"Деннис Уитли. The Devil Rides Out (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

exercise in front of you, I had done it before ignorant natives, who
had never heard of hypnotism, they would terra it magic, would they
not?'
'Sure.'
Then to go a step further. If, by a greater exertion of the same
power, I levitated, that is to say, lifted myself to a height of
several inches from this floor, you might not use the word magic but
you would class that feat in the same category as the ignorant
native would place the easier one, because it is something which you
have always thought impossible.'
That's true.'
'Well, I am not sufficient of an adept to perform the feat, but
will you accept my assurances that I've seen it done, not once, but
a number of times?'
'If you say so, but from all I've heard about such things, the
fellows you saw didn't leave the ground at all. It is just mass
hypnotism exercised upon the whole audience-like the rope trick.'
'As you wish, but that explanation does not rob me of my point.
If you admit that I can tap an unknown power to make Simon obey my
will, and that an Eastern mystic can tap that power to the far
greater extent of making a hundred people's eyes deceive them into
believing that he is standing on thin air, you admit that there is a
power and that it can be tapped in greater degrees according to the
knowledge and proficiency of the man who uses it.'
'Yes, within limits.'
'Why within limits? You apparently consider levitation im
possible, but wouldn't you have considered wireless impossible if
you had been living fifty years ago and somebody had endeavoured to
convince you of it?'
'Maybe.' Rex sat forward suddenly. 'But I don't get what you're
driving at. Hypnotism is only a demonstration of the power of the
human will.'
'Ah! There you have it. The will to good and the will to evil.
That is the whole matter in a nutshell. The human will is like a
wireless set and properly adjusted-trained that is-it can tune in
with the invisible influence which is all about us.'
'The Invisible Influence. I've certainly heard that phrase
somewhere before.'
'No doubt. A very eminent mental specialist who holds a high
position in our asylums wrote a book with that title and I have not
yet asked you to believe one tenth of what he vouches for.'
'Then I wonder they haven't locked him up.'
'Rex! Rex!' De Richleau smiled a little sadly. Try and open your
mind, my friend. Do you believe in the miracles performed by Jesus
Christ?'
'Yes.'
'And of His Disciples and certain of the Saints?'
'Sure, but they had some special power granted to them from on
high.'
'Exactly! Some Special Power. But I suppose you would deny that