Love and Mr. Lewisham Read online

  CHAPTER XIV.

  MR. LAGUNE'S POINT OF VIEW.

  For three days the Laboratory at South Kensington saw nothing ofLagune, and then he came back more invincibly voluble thanever. Everyone had expected him to return apostate, but he broughtback an invigorated faith, a propaganda unashamed. From some source hehad derived strength and conviction afresh. Even the rhetoricalSmithers availed nothing. There was a joined battle over theinsufficient tea-cups, and the elderly young assistant demonstratorhovered on the verge of the discussion, rejoicing, it is supposed,over the entanglements of Smithers. For at the outset Smithersdisplayed an overweening confidence and civility, and at the end hisears were red and his finer manners lost to him.

  Lewisham, it was remarked by Miss Heydinger, made but a poor figure inthis discussion. Once or twice he seemed about to address Lagune, andthought better of it with the words upon his lips.

  Lagune's treatment of the exposure was light and vigorous. "The manChaffery," he said, "has made a clean breast of it. His point ofview--"

  "Facts are facts," said Smithers.

  "A fact is a synthesis of impressions," said Lagune; "but that youwill learn when you are older. The thing is that we were at crosspurposes. I told Chaffery you were beginners. He treated you asbeginners--arranged a demonstration."

  "It _was_ a demonstration," said Smithers.

  "Precisely. If it had not been for your interruptions ..."

  "Ah!"

  "He forged elementary effects ..."

  "You can't but admit that."

  "I don't attempt to deny it. But, as he explained, the thing isnecessary--justifiable. Psychic phenomena are subtle, a certaintraining of the observation is necessary. A medium is a more subtleinstrument than a balance or a borax bead, and see how long it isbefore you can get assured results with a borax bead! In theelementary class, in the introductory phase, conditions aretoo crude...."

  "For honesty."

  "Wait a moment. _Is_ it dishonest--rigging a demonstration?"

  "Of course it is."

  "Your professors do it."

  "I deny that in toto," said Smithers, and repeated with satisfaction,"in toto."

  "That's all right," said Lagune, "because I have the facts. Yourchemical lecturers--you may go downstairs now and ask, if youdisbelieve me--always cheat over the indestructibility of matterexperiment--always. And then another--a physiography thing. You knowthe experiment I mean? To demonstrate the existence of the earth'srotation. They use--they use--"

  "Foucault's pendulum," said Lewisham. "They use a rubber ball with apin-hole hidden in the hand, and blow the pendulum round the way itought to go."

  "But that's different," said Smithers.

  "Wait a moment," said Lagune, and produced a piece of folded printedpaper from his pocket. "Here is a review from _Nature_ of the work ofno less a person than Professor Greenhill. And see--a convenient pinis introduced in the apparatus for the demonstration of virtualvelocities! Read it--if you doubt me. I suppose you doubt me."

  Smithers abruptly abandoned his position of denial "in toto." "Thisisn't my point, Mr. Lagune; this isn't my point," he said. "Thesethings that are done in the lecture theatre are not to prove facts,but to give ideas."

  "So was my demonstration," said Lagune.

  "We didn't understand it in that light."

  "Nor does the ordinary person who goes to Science lectures understandit in that light. He is comforted by the thought that he is seeingthings with his own eyes."

  "Well, I don't care," said Smithers; "two wrongs don't make aright. To rig demonstrations is wrong."

  "There I agree with you. I have spoken plainly with this manChaffery. He's not a full-blown professor, you know, a highly salariedornament of the rock of truth like your demonstration-riggingprofessors here, and so I can speak plainly to him without offence.He takes quite the view they would take. But I am more rigorous. Iinsist that there shall be no more of this...."

  "Next time--" said Smithers with irony.

  "There will be no next time. I have done with elementaryexhibitions. You must take the word of the trained observer--just asyou do in the matter of chemical analysis."

  "Do you mean you are going on with that chap when he's been caughtcheating under your very nose?"

  "Certainly. Why not?"

  Smithers set out to explain why not, and happened on confusion. "Istill believe the man has powers," said Lagune.

  "Of deception," said Smithers.

  "Those I must eliminate," said Lagune. "You might as well refuse tostudy electricity because it escaped through your body. All newscience is elusive. No investigator in his senses would refuse toinvestigate a compound because it did unexpected things. Either thisdissolves in acid or I have nothing more to do with it--eh? That'sfine research!"

  Then it was the last vestiges of Smithers' manners vanished. "I don'tcare _what_ you say," said Smithers. "It's all rot--it's all justrot. Argue if you like--but have you convinced anybody? Put it to thevote."

  "That's democracy with a vengeance," said Lagune. "A general electionof the truth half-yearly, eh?"

  "That's simply wriggling out of it," said Smithers. "That hasn'tanything to do with it at all."

  Lagune, flushed but cheerful, was on his way downstairs when Lewishamovertook him. He was pale and out of breath, but as the staircaseinvariably rendered Lagune breathless he did not remark the youngerman's disturbance. "Interesting talk," panted Lewisham. "Veryinteresting talk, sir."

  "I'm glad you found it so--very," said Lagune.

  There was a pause, and then Lewisham plunged desperately. "There is ayoung lady--she is your typewriter...."

  He stopped from sheer loss of breath.

  "Yes?" said Lagune.

  "Is she a medium or anything of that sort?"

  "Well," Lagune reflected, "She is not a medium, certainly. But--why doyou ask?"

  "Oh!... I wondered."

  "You noticed her eyes perhaps. She is the stepdaughter of that manChaffery--a queer character, but indisputably mediumistic. It's oddthe thing should have struck you. Curiously enough I myself havefancied she might be something of a psychic--judging from her face."

  "A what?"

  "A psychic--undeveloped, of course. I have thought once or twice. Onlya little while ago I was speaking to that man Chaffery about her."

  "Were you?"

  "Yes. He of course would like to see any latent powers developed. Butit's a little difficult to begin, you know."

  "You mean--she won't?"

  "Not at present. She is a good girl, but in this matter sheis--timid. There is often a sort of disinclination--a queer sort offeeling--one might almost call it modesty."

  "I see," said Lewisham.

  "One can override it usually. I don't despair."

  "No," said Lewisham shortly. They were at the foot of the staircasenow. He hesitated. "You've given me a lot to think about," he saidwith an attempt at an off-hand manner. "The way you talked upstairs;"and turned towards the book he had to sign.

  "I'm glad you don't take up quite such an intolerant attitude asMr. Smithers," said Lagune; "very glad. I must lend you a book ortwo. If your _cramming_ here leaves you any time, that is."

  "Thanks," said Lewisham shortly, and walked away from him. Thestudiously characteristic signature quivered and sprawled in anunfamiliar manner.

  "I'm _damned_ if he overrides it," said Lewisham, under his breath.