I pronounce slowly and in their proper order the letters of the alphabet.
This certainly means "Tua madre." (note once more that Eusapia does not know how to read or write.)
Eusapia noticed that I was in mourning and I had told her that my mother had died on the first of last July. I then asked to be told her name. (Eusapia does not know it.)
The movements of the table which were next asked for gave no results of any particular value.
However, a stuffed arm-chair near by was several times shifted out of its place without contact, advancing of itself toward Eusapia. Since the chandelier was lighted, and there was no possibility of any string being used, and since I had my foot upon that one of Eusapia's which was nearest the arm-chair, the movement must evidently have been due to a force emanating from the medium.
I pushed the easy chair back three times. Three times it returned. The same phenomenon was reproduced several days afterward.
It is observable that if she had been able to detach her foot from mine, she would have been able to reach the chair (by some little twisting,) and the production of the phenomenon must have been within the range of her circle of activity (and of possible trickery). But, as the case was, deception was impossible.
Since we could not obtain any levitation of the table, and since the psychical force of the four of us (Eusapia, myself, my wife, and Eusapia's companion, who had joined us for a moment, but, who at other times, always remained apart) was clearly insufficient, I went and secured a lighter round table. Then, with her hands placed _upon_ it in contact with mine, three of its feet were raised to a height of ten or twelve inches from the floor. We repeated the experiment three times, with gratifying success. Eusapia squeezed my hands violently in one of hers (the right hand) which rested on the table.
The whole séance is thus seen to have been a web of intermingled truth and falsehood.
These notes remind us once more that there is almost always a mingling of veritable fact and of fraudulent performance.
It is easy to admit that the medium, wishing to produce an effect, and having at her disposal for this purpose two means,--the one easy and demanding only skill and cunning, the other distressing, costly, and painful,--is tempted to choose, consciously or _even unconsciously_, that which costs her the least.