Page:The Naturalisation of the Supernatural.pdf/374

354 Mrs. McAlpine's sister has a dim recollection of being told of the vision before the occurrence of the tragedy.

With this may be compared another vision foreshadowing a tragedy. It will be remembered that William Terriss, the actor, was stabbed at the entrance to the Adelphi Theatre, by a discharged member of the company who fancied that he had a grievance against him. The murder took place at 7.20 on the 16th December, 1897. On the same evening a member of the company, Miss H, told some friends of mine of the murder, and of the dream told to her by Mr. Lane. Four days later I saw Mr. Lane, who had been acting as understudy to Terriss, and obtained from him the following account.

No. 76. From ", December 20th, 1897.

"In the early morning of the 16th December, 1897, I dreamt that I saw the late Mr. Terriss lying in a state of delirium or unconsciousness on the stairs leading to the dressing-rooms in the Adelphi Theatre. He was surrounded by people engaged at the theatre, amongst whom were Miss Millward and one of the footmen who attend the curtain, both of whom I actually saw a few hours later at the death scene. His chest was bare and clothes torn aside. Everybody who was around him was trying to do something for his good. This dream was in the shape of a picture. I saw it like a tableau on which the curtain would rise and fall. I immediately after dreamt that we did not open at the Adelphi Theatre that evening. I was in my dressing-room in the dream, but this latter part was somewhat incoherent. The next morning on going down to the