She had forgotten what came next.... He held
that we are always warned of our destiny and it had
been proved that in the hypnotic sleep, when the pulse
of life was weakest, almost at pause, there was a
heightening of the powers of vision and hearing.
A patient whose eyes had been covered with layers of
cotton wool had been able to read the newspaper.
Another patient had been able to tell what was passing
in another mind, and at a distance of a mile.
The only explanation that Charcot could give of this
second experiment was that the knowledge had been
conveyed through the rustling of the blood in the
veins, which the hypnotic sleep had enabled the patient
to hear. And Ulick submitted that this scientific
explanation was more incredible than any spiritual
one. There was much else. There was all
Ulick’s wonderful talk about the creation of
things by thought, and his references to the mysterious
Kabbala had strangely interested her. But suddenly
she remembered that perchance his spiritualism was
allied to the black art of the necromancers; and her
Catholic conscience was mysteriously affrighted, and
she experienced the attraction of terror. Was
it possible that he believed that all the accidents,
or what we suppose are accidents, have been earned
in a preceding life? Did he really believe that
lovers may tempt each other life after life, that a
group of people may come together again?
“Mademoiselle, it is half-past ten.”
“Very well, Merat, I will get up. I will
ring for you when I have had my bath.”
“Lady Duckle has gone out, and will not be home
for lunch.”
There was not even a letter, and the day stretched
out before her. Ulick might call, but she did
not think he would. She thought of a visit to
her father, but something held her back, and Dulwich
was a long way. After breakfast she went to the
piano and sang some of Ulick’s music; stopping
suddenly in the middle of a bar, she thought she would
send him a note asking him to come to lunch.
But what should she do till two o’clock? it
was now only eleven. Suddenly it struck her that
she might take a hansom and go and see him. She
had never seen his rooms, and to visit him there would
be more amusing than for him to come to Park Lane;
and she imagined his surprise and delight at seeing
her. Her thoughts went to the frock she would
wear—a new one had come home yesterday—this
would be an excellent opportunity to wear it.
She would take him to lunch with her at some restaurant!
She was in excellent humour. Her thoughts amused
her, and she reflected that she had done well to choose
the pale shot silk with green shades in it. It
was trimmed with black lace, and she selected a large
black hat with black ostrich feathers to wear with
it.