第15章

Atfirstthistalkwithitsjargonofwordswhichhedidnotcomprehend，boredhimconsiderably，butbydegreeshefeltthathewasbeingdrawnintoavortex，andbegantounderstanditsdrift。Evenwhileitwasenigmaticitacquiredakindofunholyattractionforhim，andhebegantoseekoutitssecretmeaninginwhichhefoundthatcompanyreadyinstructors。

“Youngbrother，“saidMadameRiennes，“wedealwiththethingsnotofthebody，butofthesoul。Thebody，whatisit？Inafewyearsitwillbedustandashes，butthesoul——itiseternal——andallthosestarsyoustudyareitsinheritance，andyouandI，ifwecultivateourspiritualparts，shallruleinthem。“

Thenshewouldrollherbigeyesandbecomeinawaymagnificent，sothatGodfreyforgotheruglinessandtherepulsionwithwhichsheinspiredhim。

Intheendhisoutlookonlifeandtheworldbecamedifferent，andthisnotsomuchbecauseofwhathelearnedfromhisesotericteachers，asthroughsomechangeinhisinternalself。Hegrewtoappreciatethevastnessofthingsandtheinfinitepossibilitiesofexistence。Indeed，hisspiritualeducationwasafittingpendanttohisphysicalstudyoftheheavens，peopledwithunnumberedworlds，eachofthemthehome，doubtless，ofaninfinitevarietyoflife，andeachofthemkeepingitsawfulsecretslockedinitsfloatingorb。HetrembledinpresenceofthestupendousWhole，ofwhichthusbydegreeshebecameaware，andthoughitfrightenedhim，thoughtwithpityofthebusymillionsofmankindtowhomsuchmysteriesarenothingatall；whoarelostintheirbusinessoridleness，intheireating，drinking，sleeping，love-making，andgeneralsatisfactionoftheinstinctswhichtheypossessincommonwitheveryotheranimal。Theyearningforwisdom，thedesiretoknow，enteredhisyoungheartandpossessedit，asoncethesedidthatofSolomon，tosuchadegreeindeed，thatstandingonthethresholdofhisdays，hewouldhavepaidthemallaway，andwiththemhisshareinthiswarmandbreathingworld，couldhehavebeenassuredthatinexchangehewouldreceivethekeyofthetreasure-houseoftheInfinite。

Suchanattitudewasneitherhealthynornaturaltoanormal，vigorousladjustenteringuponmanhood，and，aswillbeseen，itdidnotendure。Likeeverythingelse，ithaditscauses。Hisastronomicalstudieswereoneofthese，butadeeperreasonwastobefoundinthoseSundayséancesattheVillaOgilvy。ForalongwhileGodfreydidnotknowwhathappenedtohimontheseoccasions。Thepartysatroundthelittletable，talkingofwonderfulthings；MadameRienneslookedathimandsometimestookhishand，whichhedidnotlike，andthenherememberednomoreuntilhewokeup，feelingtired，andyetinawayexhilarated，forwiththemysteriesofhypnoticsleephewasnotyetacquainted。Nordiditoccurtohimthathewasbeingusedamediumbycertainofthemostadvancedspiritualistsintheworld。

Bydegrees，however，inklingsofthetruthbegantocome。Thus，onedayhisconsciousnessawokewhilehisbodyseemedstilltobewraptintrance，andhesawthattherewasapersonpresentwhohadnotbeenofthepartywhenhewenttosleep。Ayoungwoman，cladinawhiterobe，withlovelyhairflowingdownherback，stoodbyhissideandheldhissupinefingersinherhand。

Shewasbeautiful，andyetunearthly，sheworeornamentsalso，butashewatched，tohisamazementtheseseemedtochange。Whathadbeenafilletofwhitestones，likediamonds，whichboundherhair，turnedtooneofredstones，likerubies，andasitdidsothecolourofhereyes，whichwerelargeandverytranquil，altered。

Shewasspeakinginalow，richvoicetoMissOgilvy，whoanswered，addressingherasSisterEleanor，butwhatshesaidGodfreycouldnotunderstand。Somethingofhisinnershockandfearmusthavereflecteditselfuponhistrance-boundfeatures，forsuddenlyheheardMadameRiennesexclaim：

“Havedone!themediumawakes，andItellyouitisdangerouswhileourGuideishere。Backtohisbreast，Eleanor!Thencetoyourplace!“

Thetallfigurechanged；itbecamemisty，shapeless。Itseemedtofallonhimlikeacloudoficyvapour，chillinghimtotheheart，andthroughthatvapourhecouldseetheormoluclockwhichstoodonabracketintherecess，andevennotethetime，whichwasthirteenminutespastfour。Afterthishebecameunconscious，andinduecoursewokeupasusual。Thefirstthinghiseyesfellonwastheclock，ofwhichthehandsnowpointedtoaquartertofive，andthesightofitbroughteverythingbacktohim。Thenheobservedthatallthecircleseemedmuchagitated，anddistinctlyheardMadameRiennessaytoProfessorPeterseninEnglish：——

“Thethingwasverynear。Haditnotbeenforthatmedicineofyours——!Itwasbecausethatspeeritdotakehishand。Shegrowfondofhim；ithappensometimesifthemediumbeoftheothersexandattractive。Shewanttocarryhimawaywithher，thatControl，andI

expectsheneverquiteleavehimallhislife，because，yousee，shematerializeoutofhim，andthereforebelongtohim。Nexttimeshecome，Igivehermymind。Hush!Ourwonderfullittlebrotherwakeup——

quiterightthistime。“

ThenGodfreyreallyopenedhiseyes；hithertohehadbeenfeigningtobestillintrance，butthoughtitwisesttosaynothing。AtthismomentMissOgilvyturnedverypaleandwentintoakindoflightfaint。

TheProfessorproducedsomekindofsmelling-bottlefromhispocket，whichheheldtohernostrils。Shecametoatonce，andbegantolaughatherownsilliness，butbeggedthemalltogoawayandleaveherquiet，whichtheydid。Godfreywasgoingtoo，butshestoppedhim，sayingthatthecarriagewouldnotbereadytillaftertea，andthatitwastoowetforhimtowalkinthegarden，fornowautumnhadcomeinearnest。Theteaarrived，asubstantialtea，withpoachedeggs，ofwhichshemadehimeattwo，asshedidalwaysafterthesesittings。

Thensuddenlysheaskedhimifhehadseenanything。Hetoldherall，adding：

“Iamfrightened。Idonotlikethisbusiness，MissOgilvy。Whoandwhatwasthatladyinwhite，whostoodbymeandheldmyhand？Myfingersarestilltingling，andacoldwindseemstoblowuponme。“

“Itwasaspirit，Godfrey，butthereisnoneedtobeafraid，shewillnotdoyouanyharm。“

“Idon’tknow，andIdon’tthinkthatyouhaveanyrighttobringspiritstome，oroutofme，asIheardthatdreadfulMadamesayhadhappened。Itisagreatliberty。“

“Oh!don’tbeangrywithme，“shesaidpiteously。“Ifonlyyouunderstood。Youareawonderfulmedium，themostwonderfulthatanyofushaseverknown，andthroughyouwehavelearnedthings；holy，marvellousthings，whichtillnowhavenotbeenheardofintheworld。

Yourfameisalreadygreatamongleadingspiritualistsoftheearth，thoughofcoursetheydonotknowwhoyouare。“

“Thatdoesnotbettermatters，“saidGodfrey，“youknowitisnotright。“

“Perhapsnot，butmydearboy，ifonlyyouguessedallitmeanstome!

Listen；Iwilltellyou；youwillnotbetrayme，willyou？OnceIwasveryfondofsomeone；hewasallmylife，andhedied，andmyheartbroke。Ionlyhopeandpraythatsuchathingmayneverhappentoyou。

Well，fromthathourtothisIhavebeentryingtofindhimandfailed，alwaysfailed，thoughonceortwiceIthought。AndnowthroughyouIhavefoundhim。Yes，hehasspokentometellingmemuchwhichprovestomethathestillliveselsewhereandawaitsme。Andoh!Iamhappy，anddonotcarehowsoonIgotojoinhim。Anditisallthroughyou。Soyouwillforgiveme，willyounot？“

“Yes，Isupposeso，“saidGodfrey，“butallthesameIdon’twanttohaveanythingmoretodowiththatwhiteladywhoiscalledEleanorandchangesherjewelssooften；especiallyasMadamesaidshewasgrowingfondofmeandwouldneverleaveme。Sopleasedon’taskmehereagainonSundays。“

MissOgilvytriedtosoothehim。

“Youshouldn’tbefrightenedofher，“shesaid。“Sheisreallyadelightfulspirit，anddeclaresthatsheknewyouveryintimatelyindeed，whenyouwereanearlyEgyptian，alsomuchbeforethatonthelostcontinent，whichiscalledAtlantis，tosaynothingofdeepfriendshipswhichhaveexistedbetweenyouinotherplanets。“

“Isay!“exclaimedGodfrey，“doyoubelieveallthis？“

“Well，ifyouaskme，ImustsaythatIdo。Iamsurethatwehaveallofuslivedmanylives，hereandelsewhere，andifthisisso，itisobviousthatinthecourseofthemwemusthavemetanenormousnumberofpeople，withcertainofwhomwehavebeencloselyassociatedinthevariousrelationshipsoflife。Someofthese，nodoubt，comeroundwithusagain，butothersdonot，thoughwecangetintotouchwiththemunderexceptionalcircumstances。ThatisyourcaseandEleanor’s。

Atpresentyouareupondifferentspheres，butinthefuture，nodoubt，youwillfindyourselvessidebysideagain，asyouhaveoftenbeen，induecoursetobedrivenapartoncemorebythewindsofDestiny，andperhaps，afterages，finallytobeunited。Meanwhilesheplaysthepartofoneofyourguardianangels。“

“ThenIwishshewouldn’t，“saidGodfrey，withvigour。“Idon’tcareforaguardianangelofwhomIhavenomemory，andwhoseemstofallonyoulikesnowuponahotday。IfanybodydoesthatkindofthingI

shouldpreferalivingwoman。“

“Whichdoubtlessshehasbeen，andwillbeagain。Foryousee，wheresheis，shehasmemoryandforeknowledge，whicharelackingtotheincarnated。Meanwhile，throughyou，andbecauseofyou，shecantellusmuch。YouarethewirewhichconnectsustoherintheUnseen。“

“ThenIhopeyouwillfindanotherwire；Ireallydo，foritupsetsmeandmakesmefeelill。IknowthatIshallbeafraidtogotobedto-night，andevenforyou，MissOgilvy，Iwon’tcomenextSunday。“

Then，asthecarriagewasnowatthedoor，hejumpedintoitanddepartedwithoutwaitingforananswer。

Moreover，onthenextSunday，when，asusual，itarrivedtofetchhimatKleindorf，Godfreykepthisword，sothatitwentbackempty。BythecoachmanhesentanawkwardlywordednotetoMissOgilvy，sayingthathewassufferingfromtoothachewhichhadpreventedhimfromsleepingforseveralnights，andwasnotwellenoughtocomeout。