otnote 29: "Alleged Haunting," p. 46.]
[Footnote 30: "Osgood Mason," p. 234.]
He felt the passes the stronger antagonist was making over the other. If
one of the two people can obtain return messages like Mr. Godfrey,
intimate knowledge of his victim's doings might soon be obtained. A ghost
appeared to young H. in the shape of a veiled lady; perhaps the mist
round her was taken for a veil. But to return to the action of two
hypnotists on one person, it may be noted that the sound like the giving
of a tin box heard by Miss Moore, Miss Freer, and Miss Langton,[31] and
afterwards like the lid of a coalscuttle caught by a dress by Mrs.
M.,[32] was the sound of a gong doubtless used to stimulate the
hypnotised partner in the blackguard couple. Such a sound done with a
little spring gong, or with a larger one, has been heard by a victim.
[Footnote 31: "Haunting of B---- House," p. 155.]
[Footnote 32: "Haunting of B---- House," p. 173.]
By such experience, too, the monotonous reading can be explained; it was
the commencement by less powerful hypnotists of a supporting attack: the
words would become audible, distinguishable, and noticeable later. This
might ensue after the victim was more deeply hypnotised.
Probably the very words which were to be used later were used then, a
sort of sub-conscious memory being created.
Apparitions of a misty nature are described by Podmore in his chapter on
"Haunted Houses."[33] Miss Langton saw a misty phantom, and _Lizzie_ the
housemaid saw a cloud and afterwards got a cramp, less persistent than
the butler's, as she began to scream.[34] The upper housemaid saw a woman
whose legs she did not notice,[35] as was the case with Mr. Godfrey's
friend to whom he appeared hypnotically.
[Footnote 33: "Studies," pp. 315, 326.]
[Footnote 34: "Haunting of B---- House," p. 167.]
[Footnote 35: _Ibid_., pp. 205, 207.]
The fact that the dog that appeared to Miss Freer was a spaniel like
Major S.'s, shows familiarity with the house on the part of the gang.
That they moved about early near the house is shown by Mr. C. hearing the
caw of the rooks at 5.35 on March 6; they would not start cawing so early
unless disturbed. There is thus abundant evidence (1) that rascals were
at work; (2) accounting for certain of the phenomena observed; (3)
pointing out their resemblance to cases of experimental hallucinations or
thought transfer; (4) that such hypnotic operations could be traced
by due
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