‘My lord!—­my lord!—­have mercy, oh my lord!’

’Then you be careful, that’s all.  You may suppose yourself to be something of a magician, but it happens, unfortunately for you, that I can do a bit in that line myself,—­perhaps I’m a trifle better at the game than you are.  Especially as you have ventured into my stronghold, which contains magic enough to make a show of a hundred thousand such as you.’

Taking down a bottle from a shelf, I sprinkled a drop or two of its contents on the floor.  Immediately flames arose, accompanied by a blinding vapour.  It was a sufficiently simple illustration of one of the qualities of phosphorous-bromide, but its effect upon my visitor was as startling as it was unexpected.  If I could believe the evidence of my own eyesight, in the very act of giving utterance to a scream of terror he disappeared, how, or why, or whither, there was nothing to show,—­in his place, where he had been standing, there seemed to be a dim object of some sort in a state of frenzied agitation on the floor.  The phosphorescent vapour was confusing; the lights appeared to be suddenly burning low; before I had sense enough to go and see if there was anything there, and, if so, what, the flames had vanished, the man himself had reappeared, and, prostrated on his knees, was salaaming in a condition of abject terror.

‘My lord! my lord!’ he whined.  ’I entreat you, my lord, to use me as your slave!’

‘I’ll use you as my slave!’ Whether he or I was the more agitated it would have been difficult to say,—­but, at least, it would not have done to betray my feelings as he did his.

‘Stand up!’

He stood up.  I eyed him as he did with an interest which, so far as I was concerned, was of a distinctly new and original sort.  Whether or not I had been the victim of an ocular delusion I could not be sure.  It was incredible to suppose that he could have disappeared as he had seemed to disappear,—­it was also incredible that I could have imagined his disappearance.  If the thing had been a trick, I had not the faintest notion how it had been worked; and, if it was not a trick, then what was it?  Was it something new in scientific marvels?  Could he give me as much instruction in the qualities of unknown forces as I could him?

In the meanwhile he stood in an attitude of complete submission, with downcast eyes, and hands crossed upon his breast.  I started to cross-examine him.

’I am going to ask you some questions.  So long as you answer them promptly, truthfully, you will be safe.  Otherwise you had best beware.’

‘Ask, oh my lord.’

‘What is the nature of your objection to Mr Lessingham?’

‘Revenge.’

’What has he done to you that you should wish to be revenged on him?’

‘It is the feud of the innocent blood.’

‘What do you mean by that?’

’On his hands is the blood of my kin.  It cries aloud for vengeance.’