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.