"The point is," observed the doctor--"are we, collectively and individually, subject to periodical attacks of temporary insanity?"
"Speaking for myself, I should say certainly not."
"Then perhaps you will suggest a hypothesis which will reasonably account for what has just occurred." The governor was silent. "Unless you are prepared to seek for a cause in the regions of phenomena."
"Supposing," murmured the Major, "there is such a thing as witchcraft after all?"
"We should have the Psychical Research Society down on us, if we had nobody else, if we appended our names to a confession of faith." The doctor thrust his thumbs into his waistcoat arm-holes. "And I should lose every patient I have."
There was a tapping at the door. In response to the governor's invitation, the chief warder entered. In general there was in Mr. Murray's bearing a not distant suggestion of an inflated bantam-cock or pouter-pigeon. It was curious to observe how anything in the shape of inflation was absent now. He touched his hat to the governor--his honest, rubicund, somewhat pugnacious face, eloquent of the weight that was on his mind.
"Your saying that he was a witch--or wizard," remarked the governor, dryly, "will not, I fear, be sufficient excuse, in the eyes of the commissioners, for your throwing a pail of water over the chaplain."
"But a man's not answerable for what he does when he's bewitched," persisted the chief warder, with characteristic sturdiness.
"It is exactly that reflection which has constrained me to return."
They looked up. There was the chaplain standing in the doorway--still with his handkerchief to his nose.
"Mr. Murray, you threw a pail of water over me. If you assert that you did it under the influence of witchcraft, I, who have myself been under a spell, am willing to excuse you."
"Mr. Hewett, sir, you yourself know I was bewitched."
"I do; as I believe it of myself. Murray, give me your hand." The chaplain and the chief warder solemnly shook hands. "There is an end of the matter as it concerns us two. Major Hardinge, do I understand you to assert that you too were under the influence of witchcraft?"
This was rather a delicate inquiry to address to the Major. Apparently the Major seemed to find it so.