Spiritist Review - Journal of Psychological Studies - 1865

Allan Kardec

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New Cure of an Obsessed Young Lady from Marmande


Mr. Dombre brings to our attention the following report of a new cure of the most remarkable kind obtained by the Spiritist circle of Marmande. Despite its extension we thought appropriate to have it published soon given its level of significance and also to help to connect the dots with respect to the events. We believe the readers will be thankful for that. We only suppressed some details that seem not to have great importance. The consequent teachings are multiple, serious and grave and cast a new light upon this issue of current interest and upon these phenomena that tend to multiply. Given the extension of the article we will give our considerations in a new issue so that we can make the necessary developments.

Mr. Allan Kardec,

It is with a renovated strength and trust in God corroborated by the facts that give me enthusiasm but without surprising me that I bring you the report of a cure of an obsession, remarkable in several aspects. Ah too blind someone that does not see the touch of God in that. Every principle of the sublime Doctrine is confirmed there: the individuality of the soul, the intervention of the Spirits in the corporeal world, atonement, punishment and reincarnation are demonstrated in an impressive way through the facts with which I am going to entertain you. As I said, I am sorry to have to speak of myself and the role I played in the case as an instrument used by God to shine onto people’s eyes. Should I remain quiet about the events related to me? I don’t think so. You are in charge of controlling, studying and analyzing the facts and spreading light. The minor details must then be become known to you. By reading from the bottom of our hearts God knows that I was not driven by a useless satisfaction of self-love; in fact I am aware that whoever has the privilege of being called to do any good is soon reduced to nothing if only for an instant forgets the divine intervention becoming even unhappy if not punished.

Here are the report of the events:

Since the first days of 1864 in a certain region of the city nobody spoke of nothing else but the convulsive crises experienced by a thirteen year old young lady, Valentine Laurent. Those crises took place several times per day in such a violent way that even five men had difficulties keep her in bed, by holding her head, arms and legs. She had enough strength to shake them away and sometimes to free herself. Her hands would then grab everything. Shirts, dresses, blankets from the bed that were torn off instantaneously; her teeth also had an important role in her fits of rage, not surprisingly scaring the persons around her. Had she not been held back and she would have broken hear head against the wall and despite the efforts and precautions she still showed some cuts and bruises. She had no lack of medical support. She was seen by four doctors successively; she was given doses of ether, pills, all types of medication that she took without resistance; the leeches behind the ears and the vesicatory on her thighs were not spared either but unsuccessfully. During the crises she presented perfectly regular pulse; she had no memory of her suffering and convulsions but a lot of astonishment by seeing the house full of people and her bed surrounded of breathless men, some complaining about a torn shirt or jacket. Vicar X… from a parish located about two or three kilometers from Marmande enjoyed a newly started celebrity for having the gift of healing all kinds of diseases; he was consulted by the young lady’s father. Not knowing the actual nature of the problem the vicar inadvertently prescribed a little bit of a white powder for her to take with water and also offered to pray a mass for her. But not the powder nor the mass precluded the young Valentine from having fourteen crises on the following day, something that had never happened before. After so many unsuccessful efforts must have necessarily created superstitious ideas in the minds of the locals. In fact the gossip around was about the witchcraft and curses cast onto the girl.

During that period and in the silence of our own privacy we consulted with our spiritual guides about the nature of that disease and here is what they told us: - It is an obsession of the most serious whose characteristics will change multiple times. You must act calmly; observe, study and evoke Germaine.

In the first evocation that Spirit did not spare cursing and showed great reluctance in responding to our questions. None of us had entered the patient’s house yet and before our intervention we wanted the family to exhaust all means that they thought appropriate. It was only when the powerlessness of science and Church was attested that we induced the desperate father to attend our meeting in order to learn about the true cause of his daughter’s disease and the moral medicine to be administered. This first meeting took place on September 16th, 1864. Before the evocation of Germaine our guides gave us the following instruction: - Be very careful, observe carefully and with caution. You are going to deal with a mystifying Spirit that adds hypocritical skills to astuteness and a very evil character. Never stop to study and work for the moralization of that Spirit and to pray with that objective. Make the parents a recommendation to never show fear for the state of the girl in her presence. They must, on the contrary, to carry on with her normal activities and in particular they must be kind to her. Above all she must hear that there are no witches: this is very important. A young and flexible brain receives impressions with great easiness and her psychological state could suffer with that; she must not be left with persons susceptible to tell her absurd stories that give false ideas to children and sometimes pernicious ideas. The parents need to ensure that sincere prayer is the only medicine capable of freeing the girl. We told you, Spiritists, that the Spirit Germaine is skillful. He will always find ridiculous beliefs and have rumors circulating around the girl; he will try to retaliate you. Take advantage of the case: the obsession will present itself in new ways. Watch out; think that you must work with perseverance and intelligence observing the minimal details that will give away the maneuvers of the Spirit. Do not trust calmness. If the crises are the shocking effects of obsessions there are much more dangerous consequences. Mistrust the idiocy and infantilism of an obsessed that like in this case did not suffer physically. The more dissimulated the obsessions the more dangerous they are; sometimes they are purely of the moral kind. This one does not think properly, the other one loses memory about what was done and said. However one must not assess too hastily and attribute everything to obsession. I repeat: study, observe and work seriously; do not expect everything from us; we will help you since we work in harmony but do not rest believing that everything will be revealed to you. –

  • Evocation of Germaine. A. – I am here.
  • Do you have anything to say, following our previous conversation? A. – No, nothing gentlemen.
  • Do you realize that you did shock us a lot? A. – You were bad to me too.
  • We gave you advices. Have you thought about them? A. – Yes, a lot, I swear; I considered them carefully. I was crazy, I acknowledge that. It was delirious but I am calm here.
  • Could you then tell us why you torture that girl? A. – It is useless to return to that subject. It would take long to tell you. I suppose this is not a court. Don’t ask me to take the place of the defendant to respond to your questions.
  • Absolutely not; you are totally free; we ask out of our interest about you and the girl and what caprice or serious thing could lead you to such attacks. A. – Did you say caprice? Ah you wish it was just out of caprice because as you know caprice is mutable and finishes.
  • Are you really calm? A. – As you can see.
  • Apparently yes but are you disguising your feelings? A. – I am not here to trap you; I don’t need that.
  • Would you state that to the Spirits around us? A. – Let us not put anybody between us. If there is anything to be dealt with be it between you and me. I don’t like the involvement of third parties.
  • Well then! We don’t believe that you act bona fide and... A. – That is why you must accept this guarantee. In fact I will force you to believe me if you resist. I don’t lack proofs to convince you of my honesty.
  • Have you heard that and understood the vows that we have just expressed? A. – Yes. I am even surprised by all of your promises. I do not deserve that. But I am a doubtful Spirit and dare not believe in them. Let us see if your prayers will give me the calmness that I have lacked for so long. It is true, I am alone, and I know nobody but the one that tries to shatter me.[2] We’ll see.
  • Don’t you see good Spirits near you? A. – I want nothing but from you.
  • Well! As an exchange for the good that we want to do to you can’t you stop harming and tormenting her? A. – And Am I the only cause of that harm? She is as much to blame as I am. Do you say torment? We fight, struggle; we are equally to blame. She was my accomplice. I don’t see why you would blame only me for the responsibility of the violent acts from which I am also a victim.
  • Nonetheless the girl will not go after you and if you torment her it is because you want to. You have your own free-will. A. – Who told you so? You are wrong. We are connected by a fatality.
  • Tell us everything then. A. – I cannot. One is not totally free here… I am frank.
  • Let us pray for you Germaine. Bye for now!
  • Now, Germaine, do you believe in our connection with you? A. – I have the right to doubt it for the pariah hardly believes in the fraternal kiss that is given in-passing. I am used to see disdain and neglect chasing me.
  • God wants us to love one another. A. – I don’t know that. Here the one that is embraced by or persecuted by remorse is an enemy, a serpent that we stone away. Do you believe that this is not revolting to the damned one? By instinct he becomes the enemy of all; passion and hatred blind him. Unfortunate is the one that falls under the claws of that vulture.
  • Germaine, we want to love you and extend our hands to you. A. – Why haven’t you spoken like that earlier on? Nevertheless there are generous hearts in the world where I live. Have I then scared you away? Why haven’t you ever told me: you are our sister and you can share our fate? I still have poison in my soul, particularly when I think about the past. Crime deserves punishment but this has been too much. I had the feeling that everything was falling on me, smashing me. On such occasions God is forgotten. We say blasphemies, denying God, revolting against him and his servers when we are left abandoned.
  • The Spirit of Jules that you see around you was also a criminal, a suffering and unfortunate Spirit? A. – My position was worse. Think of everything that can lacerate the soul; think of how a poison burns the guts: I experienced everything, and the worst part to me was solitude, abandoned and damned. I inspired pity on nobody. Do you understand the anger that pops out of my heart? I suffered a lot! I could not die; suicide was not an option. And the most somber future always before me! I never saw a flash of light. Not a single voice said: wait. I then screamed anger and vengeance! Let the victims come! I will at least have companion in suffering. This is not the first time that the girl feels my hugs.[3]
  • Thank God for having made you suffer so much. These sufferings are the atonement that purifies you. A. – Thank God! That is too much to ask! I suffered too much! Hell was preferable to what I went through. As I was told, those in hell suffer, cry and scream together; they can fight and debate among themselves, but I was alone. Oh that is horrible! I am ready to say blasphemies and jump onto my prey when I describe these things to you. Don’t you think that I am embarrassed when you interpose an angel between her and myself! I will fight anyone.
  • Whatever the feelings that drive you we will only oppose them with calmness, prayer and love. A. – What is mostly pleasant to me is that you speak without pointing fingers, without repealing me and you want me to wait. Ah don’t expect me to give in so easily because I am afraid of disappointment. After making me so beautiful promises, so much that I cannot believe, will you abandon me? What would be of me, then? I am thinking, why such a late consolation? Why you? Would it be a hidden trap? Look, I don’t know what to believe and what to do. In reality all this seems strange, surprising to me!
  • Hear me out, Germaine. I will explain what surprises you. Since some years now the immortality of the soul and its relationship with those that are still on Earth were unequivocally demonstrated. Spiritism – that is the name of the new science – gives its followers the duty of loving and helping their brothers. We are Spiritists and out of love towards two of our sisters in suffering, you and the girl victim of yours, we come to offer our hearts and the help of our prayers. Do you understand that now? A. – Not much. I have never seen that kind of reasoning. You then have to deal with those that live like you and the Spirits that suffer like me? It must be a very commendable work.
  • If you can see our sincerity would you promise to consider showing good intentions to the girl? A. – Good in proportion to how much you had been good to me. I consider you all sincere. Your language leads me to believe it but I still doubt. If you eliminate this doubt I will be on your side. I will endeavor to do what I promise you. As the doubt fades away there will be less harm and the girl will heal. If you play games with it will be disgraceful! She will die by strangulation. The victim waits for her freedom or the attack that I have ready upon her head, and that depends on you. This is not a threat to intimidate you; it is a warning that hatred and rage would make me blind. You came in time. She would perhaps be dead by now. Since we cannot talk all the time tell your friends that live where I live to continue the conversation; and do not repeal me although my bad actions have not stopped because I have not done much for that. I cannot demand more than I promised you.
  • Evocation of Germaine A. – I am here, much more calm. I want to be fair, I believe I owe you that. As you see I did what I said. Good relationships make good friends. Talk to me since you are a friendly voice. This is so strange, so new to me that you allow me to enjoy an entertainment in which hatred will be replaced by… love and I don’t know that. Tell me what to do to love and be loved, me the miserable Germaine, aged by disgrace, misfortune and crime! Do you baptize people? Here you have a novice.
  • Germaine, we thank you… A. – Don’t mention that because I feel ashamed. I am the one that bow and say grace. I owe you a great reparation, poor child! The life of the Spirits is eternal. God put in front of me the means and the time to repair the devastations caused by the blindness of passions. Rest assured! Pray sometimes for the unfortunate Germaine, the regretful criminal asks for your forgiveness. Poor child, forget your pains and the one that caused them; only remember that she wants to be your friend now. She is no longer the same Germaine. The prayer said on my behalf made my soul cleaner; it extinguished my thirst for vengeance. The memory of my infame past will be my atonement. My prayer, together with yours, will mitigate the remorse that tortures me. Thank you all for calling me to the path of truth and good when I was lost in the depth of vice and impenitence. I believe you now. The doubt is over. I love you and thank you for having saved and cured me. I also thank you for this poor child to whom you returned health and life. I can say that I am happy because I am among good Spirits that console and strengthen me through their kind and persuasive moral. I am no longer alone; despite all darkness in my soul they admitted me in their blessed family. I am the sick one and they are my guardians. I don’t have the words to tell you everything that I feel. Tell me, all of you and particularly you, poor child, that you forgive me. I need to hear these words from your heart. Please give me that consolation.
Germaine


When heard the name Germaine the father of the obsessed girl said in astonishment: Ah that is funny! And when he left he still repeated several times: That is funny! (This will be explained a bit later below). On the following day, the 17th, I went to the home o that family for the first time wishing to witness one attack by the Spirit. I was served well. Valentine was having a fit; I entered with locals that ran into the house.


I saw a splendid young lady in bed, strong for her age, sustained by eight or ten strong arms, as described above. Only her head was free then agitating and flogging in the air in all directions, her hair disarranged. The semi open mouth allowed the two rows of white teeth to be seen and particularly threatening. Her eyes seemed lost, the pupils meeting near the corner of the nose. A savage scream would add to that horrible picture that you can imagine. For a while I observed the power of jerk movements; I then inclined upon the body of the girl and placed my right hand on her forehead, the left on her chest. The movements stopped instantaneously, the convulsive behavior ceased, and her head calmly rested on the pillow. I then moved the right hand towards her mouth that gave rise to a beautiful smile. Her large pupils returned to their place the satanic appearance was replaced by the most gracious face. The girl then manifested her surprise for having so many people around her, saying that she was not sick. These were always her words after the crises. I elevated my soul to God and felt two tears of enthusiasm and recognition in her eyes. That had just happened on that morning of the 17th. I returned around 5pm when the crises habitually multiplied but they had happened before the typical hour and had already finished. At 7pm I returned to have dinner in place when they sent for me saying that the girl was experiencing a terrible crisis. I returned immediately. With one hand I then took both arms of the girl, near her wrists, and said to the men that were holding her: Let her go. I then placed the other hand on her chest and we saw her suddenly calming down. I then touched her face provoking a smile and her eyes went back to the normal state. It was the same as in the morning. I remained by her side for part of the night. Her sleep was agitated but she had no crisis. Her face had something of convulsive; I could see the white of her eyes; she seemed to be suffering mentally. She gesticulated, spoke distinctly and said things with an energetic and moved tone: Go! Go! What a villain… the child… the child… the rocks. A kind of ecstasy followed that agitation; she cried and returned in a plangent tone: Ah you suffer the pains of hell! You always want me to suffer… always… always! And then extending her arms in the air she would say: Well, take me, take me! Every time the father would say: Ah that is funny! And the mother added: There is a mystery in all this. From 1am to dawn the girl slept peacefully.


Those agitations, criticisms, ecstasies and cries renovated daily after the violent attacks of the Spirit and lasted much longer on the evenings of September 18th, 19th and 20th. I would be by the patient’s side on a daily basis and in a way I ended up installing myself at her house. While I was around nothing happened; as soon as I left a new crisis took place. I would return and calm her down as seen before. That lasted several days. It was certainly a remarkable phenomenon that the crises would suddenly stop by the imposition of hands. Three was rumors all around town and there was material for a serious study there; I nonetheless was sorry for not having met any of the four doctors that had treated and observed the girl.


During all that time I noticed sometimes an exaggerated happiness in the girl, sometimes something like silliness. Her parents thought that those manners were natural, justifying the predictions of our guides. On September 21st the girl’s parents join me in our session. At the beginning the guides said: Evoke Germaine; ask her to be by your side and tell her this: - Germaine, you are our sister; this young lady is also our sister and your sister. If some sort of dismal action connected you in the past and had the divine justice laying the hand on you both you may touch the Supreme Judge. You must appeal to his infinite mercy; ask for his forgiveness as we do in your favor; have the Lord touched by your fervent prayer and regret. It is useless to you to seek peace to your remorse and refuge in vengeance; and it is useless to seek justification by bulling her with your accusations. Therefore, listen to us. Forgive and you will be forgiven; do not try to deceive us; don’t believe that just the appearance of honesty may seduce us. Whatever the means you are employing we will have them identified and opposed by our strength and will power. May your heart, blinded by suffering and hate, open up to pity and forgiveness. We shall not stop praying to the Eternal and to the good Spirits, God’s faithful messengers, to spread consolation and benefit onto your heart. What we want, Germaine, is to free you from your sufferings. You will always be welcomed by us as a sister; you will be helped. Do not look at us as enemies for we want your happiness; do not be deaf to our words; listen to our advices and soon you will enjoy a peaceful conscience. Remorse will be sent far away and regret will have taken its place. The good Spirits will embrace you like a stray sheep that is found. The bad ones will follow your example. This family that lives with the turmoil that you create will speak highly of you and there will be recognition. This girl will also pray for you and if you are separated by hate you will one day unite by love. The one that seeks vengeance is always unhappy; there is no rest to the one that hates. The one that forgives is close to love. Happiness and tranquility replace suffering and uneasiness. Come, Germaine, join us through your prayers. You want you near us under the happy protection of our guides like Jules[1] and the other Spirits that like you were on the bad path. You are alone. Be the step daughter of this family that prays to the Eternal in favor of those that suffer and teaches everyone to love him to be happy. If you are adamant in remaining cruel to this girl you will prolong and aggravate your sufferings and hear the imprecations from the girl and those around her. Take the friendship offered by your brothers with an open heart; stop these tortures from which you leave kind of dead. Believe in our words; believe above all in the advices of the good Spirits that guide us and in particular in the advices given by the Little Cárita. Don’t remain deaf to this prayer. As a proof that you accept our offer give this girl a few days of peace and rest without disturbance. We will pray for you and shall not stop asking for the end of your suffering. -


We then called Germaine and read what had just been dictated to us.


When we finished the spiritual guides said: - For a few days get together in the greatest possible number. Have your thoughts mostly addressed to her. She will be touched by your honesty and zeal and the results we seek, we hope so, will come quickly thanks to that measure.


The 22nd passed uneventful. As customarily we gathered at night. Evocation of Germaine:


Observation: This last thought of the Spirit is the result of the super excitation in which she finds herself but it raises an important point. “Why they haven’t spoken to me like you do in the world where I live?” Because the ignorance about the future is momentarily part of the punishment of certain guilty persons; it is only after their hardening is overcome by tiredness that they are led to foresee a ray of hope as a relief to their penalties. They need to voluntarily turn their eyes to God. But the good Spirits do not abandon them. They strive to inspire good thoughts in them; watch for the minimal signs of success and as soon as they see the minor sign of regret they provoke instructions that will lead them to good through their enlightenment. Such instructions are given by the Spirits when time is right and can also be given by the incarnate ones so that they can see the solidarity that exists between the visible and the invisible worlds. In the present case it was useful to Germaine’s rehabilitation to have her granted forgiveness from the part of those that should complain about her, something that would simultaneously be their merit. That is the reason why the intervention of humans is frequently requested for the betterment and relief of the suffering Spirits, particularly in the case of obsessions. The intervention of the Spirits would certainly be enough but human charity with respect to their brothers in space is a means of advancement to them that has been reserved by God.

Observation: If we were asked why God allows bad Spirits to throw their rage against innocent people we would say that there is no undeserved suffering and that the one that is innocent today and suffers certainly has something to pay for. Those bad Spirits in such a case act as instruments of atonement. Their malevolence, besides, is a test of patience, resignation and charity.


Observation: In fact experience demonstrates that hard and bad words are an inadequate means of freeing oneself from the bad Spirits. That irritates them even further, leading to a more aggravated bloodthirsty.

We asked our guides to welcome Germaine. They responded:


  • To begin with she is a beloved sister and even more for having suffered so much. Come, Germaine. If you never had your hand shaken by a friendly hand before come closer; we shall extend our hands to you. Our only concern is your happiness. You will always find brothers in us despite the bad action that you still feel capable of doing. We are sorry for that and will not condemn you. Join our family. Happiness smiles to us. There is not bitter tear among us. Happiness replaces pain and love replaces hatred. Sister, your hands!
  • Start your work by the evocation of Germaine. She looks forward to that. You must demonstrate to her that you are especially dedicated to her. Avoid anything that may seem indifference or obliviousness to keep any doubt away from her. Understand that her attacks were just suspended. Be sensible. Be happy but without self-love and without pride and above all be heartful in your prayers. If she expresses the desire to keep talking for a long time do not bargain even if that takes the whole night.
  • The baptism that you request Jeanne (Germaine) you have already received, I responded; it is in your regret, in your resolution to march on a new path.
  • Yes, Germaine, I forgive you; even more, I love you!
  • And we too, I immediately added, we all love you as a sister.
  • I also begin to love. To whom I owe this transformation? To those that I did harm and that despite all the horror that I must have inspired in them had pity on me, calling me their sister and demonstrated that they were not deceiving me! Yes, you opened up to me a path to a happy future. I was miserable and abandoned and now I live among those that have a lot: I am not to feel sorry for. The good Spirits say that they will prepare me for the atonements that I will have to infallibly endure. It will no longer be to spread death around me but to love and deserve their benevolence and friendship. I would still have a lot to say but I do not want to be inconvenient. Let us pray. It seems that it will be good to me.
  • Almighty, eternal and merciful God, hear me prayer. Forgive my blasphemies, my deviations. I did not know the path that leads to the kingdom of the righteous. My earthly brothers made me know it; my spiritual brothers lead me to that. May the infinite justice follow its course to the poor Germaine! She will now suffer but without complaints; not a single groan will leave her mouth. I acknowledge your greatness and benevolence of a Father towards your blessed servants that came to rescue me from the vice. May my prayer be taken to you and may the angels that serve and surround your throne one day welcome me among you as they did to these good Spirits. Today I understand that it is only virtue that may entail happiness. Your grace, oh God, to those that like me still suffer. Give the child that I tortured the sweetness and virtues that constitute happiness on Earth.
  • I then asked Valentina’s father, are you well convinced that it is the Spirit of your grandmother?
  • Oh Sir, he responded, I was already convinced before this conversation. The name Germaine and the words Valentina used in her crises left no doubt in my mind about it. I promptly told my wife. Even more when you talked to me about Spiritism and reincarnation I immediately thought that my mother was incarnate in Valentine.
Your guides



The 23rd went by without a crisis, like the day before. The young lady followed her father to our session at night to hear Germaine to whom she was already showing a lot of interest.


Our guides then said:

Your guides


The 24th was as calm as the preceding day. We called Germaine at the session at night.


The young Valentine then said to her:

Germaine then continued:

Germaine


Help yourself and heavens will help you, you were told. The Spirits that guide you will not do the work that is imposed to you as a duty but if you do your part they will abbreviate as much as they can the assigned task under the immortal flag of charity. Go without discouragement and weakness. May your faith becomes stronger and one day you will perhaps ask yourself the origin of that strength. Work for the moralization of your incarnate brothers and the delayed Spirits. Do not be satisfied by preaching the consolations of Spiritism. Show its greatness and power through your actions. That is the best refutation that you can offer to the adversaries. Words fly but the actions strengthen and raise. May the happiness that now takes the family over together with the young doctrine be due to the care and charity of sincere followers! Be confident and humble about what happens to you without which the fruits that you deserve will be lost.


Your guides


Observation: As seen, the Spirits are not inactive or indifferent with respect to the suffering Spirits that must be brought to good. But when the intervention of humans may be useful they allow them the initiative and merit, but still supporting them with their advices and encouragement.



Starting on September 25th and following the advice of our guides I induced the young Valentina to sleep through hypnosis to completely eliminate the influence of the bad fluids that had involved her and strengthen her physical organization. Since her liberation she felt ill, some stomach discomfort, small nervous commotion, all inevitable consequence of the obsession.



Observation: What would have been the utility of the magnetic sleep if the cause was still there? First it was necessary to eliminate the cause before attacking the effect or at least simultaneously act upon both.


The girl was somewhat spoiled by the care and attention that she had received during the illness. She became a bit capricious and willful and hardly accepted to be put to sleep. One day she even refused and I left. As soon as I got home they sent for me saying that she was having a fit. Well, I said, it is Germaine’s punishment. I returned immediately and saw her agitating in bed. The crisis was not as violent as before but showed the same features. I calmed her down as from the other ones. A few hours later she had a second one that I detained in the same way.


We met at night and Germaine came uninvited; she said that she wanted to give the girl a lesson and warn her when she was not behaving properly and making the girl feel her presence. Besides, she gave her very good advices and made the parents feel the inconveniences of giving in to the caprices of children.


Following the cure and the conversion of the Spirit there was the revelations of the drama whose end result had been the violent obsession of Valentina. However interesting and moving may this part of the report be we suppressed the details for being up to a certain extent strange to our subject and because it is related to contemporary matters whose painful memories are still present and were witnessed by persons that are still alive. We summarized them for the conclusions at which we must arrive. For the same reasons we dissimulate the true names that would add nothing to the instruction that stems from this story.

From those revelations made in the intimacy, outside of the group, and through another medium, results that Germaine was Mr. Laurent’s grandmother, and he was the father of the obsessed Valentina. She had a daughter that had two children, one of which was Mr. Laurent. The other was murdered by the grandmother that threw him from a cliff at… She was sentenced to ten years in prison for that murder and she spent that time at C… jail. She gave the most detailed information about these facts with accuracy of names, places and dates so that there was no doubt about her identity. Those private details, only known by Mr. Laurent and his wife, were confirmed by them. In order to be better recognized by her grandson she called him by his nickname that was unknown to the medium and only spoke through a dialect that she used when alive.

One could not be mistaken. Germaine was really Mr. Laurent’s grandmother, the one that was condemned for infanticide. As for her daughter whose son had been killed she is now Laurent’s daughter, the young Valentina that she still come to torment through a terrible obsession. She explained the cause of her hatred. They had fought one another in Spirit and that struggle continued when one of them incarnate. One fact comes to confirm that assertion: the words pronounced by the young lady in her sleep. It is understandable that her parents kept her oblivious to what had happened in the family. These words: “The child! The child! The rocks!” were evidently the result of the memory that her Spirit kept in a state of detachment.

That is how we can explain the repeated phrases said by Laurent: That is funny. And by his wife: There is a mystery in this.




[1] Obsessing Spirit of the young Teresa B…, from Marmande (Spiritist Review, June 1864)


[2]The continuation of the report will explain this last words


[3] We learned from her parents that she had crises that they could not understand when she was six years old.


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