The Link by Richard Matheson Read Free Book Online

and lock on the inside of the door.
    “The cabinet—a square box seven feet high and three feet on each side, was built into a special partition away from the back wall, open on one side where a curtain hung, made of black crepe and very light.
    “Inside the cabinet was a table, on its top a flute, a mandolin, a music box, a small bell and a tambourine.
    “A three foot by two foot table with nine chairs around it stands nearby.
    “As the two women step behind the cabinet curtain to inspect the Italian psychic and her costume, Carrington describes the lights above the table; a cluster of five globes, their illumination varying from full light to that in which hands and faces could be seen but nothing more.
    “Under full light, then, the group sits to form a circle.
    “Palladino’s chair has its back to the cabinet, about two feet away from the curtain. She grumbles at the number of sitters—she has been used to five or six customarily—but does not make an issue of it.
    “Mr. Forbes sits at her left, his leg pressed to the medium’s. Palladino’s right ‘control’ is Mrs. Humphrey. Mrs. Carrington sits opposite her. All rest their hands on the table, fingers touching.
    “It is 9:30 p.m.”
    9:37. The table moves. Both controllers have their legs pressed tight against Palladino’s and her hands are raised
above
the table. Mr. Evarts asks for raps and three faint raps are heard in answer.
    9:41. Light 2 is switched off; it is slightly dimmer in the room now. The table begins to rock, then raises two feet in the air, remaining suspended for several seconds.
    9:42. Light 3 turned off now, slightly less illumination. The left hand curtain of the cabinet blows outward, flutters back, blows out again.
    9:44. Light 4. Both medium’s hands are visible. “I’ve been touched on the right arm,” Dr. Humphrey says.
    9:45. Three sharp raps heard on the table.
    9:48. The curtain of the cabinet blows out. Mr. Forbes swallows, speaks. “I have Eusapia’s hand firmly but there is a hand behind the curtain touching my arm.” Mrs. Humphrey verifies that she has good control of Palladino’s right hand and foot.
    9:50. The curtains blow out over Mr. Forbes’ head. “A distinct human hand is coming out of the curtain and touching me on the shoulder. I am holding the medium’s left hand tightly.”
    9:55. The interpreter: “My coat was grabbed and I was pulled toward the curtain by a hand.” The stenographer: “Yes, I saw him pulled.”
    9:56. Something that looks like a handkerchief flutters near the cabinet. Controllers report complete charge of Palladino’s hands and feet.
    9:57. A hand is seen coming out of the cabinet. Mr. Forbes cries out as a cigar is placed in between his teeth and, suddenly, his cigar case is lying on the table. He spits out the cigar. “The case was in my inside coat pocket,” he says. “A hand took it out.”
    The cigar case opens by itself:
there is one cigar inside. “There were three,” says Mr. Forbes.
    Palladino’s hands are in plain sight, two feet away from the case.
    10:01. Something moves inside the cabinet.
    10:02. The mandolin floats from the cabinet and rests on Palladino’s head. The small bell in the cabinet is heard falling to the floor.
    10:04. The flute sails slowly from the cabinet and touches Mr. Forbes on the shoulder. The stenographer gasps and says, “I feel a finger touching my right ear.”
    10:06. Something moves under the curtain. The tambourine floats out, rises in the air, waves back and forth and drops into Mrs. Humphrey’s lap. Both controls still good.
    10:08. Three raps are heard in the cabinet. Then three heavy knocks.
    10:12. The music box begins to play in the cabinet. The tambourine rises from Mrs. Humphrey’s lap and floats through the air, shaking itself.
    10:13. The tambourine goes back into the cabinet, then comes out again, is placed above the medium’s head and struck several times.
    10:16. The table rises, the tambourine is shaken in the