"God, then, has willed that, through the agency of devout and living men, the unhappy phantom shall now be translated and moved from this environment for ever; and to me the appointed task is allotted.So I believe, as firmly as I believe in the death and resurrection of the Lord.Is that clear to you, Sir Walter?""It is.You have made it convincingly clear.""So be it, then.I, too, Mary, am not dead to the meaning of science in its proper place.We may take an illustration of what I have told you from astronomy.As comets enter our system from realms of which we have no knowledge, dazzle us a little, awaken our speculations and then depart, so may certain immortal spirits also be supposed to act.We entangle them possibly in our gross air and detain them for centuries, or moments, until their Creator's purpose in sending them is accomplished.Then He takes the means to liberate them and set them on their eternal roads and to their eternal tasks once more."The listening woman, almost against her reason, felt herself beginning to share these assumptions.But that they were fantastic, unsupported by any human knowledge, and would presently involve an experiment full of awful peril to the life of the man who uttered them, she also perceived.Yet her reasonable caution and conventional distrust began to give way a little under the priest's magnetic voice, his flaming eyes, his positive and triumphant certainty of truth.He burned with his inspiration, and she felt herself powerless to oppose any argument founded on facts against the mystic enthusiasm of such religious faith.His honesty and fervor could not, however, abate Mary's acute fear.Her father had entirely gone over to the side of the devotee and she knew it.
"It is well we have your opportunity to-night," he said, "for had the police arrived, out of their ignorance they might deny it to you."Yet Mary fought on against them.In despair she appealed to Masters.
He had been an officer's orderly in his day, and when he left the Army and came to Chadlands, he never departed again.He was an intelligent man, who occupied a good part of his leisure in reading.He set Sir Walter and Mary first in his affections; and that Mary should have won him so completely she always held to be a triumph, since Abraham Masters had no regard or admiration for women.
"Can't you help me, Masters?" she begged."I'm sure you know as well as I do that this ought not to happen."The butler eyed his master.He was handing coffee, but none took it."By all means speak," said Sir Walter."You know how I rate yourjudgment, Masters.You have heard Mr.May upon this terrible subject, and should be convinced, as I am."Masters was very guarded.
"It's not for me to pass an opinion, Sir Walter.But the reverend gentleman, no doubt, understands such things.Only there's the Witch of Endor, if I may mention the creature, she fetched up more than she bargained for.And I remember a proverb as I heard in India, from a Hindoo.I've forgot the lingo now, but I remember the sense.They Hindoos say that if you knock long enough at a closed door, the devil will open it - excuse my mentioning such a thing; but Hindoos are awful wise." "And what then, Masters?I know not who may open the door of this mystery; but this I know, that, in the Name of the Most High God, I canface whatever opens it."
"I ain't particular frightened neither, your reverence," said Masters."But I wouldn't chance it alone, being about average sinful and not near good enough to tackle that unknown horror hid up there single-handed.I'd chance it, though, in high company like yours.And that's something." "It is, Masters, and much to your credit," declared Sir Walter."For that matter, I would do the like.Indeed, I am willing to accompany Mr.
May."
While Septimus May shook his head and Mary trembled, the butler spoke again.
"But there's nobody else in this house would.Not even Fred Caunter, who doesn't know the meaning of fear, as you can testify, Sir Walter.Buthe's fed up with the Grey Room, if I may say so, and so's the housekeeper, Mrs.Forbes, and so's Jane Bond.Not that they would desert the ship; but there's others that be going to do so.I may mention that four maids and Jackson intend to give notice to-morrow.Ann Maine, the second housemaid, has gone to-night.Her father fetched her.Excuse me mentioning it, but Mrs.Forbes will give you the particulars to-morrow, if you please.""Hysteria," declared Sir Walter."I don't blame them.It is natural.Everybody is free to go, if they desire to do so.But tell them what you have heard to-night, Masters.Tell them that no good Christian need fear to rest in peace.Explain that Mr.May will presently enter the Grey Room in the name of God; and bid them pray on their knees for him before they go to sleep."Masters hesitated.
"All the same, I very much wish the reverend gentleman would give Scotland Yard a chance.If they fall, then he can wipe their eye after - excuse my language, Sir Walter.I've read a lot about the spirits, being terrible interested in 'em, as all human men must be; and I hear that running after 'em often brings trouble.I don't mean to your life, Sir Walter, but to your wits.People get cracked on 'em and have to be locked up.I stopped everybody frightening themselves into 'sterics at dinner to-day; but you could see how it took 'em; and, whether or no, I do beg Mr.May to be so kind as to let me sit up along with him to-night.
