Authors: George W. M. Reynolds,James Malcolm Rymer
There is yet much gold to be made
by that girl: she cannot do long without me!"
Then the horrible wretch fetched from the cupboard the
champagne-bottle which contained her gin ; and she seated herself cheerfully at
the table covered with the dainties that she loved.
THE PROFESSOR OF MESMERISM
ELLEN had already been long enough from home to incur the chance
of exciting surprise or alarm at her absence; she was therefore compelled to
postpone her visit to the Professor of Mesmerism until the following day.
On her return to the Place, after an absence of nearly three
hours, her fears were to some extent realised, her father being uneasy at her
disappearance for so long a period. She availed herself of this opportunity to
acquaint Mr. Monroe with her anxiety to devote her talents to some useful
purpose, in order to earn at least sufficient to supply them both with clothes,
and thus spare as much as possible the purse of their benefactor. Her father
highly approved of this laudable aim and Ellen assured him that one of the
families, for whom she had once worked at the West End, had promised to engage
her as a teacher of music and drawing for a few hours every week. It will be
recollected that the old man had invariably been led to believe that his
daughter was occupied in private houses with her needle, when she was really in
the service of the statuary, the artist, the sculptor, and the photographer :
he therefore now readily put faith in the tale which Ellen told him, and even
undertook not only to communicate her intention to Markham, but also to prevent
him from throwing any obstacle in its way. This task the old man accomplished
that very day; and thus Ellen triumphed over the chief difficulty which she bad
foreseen-namely, that of accounting for the frequent absence from home which
her new pursuits would render imperative. And this duplicity towards her sire
she practised without a blush. Oh! what a wreck of virtue and chastity had the
mind of that young female become!
The Professor of Mesmerism occupied a handsome suite of
apartments in New Burlington Street. He was a man of about fifty, of
prepossessing exterior, elegant manners, and intelligent mind. He spoke English
fluently, and was acquainted with many continental languages besides his own.
It was mid-day when Miss Monroe was ushered into his
presence.
The Professor was evidently struck by the beauty of her
appearance; but he held her virtue at no high estimation, in consequence of the
source of her recommendation to him. Little cared he, however, whether she were
a paragon of moral excellence, or an example of female degradation: his
connexion with her was to be based upon a purely commercial ground; and he
accordingly set about an explanation of his views and objects. Ellen listened
with attention, and agreed to become the patient of the mesmerist.
Thus, having sold her countenance to the statuary, her
likeness to the artist, her bust to the sculptor, her entire form to the
photographer, and her virtue to a libertine, she disposed of her dreams to the
mesmerist.
Several days were spent in taking lessons and studying her
part, under the tutelage of the Professor. She was naturally of quick
comprehension; sad this practice was easy to her. Her initiation was therefore
soon complete; and the Professor a length resolved upon giving a private
exhibition of "the truths of Mesmerism practically illustrated" to a
few friends. Ellen took a feigned name; and all the preliminary arrangements
were settled.
The memorable evening arrived; and by eight o'clock the
Professor's drawing-room was filled with certain select individuals, all of
whom were favourably incline towards the "science of Mesmerism." Some
of them, indeed, were perfectly enthusiastic in behalf of this newly-revived
doctrine. The reporters of the press were rigidly excluded from this meeting,
with two or three exceptions in favour of journals which were known to be
friendly to the principle of Animal Magnetism.
When the guests were thus assembled, Ellen was led into the
apartment. She was desired to seat herself comfortably in an easy aim-chair;
and the Professor then commenced his manipulations, "with a view to
produce coma, or mesmeric sleep." In about five minutes Ellen sank back,
apparently in a profound sleep, with the eyes tightly closed.
The Professor then expatiated upon the truths of the science
of Mesmerism; and the assembled guests eagerly drank in every word he uttered.
At length he touched upon
Clairvoyance
, which he explained in the
following manner:-
"
Clairvoyance
, "he said, "is the most extraordinary
result of Animal Magnetism. It enables the person magnetised to foretell events
relating both to themselves and others; to describe places which they have
never visited, and houses the interior of which they have never seen; to read
books opened and held behind their heads; to delineate the leading points of
pictures in a similar position; to read a letter through its envelope; to
describe the motions or actions of a person in another room, with a wall
intervening; and to narrate events passing in far distant places."
The Professor then proposed to give practical illustrations
of the phenomena which he had just described.
The visitors were now all on the tiptoe of expectation; and
the reporters prepared their note-books. Meantime Ellen remained apparently
wrapped up in a profound slumber; and more than one admiring glance was turned
upon her beautiful classic features and the exuberant richness of her bust.
"I shall now question the patient," said the
Professor, "in a manner which will prove the first phenomenon of
clairvoyance; namely,
the power of foretelling events
relative to themselves and others
."
He paused for a moment, performed a few more manipulations,
and then said, "Can you tell me any thing its reference to future events
which are likely to happen to myself?"
"Within a week from this moment you will hear of the
death of a relation! " replied Ellen in slow and measured terms.
"Of what sex is that relation?"
"A lady: she is now dangerously ill."
"How old is she?"
"Between sixty and seventy. I can see her lying upon
her sick-couch with two doctors by her side. She has just undergone a most
painful operation."
"it is perfectly true," whispered the Professor to
his friends, "that I have an aunt of that age; but I am not aware that she
is even ill - much less at the point of death."
"It is wonderful - truly wonderful!" exclaimed
several voices, in a perfect enthusiasm of admiration.
"Let us now test her in reference to the second
phenomenon I mentioned," said the Professor; "which will show
the power of describing places
she has never visited, and houses whose interiors she has never seen
."
"Ah! that will be curious, indeed," cried several
guests.
"Perhaps you, Mr. Wilmot," said the Professor,
addressing a gentleman standing next to him, "will have the kindness to
examine the patient relative to your own abode."
· "Certainly," replied Mr. Wilmot; then, turning
towards Ellen, he said, "Will you visit me at my house ? "
"With much pleasure, was her immediate answer."
"Where is it situated?"
"In Park Lane."
"Come in with me. What do you see?"
"A splendid hall, with a marble table between two
pillars on one side, and a wide flight of stairs, also of marble, on the
other."
"Come with me into the dining room of my house. Now
what do you see?"
"Seven large pictures."
"Where are the windows?"
"There are three at the bottom of the room."
"What colour are the curtains?"
"A rich red."
" What is the subject of the large picture facing the
fire-place?"
"The battle of Trafalgar."
"How do you know it is that battle?"
"Because I can read on the flag of one of the ships the
words, '
England expects that every man will do his duty
.' "
"I shall not ask her any more questions," said Mr.
Wilmot, evidently quite amazed by these answers. "Every one of her replies
is true to the very letter. And I think," he added, turning towards the
other guests, "that you all know me well enough to believe me, when I
declare most solemnly that this young person has never, to my knowledge, been
in my house in her life."
A murmur of satisfaction arose amongst the guests, who were
all perfectly astounded at the phenomena now illustrated - although they had
come, as before said, with a predisposition in favour of Mesmerism.
"We will have another proof yet," said the
Professor. "Perhaps Mr. Parke will have the kindness to question the
patient."
Mr. Parke stepped forward, and said, "Will you do me
the favour to walk with me to my house."
"Thank you, I will," answered Ellen, still
apparently remaining in a profound mesmeric sleep.
"Where is my house?"
"In Mortimer Street, Cavendish Square."
"How many windows has it in front?"
"Thirteen."
"Where are the two statues of Napoleon?"
"In the library."
"What else do you see in that room?"
"Immense quantities of books on shelves in glass
cases."
"Are there any pictures?"
" Yes - seven."
"What is the subject of the one over the
mantelpiece?"
"A beautiful view of London, by moonlight, from one of
the bridges."
"Wonderful!" ejaculated Mr. Parke. "All she
has said is perfectly correct. It is not necessary to ask her any more
questions on this subject."
"Gentlemen," said the Professor, casting a
triumphant glance around him, " I am delighted to perceive that you are
satisfied with this mode of illustrating the phenomena of clairvoyance. I will
now prove to you that the patient
can read a book held open behind
her head
."
He then performed some more manipulations to plunge his
patient into as deep a mesmeric sleep as possible, although she had given no
symptom of an inclination to awake throughout the preceding examination. Having
thus confirmed, as he said, her perfect state of coma, the Professor took up a
book - apparently pitched upon at random amongst a heap of volumes upon the
table; and, holding it open behind the head of the patient, he said, "What
is this?"
"A book," was the immediate reply.
"What book?"
"Milton's Paradise Lost."
"At what page have I opened it?"
"I can read pages 110 and 111."
"Read a few lines."
Ellen accordingly repeated the following passage in a slow
and beautifully mellifluous tone
"Now morn, her rosy steps in th' eastern
clime
Advancing, sowed the earth with orient pearl,
When Adam waked, so 'customed, for his sleep
Was airy light, from pure digestion bred,
And temperate vapours bland, which th' only sound
Of leaves and fuming rills, Aurora's fan,
Lightly dispersed, and the shrill matin song
Of birds on every bough."*
[*Commencement of Book V.]
" That is sufficient," cried several
voices. " Do not fatigue her. We are perfectly satisfied, it is really
marvellous. Who will now dare to doubt the phenomena of
clairvoyance
?"
"Let us take a picture," said the Professor;
"
and she will delineate all the leading points in it
."
The mesmerist took an engraving from a portfolio, and held
it behind Ellen's head.
"What is this?" he demanded.
"A picture."
"What is the subject?"
"I do not know the subject; but I can see two figures
in the fore-ground, with a camel. The back-ground has elevated buildings. Oh!
now I can see it plainer; it is a scene in Egypt; and those buildings are
the pyramids."
"Extraordinary!" cried Mr. Wilmot.
"And that little hesitation was a proof of the fact
that she could really see the picture," added Mr. Parke.
"Wonderful! extraordinary!" exclaimed numerous
voices.
At this moment a servant entered the room and delivered a
letter to his master, the Professor, stating that it had just been left by a
friend from Paris.
The mesmerist was about to open it, when a sudden idea
seemed to strike him.
"Gentlemen," he exclaimed, throwing the letter
upon the table, "the arrival of this missive affords me an opportunity of
proving another phenomenon belonging to clairvoyance.
The patient shall read this
letter through the envelope
."
"But if its contents be private?" said a guest.
"Then I am surrounded by gentlemen of honour, who will
not publish those contents," returned the professor with a smile.
A murmur of approbation welcomed this happy compliment of
the Frenchman.
The mesmerist held the letter at a short distance
from Ellen's countenance, and
said, "What is this?"
"A letter," she replied. "It is written in
French."
" Read it," cried the mesmerist.
"The writing is obscure, and the lines seem to cross
each other."
"That is because the letter is in an envelope and
folded," said the Professor. " But try and read it."
Ellen then distinctly repeated the contents of the letter,
of which the following is a translation :-
Paris
"HONOURED SIR, - I have to acquaint you with the alarming
illness of my beloved mistress, your aunt Madame Delabarre. She was taken
suddenly ill four days ego. Two eminent physicians are in constant attendance
upon her. It Is believed that if she does not get better in a few days, the
medical attendants will perform an operation upon her. Should your leisure and
occupation permit, you would do well to hasten to France to comfort your
venerable relative.
"Your humble servant,
"FELICIE SOLIVEAU."