him。 The day after the third failure； however； he received a note
from Falconer； mentioning an hour at which he would be at home on
the following evening。 Hugh went。 Falconer was waiting for him。
〃I am very sorry。 I am out so much；〃 said Falconer。
〃I ought to have taken the opportunity when I had it；〃 replied Hugh。
〃I want to ask your help。 May I begin at the beginning； and tell
you all the story？ or must I epitomize and curtail it？〃
〃Be as diffuse as you please。 I shall understand the thing the
better。〃
So Hugh began； and told the whole of his history； in as far as it
bore upon the story of the crystal。 He ended with the words：
〃I trust； Mr。 Falconer； you will not think that it is from a love of
talking that I have said so much about this affair。〃
〃Certainly not。 It is a remarkable story。 I will think what can be
done。 Meantime I will keep my eyes and ears open。 I may find the
fellow。 Tell me what he is like。〃
Hugh gave as minute a description of the count as he could。
〃I think I see the man；〃 said Falconer。 〃I am pretty sure I shall
recognise him。〃
〃Have you any idea what he could want with the ring？〃
〃It is one of the curious coincidences which are always happening；〃
answered Falconer； 〃that a newspaper of this very day would have
enabled me； without any previous knowledge of similar facts； to give
a probably correct suggestion as to his object。 But you can judge
for yourself。〃
So saying； Falconer went to a side…table； heaped up with books and
papers； maps； and instruments of various kinds； apparently in
triumphant confusion。 Without a moment's hesitation；
notwithstanding； he selected the paper he wanted； and handed it to
Hugh； who read in it a letter to the editor； of which the following
is a portion：
〃I have for over thirty years been in the habit of investigating the
question by means of crystals。 And since 18； I have possessed the
celebrated crystal； once belonging to Lady Blessington； in which
very many persons； both children and adults； have seen visions of
the spirits of the deceased； or of beings claiming to be such； and
of numerous angels and other beings of the spiritual world。 These
have in all cases supported the purest and most liberal
Christianity。 The faculty of seeing in the crystal I have found to
exist in about one person in ten among adults； and in nearly nine in
every ten among children； many of whom appear to lose the faculty as
they grow to adult age； unless they practise it continually。〃
〃Is it possible；〃 said Hugh； pausing； 〃that this can be a veritable
paper of to…day？ Are there people to believe such things？〃
〃There are more fools in the world； Mr。 Sutherland； than there are
crystals in its mountains。〃
Hugh resumed his reading。 He came at length to this passage：
〃The spiritswhich I feel certain they arewhich appear； do not
hesitate to inform us on all possible subjects which may tend to
improve our morals； and confirm our faith in the Christian
doctrines。。。The character they give of the class of spirits who are
in the habit of communicating with mortals by rapping and such
proceedings； is such that it behoves all Christian people to be on
their guard against error and delusion through their means。〃
Hugh had read this passage aloud。
〃Is not that a comfort； now； Mr。 Sutherland？〃 said Falconer。 〃For in
all the reports which I have seen of the religious instruction
communicated in that highly articulate manner； Calvinism； high and
low； has predominated。 I strongly suspect the crystal phantoms of
Arminianism； though。 Fancy the old disputes of infant Christendom
perpetuated amongst the paltry ghosts of another realm！〃
〃But；〃 said Hugh； 〃I do not quite see how this is to help me； as to
the count's object in securing the ring； for certainly； however
deficient he may be in such knowledge； he is not likely to have
committed the theft for the sake of instruction in the doctrines of
the sects。〃
〃No。 But such a crystal might be put to other； not to say better；
uses。 Besides； Lady Blessington's crystal might be a pious crystal；
and the other which belonged to Lady〃
〃Lady Euphrasia。〃
〃To Lady Euphrasia； might be a worldly crystal altogether。 This
might reveal demons and their counsels； while that was haunted by
theological angels and evangelical ghosts。〃
〃Ah！ I see。 I should have thought； however； that the count had
been too much of a man of the world to believe such things。〃
〃He might find his account in it； notwithstanding。 But no amount of
world…wisdom can set a man above the inroads of superstition。 In
fact； there is but one thing that can free a man from superstition；
and that is belief。 All history proves it。 The most sceptical have
ever been the most credulous。 This is one of the best arguments for
the existence of something to believe。〃
〃You remind me of a passage in my story which I omitted； as
irrelevant to the matter in hand。〃
〃Do let me have it。 It cannot fail to interest me。〃
Hugh gave a complete account of the experiments they had made with
the careering plate。 Now the writing of the name of David Elginbrod
was the most remarkable phenomenon of the whole； and Hugh was
compelled； in responding to the natural interest of Falconer； to
give a description of David。 This led to a sketch of his own
sojourn at Turriepuffit； in which the character of David came out
far more plainly than it could have come out in any description。
When he had finished； Falconer broke out； as if he had been
hitherto restraining his wrath with difficulty：
〃And that was the man the creatures dared to personate！ I hate the
whole thing； Sutherland。 It is full of impudence and irreverence。
Perhaps the wretched beings may want another thousand years'
damnation； because of the injury done to their character by the
homage of men who ought to know better。〃
〃I do not quite understand you。〃
〃I mean； that you ought to believe as easily that such a man as you
describe is laughing with the devil and his angels； as that he wrote
a copy at the order of a charlatan； or worse。〃
〃But it could hardly be deception。〃
〃Not deception？ A man like him could not get through them without
being recognised。〃
〃I don't understand you。 By whom？〃
〃By swarms of low miserable creatures that so lament the loss of
their beggarly bodies that they would brood upon them in the shape
of flesh…flies； rather than forsake the putrifying remnants。 After
that； chair or table or anything that they can come into contact
with； possesses quite sufficient organization for such。 Don't you
remember that once； rather than have no body to go into； they crept
into the very swine？ There was a fine passion for self…embodiment
and sympathy！ But the swine themselves could not stand it； and
preferred drowning。〃
〃Then you do think there was something supernatural in it？〃
〃Nothing in the least。 It required no supernatural powers to be
aware that a great man was dead； and that you had known him well。
It annoys me； Sutherland； that able men； ay； and good men too；
should consult with ghosts whose only possible superiority consists
in their being out of the body。 Why should they be the wiser for
that？ I should as soon expect to gain wisdom by taking off my
clothes； and to lose it by getting into bed； or to rise into the
seventh heaven of spirituality by having my hair cut。 An impudent
forgery of that good man's name！ If I were you； Sutherland； I would
have nothing to do with such a low set。 They are the canaille of
the other world。 It's of no use to lay hold on their skirts； for
they can't fly。 They're just like the vultureseasy to catch；
because they're full of garbage。 I doubt if they have more
intellect left than just enough to lie with。I have been compelled
to think a good deal about these things of late。〃
Falconer put a good many questions to Hugh； about Euphra and her
relation to the count； and such was the confidence with which he had
inspired him； that Hugh felt at perfect liberty to answer them all
fully； not avoiding even the exposure of his own feelings； where
that was involved by the story。
〃Now；〃 said Falconer； 〃I have material out of which to construct a
theory。 The count is at present like a law of nature concerning
which a prudent question is the first half of the answer； as Lord
Bacon says； and you can put no question without having first formed
a theory； however slight or temporary； for otherwise no question
will suggest itself。 But； in the meantime； as I said before； I will
make inquiry upon the theory that he is somewhere in London；
although I doubt it。〃
〃Then I will not occupy your time any longer at present；〃 said Hugh。
〃Could you say； without fettering yourself in the least； when I
might be able to see you again？〃
〃Let me see。 I will make an appointment with you。Next Sunday；
here； at ten o'clock in the morning。 Make a note of it。〃
〃There is no fear of my forgetting it。 My consolations are not so
numerous that I can afford to forget my sole pleasure。 You； I
should think； have more need to make a note of it than I； though I
am quite willing to be forgotten； if necessary。〃
〃I never forget my engagements；〃 said Falconer。
They parted； and Hugh went home to his novel。
CHAPTER XI。
QUESTIONS AND DREAMS。
On a certain time the Lady St。 Mary had commanded the Lord Jesus to
fetch her some water out of the well。 And when he had gone to fetch
the water； the pitcher； when it was brought up full； brake。 But
Jesus； spreading his mantle； gathered up the water again； and
brought it in that to his mother。The First （apocryphal） Gospel of
the INFANCY of JESUS CHRIST。
Mrs。 Elton read prayers morning and evening；very elaborate
compositions； which would have instructed the apostles themselves in
many things they had never anticipated。 But； unfortunately； Mrs。
Elton must likewise read certain remarks； in the form of a homily；
intended to impress the scripture which preceded it upon the minds
of the listeners。 Between the mortar of the homilist's faith； and
the dull blows of the pestle of his arrogance； the fair form of
truth was ground into the powder of pious small talk。 This result
w