But I am immensely impressed. My horizon of scientific possibilities
has suddenly been enormously extended. I no longer wonder at Wilson's
demonic energy and enthusiasm. Who would not work hard who had a vast
virgin field ready to his hand? Why, I have known the novel shape of a
nucleolus, or a trifling peculiarity of striped muscular fibre seen
under a 300-diameter lens, fill me with exultation. How petty do such
researches seem when compared with this one which strikes at the very
roots of life and the nature of the soul! I had always looked upon
spirit as a product of matter. The brain, I thought, secreted the
mind, as the liver does the bile. But how can this be when I see mind
working from a distance and playing upon matter as a musician might
upon a violin? The body does not give rise to the soul, then, but is
rather the rough instrument by which the spirit manifests itself. The
windmill does not give rise to the wind, but only indicates it. It was
opposed to my whole habit of thought, and yet it was undeniably
possible and worthy of investigation.
And why should I not investigate it? I see that under yesterday's date
I said: "If I could see something positive and objective, I might be
tempted to approach it from the physiological aspect." Well, I have
got my test. I shall be as good as my word. The investigation would,
I am sure, be of immense interest. Some of my colleagues might look
askance at it, for science is full of unreasoning prejudices, but if
Wilson has the courage of his convictions, I can afford to have it
also. I shall go to him to-morrow morning--to him and to Miss
Penclosa. If she can show us so much, it is probable that she can show
us more.
II
March 26. Wilson was, as I had anticipated, very exultant over my
conversion, and Miss Penclosa was also demurely pleased at the result
of her experiment. Strange what a silent, colorless creature she is
save only when she exercises her power! Even talking about it gives
her color and life. She seems to take a singular interest in me. I
cannot help observing how her eyes follow me about the room.
We had the most interesting conversation about her own powers. It is
just as well to put her views on record, though they cannot, of course,
claim any scientific weight.
"You are on the very fringe of the subject," said she, when I had
expressed wonder at the remarkable instance of suggestion which she had
shown me. "I had no direct influence upon Miss Marden when she came
round to you. I was not even thinking of her that morning. What I did
was to set her mind as I might set the alarum of a clock so that at the
hour named it would go off of its own accord. If six months instead of
twelve hours had been suggested, it would have been the same."
"And if the suggestion had been to assassinate me?"
"She would most inevitably have done so."
"But this is a terrible power!" I cried.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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