Macrae Is Awake. An Interview
By the time he reached Macrae's side, the latter, now thoroughly awake, said, "How did I come here? What is the meaning of this?"
The Professor noticed an air of rising nervous excitement about him. He decided to make as little of the affair as possible.
"You have been walking in your sleep, my lad," he said soothingly, "and the fall to the floor woke you rather suddenly. You were in here when I found you. There's no harm done, I hope. Did you ever walk in your sleep before?"
"Never, sir!"
"And how do you feel now?"
"My head seems completely dazed. I'll go back to bed. Perhaps I shall be better in the morning. I shall be glad to leave this dreadful island." He then added, "Why I ever wished to come to it is a mystery!"
The Professor again noticed a slight rising inflexion of excitement. He therefore took Macrae's arm and led him towards his room.
"To walk in your sleep is no very uncommon experience. It is the shock of the sudden awakening that upsets you. Lie still now and get to sleep again." The Professor remained with him for some time, still feeling rather conscience-stricken. "I might have killed him," he thought, and after all, it was my fault. After this I can never trust myself again."
While waiting until Macrae should drop off, he reflected on the powerful influence that had acted on him the second time that night, and, this second time, to take the key from where the waking Macrae had seen it placed. He shuddered as, finally, he rose to leave the room, noticing, as he did so, that dawn was beginning to break.
He decided to go at once back to the signal-room to redeem his promise, and to place, if possible, the affair in hands more competent than his own had proved. As he took the headpiece in his hands, again he experienced that uncomfortable shudder. Who would answer his call? Suppose—no! Refusing to follow that train of thought, and calling his courage to his aid, he placed the receivers. "Are you there?" he asked.
A Welcome Voice from Venus
The interval of waiting was not longer than usual, but it had never seemed so long. Then came the well-known, welcome voice, "I am here. What has happened?"
The Professor gave a full account of the night's experiences. Recounting them brought more vividly than anything else would have done, his own remissness. He remembered that he had, at a repeated special request, promised to report at once anything that proved Macrae to be under other influence, and, in his foolish feeling of security, he had not done so. As he related the events that proved he must have fallen asleep, he felt utterly unworthy of his responsibility. He was glad when the story was ended, including his unnecessary violence to the sleeper. He expected reproaches. He was prepared to take with humility anything that might be addressed to him. He waited. The interval was longer in reality this time than he had ever known it. Six minutes passed. Ten minutes. At last came the answer. There were no reproaches.
"Write a note to the officer in charge, requesting him not to disturb you for two hours in the signal-room. Place that outside the door, and then remain in the room, locking the door on the inside. Remain with the headpiece on until called."
The Professor did as he was ordered. He sat patiently awaiting his further instructions. At the end of a quarter of an hour a voice said, "Are you there, Professor?" He replied, and coloured when he found that no remark followed. Every quarter of an hour the question was repeated, and every time, in a tone that betrayed no resentment, the Professor replied, "I am here."
At about the seventh call, the voice further said: "We have called a council, as the matter is too serious for my sole decision. We have come to a conclusion, and I now ask you to place yourself in my hands entirely. I wish you to yield your will to mine, and to pass into the second, or unconscious, phase, and fear no harm. Rest forward on your arms and yield to my suggestion to sleep. I cannot succeed in spite of you, but earnestly request you to assist. Banish all questionings, and, as it becomes possible, all thoughts from your mind. Sleep."
The voice continued in quiet insistent monotone, urging sleep. At the first request Professor Rudge shrank back from the suggestion. He wanted to ask questions. He remained silent, however, while the voice continued. Finally he decided to acquiesce. He yielded to the request made him, put his head on his arms, and tried to think of nothing but the suggestion made him by the being under whose influence he already was. Very gradually consciousness faded entirely from him. An apparently sleeping figure rested on the signal-table.
CHAPTER XII
The Martian Triumphant
In telling Professor Rudge of the power of the Martians to force their spiritual possession on beings of less strength than themselves, the Venerian had mentioned that it was within their, the Venerians', power to effect this psychic exchange with the assent of the other being concerned. It was the overwhelming force of the Martian, enabling him to dispense with such assent, that gave him his terrible power for evil.
In the request and directions addressed by the Venerian to Professor Rudge at the signal-table, it was such an exchange that he intended.
That a foreign or outside spirit could possess or take possession of the personality of a human being was well kown to man long before the beginning of modern civilization, a fact of which there is abundant scriptural and other warrant. Such foreign intruder might either impose itself on, or cast out and replace, the spirit in rightful possession.
When the two hours had expired, Lieutenant Hughes went to see if there were any sign of Professor Rudge coming out. There was no special need of the room for official use, but Hughes was curious. He was also puzzled. The whole affair was a mystery.
