[13] To take a header.
BETSY. You just wait a bit, and see what will happen!
PETRÍSTCHEF. I have only one fear, and that is that Vovo may be moved by
the spirit to grunt like a pig!
VASÍLY LEONÍDITCH. Would you like me to? I will ...
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. Gentlemen! Silence, if you please!
Silence. Simon licks the matches on his fingers and rubs his
knuckles with them.
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. A light! Do you see the light?
SAHÁTOF. 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 Leoníd Fyódoritch, and points to Grossman, who is
moving] Do you notice how he vibrates? It is the dual influence. [The
light appears again].
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH [to the Professor] It must be he--you know!
SAHÁTOF. Who?
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. A Greek, Nicholas. It is his light. Don't you think
so, Alexéy Vladímiritch?
SAHÁTOF. 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.
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. He is not yet visible ... Alexéy Vladímiritch, he is
particularly well disposed towards you. You question him.
PROFESSOR [in a peculiar voice] Nicholas! Is that you?
Tánya raps twice on the wall.
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH [joyfully] It is he! It is he!
FAT LADY. Oh dear! Oh! I shall go away!
SAHÁTOF. Why do you suppose it is he?
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. Why, the two knocks. It is an affirmative answer;
else all would have been silence.
Silence. Suppressed giggling in the young people's corner. Tánya
throws a lampshade, pencil and penwiper upon the table.
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH [whispers] Do you notice, gentlemen, here is a
lamp-shade, and something else--a pencil!... Alexéy Vladímiritch, it is
a pencil!
PROFESSOR. All right, all right! I am watching both him and Grossman!
Grossman rises and feels the things that have fallen on the table.
SAHÁTOF. Excuse me, excuse me! I should like to see whether it is not
the medium who is doing it all himself?
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. Do you think so? Well, sit by him and hold his hands.
But you may be sure he is asleep.
SAHÁTOF [approaches. Tánya lets a thread touch his head. He is
frightened, and stoops]. Ye ... ye ... yes! Strange, very strange!
[Takes hold of Simon's elbow. Simon howls].
PROFESSOR [to Leoníd Fyódoritch] Do you notice the effect of Grossman's
presence? It is a new phenomenon--I must note it ... [Runs out to note
it down, and returns again].
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. Yes.... But we cannot leave Nicholas without an
answer. We must begin ...
GROSSMAN [rises, approaches Simon and raises and lowers his arm] It
would be interesting to produce contraction! The subject is in profound
hypnosis.
PROFESSOR [to Leoníd Fyódoritch] Do you see? Do you see?
GROSSMAN. If you like ...
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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