“That I am ready to do,” replied the Sicilian, turning to us, “as soon as these ladies and gentlemen have left us.” “Why only then?” exclaimed the Englishman. “A courageous ghost will surely not be afraid of a cheerful company.” “I would not answer for the consequences,” said the Sicilian. “For heaven’s sake, no!” cried the ladies, starting affrighted from their chairs. “Call your ghost,” said the abbe, in a tone of defiance, “but warn him beforehand that there are sharp-pointed weapons here.” At the same time he asked one of the company for a sword. “If you preserve the same intention in his presence,” answered the Sicilian, coolly, “you may then act as you please.” He then turned towards the prince: “Your highness,” said he, “asserts that your key has been in the hands of a stranger; can you conjecture in whose?” “No” “Have you no suspicion?” “It certainly occurred to me that”-- “Should you know the person if you saw him?” “Undoubtedly.” The Sicilian, throwing back his cloak, took out a looking-glass and held it before the prince. “Is this the man?” The prince drew back with affright. “Whom have you seen?” I inquired. “The Armenian.” The Sicilian concealed his looking-glass under his cloak. “Is it the person whom you thought of?” demanded the whole company. “The same.” A sudden change manifested itself on every face; no more laughter was to be heard. All eyes were fixed with curiosity on the Sicilian. “Monsieur l’Abbe! The matter grows serious,” said the Englishman. “I advise you to think of beating a retreat.” “The fellow is in league with the devil,” exclaimed the Frenchman, and rushed out of the house. The ladies ran shrieking from the room. The virtuoso followed them. The German prebendary was snoring in a chair. The Russian officer continued sitting in his place as before, perfectly indifferent to what was passing. “Perhaps your attention was only to raise a laugh at the expense of that boaster,” said the prince, after they were gone, “or would you indeed fulfil your promise to us?” “It is true,” replied the Sicilian; “I was but jesting with the abbe. I took him at his word, because I knew very well that the coward would not suffer me to proceed to extremities. The matter itself is, however, too serious to serve merely as a jest.” “You grant, then, that it is in your power?” The sorcerer maintained a long silence, and kept his look fixed steadily on the prince, as if to examine him. “It is!” answered he at last. The prince’s curiosity was now raised to the highest pitch. A fondness for the marvellous had ever been his prevailing weakness. His improved understanding and a proper course of reading had for some time dissipated every idea of this kind; but the appearance of the Armenian had revived them. He stepped aside with the Sicilian, and I heard them in very earnest conversation.