Observations placeholder

A little while later, I was invited to give a séance at the home of Dr. Dusart, a convinced spiritualist, in the presence of Colonel de Rochas.

I was quite touched by his faith, because I knew this last one very well by reputation.

The reading of two of his books had shown me how much method and care are used by this experimenter in the search for the truth.

After a dinner where many of the questions studied by Mr. de Rochas were discussed, I was asked to sit in front of the piano.

Colonel de Rochas had previously asked my father all kinds of questions about me and had fully inquired about the particularities of my seat during the demonstration, namely the insensitivity of the hands and absolute mental freedom.

So I expected to be the target of some experiments.

So I was not surprised when Mr. de Rochas, without warning me, naturally, pulled my hair hard enough, probably to realize if I was in a state of wakefulness.

He then pinched my hands to judge how insensitive they were.

Finally, as a third test, he talked to me to see if it was true that my brain was not involved in the musical development.

After the séance, he thanked me very much.

We left and that was it.

This experiment was short-lived.