Lives of Alcyone

quite a modern air about them, for he always insisted vehemently
upon fresh air and cleanliness, and the observation of hygienic
rules. His anatomical and surgical knowledge was limited, but still he
could evidently see what he was doing, and was able to diagnose
the condition of the internal organs, and therefore either to deal with
them successfully or to say that they could not be dealt with. There
was considerable uncertainty, however, about the whole thing, as in
some cases the entity calling himself Narayan did not appear when
required, and in other cases he apparently refused to prescribe, or
at least did not manifest or take any notice.
As Alcyone grew older he was definitely attached to the
temple at which they worshipped, for the performance of
ceremonies. On one occasion when a number of pilgrims were
present, Narayan impressed him to address the crowd, so that we
have here the phenomenon of a kind of trance-speaking. Narayan
did not completely obsess Alcyone, as the latter still retained a
certain consciousness of what was going on, and was able to sit or
stand without falling; but at the same time he did not usually know
what was coming, so that the speech was given through him as an
instrument rather than by him. The address which he gave to the
piligrim on the first occasion greatly pleased and impressed Adrona,
the head priest in charge of the temple, who happened to hear it,
and he at once saw that Alcyone possessed in this a talent of an
unusual order, which might be of the greatest value in enhancing the
reputation of the temple. He therefore encouraged Alcyone to yield
himself to this influence of Narayan, though it is doubtful whether he
really believed the high claims made by the spirit-guide.