COBBLER (intent upon the ball, and speaking slowly, and in jerks).--“A mist now. Ha! an arm with a besom--sweeps all before it.” SOPHY (frightened).--“Send it away, please.” COBBLER--“It is gone. Ha! there’s Rugge,--looks very angry,--savage, indeed.” WAIFE.--“Good sign that! proceed.” COBBLER.--“Shakes his fist; gone. Ha! a young man, boyish, dark hair.” SOPHY (clapping her hands).--“That is the young gentleman--the very young one, I mean--with the kind eyes; is he coming?--is he, is he?” WAIFE--“Examine his pockets! do you see there three pounds?” COBBLER (testily).--“Don’t be a-interrupting. Ha! he is talking with another gentleman, bearded.” SOPHY (whispering to her grandfather).--“The old young gentleman.” COBBLER (putting down the crystal, and with great decision).--“They are coming here; I see ‘d them at the corner of the lane, by the public-house, two minutes’ walk to this door.” He took out a great silver watch: “Look, Sophy, when the minute-hand gets there (or before, if they walk briskly), you will hear them knock.” Sophy clasped her hands in mute suspense, half-credulous, half-doubting; then she went and opened the room-door, and stood on the landing-place to listen. Merle approached the Comedian, and said in a low voice, “I wish for your sake she had the gift.” WAIFE.--“The gift!--the three pounds!--so do I!” COBBLER.--“Pooh! worth a hundred times three pounds; the gift,--the spirituous gift.” WAIFE.--“Spirituous! don’t like the epithet,--smells of gin!” COBBLER.--“Spirituous gift to see in the crystal: if she had that, she might make your fortune.” WAIFE (with a ‘sudden change of countenance).--“Ah! I never thought of that. But if she has not the gift, I could teach it her,--eh?” COBBLER (indignantly).--“I did not think to hear this from you, Mr. Waife. Teach her,--you! make her an impostor, and of the wickedest kind, inventing lies between earth and them as dwell in the seven spheres! Fie! No, if she hasn’t the gift natural, let her alone: what here is not heaven-sent is devil-taught.” WAIFE (awed, but dubious).--“Then you really think you saw all that you described, in that glass egg?” COBBLER.--“Think!--am I a liar? I spoke truth, and the proof is--there--!” Rat-tat went the knocker at the door. “The two minutes are just up,” said the Cobbler; and Cornelius Agrippa could not have said it with more wizardly effect. “They are come, indeed,” said Sophy, re-entering the room softly: “I hear their voices at the threshold.” The Cobbler passed by in silence, descended the stairs, and conducted Vance and Lionel into the Comedian’s chamber; there he left them, his brow overcast. Gentleman Waife had displeased him sorely. CHAPTER VIII.