us, who claims distinction as no ordinary guest. The physician
who first warned me of the critical state of my mother's health is
anxious to hear what I can tell him of her last moments. His time is too
precious to be wasted in the earlier hours of the day, and he joins
us at the dinner-table when his patients leave him free to visit his
friends.

The dinner is nearly at an end. I have made the effort to preserve my
self-control; and in few words have told the simple story of my mother's
last peaceful days on earth. The conversation turns next on topics of
little interest to me: my mind rests after the effort that it has made;
my observation is left free to exert itself as usual.

Little by little, while the talk goes on, I observe something in the
conduct of the celebrated physician which first puzzles me, and then
arouses my suspicion of some motive for his presence which has not been
acknowledged, and in which I am concerned.

Over and over again I discover that his eyes are resting on me with a
furtive interest and attention which he seems anxious to conceal. Over
and over again I notice that he contrives to divert the conversation
from general topics, and to lure me into talking of myself; and,
stranger still (unless I am quite mistaken), Sir James understands and
encourages him. Under various pretenses I am questioned about what I
have suffered in the past, and what plans of life I have formed for the
future. Among other subjects of personal interest to me, the subject
of supernatural appearances is introduced. I am asked if I believe
in occult spiritual sympathies, and in ghostly apparitions of dead or
distant persons. I am dexterously led into hinting that my views on
this difficult and debatable question are in some degree influenced by
experiences of my own. Hints, however, are not enough to satisfy the
doctor's innocent curiosity; he tries to induce me to relate in detail
what I have myself seen and felt. But by this time I am on my guard;
I make excuses; I steadily abstain from taking my friend into my
confidence. It is more and more plain to me that I am being made the
subject of an experiment, in which Sir James and the physician are
equally interested. Outwardly assuming to be guiltless of any suspicion
of what is going on, I inwardly determine to discover the true motive
for the doctor's presence that evening, and for the part that Sir James
has taken in inviting him to be my guest.

Events favor my