PETER. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ho! Ho!
DR. MACPHERSON. Mind you—they couldn't see it when they photographed it.
PETER. I imagine not. See it? Ho! Ho!
DR. MACPHERSON. It stood a few feet away from the sleeper, and was located by striking at the air and watching for the corresponding portion of the sleeper's body to recoil. By pricking a certain part of this shadow-self with a pin, the cheek of the patient could be made to bleed. The camera was focussed on this part of the shadow-self for fifteen minutes. The result was the profile of a head.
PETER. [After a pause.] … You believe that?
DR. MACPHERSON. The experiment has been repeated again and again. Nobody acquainted with the subject denies it now.
PETER. Spook pictures taken by professional mediums! [Turning away from the table as though he had heard enough.
DR. MACPHERSON. De Rochas, who took the pictures of which I speak, is a lawyer of standing; and the room was full of scientists who saw the pictures taken.
PETER. Hypnotized—all of them. Humbug, Andrew!
DR. MACPHERSON. Under these conditions, it is quite impossible to hypnotize a room full of people. Perhaps you think the camera was hypnotized? In similar circumstances, says Lombroso, an unnatural current of cold air went through the room and lowered the thermometer several degrees. Can you hypnotize a thermometer?