A Journey in Other Worlds [85]
also be able to make an image on
our retinas. I believe any impressions we are receiving are
produced through our minds, as if some one were thinking very
intently about us, and that neither the magnetic eye nor a
sensitive plate could reveal anything."
They then returned to the study of the isinglass, which they were
able to split into extremely thin sheets. Suddenly a cloud
passed over the table, and almost immediately disappeared, and
then a sharpened pencil with which Ayrault had been writing began
to trace on a sheet of paper, in an even hand, and with a slight
frictional sound.
"Stop!" said Bearwarden; "let us each for himself describe in
writing what he has seen."
In a moment they had done this, and then compared notes. In each
case the vision was the same. Then they looked at the writing
made by the invisible hand. "Absorpta est mors in Victoria," it
ran.
"Gentlemen, began Bearwarden, as if addressing a meeting, "this
cannot be coincidence; we are undoubtedly and unquestionably in
the presence of a spirit or of several spirits. That they
understand Latin, we see; and, from what they say, they may have
known death. Time may show whether they have been terrestrials
like ourselves. Though the conditions of life here might make us
delirious, it is scarcely possible that different temperaments
like ours should be affected in so precisely the same way;
besides, in this writing we have tangible proof."
"It is perfectly reasonable," said Ayrault, "to conclude it was a
spirit, if we may assume that spirits have the power to move the
pencil, which is a material object. Nobody doubts nowadays that
after death we live again; that being the case, we must admit
that we live somewhere. Space, as I take it, can be no obstacle
to a spirit; therefore, why suppose they remain on earth?"
"This is a wonderful place," said Cortlandt. "We have already
seen enough to convince us of the existence of many unknown laws.
I wish the spirit would reveal itself in some other way."
As he finished speaking, the rays of the distant and cold-looking
sun were split, and the colours of the spectrum danced upon the
linen cloth, as if obtained by a prism. In astonishment, they
rose and looked closely at the table, when suddenly a shadow that
no one recognized as his own appeared upon the cover. Tracing it
to its source, their eyes met those of an old man with a white
robe and beard and a look of great intelligence on his calm face.
They knew he had not been in the little grove thirty seconds
before, and as this was surrounded by open country there was no
place from which he could have come.
CHAPTER II.
THE SPIRIT'S FIRST VISIT.
"Greetings and congratulations," he said. "Man has
steadfastly striven to rise, and we see the results in
you."
"I have always believed in the existence of spirits," said
Cortlandt, "but never expected to see one with my natural eyes."
"And you never will, in its spiritual state," replied the shade,
"unless you supplement sight with reason. A spirit has merely
existence, entity, and will, and is entirely invisible to your
eyes."
"How is it, then, that we see and hear you?" asked Cortlandt.
"Are you a man, or a spectre that is able to affect our senses?"
"I WAS a man," replied the spirit, "and I have given myself
visible and tangible form to warn you of danger. My colleagues
and I watched you when you left the cylinder and when you shot
the birds, and, seeing your doom in the air, have been trying to
communicate with you."
"What were the strange shadows and prismatic colours that kept
passing across our table?" asked Bearwarden.
"They were the obstructions and refractions of light caused by
spirits trying to take shape," replied the shade.
"Do you mind our asking you questions?" said Cortlandt.
"No," replied their visitor. "If I can, I will answer them."
"Then," said Cortlandt, "how is it that, of the several
our retinas. I believe any impressions we are receiving are
produced through our minds, as if some one were thinking very
intently about us, and that neither the magnetic eye nor a
sensitive plate could reveal anything."
They then returned to the study of the isinglass, which they were
able to split into extremely thin sheets. Suddenly a cloud
passed over the table, and almost immediately disappeared, and
then a sharpened pencil with which Ayrault had been writing began
to trace on a sheet of paper, in an even hand, and with a slight
frictional sound.
"Stop!" said Bearwarden; "let us each for himself describe in
writing what he has seen."
In a moment they had done this, and then compared notes. In each
case the vision was the same. Then they looked at the writing
made by the invisible hand. "Absorpta est mors in Victoria," it
ran.
"Gentlemen, began Bearwarden, as if addressing a meeting, "this
cannot be coincidence; we are undoubtedly and unquestionably in
the presence of a spirit or of several spirits. That they
understand Latin, we see; and, from what they say, they may have
known death. Time may show whether they have been terrestrials
like ourselves. Though the conditions of life here might make us
delirious, it is scarcely possible that different temperaments
like ours should be affected in so precisely the same way;
besides, in this writing we have tangible proof."
"It is perfectly reasonable," said Ayrault, "to conclude it was a
spirit, if we may assume that spirits have the power to move the
pencil, which is a material object. Nobody doubts nowadays that
after death we live again; that being the case, we must admit
that we live somewhere. Space, as I take it, can be no obstacle
to a spirit; therefore, why suppose they remain on earth?"
"This is a wonderful place," said Cortlandt. "We have already
seen enough to convince us of the existence of many unknown laws.
I wish the spirit would reveal itself in some other way."
As he finished speaking, the rays of the distant and cold-looking
sun were split, and the colours of the spectrum danced upon the
linen cloth, as if obtained by a prism. In astonishment, they
rose and looked closely at the table, when suddenly a shadow that
no one recognized as his own appeared upon the cover. Tracing it
to its source, their eyes met those of an old man with a white
robe and beard and a look of great intelligence on his calm face.
They knew he had not been in the little grove thirty seconds
before, and as this was surrounded by open country there was no
place from which he could have come.
CHAPTER II.
THE SPIRIT'S FIRST VISIT.
"Greetings and congratulations," he said. "Man has
steadfastly striven to rise, and we see the results in
you."
"I have always believed in the existence of spirits," said
Cortlandt, "but never expected to see one with my natural eyes."
"And you never will, in its spiritual state," replied the shade,
"unless you supplement sight with reason. A spirit has merely
existence, entity, and will, and is entirely invisible to your
eyes."
"How is it, then, that we see and hear you?" asked Cortlandt.
"Are you a man, or a spectre that is able to affect our senses?"
"I WAS a man," replied the spirit, "and I have given myself
visible and tangible form to warn you of danger. My colleagues
and I watched you when you left the cylinder and when you shot
the birds, and, seeing your doom in the air, have been trying to
communicate with you."
"What were the strange shadows and prismatic colours that kept
passing across our table?" asked Bearwarden.
"They were the obstructions and refractions of light caused by
spirits trying to take shape," replied the shade.
"Do you mind our asking you questions?" said Cortlandt.
"No," replied their visitor. "If I can, I will answer them."
"Then," said Cortlandt, "how is it that, of the several