Page:Doughty--Mirrikh or A woman from Mars.djvu/120

 “You do not believe that you saw what you actually did see?”

“No. I refuse to believe it. I utterly reject it.”

“Do you know the full meaning of what you saw?”

“Yes.”

“You do not.”

“I beg your pardon, I do.”

“I repeat, you do not. Mr. Wylde, let me tell you something. It will surprise you when I inform you that one hour ago I was in Benares in the private apartments of my  friend, Radma Gungeet, whom I understand you have met  since I was with you last.”

“That I know to be false.”

“On the contrary, you know nothing about it; moreover it is true.”

“But your body”

Bah! What is this earthly body? I speak of my astral body, which envelopes the soul, my real self. I am no more bound to this body than you are to the black gown you wear  at the present moment, which, by the way, becomes you  immensely. Why, I have not been with this body before for months. I dreaded the journey to this place and sent my body on ahead—that is all.”

“And it is quite enough!” I cried angrily. “I will hear no more of it. You have deluded me in some way. I am at a loss to tell how, but listen to your theosophic rubbish  any longer, I won’t.”

He sighed, and turned away muttering:

“Useless, useless! They cannot understand. Will the time never come?”

This ended our conversation, for just then the Doctor woke up and the fun began.

Morning dawned—another day was upon us; after a long and heated discussion we were on the move again.

Not that Mr. Mirrikh joined in the argument. He said nothing, but walked out into the open as soon as I began it, remaining there until it was over.

The discussion was between Maurice, the Doctor and myself.

“It is no use, George; let that man be what he may, I shall go on,” Maurice had said. “He has made certain promises to me, set up certain claims. So far he has kept his promises and established his claims, and I propose to stick