She pushed open the door and entered.

A little lamp burned in the room, and by its feeble light she saw the white-robed Asti, whose long hair fell about her, standing with upturned eyes and arms outstretched to Heaven.

Suddenly Asti saw her also, though but dimly for she stood in the dense shadow, and knew her not.
"Advance, O thou Ghost, and declare thyself, for never was thy help more needed," she said.
"It is no ghost, but I," said Tua.

"What dealings are these that you have with ghosts at this deadest hour of the night, Asti?
Do not enough terrors encompass us that you must needs call on your familiar spirits to add to them ?" "I call on the spirits to save us from them, Queen, for, like you, I think that we are set in the midst of perils.

This night is full of sorcery; I scent it in the air, and strive to match spell with spell.
But why do you not sleep ?" "I cannot, Asti, I cannot.