vera, the medium-第5节

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exhibition　of　code　and　cipher　signaling。　They　called　it　mind
reading。　During　the　day；　at　the　house　of　Vance　and　his　wife；　the
girl；　as　〃Vera；　the　Medium；〃　furnished　to　all　comers　memories　of
the　past　or　news　of　the　future。　In　their　profession；　in　all　of
its　branches；　the　man　and　the　girl　were　past　masters。　They　knew
it　from　the　A；　B；　C　of　the　dream　book　to　the　post…graduate　work
of　projecting　from　a　cabinet　the　spirits　of　the　dead。　As　the
occasion　offered　and　paid　best；　they　were　mind　readers；
clairvoyants；　materializing　mediums；　test　mediums。　From　them；　a
pack　of　cards；　a　crystal　globe；　the　lines　of　the　human　hand；
held　no　secrets。　They　found　lost　articles；　cast　horoscopes；　gave
advice　in　affairs　of　the　heart；　of　business　and　speculation；
uttered　warnings　of　journeys　over　seas　and　against　a　smooth…
shaven　stranger。　They　even　stooped　to　foretell　earthquakes；　or
caused　to　drop　fluttering　from　the　ceiling　a　letter　straight
from　the　Himalayas。　Among　those　who　are　the　gypsies　of　the
cities；　they　were　the　aristocrats　of　their　calling；　and　to　them
that　calling　was　as　legitimate　a　business　as　is；　to　the　roadside
gypsy；　the　swapping　of　horses。　The　fore…parents　of　each　had
followed　that　same　calling；　and　to　the　children　it　was
commonplace　and　matter…of…fact。　It　held　no　adventure；　no　moral
obloquy。

〃Prof。〃　Paul　Vance　was　a　young　man　of　under　forty　years。　He
looked　like　a　fox。　He　had　red　eyes；　alert　and　cunning；　a　long；
sharp…pointed　nose；　a　pointed　red　beard；　and　red　eyebrows　that
slanted　upward。　His　hair；　standing　erect　in　a　pompadour；　and　his
uplifted　eyebrows　gave　him　the　watchful　look　of　the　fox　when　he
hears　suddenly　the　hound　baying　in　pursuit。　But　no　one　had　ever
successfully　pursued　Vance。　No　one　had　ever　driven　him　into　a
corner　from　which；　either　pleasantly；　or　with　raging
indignation；　he　was　not　able　to　free　himself。　Seven　years　before
he　had　disloyally　married　out　of　the　〃profession〃　and　for　no
other　reason　than　that　he　was　in　love　with　the　woman　he　married。
She　had　come　to　seek　advice　from　the　spirit　world　in　regard　to
taking　a　second　husband。　After　several　visits　the　spirit　world
had　advised　Vance　to　advise　her　to　marry　Vance。

She　did　so；　and　though　the　man　was　still　in　love　with　his　wife；
he　had　not　found　her；　in　his　work；　the　assistance　he　had　hoped
she　might　be。　She　still　was　a　〃believer〃；　in　the　technical
vernacular　of　her　husband　　〃a　dope。〃　Not　even　the　intimate
knowledge　she　had　gained　behind　the　scenes　could　persuade　her
that　Paul；　her　husband；　was　not　in　constant　communication　with
the　spirit　world；　or　that；　if　he　wished；　he　could　not　read　the
thoughts　that　moved　slowly　through　her　pretty　head。

At　the　time　of　his　marriage；　the　girl　Vera；　then　a　child　of
fourteen；　had　written　to　Vance　for　help。　She　was　ill；　without
money；　and　asked　for　work。　To　him　she　was　known　as　the　last　of　a
long　line　of　people　who　had　always　been　professional　mediums　and
spiritualists；　and；　out　of　charity　and　from　a　sense　of　noblesse
oblige　to　one　of　the　elect　of　the　profession；　Vance　had　made　her
his　assistant。　He　had　never　regretted　having　done　so。　The　bread
cast　upon　the　waters　was　returned　a　thousandfold。　From　the
first；　the　girl　brought　in　money。　And　his　wife；　the　older　of　the
two；　had　welcomed　her　as　a　companion。　After　a　fashion　the　Vances
had　adopted　her。　In　the　advertisements　she　was　described　as
their　〃ward。〃

Vera　now　was　twenty…one；　tall；　wonderfully　graceful；　and　of　the
most　enchanting　loveliness。　Her　education　had　been　cosmopolitan。
In　the　largest　cities　of　America　she　had　met　persons　of　every
class　　young　women；　old　women；　mothers　with　married　sons　and
daughters；　women　of　society　as　it　is　exploited　in　the　Sunday
supplements；　school　girls；　shop　girls；　factory　girls　　all　had
told　her　their　troubles；　and　men　of　every　condition　had　come　to
scoff　and　had　remained　to　express；　more　or　less　offensively；
their　admiration。　Some　of　the　younger　of　these；　after　a　first
visit；　returned　the　day　following；　and　each　begged　the　beautiful
priestess　of　the　occult　to　fly　with　him；　to　live　with　him；　to
marry　him。　When　this　happened　Vera　would　touch　a　button；　and
〃Mannie〃　Day；　who　admitted　visitors；　and　later；　in　the　hall；
searched　their　hats　and　umbrellas　for　initials；　came　on　the　run
and　threw　the　infatuated　one　out　upon　a　cold　and　unfeeling
sidewalk。

So　Vera　had　seen　both　the　seamy　side　of　life　and；　in　the　drawing
rooms　where　Vance　and　she　exhibited　their　mind　reading　tricks；
had　been　made　much　of　by　great　ladies　and；　for　an　hour　as　brief
as　Cinderella's；　had　looked　upon　a　world　of　kind　and　well…bred
people。　Since　she　was　fourteen；　for　seven　years；　this　had　been
her　life　　a　life　as　open　to　the　public　as　the　life　of　an
actress；　as　easy　of　access　as　that　of　the　stenographer　in　the
hotel　lobby。　As　a　result；　the　girl　had　encased　herself　in　a
defensive　armor　of　hardness　and　distrust；　a　protection　which　was
rendered　futile　by　the　loveliness　of　her　face；　by　the　softness
of　her　voice；　by　the　deep；　brooding　eyes；　and　the　fine　forehead
on　which；　like　a　crown；　rested　the　black　waves　of　her　hair。

In　her　work　Vera　accepted；　without　question；　the　parts　to　which
Vance　assigned　her。　When　in　their　mummeries　they　were
successful；　she　neither　enjoyed　the　credulity　of　those　they　had
tricked　nor　was　sobered　with　remorse。　In　the　world　Vance　found　a
certain　number　of　people　with　money　who　demanded　to　be　fooled。
It　was　his　business　and　hers　to　meet　that　demand。　If　ever　the
conscience　of　either　stirred　restlessly；　Vance　soothed　it　by　the
easy　answer　that　if　they　did　not　take　the　money　some　one　else
would。　It　was　all　in　the　day's　work。　It　was　her　profession。

As　she　entered　the　library　of　Mr。　Hallowell；　which；　with　Vance；
she　already　had　visited　several　times；　she　looked　like　a　child
masquerading　in　her　mother's　finery。　She　suggested　an　ingenue
who　had　been　suddenly　sent　on　in　the　role　of　the　Russian
adventuress。　Her　slight　girl's　figure　was　draped　in　black　lace。
Her　face　was　shaded　by　a　large　picture　hat；　heavy　with　drooping
ostrich　feathers；　around　her　shoulders　was　a　necklace　of　jade；
and　on　her　wrists　many　bracelets　of　silver　gilt。　When　she　moved
they　rattled。　As　the　girl　advanced；　smiling；　to　greet　Mr。
Hallowell；　she　suddenly　stopped；　shivered　slightly；　and　threw
her　right　arm　across　her　eyes。　Her　left　arm　she　stretched　over
the　table。

〃Give　me　your　hand！〃　she　commanded。　Dubiously；　with　a　watchful
glance　at　Vance；　Mr。　Hallowell　leaned　forward　and　took　her　hand。

〃You　have　been　ill；〃　cried　the　girl；　〃very　ill　　I　see　you　　I
see　you　in　a　kind　of　faint　　very　lately。〃　Her　voice　rose
excitedly。　〃Yes；　last　night。〃

Mr。　Hallowell　protested　with　indignation。　〃You　read　that　in　the
morning　paper；〃　he　said。

Vera　lowered　her　arm　from　her　eyes　and　turned　them　reproachfully
on　him。

〃I　don't　read　the　Despatch；〃　she　answered。

Mr。　Hallowell　drew　back　suspiciously。　〃I　didn't　say　it　was　the
Despatch；〃　he　returned。

Vance　quickly　interposed。　〃You　don't　have　to　say　it；〃　he
explained　with　glibness；　〃you　thought　it。　And　Vera　read　your
thoughts。　You　were　thinking　of　the　Despatch；　weren't　you？　Well；
there　you　are！　It's　wonderful！〃

〃Wonderful？　Nonsense！〃　mocked　Mr。　Hallowell。　〃She　did　read　it　in
the　paper　or　Rainey　told　her。〃

The　girl　shrugged　her　shoulders　patiently。　〃If　you　would　rather
find　out　you　were　ill　from　the　newspapers　than　from　the　spirit
world；〃　she　inquired；　〃why　do　you　ask　me　here？〃

〃I　ask　you　here；　young　woman；〃　exclaimed　Hallowell；　sinking　back
in　his　chair；　〃because　I　hoped　you　would　tell　me　something　I
can't　learn　from　the　newspapers。　But　you　haven't　been　able　to　do
it　yet。　My　dear　young　lady；〃　exclaimed　the　old　man　wistfully；　〃I
want　to　believe；　but　I　must　be　convinced。　No　tricks　with　me！　I
can　explain　how　you　might　have　found　out　everything　you　have
told　me。　Give　me　a　sign！〃　He　beat　the　flat　of　his　hand　upon　the
table。　〃Show　me　something　I　can't　explain！〃

〃Mr。　Hallowell　is　quite　right；　Vera；〃　said　Vance。　〃He　is
entering　what　is　to　him　a　new　world；　full　of　mysteries；　and　that
caution　which　in　this　world　has　made　him　so　successful　　〃

With　an　exclamation；　Hallowell　cut　short　the　patter　of　the
showman。

〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　interrupted　petulantly；　〃I　tell　you；　I　want　to
believe。　Convince　me。〃

Considering　the　situation　with　pursed　lips　and　thoughtful　eyes；
Vera　gazed　at　the　old　man；　frowning。　Finally　she　asked；　〃Have
you　witnessed　out　demonstrations　of　mind　reading？〃

Mr。　Hallowell　snorted。　〃Certainly　not；〃　he　replied；　〃it's　a
trick！〃

〃A　trick！〃　cried　the　girl　indignantly；　〃to　read　a　man's　mind　
to　see　right　through　your　forehead；　through　your　skull；　into
your　brain？　Is　that　a　trick？〃　She　turned　sharply　to　Vance。　〃Show
him！〃　she　commanded；　〃show　him！〃　She　crossed　rapidly　to　the
window　and　stood　looking　down　into　the　street；　with　her　back　to
the　room。

Vance；　with　his　back　turned　to　Vera；　stood　close　to　the　table；
on　the　other　side　of　which　Hallowell　was　reclining　in　his　arm
chair。　Vance　picked　up　a　pen　holder。

〃Think　of　what　I　have　in　my　hand；　please；〃　he　said。　〃What　is
this；　Vera？〃　he　asked。　The　girl；　gazing　from　the　window　at　the
traffic　in　the　avenue　below　her；　answered　with　indifference；　〃A
pen　hold