has
often happened that the terrible serious reality of the spirit-world
has come gripping in into jokes of this kind, resulting in very
terrific things. I remember, for instance----"

"Stop! stop!" cried Lothair. "I can't have any more interruptions.
Cyprian is on the point of carrying us away, after his manner, into
that dark world of spells where he is at home. Please to go on with
your story, Ottmar." Ottmar went on reading.

And in came a man, dressed in black from top to toe, with a pallid
face, and a set, serious expression. He went up to Madame von G.
with the most courtly bearing of a man of the highest rank, and in
well-selected terms, begged her to pardon him for having been so long
in arriving, though his invitation was of such old standing--but that,
to his regret, he had been detained by having to pay an unavoidable
visit first. Madame von G., unable to recover all in a moment from the
start which his entry had caused her, murmured a few indistinguishable
words, which seemed to amount to saying, would the stranger be kind
enough to take a seat. He drew a chair close to her, and opposite to
Angelica, sat down, and let his eyes pass over every member of the
company. Every one felt paralysed; none could utter a word. Then the
stranger began to speak, saying that he felt he stood doubly in need of
excuses; firstly, for arriving at such a time, and, secondly, for
having made his entrance in such a sudden manner, and so startlingly.
The latter, however, he was not to blame for, inasmuch as the door had
been thrown open in that violent manner by the servant whom he had
found in the hall. Madame von G., overcoming with difficulty the eery
feeling with which she was seized, inquired whom she had the honour of
welcoming. The stranger seemed not to notice this question, his
attention being fixed on Marguerite, who had suddenly become changed in
all her ways and bearing, kept tripping and dancing close up to the
stranger, and telling him, with constant tittering and laughter, and
with much volubility, in French, that they had all been in the very
thick of the most delightful ghost-stories, and that Captain Moritz had
just been saying that some evil spectre ought to make its appearance at
the very instant when he had come in. Madame von G., feeling all the
awkwardness of having to ask this stranger, who had said he came by
invitation, as to his name and so forth, but more distressed and
rendered uncomfortable by his