“And Hannah can give me more than any money can buy--she can give me Leonora! Ah! my friend, you do not yet realise what I suffered in the loss of my wife--in the loss of my faith in her! To regain that, I would sacrifice everything I possess in this world! I am fifty, in years--yes! but in feeling I am seventy--a hundred! Hannah is low born--I admit it--and ignorant, but she brings Youth and Health and Innocence as her portion, and she brings what is better than all--_Leonora!_” “If you have quite made up your mind on the subject, I suppose it is of no use my talking to you any more,” said Steinberg, in a tone of annoyance. “No! not if you would try to make me give up my wife, who has not yet even spoken to me. With Hannah always at my commands, what may I not accomplish? I can go on and on, until I hold Leonora in my arms again, fresh, pure and beautiful, as when I first received her as my bride. Do you not see, Steinberg--cannot you understand--that it is not _Hannah_ whom I wish to marry, but Leonora whom I wish to call back to my love and my embrace? And how can I accomplish this, except by having the medium under my own control? Were I to engage Hannah as my servant, and give her every comfort, I could never be sure that she would not leave me for a better situation, but as my wife, she--I mean, Leonora--will always be with me to my life’s end.” “I understand your feelings perfectly,” replied the Doctor, “but I would not have you do this extraordinary thing in too great a hurry. I am not yet satisfied that the pursuit of Spiritualism is entirely without its dangers, or that these spirits are always the persons whom they profess to be! What should you do, if, after you had taken this irremediable step of marriage, you were to discover that the form which looks to you now like that of your lost wife, were that of some stranger?” “I should try again until I found her,” replied the Professor, “I should consider my whole life well spent, if I only caught a glimpse of her at the last!” “And if this is to be, where do you propose to take Hannah?” continued his friend. “I have hardly thought of it! I want your advice on several things. First, shall I mention my project of marrying her to her parents?” “I should not! Since they have cast her off, I should take the girl away with me as my servant, and let the matter alone for a little while. If she is attached to her lover, as you seem to imagine, she will probably refuse to listen to your proposal for some time further.” “True! then as to a residence----”