Page:Marsh--The seen and the unseen.djvu/49

Rh "I repeat, Mr. Paley, that I wish you to infer nothing. That is the portrait of a woman, which was not taken under ordinary conditions, because, when it was taken, there was no woman there. No woman, that is, who was visible to my eyes, or to Mr. Murray's or to Mr. Slater's, and it was broad daylight. We saw George Solly, and George Solly only; but it seems that the camera saw something else, and I believe it is a well-authenticated fact that the camera cannot lie."

"That does not look like an ordinary photograph, Mr. Dodsworth."

"It is an extraordinary photograph, Mr. Paley."

"It looks so dim."

"Perhaps it is because the woman was only dimly visible to the exquisitely sensitised plate that he was invisible to our less sensitive eyes."

"You are, in fact, suggesting a ghost story, Mr. Dodsworth."

"I am suggesting a possible explanation, Mr. Paley."

"And I will suggest another." The doctor was holding the photograph in his hand. He was eyeing it askance. "I suggest that I bring my camera to bear. Let me try my hand at photographing this remarkable Mr. Solly. Have I your permission, Mr. Paley?"

The governor leaned back in his chair. He drummed with his finger-ends upon the table. His manner became official.

"I don't know, doctor, that we are entitled to make experiments upon this man."

"We are entitled to endeavour to get a good