"Horrible!" exclaimed Courtney, recoiling. "Beyond everything monstrous and horrible!"
The Doctor smiled and withdrew his hand from his companion's arm.
"There are a great many horrible things in the universe as well as pleasant ones," he observed dryly. "Crime and its results are always of a disagreeable nature. But we cannot alter the psychic law of equity any more than we can alter the material law of gravitation. It is growing late; I think, if you will excuse me, I will go to bed."
Courtney look at him puzzled and baffled.
"Then your 'scientific ghosts' are positive realities?" he began; here he gave a violent start as a tall white figure suddenly moved out of the shadows in the garden and came slowly towards them. "Upon my life, Doctor, you have made me quite nervous!"
"No, no, surely not," smiled the Doctor pleasantly--"not nervous! Not such a brave killer of game as you are! No, no! You don't take Monsieur Armand Gervase for a ghost, do you? He is too substantial,--far too substantial! Ha! ha! ha!"
And he laughed quietly, the wrinkled smile still remaining on his face as Gervase approached.
"Everybody is going to bed," said the great artist lazily. "With the departure of the Princess Ziska, the pleasures of the evening are ended."
"She is certainly the belle of Cairo this season," said Courtney, "but I tell you what,--I am rather sorry to see young Murray has lost his head about her."
"Parbleu! So am I," said Gervase imperturbably; "it seems a pity."
"He will get over it," interposed Dr. Dean placidly. "It's an illness,--like typhoid,--we must do all we can to keep down the temperature of the patient, and we shall pull him through."
"Keep him cool, in short!" laughed Gervase.
"Exactly!" The little Doctor smiled shrewdly. "You look feverish, Monsieur Gervase."
Gervase flushed red under his dark skin.
"I daresay I am feverish," he replied irritably,--"I find this place hot as an oven. I think I should go away to-morrow if I had not asked the Princess Ziska to sit to me."
"You are going to paint her picture?" exclaimed Courtney. "By Jove! I congratulate you. It will be the masterpiece of the next salon"
Gervase bowed.
"You flatter me! The Princess is undoubtedly an attractive subject. But, as I said before, this place stifles me. I think the hotel is too near the river,--there is an oozy smell from the Nile that I hate, and the heat is perfectly sulphureous. Don't you find it so, Doctor?"