Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Leather Funnel
"ImakeitarulenowwhenIamindoubtuponanymaterialpointtoplacethearticleinquestionbesidemeasIsleep,andtohopeforsomeenlightenment.Theprocessdoesnotappeartometobeveryobscure,thoughithasnotyetreceivedtheblessingoforthodoxscience.Accordingtomytheory,anyobjectwhichhasbeenintimatelyassociatedwithanysupremeparoxysmofhumanemotion,whetheritbejoyorpain,willretainacertainatmosphereorassociationwhichitiscapableofcommunicatingtoasensitivemind.ByasensitivemindIdonotmeananabnormalone,butsuchatrainedandeducatedmindasyouorIpossess."
"Youmean,forexample,thatifIsleptbesidethatoldsworduponthewall,Imightdreamofsomebloodyincidentinwhichthatveryswordtookpart?"
"Anexcellentexample,for,asamatteroffact,thatswordwasusedinthatfashionbyme,andIsawinmysleepthedeathofitsowner,whoperishedinabriskskirmish,whichIhavebeenunabletoidentify,butwhichoccurredatthetimeofthewarsoftheFrondists.Ifyouthinkofit,someofourpopularobservancesshowthatthefacthasalreadybeenrecognizedbyourancestors,althoughwe,inourwisdom,haveclasseditamongsuperstitions."
"Forexample?"
"Well,theplacingofthebride’scakebeneaththepillowinorderthatthesleepermayhavepleasantdreams.ThatisoneofseveralinstanceswhichyouwillfindsetforthinasmallbrochurewhichIammyselfwritinguponthesubject.
