"That just shows how wrongly one man judges another," said Octave lazily, without earnestness, but with a certain something in his tone that betokened he was dealing with realities. "You probably think that I am not much troubled with a conscience; whereas the fact is that my conscience, with a strong dash of remorse in it, is a very keen one. Many years ago a certain episode changed the whole color and current of my life inwardly to myself, although of course outwardly I was much the same. Now, this episode aroused my conscience to a most extraordinary degree, and I never 'sit' now without seeing a female figure; with a face like that of the heroine of my episode, dressed in a queer robe, woven of every possible color except white, who shudders and trembles as she passes before me, holding in her arms large sheets of glass, through which dim Bohemian glass colors pass flickering every moment." "What a very disagreeable thing to see this weather," said the Abbe--"everything shuddering and shaking!" "Have you ever discovered why she goes about like the wife of a glazier?" asked the Prince. "For a long time I could not make out what they could be, these large panes of glass with variegated colors passing through them; but now I think I know." "Well?" "They are dreams waiting to be fitted in." "Bravo!" cried the Abbe. "That is really a good idea! If I had only the pen of Charles Nodier, what a charming _feuilleton_ I could write about all this!" Pomerantseff laid his hand affectionately on the Duke's shoulder. "_Mon cher ami_," he said with a grave smile, "believe me, you are wholly at fault in your speculations. Gerard here of course, naturally enough, since he has never been willing to 'sit,' thinks we are both madmen, and that the whole thing is folly; but you and I, who have sat and seen many marvellous manifestations, know that it is not folly. Take the word of a man who has had greater experience in the matter than yourself, and who is himself a most powerful medium: the theory you have just enunciated is utterly false." "Prove that it is false." "I cannot prove it, but wait and see." "Nay; I have given it all up now. I will not meddle with spiritualism again. It unhinged my nerves and destroyed my peace of mind while I was investigating it." The Prince shrugged his shoulders. "Prince, leave him alone," said the Abbe smiling. "His theory is a great deal more sensible than yours; and if I could bring myself to believe that at your _seances_ any real phenomenon _does_ take place (which of course no sane person can), I should be much more apt to accept Frontignan's interpretation of the matter. Let us follow it out a little further, for the mere sake of talking nonsense. Doubtless the dominant passion of a man would be the most likely to appear--that is to say, would be the most tangible."