means that she was a belle."

"No. She says she thinks you know what she means. She says you must
think of a colour. What colour?" Again Lopa addressed the unknown, but
this time seemed to wait for an answer.

"Perhaps she means the colour of her eyes," said Eugene.

"No. She says her colour is light--it's a light colour and you can see
through it."

"Amber?" he said, and was startled, for Mrs. Horner, with her eyes still
closed, clapped her hands, and the voice cried out in delight:

"Yes! She says you know who she is from amber. Amber! Amber! That's it!
She says you understand what her name is from a bell and from amber. She
is laughing and waving a lace handkerchief at me because she is pleased.
She says I have made you know who it is."

This was the strangest moment of Eugene's life, because, while it
lasted, he believed that Isabel Amberson, who was dead, had found means
to speak to him. Though within ten minutes he doubted it, he believed it
then.

His elbows pressed hard upon the table, and, his head between his hands,
he leaned forward, staring at the commonplace figure in the easy-chair.
"What does she wish to say to me?"

"She is happy because you know her. No--she is troubled. Oh--a great
trouble! Something she wants to tell you. She wants so much to tell you.
She wants Lopa to tell you. This is a great trouble. She says--oh, yes,
she wants you to be--to be kind! That's what she says. That's it. To be
kind."

"Does she--"

"She wants you to be kind," said the voice. "She nods when I tell you
this. Yes; it must be right. She is a very fine lady. Very pretty.
She is so anxious for you to understand. She hopes and hopes you will.
Someone else wants to speak to you. This is a man. He says--"

"I don't want to speak to any one else," said Eugene quickly. "I want--"

"This man who has come says that he is a friend of yours. He says--"

Eugene struck the table with his fist. "I don't want to speak to any
one else, I tell you!" he cried passionately. "If she is there I--" He
caught his breath sharply, checked himself, and sat in amazement. Could
his mind so easily accept so stupendous a thing as true? Evidently it
could!

Mrs. Horner spoke languidly in her own voice: "Did you get anything
satisfactory?" she asked. "I certainly hope it wasn't like that other
time when you was cross because they couldn't get anything for you."

"No, no," he said hastily. "This was different It was very interesting."