Johannes waited in great suspense for the first seance, above all because of the possibility that Markus would perceive his longings, and, as Van Lieverlee surmised, suddenly appear. The members of the society gathered just as if they had no other thought than to make a casual evening visit. The Privy Counselor, who bore a threefold name, and whom therefore I shall call simply the Privy Counselor, chatted with the fat Honorable Lady about the climate on the Riviera, along which he had been traveling with his wife, for her health's sake, and whence he had brought her back home more ill than when she left. The General chatted on about the early shell-peas, while Van Lieverlee talked softly in French to the countess, to the silent distraction of Johannes. No one appeared to care to know the object of their meeting. But this dissimulation was rudely shaken by Professor Bommeldoos, who, having scarcely entered, burst out in his frightful voice: "Come, followers of Allan Kardec! Where is the keeper of the door--he who shall unlock for us that portal through which we may step from the kingdom of the three dimensions into that of the fourth dimension?" Thereupon he looked searchingly into the faces of those present. They smiled in a rather embarrassed way, and glanced at the General. After a good, thorough clearing of his throat, the General said: "If you refer to our medium, Professor, there is none yet; but we should--ah ... can--ah ... begin to form the circle, in order to prepare ourselves, in some degree, for...." During oppressive silence, a round, marble-topped table was drawn by the gentlemen into the middle of the room. The assistance of the servants was not desired. "Look! See what a crack was made in it the other time," whispered the Honorable Lady, "when it rose completely up into the air, you know. We could not possibly hold it down." "Ought not the light to be put out?" asked the Professor, who had not yet attended a seance. "No, no," said the General. "A little lower--just a little lower." "Very well! H'm--h'm!" muttered Bommeldoos. "The Professor must not counteract with his irony," said the countess, pleasantly. "Mevrouw," declaimed the Professor, solemnly, "in the researches of a philosopher nothing is trifling, nothing is ridiculous. He stands for all phenomena like an unbroken mirror. Darwin had the contrabass played to an audience of sprouting garden-beans, in order to observe the effect of music on vegetation. And if you have read my book about Plotinus...." "Pardon, Professor, I have not." "What! Then the one about the material basis of ideas?" "Nor that." "Then you certainly must read my book upon Magic. Do not forget it, or I will not come the next time. Plotinus says...." Here followed a quotation in Greek that I will spare you, but which was listened to with respect. Then the Honorable Lady chimed in with: "Shall we not sing something? It puts one in such a good frame of mind."