Edward S. Van Zile

“ Admitting, my dear, that Chopin's soul has grown uneasy and desires a temporary reincarnation, would he be likely to select Tom as a—what shall I call it?—medium? Wouldn't he be more inclined to haunt a man who was naturally musical, or at least loved music? But you know, Mrs. Jack, what Tom is. He hasn't the slightest liking for music of any kind. ”

“ Tom was seated at the piano, his back toward me. Beside him stood Signorina Molatti, her Cremona resting against her shoulder. They had not heard my footsteps, and I realized that if I had yelled like a wild Indian they would not have come to earth. They played like creatures in a trance, and I felt the strange, seductive hypnotism of the mad, sweet, feverish music that they made, as I stood there voiceless, motionless, helpless, hopeless. ”

“ I am forced to believe Tom really thinks he is—it seems so absurd when one puts it into words—thinks he is haunted by Chopin's spirit, or something of that kind."
Mrs. Jack's mood changed and the merriment in her face disappeared. "Do you know," she remarked, thoughtfully, "I am sometimes inclined to think we are awfully ignorant about some things. I have heard of so many queer occurrences of an uncanny nature lately—and among the very nicest kind of people, too. And it used to be really good form to have a family ghost, you know. ”