To conclude: we are ready to continue this correspondence if the view given of occult study as above suits you. Through the ordeal described, each of us, whatever his country, or race, has passed. Meanwhile, hoping in the best — yours faithfully as ever
KOOT' HOOMI LAL SINGH.
Letter No. 3A (ML-3A) Rec. Oct. 20, 1880
Mr. Sinnett had been asking for some direct evidence of occult phenomena, and he was extremely eager for some kind of immediate personal contact with the Mahatma K.H.
I saw K.H. in astral form on the night of 19th of October, 1880 — waking up for a moment but immediately afterwards being rendered unconscious again (in the body) and conscious out of the body in the adjacent dressing-room where I saw another of the Brothers afterwards identified with one called "Serapis" by Olcott, — "the youngest of the chohans."
The note about the vision came the following morning, and during that day, the 20th, we went for a picnic to Prospect Hill, when the "pillow incident" occurred.
My Good "Brother,"
In dreams and visions at least, when rightly interpreted there can hardly be an "element of doubt." . . . I hope to prove to you my presence near you last night by something I took away with me. Your lady will receive it back on the Hill. I keep no pink paper to write upon, but I trust modest white will do as well for what I have to say.
KOOT' HOOMI LAL SINGH.
Letter No. 3B (ML-3B) Rec. Oct. 20, 1880
The Mahatma knew that the Sinnetts and guests and some friends were planning a picnic that day on the top of a nearby hill. Just before leaving for the picnic, Sinnett wrote a note to the Mahatma and gave it to H.P.B. to transmit.
While the group was eating the picnic lunch, H.P.B. suddenly seemed to be listening to something unheard by the rest of them. Then she told them that the Master was asking where they would like to find the object which he had taken away with him the night before.
Sinnett emphasizes in The Occult World that he had not told H.P.B. about this experience of the night before or of the note which he had found on the hall table. There had been no conversation with her about it at all. Further, she had not been out of his sight — or that of Mrs. Sinnett's — until the party left for the picnic. In fact, she had been with Mrs. Sinnett in the drawing room all morning because she had been told occultly to go there and stay. She had grumbled about it (as she never hesitated to grumble when told to do something which she did not understand), but she obeyed.
At the picnic, after she had repeated the Mahatma' s question, she took no part in the conversation, nor did she make any suggestion concerning where they might ask to find the object.
Quite spontaneously, Mr. Sinnett, after a moment's reflection, said he would like to find this object inside a cushion against which one of the ladies was leaning. He comments in The Occult World that, in view of their previous experience, a more natural choice might have been a tree, or buried in the earth, but his eye fell on the cushion and it seemed to him this might be a good selection.
Mrs. Sinnett immediately said, "Oh no, let it be inside my pillow!" Mr. Sinnett realized that this was an excellent choice, since he knew the pillow had been with her in the drawing room all morning and thus not out of her sight.
H.P.B. then asked the Mahatma, by her own methods, whether that would do, and received an affirmative reply. Thus it is seen that there was complete liberty of choice and nothing could have been planned in advance.
Patience Sinnett was told to put the pillow under her rug, which she did with her own hands. After about a minute H.P.B. said the pillow could be opened. She had not been near it or touched it in any way.
Opening the pillow was no easy matter. Sinnett did it with his penknife, which took quite a while, as the pillow was securely sewn all around and had to be cut stitch by stitch. When one side of the cover was ripped open, it was found that there was still another case in which the feathers were stuffed. This, too, was sewn around all the edges.
Finally, the pillow was open, and Patience searched among the feathers. The first thing she found was a small 3-cornered note in the Mahatma' s familiar script (Letter No. 3B [ML-3B]). While Sinnett was reading it she searched further through the feathers and found the brooch referred to in the note — the object which the Mahatma had taken away during the previous night (called Brooch No. 2 to differentiate it from an earlier phenomenon in which a brooch lost by Mrs. Hume was recovered. See The Occult World, pp. 68-92).
This brooch was one belonging to Patience Sinnett; it was very old and familiar. She usually left it on her dressing table when it wasn't being worn. Interestingly enough, it now bore the Mahatma' s initials.
The reference to "the difficulty you spoke of last night" indicates that the Mahatma had listened to the dinner-table conversation the previous evening in which Sinnett had expressed concern about the interchange of letters after H.P.B. left Simla.
My "Dear Brother,"
This brooch, No. 2, is placed in this very strange place simply to show to you how very easily a real phenomenon is produced and how still easier it is to suspect its genuineness. Make of it what you like even to classing me with confederates.
The difficulty you spoke of last night with respect to the interchange of our letters I will try to remove. One of our pupils will shortly visit Lahore and the N.W.P. and an address will be sent to you which you can always use; unless, indeed, you really would prefer corresponding through — pillows. Please to remark that the present is not dated from a "Lodge" but from a Kashmir valley.
Yours, more than ever,
KOOT' HOOMI LAL SINGH.
Letter No. 3C (ML-3C) Rec. Oct. 20, 1880
Before leaving the picnic, Sinnett wrote a few lines of thanks to the Mahatma and gave the note to H.P.B. He and Mrs. Sinnett went on ahead, so that he had no idea when or how she disposed of this note. He was still feeling a bit disappointed that the Mahatma had not replied to his note written before the party left for the picnic.
However, that evening, when the Sinnetts and their guests sat down to dinner, Sinnett unfolded his napkin and Letter No. 3C fell out of it. The reference to his being disappointed refers, of course, to that earlier note and K.H. explains why it was unnecessary to answer it.