"Don't be too sure," Hamar said, "and for goodness' sake don't let the Unknown give you an opportunity of comparing."
The night succeeding this conversation, Hamar, Curtis and Kelson introduced their new properties into the programme of their entertainment in Cockspur Street, and London got another big thrill. Hamar exhibited such startling proofs of his power of invisibility, that not only was the whole audience convinced, but from amongst certain prominent members of the Council of the Psychical Research Society, who were attending with the express purpose of unmasking Hamar, two had epileptic fits on the spot, and several, before they could get home, became raving lunatics.
At the commencement of the second part of the programme--the audience was still too flabbergasted to fully grasp what was happening. They saw on the stage a huge tank of water--with which they were told Mr. Curtis would experiment.
"What I am about to do," Mr. Curtis--who now walked on to the stage--informed his audience, "is quite simple. All you want is faith. Those of you who are Christian Scientists should be able to do it as easily as I. Say 'I will! I will walk on the water!' and your faith--your colossal faith--faith in your ability to do it will actually enable you to do it."
Curtis then repeated--in tones that could not be heard by the audience--the Atlantean cabalistic words--"Karma--nardka--rapto-- nooman--K--arma--oola--piskooskte," and glided gracefully on to the surface of the water. Every now and then he sank slowly down to the bottom, where he strolled about, or sat, or lay down.
The audience was simply fascinated. Nothing they had hitherto seen tickled their fancy half as much. As an American, who was present, put it--"To live under the water like a fish is immense--so hygienic and economical."
Though the time apportioned to this part of the entertainment was half an hour, it was extended to over an hour, and even then the audience was not satisfied. They would have gone on watching Curtis--eating--drinking--jumping--skipping--singing and chasing gold fish--under the water all night, and when he was at length permitted to come out of the tank--exhausted and sulky--they gave him even heartier applause than they had given Hamar.