“Whatbeautifulhorses，“exclaimedJuliette，herhazeleyessparkling。
“Oh!thattenthCommandment，whocankeepit？Andwhyshouldsomepeoplehavefinehorsesandothersnotevenapony？/Mamère/，whywereyounotabletokeepthatcarriageofwhichyouhavespokentomesooften？“
Madamebitherlip，andwithawhispered“holdyourtongue，“plungedintoconversationaboutMissOgilvy。ThenGodfreyenteredthecarriageandwaswhirledawayinstyle，lookingliketheprinceinafairybook，asJulietteremarked，whilethePasteurtriedtoexplaintoherhowmuchhappiershewaswithoutthetemptationofsuchearthlyvanities。
MissOgilvy’shousewasabeautifuldwellingofitssort，standingingardensofitsownthatrandowntothelake，andcommandingfineviewsofallthegloriousscenerywhichsurroundsLucerne。Theroomswerelargeandlofty，withparquetfloors，andinsomeofthemwerereallygoodpicturesthattheirownerhadinherited，alsocollectionsofbeautifuloldFrenchfurniture。Inshort，itwasastatelyandrefinedabode，suchasissometimestobefoundabroadinthepossessionofAmericansorEnglishpeopleofwealth，whofortheirhealth’ssakeorotherreasons，maketheirhomesupontheContinent。
Onhearingthecarriagearrive，MissOgilvy，whowasdressedinasimple，butcharminggreygownand，asGodfreynoticedatonce，woreroundhernecktheoldGnostictalismanwhichhehadgivenher，camefromasaloontomeethiminthelarge，squarehall。
“I/am/gladtoseeyou，Godfrey，“shesaidinhersoft，cultivatedvoice。
“SoamI，MissOgilvy，“heanswered，withheartiness，“Imeantoseeyou。But，“headded，studyingher，“youdonotlookverywell。“
Shesmiledratherpathetically，andsaidinaquickvoice：
“No，Itookacoldonthatjourney。YouseeIamratheraninvalid，whichiswhyIlivehere——whileIdolive——whattheycall/poitrinaire/。“
Godfreyshookhishead，thewordwasbeyondhim。
“/Anglicé/consumptive，“sheexplained。“TherearelotsofusinSwitzerland，youknow，andonthewhole，weareamerryset。Itischaracteristicofourcomplaint。Butnevermindaboutme。Therearetwoorthreepeoplehere。Idaresayyouwillthinkthemodd，buttheyarecleverintheirway，andyououghttohavesomethingincommon。
Comein。“
Hefollowedherintothebeautifulcoolsaloon，withitslarge，doubleFrenchwindowsdesignedtokeepoutthebitterwindsofwinter，butopenednowuponthebrilliantgarden。Neverbeforehadhebeeninsolovelyaroom，thatisofamodernhouse，anditimpressedhimwithsensationsthatatthemomenthedidnottrytoanalyse。Allheknewwasthattheyweremingledwithsomespiritualquality，suchasonceortwicehehadfeltinancientchurches，somethingwhichsuggestedboththePastandtheFuture，andabroodinginfluencethathecouldnotdefine。Yettheplacewasalllightandcharm，gaywithflowersandlandscapepictures，inshort，lackinganysombrenote。
Gatheredatitsfarendwherethebowwindowoverlookedthesparklinglake，werethreeorfourpeople，allelderly。Instantlyoneoftheserivetedhisattention。Shewasstout，havinghergreyhairdrawnbackfromamassiveforehead，beneathwhichshonepiercingblackeyes。Herratherungainlyfigurewasclothedinwhathethoughtanuglygreendress，andsheworeaneckletofemeraldsinanold-fashionedsetting，whichhealsothoughtuglybutstriking。Fromthemomentthatheenteredthedoorwayatthefarendofthatlongsaloon，hefeltthoseblackeyesfixeduponhim，andwaspainfullyawareoftheirowner’spresence，somuchso，thatinawhisper，heaskedhernameofMissOgilvy。
“Oh!“sheanswered，“thatisMadameRiennes，thenotedmesmeristandmedium。“
“Indeed，“saidGodfreyinavaguevoice，forhedidnotquiteunderstandwhatwasmeantbythisdescription。
Alsotherewasathin，elderlyAmericangentlemantowhomGodfreywasintroduced，namedColonelJosiahSmith，andabig，blondDane，whotalkedEnglishwithaGermanaccent，calledProfessorPetersen。AllofthesestudiedGodfreywiththemostunusualinterestas，overwhelmedwithshyness，hewasledbyMissOgilvytomaketheiracquaintance。Hefeltthattheirdemeanourportendedheknewnotwhat，moreatanyratethanhopeofderivingpleasurefromhissociety；infact，thattheyexpectedtogetsomethingoutofhim。SuddenlyherecollectedapicturethatoncehehadseeninapiousworkwhichhewasgiventoreadonSundays。ItrepresentedamissionarybeingledbythehandbyasmilingwomanintothepresenceofsomesavagesinaSouthSeaisland，whowereabouttocookandeathim。
Inthepicturealargepotwasalreadyboilingoverafireinthebackground。InstinctivelyGodfreylookedforthepot，butsawnone，exceptoneoftheflowerswhichstoodonalittletableinarecess，androundithalfadozenchairs，oneofthemlarge，witharms。Hadhebutknownit，thatchairwasthepot。
Nosoonerhadhemadehissomewhatawkwardbowthanluncheonwasannounced，andtheyallwentintoanotherlargeandbeautifulroom，wheretheywereservedwithaperfectmeal。Theconversationattablewasgeneral，andinEnglish，butpresentlyitdriftedintoadebatewhichGodfreydidnotunderstand，ontheincreaseofspiritualityamongthe“initiated“oftheearth。
ColonelJosiahSmith，whoappearedtoassociatewithremarkablepersonswhomhecalled“Masters，“whodweltintheremoteplacesoftheworld，allegedthatsuchincreasewasgreat，whichProfessorPetersen，whodweltmuchamongGermanintellectuals，denied。Itappearedthatthese“intellectuals“werebusyinturningtheirbacksoneveryformofspirituality。
“Ah!“saidMissOgilvy，withasigh，“theyseekthecompanyoftheirkindred’Elementals，’althoughtheydonotknowit，andsoonthoseElementalswillhavethemasteryofthemandbreakthemtopieces，asthelionsdidthemalignersofDaniel。“
InafteryearsGodfreyalwaysrememberedthisasaveryremarkableprophecy，butatthetime，notknowingwhatanElementalmightbe，heonlymarvelled。
AtlengthMadameRiennes，who，itseemed，washalfFrenchandhalfRussian，intervenedinaslow，heavyvoice：
“Whatdoesitmatter，friendsofmysoul？“sheasked。ThenhavingpausedtodrinkoffafullglassofsparklingMoselle，shewenton：
“Soonweshallbewherethespirituality，orotherwise，ofthislittleworldmattersnothingtous。Whowillbethefirsttolearnthetruths，Iwonder？“andshestaredinturnatthefacesofeveryoneofthem，aprocesswhichseemedtocausegeneralalarm，bearing，asitdid，astrongresemblancetothesmelling-outofsavagewitch-doctors。
Indeed，theyallbegantotalkofthisorthatathazard，butshewasnottobeputoffbysuchinterruptions。HavinginvestigatedGodfreytillhefeltcolddowntheback，MadameturnedhersearchlighteyesuponMissOgilvy，whoshrankbeneaththem。Thenofasuddensheexclaimedwithakindofconvulsiveshudder：
“ThePowerpossessesandguidesme。Ittellsmethat/you/willbethefirst，SisterHelen。IseeyouamongtheimmortalLilieswiththeWineofLifeflowingthroughyourveins。“
OnreceiptofthisinformationtheWineofLifeseemedtoceasetoflowinpoorMissOgilvy’sface。Atanyrate，shewentdeadlypaleandrestedherhanduponGodfrey’sshoulderasifshewereabouttofaint。
Recoveringalittle，shemurmuredtoherself：
“Ithoughtit!Well，whatdoesitmatterthoughthegulfisgreatandterrible？“
Thenwithaneffortsheroseandsuggestedthattheyshouldreturntothedrawing-room。
Theydidso，andwereservedwithTurkishcoffeeandcigarettes，whichMadameRiennessmokedoneaftertheotherveryrapidly。PresentlyMissOgilvyrangthebell，andwhenthebutlerappearedtoremovethecups，whisperedsomethinginFrench，atwhichhebowedanddeparted。
Godfreythoughtheheardhimlockthedoorbehindhim，butwasnotsure。
“Letussitroundthetableandtalk，“saidMadameRiennes。
Thereonthewholepartymovedintotherecesswherewastheflower-potthathasbeenmentioned，whichMissOgilvytookaway。
Theyseatedthemselvesroundthelittletableuponwhichithadstood。
Godfrey，lingeringbehind，found，whetherbydesignoraccident，thattheonlyplaceleftforhimwasthearm-chairwhichhehesitatedtooccupy。
“Beseated，youngMonsieur，“saidtheformidableMadameinbell-liketones，whereonhecollapsedintothechair。“SisterHelen，“shewenton，“drawthecurtain，itismoreprivateso；yes，andtheblindthattheremaybenounholyglare。“
MissOgilvy，whoseemedtobeentirelyunderMadame’sthumb，obeyed。
Nowtoallintentsandpurposestheywereinatiny，shadowedroomcutofffromthemainapartment。
“TakethattalismanfromyourneckandgiveittoyoungMonsieurKnight，“commandedMadame。
“ButIgaveittoher，anddonotwantitback，“venturedGodfrey，whowasgrowingalarmed。
“DowhatIsay，“shesaidsternly，andhefoundhimselfholdingtherelic。
“Now，youngMonsieur，lookmeintheeyesalittleandlisten。I
requestofyouthatholdingthatblack，engravedstoneinyourhand，youwillbesogoodastothrowyoursoul，doyouunderstand，yoursoul，back，back，/back/andtelluswhereitcomefrom，whohaveit，whatpartitplayintheirlife，andeverythingaboutit。“
“HowamItoknow？“askedGodfrey，withindignation。
Thensuddenlyeverythingbeforehimfaded，andhesawhimselfstandinginadesertbyalumpofblackrock，atwhichabrownmancladonlyinawaistclothandakindofpeakedstrawhat，wasstrikingwithaninstrumentthatseemedtobehalfchiselandhalfhammer，fashionedapparentlyfrombronze，orperhapsofgreenish-colouredflint。
Presentlythebrownman，whohadasquintinoneeyeandahurttoethatwasboundroundwithsomething，pickedupapieceoftheblackrockthathehadknockedoff，andsurveyeditwithevidentsatisfaction。Thenthescenevanished。
Godfreytolditwithinteresttotheaudiencewhowereapparentlyalsointerested。
“Thefindingofthestone，“saidMadame。“Continue，youngMonsieur。“
AnothervisionrosebeforeGodfrey’smind。Hebeheldalowroomhavingakindofverandah，roofedwithreeds，andbeyonditalittlecourtyardenclosedbyawallofgrey-colouredmudbricks，outofsomeofwhichstuckpiecesofstraw。Thiscourtyardopenedontoanarrowstreetwheremanyoddly-clothedpeoplewalkedupanddown，someofwhomworepeakedcaps。Alittleman，oldandgrey，satwiththefragmentofblackrockonalowtablebeforehim，whichGodfreyknewtobethesamestonethathehadalreadyseen。Byhimlaygravingtools，andhewasengagedinpolishingthestone，nowcoveredwithfiguresandwriting，byhelpofastick，apieceofroughclothandoil。Ayoungmanwithacurlybeardwalkedintothelittlecourtyard，andtohimtheoldfellowdeliveredtheengravedstonewithobeisances，receivingpaymentinsomecuriouscurrency。