me familiar things. I laid my hand on your bosom. I said to you:
'Remember me. Come to me.' I even wrote--"

She stopped, shuddering as if a sudden fear had laid its hold on
her. Seeing this, and dreading the effect of any violent agitation, I
hastened to suggest that we should say no more, for that day, on the
subject of her dream.

"No," she answered, firmly. "There is nothing to be gained by giving me
time. My dream has left one horrible remembrance on my mind. As long as
I live, I believe I shall tremble when I think of what I saw near you in
that darkened room."

She stopped again. Was she approaching the subject of the shrouded
figure, with the black veil over its head? Was she about to describe her
first discovery, in the dream, of Miss Dunross?

"Tell me one thing first," she resumed. "Have I been right in what I
have said to you, so far? Is it true that you were in a darkened room
when you saw me?"

"Quite true."

"Was the date the beginning of the month? and was the hour the close of
evening?"

"Yes."

"Were you alone in the room? Answer me truly!"

"I was not alone."

"Was the master of the house with you? or had you some other companion?"

It would have been worse than useless (after what I had now heard) to
attempt to deceive her.

"I had another companion," I answered. "The person in the room with me
was a woman."

Her face showed, as I spoke, that she was again shaken by the terrifying
recollection to which she had just alluded. I had, by this time, some
difficulty myself in preserving my composure. Still, I was determined
not to let a word escape me which could operate as a suggestion on the
mind of my companion.

"Have you any other question to ask me?" was all I said.

"One more," she answered. "Was there anything unusual in the dress of
your companion?"

"Yes. She wore a long black veil, which hung over her head and face, and
dropped to below her waist."

Mrs. Van Brandt leaned back in her chair, and covered her eyes with her
hands.

"I understand your motive for concealing from me the presence of that
miserable woman in the house," she said. "It is good and kind, like
all your motives; but it is useless. While I lay in the trance I saw
everything exactly as it was in the reality; and I, too, saw that
frightful face!"

Those words literally electrified me.

My conversation of that morning with my mother instantly recurred to my
memory. I started to my feet.

"Good God!"