"Now give us music!" offering his arm to Helen, and taking her away.

Charles and I remained at the table.

"By the way," he said abruptly, "I have forgotten to give you a letter from your father--here it is." I stretched my hand across the table, he retained it.

I rose from my chair and stood beside him.
"Cassandra," he said at last, growing ashy pale, "is there any other world than this we are in now ?" I raised my eyes, and saw my own pale face in the glass over the mantel above his head.
"What do you see ?" he asked, starting up.
I pointed to the glass.
"I begin to think," I said, "there is another world, one peopled with creatures like those we see there.

What are they--base, false, cowardly ?" "Cowardly," he muttered, "will you make me crush you?
Can we lie to each other?
Look!" He turned me from the glass.
At that moment Helen struck a crashing blow on the piano keys.
"Charles, give me--give me the letter." He looked vaguely round the floor, it was crumpled in his hand.