Lehal Library

"One evening early last year (it was 1878) I resolved to try to appear to Z. at some miles distant. I did not inform him beforehand of the intended experiment, but retired to rest shortly before midnight with thoughts intently fixed on Z., with whose rooms and surroundings, however, I was quite unacquainted. I soon fell asleep, and awoke next morning unconscious of anything having taken place. "On seeing Z., a few days afterward, I enquired: 'Did anything happen at your rooms on Saturday night?' 'Yes,' replied he, 'a great deal happened. I had been sitting over the fire with M., smoking and chatting. About 12.30 he rose to leave and I let him out myself I returned to the fire to finish my pipe, when I saw you sitting in the chair just vacated by him. I looked intently at you and then took up a newspaper to reassure myself that I was not dreaming, but on laying it down I saw you till there. While I gazed without speaking you faded away. Though I imagined you must be fast asleep at that hour, yet you appeared dressed in your ordinary garments, such as you usually wear every day.' Then my experiment seems to have succeeded,' said I. The next time I come, ask me what I want, as I had fixed in my mind certain questions I intended to ask you, but I was probably waiting for an invitation to speak.' "A few weeks later the experiment was repeated with equal success, I, as before, not informing Z. when it was made. On this occasion he not only questioned me on the subject which was at that time under very warm discussion between us, but detained me by the exercise of his will some time after I had intimated a desire to leave. This fact, when it came to be communicated to me, seemed to account for the violent and somewhat peculiar headache which marked the morning following the experiment; at least, I remarked at the time that there was no apparent cause for the unusual headache, and, as on the former occasion, no recollection remained of the event, or seeming event, of the preceding night."