"An ugly, commonplace-looking woman. But she had a powerful, determined sort of face, and she was staring up at him with a horrible expression: I could see that she hated him, and wished him ill—"
"Have you ever seen the—the Thing again?"
Yes, of course I have. The same astral body was there last night. It was from her that his mother was trying to shield him."
"But you've never seen this astral body—as you call it—excepting on those two occasions?"
Bubbles hesitated. "I've only seen her clearly twice. But during the week that I've been here, I've often felt that she was close to Lionel Varick."
"And what's your theory about her? Why does she hate him, I mean?"
"My theory—?" the girl hesitated again. "I should think it's someone he was fond of when he was a young man, and whom he treated badly. She's ugly enough now—but then women do change so."
"Bubbles," he uttered her name very seriously.
"Yes, Bill?"
"Surely you can stop yourself seeing these kind of strange, dreadful, unnatural things?"