The fire was relit with some difficulty.

Rip was coaxed into silence.
Presently, as the smoke curled upward with its lazy demeanour, the horror that had hung like a thin vapour in the atmosphere seemed to be dissipated.
"Now I think we are ourselves again, and can be reasonable," Valentine began.

"Don't let us be hysterical.

Spiritualists always suffer from hysteria." "The sceptics say, Val." "And probably they are generally right.

Now--yes, do drink some more of that brandy and soda.