But though his meditations were gloomy, the Baron was yet alive to all that was passing before him. He saw Lady Loreley’s little daughter appear between the velvet curtains that formed the cabinet, and heard her mother’s grateful thanks for having been accorded such a privilege--he watched Mrs. Maitland embrace the apparition of her brother, who had been lost at sea, and heard her comment on the fact that she could recognise the very clothes he wore. Hannah’s powers had evidently not decreased from want of practice. What a wonderful, marvellous medium she was! All his old astonishment at her powers--and all his old enthusiasm for the occult Sciences, came back to Von Steinberg, as he stood and watched and listened. There appeared to be no end to the forms that peeped from between the cabinet curtains, or advanced, more bravely, into the centre of the room. Young men and young women--little children and hoary-headed fathers and mothers--even a negro boy, whom the sitters addressed by the name of Cicero, came, grinning from ear to ear, before them. What a gift she possessed! What a power to set her above the ordinary run of women! In that moment, Karl von Steinberg felt proud again to remember that she was his--that no one could take her from him--that Hannah was his wife, and his medium for ever more. Presently his attention was arrested by a murmur amongst the sitters. A luminous mist appeared at the entrance of the cabinet, and some one whispered, “It is the old man again!” Karl von Steinberg stretched his neck forward and strained his eyes to see the visitant from the other world. It was undoubtedly the form and face of Ricardo--his familiar features, shrunken and yellow, as they looked in death, appeared before him. Von Steinberg gave a start of surprise--an exclamation of pleasure--and went up to the curtains. “Ricardo! Ricardo! my dear old friend,” he exclaimed, “how delighted--how thankful--I am to see you again!” “Can you see me? Do you recognise me? Am I like myself?” demanded the apparition. “Just like! Exactly as I saw you last, dear old fellow!” replied the Baron, warmly. “I have longed to see you again--to hear if you entirely approve of what I have done, since you left us!” The form held the curtains apart and beckoned to the Baron to accompany it inside the cabinet. “Do you wish me to go inside there with you?” exclaimed Von Steinberg. “Why, of course I will, dear friend! I consider it an honour that you should ask me.” He passed within the velvet curtains as he spoke, and the sitters questioned each other who he was, and how he had got in there. “I never saw him when we entered the room,” said one lady to another, “I wonder if the Marchesa knows he is here!” “O! she must! He would not have presumed to come without an invitation. I just caught a glimpse of his features as he entered the cabinet, by the old man’s spirit light, and I fancied he was very much like the Baron himself!”