"What do I mean? I mean that you shall tell me
where your son was during the last night, and where
he is now."

"Where he is _now_?" echoed Babet, "Last night?
it is now night, or only just near dawning."

"Yes, we are near the dawning," mocked the old
man, with loud, relentless equivoque. "Madam, shed
here the sunbeams of your highest intelligence; clear
the dull atmosphere of your soul from fog; and let
us see and hear respecting this occurrence, all that
yourself have seen, and heard, and known."

"Master, I know nothing," said she, "what affair?"
enquired the woman, fitfully.

"Is Narcisse at home?" bellowed the advocate,
quivering with excitement, and red to the roots of
his white hair with wrath. "Evil betide me that he
should have ever made here his home;" he continued.
"Who called him hither? I? No, no; I called for
aught that might see fit to come, conditioned that it
came in human guise; but yonder frothy fool, yon
swarthy pigmy, I did not summon him. I called for
anything of earth, but Heaven (to punish me) straight
passed the unhallowed call to hell, that sent me up a
demon." The apartment resounded with the last
word, and still the old man's voice was heard like the
departing rumble of a thunder peal, as he continued,
with clasped hands and upturned eyes, whilst his
countenance assumed an air of singular elevation,
passionately exclaiming: "Oh, that a man who could
have entertained the gods with high conceits and
philosophic parle, -- could have communed with spi-
rits of the skies, should be assailed and pestered from
the pit! -- Go on, woman, we will exorcise you, we

[[107]]

p106b _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p107w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p108

v?