'i was considering all this , aware of no perceptible change in the racket from the hallway behind me , when there suddenly came over me the realization that something in my immediate environment had undergone a radical and significant change slowly i looked up there was someone reflected in the mirror a lone figure , it seemed with a start i looked over my shoulder no one there and then back again to the dim and shadowy glass 'a man was gazing out from the immaterial realm beyond it , and as i studied him , the adrenaline pumping and my senses sharpening , his image grew brighter and clearer , until he was vividly and undeniably a young man of pale complexion and dark brown eyes , staring angrily and malevolently and unmistakably down at me 'at last the image reached its fullest potency and so vital was it , that it seemed a mortal man had secreted himself in a chamber behind the mirror , and having removed the glass was peering at me from the empty frame 'never in all my years with the talamasca had i seen an apparition so exquisitely realized the man appeared to be perhaps thirty years of age , his skin was deliberately flawless , yet carefully colored , with a blush to the cheeks and a faint paling beneath the eyes his clothing was extremely old-fashioned , with an upturned white collar and a rich silk tie as for the hair , it was wavy and ever so slightly unkempt , as if he had only just run his fingers through it the mouth appeared soft , youthful and slightly ruddy i could see the fine lines in the lips indeed i could see the barest shadow of a shaven beard on his chin 'but the effect was horrible , for it was not a human being , or a painting , or a reflection but something infinitely more brilliant than any of these , and yet silently alive 'the brown eyes were full of hatred , and as i looked at the creature , his mouth quivered ever so slightly with anger , and finally rage 'quite slowly and deliberately , i raised my handkerchief to my lips 'did you kill my friend , spirit7 ' i whispered seldom have i felt so enlivened , so heated for adversity 'well , spirit '' i whispered again 'i saw it weakening i saw it lose its solidity , indeed , its very animation the face , so beautifully modelled and expressive of negative emotion , was slowly going blank ''i 'm not so easily dispatched , spirit , ' i said under my breath 'now we have two accounts to settle , do we not ' petyr van abel and stuart townsend , are we agreed on that much7 ' 'the illusion seemed powerless to answer me and quite suddenly the entire mirror shivered , becoming merely a dark glass again as the door to the hallway was slammed shut 'footsteps sounded on the bare floor beyond the edge of the chinese carpet the mirror was definitely empty , reflecting no more than woodwork and books t turned and saw a young woman advancing across the carpet , her eyes fixed on the mirror , her whole demeanor one of anger , confusion , distress it was stella she stood before the mirror , with her back to me , gazing into it , and then turned round ''well , you can describe that to your friends in london , ca n't you7 ' she said she seemed on the edge of hysteria 'you can tell them you saw that1 ' 'i realized she was shaking all over the flimsy gold dress with its layers of fringe was shivering and anxiously she clutched the monstrous emerald at her throat 'i struggled to rise , but she told me to sit down , and immediately took a place on the couch to my left , her hand laid firmly on my knee she leant over very close to me , so close that i could see the mascara on her long lashes , and the powder on her cheeks she was like a great kewpie doll looking at me , a cinema goddess , naked in her gossamer silk ''listen , can you take me with you ? '