New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-11


through the foggy night toward
Antcuil the two men resumed
their conversation.
ayes, evidently" said Doctor In
berger, eve ought to interfere Bel
leuio has TO friends besides ourselves.
Our Intervention is necessary. But is
he really as deceived as that? This
julien, who came to tell you-don't you
think that he exaggerated the situa
tion somewhat
VI. Merray, the doctors companion,
lighted a cigarette.
mo. no." he answered Julien has
been for long time in Belleuse's
service. He is a trustworthy man.
What he told me is the truth. Besides,
/ know that Belleuse has been some
what abnormal ever since his son Ed
ward was killed in the East, nearly
year ago. He had nobody in the world
but that son, and adored him. You
remember that he didn't want to see
anybody. not even US two. who have
known him since college-that is, for
more than forty-five years. He went
on a voyage. Then he returned to
Paris. Suddenly he changed and
seemed to improve. 1t was then, Julien
says, that this man began to visit him.
At first occasionally. but now every
evening. Julien doesn't know his
name He calls him the medium and
is horribly afraid Of him, especially
since he has learned, undoubtedly by
listening at the door, that Belleuse i'm
agines that, thanks to this man, he
sees his son again"
THAT is it, said lmberger; after
such a misfortune Belleuse was moral
ly in state of least resistance, as we
say. He has been victimized by some
INSCRIPTIONS charlatan. If this con-
tinues, he will lose his reason. And,
besides, it must cost him a great deal
Of money"
"a great deal. Julien talks of 1000
franc bills. I believe that he is jeal-
Gus. At all events he is alarmed, and
as he doesn't want to lose his place,
which is an excellent one, he came TO
warn me-in the interest of his mas
ter, as he put it. He expects US this
evening and will let US in. We shall
have no trouble in unmasking the
sharper"
"If Belleuse receives us" said I'm
berger. but we are already there"
At the end Of a quiet street there
was a house, set in garden. Nine
o'clock struck as they entered.
Monsieur is in the drawing room
with the medium" whispered julien,
who was waiting for them. "They are
about TO begin their queer work. |
heard that much through the door 1t
would be best if you gentlemen went
straight in"
They found NJ. de Belleuse in large,
stif-looking drawing room, dimly light
ed by a red lamp. He came forward to
them out of the obscurity. In his dark
dressing gown he seemed thinner and
paler than they had ever seen him be-
fore. His long hair was entirely white
and his eyes looked little unnatural.
But he greeted them as if he had seen
them the evening before.
"Ah, you two! It is considerate Of
you not to have forgotten me. To-
night have g seanee. You know what
that is, don't you1 And you have come
to see him / shall go and ask If that
is possible"
NJ. de Belleuse went aside and spoke
10 q person dressed in black, who re-
NAMED seated, motionless, his eyes
cast down, at the back Of the room,
where his smooth, white face stood out
like a pale spot in the semi-darkness
After a short conference in whispers,
VI. de Belleuse returned TO his visitors.
ale will be glad if you take part In
the seance. He is familiar with I'M
bergers works. For that matter, he
knows everything. But he makes it
condition that you do not approach
him"
They acquiesced. The red lamp
placed behind a dark screen, the me-
dium seated himself in q nook marked
OF by double black curtains. Before
him was a little white table, over
which his hands strayed. VI. de Bel
lcuse seated himself near by and fidget-
ed with feverish impatience. From the
other end Of the room Imberger and
Merray gazed through the shadows.
The silence became oppressive.
Suddenly rappings were heard, sharp
and in quick succession, coming from
the table, the walls and the ceiling.
The table moved II rose and then set
lied back again. The black curtains
trcmbled. as If swaysd by the wind,
and then blew around the medium, who
now. his face half turned away, re-
NAMED perfectly rigid, his eyes closed,
his breath coming feebly And an ap-
partition. pale and nebulous, lowered
above him. became more definite, and
finally took the form OF a human
being.
" dc Belleuse gave a cry which re
sembled a sob. but in which there was
note Of eItravagant JOY.
Edward"
The sppsrition seemed TO advance
toward him. There was whisper.
which came from no one knew where,