Mrs. Wylie could never after account for the influence which prompted her to lean forward and clap her hands to the time of a waltz, while she hummed a gay air.
“Mne! That’s good!� cried Starlight, and her little feet kept time with the grace of a ballet-dancer.
“Good-night, good-night, good-night!� she cried, and danced back behind the curtains of the cabinet, and all was still.
The audience arose and began to go out of the room, and Mrs. Wylie, with a dazed, unnatural sensation, turned to her friend. “Am I asleep or dreaming?� she asked.
“I feel like asking the same question,� said Mrs. Lucien. “What a wonderful experience this has been.�
When they were seated in the carriage, and proceeding homeward, Mr. Wylie turned to his wife.
“Well, Nellie,� he said, “what do you think of it?�
“I think,� responded Mrs. Wylie slowly, “that I was hypnotized.�
“Hypnotized!� exclaimed Mr. Wylie and Mrs. Lucien in unison.
“Yes, hypnotized. I began to grow cold and feel so strangely as soon as that medium sat down there. I think she sat outside long enough to mesmerize us all. You remember she had them sing to distract our thoughts.�