Carolyn Wells
The Room with the Tassels
CHAPTER I
Wanted: A Haunted House
But I know its so, for Mrs. Fairbanks saw it herself, and heard it, too!
The air of finality in the gaze levelled at Braye defied contradiction, so he merely smiled at the girl who was doing the talking. But, talking or silent, Eve Carnforth was well worth smiling at. Her red hair was of that thin, silky, flat-lying sort, that spells temper, but looks lovely, and her white, delicate skin, perhaps the least bit hand-painted, showed temperament while her eyes, of the colour called beryl, whatever that is, showed all sorts of things.
Then from her canna-hued lips fell more wisdom. And Professor Hardwick believes it, too, and hes
A college professor, broke in Landon, dont try to gild his refinement! But really, Eve, you mustnt believe in spooks, it isnt done
Oh, but it is! Youve no idea how many people, scientific and talented people, are leaning toward spiritualism just now. Why, Sir Oliver Lodge says that after the war great and powerful assistance will be given by spirit helpers in matters of reconstruction and great problems of science.
Milly Landons laugh rang out, and she politely clapped a little, fat hand over her mouth to stifle it.
Milly Landon was an inveterate giggler, but dont let that prejudice you against her. She was the nicest, dearest dumpling of a little woman who ever giggled her way through life. And as hostess on this present Sunday afternoon occasion, she sat, one foot tucked under her, on the davenport in her long, narrow parlour, on one of New Yorks East Seventieth streets.
It was a parlour like thousands of others in the city, and the quartette of people talking there were much like the people talking in those other parlours, that Sunday afternoon. Their only superiority lay in the fact that they constitute part of the personnel of this absorbing tale, and the other people do not.
Milly and her very satisfactory husband, Wynne Landon, were affably entertaining Rudolph Braye and the herein-before described Eve Carnforth, two pleasing callers, and the talk had turned on psychological matters and then, by inevitable stages, to the supernatural and spiritualism.
It is all coming in again, Eve declared, earnestly. You know it was taken very seriously about thirty or forty years ago, and then because of fake mediums and fraudulent séances, it fell into disrepute. But now, its being taken up in earnest, and I, for one, am terribly interested.
But its so old-fashioned, Eve, and Milly looked at her guest in disdain.
Its gammon and spinach, thats what it is, declared Landon, very rubbishy gammon and a poor quality of spinach!
Queen Victoria didnt think so, Eve informed them. She may have been old-fashioned, but she believed thoroughly in the spiritual reappearance of her friends who died, and especially took comfort in the communion and visitation of her dead husband.
Its this way, I think, offered Braye; it seems to me its like that old Lady or the Tiger story, you believe or not, according to your character or disposition. You know, it depended on your own nature, whether you think the Lady came out of the door, or the Tiger. And so with spooks, if you want to believe in them, you do.
Dont say spooks, please, begged Eve; say phantasms, or even ghosts.
Is that the usage in the best mediumistic circles? and Braye smiled. Well, I think I could more easily believe in a spook than a phantasm. The latter sounds so unreal, but a good honest Injun spook seems sort of plausible.
Theyre all unreal, began Landon, but Eve interrupted. Theyre not unreal, Wynne; theyre immaterial, of course, but that isnt being unreal. You have a real soul, havent you, although it is immaterial? and I suppose you dont call your mind material, even if your brain is.
Now youre quibbling, Eve, and Landon grew a bit more serious. When I say unreal, I mean imperceptible to the senses. I hold that a departed spirit cannot return to earth and be seen, heard, or felt by mortal human beings. All the stories of such things to the contrary notwithstanding. If you or any one else has power to show me a visible spook, I beg pardon, phantasm, Ill be glad to see it, but Im from Missouri. I wouldnt be a bit afraid of it, but Id have to be jolly well convinced of its integrity. No faked-up spectres would go down with me!
But how can you know? asked Milly. Id be scared to death of one, Im sure, but if Wynne wants to see one, I do. Lets all go to a séance, or whatever they call the things. Shall us?
No, indeed! cried Eve. Professional séances are always fakes. And I dont aspire to see one. If we could get some messages from the beyond, that would satisfy me.
Get messages how? asked Braye.
Oh, by a Ouija board, or some such way.
Ouija! derided Landon; thats the biggest fraud of all!
Only in the hands of frauds. If we tried it here by ourselves and if we all trusted each other not to stoop to deception of any sort that would be a fair test.
Id like that, and Milly giggled in pleased anticipation. That wouldnt frighten me, and Id promise to play fair.
Thered be no reason for not playing fair, said Eve, seriously. Were not a pack of silly children who want to trick one another. If we could get together some evening and have an earnest, serious test, Id agree. But not if theres to be the least suspicion of anybody trying trickery.
At this point two more callers arrived, and Milly jumped up to greet them.
Mr. Bruce! she exclaimed, how nice to see you! And Vernie, my goodness, how youve grown!
Indeed, yes, and Vernie Reid, a most lively and energetic sub-deb of sixteen, darted from one to another, greeting all with interest.
Hello, Cousin Rudolph, what are you doing here? Mooning after Miss Carnforth, I spose. Dear Mrs. Landon, let me sit here by you. I want to show you my graduating gifts.
Oh, yes, youve just had commencement, havent you?
Yes, and Uncle Gifford gave me this heavenly wrist-watch, and my respected Cousin Rudolph, over there, sent me this pendant. Isnt it stunning? Oh, I had beautiful presents. Id like to graduate every year!
Arent you going to school any more at all?
Dunno yet. Uncle Gifford says I am, I say Im not. It remains to be seen. Though I dont mind confiding to you that I usually get my own way. And, too, out in Chicago, you know, were not such terrible highbrows. Something tells me my schooldays are over. I think Uncle Gif needs the pleasure of my society at home. And, too, I want to get acquainted with Cousin Rudolph. Until this week I havent seen him for years.
He isnt your cousin, Vernie.
Same as. Hes a son of Uncle Gifs half-brother, and Im a daughter of Uncles own sister, so it sort of evens up. Anyway, I like Cousin Rudolph, because hes such a good-looking young man, and hes promised to take me round New York some. Thats why Im so jealous of Miss Carnforth or any other girl.
Vernie was so pretty that her chatter amused the whole crowd. She was brown-haired and brown-eyed, and somewhat of a browned complexion, by reason of much tennis and outdoor life at the school from which she had just been graduated. And after a summer spent among the Eastern resorts, she and her Uncle were to return to their Chicago home, where they had lived all of Vernies orphaned life. Gifford Bruce idolized the girl and though often short and crabbed in his manner to others, he was never cross or stern to his dead sisters child.
What were you talking about when we came in? Vernie asked, smiling at Milly. You were all so in earnest, it must have been something important.
Of ghosts, answered Braye, looking at the pretty child. Do you enjoy them?
Oh, dont I! cried Vernie. Why, at school we just ate em up! Table tippings and all such things, as soon as lights were out!
We dont mean that sort, said Eve. We were talking seriously.
Count me out, then, laughed Vernie. Our ghosts werent a bit real. I did most of em myself, jogging the table, when the others didnt know it!
Eves scarlet lips came together in a narrow line, but the others laughed at Vernie as she babbled on.
Yes, and we tried the Ouija board. I can make it say anything I want to.
Good for you, Kiddie, cried Braye, I believe I like your notion of these things better than the ideas of the psychologists. It sounds a lot more fun!
And comes nearer the truth, declared Mr. Bruce. Ive looked up these matters and Ive read all the best and most authoritative books on the subjects. There are many writers more diffuse and circumstantial, but Andrew Lang sums up the whole situation in his able way. He says there are no ghosts, but there are hallucinations. And that explains all.
It doesnt to me, and Eves beryl eyes took on a mystic, faraway look. I, too, have read a lot of books
Scientific or psychic? interrupted Mr. Bruce, acidly.
Psychical and Theosophic
Rubbish! The Theosophic bunch have been in the discard for years.
Thats what I say, put in Milly, the whole business is old-fashioned.
It isnt a question of fashion, and Gifford Bruce spoke assuredly; the subject is one that recurs in waves, as many such things do. Why, there have been ghosts and haunted houses in peoples imagination ever since there has been man and a house for him to live in. Some are spoken of in the Bible, the primitive Australians had legions of ghosts, the awful Dyaks record them, and there is scarce a castle or palace of the middle ages that hasnt its Woman in White, or a Little Gray Lady or the Man in Black. And in an old Egyptian papyrus, theres an account of a defunct lady who insisted on haunting her husband to his great distaste.
My goodness, Uncle Gif, you do know a lot about it! and Vernie went over and sat on the arm of his chair. Tell us more. I like this sort of ghost stories better than the fool stunts we did at school.
Im not telling ghost stories, child, Im only declaring that ghost stories are merely stories, and in no case a true relation of happenings. Lang investigated thousands of cases, and in ten out of every eleven, he states, fraud was proved.
Quite so, said Eve, and it is that eleventh case that interests the real thinker, the true inquirer.
But the eleventh case was simply not proven, it never has been shown that it was really a ghostly visitation.
But they do say, Uncle Gifford, observed Braye, that the very fact of the frauds being perpetrated proves that there was something to imitate. If no spirit had ever returned to earth and made itself manifest, no one would have thought of pretending that one did.
Nonsense and super-nonsense! Why, Rudolph, perpetual motion is not a real thing, but how many times has it been pretended! You dont remember the Keeley Motor, but that deceived thousands into believing that perpetual motion was at last discovered, but it wasnt; and that fraud doesnt prove that perpetual motion, without adequate cause, exists.
Here comes Professor Hardwick, exclaimed Milly, splendid to have him come just now! Sit down, Professor, and get right into the game. You know all these people, except this angel child, Miss Vernie Reid.
I am an angel, declared Vernie, but Im no child! Ive just graduated with honours and diplomas and lots of presents. Now, Im out in the great world, and glory, but I love it! But dont mind me, Professor, go right on and tell us all you know about ghosts and ghostesses.
Bless my soul! I dont know anything about them.
Well, do you believe in ghosts?
What do you mean by ghosts? How do you define a ghost?
Ah, theres the rub, said Landon. These people are all talking at cross purposes. Mr. Bruce means a scarecrow phantom rigged up in sheets, Miss Carnforth means a supernatural being of some sort, but I take a ghost, in the proper sense, to mean the visible soul of some one who has died.
What do you mean by visible soul? Disembodied?
No, considered Landon, I suppose I mean clothed in a body, that is an apparent body.
And raiment? asked the old Professor.
Yes, certainly. I never heard of a nude spook!
Then your visible soul is concealed by a body of flesh, and clothes, of fabric, or, at least, apparently so. The soul, I take it, would show but low visibility.
Good, Hardwick! cried Mr. Bruce. Give them a jolt, they need it, talking such rubbish!
Rubbish, Bruce? What do you mean by rubbish?
Why, all this ghost gabble
How do you know its rubbish? Have you personally disproved it? Do you mean intentional rubbish? Are they talking deceptively, or are they themselves deceived?
By the Lord Harry, Hardwick, I had forgotten you were such a stickler for words! I must choose my diction carefully. Do you, then, believe that so-called supernatural appearances are caused by psychical influences or are hallucinations of the senses? There, I think Ive put it clearly.
Fairly so. But I cant answer clearly. I never express an opinion on a grave question
Millys hand flew up to her mouth to repress an involuntary giggle. A grave question! she exploded. It surely is.
The Professor looked at her thoughtfully. It is, he went on, and it is no laughing matter. As I was saying, I never state an opinion without being sure of my facts. Now, Ive had no experience, personally, with supernatural matters, and so am unfit to discuss them. But, I admit I should be very glad to have some such experience. Yes, I certainly should.
Really, and Eve Carnforth looked interested. I can arrange it for you, Professor Hardwick.
No, no, my dear lady, I do not mean that I want to go to a séance, where the so-called medium throws flowers and things out of a cabinet, or toots trumpets and bangs cymbals! No, thank you, Ive seen such often.
What would you choose as an experience? asked Landon.
Id like to go to a house that is reputed haunted, and in circumstances that preclude all possibility of fraud, see the haunting spirits or hear them, for myself.
Me, too! cried Vernie. Oh, I do think that would be the rippingest fun! If you ever do it, Professor, maynt I go with you?
Ill go along, said Eve. Wouldnt that be a splendid proof! To have such a scientific and open-minded man as the Professor, and a few others who are in earnest and anxious to learn. You couldnt go, Mr. Bruce. You are too sceptical.
Im just the one you need, he laughed. A balance wheel to keep you enthusiasts straight. But haunted houses are not to be found on every bush in America. If we were in England now, or Scotland.
They do have some over here, Landon asserted. I read of one recently, and Ive heard of others.
Lets find one, suggested Eve, and spend our summer vacation in it! Wouldnt that be a lark?