Page:The Strand Magazine (Volume 4).djvu/319



HE two spirits, William and James (whom it again becomes the duty of the faithful reader of to remember; whose images, indeed, should be deeply imprinted on his consciousness), had again foregathered in the solemn boundlessness of space and darkness.

"Touching those worlds and human beings whose existence I imagined" said James.

William yawned wearily, but, unable to plead any sudden excuse for departure discourteously which would not be too transparent, resigned himself to the unavoidable.

"I have been studying this hypnotism of which I spoke as one of my fancies, and if you have no objection I fancy that I could—with your assistance—influence your mind to an extent which might enable you mentally to perceive some of the scenes which might be called into existence by the creation—if that were possible—of intelligent beings"

"Intell—?" said William.

"Well, well—beings possessed of reason—ah, as opposed to instinct. I have not, perhaps, explained that I should propose the existence of other animals in addition to these human beings; lower animals which would possess only instinct."

"And what would be the difference between reason and instinct?" asked William.

"Well," replied James. "Ah—well—instinct would be infallible, while reason would not. Instinct would arrive—er—instinctively—at fact and truth."

"Ah," said the objectionable William, "now I perceive the meaning of your phrase, 'Reason as opposed to instinct.' However, let us have a game at this hypnotism which I presume I am to you propose to try. I presume I am to attempt to subordinate my mind to yours—subordinate, as it were, instinct to reason for the time being?"

They took the matter methodically in hand, and with such success that, within a few particles of eternity, James asked his companion spirit whether he seemed to perceive anything, and William replied:—