I was stubborn and did not heed her words. It had been two months since our last séance, and she was particular about saving money, which meant we’d been eating porridge for every meal. The spiritualist business had become more dangerous. The chief inspector was rumored to be especially hard. He said what Maman and I did was criminal activity. “Worse than robbing a bank!” he exclaimed to the London Times. “They prey on the vulnerable emotions of grieving souls. No worse vermin than that lot.” Having his words in print set flame to a general sense of unjustness among the public. Work came less
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