“Write it down, Onno!” said Eva.
Eldersma wrote it down.
“A-d-d-i-e!” the leg tapped out.
“No!” the voices all cried together, in vehement denial. “This time the table’s mistaken!... At least, young De Luce has never yet been mentioned in connection with Mrs. van Oudijck.”
“T-h-e-o!” said the table, correcting itself.
“Her step-son!... It’s terrible!... That’s different!... Everybody knows that!” cried the voices in assent.
“Yes, we know that!” said Mrs. Rantzow, with a glance at the leg of the table. “Come, tell us something that we don’t know. Come, table! Come, spirit! Please!...”
She addressed the table-leg in coaxing, wheedling accents. Everybody laughed. The table grated.
“Be serious!” Mrs. Doorn de Bruijn said, in warning.
The table bounced down on Ida’s lap.