Page:The Naturalisation of the Supernatural.pdf/333

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The Case of Mrs. Piper
313

(12) "He comes with your mother. She knows him better now than she did before death. . . . Who is this uncle of yours, named John?"

"I have no uncle John."

"Yes, yes, you have—the man that married your aunt."

"No, you are wrong; the man that married my aunt was called Philip."

"Well, I think I know." [Changes subject, grumbling]

[I had entirely forgotten for the moment that an aunt of mine had indeed married a man named John, with whom I had formerly had some correspondence. I did not recollect this until the following day.]

(13) "Why! you are a funny fellow—you are covered with paint from head to foot. Your mother says it is too bad."

[I had been much interested in painting the walls of a room in the house of my friend for some days previously.]

(14) "I'd like to know who this H. is that you are going to see. Take good care of that man. He is a tricky one. Don't let him get you into his power."

[This is an altogether unjust accusation, based upon an unwarrantable distrust entertained by me at the time.]

(15) "Here is your Rebecca!"

[Clarke and Hodgson both ask "Mine?" each having relatives of that name.]

[To Clarke:] "Your Rebecca, your little girl. She runs around and gives her hand to every one about her."

"Is there another little one like her?"

"Yes, there are three of your people together there now."

[My wife and two children.]

(16) "How is Rebecca?"

"Very well."

"Where is she now?"

"She is in the spirit. That is to say, her spirit's here, but her body is at a distance."

[My child was in Germany at the time, and thus lived rather in my memory than in my daily view. Hence, although the medium felt that she was alive ("Her body is at