But behold, at this word of the angel, a blue ray, about the thickness of an arm, came up from the south into the middle of the circle, and blended itself, trembling and glittering, with the radiant cloud and flowers. When the angel beheld this, he said—
"Lo! I am summoned to the ruins of Nineveh. Let me depart!"
At this the Duke took heart again to speak, and began, "Lord, how is my ancient race——"
But the angel again interrupted him with, "Silence, thou drunken man of blood!"
And when the magister repeated the form which broke the conjuration, the angel disappeared as he had come, with a terrible clap of thunder; and clouds, light, flowers, odours, and music, all passed away with him, and the hall became dark and silent as the grave.
But in a couple of seconds, just as the magister had stepped out of the circle with the virgin, who trembled in every limb, even as he did himself, my Jobst comes rushing in at the door with joyful mien, thanks God, sobs, embraces his little daughter twice, thrice—embraces her again, and at last asks, "What said the angel?"
And they told him all—item, about the ghost of his poor mother, and what it desired. Then, for the first time, they observed that the Duke stood still within the circle with folded arms, and eyes bent upon the ground.
"My Lord Duke, will you not step out of the circle?" exclaimed the magister.
Whereupon the Duke started, sprang from the circle to the spot where they stood, and, seizing the magister by the throat, roared, "Dog of a sorcerer! this is some of thy black-art. Jobst here was right; thou hast raised no angel, but a devil!"
At this the terrified magister first tried to release himself from his Grace's hold, then began to explain, but the Duke would listen to nothing.