“I don’t say that, but I think you have a difficult task before you--to convince Ignorance that it is a duty which it owes to Mankind, to sacrifice itself for the good of the Human Race. However, Hannah has a kind heart and an amiable nature, and if you will have patience, I daresay you may be able to induce her to do, for love of you, what she would refuse on compulsion. Cheer up, Ricardo. Don’t look so down-hearted, man, but tell your wife to get the supper ready and let us all try to be jolly together!” “But I shall not see Leonora!” said the Professor, in a tone of disappointment. “Not to-night, that’s certain, unless she comes to you in your dreams. But it is only a pleasure deferred! Hannah will come round after a while. Take my advice, and don’t mention the subject again to-night.” Ricardo did as his friend suggested, and when the supper was ready, he insisted upon Hannah coming into the room and sitting down to table with them. She was very shy and awkward, and looked all the time as if she longed to bolt back to her own domains, but the two gentlemen reassured her, by taking no notice of her ignorance of their ways, and talking to each other, rather than to her. When the supper table was cleared, Ricardo asked her to bring in her needle-work and sit with them, but though she acquiesced in his desire, she did not reappear, and the friends finished the evening alone. She felt that she had wounded her husband, and disappointed him in some way, by refusing to go into the séance chamber, and she was fearful of the request being renewed. The next day passed much the same. The Professor spoke kindly to her, when he had occasion to speak, but he addressed her as seldom as possible, and sat for the greater part of the time that he spent at home, with his head buried in his hands. On the third day, whilst the Doctor was out, Hannah brought her husband an apple-green merino dress, and a bright blue bonnet, and some under-linen which she had purchased with part of the money he had given her. “I never ’ad sich beautiful things in my life afore,” she said, with a broad grin, as she displayed them for his approval, “ain’t they ’ansome?” “Very pretty, indeed, Hannah--very pretty!” replied the Professor, as he returned to his book. “I never ’ad so much money in my ’and at a time afore either,” continued Hannah, “and I thought these would be nice for me to walk out with you, Sig-nor, in the Parks or elsewheres!” “Yes! my girl, yes!” he said, as he raised his head for an instant and smiled at her. Ricardo’s smile was very sweet. It broke Hannah down completely, and she began to sob. “Why! what’s the matter now?” he inquired. “Is there anything more that you want, my dear? If there is, and I can afford it, it shall be yours.”