david elginbrod-第50部分

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〃It　is　curious；　Herr　von　Funkelstein；　how　often；　if　you　meet　with
something　new　to　you；　you　fall　in　with　it　again　almost　immediately。
I　found　an　article　on　Biology　in　the　newspaper；　the　very　day　after
our　conversation　on　the　subject。　　But　absurd　as　the　whole　thing　is；
it　is　quite　surpassed　by　a　letter　in　to…day's　Times　about
spirit…rapping　and　mediums；　and　what　not！〃

This　observation　of　the　host　at　once　opened　the　whole　question　of
those　physico…psychological　phenomena　to　which　the　name　of
spiritualism　has　been　so　absurdly　applied。　　Mr。　Arnold　was　profound
in　his　contempt　of　the　whole　system；　if　not　very　profound　in　his
arguments　against　it。　　Every　one　had　something　to　remark　in
opposition　to　the　notions　which　were　so　rapidly　gaining　ground　in
the　country；　except　Funkelstein；　who　maintained　a　rigid　silence。

This　silence　could　not　continue　long　without　attracting　the
attention　of　the　rest　of　the　party；　upon　which　Mr。　Arnold　said：

〃You　have　not　given　us　your　opinion　on　the　subject；　Herr　von
Funkelstein。〃

〃I　have　not；　Mr。　Arnold；I　should　not　like　to　encounter　the
opposition　of　so　many　fair　adversaries；　as　well　as　of　my　host。〃

〃We　are　in　England；　sir；　and　every　man　is　at　liberty　to　say　what　he
thinks。　　For　my　part；　I　think　it　all　absurd；　if　not　improper。〃

〃I　would　not　willingly　differ　from　you；　Mr。　Arnold。　　And　I　confess
that　a　great　deal　that　finds　its　way　into　the　public　prints；　does
seem　very　ridiculous　indeed；　but　I　am　bound；　for　truth's　sake；　to
say；　that　I　have　seen　more　than　I　can　account　for；　in　that　kind　of
thing。　　There　are　strange　stories　connected　with　my　own　family；
which；　perhaps；　incline　me　to　believe　in　the　supernatural；　and；
indeed；　without　making　the　smallest　pretence　to　the　dignity　of　what
they　call　a　medium；　I　have　myself　had　some　curious　experiences。　　I
fear　I　have　some　natural　proclivity　towards　what　you　despise。　　But　I
beg　that　my　statement　of　my　own　feelings　on　the　subject；　may　not
interfere　in　the　least　with　the　prosecution　of　the　present
conversation；　for　I　am　quite　capable　of　drawing　pleasure　from
listening　to　what　I　am　unable　to　agree　with。〃

〃But　let　us　hear　your　arguments；　strengthened　by　your　facts；　in
opposition　to　ours；　for　it　will　be　impossible　to　talk　with　a　silent
judge　amongst　us；〃　Hugh　ventured　to　say。

〃I　set　up　for　no　judge；　Mr。　Sutherland；　I　assure　you；　and　perhaps　I
shall　do　my　opinions　more　justice　by　remaining　silent；　seeing　I　am
conscious　of　utter　inability　to　answer　the　a　priori　arguments　which
you　in　particular　have　brought　against　them。　　All　I　would　venture　to
say　is；　that　an　a　priori　argument　may　owe　its　force　to　a　mistaken
hypothesis　with　regard　to　the　matter　in　question；　and　that　the　true
Baconian　method；　which　is　the　glory　of　your　English　philosophy；
would　be　to　inquire　first　what　the　thing　is；　by　recording
observations　and　experiments　made　in　its　supposed　direction。〃

〃At　least　Herr　von　Funkelstein　has　the　best　of　the　argument　now；　I
am　compelled　to　confess；〃　said　Hugh。

Funkelstein　bowed　stiffly；　and　was　silent。

〃You　rouse　our　curiosity；〃　said　Mr。　Arnold；　〃but　I　fear；　after　the
free　utterance　which　we　have　already　given　to　our　own　judgments；　in
ignorance；　of　course；　of　your　greater　experience；　you　will　not　be
inclined　to　make　us　wiser　by　communicating　any　of　the　said
experience；　however　much　we　may　desire　to　hear　it。〃

Had　he　been　speaking　to　one　of　less　evident　social　standing　than
Funkelstein；　Mr。　Arnold；　if　dying　with　curiosity；　would　not　have
expressed　the　least　wish　to　be　made　acquainted　with　his　experiences。
He　would　have　sat　in　apparent　indifference；　but　in　real　anxiety
that　some　one　else　would　draw　him　out；　and　thus　gratify　his
curiosity　without　endangering　his　dignity。

〃I　do　not　think；〃　replied　Funkelstein；　〃that　it　is　of　any　use　to
bring　testimony　to　bear　on　such　a　matter。　　I　have　seento　use　the
words　of　some　one　else；　I　forget　whom；　on　a　similar　subjectI　have
seen　with　my　own　eyes　what　I　certainly　should　never　have　believed　on
the　testimony　of　another。　　Consequently；　I　have　no　right　to　expect
that　my　testimony　should　be　received。　　Besides；　I　do　not　wish　it　to
be　received；　although　I　confess　I　shrink　from　presenting　it　with　a
certainty　of　its　being　rejected。　　I　have　no　wish　to　make　converts　to
my　opinions。〃

〃Really；　Herr　von　Funkelstein；　at　the　risk　of　your　considering　me
importunate；　I　would　beg〃

〃Excuse　me；　Mr。　Arnold。　　The　recital　of　some　of　the　matters　to　which
you　refer；　would　not　only　be　painful　to　myself；　but　would　be
agitating　to　the　ladies　present。〃

〃In　that　case；　I　have　only　to　beg　your　pardon　for　pressing　the
matterI　hope　no　further　than　to　the　verge　of　incivility。〃

〃In　no　degree　approaching　it；　I　assure　you；　Mr。　Arnold。　　In　proof
that　I　do　not　think　so；　I　am　ready；　if　you　wish　italthough　I
rather　dread　the　possible　effects　on　the　nerves　of　the　ladies；
especially　as　this　is　an　old　houseto　repeat；　with　the　aid　of　those
present；　certain　experiments　which　I　have　sometimes　found　perhaps
only　too　successful。〃

〃Oh！　　I　don't；〃　said　Euphra；　faintly。

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　surprisealmost　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　platenot
chinatoo？〃

〃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　platea
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…roomI　think。　　Let　me　seehow　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；