ANNA PÁVLOVNA. I mean that it was she who, in the dark, played on the guitar and beat my husband on the head and performed all your idiotic tricks—and she has just confessed!
PROFESSOR [smiling] What does that prove?
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. It proves that your mediumism is—tomfoolery; that's what it proves!
PROFESSOR. Because this young girl wished to deceive, we are to conclude that mediumism is “tomfoolery,” as you are pleased to express it? [Smiles] A curious conclusion! Very possibly this young girl may have wished to deceive: that often occurs. She may even have done something; but then, what she did—she did. But the manifestations of mediumistic energy still remain manifestations of mediumistic energy! It is even very probable that what this young girl did, evoked (and so to say solicited) the manifestation of mediumistic energy,—giving it a definite form.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Another lecture!
PROFESSOR [sternly] You say, Anna Pávlovna, that this girl, and perhaps this dear young lady also, did something; but the light we all saw, and, in the first case the fall, and in the second the rise of temperature, and Grossman's excitement and vibration—were those things also done by this girl? And these are facts, Anna Pávlovna, facts! No! Anna Pávlovna, there are things which must be investigated and fully understood before they can be talked about, things too serious, too serious …
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. And the child that Márya Vasílevna distinctly saw? Why, I saw it too.… That could not have been done by this girl.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. You think yourself wise, but you are—a fool.
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. Well, I'm going.… Alexéy Vladímiritch, will you come? [Exit into his study].
PROFESSOR [shrugging his shoulders, follows] Oh, how far, how far, we still lag behind Western Europe!