“O! I will not--I will not--be selfish then,” exclaimed the poor Professor. “Von Steinberg, she is right! This wonderful gift was never intended to be hidden under a bushel! I give my consent to her using it for the benefit of mankind. But--if you will forgive me--I will remain at home! I could not bear to see my Leonora disporting her lovely form for strangers to gaze at. No! let Hannah wait upon your friends, and I will stay here until my Angel deigns to come to me again.” “But why should Leonora appear at all in my house, Ricardo?” remonstrated his friend, “if you do not care to attend the séance, you can at least bring your wife to my house and take her home.” “No! no! I would rather that she went alone!” persisted the Professor. “O! let him be!” cried Hannah, impatiently, “if the markiss has got a crotchet in his head, it’ll take more than you and me to dig it out again. It’ll be his own loss--not ours!” At this Ricardo rose, and, without another word, walked up stairs to his own room. “You are wrong, Hannah,” remarked Von Steinberg, “you have no right to speak before your husband like that! You should be doubly forbearing towards him just now, for I don’t think he is well.” “What’s the matter with him?” asked the girl. “His heart is weaker than usual, and he has other disorders which complicate it. I think your determination to assume his title has worried him more than you imagine. It rouses unpleasant memories in him, and keeps the Past always before his eyes. Besides, it is not yours to use! It was confiscated years ago by the Italian Government, and does not belong to Ricardo himself any longer!” “O! that’s rubbish!” cried Hannah, “it wasn’t lawful of them to take it away, and so it’s his still! Besides, what ’arm does it do to anybody, my calling myself a markiness? It’s little enough I got by marrying ’im, I’m sure! He needn’t grudge me that!” “You got an honest, brave, honourable gentleman, Hannah, which is a thing to be proud of!” “But it won’t do me ’alf the good that being called ‘my lady’ will, all the same,” replied Hannah, with one of her cunning looks. “I mean to make my way in the world, Baron, for he won’t leave me much butter for my bread, and it’s the only crutch I’ve got to walk with! It’ll go down better than money with ’alf the fools I meet.” “I think you’re a very clever woman,” said Von Steinberg, regarding her with admiration. “I had no idea when I first saw you, that you had such a quick wit and brain. And you are improving fast in your manner of talking! If it were not for dropping an _h_ now and then, when you get excited, you might really hold your own with many a lady in the land!”