第29章 CHAPTER VI EXPERIENCES(3)

Soon Godfrey came to understand that they were all members of some kind of semi-secret society， though what this might be he could not quite ascertain. All he made sure of was that it had to do with matters which were not of this world. Nothing concerning mundane affairs， however important or interesting， seemed to appeal to them； all their conversation was directed towards what might be called spiritual problems， reincarnations， Karmas (it took him a long time to understand what a Karma is)， astral shapes， mediumship， telepathic influences， celestial guides， and the rest.

At first this talk with its jargon of words which he did not comprehend， bored him considerably， but by degrees he felt that he was being drawn into a vortex， and began to understand its drift. Even while it was enigmatic it acquired a kind of unholy attraction for him， and he began to seek out its secret meaning in which he found that company ready instructors.

"Young brother，" said Madame Riennes， "we deal with the things not of the body， but of the soul. The body， what is it？ In a few years it will be dust and ashes， but the soul--it is eternal--and all those stars you study are its inheritance， and you and I， if we cultivate our spiritual parts， shall rule in them."

Then she would roll her big eyes and become in a way magnificent， so that Godfrey forgot her ugliness and the repulsion with which she inspired him.

In the end his outlook on life and the world became different， and this not so much because of what he learned from his esoteric teachers， as through some change in his internal self. He grew to appreciate the vastness of things and the infinite possibilities of existence. Indeed， his spiritual education was a fitting pendant to his physical study of the heavens， peopled with unnumbered worlds， each of them the home， doubtless， of an infinite variety of life， and each of them keeping its awful secrets locked in its floating orb. He trembled in presence of the stupendous Whole， of which thus by degrees he became aware， and though it frightened him， thought with pity of the busy millions of mankind to whom such mysteries are nothing at all； who are lost in their business or idleness， in their eating， drinking， sleeping， love-making， and general satisfaction of the instincts which they possess in common with every other animal. The yearning for wisdom， the desire to know， entered his young heart and possessed it， as once these did that of Solomon， to such a degree indeed， that standing on the threshold of his days， he would have paid them all away， and with them his share in this warm and breathing world， could he have been assured that in exchange he would receive the key of the treasure-house of the Infinite.

Such an attitude was neither healthy nor natural to a normal， vigorous lad just entering upon manhood， and， as will be seen， it did not endure. Like everything else， it had its causes. His astronomical studies were one of these， but a deeper reason was to be found in those Sunday séances at the Villa Ogilvy. For a long while Godfrey did not know what happened to him on these occasions. The party sat round the little table， talking of wonderful things； Madame Riennes looked at him and sometimes took his hand， which he did not like， and then he remembered no more until he woke up， feeling tired， and yet in a way exhilarated， for with the mysteries of hypnotic sleep he was not yet acquainted. Nor did it occur to him that he was being used a medium by certain of the most advanced spiritualists in the world.

By degrees， however， inklings of the truth began to come. Thus， one day his consciousness awoke while his body seemed still to be wrapt in trance， and he saw that there was a person present who had not been of the party when he went to sleep. A young woman， clad in a white robe， with lovely hair flowing down her back， stood by his side and held his supine fingers in her hand.

She was beautiful， and yet unearthly， she wore ornaments also， but as he watched， to his amazement these seemed to change. What had been a fillet of white stones， like diamonds， which bound her hair， turned to one of red stones， like rubies， and as it did so the colour of her eyes， which were large and very tranquil， altered.

She was speaking in a low， rich voice to Miss Ogilvy， who answered， addressing her as Sister Eleanor， but what she said Godfrey could not understand. Something of his inner shock and fear must have reflected itself upon his trance-bound features， for suddenly he heard Madame Riennes exclaim：

"Have done！ the medium awakes， and I tell you it is dangerous while our Guide is here. Back to his breast， Eleanor！ Thence to your place！"

The tall figure changed； it became misty， shapeless. It seemed to fall on him like a cloud of icy vapour， chilling him to the heart， and through that vapour he could see the ormolu clock which stood on a bracket in the recess， and even note the time， which was thirteen minutes past four. After this he became unconscious， and in due course woke up as usual. The first thing his eyes fell on was the clock， of which the hands now pointed to a quarter to five， and the sight of it brought everything back to him. Then he observed that all the circle seemed much agitated， and distinctly heard Madame Riennes say to Professor Petersen in English：--

"The thing was very near. Had it not been for that medicine of yours----！ It was because that speerit do take his hand. She grow fond of him； it happen sometimes if the medium be of the other sex and attractive. She want to carry him away with her， that Control， and I expect she never quite leave him all his life， because， you see， she materialize out of him， and therefore belong to him. Next time she come， I give her my mind. Hush！ Our wonderful little brother wake up--@@quite right this time."

Then Godfrey really opened his eyes； hitherto he had been feigning to be still in trance， but thought it wisest to say nothing. At this moment Miss Ogilvy turned very pale and went into a kind of light faint.