but agree, and Mina returned to the front row.
Before the eagerly expected entrance of Miss Eustace, Professor Gaskin rose to address the onlookers.
‘My dear friends, it gives me great pleasure not only to see those who have attended our evenings before but also some new faces. I offer a warm welcome to you all. Some of you may have read criticisms in the press of our gatherings, and I do not intend to respond to them directly as I take no note of anything said by persons wholly ignorant of our proceedings here, and indeed ignorant of anything concerning the world of the spirit. It hardly needs to be said that we have avoided criticism throughout these demonstrations by holding them here and not at Miss Eustace’s own lodgings, so rendering it impossible for anyone to claim that she has arranged the room to facilitate deception. Everything in this room may be freely and thoroughly examined by anyone present, both before and after the séance, to satisfy themselves that there is nothing that might invite suspicion.’
But not during, thought Mina, who would have liked to go forward and take up that challenge, but realised that to do so would embarrass her mother in front of her friends, and accepted that such an action should be left for another time.
‘You may be interested to know,’ added the professor, ‘that some of the finest minds in the land have been examining the evidence for spiritualism for over a year and will shortly be publishing their conclusions. The gentlemen, and not a few ladies, of the London Dialectical Society have been holding meetings and séances, and taking the evidence of interested persons of good reputation. I have been privileged to see a copy of the report and I can reveal to you all now that it has concluded that there is abundant evidence for the reality of the manifestations which astound us and which we cannot as yet explain.’ He paused for vocal expressions of pleasure from his listeners then held up his hand so he could continue.
‘Despite this support from the learned amongst us, there will always be those whose minds remain closed to the truth,’ he continued, with a look of great sorrow for those unfortunates. ‘It has even been suggested that Miss Eustace carries out her séances under cover of darkness in order to conceal deception, and that the phenomena which many of you have already witnessed are not the work of some force as yet unknown to science but her own hands.’
A little murmur of amused incredulity ran about the room.
‘Darkness is certainly essential to our proceedings, but not for the reasons suggested by those cavillers who know nothing of which they speak, but because light can absorb the vital energy of the medium. The phenomena produced by Miss Eustace are not, as we know, the result of any action by her physical hands, but by a force that is as yet beyond our understanding, which extends beyond the periphery of her body and causes vibrations in the ether: a force hitherto unknown to science, the study of which will I am sure reveal to us in time a wholly new branch of knowledge.’ He paused. ‘However, for your further assurance, and the confusion of her critics, I will ensure that before we begin Miss Eustace is secured to her chair so that she is unable to rise from it or carry out any actions with her hands.’
‘It is the greatest insult,’ said Mrs Gaskin, loudly, ‘to call into question such a virtuous lady, and it says much regarding the coarse and ignorant unbelievers who would subject her to such a proceeding. But their downfall will be our victory!’
‘And then,’ said the professor in a gentler tone than his good lady, ‘we may raise them to greater understanding. Let us take a few moments of silent prayer, in which we give thanks to the Lord God for His miracles as His blessing to the holy, and ask Him to give us the power to save and enlighten those who are even now mired in the slough of prejudice.’
‘For they are as
Before the eagerly expected entrance of Miss Eustace, Professor Gaskin rose to address the onlookers.
‘My dear friends, it gives me great pleasure not only to see those who have attended our evenings before but also some new faces. I offer a warm welcome to you all. Some of you may have read criticisms in the press of our gatherings, and I do not intend to respond to them directly as I take no note of anything said by persons wholly ignorant of our proceedings here, and indeed ignorant of anything concerning the world of the spirit. It hardly needs to be said that we have avoided criticism throughout these demonstrations by holding them here and not at Miss Eustace’s own lodgings, so rendering it impossible for anyone to claim that she has arranged the room to facilitate deception. Everything in this room may be freely and thoroughly examined by anyone present, both before and after the séance, to satisfy themselves that there is nothing that might invite suspicion.’
But not during, thought Mina, who would have liked to go forward and take up that challenge, but realised that to do so would embarrass her mother in front of her friends, and accepted that such an action should be left for another time.
‘You may be interested to know,’ added the professor, ‘that some of the finest minds in the land have been examining the evidence for spiritualism for over a year and will shortly be publishing their conclusions. The gentlemen, and not a few ladies, of the London Dialectical Society have been holding meetings and séances, and taking the evidence of interested persons of good reputation. I have been privileged to see a copy of the report and I can reveal to you all now that it has concluded that there is abundant evidence for the reality of the manifestations which astound us and which we cannot as yet explain.’ He paused for vocal expressions of pleasure from his listeners then held up his hand so he could continue.
‘Despite this support from the learned amongst us, there will always be those whose minds remain closed to the truth,’ he continued, with a look of great sorrow for those unfortunates. ‘It has even been suggested that Miss Eustace carries out her séances under cover of darkness in order to conceal deception, and that the phenomena which many of you have already witnessed are not the work of some force as yet unknown to science but her own hands.’
A little murmur of amused incredulity ran about the room.
‘Darkness is certainly essential to our proceedings, but not for the reasons suggested by those cavillers who know nothing of which they speak, but because light can absorb the vital energy of the medium. The phenomena produced by Miss Eustace are not, as we know, the result of any action by her physical hands, but by a force that is as yet beyond our understanding, which extends beyond the periphery of her body and causes vibrations in the ether: a force hitherto unknown to science, the study of which will I am sure reveal to us in time a wholly new branch of knowledge.’ He paused. ‘However, for your further assurance, and the confusion of her critics, I will ensure that before we begin Miss Eustace is secured to her chair so that she is unable to rise from it or carry out any actions with her hands.’
‘It is the greatest insult,’ said Mrs Gaskin, loudly, ‘to call into question such a virtuous lady, and it says much regarding the coarse and ignorant unbelievers who would subject her to such a proceeding. But their downfall will be our victory!’
‘And then,’ said the professor in a gentler tone than his good lady, ‘we may raise them to greater understanding. Let us take a few moments of silent prayer, in which we give thanks to the Lord God for His miracles as His blessing to the holy, and ask Him to give us the power to save and enlighten those who are even now mired in the slough of prejudice.’
‘For they are as
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