«Oh! It seems an eternity. We do not measure as you do. It is a long, horrible dream without change or break.»
«Who was king in England?»
«Victoria was queen. I had attuned my mind to matter and so it clung to matter. I did not believe in a future life. Now I know that I was all wrong, but I could not adapt my mind to new conditions.»
«Is it bad where you are?»
«It is all – all grey. That is the awful part of it. One's surroundings are so horrible.»
«But there are many more. You are not alone.»
«No, but they know no more than I. They, too, scoff and doubt and are miserable.»
«You will soon get out.»
«For God's sake, help me to do so!»
«Poor soul!» said Mrs. Mailey in her sweet, caressing voice, a voice which could bring every animal to her side. «You have suffered much. But do not think of yourself. Think of these others. Try to bring one of them up and so you will best kelp yourself.»
«Thank you, lady, I will. There is one here whom I brought. He has heard you. We will go on together. Perhaps some day we may find the light.»
«Do you like to be prayed for?»
«Yes, yes, indeed I do!»
«I will pray for you,» said Mason. «Could you say the 'Our Father' now?» He uttered the old universal prayer, but before he had finished Terbane had collapsed again among the cushions. He sat up again as Chang.
«He come on well,» said the control. «He give up time for others who wait. That is good. Now I have hard case. Ow!»
He gave a comical cry of disapprobation and sank back. Next moment he was up, his face long and solemn, his hands palm to palm.
«What is this?» he asked in a precise and affected voice. «I am at a loss to know what right this Chinese person has to summon me here. Perhaps you can enlighten me.»
«It is that we may perhaps help you.»
«When I desire help, sir, I ask for it. At present I do not desire it. The whole proceeding seems to me to be a very great liberty. So far as this Chinaman can explain it, I gather that I am the involuntary spectator of some sort of religious service.»
«We are a spiritualistic circle.»
«A most pernicious sect. A most blasphemous proceeding. As a humble parish priest I protest against such desecrations.»
«You are held back, friend, by those narrow views. It is you who suffer. We want to relieve you.»
«Suffer? What do you mean, sir?»
«You realize that you have passed over?»
«You are talking nonsense!»
«Do you realize that you are dead?»
«How can I be dead when I am talking to you?»
«Because you are using this man's body.»
«I have certainly wandered into an asylum.»
«Yes, an asylum for bad cases. I fear you are one of them. Are you happy where you are?»
«Happy? No, sir. My present surroundings are perfectly inexplicable to me.»
«Have you any recollection of being ill?»
«I was very ill indeed.»
«So ill that you died.»
«You are certainly out of your senses.»
«How do you know you are not dead?»
«Sir, I must give you some religious instruction. When one dies and has led an honourable life, one assumes a glorified body and one associates with the angels. I am now in exactly the same body as in life, and I am in a very dull, drab place. Such companions as I have are not such as I have been accustomed to associate with in life, and certainly no one could describe them as angels. Therefore your absurd conjecture may be dismissed.»
«Do not continue to deceive yourself. We wish to help you. You can never progress until you realize your position.»
«Really, you try my patience too far. Have I not said –?»
The medium fell back among the cushions. An instant later the Chinese control, with his whimsical smile and his hands tucked away in his sleeves, was talking to the circle.
«He good man – fool man – learn sense soon. Bring him again. Not waste more time. Oh, my God! My God! Help! Mercy! Help!»
He had fallen full length upon the sofa, face upwards, and his cries were so terrible that the little audience all sprang to their feet. «A saw! A saw! Fetch a saw!» yelled the medium. His voice sank into a moan.
Even Mailey was agitated. The rest were horrified.
«Someone has obsessed him. I can't understand it. It may be some strong evil entity.»
«Shall I speak to him?» asked Mason.
«Wait a moment! Let it develop. We shall soon see.»
The medium writhed in agony. «Oh, my God! Why don't you fetch a saw!» he cried. «It's here across my breast-bone. It is cracking! I feel it! Hawkin! Hawkin! Pull me from under! Hawkin! Push up the beam! No, no, that's worse! And it's on fire! Oh, horrible! Horrible!»
His cries were blood-curdling. They were all chilled with horror. Then in an instant the Chinaman was blinking at them with his slanting eyes.
«What you think of that, Mister Mailey?»
«It was terrible, Chang. What was it?»
«It was for him,» nodding towards Malone. «He want newspaper story, I give him newspaper story. He will understand. No time 'splain now. Too many waiting. Sailor man come next. Here he come!»
The Chinaman was gone, and a jovial, puzzled grin passed over the face of the medium. He scratched his head.
«Well, damn me,» said he. «I never thought I would take orders from a Chink, but he says 'hist!' and by crums you've got to hist and no back talk either. Well, here I am. What did you want?»
«We wanted nothing.»
«Well, the Chink seemed to think you did, for he slung me in here.»
«It was you that wanted something. You wanted knowledge.»
«Well, I've lost my bearings, that's true. I know I am dead 'cause I've seen the gunnery lootenant, and he was blown to bits before my eyes. If he's dead I'm dead and all the rest of us, for we are over to the last man. But we've got the laugh on our sky-pilot, for he's as puzzled as the rest of us. Damned poor pilot, I call him. We're all taking our own soundings now.»
«What was your ship?»
«The Monmouth.»
«She that went down in battle with the German?»
«That's right. South American waters. It was clean hell. Yes, it was hell.» There was a world of emotion in his voice. «Well,» he added more cheerfully, «I've heard our mates got level with them later. That is so, sir, is it not?»
«Yes, they all went to the bottom.»
«We've seen nothing of them this side. Just as well, maybe. We don't forget nothing.»
«But you must,» said Mailey. «That's what is the matter with you. That is why the Chinese control brought you through. We are here to teach you. Carry our message to your mates.»
«Bless your heart, sir, they are all here behind me.»
«Well, then, I tell you and them that the time for hard thoughts and worldly strife is over. Your faces are to be turned forward, not back. Leave this earth which still holds you by the ties of thought and let all your desire be to
