Changes

At the succeeding seances we changed our knots, and kept continually varying them, but in order not to leave the smallest ground for doubt or suspicion, we adopted the following plan : We put on the medium’s hands two bags of gossamer stuff, and sewed each of them to the breast lappets of his coat ; then both of the lower ends of the gossamer bags were sewed tightly together, with the ends of a tape inserted between them and secured to them as strongly as needle and thread could secure, and then passed under the chair from the front, and securely tied at the back of the seat, through a small ring screwed for that purpose into the carving of the wood. Then both of his arms were fast secured with other tapes to his seat, the ends being tied into knots passed through other rings. The feet were tied up and fastened to the front legs of the chair. Strict examination proved to us beyond question, at the end of every seance, that the knots had not been meddled with, and the gossamer bags remained undisturbed.

At the succeeding seances we changed our knots, and kept continually varying them, but in order not to leave the smallest ground for doubt or suspicion, we adopted the following plan : We put on the medium’s hands two bags of gossamer stuff, and sewed each of them to the breast lappets of his coat ; then both of the lower ends of the gossamer bags were sewed tightly together, with the ends of a tape inserted between them and secured to them as strongly as needle and thread could secure, and then passed under the chair from the front, and securely tied at the back of the seat, through a small ring screwed for that purpose into the carving of the wood. Then both of his arms were fast secured with other tapes to his seat, the ends being tied into knots passed through other rings. The feet were tied up and fastened to the front legs of the chair. Strict examination proved to us beyond question, at the end of every seance, that the knots had not been meddled with, and the gossamer bags remained undisturbed.

Behind the curtain, opposite Brediff, we placed a small stand, on which we laid several loose pieces of clean notepaper and a pencil. Having thus prepared everything, we let down the hanging, and placed on a table ''outside'' the curtain, but close to it, a tambourine, a bell, and several pencils. On the right hand side of this table, and quite close to the hanging, sat Prof. Boutleroff, Dr. A––, and Madame Aksakoff ; at the left were Aksakoff and myself. But we subsequently changed places. A large musical box standing at the further end of the room played miscellaneous airs during the whole seance.

Behind the curtain, opposite Brediff, we placed a small stand, on which we laid several loose pieces of clean notepaper and a pencil. Having thus prepared everything, we let down the hanging, and placed on a table ''outside'' the curtain, but close to it, a tambourine, a bell, and several pencils. On the right hand side of this table, and quite close to the hanging, sat Prof. Boutleroff, Dr. A––, and Madame Aksakoff; at the left were Aksakoff and myself. But we subsequently changed places. A large musical box standing at the further end of the room played miscellaneous airs during the whole seance.

A very few minutes after we were seated M. Brediff, the medium, was heard to exclaim :

A very few minutes after we were seated M. Brediff, the medium, was heard to exclaim :

“Oh, ca vient ! Je sens l’oppression...” (Oh, it is coming ! I feel the oppression...), and all was still again in the cabinet. Three minutes after that, we heard loud, sharp raps on the door-frame, and all the tapestry began to shake violently, as if it were pulled in several places by some invisible hands. Then between the two halves of the hanging, a little above the table, ''appeared'' a ''hand''. Though this trembling band remained visible but a few minutes and the room was half darkened, still all of us saw and recognized it perfectly as a small, white, and delicate female hand, as unlike one of Brediff’s hands as possible. The very instant it disappeared, I gently drew apart the hangings, and plainly saw the medium's hands resting quietly on his knees.

“Oh, ca vient ! Je sens l’oppression...” (Oh, it is coming ! I feel the oppression...), and all was still again in the cabinet. Three minutes after that, we heard loud, sharp raps on the door-frame, and all the tapestry began to shake violently, as if it were pulled in several places by some invisible hands. Then between the two halves of the hanging, a little above the table, ''appeared'' a ''hand''. Though this trembling band remained visible but a few minutes and the room was half darkened, still all of us saw and recognized it perfectly as a small, white, and delicate female hand, as unlike one of Brediff’s hands as possible. The very instant it disappeared, I gently drew apart the hangings, and plainly saw the medium's hands resting quietly on his knees.

After that, we heard the small stand inside the cabinet moved about, the paper on it {{Style S-HPB SB. Lost|…}} and the pencil was {{Style S-HPB SB. Continues on|2-22}}

After that, we heard the small stand inside the cabinet moved about, the paper on it rustled and the pencil was {{Style S-HPB SB. Continues on|2-22}}