magic and real detectives-第33节

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and　its　rings　were　very　prominently　depicted。　　There　were　numerous

pictures　of　animals　and　men；　and　of　queer　monsters；　scattered　among

the　stars。



Beneath　this　picture　stood　a　large　golden　oak　table　at　which　sat

this　delver　into　the　occult；　deeply　engrossed　in　a　study　of　this

painting；　while　with　a　little　brush　he　figured　and　calculated；　in　a

queer　sort　of　Chinese　characters；　which　he　drew　on　a　sheet　of

paper。　　He　also　seemed　to　be　making　a　strange　drawing　on　the　same

paper。　　He　was　far　too　deeply　engaged　to　notice　my　entrance；　and

continued　at　his　labors　for　some　time；　while　I　stood　quietly　and

watched　him。　　Sitting　on　one　end　of　this　rather　large　table　was　a

glass　globe　or　vessel；　supported　by　three　nickeled　rods；　something

like　a　tripod。　　Coming　from　the　wall　was　a　rather　large　nickeled

tube　or　pipe　which　curved　over　above　the　glass　vessel；　and

continually　allowed　drops　of　water　to　fall　into　the　globe。　　From

the　side　of　this　glass　vessel　there　led　a　small　nickeled　pipe　which

evidently　carried　away　the　waste　water。



Occasionally　a　little　blue　flame　would　appear　on　the　surface　of

this　water；　play　about；　and　disappear。　　When　this　happened　the　body

of　the　medium　was　always　convulsed　slightly。



After　a　time　he　seemed　to　finish　his　calculation；　and　this　seer

condescended　to　leave　the　realms　of　the　stars　wherein　dwelt　the

spirits　that　rule　the　universe　and　the　destinies　of　men；　and　to

descend　to　earth　and　for　a　time　direct　his　gaze　toward　this　humble

mortal。　　He　turned　around　and　observed　me　for　the　first　time。　　He

was　a　large；　portly；　fine…looking　gentleman　of　middle　age；　with

very　long　black　hair　which　gave　him　a　strange　appearance。　　He　wore

a　pair　of　glasses　low　down　on　his　nose；　and　from　over　these　he

condescended　to　direct　his　gaze　at；　and　to　study　me　for　a　moment　as

a　naturalist　might　study　some　specimen　that　happened　temporarily　to

attract　his　notice。



He　soon　informed　me　that　the　stars　had　told　him　something　of　my

coming　and　of　the　question　that　was　worrying　me；　and　he　asked　me　if

I　desired　to　consult　the　stars　as　to　my　destiny；　to　have　him

decipher　it　from　the　lines　of　my　palm；　or　whether　I　should　prefer

to　converse　with　the　dead。　　The　last　was　my　choice。



Not　far　from　a　window　at　one　side　of　the　room　there　was　a　small

table　on　which　were　a　few　articles。　　He　directed　me　to　be　seated　at

this　table；　and　handed　me　a　slip　of　paper　of　a　size　of　probably

four　by　five　inches。　　He　directed　me　to　write　the　question　I

desired　answered　on　this　paper；　and　when　through　to　fold　the　paper

in　halves　three　times　with　the　writing　inside。　　I　did　so　while　he

walked　to　his　bowl　of　water　apparently　paying　no　attention　to　me；

and　then　returned。



When　he　had　returned　to　a　position　opposite　me　at　the　table；　he

reached　to　take　my　writing　out　of　my　hand；　seeing　which　I　quickly

bent　down　one　corner　of　the　paper　and　gave　it　to　him。　　He　directed

one　sharp　glance　at　me　as　I　did　this；　at　the　same　time　picking　up

an　envelope　from　the　table　with　his　other　hand。　　He　held　this

envelope　open　flap　side　toward　me；　and　slowly　inserted　my　paper

into　it。　　As　he　did　this；　looking　sharply　at　me；　he　remarked；　〃I　am

no　sleight…of…hand　performer。　　You　see　your　question　is　actually　in

the　envelope。〃　　This　was　the　case；　for　it　was　close　to　me　and　I

could　plainly　see　the　top　of　it　against　the　back　of　the　envelope；

the　lower　portions　being　inserted；　and　I　could　see　the　little

corner　folded　down；　as　I　had　bent　it；　and　I　was　certain　he　had　not

exchanged　it。　　In　fact　he　took　occasion　to　use　his　hands　in　such

manner　that　I　could　see　there　was　nothing　concealed　about　them；

that　he　〃palmed〃　nothing；　and　that　he　made　no　exchange。　　I　was

entirely　satisfied　that　all　was　fair；　and　that　no　exchange　had　been

made。



Next；　he　sealed　the　envelope；　and　holding　it　toward　the　window；

called　my　attention　to　the　fact　that　as　the　envelope　was　partly

transparent　I　could　see　my　paper　within　it　and　that　it　was　actually

there。　　This　was　really　the　case。　　He　now　took　a　match；　and

lighting　it　applied　the　flame　to　this　identical　envelope　without

its　leaving　my　sight；　and　proceeded　to　burn　the　last　vestige　of　it

and　the　paper　within　it；　allowing　the　ashes　to　drop　into　a　small

vessel　on　the　table。



There　was　no　doubt　that　he　did　not　exchange　envelopes　and　that　he

burned　it　before　my　very　eyes。　　He　now　took　the　ashes　and　emptied

them　into　the　bowl　of　water　on　the　side　table。　　A　little　blue　flame

appeared　on　the　surface　of　the　water　after　that　for　a　moment；　and

then　disappeared。



He　now　brought　from　a　drawer　a　number　of　slatesabout　eight　or　ten

small　slates　with　padded　edges。　　They　were　the　smallest　size　of

slates；　I　should　judge；　and　with　them　he　brought　another　slate；　a

trifle　larger；　probably　two　inches　both　longer　and　wider。　　He

requested　me　to　examine　thoroughly　or　to　clean　them　all　to　my　own

satisfaction；　and　to　stack　the　small　ones　on　the　table；　one　on　top

of　the　other；　and　when　all　were　thus　placed；　to　place　the　large

slate　on　top　of　the　stack。



While　I　was　doing　this　he　called　to　his　attendant　for　a　drink　of

water；　and　incidentally　stepped　into　the　hall　to　receive　it；　so

that　his　menial　would　not　profane　this　sanctuary　with　his　presence。



Returning　to　the　table　he　took　a　seat　opposite　me　and　placed　one　of

my　hands　and　one　of　his　on　top　of　the　slates。　　In　due　time　he　took

up　the　slates　and　we　found　nothing。　　He　replaced　them；　and　waited

for　a　few　moments；　then　seeming　dissatisfied　with　conditions；　he

took　up　the　top　slate　in　his　left　hand　and　with　his　right　hand

began　writing　a　message　for　me。　　He　did　this　like　mediums　do

automatic　writing；　with　eyes　half　closed；　and　while　writing　his

person　was　convulsed　a　few　times。　　He　then　opened　his　eyes　and　read

aloud　what　he　had　written；　asking　me　if　it　answered　my　question。　　I

replied　that　it　did　not；　as　it　was　entirely　foreign　to　the　subject。

Then　seeming　dissatisfied；　he　moistened　his　fingers；　erased　the

writing；　and　replaced　the　top　slate　on　the　stack　of　slates。



He　now　placed　his　hands　on　this　slate　again；　and　after　a　time

examined　it；　but　it　was　still　free　from　writing。　　He　lifted　up　some

of　the　other　slates；　but　as　there　was　no　writing；　he　scattered　the

slates　around　on　the　table　and　asked　me　to　spread　a　large　cloth

over　them　which　he　handed　to　me。　　This　I　did；　and　under　his

direction　placed　my　arms　and　hands　over　this。　　He　walked　to　the

bowl　of　water　on　the　side　table；　and　gazed　into　it。　　I　watched　him；

and　I　saw　a　rather　large　flame　appear　on　the　surface　of　the　water；

dance　about；　and　disappear。



He　immediately　informed　me　that　he　was　certain　that　I　now　had　a

message。　　He　remained　at　a　distance　while　I　examined　the　slates　one

by　one。　　Finally；　on　one　of　them　I　found　a　message；　neatly　written

and　covering　the　entire　slate。　　It　read：



〃Mrs。　Piper　is　a　genuine　medium。　　She　possesses　powers　of　a　very

unusual　nature。　　Her　tests　given　Hyslop　and　others　are　genuine。　　Do

not　be　a　skeptic。　　You　are　making　a　mistake；　dear　friend。　　It　is

all　plain　to　me　now；　and　spirit　is　all　there　is。WILL。〃



Now；　the　question　I　had　written　was　addressed　to　a　very　dear　friend

who　is　now　dead；　and　read　as　follows：



〃WILL　J：　In　regard　to　the　medium；　Mrs。　Piper；　of　whom　we

conversed　on　your　last　visit；　I　would　ask　if　she　be　genuine；　and　if

the　tests　she　gave　Professor　Hyslop　and　others　were　genuine。　　Give

me　a　test。〃



This　was　all　nicely　done；　and　I　am　sure　would　have　greatly

impressed　nearly　everyone。　　Being　a　performer　myself；　I　could　of

course　follow　the　performance　in　minute　detail；　and　I　am　thus

enabled　to　give　to　the　readers　of　this　paper　a　detailed　account　of

the　method　used　by　the　doctor。　　I　will　state　that　since　that　time　I

have　very　successfully　operated　this　same　test；　minus　the　bowl　of

water　and　flame　of　fire；　and　that　I　can　assure　all　that　it　is　very

practicable　and　that　it　is　very　deceptive。





HOW　THE　TRICKS　SUCCEEDED





When　the　medium　picked　up　the　envelope　in　which　to　place　my　paper；

there　was　within　it　a　duplicate　piece　of　paper　folded　the　same；　and

of　the　same　size　（one　inch　and　a　quarter　by　two　inches）　as　the　one

I　had　folded。　　He　kept　the　face　of　this　envelope　opposite　me　so　I

could　not　see　that　side　of　it。　　On　the　face　of　it　was　a　horizontal

slit　cut　with　a　knife。　　This　slit　was　about　two　inches　long　and　was

situated　about　halfway　down　the　face　of　the　envelope。　　The

duplicate　folded　paper　was　placed　vertically　in　the　envelope　at　its

center；　so　that　its　center　was　located　against　the　slit。　　This

piece　of　paper　was　held　in　position　by　a　touch　of　paste　at　a　point

opposite　the　slit；　which　caused　it　to　adhere　to　the　inside　of　the

back　of　the　envelope。



When　he　picked　up　this　prepared　envelope　with　his　left　hand；　he　did

so　with　the　slit　side　or　face　in　his　palm　next　to　the　fingers　of

his　left　hand。　　This　envelope　lay　slit　side　down　before　he　picked

it　up；　so　that　I　did　not　see　the　fa