次奇异的日食让他回到唐朝成为了三皇子李恪。波澜未静,风萧烟凝。残血未断,血火迷离。即往事如今生,烟花一瞬,定位永恒!
  • 中华营养百味:好太太美食

    中华营养百味:好太太美食

    “要想抓住男人的心,首先要抓住男人的胃。”身为一名好太太,一手色香味俱全的佳肴是必须掌握的。“三日入厨下,洗手作羹汤。未谙姑食性,先遣小姑尝。”掌握了一手让人垂涎欲滴的厨艺更是轻松调和家庭关系的便捷方法。好太太怎么可以少了一手好厨艺呢!
  • 相思谋:妃常难娶

    相思谋:妃常难娶

    某日某王府张灯结彩,婚礼进行时,突然不知从哪冒出来一个小孩,对着新郎道:“爹爹,今天您的大婚之喜,娘亲让我来还一样东西。”说完提着手中的玉佩在新郎面前晃悠。此话一出,一府宾客哗然,然当大家看清这小孩与新郎如一个模子刻出来的面容时,顿时石化。此时某屋顶,一个绝色女子不耐烦的声音响起:“儿子,事情办完了我们走,别在那磨矶,耽误时间。”新郎一看屋顶上的女子,当下怒火攻心,扔下新娘就往女子所在的方向扑去,吼道:“女人,你给本王站住。”一场爱与被爱的追逐正式开始、、、、、、、