It was that night that my brother, looking steadfastly at the chair, saw, or thought he saw, there some slight obscuration, some penumbra, mist, or subtle vapour which, as he gazed, seemed to struggle to take human form.

He ceased playing for a moment and rubbed his eyes, but as he did so all dimness vanished and he saw the chair perfectly empty.

The pianist stopped also at the cessation of the violin, and asked what ailed him.
"It is only that my eyes were dim," he answered.
"We have had enough for to-night," said Mr.Gaskell; "let us stop.
I shall be locked out." He shut the piano, and as he did so the clock in New College tower struck twelve.

He left the room running, but was late enough at his college door to be reported, admonished with a fine against such late hours, and confined for a week to college; for being out after midnight was considered, at that time at least, a somewhat serious offence.
Thus for some days the musical practice was compulsorily intermitted, but resumed on the first evening after Mr.Gaskell's term of confinement was expired.

After they had performed several suites of Graziani, and finished as usual with the "Areopagita," Mr.Gaskell sat for a time silent at the instrument, as though thinking with himself, and then said-- "I cannot say how deeply this old-fashioned music affects me.