He paused and turned his head until he was staring straight at Dick Terry.
"If there are those here who are skeptical," the rajah added in an impersonal tone, "let them refrain from disturbing the manifestations."
There was a challenging sternness in his voice. It was obvious to whom he was speaking. Various believers stared antagonistically toward Dick.
Staring with trancelike gaze, Rajah Brahman began a low incantation. He recited words in Hindustani. Finally, he spoke in English.
"There are four elements: Earth, fire, water, air. It is in water that I see the answer. Let us have water." Imam Singh approached with a huge brass bowl. He placed it at the rajah's feet. As though performing a ceremony, he went away and returned with a Hindu lota, which was filled with water. He emptied the contents of the small bowl into the large, and went to obtain a new supply of the desired element. The process of filling the large bowl required several minutes.
Rajah Brahman turned to the right, as though facing his invisible spirit guide. He waited solemnly, then declared that manifestations would be difficult to-night. A voice from the beyond was calling; but its whisper was too low for human ears to detect.
He clapped his hands three times. Imam Singh came forward with a long metal trumpet. It had a white band at the larger end, where it tapered like a megaphone.
Two members of the circle were instructed to take their stand close before the rajah's throne, that they might know he did not leave that sacred spot. The lights were extinguished by Imam Singh. The end of the trumpet glowed with phosphorescent light.
While Rajah Brahman spoke from his throne, the luminous band began to rise in the air. It floated above the heads of the spectators in a weird, bewildering fashion.
At last the voice of the enthroned medium was hushed. Sounds came from the floating trumpet. Words were heard, but they were low and incoherent.