children,’ intoned Mrs Gaskin, ‘and we must lead them.’ There were a few moments of quiet reflection after which the professor said, ‘Amen!’ very firmly, and the company echoed him.
‘And now,’ said Professor Gaskin, ‘I would like to bring before you – Miss Eustace.’
He threw the curtains apart with a brave flourish, as a man might have done who was displaying a marvel of the world or a performing lion, or some such novelty. There was a little gasp of fright from Miss Whinstone, which was soon quelled, for in the dim alcove created by the corner of the room, on a plain wooden chair, there sat a woman, not a spirit, but a real solid breathing woman, in a pose of great humility, her head bowed as if in prayer. She wore a gown of pearl grey silk, embellished with flounces and velvet ribbons, with deep ruffled cuffs, and the hands that peeped out and lay clasped upon her lap were small and very white. Her face, seen as she slowly raised her head, was serene with the kind of regular features that made it pleasing without being beautiful. Professor Gaskin offered her his hand with a proud and gallant gesture, and she took it, rose to her feet in one graceful movement, and came forward until she stood before the curtains. The gathering murmured appreciation, which she acknowledged with a slight bow. Professor Gaskin brought the chair forward into the room, and she was seated. ‘If I might have the assistance of any observer who will attest that the bindings are properly done?’ he asked.
Mina would have liked to volunteer but she did not move quickly enough, and the ropes, which had lain coiled on a small table behind the curtains, were taken up by Dr Hamid, clearly a gentleman who always endeavoured to be useful, and Mrs Mowbray, who had been gazing admiringly at Dr Hamid, something to which he seemed oblivious. Professor Gaskin supervised the binding, which attached Miss Eustace by her wrists to the framework of the chair. While this was being done, Mina had the opportunity to see what other articles were behind the curtains. The small light bentwood table was barely a foot across, and had no cloth to cover it, so it was impossible for anything to be hidden underneath. On its surface was a pencil, a sheet of notepaper, a small handbell and a tambourine. As far as Mina could see there was nothing else behind the curtain, and the wall covering at the rear of the enclosure was the same as the rest of the room. There was certainly insufficient space to conceal another person or an object of any size.
Once Professor Gaskin’s two assistants had pronounced themselves satisfied that Miss Eustace was securely bound, and were back in their places, he lit the candle and turned down the gas. Carrying the candle, the professor returned to his seat – the yellow flickering light casting deep moving shadows in his eye sockets and cheeks.
‘I would now like everyone to take the hand of the person sitting beside them,’ he said. ‘Those who are seated on the end of a row, please take the hand of the person beside you with both of yours. This is for the assurance of all present that no one will be able to move about the room during the proceedings, since the energy of the medium must not be disturbed. I will then blow out the candle, and when I have done so, I ask you all to join me in a hymn. We will have ‘ Abide With Me’ .’ This was a popular choice at Christ Church and one to which all the assembled company knew the words.
There was a sobbing whimper from Miss Whinstone, as if she constantly needed to remind everyone in the room that she was not only there, but afraid and in need of attention; however, she did not faint. Miss Whinstone, Mina recalled, had never, as far as she was aware, actually fainted, although she often said that she was just about to. Mina encountered on one side the cold dry hands of Mrs Gaskin, and on the other, the tight clasp of Mrs Mowbray. The candle was blown out, and then
‘And now,’ said Professor Gaskin, ‘I would like to bring before you – Miss Eustace.’
He threw the curtains apart with a brave flourish, as a man might have done who was displaying a marvel of the world or a performing lion, or some such novelty. There was a little gasp of fright from Miss Whinstone, which was soon quelled, for in the dim alcove created by the corner of the room, on a plain wooden chair, there sat a woman, not a spirit, but a real solid breathing woman, in a pose of great humility, her head bowed as if in prayer. She wore a gown of pearl grey silk, embellished with flounces and velvet ribbons, with deep ruffled cuffs, and the hands that peeped out and lay clasped upon her lap were small and very white. Her face, seen as she slowly raised her head, was serene with the kind of regular features that made it pleasing without being beautiful. Professor Gaskin offered her his hand with a proud and gallant gesture, and she took it, rose to her feet in one graceful movement, and came forward until she stood before the curtains. The gathering murmured appreciation, which she acknowledged with a slight bow. Professor Gaskin brought the chair forward into the room, and she was seated. ‘If I might have the assistance of any observer who will attest that the bindings are properly done?’ he asked.
Mina would have liked to volunteer but she did not move quickly enough, and the ropes, which had lain coiled on a small table behind the curtains, were taken up by Dr Hamid, clearly a gentleman who always endeavoured to be useful, and Mrs Mowbray, who had been gazing admiringly at Dr Hamid, something to which he seemed oblivious. Professor Gaskin supervised the binding, which attached Miss Eustace by her wrists to the framework of the chair. While this was being done, Mina had the opportunity to see what other articles were behind the curtains. The small light bentwood table was barely a foot across, and had no cloth to cover it, so it was impossible for anything to be hidden underneath. On its surface was a pencil, a sheet of notepaper, a small handbell and a tambourine. As far as Mina could see there was nothing else behind the curtain, and the wall covering at the rear of the enclosure was the same as the rest of the room. There was certainly insufficient space to conceal another person or an object of any size.
Once Professor Gaskin’s two assistants had pronounced themselves satisfied that Miss Eustace was securely bound, and were back in their places, he lit the candle and turned down the gas. Carrying the candle, the professor returned to his seat – the yellow flickering light casting deep moving shadows in his eye sockets and cheeks.
‘I would now like everyone to take the hand of the person sitting beside them,’ he said. ‘Those who are seated on the end of a row, please take the hand of the person beside you with both of yours. This is for the assurance of all present that no one will be able to move about the room during the proceedings, since the energy of the medium must not be disturbed. I will then blow out the candle, and when I have done so, I ask you all to join me in a hymn. We will have ‘ Abide With Me’ .’ This was a popular choice at Christ Church and one to which all the assembled company knew the words.
There was a sobbing whimper from Miss Whinstone, as if she constantly needed to remind everyone in the room that she was not only there, but afraid and in need of attention; however, she did not faint. Miss Whinstone, Mina recalled, had never, as far as she was aware, actually fainted, although she often said that she was just about to. Mina encountered on one side the cold dry hands of Mrs Gaskin, and on the other, the tight clasp of Mrs Mowbray. The candle was blown out, and then
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