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in it comfortably。
〃I'm very tired to…night；〃 she remarked in her thick voice。 〃I've had a
hard afternoon。〃
〃Poor darling！〃 cried Mrs。 Bridgeman。 〃Fetch a glass of champagne for
Mrs。 Harriet somebody。 Oh； would you； Mr。 Brummich？〃
Mr。 Brummich； a gentleman with a remarkably foolish； ascetic face and a
feebly…wandering sandy beard； was just about to hasten religiously
towards the Moorish nook when the great Towle happened； by accident； to
groan。 Mrs。 Bridgeman； started and smiled。
〃Oh； and a glass of champagne for Mr。 Towle； too； dear Mr。 Brummich！〃
〃Certainly； Mrs。 Bridgeman！〃 said dear Mr。 Brummich； hurrying off with
the demeanour of the head of an Embassy entrusted with some important
mission to a foreign Court。
〃Were you at work this afternoon； Harriet； beloved？〃 inquired Mrs。
Bridgeman of Mrs。 Browne； who was leaning back in the armchair with her
eyes closed and in an attitude of severe prostration。
〃Yes。〃
〃Which was it； lovebird？ Hysteric Henry？〃
〃No； he's cured。〃
Cries of joy resounded from those gathered about the chair。
〃Hysteric Henry's cured！〃
〃Henry's better！〃
〃The poor man with the ball in his throat's been saved！〃
〃How wonderful you are； Harriet； sweet！〃 cried Mrs。 Bridgeman。 〃But；
then which was it？〃
〃The madwoman at Brussels。 I've been thinking about her for two hours
this afternoon； with only a cup of tea between。〃
〃Poor darling！ No wonder you're done up！ Ought you to demonstrate？ Ah！
here's the champagne！〃
〃I take it merely as medicine；〃 said Mrs。 Harriet。
At this moment； Mr。 Brummich； flushed with assiduity； burst into the
circle with a goblet of beaded wine in either hand。 There was a moment
of solemn silence while Mrs。 Harriet and the great Towle condescended
to the Pommery。 It was broken only by a loud gulp from the hysterical…
looking girl who was； it seemed； nervously affected by an imitative
spasm； and who suddenly began to swallow nothing with extreme
persistence and violence。
〃Look at that poor misguided soul！〃 ejaculated Mrs。 Harriet； with her
lips to the Pommery。 〃She fancies she's drinking！〃
The poor； misguided soul； yielded again to her distraught imagination；
amid the pitiful ejaculations of the entire company； with the exception
of one mundane； young man who； suddenly assailed by the wild fancy that
he wasn't drinking； crept furtively to the Moorish rook； and was no
more seen。
〃Give her a cushion！〃 continued Mrs。 Harriet； authoritatively。
〃Mr。 Brummich！〃 said Mrs。 Bridgeman。
Mr。 Brummich ran； and returned with a cushion。
〃Sit down； poor thing！ Sit at my feet！〃 said Mrs。 Harriet； giving the
hysterical…looking girl a healing push。
The girl subsided in a piteous heap； and Mrs。 Harriet； who had by this
time taken all her medicine； leant over her and inquired；
〃Where d'you feel it？〃
The girl put her hands to her head。
〃Here；〃 she said feebly。 〃It's like fire running over me and drums
beating。〃
〃Fire and drums！〃 announced Mrs。 Harriet to the staring assembly。
〃That's what she's got； poor soul！〃
Ejaculations of sympathy and horror made themselves heard。
〃Drums！ How shocking！〃 cried Mrs。 Bridgeman。 〃Can you cure even drums；
Harriet； my own？〃
〃Give me ten minutes； Catherine！ I ask but that！〃
And； so saying； Mrs。 Harriet planted her fat hands upon the head of the
young patient； closed her eyes and began to breathe very hard。
Silence now fell upon the people； who said not a word； but who could
not prevent themselves from rustling as they pressed about this
exhibition of a latter…day apostle。 The Prophet and Lady Enid were
close to the armchair； and the Prophet； who had never before been
present at any such ceremonyit was accompanied by the twenty guitars；
now tearing out the serenade； 〃From the bull…ring I come to thee！〃was
so interested that he completely forgot Mr。 and Madame Sagittarius； and
lost for the moment all memory of Sir Tiglath。 The silly life engrossed
him。 He had no eyes for anyone but Mrs。 Harriet； who； as she leaned
forward in the chair with closed eyes； looked like a determined middle…
aged man about to offer up the thin girl on the footstool as a burnt
sacrifice。
〃You're better now； poor thing；〃 said Mrs。 Harriet； after five minutes
has elapsed。 〃You're feeling much better？〃
〃Oh； no； I'm not！〃 said the girl； shaking her head under the hands of
the demonstrator。 〃The fire's blazing and the drums are beating like
anything。〃
Mrs。 Harriet's hue deepened； and there was a faint murmur of vague
reproof from the company。
〃H'sh！〃 said the demonstrator； closing her hands upon the patient's
head with some acrimony。 〃H'sh！〃
And she began to breathe hard once more。 Another five minutes elapsed；
and then Mrs。 Harriet exclaimed with decision；
〃There！ It's gone now； all gone！ I've sent it right away。 The fire's
out and the drums have stopped beating！〃
Exclamations of wonder and joy rose up from the spectators。 They were；
however； a trifle premature； for the hysterical girlwho was； it
seemed； a person of considerable determination； despite her feeble
appearancereplied from the footstool；
〃No； it isn't。 No they haven't！〃
Mrs。 Harriet developed a purple shade。
〃Nonsense！〃 she said。 〃You're cured； love； entirely cured！〃
〃I'm not；〃 said the girl； beginning to cry。 〃I feel much worse since
you pressed my head。〃
There was a burst of remonstrance from the crowd； and Mrs。 Harriet；
speaking with the air of an angry martyr； remarked；
〃It's just like the drinkingshe fancies she isn't cured when she is；
just the same as she fancied she was drinking when she wasn't。〃
This unanswerable logic naturally carried conviction to everyone
present； and the hysterical girl was warmly advised to make due
acknowledgement of the benefits received by her at the healing hands of
Mrs。 Harriet； while the latter was covered with compliments and
assiduously conducted towards the buffet； escorted by the great Towle。
〃Isn't she wonderful？〃 said Mrs。 Bridgeman； turning ecstatically to the
person nearest to her； who happened to be the saturnine little
clergyman。 〃Isn't she marvellous； Mr。erMr。 Segerteribus？〃
〃Biggle！〃 cried the little clergyman。
〃I beg your pardon？〃
〃Biggle！〃 vociferated the little clergyman。 〃Biggle！〃
〃Certainly。 Did you ever see anything like that cure？ Ah！ you ought to
preach about dear Harriet； Mr。 Segerteribus； you really〃
〃Biggle！〃 reiterated the little clergyman； excitedly。 〃Biggle！ Biggle！〃
〃What does he〃 began Mrs。 Bridgeman； turning helplessly towards the
Prophet。
〃It's his name； I fancy；〃 whispered the Prophet。
Mrs。 Bridgeman started and smiled。
〃Mr。 Biggle；〃 she said。
The little clergyman moved on towards the guitars with all the air of a
future colonial bishop。 Mrs。 Bridgeman； who seemed to be somewhat
confused； and whose manner grew increasingly vague as the evening wore
on； now said to those nearest to her；
〃There are fifteen tables set outyes； set out；in the green
boudoir。〃
〃Bedad！〃 remarked an Irish colonel； 〃then it's meself'll enjoy a good
rubber。〃
〃For table…turning；〃 added Mrs。 Bridgeman。 〃Materialisation in the same
room after supper。 Mr。 Towleyeswill enter the cabinet at about
eleven。 Where's Madame Charlotte？〃
〃Looking into the crystal for Lady Ferrier；〃 said someone。
〃Oh； and the professor？〃
〃He's reading Archdeacon Andrew's nose； by the cloak…room。
Mrs。 Bridgeman sighed。
〃It seems to be going off quite pleasantly；〃 she said vaguely to the
Prophet。 〃I thinkperhapsmight I have a cup of tea？〃
The Prophet offered his arm。 Mrs。 Bridgeman took it。 They walked
forward； and almost instantly came upon Sir Tiglath Butt； who； with a
face even redder than usual； was rolling away from the hall of the
guitars； holding one enormous hand to his ear and snorting indignantly
at the various clairvoyants； card…readers； spiritualists and palmists
whom he encountered at every step he took。 The Prophet turned pale； and
Lady Enid； who was just behind him； put on her most sensible expression
and moved quickly forward。
〃Ah； Sir Tiglath！〃 she said。 〃How delightful of you to come！ Catherine；
dear； let me introduce Sir Tiglath Butt to you。 Sir Tiglath ButtMrs。
Vane Bridgeman。〃
Mrs。 Bridgeman behaved as usual。
〃So glad！〃 she said。 〃So enchanted！ Just a few interesting people。 So
good of you to come。 Table…turning is〃
At this moment Lady Enid nipped her friend's arm； and Sir Tiglath
exclaimed； looking from Mrs。 Bridgeman to the Prophet；
〃What； madam？ So you're the brain and eye； eh？ Is that it？〃
The guitars engaged in 〃The Gipsies of Granada are wild as mountain
birds；〃 and Mrs。 Bridgeman looked engagingly distraught； and replied；
〃Ah； yes； indeed！ The brain and I； Sir Tiglath； so good