"
"No, no. Bet your own way, for me." He had hardly uttered these words,
when he seemed to glare across the table at the great mirror, and,
suddenly putting his handkerchief to his mouth, he made a bolt sidewise,
plunged amid the bystanders, and emerged only to dash into a room at the
side.
As he disappeared, a lady came slowly and pensively forward from the
outer door; lifted her eyes as she neared the table, saw a vacant chair,
and glided into it, revealing to Zoe Vizard and her party a noble face,
not so splendid and animated as on the stage, for its expression was
slumbering; still it was the face of Ina Klosking.
No transformation trick was ever done more neatly and smoothly than this,
in which, nevertheless, the performers acted without concert.
Severne fled out, and the Klosking came slowly in; yet no one had time to
take the seat, she glided into it so soon after Severne had vacated it.
Zoe Vizard and her friends stared after the flying Severne, then stared
at the newcomer, and then turned round and stared at each other, in
mutual amazement and inquiry.
What was the meaning of this double incident, that resembled a conjurer's
trick? Having looked at her companions, and seen only her own surprise
reflected, Zoe Vizard fixed her eyes, like burning-glasses, upon Ina
Klosking.
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