第31章 CHAPTER VI EXPERIENCES(5)

Moreover， here was one of the gates to that knowledge which he desired so earnestly， and how could he find the strength to shut it in his own face？

Of course the end of the matter was that by the following Sunday， his toothache had departed， and the carriage did not return empty to the Villa Ogilvy.

He found his hostess looking white and ethereal， an appearance that she had acquired increasingly ever since their first meeting. Her delight at seeing him was obvious， as was that of the others. For this he soon discovered the reason. It appeared that the sitting on the previous Sunday， when he was overcome by toothache， had been an almost total failure. Professor Petersen had tried to fill his place as medium， with the result that when he fell under the influence， the only spirit that broke through his lips was one which discoursed interminably about lager beer and liqueurs of some celestial brew， which， as Madame Riennes， a lady not given to mince her words， told him to his face afterwards， was because he drank too much. Hence the joy of these enthusiasts at the re-appearance of Godfrey.

With considerable reluctance that youth consented to play his usual r？le， and to be put into a charmed sleep by Madame. This time he saw no Eleanor， and knew nothing of what happened until he awoke to be greeted by the horrific spectacle of Miss Ogilvy lying back in her chair bathed in blood. General confusion reigned in the midst of which Madame Riennes alone was calm.

"It is h？morrhage from the lungs，" she said， "which is common among /poitrinaires/. Brother Petersen， do what you can， and you， Brother Smith， fly for Mademoiselle's doctor， and if he is not at home， bring another."

Later Godfrey heard what had chanced. It seemed that the wraith， or emanation， or the sprite， good or evil， or whatever it may have been， which called itself Eleanor， materialized in a very ugly temper. It complained that it had not been allowed to appear upon the previous Sunday and had been kept away from its brother， i.e. Godfrey. Then it proceeded to threaten all the circle， except Godfrey， who was the real culprit， with divers misfortunes， especially directing its wrath against Miss Ogilvy.

"You will die soon，" it said， "and in the spirit world I will pay you back." Thrice it repeated this： "You will die，" to which Miss Ogilvy answered with calm dignity：

"I am not afraid to die， nor am I at all afraid of you， Eleanor， who， as I now see， are not good but evil."

While she spoke a torrent of blood burst from her lips， Eleanor disappeared， and almost immediately Godfrey awoke.

In due course the doctor came and announced that the h？morrhage had ceased， and that the patient was in no imminent danger. As to the future， he could say nothing， except that having been Miss Ogilvy's medical attendant for some years， he had expected something of this sort to happen， and known that her life could not be very long.

Then Godfrey went home very terrified and chastened， blaming himself also for this dreadful event， although in truth no one could have been more innocent. He had grown very fond of Miss Ogilvy， and shuddered to think that she must soon leave the world to seek a dim Unknown， where there were bad spirits as well as good.

He shuddered， too， at the thought of this Eleanor， who made use of him to appear in human form， and on his knees prayed God to protect him from her. This indeed happened， if she had any real existence and was not some mere creation of the brain of Madame Riennes， made visible by the working of laws whereof we have no knowledge. Never again， during all his life， did he actually see any more of Eleanor， and the probability is that he never will， either here or elsewhere.

Three days later Godfrey received a letter from the doctor， saying that Miss Ogilvy wished to see him， and that he recommended him not to delay his visit. Having obtained the permission of the Pasteur， he went in at once by the diligence， and on arrival at the villa， where evidently he was expected， was shown up to a bedroom which commanded a beautiful view of the lake and Mount Pilatus. Here a nurse met him and told him that he must not stay long； a quarter of an hour at the outside. He asked how Mademoiselle was， whereon she answered with an expressive shrug：

"Soon she will be further from the earth than the top of that mountain."

Then she took him to another smaller room， and there upon the bed， looking whiter than the sheets， lay his friend. She smiled very sweetly when she caught sight of him.

"Dear Godfrey，" she said， "it is kind of you to come. I wanted to see you very much， for three reasons. First， I wish to beg your pardon for having drawn you into this spiritualism without your knowing that I was doing so. I have told you what my motive was， and therefore I will not repeat it， as my strength is small. Secondly， I wish you to promise me that you will never go to another séance， since now I am quite sure that it is dangerous for the young. To me spiritualism has brought much good and joy， but with others it may be different， especially as among spirits， as on the earth， there are evil beings.

Do you promise？"

"Yes， yes，" answered Godfrey， "only I am afraid of Madame Riennes."

"You must stand up against her if she troubles you， and seek the help of religion； if necessary consult your old Pasteur， for he is a good man. There is no danger in the world that cannot be escaped if only one is bold enough， or so I think， though， alas！ myself I have lacked courage，" she added with a gentle sigh.