to consider how weak things had of erst confounded the
things that were mighty, and soon the wirepullers behind the scenes
(whoever they were) had me smiting him hip and thigh. I 'began in
weakness, but ended in power.' At first a few muttered remonstrances,
but finally whole Ironsides broadsides, with the result above named. The
words of my antagonist, during this encounter, rang through my brain
with awful distinctness. For a day or two I had been communicating
partly with the pencil, and partly by clairaudience, eked out by writing
in the air with my forefinger. But this demon, or demon _pro tem._,
needed not to write his words: his 'trumpet gave no uncertain sound.'

The thoughtful reader will perceive what a strong point my magnetizers
gained by this scene. After disappointing me so many times, they could
not, with all their power over me, have kept me from throwing the whole
thing overboard, without resorting to some such _coup d'etat_. Being,
doubtless, on better terms with the infernal than with the supernal
regions, these denizens of the Intermediate Limbo (we will suppose that
my strange guests were mostly of this sort of nondescripts) had perhaps
induced some _bona fide_ demon to act the part of the king of them all,
'for this night only.' It certainly was an immense success. I, to be
sure, had not received the expected commission: but had I not fought the
great red dragon, and, like another St. George, pinned him to the earth,
through supernatural aid? Here was a substantial success. I write this
merrily enough now; but was not often merry then--was indeed acting
great, real tragedy.

I was not long to enjoy this triumph. The word came: 'Again he comes!'
Then I had another long, hard fight; but this time was not pushed so
near the wall. I was then told by my spiritual adviser and Circe of the
unbounded admiration expressed for me by those who had listened to this
'ever-memorable' disputation.

The attempt to craze me, or--putting the best face on it--to show me
_how spiritists are generally crazed_, now began in downright earnest.
All that night, despite my entreaties to be permitted to sleep, I was
kept awake, and busied with a variety of 'extremely important' business.
I am naturally a solid, regular sleeper, and do not prosper upon
Napoleon or Humboldt portions of repose; but now could only suit my
persecutors by rising on one elbow in bed, and 'wrestling' for the
salvation of my next neighbor. They sed