The Black Mask — page 34: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Dodd did not reply. Once more the bell in the outer office rang, the indicator clicked. Dr. Stock- bridge turned to observe the effect on the youth. He lay there very still, as though he had not heard; but his eyes, turned to the wall, were wide open. He seemed too stunned for any sensation. As the moments fled by, the surgeon grew more and more ill at ease under the strain of the silence and the unsolved mystery. He wondered why they were waiting there, inactive, undecided; and yet, when he tried to think what they could do, he was at a loss. He could not wait there all day, however, obedi- ent to a vague call, an intangible sum- mons from the dead, If only he could persuade Dodd of the absurdity of the whole situation. But how could he convince Dodd when he was himself so completely at sea? He had never believed in these things, had always waved aside any testimony concerning spirits as the invention of gullible minds; yet here before him there was evidence that he could not thrust aside so easily. He paced the room restlessly, finally pausing beside Carrington’s friend. “What can we do?” he asked. “T am thinking,” said Dodd quietly, his eyes still on the horizon. “But,” persisted the surgeon, “do you still believe—?” “T am sure that the bell is a summons to some one. If you do not understand its message, it is because it is not for you, Perhaps it is not even for me, for I do not seem to grasp the meaning of it. But it is calling to some one here, _or it would not ring. And that one will understand if he is here.” ~ “Still,” pursued the surgeon, encour- aged, “even granting the existence of a spirit that exists after death, is it con- ceivable that that spirit can assert itself in this way? As a man of science, it seems too fanciful to me.” The Summons “What,” replied Dodd, “can be more fanciful than science itself? It is dumb before the mysteries which it pretends © to understand. Can you, as a scientist, explain to me why, when a button is pressed in Room 42, a bell should ring. in this room?” “Electricity—” began the surgeon. ‘And what is electricity ? Even science — does not pretend to know. Is it not in- conceivable that it should be able to flow through a solid copper wire? And yet it does. mysterious than electricity. Why can it not flow through the ether and create © a disturbance in its environment? Re- leased from the body which it inhabit- ed, why can it not hover near by and make its will known to those it wishes to reach? Scofield Carrington’s body died, but his spirit, refusing to die un- — satisfied, is still alive, restless, insistent, urging the fulfillment of its desire that it may be set at peace. And it will not give up until it is satisfied. There,” he added, as the bell rang, “it is still call- ing. It will continue until he for whom it 1s meant obeys the call.” __ : “But who is it for?’ asked the sur- geon weakly. Madison Dodd turned slowly, but his eyes did not meet the surgeon’s, They made a circuit of the room and came to pause on the figure of young Carring- ton, who had stirred for the first time and was now sitting up, his elbows on his knees, his face buried in his hands. The surgeon followed his companion’s gaze. It suddenly came to him that per- haps young Carrington, who had not ut- tered a word, understood; for he could see that, beneath the surface of his im- mobility, there was a great struggle go- ing on, that a difficult resolve was form- ing. He turned to Dodd, expecting some revelation from him, but the man’s face was a mask. His fingers were twined in the cord hanging from the window- - “ ., ‘ —~ * *7- Man’s soul, his spirit, is more | books.com 7 =