The result was that the medium felt the ethereal fluid fade away like a dissolving fog, by Gilbert’s permission, and she was able to speak of her own free will.
“What do you want, sir? how came you here?”
“By the way I used before,” replied the doctor. “Hence you can be easy—no one will know of it. Why? because I come to claim a treasure, of no consequence to you, but precious to me, my son. I want you to tell what has become of my son, taken away in your carriage and brought here.”
“How do I know? taught by you to hate his mother, he has fled.”
“His mother? are you really a mother to him?”
“Oh, you see my grief, you have heard my cries, and looking on my despair, you ask me if I am his mother?”
“How then are you ignorant what has become of him?”
“But I tell you he has fled; that I came into this room for him and found the window open and the room vacant.”
“Where could he have gone—good God!” exclaimed Gilbert. “It is past midnight and he does not know the town.”
“Do you believe anything evil has befallen him?” asked she, approaching.