The other elderly gentleman concurred. Dr. Kendall and Sir James, who had been comparing notes, said that they would reserve their final judgment until they had been present at another seance. In the mean time they would go so far as to say that what they had witnessed was very extraordinary indeed.
‘How are you now, Eustasia?’ said the Professor, addressing his sister.
‘My head aches. I feel as if I had been standing for hours in a burning sun. When you called me back I was dreaming so strangely. I thought I was in some celestial place, walking.
Bradley looked at the speaker’s face. It looked full of elfin or witch-like rather than angelic light. Their eyes met, and Eustasia gave a curious smile.
‘I don’t know. Perhaps; that is to say, if you will permit me.’
‘I do think, sir,’ interrupted the Professor, ‘that you have given offence to the celestial intelligences, and I am not inclined to admit you to our circle again.’
‘You are wrong, brother,’ cried Eustasia, ‘you are quite wrong.’
‘I mean that Mr. Bradley is a medium himself, and a particular favourite with spirits of the first order.’
‘Well, if that’s so (and _you_ ought to know), it’s another matter. But he’ll have to promise not to break the conditions. It ain’t fair to the spirits; it ain’t fair to his fellow-inquirers.’
One by one the company departed, but Bradley still lingered, as if he had something still to hear or say. At last, when the last visitor had gone, and the landlady had grimly stalked away to continue her duties in the basement of the house, he found himself alone with the brother and sister.
‘May I ask you a few questions?’ he said, addressing Eustasia.
‘While you were in the state of trance did you see or hear anything that took place in this room?’’
‘Do you know anything whatever of my private life?’
‘I guess not, except what I’ve read in the papers.’
‘Do you know a lady named Craik, who is one of the members of my congregation?’
The answer came in another shake of the head, and a blank look expressing entire ignorance. Either Eustasia knew nothing whatever, or she was a most accomplished actress. Puzzled and amazed, yet still suspecting fraud of some kind, Bradley took his leave.
‘After life’s fitful fever, she sleeps well!’