The herald., 1898-04-17

De out one opinion, dltHOuSH diiNlOus
mammas who had daughters less rich
ly endowed with good looks, attempted
to disparage and discount her attrac-
tions. And the girls themselves, con-
scious of the fact that to mere alb
stract beauty Ethel Valance owed but
half her charm, were almost forced, sc
keen is the competition of the marriage
mart, into a course of pettiness which
was betrayed in their remarks to men
concerning her.
Her beauty was of a type to which
the term "classicar' is best applied
but it was not of that cold kind which
the word is generally held to imply
Indeed. ii was more the regularity OF
feature than the colorng which
prompted such a description. She was
tall but without the slightest loss OF
grace; and her figure, slender without
the least suggestion of angularity, was
singuarly perfect and dignified. Her
head was small, and shapely, crowned
with a wealth of darkest hair. which
strayed in rebellious Wisps across her
white forehead. taking somewhat from
its height. Her complexion, of which
nothing in the way of fatigue and late
hours, seemed capable of robbing her
had a rich. warm, Southern hue, inclin-
ing, indeed. slightly to olive. and bear
ing evidence of the ancestor of long
ago, who was welded from sunny
Italy. Her mouth was one of great
beauty, and delicately shaped, and the
curved lips We're full and mobile. Bu,
the thing which compelled most ad-
miration was the depth and wonderful
beauty of her eyes. They We're large
dark, and lustrous, curtained by
sweeping lashes, and so varying and
so sympathetic that they seemed to de-
velop new beauties at every glance
Unfathomable, on account of their
mutability, they seemed at one time to
show the very working of her soul, only
to change and leave the searcher with
feeling of defeat, and sensible that
he had failed to rightly analyze their
meaning.
On the night of Mrs. Vallance's re-
union, Grant was delayed in Fleet
street till long after the hour of as
sembly. When he arrived at Hyde
Park Gardens, most of the prelimi-
naries in the way of music and mutual
introduction had been accomplished
and the throng of guests who always
We're gravitating from the lesser rooms,
the hall and conservatory, to the draw
ing-roon, where the celebrated hypno-
tist, Spinoza, was about to give a DEM
onstration.
Evan had scarcely time to recognize
a tithe of the many faces he knew be-
fore Mr.. Valance caught sight of him,
as he was making his way to Spinoza
through the crush.
Good evening, Grant. L suppose
you've only just been able to get here
as 1 looked for you everywhere. My
wife and daughter have both been Won
dering where you could have got to-"
Il am extremely veXed to be so late"
'Never mind" exclaimed Mr.. VAL
lance; but I am forgetting. Allow me
to introduce you to Professor Spinoza
of Munich. He has desired to know
you, and his name is, of course, quite
familiar to us all. Mr.. Evan Grant, a
very old, though young, friend,-Pro-
fessor.'
The three men stood conversing for
a few minutes like a little isle of hu-
manity amid the surging throng, and
they made their way to the room in
which the professor was to practically
demonstrate his latest discoveries in
hypnotic science.
The room was filled to repletion. The
only clear space being quite at the fur
ther end, where the floor was cleared
except for three chairs and small
gypsy table.
There We're many scientific and med
ical authorities present, as we'll as sew
eral writer's and journalists, all full of
curiosity, for only a rumor of Spinoza's
discoveries and the advances
hypnotism had made through his re-
searches had reached them. Indeed, as
yet, none outside the comparatively
small circle of Munich scientific life.
had seen the wonderful effects of the
power he now claimed to possess.
The entrance of Mr. Valance, Spin
oza and Grant, was the means of Great
ing one of those sudden silences which
fall upon a whispering, buzzing throng
with concertedness that is strange
and marked
There was no prearranged pro-
gramme, but it was generally under
stood that the media had been already
selected, and that the nature of the ex-
perlments would be representative.
The first few demonstrations We're of
the ordinary kind, the piece de resist
ance being saved for the last
Spinoza was evidently exhausted:
for after a few experiments he had
sunk into a chair whilst beads of pers-
piration glistened on his forehead.
Grant, who had assisted him with sew
eral of the experiments, leaned over
him to speak, and then said:
Ladies and Gentlemen, 1 must crave
your kind indulgence for our friend,
Mr.. Spinoza. As many of you are no
doubt aware, to demonstrate as he has
this evening the strange, subtle and
force we denominate hyp-
notism. is no childs play. 1t is ex-
hausting work; it is work which calls
forth all the vital energies both of mind
and body; | therefore believe you will
grant Mr.. SpinoZa a few minutes grace
before he proceeds with his final ex-
pertinent
At the conclusion of Grants brief
speech there was subdued but hearty
applause, that died away in the buzz
of conversation which was continued
whilst Spinoza rested.
Ethel Valance was seated in the
front row, close to the little cleared
space in which the demonstration had
been conducted, 1t was an open secret
that the professors final and most ex-
experiment was to be tried
with her asa medium. In the same
row were seated several of her girl
friends, and one or two men, amongst
the latter, Hillfield, persistent though
unfaVored suitor.