"William," said a voice proceeding from the lips of the figure, but which sounded as if it came from a long way off, "William!"
And there was the deepest pathos in the tone. It was the first time I had been called thus by Maud. When she was in the body she always called me Mr. Blackdeed. I waited for some moments to hear if the voice would say more.
After a long pause it spoke again, and said, "You called me. Wherefore?"
"Called you, Maud!" said I. "I called you not."
"The concentration of your thoughts has had the power to command my spirit from afar," said the figure.
"Is it so?" said I. "And can you not battle against such commands?"
The figure replied not, save by a look, which seemed to say, "When you command, no."
I understood the look, and felt flattered by its meaning, but knew not how to respond, so I was silent for some moments.
At length I said, "Maud—if I may call you Maud—tell me, do you suffer much when withdrawn from the body?"
"Less out of it than in it," was the reply.