The séance is no doubt poor stuff from a metaphysical point of view, but it was good enough for the Turks, and I quote it in full as an example of the way in which we entangled our victims in a labyrinth of confused reasoning. For it must always be borne in mind that a medium can have no more valuable asset in his sitter than a theory of spooking, and the more ill-defined, tortuous and confused that “theory” may be, the easier it becomes to hoodwink its exponent. The really dangerous man to a medium is not at all the gentleman possessed of a vast knowledge of spooks and their ways, and consequently prepared to explain phenomena in the light of that knowledge, but the ordinary everyday man, without any theories of the supernatural and preferably with a good knowledge of conjuring, of logic, and of the tricks of the cross-examiner, who will apply to what he sees and hears the tests of his everyday experience. Confusion, in one form or another, is the alpha and omega of the medium’s stock in trade.
The séance opened with a little speech by Moïse. We encouraged him—or rather, the Spook did—to make these speeches, and gradually he formed the habit of writing them beforehand so as to make sure of omitting nothing of importance. In time, they amounted to a report of everything that had happened in connection with ourselves or with the rest of the camp since the last séance. In this way our knowledge was kept up to date, and we gained much important information. The speeches were delivered—not to us, but to the piece of tin which was our spook-board, and which Moïse always addressed as “Sir.” It contained for him as real a personality as the idol does for the savage, and he treated it with similar reverence. He lied to us, in our capacity as ordinary mortals, with a face of brass, but he never lied to his sacred piece of tin. Picture him, then, leaning over the board with paper and pencil ready to take down the Spook’s answer while we set our fingers on the glass, and as wooden as possible an expression on our faces, and listened to his oration.
Seance in Colonels’ House, 24th March, 5 p.m. to 7.45 p.m.
Moïse. “Good evening, Sir. Before starting the treasure business, let me first thank you for the speech you made for the Commandant to say at the Ski Club dinner. I think everybody was pleased. I did not come before to thank you because you gave us the order not to trouble you before five days; but I do it now. Second, I beg your pardon again for having so étourdiment ejaculated in the last séance, and I am ready, if possible, in order to correct the wrong I may have done, to share the hardships and restrictions you have inflicted on the mediums, if you think it convenient.”
Spook. “Thank you. Later on I may require your help. Not now.”
Moïse. “I am ready at any time.”
Spook. “I am going to prepare you for trance-talk. I am going to explain a very difficult thing. First, what time is it?”
Moïse. “It is ten minutes past five, according to camp time, ten minutes past ten by Turkish time.”
Spook. “When eleven o’clock comes will the present time be dead and gone?”
Moïse. “Will you explain, please?”