Redemption and two other plays Part 74

LEONiD FYoDORITCH. Yes, but Alexey Vladimiritch, could you not ...

condense it a little?

PROFESSOR (not heeding the remark). And so, as I have just had the honor of mentioning to you, a succession of strictly scientific experiments have made plain to us the laws of mediumistic phenomena.

These experiments have proved that, when certain individuals are plunged into a hypnotic state (a state differing from ordinary sleep only by the fact that man's physiological activity is not lowered by the hypnotic influence but, on the contrary, is always heightened--as we have recently witnessed), when, I say, any individual is plunged into such a state, this always produces certain perturbations in the spiritual ether--perturbations quite similar to those produced by plunging a solid body into liquid matter. These perturbations are what we call mediumistic phenomena....

[Laughter and whispers.

SAHaTOF. That is quite comprehensible and correct; but if, as you are kind enough to inform us, the plunging of the medium into a trance produces perturbations of the spiritual ether, allow me to ask why (as is usually supposed to be the case in spiritualistic seances) these perturbations result in an activity on the part of the souls of dead people?

PROFESSOR. It is because the molecules of this spiritual ether are nothing but the souls of the living, the dead, and the unborn, and any vibration of the spiritual ether must inevitably cause a certain vibration of its atoms. These atoms are nothing but human souls, which enter into communication with one another by means of these movements.

FAT LADY (to SAHaTOF). What is it that puzzles you? It is so simple.... Thank you so, so much!

LEONiD FYoDORITCH. I think everything has now been explained, and that we may commence.

DOCTOR. The fellow is in a perfectly normal condition: temperature 37 decimal 2, pulse 74.

PROFESSOR (takes out his pocket-book and notes this down). What I have just had the honor of explaining will be confirmed by the fact, which we shall presently have an opportunity of observing, that after the medium has been thrown into a trance his temperature and pulse will inevitably rise, just as occurs in cases of hypnotism.

LEONiD FYoDORITCH. Yes, yes. But excuse me a moment. I should like to reply to Sergey Ivanitch's question: How do we know we are in communication with the souls of the dead? We know it because the spirit that appears, plainly tells us--as simply as I am speaking to you--who he is, and why he has come, and whether all is well with him!

At our last seance a Spaniard, Don Castillos, came to us, and he told us everything. He told us who he was, and when he died, and that he was suffering for having taken part in the Inquisition. He even told us what was happening to him at the very time that he was speaking to us, namely, that at the very time he was talking to us he had to be born again on earth, and, therefore, could not continue his conversation with us.... But you'll see for yourselves....

FAT LADY (interrupting). Oh, how interesting! Perhaps the Spaniard was born in one of our houses and is a baby now!

LEONiD FYoDORITCH. Quite possibly.

PROFESSOR. I think it is time we began.

LEONiD FYoDORITCH. I was only going to say....

PROFESSOR. It is getting late.

LEONiD FYoDORITCH. Very well. Then we will commence. Anton Borisitch, be so good as to hypnotize the medium.

GROSSMAN. What method would you like me to use? There are several methods. There is Braid's system, there is the Egyptian symbol, and there is Charcot's system.

LEONiD FYoDORITCH (to the PROFESSOR). I think it is quite immaterial.

PROFESSOR. Quite.

GROSSMAN. Then I will make use of my own method, which I showed in Odessa.

LEONiD FYoDORITCH. If you please!

[GROSSMAN waves his arms above SIMON. SIMON closes his eyes and stretches himself.

GROSSMAN (looking closely at him). He is falling asleep! He is asleep!

A remarkably rapid occurrence of hypnosis. The subject has evidently already reached a state of anaesthesia. He is remarkable,--an unusually impressionable subject, and might be subjected to interesting experiments!... (Sits down, rises, sits down again.) Now one might run a needle into his arm. If you like....

PROFESSOR (to LEONiD FYoDORITCH). Do you notice how the medium's trance acts on Grossman? He is beginning to vibrate.

LEONiD FYoDORITCH. Yes, yes ... can the lights be extinguished now?

SAHaTOF. But why is darkness necessary?

PROFESSOR. Darkness? Because it is a condition of the manifestation of mediumistic energy, just as a given temperature is a condition necessary for certain manifestations of chemical or dynamic energy.

LEONiD FYoDORITCH. But not always. Manifestations have been observed by me, and by many others, both by candlelight and daylight.

PROFESSOR (interrupting). May the lights be put out?

LEONiD FYoDORITCH. Yes, certainly. (Puts out candles.) Ladies and gentlemen! attention, if you please.

[TaNYA gets from under the sofa and takes hold of a thread tied to a chandelier.

PETRiSTCHEF. I like that Spaniard! Just in the midst of a conversation--off he goes head downwards ... as the French say: piquer une tete. [12]

BETSY. You just wait a bit, and see what will happen!

PETRiSTCHEF. I have only one fear, and that is that Vovo may be moved by the spirit to grunt like a pig!

VASiLY LEONiDITCH. Would you like me to? I will....

LEONiD FYoDORITCH. Gentlemen! Silence, if you please!

[Silence. SIMON licks the matches on his fingers and rubs his knuckles with them. Leonid Fyodoritch. A light! Do you see the light?

SAHaTOF. A light? Yes, yes, I see; but allow me....

FAT LADY. Where? Where? Oh, dear, I did not see it! Ah, there it is.

Oh!...

PROFESSOR (whispers to LEONiD FYoDORITCH, and points to GROSSMAN, who is moving). Do you notice how he vibrates? It is the dual influence.

[The light appears again.

LEONiD FYoDORITCH (to the PROFESSOR). It must be he--you know!

SAHaTOF. Who?

LEONiD FYoDORITCH. A Greek, Nicholas. It is his light. Don't you think so, Alexey Vladimiritch?

SAHaTOF. Who is this Greek, Nicholas?

PROFESSOR. A certain Greek, who was a monk at Constantinople under Constantine and who has been visiting us lately.

FAT LADY. Where is he? Where is he? I don't see him.