"Dear ladies," said Marcel, when they had sat down, "what Tennyson wrote in the Chorus Song of the 'Lotus Eaters' is quite appropriate to what we have just heard:-- "There is sweet music here that softer falls Than petals from blown roses on the grass, Or night dews on still waters between walls Of shadowy granite, in a gleaming pass; Music that gentlier on the spirit lies, Than tired eyelids upon tired eyes; Music that brings sweet sleep down from the blissful skies." CHAPTER XIII THE DEBACLE La vie est vaine: Un peu d'amour, Un peu de haine, Et puis--bon jour. La vie est brève; Un peu d'espoir, Un peu de rêve, Et puis--bon soir. (Monte-Naken). Concurritis horae momento cità mors venit. (_Horace_, S. 1 1.7). "Amer sanz paine rien ne vault."--Old French Proverb. "Professor," said Monsieur Payot after Delapine had had a good rest, and the guests had assembled in the room of the séance once more. "Did you really play the piano?" "Of course," said Delapine, "and the organ too. Did you not see me send your daughter into the library to work the bellows?" "Yes, I distinctly remember her tip-toeing out of the room, but I had no idea she went for that purpose. Besides she has never learnt to play the organ." "But you remember, papa, I used to work the bellows in the old village church." "That is true, Renée," said Payot, patting her on the head. Renée looked up, surprised, and her eyes filled with tears, as this was the first time she had been caressed by her father since her mother died. "What on earth can Henri have done," she asked herself, "to have effected such a wonderful change in my father? I really must ask him when we are alone." "Can you explain how you managed to play?" asked Riche. "Did you notice my fingers jerking?" replied Delapine. "Yes," answered both Riche and Villebois together, "and we noticed that they kept time with the music." "I think it would be more accurate to say that the music kept time with my fingers, eh?" said Delapine smiling. "But that does not explain anything," said Riche. "On the contrary," said Delapine, "it explains a great deal." "In what way?" "I will try to point it out to you.