The “controls,” she believed—­the spirits that desired to communicate—­had a series of graduated steps by which the communications could be made, from mere incoherent noises (as a man may rap a message from one room to another), through appearances, also incoherent and intangible, right up to the final point of assuming visible tangible form, and of speaking in an audible voice.  This process, she believed, consisted first in a mere connection between spirit and matter, and finally passed into an actual assumption of matter, molded into the form of the body once worn by the spirit on earth.  For nearly all of this process she had had the evidence of her own senses; she had received messages, inexplicable to her except on the hypothesis put forward, from departed relations of her own; she had seen lights, and faces, and even figures formed before her eyes, in her own drawing-room; but she had not as yet, though dearest Maud had been more fortunate, been able to handle and grasp such figures, to satisfy the sense of touch, as well as of sight, in proof of the reality of the phenomenon.

Yes; she was satisfied even with what she had seen; she had no manner of doubt as to the theories put before her by Mr. Vincent; yet she shrank (and she scarcely knew why) from that final consummation which it was proposed to carry out if possible that evening.  But the shrinking centered round some half-discerned danger to Laurie Baxter rather than to herself.

* * * * *

It was these kinds of thoughts that beset her as she walked up beneath the trees on her way homewards—­checked and soothed now somewhat by the pleasant air and the radiant sunlight, yet perceptible beneath everything.  And it was not only of Laurie Baxter that she thought; she spared a little attention for herself.

For she had begun to be aware, for the first time since her initiation, of a very faint distaste—­as slight and yet as suggestive as that caused by a half-perceived consciousness of a delicately disagreeable smell.  There comes such a moment in the life of cut flowers in water, when the impetus of growing energy ceases, and a new tone makes itself felt in their scent, of which the end is certain.  It is not sufficient to cause the flowers to be thrown away; they still possess volumes of fragrance; yet these decrease, and the new scent increases, until it has the victory.

So it was now to the perceptions of this lady.  Oh! yes.  Spiritualism was very “teaching” and beautiful; it was perfectly compatible with orthodox religion; it was undeniably true.  She would not dream of giving it up.  Only it would be better if Laurie Baxter did not meddle with it:  he was too sensitive....  However, he was coming that evening again....  There was the fact.

* * * * *

As she turned southwards at last, crossing the road again towards her own street, it seemed to her that the day even now was beginning to cloud over.  Over the roofs of Kensington a haze was beginning to make itself visible, as impalpable as a skein of smoke; yet there it was.  She felt a little languid, too.  Perhaps she had walked too far.  She would rest a little after lunch, if dearest Maud did not mind; for dearest Maud was to lunch with her, as was usual on Sundays when the Colonel was away.