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* *

THE

"WONDERFUL STORY
OP

EAVALETTE
ALSO,

TOM CLARK AND HIS WIFE,


AND THE CURIOUS THINGS THAT BEFELL THEM;

BEING

THE ROSICRUCIAN'S STORY.


By
"The
P. B.

RANDOLPH.

of genius are often the vehicles of the sublimest verities, and its flashes often open new regions of thought, and throw new light on Channing. the mysteries of our being."
fictions

BOSTON

RANDOLPH PUB
1871.

CO

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1871, by the


In the

RANDOLPH PUBLISHING CO

office

of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington,

D c

INTRODUCTORY.
In presentin
this

book and

its

fellow,

"Tom

that things curious the Clark and his wife, and


befell

more be can one no world, them," to the

alive

ninethe of third latter the is this that fact to the

present the that teenth century;

is,

emphatically,

Revolution, Utilitarianism, grandest the of era the


of one yet Belief, credulous wild, matter-of-fact,
the most intense

and stubborn Doubt


is

that the world

ever knew,

than

following the of writer the


it

extraordinary tale

for so

has been pronounced


itics
it
it

female and male ablest the of hundreds by

who

of perusal the sought and obtained

long

offering of thought even writer the before

to the

publishers,

who
its

have presented

it

to the world of

readers in

garb. entertaining present

The

excuses no make, to apologies writer has no


3

INTRODUCTION
\

for offer, to

a opeu daring to

new field

m the world

of

or for
ti-i

the wornfrom departing wholly

of th

century the of novel Staple"


clear of
??

gteerin.L'

entir ly

War,

Passion,

Mui
\
1

lei

and Prisons, renge, Politics,

Prussic

author's the in be irnm.l inquiry


tlirr

mind was
actual,

Is

inch

thing

as

ibsolute,

unmissacred,

.ikabl

Magic,
o in

Midi as

we read of

in

and

al

profane

history?

not the

ordinary

amf>i<l

tml,
in

chemical

jugglery,

vulgarly called

th
;.

davs; but the real, old,

mys-

is

tliii

whereof we read in old black-letter

no

uch as ornament
the late
I

my

study-shelves to-day,

an<l \vh

General Hitchcock had such


alas
!

pi

ndid c

loot ion

scattered to the

wii

1-

and own d by hundreds wholly unqualified


rly

l>r

appreciate them.
pi

Utterly repudiating

the absin
'harlot
n

en ions of the vast

herd of modern

who hang out their signs on the corners,


credulous passers-by to

and

te

come

in

and get

INTRODUCTION

their
glass,

"

Fortunes told" by means


or

of bit a cards, of

through a
"Tips,"

feigned

"trance,"
or

or

by

Eaps,"

"Writing,"
all

preposterous

"Planchette," and

absurd of class that


stands as before.
.

mum. .

mery, the question

still

Far be

it

from

me

beings spiritual to assert that

do not exist, nor that


not permit an

God

does Providence in His

occasional visitation

by them from

beyond and above worlds


immortality of sense the
that nor earth; the from

that tears, of vale this

may

not utterly perish


instruments are

human

not used

to effect that

purpose.

psytrue deride to intention all disavow I here


chical

phenomena,

if

such therejpe
life

nor do I quesfor the belief


;

transmundane the tion


in immortality
is

of man,

a part of

my

very being

but,

absurd the deriding and claims, the io-norins: while &""""


Eolists modern * of majority vast pietensions of the

question the repeat I

means positive any Is there

penetrate can few favored a even whereby or ways


that veil mysterious the

hangs

like

an iron pall

INTRODUCTION.

between the great


nitely greater

human multitude and the


Is

infi

Beyond?

possible
to

to

break

through the awful barrier


the Night-Curtain that screens
the

glimpse through

and shrouds us from


*

Phantom- World

if

such there be.

" Deep the gulf that hides the dead,

Long and dark

the

way they

tread."

Can
it

know
ets

it

Can we by any possibility scan


are

Nor

we
;

alone

propoundin

jue-tions

these

for every intelligent per-

son, at

*
rh

some period or other, puts them to himself

neighbor, but, in the majority of cases, vainly.


writei* hereof, like
yp

the great

mass of peopl
the result

as

often

Propounded

these

queries

being a conformed

and

indurated

pticism
pt
>

which

scepticism was,
the

almost

aw *y by
fully

uthlessly,

xtraordinary

and

fU%

of events

faith

reco ^ed in these pages

AVALETTE R OF STORY THE WONDERFUL

BOOK

I.

CHAPTER

I.

MAN. STRANGE THE


In the moat
high e.nd

palmy days of Rome,


fell,

little

ere the mightiest Julius

The

graves stood tenantless,

and the sheeted dead

Did squeak and gibber in the

Roman

streets."

And

he sat

him down

road. the of side the wearily by

Wearily, for he had

day. that far journeyed

He was

foot,

reason by exhausted nearly were powers sore, and his bodily looks His undergone. had he privation of the want and

a and haggard, were

pathetic pall,

gloomy and

tearfnl,

hung

and

floated around

all by, felt sensibly but to, invisible him,

who
was

him. upon gazed or lingered near,


he.

A sorrowful

man

And
him

npon the

head his leaned he roadside, the by there as he sat bowed he as and hand his in held ; he which
staff

salt great the down,

tears gushed from between

his fin-

feet. his at ground the gers, and watered

In other days the

KAVALETTE.
up
there,

sprung sorrow, of plant cypress,


and

and throve

in sad

urnful

beauty,

as

if

to

mark and guard the


up
his

spot

whereon the strong


aloud

man had
time.
i

lifted

and wept

once upon a
b

This w

many

years

and

this

was the occasion on

which

be

ime acquainted with the personage

who

figures

so remarkably in this volume.*


practically accepted,
gi

At

that time the writer


reli-

but mentally disbelieved, all the

us

and

fchologic faiths of
1

Christendom

and, had any

n hint

at certain mysterious possibilities that

have

ir

then
ily

been verified and demonstrated, I should most

have laughed in his face, and have reckoned him


or idiot.

np as a
thai.

first-class fool

Things have changed

H
*
the
^o.

of middle height,
but,

was neither stout

when

in full flesh,

was a happy medium betw

Hi

head and brain were large, and, from certain


f form,

Peculiari:

really

much more massive than they

8pl

''tirPil

The

kull

was long and narrow at the base


but above that line the brain
indicating great
al force, it

V> ially al

ut the

--' i 1*.
"

hntmodera

powers of

endura^

ph)

* * h<>

being clearly apparent

d -trueture snstained

itself

eXpCnSe 0f och 0Hra,+-

a great degree

*
.

muscles, his nervnn system, as in all

Then

wtl tUra" y
I;'

*** m rbidly
r

aCQte

^^j, nothing about Wm dther

-sitive.

UBBkO pi

th?

8 !

" "" PrtnciMl

ta the

rom ao.

PORTRAIT OF THE MAN.


coarse, brutal,

9
he

low or vulgar, and

if,

in the race of

life,

exhibited any of those

bad

qualities, it

was attributable to

the rough circumstances attendant upon him, aud the treat-

ment he received from the world.


frank, benevolent

By

nature he was open,

and generous to a
his

fault,

and of these

traits

men

availed

themselves to

sorrow.

With abundant

capacity to successfully grapple with the most profound and


abstruse questions of philosophy or metaphysics, yet this

man
Such

was

totally incompetent to

conduct matters of the least busiability.

ness, requiring

even a very moderate financial

are nature's contradictions, such her law of compensation.

As a

consequence, this man, with abilities universally con-

ceded to be good, was the ready victim of the first plausible M " friend who borrowed knave that came along, from the
half his cash, and

undertook to invest the balance


seller

and

kept the whole, to the

of his books,

who wronged

him of both time and money. His complexion was tawny, resembling that of the Arab
children of Beyroot and Damascus.

The shape and

set of

the chin, jaws and


force.

lips,

were indicative rather of power than


upper
lip,

The mouth,

in its slightly protruding

and

two small ridges at the


passion,

corners, betokened executive ability,

courage,

affection,

humor, firmness and

decision.

The cheeks were

slightly sunken, indicating care

and trou1,

ble, while the cheek-bones,

being somewhat high and bro:


as did also
his

betrayed his aboriginal

ancestry,

general

beardlessness, for, save a tuft beneath the chin of jet black


silky hair,

and a thin and light mustache, he could lay no


1*

10

EAVALETTE.
His nose, which had been

claim to hirsute distinction.

broken by a

fall

when a
1

child,

was neither large nor


no respect remarkable

small,
;

and as a simple

iture,

was

in

but
for

en with the other features, wl

was most decidedly

so,

uc er the influence of passion, excitement or emotion


ribable

ben was an ndc


nostrils that told

something about the

alae

and

you that a volcano slumbered in that man's


only

brain
r

and

heart,
a

quired a touch, a vent


it

dirtcti
1

ke

fires

and cause

it

to blaze forth
passive
>

Vein

transforming him
ir

in

an instant from

in

'

i,

into

embodiment of virtuous chamtrue,

pi

Mhip

he

that
fury.

was

or into a

demon
:

of

hatred and vim


tvil

The good prevailed


onlysave
in

for the

V
of
*t. '..

w:i

ever a spasm
here he

a very few

fed cases

had suffered wrongs, deep and griev

*t

/%

ids
If

of

men whose meanness and


him

duplicity

toward

he only discovered

when they had gained


ii,

'

points and ruined

Thew

d be

batedand
His
feeling

yet

.1

-<*

not convey the true idea. hi was a craving


for,
1

was

exact justice for on U


p..
.

and determination to
ill

wrongs.

wmim

nt

from an acoi

WM
d.

This satisfied, his

will died

or rather

eye-for one was nearly

a deep, dark hazel, and such


cribin 6 jet black. UiaCK.

habit of

w '

'

'
f

*4 and
n

1 It shone
let

3troagely magnetic

he had
11

r\T 'N'l.c
,

U,ged WOTds f

when he

the rostrum, for

speaker i his time, and of fame on that field

had

PRE-EXISTENCE.

11

Once seen and heard,

this

man was

whom
all

was
other

impossible ever to forget, so different

was he from

men, and so marked and peculiar were his characteristics.


Such, in
the reader
brief,
is

were the externals of the person to

whom
knew
is

here introduced.

A
nim

very singular
well.

man was he
we

the

Rosicrucian

Many an

hour, subsequent to that in which he

here introduced, have

sat together beneath the grateful

shade of some glorious old elm on the green, flowery banks


of Connecticut's silver stream, and under some towering

dome palm

beside the

bosom of

still

older Nilus,

in the
all

hoary land of the Pharaohs, of magic and of myth, he


the while pouring into

my

ear strange, very strange legends

indeed

legends of Time and


my
thirsty

the other side of


the

Time

all

of

which

soul

drank

parched earth

drinks in the grateful showers, or the sands of Zin the tears


of weeping clouds.

And

these tales, these legends put to

shame the wildest


haunted Hartz.
hint

fictions

of

Germany and

the terror-

Particularly

was I struck with a half


lips,

that

once escaped his


earth,

to the effect that

some

men on
*

the

himself

among

the number, had predistinctly re-

existed

on

this sphere,
localities,

and that at times he

membered

persons and events that were cotempo-

rary with him before he occupied his present form, and


consequently that his real age exceeded that even of Ahasuerus, the

Jew, who,

in the dolorous road,

mocked the

Man
an

of Calvary, as he bore his cross up the steep and stony way,


for which leze majeste he

was doomed to walk the

earth,

12

EAVALETTE.
that

outcast and vagabond, from

hour

till

Shiloh comes,

according to the legends of Jewry.-

My

friend,

during our intimacy, often spoke concerning

white magic, and incidentally insisted on his curious doctrine


of transmigration.
souls

Nor was

this all

He
ipied

taught that the

of people sometimes vacated their bodies for

weeks

together, during which they

other

that of a permanently disembodied

man

of earth

that of an inhabitant of the aereal spaces,

who,

embodied, roamed the earth at

will.

He, when

closely

questioned, declared his firm belief that

he had lived

down

through

many

ages,

and that for reasons


live

known

to himself.

he was doomed to
other Rosicrucian

like the

great Artefiusthat

consummated act (wherein


4

buo from

he was to be involuntarily an active party) should


it

As
peared

and permit him to share the lot of other

a consequence of his dissimilarity

men
he ap

from

have been endowed with certain powers, among ""6 which mui was a s Strang
'

hyper-mental

fraudulent
orld

clairvoyance

not the
off

claimed

by the swindlers of the large cities, ues s aua and otuers of others the same kidnov K, ' SOmethiBg anala that attributed to the
,

and palmed

upon the

^!:1" Pnestesses

Power, which wn,

and d,,cril,

IT
things,

of Delph S P

^*

*"
,

"'

and

Delos -

This

Med him

to behold

widest gulfs of

Persons and events,

even across the

thoughts of the

and to read the secret history and

"*

P-

as

e^T'
7 aS
lf Yt

Self"P0SSGSSed
sc

and subtle

wei'e a printed

When

HIS MYSTIC SEEESHIP.

13

this ecstasy

was on him he looked as

if,

at that moment, he

beheld things forever sealed from the majority of eyes, and


that too both with and without his wonderful magic mirror.

At

first

I doubted his pretensions, mentally referred them to


until they

an abnormal state of mind, and,

were abundantly

demonstrated, laughed at the preposterous idea, as I considered


it,

of any one seriously claiming such extraordinary

powers
ian era.

in the middle of the nineteenth century of the Christ-

As

previously remarked, his complexion told that


direct

he

which
if

jast seven distinct strains of

blood intermingled,
in

they

did

not perfectly blend.

Save when

high health and

spirits,

and weather extremely cold


color

at which times he

was

palehis

was a

rich, light

bronze, like that of the

youngsters one sees in such profusion, scampering like

mad

through the narrow and tortuous streets of Syrio- Arabic

demanding " Bucksheesh"

every Frank they

With

his large, broad,

high brain, arched and open brow,

his massive, elliptical

and angular top-head, he was a marked

man, and when


ystic

his soul

was at high
and
fire,

tide,

and

his

deep and

ipirations

thrilled

filled

him to the brim


like the
its

eye beamed
s,

unearthly
scintillated

glowed

orbs of

and

a light peculiarly

own.

Who-

him then never forgot the

sight, for

he seemed

have the power of glancing instantaneously through the


world

Time, space

eryth

Jud 6 llJ 5
it

by

his

speech alone, one would have thought his education


cer-

might not have been altogether neglected, but that

14
tainly

EAVALETTE.
from different that entirely quality and kind a was of
There was very
little,

usually received in Christian lands.


if

any, polish about

him

that he lacked urbanity

teousness or smoothness

not

that he was rude or rough in


forest

any way, but


lake
lie
app<

his placidity

was that of the


of

that of the boudoir or the schools

polit*

was extremely enigmatical, and the most so


red most frank
:

when he
life

that pertained to his inner

and world

and was

phynx-like to
first

me

at the end of

years' intimacy

than on the

day of our acquaintance


Oriental in perstill

He

had, though poor, travelled extensively

sonal appearance
disposition

and physical

tastes,

he was

more
dreamery

and mind, and in

all

that pertained to

philosophy and the affections.

With

this

descript

of

principal personage of this

now proceed

to sketch another part of the

man

CHAPTER
HIS EARLY DAYS

II.

THE

STRANGE LEGEND

A.nd there sat the

man

at the side of the road

mournfully, silently weeping

the
and

strange man
!

sat there

as if his

heart would break, and not from slight cause was he sorrowing.

Not from

present want of food, shelter, or raiment, but


full,

because his heart was

its

fountains overflowing.

The world had

called

him a

genius,
all

and as such had petted,


at once
; ;

praised, admired,

and starved him


all

but not one

grain of true sympathy


true disinterested

the while

not a single spark of

friendship.

The great multitude had


last

gathered about him as city sight-seers gather round the

new

novelty in the
tails,

museum

child with

two heads, a dog

with two

or the Japanese mermaid

duly compounded
in all
his

of codfish and
spection,
loneliness

monkey

and

then, satisfied with their inleft

they

turned from, and


all

him

deep

and misery,

the more bitter for the transient

light of

sympathy thrown momentarily upon him.


treated, else
it

Genius
heart,

must be sympathetically and daily

eats its

own

dies a painful, lingering death.

Throwing
triple
life,

aside all his theories about pre6xistence,

and

as being too recondite for either


his

my

readers or

myself,

we come

matter-of-fact his15

16

KAVALETTE.
eight years of age he

tory.

At

had been christened


of Beverly.

in the
his

Roman
father
bitiou5

Catholic Church, by the

name

From
an

hero inherited little save


restless

a lofty
ptibility

spirit,

am

nature,

and a
it

to

passional

great that
fluence during his entire

was a permanent and positive


His
fifth

life.

year began and comall

pleted the only school education the


his

boy ever had, and for

subsequent attainments in that direction he

was indebted
little
:

to his

own unaided

exertions.

His father loved him

his

mother loved him as the apple of her eye


because being born with a
old 0
e^ full

and

all

the more

and complete

set of teeth,

ips

and venerable grey-beards augured a strange and


;

Qtfu] career

beside which, certain singular spectral visi,


his

ktioM and experiences of


the

mother, ere, and shortly after

young eyes opened on the world, convinced her that he bora to no common destiny-much of which has already
detailed at length in

been

"Dhoula Bel

or the

Magi

<;iol,e

or three and twenty years prior to the open of this tale, there lived at what

Two

then

No. 10 Canal

>w

York
sippi

city,

f a

woman whose complexion wasThat


native of

had *

n, put
'.

Vermont

^U
"'l in

lHon of being the

fflost

beaut

fui

.ndeed she
re

woman
Her mind
was
in femi

was surpassed anywhere


Dd

.11!"

HW ;;

the main

* * 1 TWy

as
to
-

her person

** *e had been a checkered


for

Unha PPy ne,

Nation, character and acquirements -4ements, were such a demand a broads (,- ,, h gher bettCT -oehl sphere than what

her refinement

'

THE MOTHER.

17

Anin. moved and occupied now she want, pecuniary from mismatched maritally was she of unrest was that
other cause

during absence, of years after husband, her for altogether, second a contracted and dead, him deemed had which she returned, suddenly had boy, her of father the with alliance of particle one receive she did moment that and never from

symand love domestic that for yearned heart her what life render can alone which and due, matron's the pathy, ever the to pathway thorny the rugged,
a blessing, and smooth
tomb.
redthe with kindred immediate claimed Beverly Flora her in blood that but wilderness, northern the of sons skinned ancesher from derived with the finer current

veins mingled
tor, the

Cid

of royal blood that

the foretime

had

nerved noble-souled

men

the fired and valor, of to deeds

fields rosy the in achievements lofty to poets Spanish souls of perhaps reared tenderly been had She song. of immortal flashing beauty, wonderful and strange her for so too much and eyes, lustrous and large her from world out upon the been had movement, and feature every from beaming forth

marked become such that she had a as her upon looking and her parents,
in

community from early


special pro-

childhood,

vidence to them,

had

that her in qualities unwisely cultured

abeyance. in held been have better had handiwork God's spoiled nearly had they solicitude

By

over-care and

morbid

and she grew up


queen

mperious,

self-willed, exacting,

and

and married, She

the herself find to expected


delight, wherein her

and joy unalloyed of realm a of centre

18

KAVALETTE. The man she wedded took her


a perfect heaven in
its

reign would be undisputed.

for her beauty, expecting to realize

possession

Both were bitterly disappointed.

The man

could appreciate only the external and superficial qualities

and excellences of
self

his wife,

while her inner, higher, better

her
;

soul,

was a

terra incognita to him, which, like so

ma ny other husbands, he never even once dreamed of exploring

he had no idea whatever of the inestimable qualities of

her heart, intellect, or spirit,

and he had never found out


gives

that her body


gifts

is

the least a

woman

awaythat

she has

o regal for the

man

she loves, that glittering

diamonds

an
to

sparkles*, insipid, valueless in


so,

comparison.

A nd
"

the

first

delirious

joy-month over, they both began

awaken

the

man

to the fact that to

him

his wife

was a
a

J rivtty
'"'"
f

doll," the

woman

that her husband

was

whose soul slept soundly beneath the coverlets of


:

'<1

I'^elf

its

victim

and minister

It

she lost heart she despised this surface


<x
its

was

horrible

bloom beneath the terrible weight of the discovery and fearful r nit Married, she had expected to move in i)h *ery far above that which, by the vs of moral

man, and sunk and

'
a?
I
. .

his associates

* ""obe >aib,tbt
r
t

was compelled to occupy

Her
quest

<l on, of

* 0^

her
'

s
f

Her husband was vain of his his latest fa P *"* "*"* bea H,

of her master

It! ** * I
feelinrr
If

T** ^e

*
all

a jockey do ei does
this
is

Of jockey-like

her him

the while

his associates in life

could ap-

A DOUBLE

LIFE.

19

predate that more than royal loveliness which dwells within


the breasts of educated and refined

women

a beauty which
all

eye hath never seen, which eye can never see, but which,
like soft

and

delicate perfume, radiates


it.

from such to

who

are fine enough to perceive

As

a matter of course, she soon grew weary and disgusted


surface-life.

with this

Feeling that she was unappreciated


in-

by the

living

thousands around her, she, with the true

stinct of the Indian,


herself,

spurned their contact,

fell

back upon

and then, with every

tendril of her soul, turned

and
in-

yearned toward the teeming millions of the dead.

She

voked them to her


answered

aid,

and

religiously believed her prayers

as I dp

and

delivering herself

up wholly to

their
life

weird care and guidance, thenceforward lived a double


shadow-life in the world, a real
life in

the phantom land.


heart, just in pro-

True to the natural

instinct of the

human

portion as she withdrew from the world, so did she approach

that

awful

veil

which

is

only uplifted for the

sons

and
seer-

daughters of sorrow and the starbeam.


ess,

She became a

a dreamer, and, in what to her was an actual, positive


lordly

communion with the


whereof, in both
' ht

ghosts of the dead nations,


chiefs,

lines,

her forefathers had been

she

that sympathy in her sorrows, and in her strange

internal joys

that

mysterious balm of healing, which the

red

man

in his religion

or

superstition, if

you

will

believes

can only thus and there be had.


sought,

And

she found

what she
soul
it.

or

what to the spontaneous and impulsive

amounts to the same thing, believed that she had found

KAVALETTE
20
difficulty in

At
her

first

she

had some

correctly translating into

that which word she and took heart of human language

dwellers of aerial the view* the of whisperings to be the low

kingdom

of

Manatou

She ardently- longed

for a

more

c<

herein as stated, and, as dead, the well with intercourse open


" as in

Dhoula Bel/' was gratified.


!

P'

Poor Flora
tined

half-child

of Nature

and of Art, was

des-

to

bear a child, and that child the

man

of these

re

volumesin the very midst of the conditions here sketched,


under these conditions he was born.

te

As

already stated,
fires

beneath this

woman's heart

there

slumbered the
less,

of a volcano, intense, fervent, quench-

H
eli

the result alike of her peculiar ancestry

and

peculiar

un

training.

Her

full
it

soul

became re-incarnate in the son she

bore

and with

she

endowed the child with her own


her mystic
spirit,

in-

desire to love

and be loved
all

her

lai

love of mystery

her unearthly aspiration toward unall

Isl

earthly association

her resolute, yet half-desponding,

lar

quick, impulsive, passionate,


in

generous nature

to^
;

all, all,

found

him a

local habitation

and a name, and that name was

gr<
fev

Orenius.

to

Thus moulded came he into the world, doomed from birth strange and bitter experiencesto face alone and unthe bitter b.asts of wintry sterms ,

or

eas

funded

and the burning

mo

the while

of other, . dai S yet 'y ,


'

fT* fading

6MtenCe With ten -fold e tenacity


for
life

the

sile

-dear

life
'

t ,

W rId S
, '

ste

strange orange contradiction contradictic


isl a
,

fading

dai.y, yet

THE HAUNTED HOUSE.


often losing his suit,

21

and being by that world sentenced to

be utterly cast adrift on the fickle tide of Fate and Chance,

and that too with a mind and body acutely


constantly at

sensitive,

and

war with each


is

other.

Compensation
pain, he
lights,

a universal principle.

While so

alive to

was equally so to the jouissant emotions, and his dewhen they came, were keen, fine, exquisite, e] to a

remarkable degree.
ter of this

As
is

man

who
ly life

throwing some light on the characnot a myth, but

here
his

ipeat the substance of

an account himself

gave of

and weird and ghostly experiences.


in

He

had been questioned

regard to certain powers of

kind attributed to him, and the following reply


elicited

When
large,

I was a very young child,

my

mother dwelt

in a

sombre and gloomy old stone house on Manhattan

Island
larg

At
It

was about one quarter as at present, and that house was a long way out of
stands in the same place, but the city has

that time

New York

town.

grown

miles beyond

The
cholera,
it

building, in times of pestilence

fever, smallpox,

and

had been used

as a pest-hous
dis-

or lazaretto, and in
eases,

thousands have died of those


in

and from
its

there,

my

fifth

year,

the soul of

my

motner took

everlasting flight.

" Scores of people there were ready to testify on oath that the oia nouse was haunted by ghosts, who strode grimly and throu rn the solemn, stately halls of that massive
island

But

it

generally happened that the witnesses

EAT ALETTE.

d
Bantr.

spe<

ral visitants

had neither time nor inclination


re one,

to

ttitifite th

quaintan
>

an apothecary named

wl

cursed and

at one of

them on a

certain

whereupon the ghost slapped his face, and comj


:

el

turned and withered his lower


fur
t

jaw by way of

punish-

ment

ieste.

With

this

exception, those

who
an

oe of

hese gbo^
,

9,

invariably
it

had urgent business

in

oppoeil

direct
la

and

was quite surprising with what

derful Bpeed
<

persons got over the


to be around,

ground whenever

wed
a
'

by those who bein^ born

.wl

ov

the face
;

M
j
t v

thereby endowed with the

nlty

and as such gifted

could

see. I

ieh I could

meet some

who had been born

that
i

they might speak to as well as see

H
l

V>

lo

not believe
It
i

hosts

ar

I do, ghosts of

k
*
I'

I.

possible

to project

an image of
dis-

in :e

may be

seen

to"'

by another however

The ph

projections of heated

1
iel

fancv

tral illusion

mim
>

***"*

"*

the results of cerebral fever, as in other fantasies

drunken
of

en.

HI. The

spirits

*s

fr

IV. ^ritual beings from other planets


)ri

'nal

worlds,
fine

ertheleas, a

who have not


textm

V. Be
but wno,

died,

>f

few

wli

we

to defy the material

are compelled to

"
l

-
'

i-

:zi: govern

obey' and

wh-

c mta?

disembodied men

*> ^1 that they do.


b

***

the 7 action of desperate,

VI. I believe that nu


wicked
wills
fre-

SEVEN SORTS OF APPARITIONS.


quently call into being spectral harpies

23

the

horrible embo-

diment of their

evil thoughts.

These are demons, subsisting


r

so long as their creators are und


evil.

the domination of

th<

VII.

I believe in a similar creation emanating from

good thoughts
pirii
I

of

good

people,

lovely
seven.

out-creations

of

soul>

Remember

these

This

is

a clear

order r higher of the doctrine Rosicrueian the of statement

of their temple.

In the lower, the

ren pas* under the


re,

names of Gnomes, Dwarf-, Sylphs, Sakmand


Driads and Fays.
<

Nereis-

i,

One

clay,

when

was about
ell

five

trs
t

old, I

returned
(1

from school, and found the

ey v

incut the

hly

form of the only friend I ever had,


prone in the arms of icy
cold,

my

mother, cold and


ith.

unrelenting I)
le

Ah

poor lit my to that was shock what a of weary grown morning She had that
trustingly clc

childish heart

irth,

had seren
left

iy,

and I ^ eyes, darling her d

alone to

powerful eneand might} four gainst battle sin le-handed ro ( thr were Organization and Prejudice, Poverty

mies
them.
ful to

The
be

fourth

is

almost too terrible, too wild and fanci


it

credited, yet I will state

THE LEGEND.
Many, very many
where
first,

there lived on the


1

soil

in sobsequ nt ages

ood Babylon and

I ineveh
1 1

the
ted

a mighty king,

who

power was great and undi


and

He was

wise, well-learned
all

He had a dan
She

hter

lovely beyond

description

as as learned as she

24

KAVALETTE.
Kings and princes sought her hand in vain
had sworn to give her to no

was

beautiful.
I

for her

ther

man

save him who

it

should solve a riddle

which the king himself would propound,

and solve
failure.

it

at the first trial,

under penalty of decapitation

The

riddle

was

this,

'What

the three most


)t

irable things

beneath the sun. that a

the sun, yet

h.

which dwell within the sun?'


grave, the sage
failed, left

Thousands of the gay, the

Tilt

and ambitious

who essayed the

solution,

and

the presence to

mount the horse of death.

" In the meantime, proclamation


dc
in

was made

far

and wide
raj
*

rag that robes


the
k\
i.

of crimson, chains of gold, the first place

kingdom and the princess should be the reward of the


man.
there
rhe

nnd

One da :

o a

came to the court a very rich and royal King of the South, seeking

w
tl;

i <

an

alliance,

propounding new treaties


poet,

and among the suite was a

bi

who acted

Tins
.

nth h,ard of
>n

as interpreter to the embassy.

moi
yard
hi
i
i

singular state of things, learned the

and got the riddle by heart


i(1

For

four long
fl

he

mind ii:; sorts of


all

r
if

der upon and

ansm^ u

** * -om:;^ G
-

p
C

me
fitii

***1!ZZ p * ***
h,n

udy more at his ease the


tje

sr ^
poets

y^
and

'T,
i

n
tl

the pa,ace '

t,iere

this

meml
r
lii

and did *n
arly
a,l,lir t

'

deter mined to watch

** r

L *****
,d tn

must

sin

'

sort of exercise;

tu TT

tWs 0ne WaS


and he mad.

A GREAT TRUTH.
point to imagine
princess,
all sorts

25

of perfections as residing in the

and lie sung

his songs daily in the

sung him

self desperately in love

with his

ideal,

and so inflamed the

girl herself,

who had managed

to both see

and hear him,


life,

herself unseen, that she loved

him dearer than

Here

then,

were two people made wretched by a whim.

" Love and song are very good in their places, but, for a

teady

diet, are

not comparable to

many

things

and

as this couple fed

on

little

else,

they both pined sadly and

rapidly away.

"

At
his

length, one day, the youth

fell

asleep in the grotto,

and

head rested directly over a


fine

fissure in the

rock through

which there issued a very


the effect of throwing the

and

subtle vapor, which


in

had

young man

a trance, during

which he fancied he saw the princess

herself, unveiled,

and

more lovely
garden.

the

flowers that

in the

king

He

also thought he
not,

saw an

inscription,

which bade

him despair pair

but

TRY

and, at the same time, there

flowed into his mind this sentence, which subsequently be-

came the watchword of the mystic


centuries, has
*

fraternity which, for

some

been known as that of the Rosie Cross

There

is

no

difficulty to

him who

truly wills.'

Along with
which he
re-

this there

came a

solution of the king's riddle,

membered when he awoke, and


readiness to attempt that which
turers their lives.

instantly proclaimed his

had cost so many adven-

" Accordingly, the grandest preparations

including a

man

with a drawn blade ready to

make
2

the poet shorter

by the

RAVAI.FTTf.

i!

er

made, and, at an appointed hoin,


in

all

ml.

'livened in the largt


to the foot
live

hall

of
i

[vanct
I

of the throne,
ever
!

&

'O

kii

for

What

desirable than Life,


\\

Light and Love?

inseparable
n
t

and what better comet


I
:

the

un

?
i

kin-;

is

thv riddle
it

>

said the

kin
\

you have solved


lit

k
l

he

way gave
St)
I

tl

ire

celebral d

rov

;,

,fluen

ot

hi

h court official, he hated


so,

\l
v

and
-

th

one particularly
foil
1

because

hi

an had
'PI

him

in

one of the treaties

I,
f

J^*
nie

that the

grand

vizier

had

near

I
\

of son of his

ddle. and

own

and, as
n

van
t

vr

th

very day, he hast


till

to

kir

and th

further poisoned the

the victor,

ha
'

by charging him with

f.

?h the id of sorcery, which


i

srreed -

peed
s

Md
c

cruel death that very nigh


t

hogged
r\\

in his

wine at the even


-

openly,

and almost

imw
under
fl

remov.
f
r

he chamber allotted to the


our

Ml b
I

This apartment

e
4

**">;

^d

thrown violently on the

find

himlf boni

THE SPECTRAL HAND.


foot in presence of the king, his vizier, a

27
few
soldiers,

and

death

for he

saw

at a glance that his days were numbered.

He defended himself from the charge of sorcery, but in vain. He was doomed to die, and the order given, when, just as the
blow was about
to
fall,

there appeared the semblance of a


if

gigantic hand, moving as

to stay the uplifted blade


it

but

too late.

The sword

fell,

ami, as

reached the neck of the


I
)' *

he utt red the awful


the
;pok

but there
of a thousand protesting

came

a clamer and a clangor a

pectral voice
1

and one of them


nee of
will,

tones of thunder

This youth, by pei


this

had unbarred the gate


ry.

between

world and that of myst

He

was the

firs*

of his and thy race that

ichieved so great an hoi

And

ye have slain him, and he hath

cm

ed thee, by reason
I

of which thou,

king

and thou,

vizier

and the dead

man, have
first shall

oil

changed the human


,

for another nature.

The

go down the ag<

transmigrating from form to


till

form.

Thou,

vizier

shall also exist


;

thou art forgiven

DHOUL A BEL shall be thy name


the king through long ages,

and thou shalt tempt


foiled

and be

whenever the

youth

who

shall

be called the

STRANGERshall so will,
This drama

for the sake of the love

he bore thy daughter. a son of

shall last

and be

Adam

shall

wed with

daughter of Ish, or thou, king, in one of the phases of thy


being, shall love,
self

and be

truly, fully loved again,

and

for thy-

An
*

eternity

may

elapse ere then

28
<

RAYALETTE
" but why, believe Beverly, young the said not," me Ask was that I king ago ages that know ; I say that I

me when

seen been has Stranger that the


Bel
still

by

my mother

that Dhoula
I

haunts and tempts

me

for the sin of ages.

know

this in that and me, over the fate impending


I

my present form
a daughter
This, then,

am

a neutral being, for

whom

there

is

no hope save through

the union of myself, a son of


of Ish, one not of
is

Adam's

race, with

Adam's race
which I was
left

the dreadful fate to

so pitilessly exposed

on the morning that


left

my mother

died on

Manhattan

Island

to

pay the penalty of a crime committed thousands of

years ago."

CHAPTER
A

III

SPECTRAL VISITANT.

It must be confessed that this was a singular story, and


smelled very
strongly of either Hartz-mountainism or
its

equivalent, imagination.

He

continued his story thus

I did not

know

all this

at five years old, of course course.

The

only thing I did fully comprehend was the loss of

my

mother

her strange silence

the woeful look


'

of those

who hugged my
manly
and the
heart.

head and said

Poor

child

['

I tried hard 10 be
it

and

y
up

they bade
in floods

but

was

useless,

tears welled

from
?

my

poor

little childish

Have you

ever lost a mother

As

I nestled on

the bed where she lay so very

still,

asked the bystanding mourners where the talking part of

my

mother had gone


pet

would never talk


?

to, love

and

me any more

and they said

'

Never more/ and they


till

repeated that dreadful but untrue refrain

my

poor heart

was
grief

full

almost to bursting, with

its

load and pressure of

and then I threw myself upon her dear body, and


tili

cried
sirs

tears refused
lost

to flow, for I
1

had

lost

my

mother,

hid

my
;

mother
would

Would

that I could

weep

now

as I did then

it

relieve

my

over-burdened heart.
thaws.

But I cannot,

for the

tear fountain seldom

Th^

BAVALETTE
3'

:|1

up, well gather and

but they freeze ere they

he

and the heart


k
wl
i

nap and crack, but


iVOaU

br not will they


i
,

so that I might would, they wish


that dear mother

e^

for

whom

I loved

fr.m
of p

0 wcl

Idhood

feather, a with written griefs are


i

upon

iiiti

mt
I

with
into
.

in!

ss

ink

but the heart's greater


with a
:

the

memon
ir

fierv

tylus

the

,lii

away
bn

the last are ineffaceable.

\>
i

lay nj

the cold
'

of

my

darling mother, a
1

n said
<1>

to me,

Do

not cry, poor child

She
to

is

happy
1'

tin

just

gone up,

on her
said

way

heaven

A
..

vhat that
h

and I looked out


hard by
;

the

folia

of the

trees

looked

up into the y
and

ik

expect iug to see her ascending soul


the

n)

<

caught
I

shadowy
believed
it

fleece

of a melting

V
I

i,

th
I

ht

md
e

to be

my

mother's

ha
V

al

hal

>eli(

for as the cloud


I

thir

0Q the breast of the blue, I distinctly


oft,

gentle,
t

and

etly mournful, like unto


ji

ag d

of wl
n

wind-harp,
per in
fully

lightly

touched

the
at
t

h
t

my

these

words

which

1
!

aU
y

comprehend
for

feja

&
in-

Lonely one of the


the
life

bo re
ti

thou

now
not. but

Let
>

y motto

*"*
O
1

TRY

Despond
our lot

at

how
ir

TT'T'

W;

bitter soever

may J be
Pea(
th

BE HAPPY YET
by

Thou'rt watched and guarded

motl

THE STRANGER.
and the Stranger,' added another, and more
from out the deep
stillness

31
ry

of
first

loon-tide

heaven
that
it

knew

that

the

and
I trusted

felt
it's

from beyond Time's threshold.

sacred words

of promise, for I had, child as I was, an unshaken faith, an


intuition,
if

you

will,

that instant flowing to me, that

my

mother

still lived.

Dm that hour commenced a strange, double existence


and
in

me.

Two

instances, perfectly true in all respects,

I will relate, either of

which forever settled in

my mind

that

some human beings consciously survive the ordeal of death.

Not long

after

my

irreparable loss,

I,

along with several

other children, went to bed in the roof chamber of that

dark old house.

Something had occurred of a merry turn,


brimful of joy and glee, and our mirth was
stairs,

and we were
as loud as
it

all

dared be for fear of the ogres down


silence

who

had a bad habit of enforcing

through the medium of

sundry straps and birch twigs.

In the very midst of the


lifted

uproar the bed-clothes were slowly, carefully


invisible

from off
;

We

pulled

them back

but

again and again they

removed, and the


clatter,
it

movement

was
balls

ipanied

by a din and

if fifty

were rolling on the floor

and

immediately brought

the ogres and their straps froi

he matter.

So

far

as

terror

permitted

we

plained

whereupon the ogres looked scaredly


quilts

wise, readjusted the


left

and retreated
balls

No
in

sooner

had they

than

cannon

began

a'6

to roll over the floor,

and

mn

EAVALETTE
which had coverlet, the for grapple and m saw distinctly a and clearly I us from pulled been ain a bed, but the of foot the at calmly figure female the on vapor a like floated she for floor,

JT
ti

the

but was There

little, if

any, light

save that

tral
pi

are.

the from emanate to appeared ounded, and silvery a of midst the stood

She
It

ric

haze.

hut so clear, sharp,

appear in phantasmal was by no means seem, appar the did defined


distinctly the figures

day I remember
a

on what

red

to

the dress she

which fact

fathom to able been yet has psychologist


factorily

The
was

children

who
she would not

fad
r<

not, for I felt

harm me,

for the

son that mothers love their offspring,

and that

figure

was

my
"

mother.

Some

considerable time elapsed after this.

I had grown

into a stout

and active boy, having already drifted for some

years up

and down the world, and once found myself regis-

tered as cabin
rd,

boy on board the brig Phoebe, of

New
of

Bed-

whereof one Alonzo Baker


the
el brier.

Bedford but
In this ve

I served for several


lyself

months, to the satisfac


small,

included, being

weak and

deli,

te

for

he arduous duties required of

me, and

quently had to pay the usual penaltv.

though
he days whereof I

am

speaki

Still,

at pr

Tin:

BRIG PHCEBE
march

33
of intellect, to find

it

is

not hard,

in spite of the

spin will bells, eight and dog-watch the between sailors who,
will that rail weather you a yarn under the

make a man's

hair stand

on end

like

hairs on an enraged

kitten.

"On
many

board the Phoebe

salts, old several were there

and

murdered of ghosts the of told they tales the were


appearin

mates guilty of souls the frighten and Jacks, foremast age the deepen to tended this all course of and captains and
;

vein

of

superstition

and mysticism

running through me.

the of power and presence the of apprized been I Often have share to tempted when and, die, never who those of dead or

my
riously saved.
Sailors, like

older comrades

everybody

else,

are fond of power, and

m
their

power

and on every vessel there

is

one

man who
and

is

to forcibly resist,

my
half

from the medicine


the iue
'

chest

had

previously been
oil is

poured

Poison.'
vn.
it

Croton

the most infamously

kn
label

The

drank
hours thereafter,
as

engaged

for

several
!st,

a consequence
seen,

A m
They

swift-moving set of

men were never

relish for

supper that night.

They beat me

2*

34

J I

AVAL KITE.
n
(1

eifully,

but I was
sailor

Still 6 in iln-

ey abused
:!l<-y,

m
for

until

one day a

tweaked

my

n<

and

in the waist-haw], hot lard of gallon a half his pains received

which troubled him wonderfully


suicide as

last

lii

relief,

and, in a

paroxysm of

and

despair.
m-

such as boys only are subject to, actually ran nft to ac


plish it

by leaping over the

taffrail

into

the

bu ping sea,

when I was arrested by a narrow blast of


air,

warm

almost
t

hot

which

thrilled

me

to the very

nire of

my
me

being, and

pinned
flowed into

me

to the deck, while

time there
again
4

my soul
folly,
>

an eloquent and indignanl prot

my

supreme
!

accompanied by the Spol

ord

Be

patient
It
tion.

TRY

is

impossible to attribute all th<

thin -

"Oae
related,

evening,

a long time

afi

the

occurrence just

a company of ladies and gentlemen, in R house situated near the observatory, Portland, .Main, conversing

eep
door.

npon the general subject of ghosts, and reward


after death

and poi

h-

When we

sat

down

in the room,

and thirteen persons only

V
much mucn

e l>eca

absorbed in the discussion, 7 indeed 1UUICU &u o iho h n i .,

S6mnt

StriCt

refeeTr e^eadm^n

* Nn No

to any person ,,,.,, talked freelv th* SGmnt Seated

^'

that SO, IIKII-

to

***
And ADa

by

*
we
the

thu inns

! on e

MS do [

ball, close

was admitted

Presently one

person
rossed

and venerable appear


thriUi

by the

*S "dugs he

told,

although

A MYSTERIOUS GUEST.
did not join the conversation
till

35

over an hour after

we had

begun

it

nor

did his conversation

appear
did

He was
the fact

the /<
till

person, although

we

were separating, and he

had disappeared
hef

Upon
or

inquiry no one

knew

him, had

observed his depart

not

even

the

servant,

who
ther

declared that for two he

had pa

ed him

way

It

was voted

very strange/ and that for our


'

own

ake the matter should be


'o

hushed up
that

;'

but we agreed
discuss

interim the in at arrived opinions the matter, and compare

CHAPTER
STORY STRANGE VERY A

IV.

ETTELAVAR

"

On

the appointed evening a select


;

party of us met

pursuant to agreement
tion of the

but not one had reached a solu-

mystery.

In those days crazy philosophers

had not foisted their blasphemous absurdities on the


world
;

nor had their peculiar system of morals

made

rogues of the one-half of their deluded followers, or

shameless .vomen of the other


then been packed, as they

nor had lunatic asylums

have since, with sufferers

by bad teachin
with the

were graveyards dotted


loved

mounds raised by weeping friends


by bad
tively safe,

In those day
nor were divor
I

half

they h

become

those

day

husbands did not sneak off to Indiana, and

by blank

perjury procure divorce, in order that barefaced, shameless,

they might revel in

amours.

open crime with their worthy parIn those days ft had not broken
the wild philosophy

M
for

made

millions

and idiot fanatics out of material that better purposes In those


clays

God

Joe Smith had

weed thousands that harlotry is the strai-htest road to heaven nor had Noyes founded his o brothel in the of the State, contaminating
;

36

TH1

-TRAXGE TRANCE.

37

the country for leagues around

and the handy system


I

of pantarchism, with

its

splendid truths and hundi

falseh ods, had not then afforded a

n idy explanation of
;

mysterii

uch
I

those

have recounted

nor had any

man
44

dai

claim to be the confidential

exponent of

Almighty Truth.

On

the night in question our conver


inter

ion
n

became,
first

if

pos-

sible,

more

ting

at
1

ah >rbing th
it

on the

occa-

sion, owii

to the noi
I

fill

had then received.


tii
.

So ab-

sorbed did

become during theei


Uy
I

that on one or two oc-

casions [parti

tni}

If

in

a sort of semi-mi mericcoma,


discu

which gradually deepened as


until

th

don waxed warmer,


chilling

my

limbs

grew

cold,
t

and a

numbness

crept

upon me, creating such a


coi
>\\.

rror that I resolved to

make nn

lit

known,

e\

at the risk of interrupting

the discuss

"I made

the trial,
syli

and found,
hie

to

my

cod.*

ernation, that
inch.
II

could not utter a


ror
1

could not

move an

r-

The company
thorn, that
I

ere so engro sed with the matter be-

re

no

notice

was taken

of

am

change that

might

ive

been perceptible in

me

nor did one persop there


in the discourse.
life itself

suspect that I

was not attentively drinking


felt

"

With

inexpressible alarm, I

that

wa*

fast

ebbing from me, and that death was slowly and surely
grasping, clutching, freezing
sently

my

vitals.

was dying.

Pre-

it

appeared as
last

if

a long interregnum had occurred

between the

previous conscious moment, and the present

instantaneous, but positive

agony

a sudden, sharp,

tingling

u
pane
like

EAVALETTE
thrust needles hot of that
brai
1

the flesh,

shot

my

sinking a by followed This was


resigned itself

if "he bod;

dissolution, and passive to

hi

electric with ame.


ties

the most of succession a rapidity,

ever

endured by morta
also,

When
fell

it

ceased

iness

had ceased

and I

to the floor as one as was

fcnlT dead, to the

amazement of the company

rwarc
a

lared.

H
b

I lasted, inanition ph} deal long thk


daring
it

cannot now
to a
for

the spiritual part of

me was roused
and power
;

of activity

aw
ban
hearii
it

in

new and

cryptic light,

and far more distinctly

ever had through the bodily eyes.


>wer
i
\

An

increase of

m ompanied
precisely like

this

accretion of sight,

and I

neord
ed.

that heard

when my mothe"

and wi
*

n about to
I
I

throw myself into the sea, which


awaits

'

you;' and with this there

an:

partial rousing
n

from the lethargy, and I

was

led up-

threw myself upon a sofa, mechanically, at the


fi

same
old
Eli

my

eye

upon the bald white face of a rare southern angle

jh

clock that occupied the

the

room

Here
tl

was

left

by

Ml

my

friends,

who

med

ir

conversation in the parlor


old clock-face

below
fy

'Gradually the

seemed

and

*.

"o longer obstructed by substance, I gazed down an(1 up :llrough


.
;

"

.;.';.'

; my ** bodL

^'*i,L U wmed to me that


but that
_

m avenue ^ ^ most

aston sh _

no

lon-

from

9TS/

ha.i
1

of

t
1.1

m
:'
.

M
l
II

it b

ten

for
t

in

W
UftQM
1

btf

wai K

who
of
All
t

h*

w
;

fl

I"

bt
I

>

h
r

r
1

7
I

fcOll

i
I

'

All

ftf

n,

i..v

tk

1.

pen.

il

u
[)

l*tl
f,

Mid who
ct
ai.

11

mod
I

m
V

f"

W
i.

o fl

wb
o
tl
flfc

drank

ne
be

k
I

tht

Wtt.

tone

<

V.I

Of

40

EAVALETTE

grossest substance of tons into whole touch, a by muting,


solid, shining gold, but of

making

it

chemically.

Then

there

was the

Magic Crystal

Ball, in

which the gazer could behold

whatever he wished

to,

that

was then transpiring on


'

this

earth, or any of the planets.


1

All this knowledge/ said

he,

1 will

expound to you, on certain conditions to be hereafter

mentioned/
" I relate these things in the briefest possible

manner, and

make no

allusions to

my

feelings

during the time I listened

to the strange being, Ettelavar, further

than to remark, that

during
1"

the temptation,

shall it

be called?I seemed to be

ring in the aerial expanse,

and realized a

fullness

and
first

tctivity of life

never realized before,

m
far,

and knew
being.

for the

what

it

was
into

to be a

human

My

freed spirit
far,

soared

away

the superincumbent ether,

and
:

very

beneath us rolled the great revolving globe the black inane, twinkled
rryeyes of God, looking through the

while far

myriads of fiery sparks

tremendous vault

Heaven

Picture to yourself

*f

WT, and
'

quitting earth, perit like

hovering over
all

gold-crested cloud,

of snn,

* l
By

the winds ar. hushed to sleep loving bosom of its protectin

when

on the
!

the exercise of a

God, and thine

power

me unknown,

Ettelavar

seemed to

me
" Like bnsy insects

Look and

Stance

the

summer
f

beheld larg

afar off in the

human being

THE
rily

VISION.

41

up a steep
heavily,

ascent,
thick,

over the
dense,

mm

'

which there
clouds.

floated

murky
i

laden
as if

Crimson and red on their edges wei with thunder nnrJ fli; u^^^i

crowned

the plains below, heavy

and

pall-like,

even as shrouds on the limbs of beauty, or the

and
aspirin g genius.
'

It

is

nothing but a crowd/ said I

and

mug
ically,

Nobut a crowd
?

a crowd.

W
;

Boy, the destinies of nations centre

in

Look again

Obeying

I did

the people

6 oish'

and I heard a wail go up a sound heavily freighted with


I shuddered

deep

human woe and

agony

On
monument, not an
proportions, and
obelisk,

but a sort of temple, perfect

in

m.
a large and

This edifice

was surmounted
pyramid
miniatur

polished

golden

On

all

of the faces of this pyramid


;

was inscribed the Latin word Pelicitas explanation from gnide, but instead

I asked
giving
it,

an
he

hand upon

my
'

my brow and eyes, said, Look Was there maMo. in hia touch ?
for it increased

It really

seemed

so,
N

my

visual capacity

on again

turning to the earth beneath me, I found


painfully excited by a real

my

inter*

drama

there and then

V ALETTE.
4

was
were

rl

majority of the great peopl the that apparent


if

artiall

not wholly blind

and I observed
below the mountain
>

plai the of centre the


Pi
hers,

be under

much

greater excitement than most

oi
th.

result to from appeared turbulence and their

M
ff

certain a reach to of each individual

golden ball and

which

la;

velvet within the crimson of cushion a


I

nlendid

open-si<
this
1

monument on the mountain

In the

crowd, energetically striving to reach the


>ne

AM
*

liding
h far

path
mort

man who seemed


i

to be endowed
of

gth
tfa

resolution
ly

not of body, but

puq

ban
I

se

immediat

around him.

Bravely he

u
in

w
fort
his

ward the mountain's top, and, after almojst


succeeded.
ride
1

Exultingly he approached the


;

tan pie, bj
entert"

wen
i

hundreds more
to
seize

lie

outran them,

reach

foi

the

ball

and sceptre

it

earned that the coura eous


his fingers
t

man must

certainly succeed

uched the prize, a smile of triumph illumined his


,

eonmenan
at

and then suddenly went out in the blight of


fell

he
er

to the earth

from a deadly blow, dealt

b;

d
hori

hand from behind, while others seized and

bu-

him down the steep abyss upon which the temple and he is first dashed to pieces and then tram
<

pled out of exis

nee by the iron heels of

advancing thou-

nds men who


ne rival
less

tw but pitied

rather rejoicing that

was
t

* d

cried

I,

internally,

'

that such hell-broth

boils in

human

veins

ETTELAVAR.
"
' 1

43
by my
seen.
1

Alas,

thou

seest

!'

replied
'

Ettelavar,

side.

Learn

a lesson/ said he,

from what you have

Fame

folly,

not worth the having when obtained

Felieitas'

ahead, never reached, therefore

be looked for

Friendship

is

an empty name, or convenient cloak which

men put on

to enable
see

them

to rob with great


}>t

r facility.

N<

man
his

when such
tal

own

elevation
if

and the man behind


in hi-

the

man

in front,

he stands

way.

Human
who

inn

infantile, childish,

weak, passionate and desperate!

d p

and as a rule, they are the greater villain


most sanctity
charity, faith

assun

the

they the most


love,

selfish

who
tut

prate loudest of
I

and

I begin

my

age by
tin
fir

therefore arming you, ag


stitute
it.

world and
rise,

who oon

If you wish to truly

you must

put the

Id and what

it

contains at

proper value

Remember, I

who speak am

Ettelavar.

Awake

" Like the sudden black cloud in eastern seas, there

came

a darkness before
clock face

me

my

eyes opened, and

fell

upon the old


thirteen

Its hands told

me

that

it

was exactly
dial.

minutes since

I had marked

hour on the

S
this

hour I have had

similar experience, and

it is

^
t

rejects, certain in powers unusual affords ground for the

me." to attributed but claimed by,

in narrative, man's young the of substance Such was the date the before long him to propounded swer to questions

which he

is

reader. the to introduced

CHAPTER
LOVE.

V.

KULAMFEA*

THE BEAUTIFUL.
beneath sinking was day and

setting, was sun The golden

U
,

in coverlets crimson

the glowing west

The

birds, on

m
m
ry
bell

of the chorus final the singing green boughs, were


oj

ra

skipping were lambs the


;

homeward
hills

in the

of jo}
ired
t
.

while the cattle

on the

lowed and

viewless the to thanksgiving h their

Lord

of

Ulory

Man
be
enj

the and duty his of unconscious seemed lone


ved.

i.:-n g
in*

Toil-weary far

were slowly plod


all

wa
preparii

upper and bed-ward, and


to enjoy

nature seemed
the wan-

her bath of rest.


side
;

Still sat

derer by
gri

the
soil
;

highway

still

fell

his

tears

upon the

aud as the journeyers

home and tavern-ward

passed him by,


oan.1

many were the remarks they made upon him,


them or not.

wh her he heard

Some

in cruel,

hearti
in

mockery and

derision,

some few

in pity,

and

all

something akin to surprise, for


it

men

of his appearance
last there

neighborhood
(,i

At

came along

th

Vxn

frbom were nnmistakablj Endians, and

tfe third a girl of such singular

complexion, grace, form, and


Bright-shining. "-Lovely,

^-E.Xa^.a-BUarapia-Evlambeah.
44

Jrtkally beautiful.

EVLAMBEA.
extraordinary facial beauty,
ethnologically define
it

45
difficult

was extremely
This
girl

to

what she was.

was about

fourteen

the boy

who accompanied
side,

her and the grey-haired

old Indian by her


old.

was apparently about twelve years


first

This last was the

to notice the stranger.


!

"Oh, Evlambea," said


I'm going to help him
for
full

he, " see


!"

there's a

man

crying,

and

The boy spoke

in his

own

verna-

blood of the Oneida branch of the

Mohawks,

fearless,
itself.

honorable, quick, impulsive, and generous

as sunlight

To

see distress

and

fly

to

its relief

was

but a single thing for him, and used to be with his people
until

improved and "civilized" with bad morals and worse

protection.

The Indian was Ki-ah-wah-nah (The Lenient and


but

Brave) chief of the Stockbridge section of the Mohawks.

The

girl,

Evlambea, nominally passed

for his grandchild,

such was not the case, for although she might well be taken
for a fourth blood, she really

had not a

trace of Indian about

educageneral and language, costume, the than further her,


tion and habit.

Her name was modern Greek,

or Romaic,

but her features and complexion


the pretty dwellers on Prinkipo
the

resembled that of
hores of the Bos-

phorus, than that of the Indians or Anglo Saxon

Many

three 01 of child a then girl, this day, that to years previous

four months age,


his care for

had been brought to the

chief

and
of,

left ir

a week, by a woman

clad in the garb


gipsies

and be

longing to a wandering band of


the universal reputation of the

attracted by

New World,

had

left

Bohemia

and

harvest. golden a reap to seas crossed the

This band

BAVALETTE
46
had held
.dquarters for

a year on Corahill

her
into

country the about deployed had they TJtica whence twenty and hundred one averaged lose radius

been

back came never woman The decamped suddenly band members of the
financiered

claim the child, for the


after
al

B
girl
into

having

gullible old

farmer

of

thousands

gold, in dollars of

him persuaded had which they

was

not
the

the in ground bury and bag a in put should he necessary that speedy the to der night hour of a certain
discovery of
-

kind

certainly was that diamonds of a large mine

inhc

upon

his

light when to brought be surely as farm, and would

S
the

the gold

exhumed

after

e,

which time was

quite long enough for the


disp
in
all

band to
to

cli

up the gold and


again
three
thou-

you
plac

directions,

meet

sand miles away

This bit of Cornhill swindlin


practice,

ton

sidered rather sharp

even for

that locality, and

hea

ended by shrouding the girl in an impenetrable mystery, and


giving to the old chief a child,

hin

who, as she expanded and


der

grew up became quite as dear to his heart as any one of his

own

can
offspring
;

and

in fact,

by reason of her superior


so, for

intelli-

too
gence, she
felt

became

far

more

mind ever makes

itself

tha

and admired. Not one of the ethnological, physical, moral,

of

or mental characteristics
to be noticed in this girl,

which mark the

Romany tribes was


fear or

sai
it
1

and wise people concluded that she

had somewhere been stolen by the


policy

woman, who from

ha
de

had

left
is

her to her fate and the

good old Indian's care


tc

Esthetics
describe the

not

my
girl

forte,

hence I shall not attempt

bh

young

The name she bore was marked

THE MEETING,

47

her clothing in Greek letters, which were afterwards rendered


into English

by a professor of a

college

whose assistance had

been asked by the Indian.


Besides being
girl

known

far

and near as the most beautiful

of her age, she was also distinguished as by far the most

intelligent.

She was undisputed queen on the Reservation,


She looked and acted

not by right, but by quiet usurpation.

the born Empress, and her triplicate sceptre consisted of


kindness, intelligence, and that nameless dignity and presence

inherent in truly noble souls.

Such was the bright-shining maiden


the boy's cry and actions,

attracted

by

now

crossed

the side of she

youngfceverlyH Observing
placed her soft

his

sorrowful appe
his

hand tenderly upon

head, and said in

" sympathetic, tones heart-felt and deeply


heart, why weep you
Is

Man

of the heavy

your mother just dead

The young man

raised his head,

saw the radiant

girl before

shudhe which during hesitation, moment's a him and, after

dered

is

if

at son

painful

me

murmuring,
his

'

'

No

it

be possible
too
that
!

cannot be

part of the world,

no
is

" I Girl, saying, her, to replied I" he I

am

lonely,

and

why

weep

am

but a boy, yet the weight of years

of grief rest on and bear

me down
when
Since she

To-day
it

is

the

sary of

my

mother's death, and,

comes, I always pass

and prayer
have had
deed
bing

home
and
life

to heaven, I

and friend, true no


call

Men
me

themselves

my my friends,
lot

are miserable
it

h>

and prove

by rob-

came there ago, Not long

man

to

me

he waa

4^

RAVALETTE.

richand
k.

said,

'

People
;

tell

me

that

you are very

skillful

A
I

Come

I have a

sister

mt

die
.11

I love her.

You

are

whom the physicians say poor I am rich. Save her


;
;

gold sh

hp yours.'

I went.

She was beyond the reach


life

of

and

it

was possible to prolong her

only

one

of two ways

either

by the transfusion of blood from


life itself.

my

caj

her own, or by the transfusion of

I
alterfor

an
hi
I
!

young and strong, and we resolved to adopt the latter


native, a

being the only possibly effective


luring three years,

one

and

I sat beside that


its

poor

sick girl,

and

fir

sly

Iter

wasted frame draw own.


Finally, I

very

life

by magnetiexlife,
t

cally Hipping
linii

my

began to sink with

n
foi

and
<

(I

ease similar to her

own, and, to save

my

v
Hi

was
;\
I

break the magnet

and go to Europ

oi

it

was severed she sunk into the grave, and then

returned, and received a considerable

sum of money

in the

nature of a loan.
pains

This favor was granted

me

as a reward
it

fm
l
I

and ruined health

I was to return

U
wh.

proceeds of a business to be immediately established


time I resolved to purchase

home

for those

upended on

my

ill*

efforts for

the bread they ate, and so

ho called himself
direct cause of
enofij

my

friend,

but

who

is

the
ii

most of the

evil I

have for

years experi
I put nine

This fellow pretended to deal in lands

hundred dollar -half I had


l
i

v " v world the "vim

*., Pce he took me kon* for those

to Purchase

iii tins in this

man iiitui a

fine

Bt
1

tn
f

P'ace of a few acres, which


it.

t0 see
-

was p>^< pleased with


left

and

who would be

behind

when

was dead

THE FINANCIER

49

few days thereafter this ghoul eame to me again, and r*

presented that gold bullion being


siderable profit for

down he

could

make con

me

in three days,

would I make the

investment.

I handed over the remainder of

my

money.

The

three days lengthened into years.

Instead of being a

capitalist he was a bankrupt

was

not in the gold business,

he than me showed he land the of control more and had no seized was furniture my Meantime, crown. had of Victoria's
I lost

my name with
ill,

the friend

who advanced
this

the

sum

became

and, in

silence me,
1

he
1'

my agony, called crave me a check on


And

man a

swindler.

To
it.

a bank.

I presented

No

funds

yet he dared call himself an honest man.

You

said about me,' said things harsh the unsay to have but

this

semblance of a

man

to

me

one day,

'

and I am ready to
I

pay you
listened

erything I owe.'

My

mind was unsettled

him, and the result was that, by duplicity and


first, if

the than despicable and mean more fraud,

there be a
to

depth of villainy

more profound, he obtained my signature

an acknowledgment that the


swindled me, then in his

money

of which he had openly


'

hands, was a

friendly loan.'
*

And
a*

then he laughed,

'

Ha

ha

!'

and he laughed,

Ho

ho V

me and my
But

misery, and actually

suffered a child in our family

mediand food want of the for die wretchedly to perish and


cine.

then he told

me

that he had buried


it

it

properly,

and cemetery, the in there ipectably, up


truth I

was the

onlj

heard from

his lip

But then he

sent th

funeral bills for

me

to

payall
3

the while laughing at


pied

mj

Bijgeryw hile

the lordly house he

edeemed

RAVALETTE
-0

my with sale forced from what on day luxuriously every


feasted
Still, blood! rft
t

money, and himself and

his

was the

price of

they
I
still

all

laughed,

on

my blood.
in

have the

'Ha! ha!' and memory of a dead

Id,

op there

the cemetery

Poor starved child


that

prin
t,

pie of

strict justice,
it

dealt out from the Divine

nor that

will
;

overtake that especial and every


is it

oth

wrong-doer

nor

pleasant for

me

to realize

that nure happiness can never


bitter

be

his, in this

or any other

memory of his deed &

me
wrong

md
a

mine remains within the ciystal cells of


It is

my

immortal

soul.

very

difficult to

forgive a deliberate

linst one's self,


Ible for

and

all

that one holds dear.

It is im-

po

me to

forgive him."

As

the
if

man

uttered these

terrible
tl

he shuddered

impending fate of this wronger of the living and the


id,

and

it

was clear to the

girl that

he would have

freely averted the


4

doom, had such a thing been possible.


have used

Men and

cliques," said he, "

me for

their pur-

po

have, like this ghoul, wormed themselves into my


ifidence,
'

and then, when their ends were served, have ndoned me to wretchedness and misery. Rosicrund all other delvers in the mines of mystery, all

"ith the dead, all


the mystic

whose idiosyncrasies are toward

leal,

the price

*
***

and
,

and the sublime, are debtors to nature they pay for power is groans, tears, breaking misery that none but such doomed ones can

ppreciate or understand.

Compensation

is

an

in-

able law of being, nor can there, by any possibility,


it.

The possession of genius

is

a cer-

ate of perpetual sufferin

You now know why I am sad, O girl of the good I am weak to-night to-morrow will brii & &
;

asrain.

But, see
I fear that

the golden sun

is

setting in the

Alas

my sun

is

setting also for a long, long

night Qf wretchedness."

" You speak well, man of the sore spirit," replied the girl. " You speak well when you say the sun is setting
but you seem to forget that
as brightly as he
it

will rise again,


!

and shine
even

does to-day

He
;

will shine

though dark clouds hide him from us

and though you

and I

may

not behold his glories, some one else will see


feel his blessed heat.
is

his face,

and

Old men

tell

us that
I bid

the darkest hour

you take

heart.

just before the break of day. " You may be happy


yet
I

" The precise formula of the Mysterious Brotherhood


the very words uttered by the dead mother

!
I

who bore me
?

How

did

this

girl

obtain

it ?

When ?

Where

From

whom V
Beverly started, gazed into the mighty depths of her eye,

was about
"

to ask the qiestions suggested, but forbore.

We may all be
me
so V
7

happy

yet," said she

" for the Great Spi-

rit tells

And

tfie

crossed her hands upon her virgin

breast

breast glowing

\ ith

immortal fervor and inspiration

and she threw, by a toss


hair behind her,

f the head, her long, black sea of of

and stock revealed the perfect incarnation

BAVALETTE
glance from God's met eyes upturned ber nothing said side his at boy the and

fr

in hands Ms folded Actively in each but of effect combined The


fidene

Heaven

^
.

if

old chief

*****
all this

upon the

md

prayer

was * man yoi mg


ui
flint

electric.

The

him struck incident singular

hp

leet, p* nis rose to

hig

hand upon

the

be.g was scene this where to up come .J;.,.. , 1Mce d to on and introduction, an for sufficed words few A ted himdeath that all us between friendship a begun pot
powerless to break.
chief, the thereafter, hours

Two
re

his son, the

girl,

the youth,
old

friendly a of partaking myself, with


house.

meal at the
the

After the repast

in turn, philosophic took a

which

the chief,

who was

a really

cultivated the of specimen splendid


interested part.

and active an Indian, took

Presently the old

ones younger people took their pipes, the

went to bed, and Beverly and 'Levambea, as she


universally called,

was

almost

walked out, and sat them

down

beneath an

old sycamore that stretched its

of genius giant limbs like the

protection over the cottage.


first,

enough gaily There they talked

but presently in a tender and pathetic strain

and

it

clear that there

had sprung up between them already


friendship,

1(

thing
lo\

much warmer than


they

not was yet which

When

the house, the

THE ROSICRUCIAN
uttered by the girl uttered in

53
ularly inspired

the same

sin

observed ou their
love you
;

first

meetin r

Yes

WW
ei

but not

here,

not now, perhaps not on

this earth

Yet
us

I will be your prop,

your stay,

though

roll.

Listen

"\Yh u I

& v easbetw dancer you will know


in

wherever you may be.

"When you are


say.

langer yon

me
fate

Forget not what I


is

Ask me no qn

Your
CJ
(

than so more not but one, a singular


!

>od

ght

Good-bye
it

We

at more no other each will see

present

is

mot permitted!"

And
i

without
I

word
up
th<

she abruptly
stairs,

left

him, dart
like

the house, pa

and was gone

spirit.

Next

others and chief the of solicitation day, at the


in

who

took an interest

with go to consented he young Beverly,


;

me

to

my

spot that from leagues many home,

and, accord-

ingly, in

due time we arrived there,

and

for several

months he

was an inmate of
ill

my

house

of shadow the under while and,


in-

health and

its

became I state, sympathetic consequent


of the loftier

timate with

many

and profound secrets of the

familiar, was he which with fraternity, Rosicrucian celebrated

and which he

me

liberty to divul

lodges the of locality the reveal to forbore I that conditioned chief its of names or persons the indicate or of the Dome, to reference in exacted restriction was
officers, albeit,

no such

order the of temples the lesser

the O

first

three de

higher the which of acolytes the to country this grees in beside sat I nave often how Oh unknown. lodges are totally little ray through ran that creek a of banks green him on the
!

RAVALETTB
54
the wisdom, most the profound^

"
Xil

Md
, ,

1 concepts
raP "
.

to listened t ,v

soul, its origin, the of description and 1 __ listened

pow

barter and of of world money-griping the .-ith fully contradiction tremendous most the was Here trade. revelled who One of heard or known I hud ever forecast not had yet + t ano-el, w, <ui nr an j lor lit luxuries in mental for and who*blindly, trickster

from the

lips

of a

man

grapphng of incapable totally

,vuosed his

whole trust in
his

one whose

sole

aim was

to
1

of only not him rob

character his of bnt little, competence,

man

to dear and near uffered one

him

very the at buried, be and then

luxuriating were his and that himself


for
lite

on the very

almost and health, bartered which that mau had

If

Was

it

not very singular

I have wondered,

time and again,

how

such things could be,

and

intensely so

when he has been revealing to me some


of the Order
Platonist
der
(
lie
;

of the loftier mysteries

the Tyanae, of when talking of Apollonius

the elder

Pythagoreans
;

of the Sylphs, Salaman-

and Glendoveers
tic

the and Yung-tse-Soh, of Cardan, and

Light
;

of

Hermes Trismegistus, and the Smarag*


and black
;

Tables

of sorcery and magic, white


;

of the

Labyrinth, and Divine policy


Df

of the

God, and the

republic

gods
rmet

of the truths

and absurdities of the gold-seeking


;

and pseudo-Rosicrucians
Cyprian, Lactantius,

of Justin Martyr, Ter-

tullian,

and the Alexandrine Clement

THE SPHERE OF THE ORDER.


of Origen and Macrobius, Josephus and Philo
of

55 Enoch and

the pre- Adamite

races

of

Dambuk and

Cekus, Psellus,

over and Paracelsus, Porphyrius, and Plotinus Jamblichus,

seven hundred other mystical authors.

" at laughing remember you Do day, one me he to Said ana Rosicrucians ? the about talk first began to when I me
you asserted
that, if such a fraternity existed,
it

must be com

posed either of knaves or fools

laughing heartily when in


piYtftnsivpilv

formed that the order ramified

on both

sides of

the grave, and, on the other shore of time, was

known

in its

lower degrees as the Royal Order of the Gann, and, towering


infinitely

beyond and above

that,

was the great Order of the

Neridii

and that whoever, actuated by proper motives,

joined the fraternity on this side of the grave,

was not only

assured of protection, and a vast amount of essential know-

ledge imparted to him here, but also of sharing a lot on the


farther

of

life,

compared to which

all

other

were insignificant and crude.

I repeat this assertion

now."

CHAPTER
VAP0LE0N
III.

VI.

AND THE ROSICRUCIANS

AN EXTRAORDINARY

THEORY. EXTRAORDINARY AN AND MAN


narrative, saying singular very his continued Beverly
"
:

You have

already been informed of the singular

doom

that

hangs over
gration

me that

am condemned

to perpetual transmi-

unless relieved

by a marriage with a
of

woman

in

whom

not one drop of the blood


-

Adam

circulates

and
bil-

even then, the love must be perfect

and mutual.

Thus my

chance
lions

is

about as one in three hundred


to

and ninety-six
This doom
before

against,

a single one

for

me.

has
b
J

broncrht
tain

did around

me

beings, powers, influences,

and at length I became a

adept hi the Rosicrucian myst

and brother

ki

hood

H
of course I

found worthy of
tell
:

am

not at liberty

suffice it that I

belong to the Order, and have


foil

been by renouncing

certain

W
n

-admitted
those

to the

companionship of the living, the dead,


;

who never

die

have been admitted to the famous

Derishavi-Laneh, and

am

familiar with the profoundest secrets


in
;

of the Fakie-Deeva .Records

and through

life

have had

evei

great possibilities befor c


neutral soul
r,r,

me

one of

I bcin o
l

of

becoming after death

of a

A
preme

STARTLING POSSIBILITY.
Light
or of
its

57

order, called the

opposite, called

Shadow
cies
;

am tempted by
is

invisible,
I

but potent agen


the

and the

third of which

the one

dread most

petuation of the

doom

various in ages, for earth to wander the

man dying a by pronounced bodies, as the result of the curse redeemed be I unless told, been have already you as ago, ages of drop one not marriage with a woman in whom
by a
true

the blood of
if

Adam
another

desire to avoid all three

possible, and to share the lot of other

men
relate

have

m
that

nng to

to

you

Doubtless you

uttered

dunthe in heard voice mysterious young poet and that the the until thenceforth, slain, declared that

geon where he was

doom was

fully accomplished, this

youth during

all his

ages

should be known as the Stranger.


the centuries that rolled away,
this

Well, in the course of

Stranger became a mem-

ber of an august

Fraternity in the

Heavens
that
I,

as the

Power

of the Light.

You

know,

also,

who was
relieved
:

the

of penalty the incurred king,


jrou are also aware that him

and

who was

the Vizier

Bel. Dhoula of name the under tenced to a singular destiny Associavast a of member Well, he also became an active
tion
in
is

the Spaces,

known

as the

Power
it

of the Shadow.
object

This

but one half of the mystery, for

became

Strnngei the and Bel Dhoula both of

both knew
years before I under

my birth my

from the

Flora

that I would be in every re

pect a Neutral

man

one having no tendencies

3*

BAVALETTE
I

iui

iral y>
i

to

T eitne

evu, or o-ood

toward only but uuu - j


e

attain-

Me

to foreg

'

*
h
"
;

*
id

lo*
<

Wr
in

<*' nal

be Stranger, the and Bel Dbonla mak of motive additional strong the haVe have * . ... _=. . t.n thieve it
their loftier

>

ins

tly

attend

visible

and

invisible shapes

saving often as and nearly ruining,


than death
itself

me from

dan-

nW0R
pa

been already has what way

told,

and

will

be hereafter
Paris, I beca

In one of
1

my

frequent sojou:

with a

depth

found the

sounding after and Rosicrucians, reputed few *--* n muddy y and water very shallow,

I those with case had been the

met

in

London

Bui-

and Corvaja, Socher, Archer, Belfedt, Wilson, mines,


t

r pi

d adeptsare

like

Scotts, Kings, Hitchcocks, the


il.

and

of that

ilk,
fr

on American

Baron

t,

At length, there for me to attend,


;

and

al

part

in,

a Mesmeric Seance
I gained

I attended
ision,

and from

the reputation
ilt]

on that o

but a few days

ere I

was summoned to the Tuilleries, by

command
had

uij(

ty,

Xapoleon III.,*

who for
I

thirty-four years

n a True Rosicriician, and


place, but

whom

had before met

at the

same

on a different errand

than the present.


myself was an
ac-

What
tor,
it

then and there transpired, so far as


i

not for
fact

me

to say, further

than that certain experiaccount of

what took

place at

at

rdinary stance.

The anachronism observable

is

purposely

made.Ed.

SEANCE AT THE TUILLEKIES


merits in clairvoyance

59

were regarded

very

for Paris, which

the centre of the Mesmeric world, and


will

where there are hundreds who


fold
:

read you a book blindwill

and twc

Alexis,

and Adolph Didier who

do the

same, though the page be inclosed in the centre of a dozen

boxes of metal or wood, one within the other.

On
hess and ecarte, no

I had played and conquered at both

word being spoken, the games


There

neous, and the players in three separate rooi


present, also,

an Italian gentleman with an unpronouncible

name

a Russian Count Tsovinski, and a

Madame Dablin
his

a mesmerist and operatic singer.

After awhile

majesty
after-

asked the empress, and the general (Pellisier),

who

wards became the Duke de Malakoff,

if

they would submit

of mesmerism by either of the three professors of


the art

named

They
'

declined
if

whereupon the Emperor,

speakin

aloud, asked
their

anv of th

company

willing

own

persons, the vaunted powers of his ex-

cellency, the Italian

Count V whose methods of inducing

his

magnetic marvels differed altogether from those

usually

adopted

inasmuch as

he, like Boucicault, the actor, in his

famous play 'The Phantom'


gl
for

makes

no passes, scarcely

an instant

his subjects,

and invariably looks


a well-known fact

away

from, not toward, them.

Now,

it is

that everybody believes everybody


ject

else,

save themselves subthe

influence

often demonstrated
Society, held
in the

ekly seances of
enelle St,

Ma&

Rue

Honor

VALETTE. RA
60
lurP this oi *,te of date

M
ye

the

,ade

D A^can,^lh
B,

^ pu* P^e!had
**
"" 111 amei

erial

Stance,
,

spiritualism had

-->V

the although ud a France Atlautic, the crossed

n Jemyn Jermy n
.

street, street>

Pica ica y
-

time that
'

^ m. .*IVsabsequently
Lond0n
"" Jet
t ,
.

notoriety the obtained then ot ""J after ran Europe half had not Tbi" genuand toe fey heel

presen who se

iuc

.irit
v

power.

Of

^ -^
co

-*

* Ta as on depended
took pla

T ^
v
,

^
^
,

^.^

phenomena

^^

and was not

Wtet thCTe

^
^

theU

to reply in Count, the said pleasure, uleasure,' t great your With


straight looked d an turned he forthwith and between space entire the pied
the
his uio xhibit exmDit

pest to

power r-

oi wiu(lows of windows

Rosicrncian Italian this t met me ld had T h I someUme, at where, & me 1 yet tell ; not could I me life
the for -here,

saloon.

spoke he As

it

struck

me

that

voice, that beard had I


'

and

still

smile sweet strange, that I had beheld sup that, such was wa u e +^o mivrov oi i mn the before position The Count's would rays reflected the nam been had eye his posing the in fairly
.

least the not had struck it whom upon person The tre. disthe make not did He clone picion of what was being oper the did sooner no for late, too was it until covery looked hands, his clenched he then focus, in fairly himself muttered to
fold

the of one of forehead

company

MESMERISM EXTRAORDINARY
gentleman the and words, unintelligible few
if his fell

61
to the floor

heart had

been perforated
club

by a

bullet, or as if

he

had been struck

down with a

In an instant
of apoplexy, except the

confusion, everybody thinking

it

fit

Russian. the and myself operator, the Emperor,

" Several went to raise him, but before they could do so he

sprung to his

feet,

began to sing and dance

the

truth, at the

same

pheno the that company, the upon flashed


in

was mesmeric and


if

another minute to plead for his

life

before his

son and the judges, with the prison

axe before

him.

The

scene

was solemn to the

last degree.

" Suddenly, and without a word from the Count, the pleading

changed to a musical

scena

and although, at other

least dethe in playing or singing of incapable times totally

gree, he performed several

difficult pieces in

magnificent style,

on the harp and


vocally,

piano,

acompanying the

performances

and

in

a manner that drew involuntary plaudits

from every person present.


" This part of the performance was suddenly terminated
;

in spot exact the in himself placed subject for the sleeping

at steadily gazed him, like and, stood, had Italian the which
the mirror,

and

in

twenty seconds the

man who

stood in the
in

line of reflection fell to the floor,

and a lady who,


line,

going

to his assistance,
raised

chanced to strike that


if

instantly seized,

him

as easily as

he had been a

doll,

and with him

commenced a dance
It
infectious,

unique, wild

and perfectly indescribable.

for

than half
stately dames,

persons, high lords and

were wheeling, whirl-

ALETTE RA.V
*
in.
ItfAl

were
izi

L Jed
I

cr

the about lying

room

in wilder

measures than
all

by mad

Bachantes.

They had

been

by proxy

measure I beyond
:
,

at this

extraordinary display

etir

the bett
)

of strange the progress the to watch


side of the saloon,

L
lee
[1:

the opi
in

site

and leaned

care-

H
\
rr.

colossal two of one

Japanese josses that stood

th re
1

in and me, near anywhere was person

my surprise
7

ired

below

my

breath

'

What

astonishin

ti

am

at close standing person certain that a

my

side could

not hai

the nevertheless yet said, I earned what

thought
his

ku
h
alvau<

..

,;

before the

Connl turned square upon

sweetly, strangely, smiled me, toward straight

he did
that
is

),

and

said

'

All this power

is

your

and much
!

still

more mysteriousif you but say the word


I,

"

What word V asked

surprised that a

man

should

readily read

my
my

thou

for it is impossible that

he could

have
"
'

ard

exclamation.
will voluntarily join
!

That you

the most august fraternity


it
!

hat ever earth contained


again.
>

Think of

We

shall

meet

When V where V
company
ben
at

I asked

hurriedly,

for the

august

obser ring us,

especially the

Emperor, who,

th his

heavy brows, was evidently paying quite as


us as to the wonderful things

much

ation to

then occurring

across the room.

He

did not reply directly, but,

by a continuation of
:
'

his

breach of

resumed

saying

By

the exercise of

THE TEMPTEB.
the

63

power I
shall

possess,

and

will

impart to you, conditionally

you

be capable of depriving any man of speech, and


or child
perfectly subservient to your

make man, woman


silent

command,

as the people yonder are to mine.

There

is

Jean Boyard,
object,

in this Paris,
it

who merely

looks at any small

and makes
!

dance toward him.

You

shall

exceed

him

fifty-fold

On
shall

the Boulevart du Temple

M. Hector
in

produces a full-blown rose from a green


minutes
i<
i ;

bud,

seven

you

be able to do
lives

it

in one.

In the Rue de Bruxelles


all

a girl

Julie

Yimart

who
you

exceeds Alexis and


at chess, tells

the

sleepers, for she beats

you

all

you know, and much that you have


do
all

forgotten

you

shall

that and more.

In the street
liv-

Grand Fere,

lives
;

a boy

who

brings messages from the

ing, in their sleep

meets and converses with your friends

when

they slumber,

and describes them

as perfectly as the sun

can paint their portraits in the cameras of Talbot and Dagguerre


"
' ;

you

shall

have that power.


is

In the Rue du Jour,


curable,

a Sage Femme,

who cures

all dis:

eases that are


shall

by a simple touch and prayer

you

that power greater than she can ever hope to.

It

is

only necessary to say

'

I will have these powers


all

1'

and
I

they shall be yours.


learned

They

are well worth having.

my

secret

among
we

the magi of the East

men not

half so civilized as are


less,

of the

West

but who, nevertheChris;

know a great deal more than the sapient men of

tendom

that

is,

less

of machinery, politics, and finance

but a great deal more of the

human

soul, its nature, its

.VALKTTJ

64

m
['it*

..1

of their d velopement.
ntl ^ c

Instead of

at

modern

revelations,
1

we

of the

What Temple?
i

I iuterrupted him

preme

Vme ot

the Rosie Cross/ said

:,

e
f<

ror mu>t
dir tly
ill

have heard this quest


cr<
'fe.

and

its

ed over to

us,

and
;

actually

:l

il

thil

rious

The Count bowed

did not

u
V
1

by the presence of the sou of Adraigreat Put h founder of the

Second Empire

w;h jayimr.' the Count resumed, 'instead of being


a

!t

hat

rn

sci

ace has done,

we are ashamed
indeed
!

of

a;

" 1'rogress
in

Progress
is

Where
in

wretch* Um
misery.

s,

poverty, crime, selfishness, and

remenl

Progress

more fancied than

real.

m
ma
false
ul,

a misnomer, Philo

utilitarianism

a desecration

of

phy an imposture, and learning altogether

"
iL

was pleased to see the Emperor join the conversation


for

at to

two reasons
dly, to

first,

to hear

what he had

say

and

observe whether the subjects on the

M
v
1

be kepi under the Count's influence while his mind


I

if

at* r

from them and centered on matters entirely

I>

not be disturbed at

what he says/
lightly

said his majc

fcy

M men

are
I

all

mad

And

he smiled,
:

^ Wrthameth
e(

shrm
L

his shaulders,

and exclaimed

how

rer V

(\K

A
< Then turning

SPLENDID POS8D3ILITY.
some by company, the toward attention

his

subjects the restored danee, the stopped he iBserntable power exerthereafter instantly almost and state, to their normal closed with straightway, who Dablin, Madame npon
cised
it

its swept piano, grand a eyes, approached of one mto forth launched then and prelnde, as a

matchwith keys

es

skill,

the strangest,

most

brilliant,
of.

fantasias, weird yet wild and

dreamed ever that genius


effect

I cannot

now

stop to describe

upon nor company, upon the


absorbed at that

myself, for

my

whole

being was

moment

in matters far

more im-

interhowever experiment, mesmeric a than portant to me and effect its best, at for be might ; it successful esting and the on while, ephemeral, and transient be me mory would might Italian the from learn might I things contrary, the not was I endured soul conscious

as long so last
fore,

my

repeat the

talk. his resumed disappointed when he substance, the but said, he what of ipsissma verb,

I cannot

now

questions to reply in
effect this
:

and Emperor by the

myself,

was

in

<

The soul and

its

qualities,

all are volume passions and


all

to apparent are and physique, the upon marked clearly difficulty the others, all to key ; proper the who possess
signs, these reading in correctly

lies

and a

still

greater in assign-

possible, its actual, its faculty in, to each

and

its relative

value. and gth BUC

a that act Every

man

does has an

thereof imprints the and soul, and body his both upon effect his past therefore features ; his upon stamped indelibly are the by read e thought-can or act secret most his
,

BAVALETTE
e6
printed page, a were face

tl

cep

-r"-*_
p

el ear.

Every man

is

sus

bC1Dg

L'rolled U0U
j

by numerically
than

another, because faculty; a faculty

gtrongc r
its

w *k*t his weakest

do
chain C
coi

II
,

ao

than

most

defective link

Now

T >
I

Z en

'

I Ze a"
S
,

;
pi.

u
li

RePsychal the winch around unity ,,-..,ri.dt.V subdue : vulnerable always is of these

their of ..rtion

most the which glance a knovv at and Emulation , suif.lmre. E Self-love, nrp
.

nature

One

the subdue nd you


riuit-nt

man
beii

perform I when Now,


exhibited, I
first

such

those

now

mesmerize,
in turn
!

faculty, single a but brain, entire


.
.

which
is

lily

i.dn.

all

the rest

The

mind of

man

a mirror

h'

Ian.
pi
iat

will of effort an by forthwith, Well, then, I revolv a but nothing of thinking m v own mind, I fancy then action my reflects The subject thought my reflects ibject the
play,

and

Bui
ling

said one,

'

understands subject your suppose

about these accomplishments


All souls

How
Bodies

then

"
ri
*4

'

understand them.

may

not
j

and

the

ml under subjection, not the body merely.


is

This

a dangerous power

to possess,' said the to

Emperor,

'

and none but a good


"
'

man ought

have

it.'

bad man cannot become a true Rosicrucian, although


arned their arms against the race,

men hav

and the

secrets

of the fraternity, like all things else,


i

have been

trifled

with
dis-

>u a

Thus

it is

possible for

an expert to cure a

SPECTRA.

67

eased

man by
is

the rule

dual

But to. alluded power the of the exercise by man healthy a kill to possible also
:

it is

means mysterious the same


done, especially

aud indeed

it

has often been

by

the natives of Africa,


sick are you that soul

if

'

I persuade

my
will

and

will die,

and

I keep up the
will

and wish nothing

is

more certain than


naturally possess

that both

be accomplished
will,

Some men

enormous powers of
images, like

and

visible project are able to

they choose to

whatever of images those of a phantasmagoria human a or arm, hand, fancy-a flower a

form-and

startled of scores to visible be will spectra these


in their utter

observers, who,

ignrmnce

of the

human mind

believe powers, conjoined and respective their and body, and

objects and men, dead of ghosts veritable them to be the

produced by them.
this

in that recently I learned

London

is

at

pos who Hume, named Scotchman, young moment a


this

levitation,

of that also and degree, remarkable a power to pretendby fortune and fame coining is and who
psychical

ing that the

phenomenon

is

always and

truly

case. the seldom spiritual-very Naumsavi of in the Punjaub,

secret great this learned I

Chitty,

the

chief of

the
since

Bosicrucians of

India,

and the

greatest

reformer

Budha.'

"At
exhibit

this

point

the

Emperor
his

asked

the

Count
power,

to

a
the

specimen
latter

of

spectre-producing
First

to

which

assented.

he

walked

rapidly

down and up several times

the

saloon,

gave directions

before, as then, and done, was which lights, to lower the

BAVALETTE
68
a minute for mirror the of front in directly tureen j till a still + nTlft r ^9.^a he tood repeated tone, cracked sharp, a in then, and or two. live, there I as and did so,

_i^

We

.,

the over floor, the along mirror, the of face the

down and p

the walls

now hke

forks,

then as chains

acorns, fiery to changing anon fluid; ;, He

whteh grad.

rested then and seconds, few a for company the III Napoleon of head the above .bo* five inches
&
tire

splendid this after Miiui: said he,


ability,
'

oof of his weird

that aver not do I

all

exhibited phenomena the

lo

say that not

I but these have as I produced are days as spiritual spiritual to attributable one-tenth part

agenc
duct of d

That which
id

is

indeed spiritual
of
it

is

not

all

the pro-

men, but

much

Larvae the from proceeds

globes.' rolling the and inhabitants of the spaces between M

become to invitation Then turning to me, he repeated his


;

an aeoly te of the Temple


gnortly thereafter the
palace
before.
I

said

we should meet again


up,

and
the

seance broke

and
it

left

greatly wiser

than when I entered

five

hours

ailing

a voiture de remise, I entered

it

and rode home

to

my
of

hotel.
str
I

Arrived there. I dismounted beneath


lamp, and

gla

drew forth

Are

)n openin

what
it.

my pocket-book to pay my my surprise at finding


to myself, I paid

closely sealed, within

directed

THE MYSTERIOUS LETTER.


the coachman, hastened to

69

my

chamber, and then, eagerly


let:

singular very following the read I tearing the envelope,


ter,

language English the in hand, and female written in a

Monsieur
' ' '

Remember that yon have met one human

soul

who

mysterious strange, your understands thoroughly knows and

and inexplicable na,ture

your heaven's heights, your

hell's

your eruptions, en volcanic olcanic your breadth, spacic your depths,


of god-like calmness, and all-pervading, all-sustaining,

holy

and

quiet,
all

wherein the soul in


space and
self-created
all
all

its

magnificent

grandeur sweeps over


finity

time,

and

of lives in

its

own

world
see

As
still

such I see

and know you

Yet

in

this I

other and a

greater character to arise in your being than


ther

now

exists

I see a character

is

to

if

you

illow the

grander, diviner elements of your being, and also the heavenly elements that surround you, to blend into one united
force of harmonic intelligence, that will
self into

mould your

entire

man

such as I cannot
before you.

now
One
it)

describe.

Two

ways,

my

friend, are

now

so grand, so sublime,

that I would (in order to explain

demand the eloquence


a. Caesar,

of a Patrick Henry, the strength of


greater
still,

the love of a
all

the wisdom of a god

the other, not

these

combined could give


"
'

me power

to depict.
right.

In the name of

Him

and humanity, choose the

"
11

'

Such are the


Listen

feelings of one
I

who knows
is

you.

'

be quiet

your time

precious.

"'Adieu!

BAVALETTE
7C

Hebrew, Greek, was This


and
it

Sanscrit, all combined, to

me

for so continued

It

was

evidently

by
v k

of aware one of fully while who


susceptibility
If.

my
the

flattery

knew not

him

Still,

the

allusions

to

my

awful secret were

knew writer far the more that doubt a admit to palpable Was it the at. hinted mysor said lo-e letter
terious
in a

Count
?

If so

why

did he take so great an interest


it.

stranger

understand not could I


thought much of the

"Of
i.tly

course I

Italian Count, and

longed to

know more

of, if

I did not join, the mys-

a was he whereof mity Frat


being had I
ever opened

member

but

human

my mind upon

the subject, either in

on repaired I whither Naples, or Paris,


Orient.
t

my way
all

to the
in

Indeed, in the latter city the subject lay

perdu

the 'liars of
in

my

mind, for I sought to banish


full

care while

Italy, in

order to drink

draughts of music

that balm
to hear the

for fevered souls.

"While

there, I
'

one night went to

San Carlos

opera of the

Barber of Seville/ and to listen to the glorious

strains of Mario, Grisi

and Gassier.

I had been charmed


'

out of

all

my

griefs

by the celebrated

Music Lesson

'

of

the latter cantatrice,


it

and as I walked homeward I

hummed

notes as I passed along,

and

it

rung in

my

ears long after

I had lain

down

to sleep.

With

the peculiar caution of

Americans generally, but of Califor nians especially


h
bi
1

whose

ad imbibed during

my

short residence within the

Gatebefore

retiring I

had carefully examined tho

ADVENTURE

IN NAPLES.

71

to watching, bear Neapolitans, room, for Italians, especially securely Then so. was It right. and safe was all that see

up drifting soon was I fastening both doors and windows,


and down the Dream Sea.

Beneath

my

pillow

was my

monej

belt, in

which was about two thousaud

dollars in gold,

was muzzle, the to loaded which, together with a revolver,


the property of

a California acquaintance.

" In the morning the

room was

as

when

I slept

but the

charges were drawn from the


table arranged
letter
'

pistol,

and the gold lay on the

in the

form of a triangle, surmounted by the

R/

while, pinned to the bosom of

my

sleeping robe,

was

in but handwriting, clear bold, a in English, a note in

red ink.

That note was not there the night before

it

could not have been placed there

by human hands
for

'

Do

not

fail/ it read,

'

to

remember the purpose

which you

ages future the concerns enterprise your for seas, the crossed
of the world
will
I

It

is

not yet accomplished.

Achieve

it.

yet serve and save you.

E.'

" I was thunder-struck.


crossing

Again some mysterious being was

my

path

that being whose strange domain lay on

either side of Time,

and whose
fire,

will

seemed ever to hedge me

about

like

a wall of

so that escape from the strange


impossible.
I

destiny that

hung over me seemed almost

was
;

in despair, for
felt

already had grey hairs shown themselves


old,

that I

was growing prematurely

and that the chancea

were greatly against me, a son of Adam, ever wedding with


a daughter of Ish."

iJOOli

II.

CHAPTER

I.

ROSICRUCIANS THE ABOUT


of my
rly,

It

is

no
i

ri

(the editor's) design to recount

all

the

tuv

r
rift,

in

of

nor to trace his paths through Egypt,


Suffice
it,

Turkey, nor Europe.


in his

that I

became

so inte-

ory that I
.

accompanied him on more than one

1.

urn
r

Occasionally I
r,

would lose sight of him

for

mths
mid
i!

etl

but by the strangest seeming accident we

el

in,

now on the top of Ghizeh's great


Dongola and Nubia
;

pyrain a

uitl,

now

in

the deserts of

then

French

cftfe,

anon

in the

columned groves of Karnak and

rhrl.es.
itf

We often parted,
I

and as often met again

and

in

had not failed to investigate certain gr


I did not fully believe

n
hi
for,

which he had confided to me.


nge doctrines
e
;

but I

am

sure that he did,

and

there-

commanded my sympathy and respect.


on

As

previously
exceed-

iftdicftted,

my

first

acquaintance with

him I was

ingly sceptical in

regard to the existence, in these days, of


of the Rosie Cross,

* 'therhood
7

and derided

his assertions
'

"1

in? their powers.

True I had heard much, and read

"

THE FRATMRNI
more, concerning
that has proved
stainers in all

the celebrated fraternity

association

veritable God-send to scores of papers reign,

parts of the globe where letter

as wit-

fifty and Southey, Robert Kingsley, ness Charles Mackay, " and Zanoni," his Lytt Bulwer omitting others, not

Strange Story

Hargrave Jennin

and

his

"Cur

" " " Outside World the and Fire about Things"

In

my

varied travels through

Europe and the East, as

well as in this,

my

native land, I have

met with

scores,

not

say hundreds,
it is

who boasted

themselves Rosicrucians

and

but a

little

while since there appeared, in

a"

n spiritual

sheet in Boston, first a learned lecture,

by a female " medium,"

on the Rosicrucians, and a long communication, purporting


to

come from a deceased adept of the Order, both of which

were quite laughable by reason of the total and utter ignorance displayed.

Probably both of these " enlighteners " had

heard or read of Dr. Everard's " Compte de Gabalis," and

took that humorous bit of badinage as the


explanation of Rosicrucianism
as,

real,

simon-pure

indeed,

was

natural, see-

ing that hundreds have fallen into the same comical error
for,

upon applying the touch-stone to

all

these pretended
it is

adepts in the secrets, sublime and mighty, of the Order,

found that, exceptionless, they are woefully deficient in even


the rudiments of the genuine
fraternity
;

nor have

these

modern pretenders any more

real claims to the truth than


all

the hordes of fanatics which swarmed


or two ago, and

over Europe an age

who brought

ineffable disgrace
stole.

both upon

themselves and the sublime

name which they


4

74

RAVALETTE.
through quietly very the passes world, coin good gold
.

counterfeit your but

makes a great noise wherever

it

may

chance to be

so with the pseudo-Rosicrucians.

The

latter

created a sensation,

and then disappeared, only occasionally


the world

jingling their bells to let


i

know

that the fools were

all

defunct

hile

the true Brotherhood


its

went

nd

still

goes on, quietly performing


is,

mission.

Every student of history


the pretended

or ought to be,

aware that

"adepts"

in past times laid

claim to enormous

amounts of the most wonderful knowledge, but


the
proof,

when put

to

invariably

failed

to

substantiate

their

claims.
pre-

Such were the men who sought, and, in some instances,

tended to have succeeded, in accomplishing the composition


of the Philosopher's Stone

and the great

Elixir.
7

Vaughan,

in his "

Hours with the Mystics/ laughs at the


was
really such

idea that there ever

a society as that of the

Brethren of the Rosie Cross, and alleges that they were but the Mrs. Harris of certain romancers of the past two
centuries
;

in other words, that

they are altogether mistaken

who suppose such a


Fischer,

society ever

had existence.

Baron

now

of

uch an order,
;i 0I
S
!;

San Francisco, declares that there really was but that it was composed of Fools, Fanatics,

rUCk

!.V ! >ck

l of all

MadmeD Wh
'

in time

became the laughing-

tbat he has traeed the Order, under

r?
\
I

other hand, Lydde, the traveller, Positively, in his great work, The n

Europ

On the

Asian Mystery,
its

back lnt0 'he very night-time of the world


Mild

one or more of

names

Rahman, the Arabian author, boldly declar

history

And
that he

THE ROSICRTJCIAN ORDER.


Brotherhood this of has proved the existence
history Jewish and Christian remote that
parison.
annalist, Chinese the Hein, Hun-Tse-Foh,
is

75
in

ages so
in

modern

com-

asserts, that

the before years of thousands Tartary in the Order originated of age claimin itself empire, Chinese foundation of the to went it Tartary From years solar thirty thousand

Japan, thence

to thence Persia, to China, thence

Arabia

thence to India, and,

by stag

passed having to Europe,


its

on Phoenicia and Jewry, through Egypt,


ages

way down

the

So much

for
letter

Yanghan

now

" authority for another


oc-

Under the
the

" in the

American Encyclopedia,

word

" Rosicrucians, " followed

by

Members

of

society, the

unexpectedly became which of

known

century seventeenth the of at the beginning

Its object

individuals, and State, Church, of reformation the ostensibly the of discovery the that showed examination closer but initiated. fully the of object true Philosophers' Stone was the

Rosenkrauze, Christian, certain

who was
etc.,

said to have

lived long

among

the Brahmins

in

Egypt,

was pretended

the but century fourteenth ; the in Order the founded have to


real

scholar,

German a Andrea, one been have founder is believed to obwhose century, sixteenth of the beginning of the
thought, was
to purify Religion, which

ject, as is

had been

Philosophy. Scholastic by degraded him before founded society to a character new a only gave

Others think that he

Nettesheim of Agrippa, Cornelius by

Krause, the author.

RAV ALETTE
occupied his

youth with early from time

A
ie

plan of

ocien for
p-

mankind of improvement the

H
u

h,

of the Whole Reformation famous his dLshed Christian Fraternitas." Fama


I

(i

his

aist
th<
1

society, parpoetical the msidered


ks

existence, real a having s

-1

ril)

di

Rosicrucian later the of author the came

fra

whirh e> end


i

Eur op

After a number

I
v
t
.

had b
.

the Rosicrucian system, and


the interest in
it

^
jh
II

was revived

in the lat-

ath century, in
nits,

consequence of the abo-

he Order of J
a

and the story of their machina-

a^ of th

frauds of Cagliostro

and other noto-

rial

imj

much

for

the wiseacre

who wrote

this

account at so

mud
In
1

" line for the


a-|>o*-

American Encyclopedia."
to the

above, I quote part of pages

-4 and
>tillii
;.

'batim, of the
late

autobiography of Heinrich
to the

fa

Aulic Counsellor
:

Grand Duke
street.

London
id
i

1858.

James Nisbet, Berners

li

n.

S.i\

hi

incomparable

man

On.

mornin
n

in

the spring of 1196, a

handsome young

aan, in a gr
carae
intr
-

-ilk-plush coat,

and otherwise well dressed,


a.

Uir

house at Ockersh
If

This gentleman

h
nt

him
1

in

such a manne

betrayed a polished

*nd g

education.

Stilling inquired

who he

was, and

a*t

that

he was the remarkable


th.
it,

Stilling

was

aw 'Wished

and

his

astonishment was increased

STILLING

AND THE

ROSICRUCIANS.

77

by the expectation of what this extremely enigmatical


vidual might

indi*

have to communicate.

After both had sat

down, the stranger began by saying that he wished to consult Stilling relative to a person diseased in the eyes.

Howmanner

ever, the real object of his visit pressed

him

in such a

that he began to weep

kissed,

first,

Selling's hand, then his

arm, and said


tolgia?"'

'

Sir,

" Nosthe of author you the are not

'Yes,
'

sir.'

'You

are,

therefore,

one of
C.)

my

secret superiors

(in the

Grand Lodge of the R.

Here

almost wept and arm, and hand Stilling's kissed again he


aloud.
Stilling

answered

'

No, dear
I

sir

am

neither

your nor any one

else's secret superior.

am

not in any secret


at Stilling with
: '

connection whatever.'

The stranger looked

a fixed eye,

and inward emotion, and replied


!

Dearest

friend, cease to conceal yourself

I have been long

tried,
!'

and
Stil-

severely enough.
ling
in
:
'

I thought you
,

knew me already

No, Mr.

I assure you solemnly that I stand


reality

no secret connection, and in

understand nothing of

all that you require of

me

1'

" This speech was too strong and too serious to leave the
stranger in uncertainty.
ished and amazed.
then,
It

was now

his turn to
:
'

be astontell

He

therefore continued

But

me,

how

is it

that you

know anything

of the great

and vene-

circumstanso have you which East the in connection rable

" pointed even and have Nostolgia," the in tially described

on Egypt, in rendezvous their out

Mount

Sinai, in the

MonV
'

Jerusalem at Temple the under and Canobin, astery of

know

nothing of

all this,'

replied Stilling.

'

But

these ideas

78

KAVALETTB

to manner lively very in a themselves presented


tion.

my

imagine

It was, therefore,

mere fable and


is

fiction.

" Pardon
'

me
It

the matter
is

the truth and reality as

you have

described

astonishing that

you have

hit it in such a

mannerthis
now

chance V by come have cannot

The gentleman

association the in of the East. particulars real the related

Stilling

beyond measure astonished and amazed was


,

for he
not.

thing* extraordinary and remarkable heard


of such a nature as
affirm that

which are
public

can be

made

I only

what

Stilling learnt

from the gentleman had not

the most remote reference to political matters.

About the same time


Stilling,

prince wrote
it

and asked him

'

How

was that he knew anything

about the association in the East, for the thing


described
the same
stranger.
kind, in
it

was

as he had
naturally
B

in the

" Nostolgia."

'

The answer was

w.

as

that

given verbally to the above-mentioned


1

Stilling
his

has experienced

several

things of this
'I

which

imagination exactly accorded with the rea

Oh

fact without previously

having the least knowledge or pre


it
is,

sentiment of
Stilling

H )w
own

and why

it

is,

God knows
lets it

th

makes no
its

reflections

upon the matter, but


it

ov
f

stand upon

value,

and looks upon

as a direction of
distinguished 3
is,

Providence, which purposes leading

him in a

and
fcei

manner.

The development of

Easter

mystery
it

how

portant matter to him, because


the
ity
;

has relation
in obscu

Kingdom

of

God

Much, iudeed, remains


fi

Pi

for Stilling

afterwards heard

ther person of

belie

great consequence, something of

Oriental Alliance which

AMERICAlM
of a very different kind

developed be to remains It

whether the two are distinct or identical."

Thus

far

Jung

Stilling.

Quite recently I became

of the existence of Rosicrucian

Lodg

in

this

country

obtained

much

and Fraternity, the information concerning

ParaSeven following the publish to privileged have been


the of practice exoteric the graphs, concerning

Temple

THE ROSICRUCIANS,
ARE. THEY WHAT AND WHO
Honor, Manhood, Goodness,

TRY.
I.

The Rosicrucians

body of good
Charter, deriving

and
its

working under a Grand Lodge

power

Third Supr
Order, and the last (claiming justly of
the

New

Atlantis Isle, nearly ten thousand years anterior to

the days of Plato), and as a

Grand Lodge, having

jurisdiction

Islands the and America, North of continent over the entire


of the Sea.

The Grand Lodge, and Temple, grant

charters

and lodges subsidiary organize or found to dispensations and


temples, anywhere within the
limits of its jurisdiction.

II. All Rosicrucians are practical men,

who

believe in

Progress,

Law

and Order, and

in Self-development.

They
;

believe firmly that

God

helps those that help themselves

and they consequently adopt as the motto of the Order, the

so

BAVALKTTI
that

word TRV, and

th.-y believe

d of th ree
bridge over which

Bad
f
f,
i

to Better,

and from Better


ft

Be

n
to

poverty to wealth, and


<

power
a large society in the world, and our

III

rtitnte

ran!

bid fair to largely swell in this

land of Practical Men.

Fhere ire hundreds of


aii'i libei

men

of large culture, deep intuitions

minds,
li

who

actually languish because they

do not

it

know

other

there

being no organized body, save our

w
1
1

own, which invites such


ihip
I

men

to join its ranks

and

find the

which such

men
all

of such minds need

In our
;

such

men

find

they seek, and

more

in

our
in

rkly reunions the rarest

and best

intellects are

brought

contact, the best thoughts are elicited,

and the truest human

G
a

al

pleasure experienced
1

forasmuch, as nothing impure, igno


is

mean

or unmanly,

for

an instant tolerated under any

cir
<lu.

.instance

whatever;

while,

on the contrary, every

PI li

inre

ment

is

held out to encoura-e all that is noble, o

good
to
1

beautiful

charitable

and

manlyand
in

that

too

totally
a

unknown and unpractised

any other order

lit

of

IV.

Kv7 Rosicmcian
r

th
is

"f every other


'

I;".'

: '

the ;;

Tr
Rosicrucian

der a
::

known, and

is

the sworn brother

the wide

W(>m

^^^
In
all

in

tlj

*><*

comfort (except when

Stun
lit

ion crime r

demands of public

* ** *
social order, decency

if

jnstice,

National prosperity and

<y)

RULES OF THE ORDER.


Rosicrucian
long as he can do
his
it

81

with a clear conscience, and not violate

honor, derogate from his personal dignity, or sully his

own manhood.

In

all
life,

things worthy, one assists the other

in sickness, sorrow,

death, and the troubles and trials of

the world and society.

Each man

is

eligible to one, two,

or

* degrees

and

after once

becoming a true Rosicrucian

lm
want, either for protection in
all

that

is

just, counsel in

dim-

mi
all

of which

is

freely

rendered so long as the


!

man

remains

a worthy Dweller in the Temple

Thus the Temple ensures

its

acolytes against want, miti-

gates their sorrow, enhances their usefulness to themselves and the world, braces and sharpens their intellects,
fires their

emulation, encourages
cultivates
respect,

all

manly

effort,

assuages their
self-reliance,

grief,

their

hope,
;

strengthens

their

self

self-effort

it

frowns on

all

wrong doing, seeks to

elevate

man

in his

own

esteem, teaches due and loyal respect


;

to

woman,

the laws, society and the world

it

promotes

sta-

Manhood
the
ing,
full,

true sense

adopts
j

'

practical mottoes

and

and

rectly, does the

Temple of Rosicrucia seek


happiness in the world, within and

human
out
its walls.

V. Every

pays

and 4*

KAVALETTE
the which, for In return
information the

member has

the

one dollar.
all

a*

vantage of

Lodge may be able to procure

scientific papers, books, debates, lectures, of in the shape sciences, physical essays on the all in experiments models, is allowed he which a to sum, addition in hy, e tc phil
;

a dollars fourteen to four from ,g


1

week when

sick, pro-

he needs such aid

he

is

visited,

comforted, nursed,

,1

and, should he die, the

Temple bur

him

as a
offi-

should be buried.
r

If he dies an
children

(and every

man

is

eligible), his

widow and

proper!}

cared for by the


is

Order.*

VI. This Older


1

a school of the highest


It
is

and best knowall

the earth affords.

unlike

any and

others,
it

for,

in

addition to being a
iii

Mutual Protection Society,

reaches

out

far hi

and nobler aims

only a

few, very few, of

which
printed

are
to

alluded to in this hand-book,


sai

which

is

merely
Rosi-

much explanatory talk on the part of

eracian

who

are being continually


the said

importuned for informaits

Order
;

One of

main

objects

to a

ehool of

Men

to

make men more

useful

by

re

daring them
fore
pier

tronger,

more knowing, therefore

there

As

Rosicrucians

we recognize

the

immense

enactment of laws looking


P

><"*

for the

alii* of

members when

sick,

a*d

wb-co wui

to their burial
fees

when

dead,
time.

be secured by the
latos

payment of additional
of
life

from time to
**>.

J! T ZZ1

ufl

S7Stm

CertttiD

*"'

nt to

mt

maintain them in comfort,

insurance f ue
a

*.

**

***>

~m

to their famUies at death

but not in luxury or idleness.

The

THE
value
sistency

SECiiET OF SUCCESS.

Sympathy, Encouragement, Emulation and


Nil mortalibus, arclum

est,

THERE

IS

NO DIFFICULTY TO HIM WHO TRULY WILLS


or great
I,

Whatever of good

man

has ever done,


if

may

still

be accomplished by you and


so,

my

brother,

we

only think

and

set

about in right good earnest, and no mistake.


the omnipotence of will
1

TRY

We
man

and we

declare practically, and


strate, the will of

by our own achievements demonand all-conquering


this

to be a supreme

force

when once

fairly

brought into play, but


for

power

is

only negatively strong


sonal ends;

when exerted
it is

merely

selfish

or per-

when or wherever

called into action for

good

ends, nothing can withstand its force.

Goodness

is

Power

wherefore
will,

we take

the best of care to cultivate the normal


it

and thus render

a mighty and powerful engine for


a true Rosicrucian, for he

Positive

Good.

You cannot deceive

soon learns

how to read you through and

through, as

if

you

were a n

a Rosier

ician

only,

nor can

it

be had through any other


its

means

atever.

The Temple teaches

acolytes

how
;

to reto

build this regal faculty of the

human

soul

it

the will

how

strengthen, purify, expand, and iutensify


first results

and one of the

observable after a

man

has become a true Rosi-

crucian,

is

that his vanity grows smaller by degrees, and


is

beautifully less; for the first thing he fully realizes

that

all

he knows would probably


all

make

quite a large book, but that

he does not

know would make

a book considerably larger,

84

KAVALETTE.

learn. to himself sets d he therefore

Where

there's a wifl

getting rid of self-conceit, the after and the* man mental in stature by imperceptible increasing himself a way
;
fi

lations,
h

and

finds himself

a learned

man by a
is

process
neither

he cannot fairly comprehend,


itecl

and one which

or

known

outside of the Temple.


ii

A
I

consequence of travelling on this royal road to knowthe Rosicrucian soon learns to despise the

weakness

kedness, not

pool

into his ear,

by reason of any long-faced cant being but because he finds out practically
that

ar M

manhood and
meanne
iave
wall

virtue are safe investments, while

badness or

wit
t
1

It is the

testimony of
its

become true Rosicrucians, that within


is

symbolic
cr

there

a deeply mysterious influence for

good pervad-

itmosphere, under which every


<

man

of the Order beintensified in


'

m<
I

")

rapidly but normally individualized

and

character,

m
I

manhood, and influence.

nf

:;::;;

ga.n admission by reason of Lis eminence he may not be a MAH , . titIe fer others on the earth
' '

The doors of our Lodges are never closed against the h noraw or a man n0 r ca n any . P0 ; wielder : of an empire sceptre
.

^
;

aon

<

nn

and
\

^
his

for
1

ar

Bed by
nei

nobler than any other

We
lj
,

to

i/iri
f,

Rosicrucians are proud of

for

and reeno-ni Cognize


that

we are a Brotherhoo -"^iu^khood of

manhood as the tru*

Men

in

gt

H w
g

man

highest

te e
(i

o'

to the

iJS

who kD t WS the most >


and noblest
uses,

heDCe We honor *'

cnitivai

highest

Puts his know-

.
,

not

toward

few

A GOOD RULE.

85

for garden great world's the in field but in any brother G-od great one the ? brethren ? Does not doors our enter can man No and love is ? Even manly to put unless riches, for wealth, his by reason of

detrimental

-bad

positively injurious

No man

polit fame, his of reason by doors r our

man's a with do to The Order has nothing

politics or relig

and

it

matters not what

creed

is,

so long as he

MAN. with

The Baptist

is

Baptist a as not but welcome,

and
no poll

men

of all other faiths

No

religion,

no

faith,

their will nor platform, discussed from our

duction be tolerated
creeds,

moment.

We

accept

men

of

morals,

sound manhood, decency, outrage as except such Mormons, Lovers, Free as such order, and public
;

feather that of and birds

enter person such nor can any

nr ranks, no matter
place

who

he

may

be, or

how

high in fame or

No man
we ask

son

<

his poverty, for

reaby Temple our is barred out of king often are beggars physical

mind
and
i

All

or seek

man

is

honor, honesty,

once meet Rosicrucia of Lodges the Usually news thoughts, courtesies, exchange hear lectures,

week
;

to

listei

debate guests, invited to

science, art, in questions

and philo
;

sophy

investigate
cultivate

to other each strengthen and inform to mutually and na" proper a of subjects all any and

that manly

spirit

and

chivalric

bearing which

well entitles

man. a called be then possessor to

These

Rosicrucia of things few of the good and knowledge obtaining for facilities Our us. sock uvn

We

seek

BAVAXETTE
86
be conceived

ST
lasted

of

Kolucia

felt yet never

the^ssnre

of an

e,

exehequer,

mil never probably and

But *

this last

1m

yet Institution the ; abont thing commendable e least its chest has therefore and purposes, ood for

oney
I

Bupplied.

the respecting information essential other All

obtained be can Order

there that seen It will be

is

yet I here, magical nothing


tell

conld members the bnt donbt do not


they chose.

strange stories

if

means no by but Many,

all,

Hermeand Alchemists the

Brothersecret vast that of acolytes were tic Philosophers under and, ages, earliest the from thrived hood, which has
different

performed, has lands, names in different


its

is still

per-

forming
the

mission.

The members
flourished in

of this

mystic union were

Magi

of old,

who

Chaldea (Mesopotamia)
left

ages before one of their


plains,
tion.

number (Heber)

his native

and on foreign

soil

confederaHebraic the founded

They were the original Sabi and Sabeans,

who

for

long ages preceded the Sages of Chaldea.

They were

the

men who founded that Semitic


of which
in the

civilization,

the faint shade

we

find,

centuries, of avenues long having leaped


itself

mouldy records of early China,

numbering

its

years by the thousand.

Of

this great

Brotherhood sprung

Brahma, Buddha, La-otze, Zoroaster, Plato, the Gnostics,


the Essenes, and

therefore

Christ himself

who

was an

ne,

and who preached the sacred doctrines of the M<miv

ROSICRUCIA SCOPE OF

87
I
the

tain of Light.

forth bursting anon but occasionally, eclipsed epochs of the the discovered first who men the were The y again in glory deeper something was there that and Fire gnificance of umvers. the in Intellect than profounder man in Life , than come word, the illumes now light transcendant of Whatever
lit they which torches from the alone they which mountain mystic that upon Wht streameth over too, climbed, and climb, to endurance and courage hid Trisapart centuries rungs whose ladder Hermes other that and king Egypt mighty

They

the of Dreamers the were

at the Fountain

megistus,

as Priest a and brother, a adept, an was IX.), (Asclepius Adamite Prefamous that him before Zadek Malki was been have to puted who

Melchisedek, that monarch,

ages countless for lived have to and Thought, born of a that was too, Theirs, Mercurius. Greek the with And so their at and : skilled was Moses wherein learning wondrous original Nothing drank Joseph Hebrew fountain the

Entology Psychology, Philosophy, Theology, Thaumaturgy, when and world the to it gave they and Ontology, but and thoughts new gained had they Philosophers thought
old been have to them prove Order the of truths, the records have to and Chronology, of era Adamic the before

ages

been the

common

property of the adepts.


these

I have
first,

been led

emarks and explanations


settling the

for the purpose of finally

and authoritatively

throw to and Rosicrucians, the concerning question vexed


light

on that which

is

to follow.

CHAPTER
WHO WAS
said made," I

II.

HE ? WHAT

WAS

IT ?

" day, one Beverly to me

my

projected

returned had and tour,


of consummation the
in medicine of

much

wiser than I went, but

no nearer

my

chief hope.

I had begun the practice


office

an occupied and Boston, the city of

reputed to

ghosts of suntroubled the by haunted have been

dry persons
ence.

who

were there attracted


at,

by some strange
of

influ-

lanahed

and ridiculed the preten

of so called seers,
" There

who claimed

to behold these flitting gentry.

came

to

my

office

one day

it

was a very stormy

day

in <:he latter

part of the winter of the year in the spring

of which I was so neatly swindled

there came, I
thick and fast
;

repeat, on

a stormy day, when the snow


fierce

fell

when

the

wind blew, and the Frost-king was busily engaged in

putting icy manacles upon all that he could reach


consult

a lady
At

to

me upon a

case of scrofula in her child.

tkat

time

my

reputation in that specialty


;

was great

and conintro-

stantly increasing

for I

had but a few months before

duced and practised the method of treating that order of


diseases,

taught

me

in Constantinople

by the famous

sage of that metropolis

pared the materials required


I

and stood waiting for her to leave the office


As

was

anxi-

MRS.

G.,

THE "MEDIUM."

89

lent manuscripts Hieratic some ous to continue the perusal of no made She Dedham. in me that day by a lettered friend

movement indicative of leaving


to a discussion of

but instead, challenged

me

some

spiritual subject or other,


all

which chal-

lenge

I,

from an innate" horror of

strong-minded male-

feminines, respectfully declined.

She
title

called herself

my friend,
She pos-

and was,

if

sticking to one

is

to the name.

sessed all the qualities of the best adhesive plaster

it

was

impossible to get rid of her presence.

She declared that she

constantly saw, and held conversations with the dead,

and she

would then and there give a proof of her qualifications in that


direction
;

whereupon she was instantly seized with an ex-

ceedingly violent trembling, accompanied with

any amount of

spasmodic jerks and twitchings.


before,

had witnessed such things


alarmed at Mrs. Graoffice
;

and consequently did not

feel

ham's condition, but going into the rear

I procured a chair

and sat down to wait


came, were but so

for demonstrations

which,

when they

many pretty word-paintingscommonplace

counsel and advice addressed to

me by what purported

to be

my mother which
gotten her name,
this
life.

latter,

however, appeared to have for-

my

own, and when and where she departed


it

I was perfectly certain that

was not

my

mo-

and equally so that Mrs. Graham was not consciously acting the part of an impostor, and I accounted for
ther,

the phe-

nomenon on the Rosicrucian theory, then quite new to me, that she was obsessed, or possessed, by and with a distinct
individuality entirely foreign to her

own.

To my mind

the

thing

was

certain that she, like scores of thousands of others

90

KAVALETTE
bein time the for

and control absolute under the

any that of than stronger times myriad a dominion of a Will terraquethis on body a tenanted ever that being human Hying powerful, inviintelligent, perfectly ours-beings ous -lobe of is a great differenc wherein conscienceless,
lly

from

r>

" The lady came around


stated

frankly I and minutes, few


It

my

opinion to her.

was new and startling

Not
and
that

human
guileful

spiritsyet intelligent ?
It
is

An
?

intelligent thing

dreadful
?
.'

Horrible
Devils
}

What,
If so,

then,

is

Thing
they
?

Angels

No

whence come

Why ?

For what end

" These were terrible questions

and we talked about the


back
office,

matter, the lady and


fire,

I,

as
;

we

sat in the

near the

for it

was very cold

and she sat leaning on the desk

near the window, and I sat near the door between the offices,

my back nearly
to
it

touching

it.

The outer door, which opened

on the stair-landing, was closed, and a wire was so attached


that
it

could not

be.

opened, or even the latch be raised,

without touching-a spring that instantly rung a bell that was

suspended directly over


this rear office as

my

head in the rear

office.

I used
fre-

Pi

a reading-room and laboratory,

and I

quently became so absorbed in

my reading

or chemistry, that

nothing
divert

less

than the ringing of that bell would suffice to

my

attention.

"And

there

and thus we sat and talked for more than three


last

long hours.
really

The strong-minded woman's soul had at


;

been aroused

while I

oi

brought th to O

wh

THE STRANGE LITTLE OLD MAN.


face

91
tra-

my

Rosicracian

lore.

In thought and speech we

versed

of conjectural worlds and laby


last
1

of Be-

ing

until, at

Are

there, really,

any

intelligent,

but

viewless beings, other than

man,
is

in all the

broad universe
like-

I mean other than


wise
?
'

man

as he

here,

and disembodied

that's the question/ said the lady


there are
!

by the desk.
clear,

"

Of course

myriads V said a

manly voice

in the room, right straight

from the centre of the triangle

formed by the desk, the door and the southern wall of the
office
!

It
!

was not the lady who thus


It

replied to her
it

own

question

was not I who spoke

nor, strange as

after-

wards appeared, did the circumstance strike


of the
hesitation,

being

And,

therefore, without

I rejoined to the observation of the speaker,

whom

I subsequently remember to have observed


looking, scrawny, shrivelled little old
possible little sharp grey eyes.

was a thin, strange-

man, with the queerest


looked half frozen, and

He

acted

so, for

he advanced toward some shelves and proceeded

very leisurely to

warm

his

hands over

my

laboratory furnace

between the door and

The lady appeared


6

prised than myself at the inexplicable presence of this


intruder.
1

'

am

not

sure of that/ I

splied

words uttered by the strange old man


that there are such beings in ex
j

answer to the
.'I

am
Good

"

'

Then you're a greater

fool than I

took you for

evening V

And

he moved slightly toward the door

which

my

chair firmly stood.

KAVALETTE
f, T I for yet
*

..

Don't go

want you y
t

lady. the said to explain,'

ong he think you Don,

J^
moment

especially

in her eyes

that at manner extraordinary

I think he

o tlns^e us leave not and statement, his pr0TC t0 her spoke, she as And, cruel
It
is

certainty

positively

and fastened
riveted together

it

as

if

glanc encountering the

flashed only is that soul the in u There must be some magic fix so glance her did why else occasions, rare forth on very end the At stir not ? could I that seconds

my

aze for ten

raising and, ended, fascination the time of space that of


eyes, I
'*
'

my

answered
!

Certainly

he ought

explain
<

and, of course/ said

I,

turning towards the


self,

man

of course,

you

will explain your-

and

>

ther

Not

even a sign that he had


utterly

been

He

had disappeared, gone,

vanished not

through the window, for that was


to the ground, besides which
for
it

feet seventy of fall clear a

down nailed securely been had

over four monthsnot through the door, for


it
1

my

chair

aud back were against


u

Mrs.

Graham
*

fainted,

and

fell

prone upon the floor

*
early that

" I lived in Charlcstown, and reached


evening.

home rather
1

Not that I was

frightened.
office
;

Oh, no

but because home


bitterly

seemed cheerier than the

for the

weather was

MASS. CHARLESTOWN.
>

93

Cold and

were storm-spirits the


;

revels tempestuous holdinghigh,

I!
g

bay the and common

aud ever aud,

shivethe as auou,

sharp the turued aud along, jogged pedestrian


is literally

corner^
than

what

aud emphatically, aud


side-ways, aud

in

more

sense*

city angular one, the most

me the blasted world, the in


all

around him

th

him

headed he way which matter no time, of moment blessed same her way every blows snow-storm
for

face, the in square

a Boston

corner the around due north, the over north-west,


street the of middle

it is

you behind south-east,

it

way
it

it

and up, straight blows

in the

blows straight down.


True, there

work hard was It

that myhome to miles four travelling the


footed wearily to be

mvht

had step every for

one remembers ever Boston iu man no but were street cars, everybut wanted was it most when way right the oiug s upon bent is everybodv when condng, scores find body can
;

gM

and home, reached last at I walk, " Well after a perilous tea aud toast of supper comfortable my to down sat dadly wrote I where parlor little same parlor-the little in my snug which it, publish to money of loan and received the

my book

by of deprived afterwards was money I world. the upon loose went ever as souudrel a of as great cosy aud warm how oh, aud 1 outside " Oh how it stormed
was the
yself
little

the financial

acumen

snug harbor

which

had

just

moored

of cup second It was the

orange pekoe
iu

it

was, for I
all

had bouht
tea

it

of a Chinaman
lt

Boston, who knew

about

I that toast of slice

was

discussing, along

M
im loud a came there suddenly when *l*r pap^ a*iW ..... tn th:lt withiaydj f an of that to imilar )Oi nrivi d Hi.
\ 1
,

hurry
(i
1

P
or
l l;i ,i

.y
ill,

ieri

nt.
I

who
had

tl.

wen taken
But

that
asi

nt

'-

wt

irishmen!
if

when
n<

in

vMloneet*
|,,'!'l'

he b

II"

iiajre thi
I

tlie

my
truck
itid

\ou< little old

man
ame
come

It

\\;'

tln

who had

fir>t

per*."
an

ai
,lv,

and who had induced


causing her to
the
tbrh;i

,n

r
i

an

M
1

[ted in
in

diamatic
.

pi

ti

same that
and

nl

90

to premature grai
I'l

m-nd ih"
lit"

i>aii'l>

more.
laimed
ht
I

'*

m;in advanced

lire,

and

VVI
ii
!

this guest your and you caused


1

aftor-

ii

ha

raa
t.
'

capital was
:

it

not

\:,.l

again he laugh

thia

time in a

manner and with


dis-

win.
jan
t

had
1
i

it

not
old

l>een

for the

immense physical

P
in

have sworn was that of the Italian


supposition

int
in

Pan

But

this

was hardly

possible.

Thi

d b

was so decidedly human, that, by a rapid


jnsr

M
aid
*

prel
ni
If

induction, I concluded that

Mrs. Graham

had been victimized for sport by one


)f

who was

mas

the
I

mi ^meric art.

This hypothesis was

piausibl
bell
;

iilv

could not account for the non-ringing

and the idea seemed at that time quite prenie

at

u\

could successfully magnetize the clap-

LIFE PERPETUAL SECRET OF

95

per of a bell
did
it

Neither afterwards. more I learned

this that seem quite reasonable


all.

man

had, before

ing the office

of sense our upon power exerted his

deaf. us rendering hearing,

ery Y with sententiously, rather To his remark I replied, was it snch if joke, his fancy not did I for more, no and said no manners, good of lack decided his nor brusquerie, nor his
'

>

'

his

rude speech

in fact,

I did not fancy

anythin g about him

despised, or hated Not that he was

uui uvvwww

made that him about something


and caused me

my

verVflesh creep again,

shrink instinctively to

from his contact. the of points cardinal It is well known that one of the through prolonged be can life bodily that is belief Rosicrucian

whole ages

different

ways

first,

by means of
will alone.

Elixir of Life; secondly,


first

by means of mere

In the

age

second the in but age accompany ; youth and case beauty secret This apparent all along the
is

and the processes


in

1605

and

all

Rosicrucian degenerate a by were revealed great that aware are medicine students of
of it in later times

by a French phy

named As

jfll.

demonpublicly to undertook This writer


it

laying life-prolonging, of art the strate and teach


positively, that

down

man

is

any that rather or immortal, literally


if

given

man
;

alive could,

he choose, utterly laugh

and

defy death

that he need

not, if so disposed, ever die. if

used sufficient
his

prudence, and

forcibly

and constantly exerted

that direction.

Asffill

used to complain of
it

cowardly practice of dying, considering

a mere

trick,

and

ALETTE V RA 96
unnec
us*
t

ary
1

bit.

The

0Ids

tell

us that

al

men
and I

both

to perpetu

existence,

tl. aliffbt

doubt that

it

has been

pted and

^ ro P

ar>

Ul , withered
1

..a uxrp mft me, wreck before

it

struck inc tha


indefi

he

v\

wr.-tcl.es those of "tie A

attained had who

n Of

nec< a as and, method, second by the


lost all
lire

y
d

qiKMH-e
\r\\(

had
I

feelin

flashed possibility the aj shuddered

upon

,,..

lie

m ion,
I

aud

his curled scorn ineffable a smile of

lip

as he did

abandoned

my

notion

through way their plod they as things observe who Peopta study, a soul human the made all at have who and thr world, nameless certain a is there aware that

made been hsm oftei


.

something that

with that man, a comes over


his inner soul

tless elo-

anew
some

perroades

approaches danger some that

h
when calm

disaster impends over him

Ther
blos-

are times,

reigns all

around him, and peace


is

soms
is

in his

heart, that he suddenly

apprised that Calamity

flapping

nebuterrible the through her way toward him


of the Future.

lous
this

doom

Many a man and woman

has

felt

such feeling, some such horror-form

seemed hovering, cowering, crawling near me, and preparing


to seize

upon and fang

my

the of presence the in very soul,


It

queer

little

man

at

my

side.

was a mixed

feeling of guilt

and dread, and yet no guilt was mine.


robbed,
lied,

I had not cheated,

to

my

best friend.

had not fared sumptuously

every day on the proceeds of villainy;


did imt dre
3

my wife and

daughter!
V

in

purple and fine linen,

bought with the mon

THE LITTLE MAN NOT A GHOST.


ed from a poor
fine piano,

97
I

any man
full

had not a

and parlors

of guests enjoying Sands thus gotfine

ten

nor had I driven fast and

horses of
child

my

own, fed

and fattened on the money of a man whose


very

was at that

moment

struggling, gasping, choking in the clutches of

grim death for want of bread and medicine.


were those who did
girl attests it
all this

True, there

and the corpse


;

of a pretty little
?

but

I did not
that,

why then
I

should I be afraid
in

There

is

no answer to

and yet

was

dread.

"After saying 'Very!'

I spoke no more, but striving to

repress the horror creeping over me, I tried to look as indig-

nant as possible, which he was not slow to observe


approached, slapped

for he

me

familiarly on the back, poured out


rusk,

and drank a cup of tea and ate a

which settled the

question as to his being no ghost; then he dropped carelessly


into

my

easy-chair,

rubbed

his little

perked -up nose with

his

thin, little, bluish-pale fingers,

and throwing himself forward,


face,

so as to look right up into

my

he laughed heartily, and


:

then bawled out, rather than sung, at the top of his voice

11

The storm howls

drearily,
:

Let vou and

I live cheerilv

And

we'll study things that

never were known.

I've

come from the West,

To

see the

man

that I like best.


all

Don't think I'm

depravity

Tm
And

in

search of the centre of gravity-

you'll find out the Philosophers'

Stone/

BAVALETTE
]

he

out hw-t again

into

one of

the

wildest

ever that laughs iu d ridiculous


h
1 -

fell

mortal

I that doggerel tched


t
;

had just heard was beneath


singer,

an d

little

did

know of the
were to

and

that those lines


a rd

me

the most import

degrees, imperceptible and by


;

my

prejud

b,
,

m
't

to w;uu
Ml (1

variety of sub upon a him with conversed


f(

maintained during four long


for if

hour
lv

perl

my

y serves
s

me

was

cIctcd o'clock

when he arose fron

seat,

shook me
call

ally

he said hand, the by


hen

was goin

promised to
then, ope

again

<

ted to serve

me/ and

the

most fierce and the of one of midst the into out doors, passed
shores of Boston the desolated ever that vindictive tempests

Bay

singular thing

was

this

in the

depth of winter,
himself,

this

refused steadily to speak


clad in

the very thinnest

summer raiment, not having enough

even for a northern June,


a

much

less for

such fearful weather

prevailed on the night of that 4th of


the glass in

February

a night

when

Boston told of cold twenty degrees below


nineteen lower

New Hampshire

ght

titter

that

many and many a man went to

eternity, borne

tiiither

on the frosty pinions of the Ice-king.


all it is

'

After

a man, and mesmerism furnishes a key


;

to

all this

seeming mystery/ thought I

and with

this consoling
all

supposition I

went to bed, and there reproduced

that

lie

MIAKUS.

99
was
said in regard

had

said or done.

Now,

although
little,

little

to himself, yet,

from that

an was he that I gathered


is

Armenian by

birth, that his

which Miakus, was name

the

Fire. of Priest for ancient Chaldaic

He

told

me

this as

he

bent

down

to kiss a sweet

little

prattling Cora, and

said that

and children, of fond he was very engageq busily was chair, her in seated who, the little fairy, appeared, it who, kitten, culprit a to law
in laying

so particularly felt

toward

down

the

had been guilty of

leze

majeste to her Christmas

doll.

After

his from produced Miakus bed, to sent the child had been

bosom

seven about and wood, a key, the and locked, It was deep.*

olive or rose of apparently case, flat square, a little half a and two by across inches
silver one,

hung by a

neck. his round watch-chain steel ordinary an to golden clasp lay it where bureau, the man laid this case upon

The

little

undisturbed, although
there was
It
i

it

became

clear to

me

that his business

in

some way

myself. and box that with associated

was

air his that clear equally

was more than half assumed,


surface, great

and

that, in spite of his

nonchalance and brusque

writer any for by accounted fairly aud fully yet never . It Is a singular fart, ol persons numerous been have there world the of ages known all in that merely not have who nationalities, and classes creeds, a possibie religion, the through come, to and present, past, things, pretended to see curious *." of bit coai, of lamp crystal, a of 'instrumentality ri.rf they that proved unequivocally and absolutely have who but agent, such before them to unknown wholly things related have actually so see, for they t abo especally book a pubiished have and myself, mirror, hese use eatl.hcd am and uses, their and Mirror) Magic the or, i tSEEBSKIF slightthe without and better and quicker n b. reached ea,.ly are mirrors Good Mesmerism. from results danger, as often adSee hereof. writer the address them, require as such Let obtained.

"

Lm
1

7^Z

volume. the of end dress at the

RAVALETTE
100
hPneath i beneatn trouble reigned
u,

spoke he as for, occasionally,


,

eadem melancholy
that,

and plaintive
;poke
if
I

w; _ modulation
.

in his

tones

to

practised

not of a breaking

injur deeply of one most


ircums
effected

and bereaved. This


life,

me much,

for,

through

I have been
in

grieved w one
joy.

grief, in those with


little,

and joyed with those

Then, after a

he told

me

that one of his objects

ysteries of

how

to

construct the magic

which

and talk see space, through glance could majority of persons unerring an have few, a save and in all things,
with the dead,

guid

through

life.

Said he

I have

such a curious look

perhap and box, yonder

and perhap
The
the
fact
is,

you
I feel

may

test its

you. leave I before qualities

clay, all so been have down-hearted,

and

all

more because

which, of fool, a you calling by propre 1 hurt your amour


for. apologize not do I course,

It struck

me

that I would take


infrin

without you, with chat to weather advantage of the

might learn you possibly, that, and business, your ing upon
som> hing and I find relief in teaching you, and. thus with-

draw us both

for a time
'

from the great Failure

'

by which he
I

meant the world.

am weary

of myself, the world, philo-

sophers and philosophy.

There's nothing

good but magic


;

You have been a


bitious to

fool while striving to

be wise

and are am-

know what you have hitherto merely imagined/


took the case, laid
it

"

He

rose,

on the table between

us,

and, while playing with the key, continued


desire

'

If

you

really

to pierce

through the gloom that palls the human

THE MAGIC MIRROR.


senses,

101
and
passions,

you must abandon

all

human

loves
;

most
de*

especially all that relates to

woman
and

for

woman's love

stroys

in the very

moment of man's
life,

victory over her, she

triumphs
h

he

yields his

offers

up existence

itself

on

Is it not so ?
?

D
is

every man's experience corroborate this


alone,
lost in

Strong as iron

no sooner does he reach the goal of love than he


a sea of weakness, lethargy, deadness
!

Bah

avoid
|

woman.
prices.

You want
God

high knowledge, and must pay high

gives nothing

he

sells all
is

and he who would

have must purchase, and the price


Its
life is

suffering.

So with

love.

bought with the coin of death.

Woman is like the

ivy vine mantling round

some hoary tower, and the more you

are ruined the closer she clings, and the closer she clings the

more you are ruined


tive.

Listen.

No

one acts without a moit is

I have one with regard to yourself, and


It so
in it

selfish

one.

happens that the possessor of the magic mirror


all

can

behold
;

other horoscopes but his own, beyond a

certain point

and, if he would

know

it,

he must consult

other seers.

Now,

there are

certain

beings in existence

whose future cannot be read except by certain persons


specially constituted.

You

are one of the latter, I

am

one

of the former

and such as we only meet at the beginning


eras.

and the end of epochs and


I will present

The present

is

one of these.

you with the mirror when you have done me

this favor

I will teach

you the art of

their construction

and

I will give

you a verbatim copy of the answers you

shall
its

make

to the questions I shall ask you

while gazing in

10
deptha

BAVALETTE.
never yet that word a To this I pledge this purpose For that

and an oath
have

for the houi waiting patiently year., for yon Bowed

dawn
thin
re essential.
,itl>,

To
1st,

thinff I

That,

in

a perfectly pure state of

mind,
,t,

intent,

and morals, you gaze into the

gla

2d

while doing so, you

make no
assail y

leepfnl influences that


influence

may

will
i

myself by in any assisted nor mesmeric, not be

vi. but

the sacred slumber of

Sialam Boaghiee, which can

only be enjo\ d once in a per


>ns

hundred years, and then only by

who

are singularly constituted as

you are

whose

vein- are filled with the

minded blood of

all

the nations that

rung from the loins of the Edenic protoplast, the Biblical

Adam, and who, temperamentally, and


v
\-,

in all other respects,

are perfectly neutral.

Certain great advantages will


that are unattainable
;

accrue to you from this concession

without
to the old

From
life

this

slumber you will awaken doubly


;

first,

without
life

and, second, to another

and a

fuller

though stranger
in

within,

and to the power of comprehending


lie

numerable mysteries that

enshrouded in dim regions

far

beyond the ken of ordinary


prehend your dr
the Light, the Tower,

Dreamer
!

you

shall

Rosicrucian

you

shall

comprehe

and the Flame, and where Artcfius


shall

and Zimati

failed

you

find success

It

is difficult, if

not impossible, to either over-rate the

advantages to be derived
to, or to define

by the possession of the power I allude


characterize
it in

and

words, mainly for the reason that, although

DOME. THE OF DOOR THE


well out stands idea the

103

marked

mind, the before and distinct

symbols or terms no has speak you yet the language which


adequate to
.

its *

naming or expression
e.
+v,ri.>if

for, at best,

words are

nrl

tin

more show the beauty


Chris

display

superlative glories of the

human

form.

The

soul that sleeps this

which gate a through slumber passes

century, a in once save enter, cannot dead privileged even the people positive for neutrality, of reason by only and then grave, the side either on billion the by counted are to be
1

million ten them outnumber negative people

indeed. rare very heat, cold neutrals are, like


shall yet assist each other.'

I trust

we

" Now,
hastily

had, two

hours before, on seeing

him eat and drink,


little

abandoned

my

the regarding hypothesis ghostly

queer old man.

so and strangely, so talked he But now, as of the

grandly indicated the Door

Dome

of

all

possible

human

him wrapped that mystery knowledge and attainment, the


changed
its

gloom ten-fold a in him enveloped character, but

so dense, and thick more grew and shadow, that continually and eating, his for but that, indeed, much so,
exand seen had myself beside house several persons in the should certainly him, I touched and speech with

changed

have doubted the evidence of

my

senses,

and

set the

whole

thino- down, from the scene in the office

till

his departure, to

the account of a disturbed imagination.

There was a some;

thing unearthly about

his voice

and manner

and once, when


in

came thigh right his of part the.upper he turned his chair,

104

RAV ALETTE.

watched it there I and stove, red-hot the with contact direct the smoke and of fire, its the by ruined was chair the until
varnish and
seat fairly filled

the room, and yet he was not

burned, but coolly

for the door the smoke to opened and rose


his seat as if

resumed then and escape,


happened
;

nothing whatever had

the course of the in times eventhree or two and,


felt

ing I not only

a chilly atmosphere proceed from him, but

thin, his parchment-like beneath skeleton his distinctly saw


skin,

as

if

but the thinnest integument had been loosely


it

thrown over

to hide

its

naked deformity by some mouldy


to expiate its offences

of the grave,

doomed

by again
Could
it

walking the earth with embodied


be that I had struck the truth,

human

beings.

and that

this mysterious

Miakus was

in reality

such a vampire as

we read of

in

German

story ?"

CHAPTER

III.

OF ELIXIR THE AND CHEMISTRY

LIFE.

Marvelling," said Beverly,


tory
11

continuing his wonderful

day the of events strange Marvelling on the

and

to retired I before, said night, as

my

chamber, but not to

mornin

came to me

an experience that in some

respects totally
life.

of character and current the changed

my

These
Cyn-

* world the to given since long Thotmor,' thia and

On
to the

repaired night, I eventful this following the morning


office

of a reputed to be Philosophi

more
his office.

near
awhile,

With him I conversed


a
real

and by him was


I

introduced to

thinker,

whose name,
other

think,

was

Blood. After smoking

in his labora-

tory, I repaired to Nichols', the chemist,

made a few

pur-

chases,

and forthwith went to


it

my

office.

"

Now,

had I previously sometime that happened so

purchased a chemical apparatus, conducting


secretly,

my

experiments

and mainly after twelve at night

for the pujpose

of repeating

La

Briere's great experiment for the removal of

* See the

book called " Dealings with the Dead."

5*

106
the
B

i d few

M
ux
r
|

properties of
H
'

Protozone without
qi
tliti

its re
1

il

had ex

V
mm

1!

?
''it

h
I

at a c
(

3t

almost ruin
that
1

mp
*

r-tlll
r '_

^
e
I

an invincible
I

nvietion

i i

m
lima:

>rld, insl

ad of
Q
js

wlw

burst an arterj
i

at
rh,
fulfill
I

bavin
fitir

mad aboul
ion
1

wn
1

oun
pro<

irt

li

of

and many
the
'

man,
j.

lik

myself,

had

it!

s<

and
1 1
i

an the enormous fortune


-,

in

ill

I*

surn
m<

but hitherto
it

in vain.

The
had pr
I

perin
In

was
hj
Dtioii

import

one.

Churchill

-d

hi

>ho>phi1

and they had lamentably


at this mine,
.

of the in
ided
I

hence, in workin
her

had

a\

In

and

formate,
privat

uce
.

felt,

would

>nh
i:

my own
to
tl

practic

but would be of

nlable
h;

m
as

lical

prof

ion,

and

still

more

to

large ela
re

of per

who by over mental

exertion,
pas-

8^

intdl

and sedentary occupations, and by


th
li

sional

and

nprud at exc
\

es.

had deprived themselves


;

the wine of
a

by draining Themselves of nervous force


=s,

me

-piritl

semi-insane,

gloomy, and despondent.


in

Such a d
pr
ssion

very I

knew would place


but perfectly

the hands of the

true, positive,

harmless

nervine

brain stimulant, invi orant and tonic.


*
rth all the time, trouble,

It was, therefore,
it,

and expense I devoted to

for

it

would be one of the best things medical science had yet given
to the 9
,rld.

EXPERIMENT GREAT A
It had Ion- boon demonstrated
:

107

1st.

That Protozone

and nerves, bones, abounded in the That 2d. brain. human the in body, but especially the in quantities large in present tozonc wa invariably analysis and killed, been had who men brains of healthy analyzed thus brain the as invariably and made thereafter ambihigh-toned fine-strung, intellectual, was that of an was proportion Justin person, spiritual tious, executive, or while remains their in found protozone of volume the comparahad brutal and coarse, ignorant, the low, the proved been had It 3d. them. in protozone little
; ;

tissues of the

human

tively

to people old to protozone of administration that in the those to advice private seek who patients the class of ... iably
; ;

health, restore to only not seemed and as u revivifier, tone and rejuvenate to but body, the to fire strength, and

up the mind to
while insanity,

activity and power its pristine strength, causeless and brain-softening, idiotcy,
;

of ratio the in terror, disappeared

its

exhibition, for one-

om
om
stry
tissues the with assimilate would at once

the system, and

for thirty years

med
It

and

fluids.

had not succeeded."


I

True,

La

Briere had, but then his

named had he what ced


u I tried
its

my
d

then several physi-

was

tried

upon pa-

108
to

RAVALETTE.
justified in crying

hang a doubt od, that I was perfectly


I

Eureka

'

This preface

is

essential to the understanding

of what follows.
before

Now

it

so happened,

a few days

saw Mrs. Graham, that I had placed about

four pounds of protozone, together with about five times


that weight of other materials, in a strong glass vessel,
in a

sand-bath, ready for the production of, perhaps, one


;

quart of the precious medicine

and the

first

thing I did,

on entering
gas beneath
rich

my
it.

office

from the dentist's, was to light the

For a few minutes I stood watchino- the and beautiful scarlet and purple vapor as it rose and
neck of the retort, and the Ion & & Ading to the condensing apparatus. While thus

led through the

pipes

1<

intently engaged, I

was suddenly
!

startled
!

by the

excla-

mations,

'

Careless fool

Look out

Run

'

Mechanically
ely

I obeyed, leaped into the outer office,

and had

lone so, than there occurred


tort

a loud explosion.
fragments, shatter

The
the

had burst into a mi

and apparatus into fine pieces, and scattering some pounds of ignited chemicals upon the floor Her trouble But not to the speal for, quick as light
he tore the carpet off the office floor, and hurled it, chem icals and all, into the snow-drifts in the yard below, which

soon melted under the intense blaze of that almost quenchless fire, until, having consumed itself, nothing but a white

smoke was
in-

left to tell

the danger I

and the house had been


I turned to see

The
it

fire

out,

and

my fright subsided,

who

was that had so opportunely saved me, and found the little old man smiling and smirking before me.

THE ELIXIR OF LIFE.


"

109
same time cor-

What

is it

you, then

I asked, at the

dially extending

my hand toward
it is
!'

him.
it,
'

"'I

rather think
it

said he, grasping

and very

lucky for you

along happen to chanced I was that

"

'

So early

in the

morning,

Just after break of day,'

continuing the v ~~ Enigma, said and suns: " o

'

You

are not an

overwise chemist,
pect, either that

my

dear doctor, else you would never ex-

Protozonic gas could reach the condenser,


that a glass retort, already

with

the stop-cock shut, or

cracked, would long resist the immense pressure of the accu-

mulating and continually heating vapor.


turned Hermetist and Alchemist

I see
like

you have
!

Rosierucian
else

and that

you are determined to blow yourself up, or


"

Find out the

'lixir Vitae,

Or stumble across the Philosophers'

Stone,'

and the
the

little

old

man

clapped his hands and danced about


glee.
'

room
'

in the

most exuberant
he,

"

But,

my

friend/ said

as

constant trying means

eventual success, I have not the slightest doubt but that


will yet
for,

you
;

become a very you the

rich

man, as well as a long-lived one


this

to

tell

truth,

you have come nearer

mornfor
in

ing to compounding the Elixir of Life

that very Elixir


For
instance
:

which Philosophers have toiled during thousands of years,


vain

than

any man that ever

lived.

had

110
you placed a
of the
fifth
fi

RAVALETTE.
quantity of eleraentos in the retort
third,

less

more

and

and

of the second, fourth, and

the addition and of heat, slower a with ingredients


of

and you

and one of

mentionin
the water of per

ould have, indeed,

made

petual youth and health


rifles the juices,

wonderful chemic which pu


clarifies

removes obstructions,

the

fluids,

and

renders man
to all
injury.

physically invulnerable to
life,

miasmas and disease

things destructive to

except, of course, material


?

What

d'ye think of that


:

Ha

ha

1'

and again he

burst out in a roaring squeak


t
4

I'll

discover the centre of gravity,

You'll find out the Philosophers' stone.'

" It has been the habit of tke wiseacres of this world to


deride the idea that
it is

possible to

make gold
is

to laugh

in
it,

face of the notorious fact that nature

constantly making
all

and that, too, of gasses in the earth, as


souls, are

things

else,

save

made.

It has been fashionable to laugh at the

idea of of

compounding a material capable of freeing the system


gross and clogging impur
life
;

all its

the

only friction to

the wheels of
strengthen,

a mixture which would exhilarate, purify,

and supply to the body the chemical and dynait is

mic forces of which

constantly being robbed.


;

But

these

wise people will have done laughing by-and-by


ust it

not by any

be thought that

I,

for a

moment, entertained

the silly

of the alchemists and false Rosicrucians

of finding a material

which when brought into contact with

SIALAM. OF SLEEP THE


would change them
into gold

Ill

We of this century

knowing

for that

from discover to hoped nor that I

wonderful that suggestions, man's old the the application of possible it believe did I but since awhile alluded to
fluid
;

that

when that draught a I could compound


What,
]

quaffed would

that until believed and nature, repair the waste of

moment,

found had I Phymyle that in


ishment when
the wierd old

it.

then,

was

my
that I

man

whispered in

my ear my

ceivable coi success grandest the stood upon the brink of


in all but was secrets of Secret that the grand

grasp

To

describe

my

sensations at that

moment
told

is

impossible,

and

the more so because the old

man

me

the whole process

and constituents.
"

What

cared I even

if it

was necessary

for

me

to

go to

Jerusalem, and gather the precious seeds of a

fruit that
?
.

grows upon

its

walls,

wherewith to prepare the water

In

other years I did go, and the treasured seeds are mine.

In that awful moment of success I blessed the old


internally

man and

vowed that

in return I
;

would read

his horoscope,

and sleep the sleep of Sialam


soul gratified
?

for

was not the

desire of

my
?

Why

then should I not return the favor

" Such, in that tumultuous

moment, were
'

my

thoughts.
to

Soon I became calmer, and then,

How came the. old man


V
l

know

the materials that were being used

Perhaps he saw
the contents of

the fumes, and thus

knew them

!'

But how of

the condensing-chest through which the vapor the purpose of nullifying


its

was forced
no

for

injurious qualities ? for

living

human being had

seen

me compound

or place them there.

RAVALETTE
112

HW

was being

r i
"of

for purpose the know , to of the aware become ' he haa had How

which

this

compound

hop* the dream,

my

soul,

of purpose the fixed


.

my

life

years wearisome and durin- long subject the. envelop to but served queries Ill these he passmg were they while and mystery ; of robe deeper a

_
t

rithed

the upon out and upward, and curled

air,

thr

igh

he broken panes.

" It was very, very singular

In a

little

while the wreck

cleared

the old

out went I and day, that again call to left me, promising and carpet, another glazing, some apparatus, order new It returned I which of patients ; after

number

about three o'clock,


Miakus, true to his

long been not had and I

before

word, came also."

CHAPTER, IV.
MIRROR. MAGIC THE
Let me
you need
which,
if
it.

give you
First,

Miakus, said advice/ of a piece

'

for

a to secret any intrust never

friend,

disgrace. or trouble bring revealed, would

Never
right or
fighting,

interfere in

a brawl or quarrel,
;

no matter who
its

is

who wrong

but always

let

the world do

own

while you stand

by

to avail yourself of
;

any advantage that

chance

may

disclose

and

lastly,
it.

keep what you know until


will test

there shall
glass,'

be a market for

Now we

our magic

and forthwith

office,

which by

that time had been refitted, so far as glass and carpet were

concerned.

M In his hands he bore the rose- wood box, which he laid

upon the
silken

table, while,

by the aid of four

gimlets, he fixed a

screen, or curtain, entirely across

the room, having

previously closed the shutters to exclude every ray of daylight

from the apartment.


That,' said he
'

"

'

is

a magic screen.
Well, this
is

You have
you

seen a

magic-lantern exhibition.
without the lantern.
I

to be a similar one,
see,

now open
which
is,

this box, as

and

take from
plates of

it

this mirror, glass,

as

you observe, merely two

French

with strips of

wood around
118

their

1U
.

BAVALETTE
ha if
apart, inch an

and so tbat a

fluid

flienl

llrln
.

them

sbatl

not escape.

Nothing depends
but
is.

for
.11

Z
*

glasses the or curtain, the box, the either upon r


ir_|

o;a KotwApn them, which


color,

as

the upon depends

a of perceive, >u
it,

dark brown

but
."
."

at a distahce,

inky to the eye.


this

I now hang

ring the sewed to hook, this mirror by

".

closing Then and screen. the of edge central upper the to chairs for two you these place I thus, doors, the locking both and place reflector it this take Then I

and

Uo

sit

upon.

in jet gas the r

such a manner

as to

throw a strong

light

circular perfectly a

and

brilliant disk

upon the very centre


his actions to his

of the glass tablet,

thus,and he suited

words

the before curtain, seats our took we after which

glasses the between liquid the that observed I and

was of

semi-opalescent hue. of sort a reflect to as such a nature

'

the truth of Hamlet's demonstrate to proceeding Before

at experimenter the said Horatio/ to remark


find
it

my

side,

'

essential to give
is

you a why and wherefore.

Know,

then, that not only

there a mysterious
all

and powerful symit,

pathy between man's body and


is still

things outside of

but

it

more true that a greater one exists between these outand


his soul within, as is
it

side things

proved by the astonishof

ing

power over

exerted

by various substances, most

which, especially the last eight,

ought to be banished from

earth and be accursed for ever

for instance, Belladonna,

Cantharadin, Beng, Opium, Hasheesh,

Dewammeskh, Hyndee,
and many other

Tartooroh, Hab-zafereen, Mah-rubah, Gunjah,

MATTER BY MISD CHAINED


named, and
affect merely not of which will sonl, the expand They it. within mvsterv that lies coneealed to matter gross from aseend ns Let bnt they also damn it I can we mirrors concave By instance
^"^

tremendous the but the body,

the volatile

thousands. by seen be shall that spaee open in image an throw


^
*

-^"fc.

*_

^^ ^^

^^V

*\ 1

w
one such prisoner.
water, and charge
it

w
thus with any
it

specific quality

we choose,

and pleasant, or nauseous


upon the patient
matter united
further
:

effects corresponding produces


it.

who

takes

Here
volition.

by an

act of mere

But we go
them

still

for

we

select materials,
sensitive.

water

still

more highly

We
it

that extent an such to our souls,


body, and

shall coraatize

a man's

clairof degree sublimest the to soul illuminate his


Still
its

voyance.

by retain, time a for and on, seize that shall


any mental image thrown upon
direct
it.

subtle power,
:

Still

higher

there are

and

positive affinities

and

co-relations
it.

between every
certain
ings that pos-

thing and person on this earth and off

By

of the upper

Sp
before you contains such a liquid, thus

lat e-lass disk

compounded

" Here he gave

me

the most minute explanations of the pro-

cess of constructing such curious mirrors,

and how to charge


necessity be

them with a liquid which

I at once

saw must of

KAVALETTE
116
.tnVftl
'

magnetic,

odyllic bio-hlv nigniy uujr*

and

ethereal.

Then he

told

of purpose the for diagnosis, medical of a means treasures, lost discovenn 5 thing earthly
dreams, seeing
reading
as no or

cklrge to ;;

us, different differently for

as a toy,

or the future;

and

for

many

other purposes,

moi
such general use,
'

Ip

work in or end, one than more serve would constructed for specially unless
direction,

too them render which would


'

costly.

so amazingly

continued, he Properly prepared/ im retain and receive only not to as sensitive

your mirror becc

light, solar for subtle too things of

but to bring out and


is

der them

visible.

Nor

is this all.

There

light within

1:

atmosphere

sph

and

intelligent

beings o

who
only

ho can
through such mirrors,

commune with

upon which they can photograph the

information they wish to convey


therein,

by scenes depicted
thereon.

or

words projected
lings
tter.

Now,

observe,
if

Thoughts an
actual

they are real, substantial actualities,

They are things that have shadows,

shape, form, outline, bulk.


cutting, pointed,

Some

are

flat,

others are sharp,

and go on boring their


Others are
solid,

way through

the

world from age to age.


stagger

round, bulky, and

when they
live, die,

strike

you or impinge upon the world.

Thoughts
and firmly

and grow.

Now,

attend.

Gaze

steadily

desire to see

something, no matter what.'

" I smiled incredulously,


one's face in
11
<

and observed that

any

bit of glass.
'

True,' replied he,

but you have never seen your

117
CONFESSION A

and

this

bauble wi.1

*-.*"*
now occurrmg,

reveal will It

are that past, already

transpire will that

off or earth ; , future on the

"

"Ibting what he
well

it.'

I told

hi. that

the sceptieal

and me, on was mood

my

ccd. o be beUef must

J-

He
I

knew

constitution singular the

and mmd, my of

hat^

h
r

durate
s

obmost the of one was I seeming, contrary spite of much lived. ever that supernatural the sceptics concerning
of those

To most
s

have I what read or me, known who have


it

written in

past years,

may

appear strange that

I,

who have
now

been the accepted


n-

champion

should spectral, things of all

mi confession.
strange

But human nature

is

a very

compound
were

My

heart,

my

loves, desires,

and emo

Ko
tional nature
all

eagerly and ghostly, the of on the side


;

grasped and nursed the occult and weird

and when these

he
reigned in
against
ve.
if
>

my

soul I bravely defended the spiritual theory

all

comers.

sublime heights of inspiration

and speculation, and being thereby rendered morbidly sensitive


to affectional influences, readily yielded to the specious social

ws,
irp,

sophistry of the hour, and, for a while, pursued a course

from

which, had not reason been utterly blinded, I

would have

the

shrunk with ineffable horror

but, being surrounded

by scores
a whilo

and
)rld.

of thousands similarly deluded, it


to

was impossible

for

break through the accursed meshes of this devil's net into

idily

the clear, cool light of truth beyond.

" This was one side of the life-web I was weaving.


i see

But

there

came moments wherein enthusiasm was exchanged for


;

Bomething like sober-mindedness

and then

intellect rejected

oul;

B^VALRTHS-

U
, k drank had heart what of most otner. ami UHrt,Ul o* * m 4
^

U^ ^ ^
in
<

conclu the challenged and . Philo phantom

Variable ariable !Consistent


just as if

!' !'

mistaking mistaking

pby
bon
CoOS
,

him

'"I

ever was person anything or

saia observing, Miikus u-,u BtoakB h,4. winch ia nit or ... H he careful
,
'

he pr

and mind, of . reins the held logic ^ance, "t


^

&

be against you
relishes

Truth

jealous ,..d rt J tv " A to


,

u. ana dame,
I

Ms
>

">

^^It^i-^ ,:,
i

But i ook

beg mirror the


faee

veiled he aown,

perhap, for thus remained a


'

a,

A jpoke,
,

milsaying,

What
'

see

you

in the gla

I replied,

of images but the

HiW

Look

Try
'r>

followed, then silence short A


1

when
spot clear a Only

Do
Yes

yet anything you see


;

'

'

extraordinary nothing but

glass. the of centre the in aperture atmospheric-looking dusky misty, a change-faint,


l0

there

comes

shadows
<

flit

across

distinct or positive but nothing

<

Is that all
,

<<

It is.

Look
"
'

'6

Clearly and distinctly I


It

larg a of fore-quarters the

greyish-white dog.
;e

grow:

Now
from

it is

complete
1>

The

stands out, bold


perfect

and

clear,

the

mirror

So

was

this

appearance, that I could not

IMMORTALITY OF PROOF THE


phantasm a was

119
impossible
It

The

thing

actually turned

my

but dog, the for look to head, not

ft.

wall the upon picture of one pictu such no was There in the mirr

the caused have

The

old

image

prise,
i(
L <

and

So thing

supernatural,

ha?

Remember

that

idiots,

of that which
their

otl.e
:S

lo,

understand. not do but they,

attributed
doing. so in err they but souls, disembodied
tion

IS

The
of

2e
;e,

through afforded be never can


intellection.

phenomena or

Of

that,

be assured.
felt.

Imm<
phi

must be

Your
it
is

because idea, the grasp possibly cannot sopher


idea at
all.

not an

It

is

a reality, and comes to

man

never through

the intellect,

but ever and always through other channels of


ter-

the spirit

comes over roads that begin on earth and


of

God
it

Thus,
shrinks

when

lass.
f

storms

fall

on the philosophic soul

and plays the

usky
coward.

Not

so the truly intuitional

man.

He

feels,

and,
is

feeling, sees

God through

the

gloom

and

that, to him, rides

an

insurance against loss or annihilation.

He

triumphant

over circumstances that bar themselves effectually against all


philosophers.
b

Even when

the

shadow

rests heaviest

on the

large

sky of

life,

such a soul beholds


;

God

enthroned in auroral

Tbe
splendor everywhere
every echoing hill
realize

he catches the sound of his voice from


dell,

and

and

it

speaks to him of

life

ever-

^VALETTE
120

.-**
.

d i,s

the all er that

T TX^sp* Pal ' sm

arth cou,d

^-ow
wh eter

po looked wMlel b

nU-

fflirror

It

^and

ages, the secret of

bly
I terwaxd
ilgure
,

felt ie*

bad be wh en

^J ^ p^-d
indi

that
old

^ ^
silently
ffly
is

of

lmP

a marvelled
.

the solve t0

ma n>s

not eould speeeh

a such beheld

^
^

^ ^

S'

aud
fi

a
tl

him
is

,, cn so.

Let not

ottenci y tbat

What

the type of

a]

not spe
fidelity,

perfeet

trust

confidence, and

unbounded

te

enduring
love and

its if faith,

--= not symbol be

Such

re

ce

cle P broad a came There now pelted and dear became it of ole wh butv tmy, a appeared centre

w
se.

ho
,

--. in

its

very

light, ,hite of

and
it.

its

Instre increased

be

me

sh;

painful

npon aze 2

Gradually this

there and expanded,

to

.!

noonbrightest the than middle clearer


this

pit

fo rapture, with gazed I

faded '-way
pot
a
for

sort

hazy vapor

ounding

tht

It
i do such and through
ish
is

you to look
propitious

wa
he

Ip*o

me

But not

now.

The

time

not

telescop mystical a of lense the is behold you That winch revob where fields the sweep and scan may you wherewith mi whereof millions other of worlds like this, and
a

the
sec:

abc

m vmd

profoundly ig

Through

it

you can and

i*iAL*

THE MAGIC PICTURES


witness

121

tenants and

all

that they are doing.'

What

Do
Mars

yon mean to
it,

tell

me

that through that


all

telescope, as yon

call

a living

man

can behold

that

is

Aye
systems more.
alive or dead.

one, any of fortune or fate the reveal will It

But

to the proof.'

As

he spoke,

it

seemed
eyes,

extended light of tube that a sort of the of all and each diorama, a in as beheld, I it through and most my be to believe I what of scenes painful
itself

toward

my

terrible

and

recent
cesses,

life

on the earth.
all

I beheld

all

my

few joys and suc-

and

the countless
girdled.

agOnies of

body and

soul,

by

which they had been


self

Men

with smiles upon

to phrases, honied

make themselves

in speak to their faces, and seemed these then and believed,


fell,

he and listener the at stabbed shadows from but him, over hovered ever phantom grisly a for die, to
strike. to forbore pity

but did not seem

The scene changed.

village rural a be to It appeared


field,

the of corner the on figures fiery the date, in

was 1852.

It was

a barber's shop,

and

hearted

therein pursuin
health.

This

the

veil,

dead the of regions dim the into and


for

and

it

flocked

the and him, about

Again the magic

this presented picture

man

as in public

EAVALETTE.
122
vanity his flattered
Ufe
eriors \r?o e" into was led
s

and he

so none but Judgment, and conduct _ in the on him around others by announced

heart
ten thou

nauugs*him-ancl defamed
for

what

had
nd
his

tong ues

UD

God.

He

fell

friends
his

and

all of friends the

his themselves sworn who had with now him See mankind

down. bowed heart


It shifts
fires
;

and

lo

the

man

appears

Consumed

by the
former

friends,

of venom and atitude ing envy, hatred, of cend mes de renais Je risen again.

he has

He

the br to floated he that banner the on the motto who those of One of mode his changed the before him bring and labor, from his
still

world,

clu

should death even that declared to him

never alienate

him

(for the

pantomime was as readable

believed was deceiver the and speech),


"

Again the phantorama change'd.

The barber-orator had

reached to

competence had gained much gold, a deal of


little

philosophy, and but very

wisdom with
;

it all,

for he

still

believed the speech of people

measured men and women

by the standard of

his

own

heart,

and believed that honest


that, after
all, this

say was honest mean.


is

He

had forgotten went on

but a baby world, and

still

in the

same old way,

trusting
"

and

suffering.

He had

one to provide for

a female

relative

in

whom

WOLD THE OF WAY THE


this but bound, was heart his

123
The

reciprocal not was

ious

hers

Still

the

man

for struggled noblf

seemed
His
'

can another pt.nre faded, but then and had, man the all obtained frand first having dupe, his to female the med purpose the on orking All gary to man duced the his
>

friend

by

neariy ujjo^

~~

raged in

him, at laughed financier the and ony obtained previously and, daily ; tuously,
fraud
the effect

ram

by
legal

denounced and he had caused,

himself vtctim the

had

Once more

flew picture the

had years on,


his tact

despised the gone by,

man

despised because

was uncultured.

He

&

had
c

land

him honored men


The way
that

world the in higher risen the victim miser the despised tl


;

of the world

>

said

Miakus

but recollect

uppermost, comes Ever the Right !' done justice is ever

And

What
*

could you

else

from
fate

portion of

man ?

Trust

one.

This was

be cannot Pate

evaded

Submit

It will

be well

the sequel

We

V YET HAPPY BE

too , Miakus, by uttered and I words those A,ain future the of something behold to desire a mind framed

124

KA V ALE TTL

had past the of pictures the as plain that should be as of fate might blows be the whereby means any wa there if and from the free loneact and live to in which
softened,
liness

any

field

next when and hitherto endured,


the magic

my
So

eyes

glanced

through
vision

the across field of passed there tube,


swiftly did
it

a solitary

bust. and head human


electric sense

glide

past that only an

of

its

beauty remained

told that something a was with me but there

me

the head I

Evlambea
demption come.
of Ish
,

by woman alone could


the

But then

curse

said,

'

daught

'

and she was a child of Japhet.

" Scarcely had this figure flitted

by than the glass became


appearance
ife

clouded, black, and finally resumed the


wlirn
'

had

first

taken from the box.


'

" Nothing further can be seen to-day,' said Miakus, have already endowed you with priceless
forth to the world
gifts.

You

can go

and heal the

sick, restore

the insane,

make

mirrors and the Elixir,

and read the past and future, and

yet

all this is

as nothing to that

which you

may

expect after

you

shall
j

have solemnly sworn to sleep the sleep of Sialam

for me.

" Readily acknowledging

all

he said, gratitude prompted

me

to assent,

and the words were on

my
me

lips,

when suddenly

the same bust

and head passed before


face.

very slowly, within

one foot of

my

It

was unmistakably Evlambea, and


once more
soft, low,

the countenance looked tearfully reproachful as it

disappeared
;

but even as

it

did so there
:

came a
'

musical voice,

but soi raw-toned, saying

When I am

in

DISAPPOINTMENT.
danger you will know
in danger you will
see

125
be ;

it,

wherever you

may

when you are


P

me, though seas between our bodies roll


girl at the

The

identical

words uttered by the

door of the
!

chiefs cottage, years agone,

when we had

so sadly parted

"Thus

mysteriously warned,
pitiful

my

consent was withheld.

Miakus looked

and disappointed.

He

said nothing,

however, but silently repacked his paraphernalia, said he

wished

me

well,

and then, passing with me into the

street,

we

struck hands and parted.

" It were useless attempting to describe

my

feelings, conse-

quent upon these strange events.


grateful for the favors

help

shown me by the Enigma, and yet was


by ghostly
aid,

I certain that I had,

triumphed over a great


all,

temptation, and that Miakus might, after

mean me no

good.

Involuntarily clinging to the

memory
soul,

of the maiden
offered

of the valley, I blessed her from

my

and

up a

prayer that,
angel
for

if

it

were possible, she might be the redeeming


lonely soul so

whom my

ardently longed

and

sighed."

HO

iv

III.

en

\iti:r

1AV ALETTE.

VCA
al

rollnl

aw

lv
.

,1;

oed Beverly.
,;-

"

had

visited

fri

bi

had

rriison

to

np*
in

id

had

wealth and place

fev
l| ! \

and knowled
an
e
1

and had there


it

Nj

,,i

in bl
11

nti
->ii

which, while
to all around,

was capable

languished for
like all other

n
>

and
in

trn

Yet

it,

s v

al
1

man,

he so trodden

down
it

that
rise

>at
1

(thing o

is

m
ting

re

certain than that

will

e litV *

rln

f
1

1.

and a continent and an ocean lay between


in
.

h<

and
Oriei

Iwa
n

oniny*- cond journey toward

and
b in

id

tal

London and Paris on my way.


:

N!

the journey were triple

First, to visit the Su:

rand
(

Dome
its

of the

ncrucian Temple

to

make

Grand Mo
Brethren

r; to study

its

higher do(

and

vis

tb

Second, to obtain the mate-

PARIS.

127

rials, in

Jerusalem, for the composition of the Elixir of Life

not that I intended to


them in

make

it,

but because I wanted to use

my

medical practice, which I purposed to resume on

my

return to America.

And,
;

third,

I needed rest, relaxa-

tion,

and change of scene

for I felt that if I did

not go,

what between the fraud I had


dal, the

suffered, the wretch's scan-

woman, the dead

child in the cemetery,


if

and a

vari?

ety of other troubles, I should die ; and

I died

what then
*
*
;

And
*
"

so I went.

*
I

*
is

The scene

now

present before you

Paris

the date,

any day you choose to imagine between the 16th of August,


1863, and the 11th of June, 1854.
for

had just contracted

an anatomical Venus and cabinet, designed for one of

the Rosierucian

Lodges

in

America, and had paid out tome


thereon,

fourteen hundred
strolled

dollars

when,

being

weary, I

to

the Batignolles,
I

from there to

and Luxembourg, when


in

met a person
all

La Plaissance whom I had known


visit

London, and he advised me by

means to again

the

Emperor, and also to go to certain


left

localities

named, before I

Paris.

Promising that the advice should be followed, I

accordingly one day found myself in the Palace of the Louvre,

not for the

first

time, however, but for, perhaps, the tenth.

On

each of these occasions

my

time had been mainly spent in

admiring and examining the contents of the Galleries Assy-

rienm and E.
rather,

had commanded
f

on previous occasions,

along with the sphinx<

is

and MeneDthah. as

ravalfite
128
phis,

Sevekhatep,

Seti from

all

learned had I of which

much
a

in rehad which but years, hundred five thousand ten least at earth the off d from litbut a for, date that of year first

he

exhumed had Mariette statues those m aw and sarcophagi celebrated the Egypt, of from the lands Chethe including Egyptologers, best the which to mummy, of age an iorned assigned _.- -a nem wi with one voice,

^_

sand y
<

On

in rapt stood this visit I

wonder and conjecture before

which and tablets, of series a upon inscriptions the cuneiform Layard, Bunsen, interpreted y has never yet
having Champollion Botta, and
tempt.
11

all

alike

failed

the

During

the to visits last six or five the


in

museum, I had ob

served near me, apparently engaged


self-

the same

work

as my-

attempt to cypher out the meaning of the inscripold gentleman, evidently

tions

French, and as evidently


sur-

belonging; *" to the small

remnant of the old Noblesse yet

vivmg on the
riage, air,

soil

of

le

Grand Nation, judging from

his car-

and manner

refined, polished, yet simple in the


his

extreme

and from the benign ance that beamed from


it

countenance,

was

clear that there

was happiness and conto, as well as

tent in his breast,

and that he was a benefactor


of, all

a devoted student
mankind.

that was interesting concerning

ACQUAINTANCE. NEW A

129
ere

On

previous occasions

when

had passed

cod the merely us between

day, and those

people, well-bred between due courtesies general

This time,

however,

as

if

and concession by mutual

attraction,

our

after for, prolonged more ; and warmer much greeting was conbegan and tablets the before saluting, we drew chairs

characters arrow-headed versing about the

and the old


'

was name whose gentleman,


that

Ravalette, said

Sir,

how

is

scholars best the cypher letters that

in
?

Europ
Surely
failed
?'

despair hopeless and doned in sheer

you cannot hope


"
<

for success

where they have


'

True,' was the reply,

they

may

despair, but

is

that a

reason why
.

others should

correctly yet shall I believe I

the of enigmas these read

ages.'

and
Moses
ter

be looking out

the else laurels, their for

parvenus of the

present day would

not leave

many

to be gathered.

ma
alley

inscriptions

on yonder porphyritic

tablets

were engraved

Adam
I certainly

an

m-

poets

handed down the night


loom to the ages
fi*

had

130

EAVALETTE
there

existence an had and comprehend not they could


only P
11
i

the entertain not Then you do

that

all

men sprang

from only one source


n
i

V
created
distinct

Ye,

Yes because God


:

No; because

sparate

and

kind
<< t

>
!

differences spring

from

and the diverse localizations

and circumstances attending


an original

of constituents the of upon a wide separation


family

"

'

No

different for lanaccount not will that because

and anatomical
is

diversities

It

utterly

impossible

for

any sane

man

to

believe that

Jaloff
dians,

and other Negroes, the

Maq

and other In

the

Mongols and o
the Euro}:

Tartars, the

Kanakas and
all

other

Islanders,

and other Caucasians,


is

sprang from one pair.

Indeed the thing

so plain, from a
all into the

merely physical point of view, without entering at


mental and psychical merits of the case, that he
read.

who

runs

may
in-

Observe, I have said nothing about superiority or

feriority,

merely content to

let
'

Physiology speak for

herself.'

"

'

Well,' said Ravalette,

you inform me that you


some extent.

desire

to learn, being already learned to

The

views

you entertain upon the Past are, in some sense, consonant


with

my own
to

and

if

you are willing to be taught, I


in

am

and

any

case,

no harm
i

come of

the abrasion of ideas, but perchance

much of good.

"and

bevekaj- other worlds.

55

131

" I was delighted to hear Ravalette talk in this manner


for I felt

that he was

in

some

sort,

notwithstanding our rela-

tive disparity of years, a congenial

spirit,

and

longed for him

to unfold to

me

the rich fabric of his thought

and experience

that there, and here dropped word a from I had concluded, but Christendom, of Faith the in believer he was at heart a
in order to silence the lingering doubt I
still

entertained on

that point, 1

put to him the following

questions,

and atten-

responses curious somewhat his of substance tively noted the


thereto.

Question

You. Monsieur Ravalette

ours world of this of deal great seen a travelled much, and

Here
beside P

I asked for

an explanation, but he merely waved


to

his

hand and motioned me


if

go

on.

I did

so.

'

Let me

ask you

the result of

your observations abroad, amongst

men

of different

nations

and

lplexi

has

not

the in belief your of strengthening a been


ings, generally,

Mo

tic

teachChris-

and

iy

as

tianity

V
c

" I
in

Answer

No!

In the many countries I have visited

France.

Men

are ever

the same at heart.

Inwardly
;

beautiful, sincere, alike, all are they

good, and religious

out-

wardly, the same

selfish, heedless, careless,

and

materialistic

beings, as untamable,

set,

willful,

and unreasonable as the

heartiest cynic could wish.


u
t

Wherever

went

I found the

True Religion theoreti

BAVALETIV
.

belie?

ut

pract: ally

ignored

md

on the

of nexpediei
Ii

ra;

rel

yet that religion, one but found

of variety vast under a


I'

name

All
sort

ml
I

in i 'od

and

evil,

a
I

Heaven of some

of
1

Hell

likewi

found that while at

tit!

names by the yet same, everywhere the


Wl

v
nla<
ji

that
1

faith

know
For

differed

widely in different

latitudes

instance. I

found that the Catho

Papal, the Trot,


al.

mt

or reformed, the

Hindoo and

A
all
>l

Dei

Polytheistic, Greek, Lamaic, the Boodhfetie, and Fetisch, Islamic, Gucbre, Magian, ie,
ins

n
a!
I)

and mod.

of

belief,

were, instead of being

in

fact

the same at bottom.

This

may

surprise

I to leave the subject


[

it

is,

Bui
;

will explain.

They

are

all

one at bottom,

inas-

r.

that each

md

all

of their respective and apparently

similar devotees

do homage at the same shrine, of the


ry.

kme

Great
.

\1\

The modes and names

differ

with

latitud

but the meaning and the principle are everywhere

the

in
'

"

Popular

timate or opinion can never be a true crite-

rion either of persons, thoughts, events, principles,

or things

Wi
forth

row
1

daily

beyond our yesterdays, and are ever reaching

the morrow.

The world has had a


;

Ions' nisrht, as it

hi

bright days

and

another mor

breaking

and we
I

d in the door of the


ree with

dawn

you

could the dates on the tablets

PRE-ADAMITE MAN
pr would they be revealed,

133
that

human

here before us,


history really

extends much
the

further

back

into the night

of

Time

than

period

assigned

by

Moses

as

its

morning.
<<
<

Human monuments

indubitably that existence are in


is

prove not only that the world


it

much

older than people give

credit for, but

philosciences, arts, civilizations, also that


infinitely superior in

sophy, and knowledge

some respects to

what

ages, by-gone in earth the blessed exists to-day, have

the of vestiges scattered only and been swept away, leaving

wreck behind to inform posterity that such things


but are not.
"
'

have been,

But what

is

still

stronger food for thought,

is

the fact

that amidst these ruins of the dead Ages,


are

we

find others that


still

evidently

relics

of times

and

civilizations

more

remote

the
is

ddbris of a world-wreck
!

remembered only by
is

the seraphim

demonstration of this assertion

found in

the pyramids, the date and purpose even of the building of

which

wrapped

in conjecture,

and has been

for ages past.

The authentic

history of

Egypt can be traced

for over 6,000

years, yet even in that

remote past the pyramids were as

much a mystery
M This
'

as they are to-day.


all
:

is

not

The catacombs

of Eleuthas contain

what

in these

days would be called " Astronomic diagrams,"


stars.

showing occupations of certain stars by certain other


This
the
is

proved by one diagram showing the relative place in

still

heaven of each star of the

series

another displays

an approach toward obscuration, and so on through thirteen

134
separate

EAV^ LETTE
of the eniergenient complete a r beimr oeing i,* ImI last iges, the

side. opposite the on star occulted in onr astronomers have we tkat I so happens
!

it

day who

p'ique

and mathepower mental their on themselves period of a that inform


must
elap

57 879

years
'O

before

the

same phenomen

less not that and


it

than 19,638 years must


I foresee an objection

have elapsed since your mind


refer to

did
is it

Now
known

How
is
:

that the ancient diagrams

any two

particular stellar

bodies

'

The answer

From

of positions relative the

known

positions the to correspond places whose heavens stars in the as quite peris out making the for diagrams, the stars in

of

fect as

it

with even to-day, could be done

all

the nice appli-

science micrometrical ances of

now
is

extant.*

"

<

Who

built

Baal-bec

a question that has been

years, 3,000 over for ]y asked

and then asmow,mien and says

peated
11

Who
still.

and

" 1" Baal-bec said echo

Baal-bec "
"
*

plain, sandy sterile, barren, a In

which the augurs of


for-

rich and a once been have to proved borers the artesian


tile

bottom-land or prairie, a very short distance westward

of the

Theban

there once existed a vast

and magni
Europe

ficent city, so splendid

that the

modern

capitals of

hutted towns

comparison

Thiaps

proved by

* For the

fullest

and most extremely Interesting proofnay, demonstration of

human

antiquity

that

Adam was

net the

first

man, but that men

built

oitits

over 50,000 years ago, read " Pre-Adaraite Man."

WHO
been has what
of palaces
>pect
is

BUILT

KAKNAK

135
city that In

I 1

ex

Earth, fro.

*-*

the wreck

of one,

wh,ch>^

^^
flou-

other

when days golden the a in * ecunce edifice fourth-rate


rished
;

tne of in a suburb

t r;:, c:;
city,

Karnak,

consisted of

144

was was suburb which of name , ofi feel feet m a 26 columns, Porphy
39
in inches feet 5

^^ ^^ **

Amak

circum

apart inches 6
ference,

Each
less

and

n<

than 52 feet

every and high,

hewn

out of a

O
this

Moreover,
,

fourth
4-

two was palace

miles, five oi

Sfni-lono-s

and

u c eight feet
.

measurement actual lnnohv oy long,

me

re^

go to miles nine cmite of a journey

ar o und

winch from (Nile), River - This palace faeed the Sacred as side each on statues colossal with lined avenue led a broad Enghsh one over of distance a for stand, could they as lose either

memorated con statues these of one every and league, country. regal than more that of dynasty a or a exists proof positive proof, say I what Now, mark

kW

that this -lace,

itself

immeasurably so grand, so imperial, so

attempted kind the of ght superior to mflFe but ato * age (?)" Progressive of kind a appendage, of wing, a sort

by man

^^

in this

uconsiderable

main the of one house to


<<
<

edifices

city immortal of that

No man built AzNAK-who


,arble

known, has years thousand four for knows, or


of stones the laid

Kaknak-wIio

tons thirteen and hundred two weighing monsters

KAVALET

modern**
I

-ill will

scratcn even or rut cm, wheels power


!

pulley
?

screws

[tailway

4
"

'

, p
~' r
'

,anes

levers, did

you say

else ago, ted long

how

could

u
B
,,

ce

transported beeu have weight tous Li on fiv.hnnd.ed of J' thousand one ling
,

cee

where they
,

plac the to hewn,


find

we where and
the

them to-day
these

y
<<
i

w ;. ui
,.

:,i

apples

howcould enumerated,
and take

ll;11

feet eighty-nine measnre whieh e of

m length,

,, voted after

brought were they


monsters
feet

placed uponpedes-

that

some of these

high

It

a of treasury w< ml.l strain the

modern

state to

pay the

such half-a-dozen of erection the npon mlant ex|KMl Luxor, of Obelisk the of case the in Paris in here roved 1 Theses, of Temple the before stood that two of nuHett the
and which cost
itand

France over two

million dollars to place

where

such immense masses

could how railways, and Without steam power and over transported of stone have been

for especially sands, burning shifting, of plains vast hrough

such immense distances as

it

is

certain they were brought

A
has

ingle further
I

done. have I and chronology, on remark

It

en established

among the

learned, that

it

takes not

be to language a period of ten thousand years for


perfected,

and then die

to give place to an improved

but entirely different one.

Now, observe

Ohampollion de

137
SOMETHING
CUKIOTJ8

assistance the through torn* . he, dares that

W
f

anient master to was able


hieroglyphs to eertain
Si
,

W t Cf IvlCo
^rrrin
How
is
it

^\ M *?
.

Egyptmn, of modern a key

^.^
,

to-

He

that concludes

-Wish

several that the fact,

*>

..

*>

of

--.
you
do you

that j

pect

mere dream

will aid

How

or persons Bfty be might

fifty

matter, that thousand, for

XnTof^

might

feel

an interest

dream a have and

I!
U

t and hey, fancied y a discover yourself, like it, and, would keys two no and dreams two no notes comparing ton 1 thousand fifty or fifty whole the amongst found alike exwas answer still, an ;' poser was a

VuWrly,
and

'

this

apwas it wherever and whenever which, that be Key would results.' concordant and uniform yield would plied gentleman, old the to satisfactory - This reply appeared attend to me invited conversation,

pected,

so I said

Very

might there true,

but the true


;

who

after a
his

little

further

nim 'to

lus at him with dinner a of partake residence and

table

my

house

is

he said walk,' ; pleasant and short Tis but a to close Compte, le Michel Rue the situated in

the grand
little time.'

Rue

du Temple, and

we

shall reach It in

a very

the took I invitation, the Cheerfully accepting

ALETTE
138

"** " .*-* ,


den
&

hich

fouud

old stately those of be one

^oM
le

Louis of times

Grande

built

down
ntered,

once at repast to a

*nd
friendly,

gave which and

me a
Wine

very
of

resided
his

.,ml; plate
ed

adorned richest of the


followed, best coffee of the
it
;

servants

and
L

it

ba

of the finest

finished

all

of which

thened &

my
ty,

hoselegant his of After partaking walk, and

dingly

we withdr
the

he prop- led

from the house


J

igether,
nrl

and arm

strolled

<lw
-

Temple
Paris in

kent that ro

reached the
its

(lt

of one entered and that direction,

suburbs

known

Belleville.

street the quitting "Before

where

I dined, I had- taken

the pra
r ried
a

ution to

mark

house, the of locality the well


ivory tablets,

and
c

number on

my

which I invariably

Ami

now we ascended the

hills

Paris

and

viewin eye the gratified and plain, to the descended then we


in

the rich
r;ire

market gardens, and the conservatories of choice


the tri-weekly mar-

ml

flowers, cultured carefully for

kets
d'l

on
in.

the

esplanade de la Madeleine
hill,

and the Chateau


cafe together,
ices,

Again ascending the

we entered a

and together partook of some frozen coffee and other


ft.fi

which he took

me

to see a guinguette

or tea garden

lal

tablished for the

common

people, where the custo-

A
mer

PHILOSOPHER. PRACTICAL
and
sip his coffee

*
from

royalty, ape might for ten sous

silver cups,

and

take his wine

from

Sevres porcelain.

Here

we

his enterprise,

of novelty the concerning proprietor both talked to the customers his whether to

and made inquiries

as

bear not society-did of classes lower the -who were all of and now not did they whether watching, and
great deal of

a or goblet, chased a spoons, silver few a with then run off


silver-gilt fruit dish ?

'

No

'

replied the

man,

'

of enough seen I have

life

and

the warrant to mankind'

step, apparently

foolish, certainly

taken have ; I which novel, quite a him regarded treat a man as if you

that, out found and I have


thief,

and you do muck


closely,

toward making him


that iustant

one.

Watch

man

and you

which him, to suggest rascally thoughts


fruit

may
free

bear

fruit,

and that

be crime.

But place
let

full

and

confidence in

and with, deal you those

the fact be known,

for word my take and words, your sanction and your conduct My all. at if abused, be rarely very will confidence your
it,

pla

is

the

resort

of thousands

my

invested capital

is

expecostly the from francs ten lost never have I yet large,

riment of

making the poor

man

realize

the comforts and

sous.' ten of expense the at rich habits of the

"

We

could

but

admire the tact

of Monsieur

Popin-

as so him told frankly arde, and

we

left his place, for

we

felt

the at truth of vein rich a was that there


to call chose he as confidence, sophy of
place, Ravalette and myself,
.still it.

bottom of
After

his philo-

arm
and

in arm,

pursued
sa

walk

in the environs of Belleville,

there, amidst the

BAV ALETTE
of warblings the sunshine, the of melody meiouy . 4 rtP tne nature, music of the leaves, of canopy green deep aeep the -2a of tne h qmetude ^ birds, the ffl unruffled of serenity and the

^ ^

_^

humming

I,
I

singular of topic a of discussion the upon ; C entered

of di

That
shall
Id
-

topic was,

'

The human

soul,

and
Said

this of part latter the record only

tf,

gentle

philosophers,

society of ancient very a Then you really believe, as did the as past the of to some students

known

there that Twenty-four, Sacred


ex
tence, far

is

magic natural of kind a

more

wonderful in its results

than the lamp of

Genii the of ring the Aladdin, or


" 'Most certainly I do.'
"
<

V
and how do you

How

existence, its of learned you have

propose to become a noviciate,

and

avail yourself thereof for

? translations contemplated certain

Perhaps you believe

in

Elfins, Fairies,

laughingly. half he, said Magicians V Genii and

"

'

do not absolutely

know/ I
it

replied,

'

that

such

a
to

magic

exists, yet firmly believe

does.

The idea came

me

know not how.

By

striving, perhaps, it
it,

may be

found.

There are steps leading to


the
first

doubtless, and, if
in

we can

discover

(which I think
till

we have already
goal.

Mesmerism), we

can follow

we reach the great

I do not believe that

Elfins, Fairies,

Genii and Magicians are altogether mythical


it

personages.

There must,

of foundation me, be a seems to

truth underlying the rich

and varied accounts of such beings


do
fill

that have

filled,

and

still

with world reading the

wonder.

>

THAT ME ANSWER YOU CAN

% 8

lii

At

that instant

it

seemed as
+

if

I lost
for 101

my
seized

that a power

foreign to
for

mv my
me

soul soni

a moment

my

answered and organs

.,

Kavltte,

att er

to

an almost

* mu^d minu a nearly for me at gazing attentively ** *V word, the indistinguishable tone
,

in looted answer, this at

You maeic which

first the as Mesmerism of spoke exists bum I and believe, yon

to-rd^the s*p

and you thought

be made

of obtainment the in of nse successful

know

de!not
methods metnous

means ordinary through or by at arrived to be Surely what


ogw.
Tell

ui

me

in

whieh elairvoyanee, throngh ordinary


other none facts and
;

of be can and, therefore,

lit le

use to

Sue

student |
it

Tou

Ltory, as

comes to us,

ancm aU that myself do I believe, as or fable, mere best a


is

at

m tales are say, to is that uce, m ten being superstructure the Lt


^'foundations would
justify,

albeit, generally, yths

roof composed are portions certain of bas, a on founded fiction of

larger times thousand

.an
their

at went things provided

importance and proper value

How.

mes the through then,


supermen*.bent

11
-

force,

and fancy, of ocean

this beneath dive to expect do you yet troth of grams few what fetch up
?

bottom the at sparkle

answer you Can

me
at

that

sorrowfully gazed Ravalette smiled,

me, and then

went on

142

RAVAXETTE
me,

my
is,

y
not

good
soothing

Mesmerism,
hi
,

as

it

instance, for as purposes, fine for certain

of anguish the 2 relievin pain,


It
uis

and various

I1;

whereb} to gain

trol

mental faculties

another, and

many
sight,

second naof aow


vi

and thus

maybe made
skill

a ser-

ble

with may, one whereon ladder the of some climb r to


\vance,

and patience,

lesser heights of

true

Cl

and reach

many

truths denied to milis

lions of
<

mankind

but yet mesmerism

but the lowest

,.,m

upon onlook and insight an means of gaining


bound
I admit

be to proved unequivocally has instances mesmerism know yet knowledge of kinds certain ro\ road to
I

tl

t it

ha

much

oftener proved a path leading into deep

tnd

mm
all

dismal many a skepticism, of swamps dangerous and hence advise you to distrust of utter doubt
i
;

such railways, and


being,

all

the stronger, because every


his brutehood, possesses
if

human
pon
i

who has outgrown

and faculties within himself, which,

proper

care be taken to normally culture

them,
he

will, in the end,

amply repay him

for all the trouble

may have
himself,

taken.

The man's a
ploy

fool

who goes outside of

and em-

a mesmerist, drugs, or

any such agency, to enable

him to sink beneath the floors of the outside world, and


reach
its

Soul of Fire.'

CRITICISM.

143

I bit

my

tirade against

this at vexation, deep and lip with chagrin had soul very my a thing that hitherto
all others the
s:

adored

abo\

one which cast most

soul.

And

human the of side mainly-hidden and Ravalette that but doubt not I could
I

I that thinking avoid not could I earnest, dead in was

detected a triumphant chuc


to that

lip

Up

addressed had Phenomena moment, Mesmeric

the in important most themselves to me as by far the world outer the with deal world, for while other things

mainly, that throws light upon


into

the

human

soul

itself,

and

minds

farther goes persons, intellectual of purely

toward
thing beneath the heavens.

immortality than any

This

man

is

older than

I,

and knows

conso be not would else speaks, whereof he


;

fident, thought I

he really knows of something superior

human the of wastes the enlightening to mesmerism for long I events, all At ? be can it what I wonder brain.
the lies which of end further the to solve any problem, at conlonging, human grand the of not, why, and why
ty
ay,

Could

that all 1

and had in
lucidity,

my

shown

of bagatelle mere a been had of this and it, believe not could I guessing? correct fancy and

mesmeric

yet such had been the implication,


tion, of the inscrutable being

if

not the direct asser-

and apparently knowing quite


tions of

now standing by my side, as much about the operaand perhaps a great

my mind
I

as I did myself,

deal more.

was puzzled."

chattel; n
SO
"
E T

N G

CURIOUS.
ov.

Raval

rrE
t

Qtumed
iind

'

M merism's day has gone


ble to produce the

Air
eff

to

be iinpo

same

with

it

wen produced a few years ago, while tne

bag

ird thing that


ei

now
8]

>.

its

name,

is

of such a nature

ami <hai
pl<
r

that it

dily either disgusts all sensible peoi j

v.

rv 800D
pi
:

lands
p
t\<

friends into
all

a deep quagmire of
little

inch
th<

alkali)

that

the

common

sense

had
a

at

rting get

thoroughly mixed therewith, and

form
tin
it

compound which they carry back, instead of what


;

brought
'
:

and when they get home again, they peddle

out

Divine Philosophy,"

when

in fact it is

an

excel-

lent article of

soap

regular savon extraordinaire, warranted

and everything
B

who meddle
iplish this

7
journeys that terminate
the populous
differ-

ca

Town

of Fantasy

look
as
144

and

Form

and that

MODERN " CLAIEVOYANCE.


nothing.

145

clairvoyance popular the of In fact, most

may be

Baid.to resemble

an

edifice

having

Rich

And
are

passages that lead to nothing.*

but the rule obtains vastly.


"
'

The

afflicted half girl, hysteric puling, of a sentimentalities

modern most as love-sick half other the and with catochus, and Fact-truths, of list the in small count clairvoyants are

the

mad

other the of somnambules crack-brained ravings of


first

the for much, as hardly for go gender

has at least a deall.

at none latter the but her, about poetry gree of

No

of Magability the on reliance great too place not friend, do

netism to aid your researches, for you


>f

will

run a narrow
late that

disappointment, and regret


stable
is

when too

from

Nature
lot
;

you selected the very worst animal of the


ring-boned, lame, spavined, and very baulky
advice,

one that

withal.

Take

my

and choose a

better.'

As
as a

Animal Magnetism
I felt

thing,

by the

way, that I always doted


the space of a minute, duri

Mesmerism
rprised

I
terly
sertions.

Yet

it

was equally impossible


7

to

help

ing

>

^q
cho
hoi

RAV ALETTE.
have to mortified degree small no rined, and in
,y

my
at,

pet

dog-feed. as out thrown ;eemed unfair

laughed disseeted, and np ent thus mercilessly fa.hard very Twaa

and

For a long time


:

had

divine science

holding

rilh

thlings which of means by Supernal Telegraph, aud globe the of bounds the to only not ht,
11

Ml l/liv-

IUU X ICOCiiv, p^

Ages the and Time of ends

Past,

or nerved by

Hope

drag and Future Great through Light, of Messenger great the upon as
might
easily

to the message a dispatch and Curiosity, looked was It answer. back the

whom we

the that distant so Past a of records the read

And comparison. in creations yesterday's but coal-beds are recastle the toppled had Ravalette stroke, fell here, at one
morselessly about

my

ears.
as,

I bit

my

lip

with vexation, and

awhile was silent

a down and up walked together, we

sort of natural esplanade

on

the sides of the hill

next Paris.

Mechanically as
footprints

we walked back and

forth, I trod in the

made

while going, on each return,

and

just as me-

Ravalette that observed chanically


thins:
si

did the

same.

One
pro-

ruck

me

as curious, even while

my mind was

to wherewith arguments for search the in engaged foundly and positions ; onfute and break down the old gentleman's a of were Ravalette The shoes worn by that fact was this
:

beseen ever rery singular pattern, totally unlike any I had


fore.

almost triangular Upwardly, they were decidedly


Previously this fact bad escaped

perfectly so.

my

notice

now,

it

struck

me

as being very singular.

was what But

INSIGNIA CURIOUS

147

-^ ^y

was.

of

the or*

covered brass, of
the yielding,

W^

the and with rubber,

indeed

made on and track The kable.

but
the

my
cross

observed and I looked up

saw he as face Ravalette's

my

surprise

(part of the cross),


called

ornamenting

divining he, said That,'

my

thought,

<

is

and yet

fancy
figures, as

I
plainly see.'

you may

And
pin

with

this

he drew

my

not but seen previously had I This rare jewel, which a of formed triangle a of consisted particnlarly, noticed mstruthe as or, compass, a and circle quarter or crescent In compasses, of pair called, improperly

formed of minute

stars,

and

was met bars just where the two


the to enamel colored with
life.

blooming, just rose a

and

G
fine eve-glass,

I discovered

minute

upon
was
blood heart's her young with
>

midway

was corner right the on and rose, black was a tiny

one of deep crimson extraordiquite indeed The workmanship was exquisite,

was jewel entire the nary, for

dollar golden a than larger not

RAVALETTE
148

He

also

showed me

a large

and

massive seal

pendent from

on and his watch, and first the 8tep6>


this

its

twelve of ladder a engraved was face


broken. were of which

The

fo t of

fifth

mason's

lay which a near colnmn, broken a npon ladder rested rmg and beam the against leaned top its and trowel,

what lost being part lower the reversed, of an , nchor the admired sufficiently had I After a cloud.
represented
semi-playfully he seal

drew
'

to watch, his forth

which
:
'

it

was

attached by a fine

gold

rope '-chain,

and observed

I have
in

more of the same


hand.

kind,' at

the same time placing

it

my

huntingsmooth-backed, ordinary an was "The watch pounds sixty or fifty perhaps worth chronometer, cased gold
fouled, anchor an by acquired being value extra the sterling, oppoThe face. internal the upon done in diamond points representing enamel-work excellent presented some
site

side

compass. the of points cardinal the from the

Three stars gave light


in

West

a tomb, with

its

door partly open, stood


.

the South

circle
;

the North
s

of a dotted

the

marking that as exquisite style same the in executed whole


the seal and pin.

"

To a

question as to

what
all

it all

meant, an evasive answer

was returned.

Waiving

my

solicitations to explain the

emblematic devices, the old gentleman resumed his remarks,

by observing
you
will

'

Never mind now what these things mean


of these days.

know one

At

present let us continue

HUMAN MAGNETISM.
matters. other on talk our

149

A little
In

while ago you

Mesmerism
sure that you are correct.

Spiritual

I
it

am

not so

my

view
it

is

,ver Phy. a power

material or physical sical-ultra


still.
'

may

be,

but physical

What

P said I, in

amazement,

<

that magnetism, human

power
works such wonderful
very idea, excuse me,
culous V
effects,
is

Physical
;

Impossible
is

The

absurd

the assertion

simply ndi-

So

Ravalette rejoined I once thought/

im
question
I will endeavor

my comfirms that many, of point one point, rtrate the that know tribe. serpent the instance, For view. they that and animals, other and birds charm those reptiles exerted that like precisely prey their upon influence exert an

We

difference

the

human

maniterror peculiar that of none exhibits subject


pell

fascination,
ft

and

this difference arises

from the fact that the


is

mmal has a

clear instinct

that the power

exercised for

its

destruction,
free from.

which the

entirely

the

We

that power marvellous same the exert snake the see


resulting effects observe does, and

human magnetizer

instant an for one no yet and remarkable, less no therefrom


beings,' spiritual are serpents supposes that

>

15 q

KAVALETTE

Now

completely are you


' :

at

my mercy/
is

thought

I,

responded
long as he
is

Certainly the snake

a spiritual being

alive,

and

exerts volition .

He
'

is

spiri

I
a
c

And dead V

said Ravalette,

inquiringly,

is

a mere

more. nothing clay lump of


"
'

argument the Beverly, Then, Monsieur


mine par un
coup majestique
!

is

against you,

and
just

is

for

the snake charms

as

powerfully when

his skin is stuffed

with straw and

cotton, as

when with

his

own proper

flesh,

blood, and bones.


this

Innumerable

experiments,

instituted expressly to test


it

question, have been made, and

has been over and over

again decided that the charming or fascinating


as strong after as previous to death.

power

is

just

This has been settled

by the actions of

birds,

who

utter the

same plaintive and pain


is

thetic cries, exhibit the

same terror and other phenomena,


This

presence of a stuffed as in that of a living serpent.

a strong point in

my

favor; but one that

is still

stronger, in-

deed quite irrefutable, shall

now be adduced.

Persons em-

ployed in the Jardin des Plants, and other zoological institutions, find it

dangerous work to clean out the dens of certain


for

serpents, even

weeks after the occupants have been


I

re-

moved, for the effluvium which,

take

it,

you

will

not

claim to be other than physical which they have left behind,

and which constantly exhales from the floor and sides of the
den,
it is is

found to be identical with that aura or sphere which

known they exhale when excited by the presence of


:

prey

*nd the

affects of this

emanation from the den are

A SINGULAR EXPERIMENT.

151

precisely those that characterize the action of the living, pre

excited snake.

Now.

these facts

had

lone*

been noticed
subject,

and the
until, at

results attributed to the fancy of the

human
the

length, an unusual circumstance led

for

ever.

India

is

the paradise of charming snakes, and a com-

mission was sent thither by the joint governments of Eng-

land and France, to test this matter thoroughly.


mission settled upon Caudeish,

This com-

a province of the Dccau,

where serpents most abound, and the experiments were made


simultaneously in the towns of Nunderbar, Sindwa, Dowlea,

Chapra, Jamneer, Maligaum, Chundoor, Kurgoon, Chorwa,


Bejagur, Hurdwa,

Asseergurh,

Hashungabad, and Boorthirty different species

nuinpore

and they were made with

of serpents, on eleven hundred and fifty-three of twenty-three different nations, and mcnts.
First, these
all

human subjects,

sorts of tempera-

persons were subjected

under

proper

precautions, of course
quiet,

to the mesmeric .glance of hungry,

and enraged serpents.


all

In

all

three cases the effects

were bad,

the subjects alike complaining of constriction of

the chest, loss of memory, and a very strange sort of vertigo.

As

soon as the

last

symptom monifested

itself,

the curtain

that separated the serpents from the

men was dropped, and


to.

proper baths and other restoratives resorted


these same persons were
all

Secondly

invited subsequently to a feast,

as a reward for their services.

Serpents were
seats of

curely fast-

ened

in

wooden boxes beneath the

three hundred

152

KAVALETTE.
hundred and
eighty-

these of and them, and sixteen of

under the when direct as symptoms four manifested the same ninetyfour of afterwards months Two gaze of the serpents
the same persons,

unknown

to themselves, were placed to ^

the of built apartment in an


erpent dens,
identical
!

boards that had composed


a third

and the

effects,

were absolutely
spirit-

Now,
!

in this light,

what becomes of your

ual hypothesis

It

is

gone to the four winds of earth.

But

to set the matter entirely at rest,

and to give your


eternal quietus, let

spiritual

notion respecting

Mesmerism

its

me

call

your attention to the fact that

if

a man, any man,

sits

before
it,

a swinging disk of black glass, and fixes his eye upon


will eventually

he

be as deeply magnetized and as lucidly

clair-

voyant, as he would under the operation of the most


ful
<

power

magnetizer on the globe


'I
felt

!'

that the tables were

turned,

and that the old

gentleman held

me

at his mercy.

However, he forbore to

triumph, but went on, sayind


<<
<

I do not say that the soul of


his
spir

man

is

physical, but I

know that

for I

proved that over sixty

years ago, to
I

my

complete and entire satisfaction.


Materialist, or that I

Do

not,

begy

dispute the servant

existence of spirit.
is

Far from that


only
vast,

Your humble
but

a firm believer

spirit,

great Spiritbeautiful
th

ual
this

Kingdom
Material

more

led,

and

and believe me. mon


than
of

Iafiir
ai

that

not

more

one

man

in

ten thousand has

adequate idea

what he means when pronouncing the

IS IT

POSSIBLE?

153
number can properly

word
define

Spirit
it.

not one

man

in thrice that

"

'

Furthermore, as a prelude

to

what may

yet befall you,

permit

me

to say that, in the face of

modern philosophy, and

in direct contrariety to popular


spirit

belief, it is

my

opinion that

cannot produce on
witnessed in
all

spirit the singular

movements and
;

effects

mesmeric and analogous phenomena


the ability of

but

do not at

doubt

matter to

effect it all.

Yes,

my

extrinsic without alone, matter that believe friend, I

aid, is

competent to the production of the magnetic wonders,


still

and a hundred others

more marvellous.

For

instance, I

whatever, power mesmeric merely any that believe not do

much

under or, can, sleep, ordinary of dream-force the less

correctly to you enable could circumstances, conceivable any

read the inscriptions on the tablets in the Louvre, or probe


the secrets of
I can

Kamak,

Baalbec, Nineveh, or

Ampyloe

but

name purely material

agencies that are more than adeinfinitely greater

quate to the accomplishment of these, and


things.

know a

material means that will enable the soul


its

to lay bare before

gaze the deepest mysteries of the highest

antiquity, strip the

Past of

its

mouldy shroud, and trium-

phantly

lift

the veil that conceals the Future from our view

or
JF
11

rather, your view/

The strange

old

man

ceased, and, for a


It

little

time,

my

mind lingered on
clear, so I

his concluding words.

was plain and

thought, that he alluded to certain medicaments

which have long been used for the production of a species of


ecstatic dream,

and so

I replied

1*

154
"
l

EAVALETTE.

You

are doubtless correct, and can,

by physical agents

produce strauge psychical phenomena, and curious exhibitions


of mental activity and fantasy
;

but,

beyond

all

question

you
is

over-i

te their

importance and power, for not one of them


office

adequate to the

of enabling a clear, strong mind to

move
"
'

within the sphere of the Hidden, but the Real. )

To what do you

allude particularly, irum

ami V

"

'

I allude to various

chemical and botanical compounds

for instance, those plants

which furnish a large per centage

of the chemical principles Narcotine, Morphia, the same general characteristics, as


the preparations of the delightful

and others of

Opium, Beng, and Hemp,


but dangerous
,
,

the

equally

fascinating
h,

decoctions

of

not

forgetting
millions

Hasle
in

that accursed drug, beneath

whose sway

the Orient have sunk into untimely but rainbow-tinted

graves, and which, in western lands, has

made hundreds

of

howling maniacs, and transformed scores of strong

men

into

most loathly, drivelling


"

idiots

We
'

lapsed into silence, which at length

was broken by

valette,

who

said, as

he clasped

my hand
is

with fervor

"

My

dear young friend, there


society,

here, in Paris, a high

and noble

whose chief I am.


its

This society has

many

Rosicrucians
3

among

members.
has
its

Like the society to which

" belong,

ours, also,

head-quarters in the Orient.

Ever

ince I

>u for

have known you, I have been anxious to have a brother of our Order. Shall I direct

your

initia-

tion

Once with

us,

there

is

no branch of knowledge,

mystic or otherwise, that you will not be able to attain, and.

RAVALETTE TEMPTS HIM.

155

compared to which, that of even the third temple of Rosicrucia


is

but as the alphabet to an encyclopaedia/

"

Much more

he

said,

but I had no desire to join


;

his fra-

ternity,

and firmly but respectfully told him so


rising,

where-

upon he cut short our conference by


I

as he did so,

observing

"'You may
society exists
;

regret
if

it.

I can
it,

tell

you no more.

The

you need

find

itit may be

discovered.

But

see

my groom
it

and horse have arrived, and have long


leave

been waiting.

I must, therefore,

you.
so.

Take

this

paper

open

when you

see proper to

do

You

will quit

Paris to-morrow, next day, or

when you

choose.

You may
In

turn your face southward, instead of to the north as you pro-

posed.

Seek me not

till

in

your hour of greatest need.

the meantime,

I counsel you to obey, to the letter, your

highest intuitions.

Adieu

!'

"

And

so

we

parted.

I loved Ravalette, but not his fra-

ternity.

This conversation with Ravalette, and, indeed,

my

entire intercourse with him,

was invested with a peculiar halo


weird.
It

of what I
his

may justly

call the

was evident that aH

words and

allusions contained

a deeper meaning than apfilled

peared upon the surface.

His conversation had


;

my soul
that he

with new and strange ideas and emotions

and I

felt

had

left

me
O

at the inner door of a vast edifice, after skillfully

"^

"*vuk h the vestibule.

What

worlds of

meaning lay just beyond, was a theme of profound and uneasy conjecture. I felt and knew that he was no com-

tery and

mon

or ordinary

man

and well and strangely was

this

proved

ifterwards,

156

KAVALETTE

deferring my by that, hope the - 1 had solaced myself with

Normandy, La I and Picardy through tonr contemplated between sympathy common of bonds the closer draw
should
us,

lect as his.

an such intelof abrasion the through wiser and be made this hope was rudely how and How suddenly
!

shattered

When

he dismissed

me

so abruptly, after baiting

my soul

astonished both feel but could I with such a splendid lure, small a price too been have would and aggrieved. Thousands
to

pay

for

even one day more

of his society
Still,

but, alas

thou-

purcha
are things in this

I learned

There

world more valuable than even boundless

nor treasures Peru's neither that knowledges, material wealth


the mines of Ind can buy
;

and that Ravalette possessed an

abundant

store of these priceless riches, there

was not a

single

gering doubt
n

As

his

words sounded the death-knell of

my
had

fondly air-built castles, I


heretofore escaped
last ten minutes,

became apprised of a
;

fact that

my

notice

and

this was,

that, for the

a mounted groom, having a led horse in

hand, had stood patiently waiting under a large tree at the


south-eastern terminus of our promenade.

As

the old

man

placed the sealed paper in


assisted his

my

hand, this

groom advanced and

master to mount, and, as soon as he was firmly

seated in the saddle, they both

gave rein and spur, and, urg-

ing the steeds into a round gallop, both


of sight before I could recover

horsemen were out

from the stupor of surprise

which the proceeding had thrown

me

ft

I
)

CHAPTER
PHE MYSTERY

III

A MAN GOES IN A CAB IN

SEARCH OF HIS

OWN

GHOST.

"Perhaps

three minutes elapsed before a full recovery

took place, and, at the end of that period, I had come to the
conclusion not to be baulked in quite such a cavalier style,

but to seek and obtain one more interview, come what might
therefrom.

With

this intention,

I dashed along the

hill-side,

and at

full

speed through the principal thoroughfare of Belle-

ville, till

I reached the barriere leading into the

Rue Fau-

bourg du Temple, where, calling a


driver to land

cabriolet, I ordered the


le

me

in the

hours previously, I

where, a few had dined with Ravalette the


Rue Michel
Compte
in

shortest

possible space of time.

"

A curious thing took place


It

while giving

my orders to the
any of the
blouses,

driver.

was

this

Everybody knows

that, at

barrieres leading from Paris, a large

crowd of

men
may,

and of

office,

women and

children of the lower orders,

in fair or foul weather,

always be found

loiterers,

having

nothing to do, apparently, except to lounge about, to see and

be
it

seen.

Such a crowd I found at the barriere, and amidst

I noticed a bonne, or nurse, having in charge three beauti-

ful children,

one of whom, a lad of seven years, appeared to


157

158

EAV ALETTE.

take an unusual interest in myself, doubtless observing that I

was
as
it

in a great

hurry to accomplish something.


said,
'

This child,
bonni, Fran-

saw me, ran to the nurse, and

Ma
?

chette, what's the

matter with the gentleman


look so queer

Is he sick

What makes him


"
i

V
in reply
* ;

Hush, child/ said the


search of
is

woman
V

that gentle1'

man
"

is in

what he won't
Franchette
is

find this long time

'What
'

that,

"

That gentleman

in search of his

own

ghost, mts in-

fants ? replied the nurse, as the children clustered around


her to hear the answer.

"

Mafoi ."

echoed the crowd of

idlers,

as they caught the

woman's words
say
his
'

whether spoken
And

in jest or seriously

I cannot

Ma foi ! the gentleman

takes a cab to

go

in search of

own ghost P

the cab drove off as these words were

echoed by a hundred tongues.


"
'

What the devil


mean

does

it

mean V asked I of

myself, rather

irreverently, as

a Guebre would say, had one heard me.

What

does

it

?'

What put

such a queer notion as that in the

woman's head V

And, while cogitating for an answer, the


Hastily dismount-

cab stopped before the required gateway.


ing,

I paid the

man

half a gold louis, refused the offered

change, but, dismissing him with a


alacrity, I hastily

word

of praise at his

rang the bell to

summon

the concierge or

porter.

That personage speedily made


your master
:

his appearance, all


bell-rope.

the quicker from the


Is

unwonted vigor applied to the


in the

house
I

Hi

Oui, monsieur

he has not been absent today

A
it
i

SURPRISE.

15J

What!
?
7

Not

been absent,
1

when he

left

me

not thirty

minutes ago

Impossible

have must R&valette Monsieur

been absent.
<<
i

But who

is

Monsieur Ravalette

?
is

know

of

person.

Monsieur Jacques d'Emprat

my

master, and not

V mentioned have you person the " Here was a fresh mystery.
'

Call Monsieur Jacques

d'Emprat,

if

you

please.'
,

"

'

C'ertai'nement
and
tell

monsieur.

Jeanette,

my

dear,

go up-

stairs

see to wants gentleman a the patron here's

him.'

" Jeanette, a

little

execute to flew years, twelve girl of

the errand, and in

aphimself landlord the moments a few


surprised to find that the well-aproned

peared
butler

and I was

who

propriethe and dinner at us upon attended had

person. same the and one were tor of the house

An

expla-

was who Ravalette, that learned I and nation soon followed, two days there come had landlord, the to stranger an entire
dinner sumptuous a engaging of purpose the previously for
for two persons, that being the landlord's business

caterer.

For

the dinner he

had paid a round

price

in advance,

and

workpeculiar of silver coin small a proprietor had given the


manship as a memorial of his visit.
This coin or medal the
perfect fac-simile,

man

produced, and, lo

it

was a

on a
in

larger scale, of the jewel I

had that very day examined

the scarf of Ravalette at Belleville.

To my

question as to
:

when he
*

last

saw

my mysterious

friend, the

patron answered

I do not

know

him, where he

is,

when

I next shall see hira

160
nothing whatever.
since

RAV ALETTE.

He
is

left

with you,

and

has

not

returned.
it

He

evidently
this

mysterious

man

and were

not that
visit,

I have

little

medal to com-

memorate

his

together with

three hundred

and ten

francs in gold in

my

pocket, which he paid

me

for the wines

and dinner, I should more than half believe that he was the
Devil himself out for a lark in Paris.

But the Devil never


to know,

pays

in

gold

those say

who ought

and I am

sure Ravalette paid

me

in

bran new coin, which, on account

of

its

beauty and

full

weight, I just tied

up

in one

end of

my

long leather purse, meanin

give

my

d aught

school in Dijon, for a birth-day gift.

Here's the money, as

you

perceive, nicely tied up,

and sealed with wax, just as I

fixed it an

hour or two after Ravalette paid me.


these words the

"With

honest

landlord

drew

forth a

most formidable-looking bourse, one end of which was, as he said, securely tied with twine, and sealed with a great blotch
of red

Yes, monsieur, here

the cash

I cannot show

it

to

you, because I don't like to break the string or

wax

but
jingle

a sound

is

worth as much as a sight, you shall hear


;

it

your heart
a

so saying, he struck the purse against the side of the gateway but, instead of the merry clink ; of gold

And

we heard

nly the dull sound of a far less valuable

This startled him


bis knife,

He

changed

color, then

drew

and

in

an instant cut the string, and emptied the

contents of the purse upon his open

palm

" Horrible
his

in held he Louis, golden bright Instead of


pile of

hand a small

leaden disks

Each one

of these

disks

had a number and

a letter

on

it,

and one of them was


'

engraved, on the obverse side, with the simple


the coins in order.'

Place words
the in-

We
is

did so, and found that each letter

formed part of a word.


scription read,
'

When

they were

all placed,
!'

All

not gold that glitters

"

My

soul quailed before the mystery.

I could scarcely
;

move

or speak, so great was


it

my

bewilderment

and as

for

the patron,

is

impossible to describe his terror and con-

sternation, as he stood there, with

open mouth and protrud-

ing eyeballs, gazing on the coins upon the board where he

had

laid

them.

I too looked upon

them
;

and even while we

did so, a terrible thing took place


disks

for the letters


eyes, first to

upon the

changed color before our very

a light blue,

changing to deep crimson, and


color.

finally

assuming a blood-red

When,

at the end of thirty seconds, this color did not


closer at them, and, to our absolute

change,

we looked

amaze-

ment, found that the characters themselves had altered, and


instead of the sentence above quoted,
<<
<

we read

the following

Remember Ravalette

Fear not V

"

With a

cry of agony the

man dashed
fell

the accursed coins

to the ground,

and instantly

himself in a deathly swoon.

A great excitement now ensued.


fallen master.

The

porter, Jeanette,

and

half a dozen other inmates, rushed to the assistance of their

" Tenderly and carefully

we bore him

into the house,

and

speedily resorted to those well-known

means of restoration used

1(52

EAV ALETTE.
which
it

in such cases,

were superfluous to mention

suffice it

the hour, an half of expiration that, at the

man

revived,

and

and promising good-bye, short a to rest the and bidding him


return on the
parture.

morrow

if

I did not quit Paris, I took

my

de-

" Before I

left,

however,

it

occurred to

me

that I would
;

secure the marvellous coins, or, at least, a


for
this

few of them
concierge,

aud

purpose

I,

accompanied by the

who had

seen his master dash

them away, went into the court-yard


Carefully

where he had thrown them.

and long we searched

over the smooth stone pavements.

The marks where they

had struck were


It

there,

but not a single coin could be found.

was absolutely certain that no person in the house had


all

picked them up, for


ron.

these were in attendance on. the pat-

It
;

was equally certain that no one from the street had


for the gate

done so

was

fast bolted

and shut, and had been

ever since I had entered the premises to inquire of the porter. "

At

length

we gave up the task of

finding

them as

utterly
;

hopeless.

I looked at the porter

and shook
head
V

my
that

head

the

porter looked at
as to say,
voice,

me and shook
a very strange

his

in return, as

much

It

is

affair

At
it

moment a

coming from

God knows

where, for

seemed
a hol-

neither from above nor below, in the house or out of it low, half-pathetic, half-cynical voice, echoed our u

;poken

thought-'!/

is

a very strange affair

The

horror-stricken

porter crossed himself devoutly, and, falling on his knees, began to pray, while I in the meanwhile undid the bolts, opened the port, and rushed into the open street.

DIFFICULT MATTER.
of so

163
character,
yet,
;

altogether was "The thing

weird a

the doubted almost that I


recalling
all

evidence of

my
first

senses

from circumstances the

to

last,

the

events the affirming testimony

was

altogether

too strong,

for doubted be to direct, overpowering and

an

instant.

" In books of ancient lore

voletter Black old the in

lumes of antiquity
nius of

of exploits the of recital the in

AppoloGru-

Tyan.e

in the Life of
'

Darwin

in the story of

gantus, and in the

Records of the Weird Brethren of Ap-

wonderful too almost Marvels, Magic of read pulia/ I had

with contemporaneous masses ignorant those for the belief of


the authors and heroes of the various legends.

But

in the

things all these learning, - modern ***v,* UU of lig-ht o 6


into

had been resolved


:

three

primitive elements,

and these were

1st.,

and

principal.
stition

Ignorance of the Masses. 2d. The clouds of super-

which for long ages hovered over the world. And, 3d.
skill

The amazing
antiquity.

possessed by the various arch-impostors of


for
en

Thus I accounted
'

much
;'

that was reported to

have taken place in

01d y

me Ty

but

how

to

explain

away what myself and several others had just


same easy and general
hypothesis,

witnessed, on the

was a task altogether bedifficulty


:

yond achievement. To attempt to get rid of the


the supposition of mere
yet, while
'

on

Fancy/ was simply

ridiculous

and

one does not

feel at liberty to

admit the idea of

Magic, here were circumstances of such a tremendous character, as

to utterly forbid

and defy explication upon any

other ground whatever.


" This

was the current of

my

thoughts as I

left

tne street

.^M

BAVALITTE.
T< -*k the of that up turned aud Conipte. of conjeo labyrinth a buried in

of Michel
i [

le

the

along, walked slowly to occurred uddenly id.

me

that perhaps, after

the in house the of people the and [UraJette


,

Rue

Michel

c
ry
,

leverly

parts in a performing been might merely have though drama acted capitally gned, and

how

to account for
fii

the coins, I of changes kaleidoscopic the


rine.
!
'

ima

Ah

['

said

T,

at length, 'I have


1

it

Hurrah
ret

Bravo

Eureka, ten times over

The

out,

and I'm the

man

that found

it

!'

sudden

thought occurred to
myftt
ry,

coin the even which, of aid the by me,

was cleared
before

upmost

satisfactorily

and that

ten minut.

was a profound and horrible mystery,

sun. noontide the as clear as apparently, was now,


the train of reasoning which led
j

Here

is

me to this hopeful

result:

Ra-

valett

m as a wealthy

and eccentric gentleman, who, observ-

ing

my

natural enthusiasm for the antique,

and aptitude to
friends

the occult, had determined to either


at

amuse himself and

my

expense, possibly for the purpose of curing

some of
;

them of what, perhaps, he regarded as the same weakness


or,

taking pity on

what he looked upon as a sad and dangerthis rather costly experi-

ous infatuation,

had resorted to

ment, in

the hope that at its termination

a perfect cure

mi ht be effected.
with the
in the

The people

in the

house were, togethei

woman and

children at the Barriere, his confederates

scheme.

He was
;

a learned

man

saw that I could

not be easily taken in


of chemical

and therefore brought the wonders

and ventriloquial sciences to his assistancethe

A FINE
ID.

former the voice, floating the the affair of coated been These coins had

disks. or coins the of

atmosphere, the to exposure on wonld, that with a snbstance cbaof set first the exhalation this with and away exhale ; external this Beneath would of course disappear.
the with contact on which, another, was coating
& peculiar color
;

air,

would

beneath this, in turn,


all,

was another,

and

another

the last of

being that on which

was

letters of series last the written

composing a sentence.

The

appearance of these words was


his cry,

utter to patron the to the cue

dash the coins from

his hands,

and pretend to swoon.

be would attention therefrom, In the commotion resultant

drawn
ample

disaster, apparent the of cause the from

and afford
*

opportunity for their removal.

The

sentence,

It is

very strange affair,'

would be the very one naturally sug-

gested under the circumstances, and

had happily been selected

as the most fitting one to afford exercise to the ventriloquist

employed

and

this

apparent echoing of an unspoken thought

would add additional piquancy to the scene, and materially


assist in piling

up the

horripilant.'
fine

" There

was not that a


perfect,

specimen of analysis

It

was almost
bly had
that
it it

and would have answered most admiralittle

not been for one


not true

thing,

and that was, simply,

was

trifling

objection, perhaps, yet one

absolutely fatal.

Why,

will

be seen hereafter.

" I was just about half satisfied with


lation,

my

ingenious specua,t

and no more,

after the first burst of joy

my

sup-

posed discovery had subsided, and cool reason once more

166
took the helm.
to Belleville

RAYALETTE
Be
true or
false, I

it

determined to go back

and pursue

my

investigations a little further.

pa

ing omnibus soon

brought me

to the Barriere,

and to

my

great joy I saw

that party identical the

had made the

curious

remark about

my

being in search of

my own

ghost,

the evolutions watching intently were The nurse and children to the stereolistening and marionettes, nomadic 4 a set of
type drolleries of the
Duppets.

man

in the

box who woi ked the

Luckily the whole party, with at least three hun-

dred others, were so taken up with the antics of Polichinel

and

his

shrew of a

wife, that the

young ones nor the nurse

saw me. I therefore stepped into a coffee-shop close at hand,


called for a tasse,
tiie

and then sent one of the waiters to fetch

woman

with the three children dressed in yellow velvet-

een.

The man obeyed, and speedily returned, followed by

the party sent for.

"

Upon

seeing
felt

who

it

was that had summoned

her, the

young woman
made, when

alarmed, fearing that the remarks she had

I entered the

cab an hour or so previously, had


present business

offended me, and that

my

was to cause her


all

to be punished for her insolence.


civilized

For of

places on this
is

earth, Paris

is

the one where a stranger

best

protected from injury or


J

impertinenceat

least, it
;

then was.

soon set the

ing

woman's mind at ease on that point and havpurchased some gateaux for the children, and the same,
and

with a vessel of coffee, for the nurse, I requested her to be


seated,
tell

me what caused her


little

to use such curious terms,

with regard to myself, a

while before.

THE GIRL EXPLAINS.


-

167
what

Lord

bless you, sir/ she said,

'

I did but repeat

old
!

man

said

who

oppocarriage the stood on the side of


I had
just crossed over

entered. you which bv that to

from his side

when you saw and heard


the street,

As you
observations as to

down a
i

you that and you, saw everybody

hurry, and several persons

made

of your great haste.

Said one, "

The man's

mad

!"
-v

" His ther,

woman

has just run off with a lover, tak-

wins along for

company's sake, and he's after them

with a sharp
of
sir ?"

Said the old


find

man

at

my

side,

"

He
in

very soon."

" What's that

ask

He's

in search of

ahem

search ofhis

own ghost, my dear /" The

said the old

man, as he
>*

darted up

funny, that I
crossing the street

membered

it all

the while

I was

a very
ami
;

long time for us Bonnes to recollect anything,

man

cher

and when Auburt there asked me what

ailed you,

why, I

looked wise, and repeated the grey-beard's observation, and


another cup of coffee,
I breathed
this old fell
if

you please
tell

that was
my
dear,

all.

But
'

me,

what

sort of

Certainly

another
!'

gateau, garpon;

monsieur will pay for

it

certainly
I

and the young woman

went on to describe
myself,

Ravalette
I

as well as I could have done

had that mysterious individual stood before me then


It

and

there.

was enough.

was

satisfied,

and determined
girl,

to push
bill

my

inquiries further.

I thanked the

paid the

of

t'nirty-five sous, left

the place, and hurried as fast as I


it

possibly could to the flower-gardens, that,

will

be remem-

16

RAVALE1TE

bered, to the old

R
fir;

tog visited had mvself and


and
vvim
ul
I

the gardener

if

he had

the
visit,

man

en

my companion on

a recent

an

hour

fore?

Old man
of sevent
for
I

to man, funny a are you Well,


rs

call

a boy

y<

an old man

I recollect

you well enough,

yon

l><>u -

line

bouquet, one of the


in

damask
I

posing which you now carry

your button-hole

ber y

-h
;

the beardless stripling, your c

panion

but

have

seen him since

you both

left

ther.'

"
fc in
ii

Bah,

my

friend

!'

said

I,

it

won't do.

know

per-

w
full

my comrade
sev

here

was

not a youngster, but


!'

nty years of age, if

a single day

'

Sacri
it

bint, !

You'd better
it

tell

me

lie

at once, and be
I'll

lone with

You may say


3

was an old man, but

be

cur

if it

wasn't a

rang one, not yet out of his teens


I'll

and

what

more to the purpose,


1

back

my

opinion,

and bet you

an even
person
sail

le

of Jean Lafitte, forty-two years old, that the


this

who accompanied you here

day was a small,


!

thin,

w-faeed youth of not over fifteen years

Will yon take

the
<<

wager V
Y(
re.
.

and forty more just

like it

but

who

shall

be

nmj

and decide the bet


hy, let the witnesses,
I

W
d

my

men, and

my

wife or

daugh

warrant they w

he for the sake of


7

bottle of
11
<

Are you agreed


;

Ves, call them on

I'll

trust

them

'

THE SINGULAR WAGER.


"
let

169

'

Of course you may,

for they are honest folks.


;

My
;

wife

you both in at the door

I sold you a bouquet

one of

my men went round


pay from.
of you.

the garden with you, and the other ran

to fetch change for the five-franc piece

you gave me to take


;

Here, wife, Joseph, and Pierre

come here

all

Fve made a bet with the gentleman, and want you


}

three to decide

it

" In a moment the persons called stood before


gardener said to

us,

and the

me

'

Now,
;

monsieur, you and I will

go to
you

the other end of the garden

when

there, I will describe to

the person

who accompanied you

here this afternoon.


first

Then

we

will call the witnesses,

one at a time,

separating them,
for or against

so that they cannot agree


.

upon a uniform story

me, but give the truth exactly, as the truth appears to each
one.'

" Nothing could be fairer than this proposition, fore I gave my assent to it immediately;

and there-

whereupon the two

men were

sent to stand at opposite ends of the garden, 'his

wife took her place in a third, while her

husband and myself


:

went to the fourth.


'

Having

arrived there
'

" Your friend/ said the gardener,


scribed him, with this addition,
shoes,

was just as I have dethat he wore polish-leather


a switch cane, wore

a Leghorn or

Panama

hat, carried

light jean pantaloons,

a coat an saque, and vest of white


this.

Casnmere.

Remember

Now,

Joseph, come here

'

said

he, raising his voice

and motioning the man toward us

this

good as to describe the person who came here to-day with


gentleman

Be

170
a
I
will

RAVALETTE.
with pleasure, master

The negro who came

with this
feet,

gentleman was very fat and heavy, had large splay


flat face

tremendous hands, broad,

that would

weigh a pound

and

twice

as

heavy.

His hair was

woolly, teeth very white

and regular; and he wore low shoes


!'

green cap, knee breeches, red vest, and purple jacket

"It
ished

is

difficult to

say which of us two looked most aston


finished his portrait of

when Joseph

my

companion,

Joseph was the

man who conducted


visitors of the day,

us around the garden.

We
11

were the only


'

and
1

Damn

it,

Joseph, you must be crazy

for the

man

was
"

'

Hold on

!'

said I to

the gardener

'

remember

the

terms of our wager, and say nothing

till all

have been ques-

tioned on the subject f then, turning to the


1

man, I

said

Go

to your corner, Joseph .

Pierre,

come hither f and he

came.

Now, my
the individual
Tell us

friend,

we want you to

tely describe

who accompanied me to these gardens to-day exactly how the person appeared to you. Will you,
V The
old lady

my
"
It

friend
'

Out, certaincment.

you mean.

Malateste

makes me Imghpardonez moi, monsieur, but I can't help itit makes me laugh to think about her, mafoi ! What a
queer old lady
face
;

it

was, to be sure

Such a
!

little

pinched-up
!

and what a nosp and chin, look you


world la casse-noix

Ecod

it

was

for all the

gular pair of nut-crack

ers

Certes, I took her to be the

grandmother of Metlm

THICKENS. THE MYSTERY

171

8alah> or

sister to

Adam's
1

first wife.

Oh ho

f* *-*
!

o' die shall I

laughing

And

dress a suck the*

Not a
of

.
thm

de

artiele

^Id-blue

CZ

she all bnt her, about cloth of dainty such then and moroeeo ;

wore made

slippers, look-

all

the world as

if

of wings the made of


flowers,

P^
rf

head-dress-withered uch a
ribbon
,

and two

bushels of

lid

* U ftr r-*

the lady

a,-

went Pierre one P and

corner, his to back

laughmg as

hitler
How I

measure an beyond astonished looked


;

told be cannot looked

describe. possibly could

We
to

mortal no but how I /*, adand silent, both kept


stood, patently

where to vanced

Madame

MUkn

wX
Z
.

Variously, and
decided gusto.

wonde, Impatiently and questioned, be to turn her *o laughed fellow the Pierre, with matter what was the a such *ft memory < of feast enjoyed the
>

whom person the describe to as od so g0 Devil the believe I Certes, monsieur with day along persons two no for business, the of ttom bo the at is elf himS who darling my you, But description.

said /e-e,' *re

my

comrade,

be please you wUl


here admitted you_

Vute about ;-all books poetry reading while aU the great those and Spearshaker, and Virgil, (Ovid ?), and you, t can perfectly person this ; describe can people-you plump ms at imploringly looked and the gardener
ray sweet

"agreed

in

,*

ampagmm buxom and

de ht.
it is

Now

of

all

mortals

dangerous and unsafe most

to

'

nc%

RAV ALETTE.

from

*Ah
no t know

angei bottes my Us avec mon ange mstructed I sinee ever poet has been a
that Joseph

Jl in Ihee,

hexameters dythyrambics, dactyls, spondees,

acatatectics, iambics,

and-anapest s-and
fly

Oh may
Mary

the devil

away with

all

of your

Anna Anna
Is she

damn

all

And

as for

your
?

Joseph with do to got she what's _why, Pe8 ;s

after ? running fellow's the grisette another see can't I weeks. women in fifteen
fifteen different

Why

that s
the
in-

how

stands constitution fellow's

it

the done you've and then

inducing business
' '

be to ought Shame on you-you

did

lady his that gardener the told and in stepped Here I and measures, simply fed, but females, mean cats or
ot

scansions of poetry.

This mollified
:

courlady the and him,

resumed and me, tesied to

last 'this ogre yes, darling

was spoken sub


is

is

Joseph right. ; gentleman's yes, dearest, the question all beyond is himself gentleman lunatic and the
a
; ;

a poet

Pierre

get can he as love as deeply in

reasons the are and these

person the describes neither


alike.

who

attended with him


terri-

That prince of

soldiers,

so was he because who


call

ble in

English the spear, his war, when he shook

Shake-

the-spear, says that

AND
4

6TILL THICKENS.

173

u Lovers and madmen hare such seething


Such shaping
fantasies that

brains,

apprehend more than cool

Reason comprehends.

The

lover, the lunatic,

and the poet are of imagination

All compact.

One

sees

more

devils than vast hell can hold

That

is

the

madman.

The

lover, all as frantic, sees

Helen's beauty in a brow of Egypt.

The

poet's eye, in a fine frenzy rolling,

heaven, earth to from earth, heaven to from glance Doth

And
The

as imagination bodies forth the forms of things, poet's

pen turns them to shapes, and gives

To
11
'

airy nothings a local habitation

and a name/

But what,

my
?

dear, has all this to

do with the ques;

tions I asked
that's

you

Look
in

here, Ninette

I believe

it's

you

gone mad, rose

lovesacre /I wish

I could catch

once. loving Shake-the-spear you and your

I'd fix

him and

you

too,

my

lady, that I would

I'd fix his flint so that he

more any shake wouldn't


would
!

spears around
all

my

garden, that I

Will you have done with

your rigmarole, and

?' know tell what you " Certainly. The


'

gentleman's sweetheart,

who came

room private my into me with went who and today, him with and fine as was petticoats, her adjust and hair her to arrange
man's sat a ever as years eighteen of blonde young pretty a
ankles, Such ribs. his against bobmajors triple heart beating and ah ! lips and ! cheeks her such a bloom upon

such

feet,

such a toumure
it's

embonpoint such hips, such

Sacristu

when man a not was lucky I run and mad gone have I should
/

or, crinoline, her fixed I

ma

off

with her, leaving

174
monsieur to mourn

BAV ALETTE
his loss,

while I revelled in the essence of


:

love with h\s Jlancee.

Besides that

"

'

Stop, stop,

Ninette for God's sake stop

I have lost

forty Lafitte, Jean of a bottle


brains besides
!'

odd years

old,

and

lost

my

" Here the whole five of us collected in a group,

and an

all mirth from banished instantly which followed explanation

Pierre,

and

all

poetry from la Jardiniere.


all

" Declining

thoughts of the wager and the wine, I


stupor,

left

the party in a

maze of

and sped as hastily as I could


it

to the Guinguette, or Tea-Garden, where,

will

be remem-

bered, Ravalette

and myself had entered to converse with

the proprietor regarding his novel


the

and costly experiment


les richeuse.

in

way

of feasting poor people

la

" Entering this place, I put the


prietor that I

same question to the prole

had to the gardiner and the man of Michel

Compte

but instead of surprise at his answer,


the

I was

absolutely dumb-founded, for

man

insisted that I en-

tered the shop quite alone, but that I

had conversed with

him

in

two separate and perfectly

distinct voices,

au

ventrilr

oque which he had regarded

as very singular,

but concluded

that I was a student of ventriloquism,


tunity to test
ascertain

and took every oppor-

my

proficiency,

and had now come back to

" I

what success attended the experiment. was too much horrified to speak
;

but, simply nodding

my

adieux, took

my

departure in a

mood much

to be

imagined than described.

Not

yet content. I

made

inquiries

*s to whether any

DEEPER AND DEEPER.

175

one had seen two horsemen of a peculiar description pass

through any of the streets of


"

Belleville.

Nobody had
I

seen any such, or indeed any horsemen

whatever.

was thunderstruck.
1'

"

'

I'll

track them

I cried, as a last resource

'

for the

ace

where we walked, where the horse and groom stood

waiting,

and where the old man mounted, was a

soft, yield-

ing, grassless turf.

This will decide whether I have been

dealing with the living or the dead, and that too in this

broad daylight/

"I

ran thither.

Not a

trace of a horse's hoofs

not a

single vestige of Ravalette's footprints save one,

and that one

the fac-simile of the description formerly given.

My

own

foot-marks were plain enough, but only the one other was to be found Here the mystery grew thicker and thicker, nor could I see the first glimmer of a way to clear it up.
!

11

Slowly and despondently, I retraced

my

steps

toward

Paris, taking care to inquire as I went, whether

any person

had seen two men on horseback go toward Charroune, Villette,

Menilmontant, or through the Barrieres.

might

just as well not have asked.

" But the chapter of devilry was not yet concluded, for what subsequently took place actually threw all that

had

gone before
relate, first

it

entirely in the shade.

These things I

will

now

premising

my

narrative.
first

"
in

One

day, about a week before I

spoke to Ravalette

the Louvre, I happened to be spending an afternoon in the Palais Royale, along with my friend the Barons di Cor-

76

EA VALET TK.

vaja and

Du P
On
Rue

1,

to both of

whom

I had taken letters

from America.

the day alluded to, I

met

at

'3

room

in the

Beaujolais,

and then and there became

ac-

quainted with, an
polished mind,

English gentleman of easy means and

<

by the name of Carr.

This gentleman resided

with his family in a splendid mansion in the


Vert.

After a long and interesting


till

Rue du Chemin conversation, we parted

but not

Mr. Carr had cordially taken me by the hand


desire to

maintain the acquaintance, and invited

me

to call

Rue du Chemin
gratified at his frankness,

Vert.

felt

and accepted

his

polite invitation.

go

Mr. Carr named the day, and I agreed to and accordingly had spent the evening and took tea
with

him, his family and a few select guests,

some

five

or six days

before the eventful day, the achievement of

which I have just


is

recounted.

The thing which I am about to narrate

not
is

only strange, but in

many

respects horrible,

and

my

mind

agitated to the last degree by the astounding occurrences things which I beheld with my

own
;

eyes, felt

with

mv own
have

senses, realized

with

my own
soul

spirit

and yet I scarcely dare

give credit to that which I

am
is

sensible cannot, could not


filled

been an

illusion.

My

with wonder

and I
is

hasten to give a true version of the affair while all

vet

be
shall

numb my

CHAPTER

IV.

MURDER WILL OUT


"
1
'

The

circumstances were, briefly, these

I attended, as before

fete

house of

my
in

friend

Mr. Carr Leonard Carr.

The party

was given

honor of a young

literary friend of the family,


fiction.
all

of writer as a renown great gained recently had who

To

this

young man I was introduced just before we

sat

down

to the festive board to partake of the

many good

things so bounteously set before us. " After the repast

was concluded we

all

adjourned to the

parlor and entered into conversation.

Topic after topic had


tables,'

been

discussed,

and at length the

Turning

then so

rife in all parts of the

world, and Paris especially, became

the theme of observation and criticism. "


'

Bah

!'

said Mrs. Carr,

'

deem the whole thing

silly,

humbugs ever ran contemptible most the of one being besides


after

by a pack of

silly
is

people

was going
it,

to say

fools
all

am
/

convinced there

really nothing in

and that

this

stuff

about moving furniture, and ghosts, and other spectral


is

gentry,

but the product of heated fancy,

if

not of heads and


;

hearts devoid of truth, principle, and moral rectitude

stories

got up

for

swindling purposes, and to gull that credulous

8*

177

178
pack of ninnies

KAV ALETTE.
known
!

as "

The Public,"

and a precious
a

set

they are, to be sure

Who

believes, for instance,

tithe

of the reputed wonders of the famous American " Miracle


I

Circle," or that

they are anything

more than

clever tricks

played off by a set of waggish fellows on a gullible


nity of Yankees, having in

commu-

view the ultimate object of expos?

ing and exploding the whole so-called spiritual mysteries


don't,

I'm

sure.'
!

" Poor lady

She

little

dreamed under what

cruel

cir-

cumstances she was doomed so soon to verify the truth of the

Latin motto,
11 '

Nemo

mortalium, omnibus horis

sapit,'

so meaningly quoted to myself

by Ravalette.
intellect,
all

Little did she

then dream, in the plenitude of

that not

many days

would elapse ere she admitted


scornfully derided

she

now

so mockingly and
ere long she would

and laughed

at,

and that

cower

in

the very extremity of terror and mental dread,

before these very mysteries she

now

so dogmatically denied.

" Her husband took upon himself the task of answering


her, thus relieving us guests of the

always unpleasant

office

of holding a wordy contest with a

woman.

He

said

You
self

are,

my

dear, permit

me

to say, in behalf of my-

and these gentlemen, a


sweeping
in

little

too hasty in your concluin the characteriza-

sions, too

your remarks, and

tion of the

wonderful phenomena of these latter days.

know,

my

love, that

you

will give

me

credit for rather

more

than the usual share of suspicion, scepticism, and doubt, regarding certain marvellous things said to have recently

ABOUT

SPIRITISM.

179
in Paris.

taken place in England, America, and even here

You know that

it is

my nature

to admit nothing as proved

especially of such

an implied nature

strative evidence.

without absolute demonThe proof must be the


irrefragible
else

tes-

timony unbroken and indubitable,


certainly

I accept nothing.
less

do not believe

in spirits,
flit

much

that such things


us,

come

to this world and

and move around

taking

in-

terest in all our affairs,

and meddling with our business


is

in

thousand ways, as
lieve in

it

alleged they do by those

who

be-

them.

And

yet,

with

all

this,

I confess that I have

seen things that stagger

me

indeed, that demonstrate besecret, occult,

yond dispute the existence of a power, mighty,


and working out
its

marvellous designs without the slightest

human

aid or influence whatever.


all

Mind me,

do not

attri-

bute any or

of these results to spiritual agency, but I do say


is

that the force at bottom

marvellously intelligent, and for all

the world like that of man's.

For

instance,

you

will

remem-

her

who came from America

to astonish the French.


cir-

Well, actuated by curiosity, I resolved to form one of a


cle of six

who had made arrangements

to test his powers at

his

own

rooms.

Accordingly we met him by appointment

at the Cafe Jououy near the Palaise Royal, and together

we

seven started for his hotel.

Now,

as I walked along, the

idea

suggested

itself,

that

perhaps the fellow had made

arrangements

in his

rooms to surprise us by a resort to some


in

mountebankish performance, and therefore,


his sincerity,

order to try

and at the same time guard


I

agaiilst

any mere
repair
to

trickery or legerdemain,

suggested

that

we

180

RAVALETTE.

hotel. his at than elsewhere apartments

To my

surprise he

a without arrangement this to assented


repa ired to a

murmur, and we

room

at the house of

one of the company, Mon-

Benji
;at

the

Rue de

Clichy.

When

there,

we

all

,'ound
its

table with

fourteen hands laid

flat

upon

top.

For a while nothing occurred, save a few

knocks or thumps upon the table, which


spirits,

attributed to

but which I suspected his knees produced.


sat

While

thus

we

was broad daylight, and the sun ahone


the

brightly

through

windows), we

distinctly

saw,

and

I actually,

palpably

felt of,

a fifteenth hand.

This hand was

apparently solid flesh and blood.

It appeared to be that

of a mulatto girl of fifteen or sixteen summers,

and one

o I the

party subsequently told


fac-simile of the right

me

in confidence that it
girl

was the very


in

hand of a

whom
me

he once kn<w
herse'.f

the Isle de

Bourbon, and who had destroyed

by

poison for love of the very

man who

told

the story!
itself

This
eight

hand came. from beneath the table and extended


or ten inches over the edge at
the
air,
first.

Then

it

gradual!/ rose

displaying a magnificent set of fingers, jpc>n the

middle joint of

of which appeared the

sembkncc of

large and peculiarly-shaped

brown mole, surrounded by

smaller

and

it

was by these marks that

my

friend pr

tended
fifths

The hand was attached

to about

of a forearm, completely covered with the semblance of

a lace sleeve, terminating at the wrist in a jewelled band, and at the othcp extremity by a flaring and projecting ruffle. The hand, after a into the where it floated fo

THE SPECTRAL HAND.


two minutes
silver

181

It

then descended, seized hold of a small


it

bell
;

upon the mantel and rung


after

sharply

all

over

the

room

which

it

replaced

it,

took hold of a pencil


ceiling of the lofty-

and wrote forty-seven words upon the


vaulted apartment
;

threw down the

pencil,

patted each of
in

our hands, and then gradually faded awav


the centre of the table

the
it

air,

just

We

rose after

had gon<

placed a stand upon the table, a chair upon that, so as to reach the writing on the wall (which yet remained there),

and found a short

ssage to the

company
\s

in general,

and
the

med by
Isle

the very

name of
N'ow,

Mr
my
dear,

inamorata of
all

de

Bourbon

was

this

hum-

bug

To

this,

the lady, whose scepticism would not abate


face of

an
this, repli
all
1
:

Rosicrucian

overwhelming demonstration as

'"Why,
win
all

pn
p,

nine

you had

taken a

little

too
!

much
It's

,l

asli

op,

wrote on the wall,

andBah
!'

hnmbu

and that

settles the que

lod at

The lady was

silent

and the

will

call

him Mr.

for

whom

the party was gotten up, entered

the arena

of convei ation, and observed that


he preferred the former term

SfK

ral

or Spiritual

was yet
in
all

but

in

its

Christendo
a

acquaintance of
thin
occult,

man
he

of
h;
1

rdinary

arch

and

whom

met under peculiai


ffinmed

um
rue with

but a
regard ro the

little

while before

faith,

philosophy, and practices of a certain

182

RAV ALETTE.

branch or rather family of the Hindoos or other Eastern


tribes.

"

'

This individual/ pursued Mr.

l ,

is

a firm and
\

devout believer in Spiritualism, and yet contends that not


over two-tenths of what passes current under that term,
really that
is

which

it

is

claimed to be.

Nay, further

he

declares,

and gives

his reasons

why, which latter are very


fifty

just

and tenable, that not more than once in

times are

the actions and speeches delivered under trance the result of


Spiritual action
;

but that when not the absolute offspring of


is

imposture, which

rarely the case, other,

and very often purely

physical causes are at work,

which are frequently far more

potent than what

is

known

as " spiritual influence," inasmuch

as the results are productive of better, greater,


satisfactory

and more

phenomena, and of far more interest and value to mankind, and which have been entirely overlooked in the
haste and zeal with which people seek to gratify their thirst
for

the

marvellous,

by attributing whatever

baffles

their

powers of analysis to a supermundane origin. " This person/ continued Mr. A., asserted also that he could himself produce similar and even far more wonderful and startling effects, by means entirely material, than many which are claimed to originate beyond the earth. "This," said he, " I can do under circumstances that will forever put the quietus on one portion of the spiritual
'

theory.

There

is

a science in existence that

may

very properly be called

Spectreology or Phantomism, whose wonders vie with the best of those emanating really from the spirit world I" Bur-

MOKE MAGIC LOOMING

183

ing his travels in the Orient, he said, the modus operandi of


several startling effects

had been imparted


that,

to

him by a person

named Ramo Djava, and

were

it

not for his greatly im-

paired health, which rendered the experiments alluded to


highly dangerous, he would give public displays of his

power
he had
till

As

to the

means

used, that

must remain a

secret, for

promised to
dying hour.

initiate only

one person, and that not

his

But, at

all events,

he was willing to demonstrate,


is

before a select few, that there really

more between earth


of.
diffi-

and heaven than even the

loftiest

savants dream
I,

Having

my
on

curiosity thus excited,


this

with great

culty, prevailed

person to consent to give a display


I have inwill exactly

of his ability, before a select circle of eighteen.


vited five persons,

and the present company

complete the requisite number, and I cheerfully extend you all an invitation to be present at half-past
cisely,

six o'clock pre-

at the mansion of our mutual friend, the


this

Baron de

Marc,

day week V

" This ended the conversation on that particular theme, and, shortly afterwards, the party dissolved, agreeing to meet again on the night mentioned, which, strange coincidence was
!

the

very one of the singular adventure with


lette
;'

'

the ghost of

Ravasus-

for, to tell

the truth, I had of the

by

this time

begun to

pect that

my old man

Louvre-he who appeared under


and the same
time, nay, under

three different aspects at one


five,

and who was heard to speak, though himself unseen by the man of the Guinguette-was something more than mortal. " You must bear in mind the fact, that the party and con-

1-1
venation at Mr.
1

RAV ALETTE
I before place Carp's took

had ever seen


if

/a will

tto at all to

o-ak with him.

And now,

you plea

e,

w,

before I progress in events of rontinue the train

made

this liirrei

"
1

Vou

will rei

ember

that, after

making

fruitless inquiries

the tw
rial
1

orseraeu,

and an equally

fruitless search after

fa

on the

soil

near Belleville, that I took


foot,

my way

to-

ward
.A
(

iris,

slowly, on
I

musing deeply as I went along.


tolling

ptM
mt

<1

wn

the

Hue Faubourg du Temple, the

of a

<1

clock announced the hour of four.


nt i

I remembered
fully

my
I

enj
in

igem

he Baron's, but, as I

had

two hours

left

whi< h to dress for the occasion, I

determined to drop

in at

D'Kmprat's, in the

Rue Michel

le

Compte, as I went

and hear whatever might have turned up in


I

my

absence.
find a

rea

the rtreet,
i

and was greatly surprised to

large

and highl

ccited

crowd of people before the gate,


urplices of at least

and
pri

tli

so, as I

beheld the

a dozen

the Order St. Lazare, elbowing their way, and

tr

ing to pas

both
irt

in

and out of the house.

" \Y

ith

It

palpitating with vague

and dread uneasiness, I

approached an intelligent-looking man, and, assuming a carel

>ness

by no means

felt,

asked him the cause and reason of

the gathering.

"
lb
1)

ffd
vil

Wei

you,

sir

P he said.

Do you

not

know that
that

and

five of his

imps have just been on a

visit to

and carried

off three or four of the

inmates through

the roof in a flame of blue fire 1

If you don't

know

it,

aawre

it

is

a fact

1'

SATAN IN PARIS.

1S5

" I saw in this answer the legitimate effect of superstUion,

and

that the man's cloth belied his intelligence

I,

there-

fore, dr

ont a sh(
t

of paper
as of the

ai

pencil,

and began to

flourish

m
il

in

the

<

crowd

fur the purpose of

attracting
u
\1
j

attention.

ruse bo

eeded

the peopl
ga'v

me lown as a reporter
and
left
;

of
I

be pre*

atantly
diffi<

way

right

so that

but

littl

dty in gaining an entrance

the huild-

ii

Once
relaj
i

there,
in
tl

soon learn
sw<
int

that the

{>

D' Em prat

had

ie

Q occttlODtd

by

hi- firs' fright,

and

had pasted
laiming
blo
s
I!

the most
,

fri

htfoJ
1

mvulsions, ex1

all

the whil

as

tl

thick
!

am

tiled

from his
f

lipt,
I

'Oh, the

devil

tl

devil
thii

has

ne

my
gc
'

ul, been

Med
-

pt

Lsmoine

/-seven
to hell'

years

Dim! 7
H
d;i

I'm! TheyicUldra
exert
cr
I

me

Ah
wei
(

wife
ei
in
1

id

all

her

fluence
ail.

and

ifh

th
c

hou*
the poli
peedily

His
foi

ies

ill

in

Fur

until at la*
.

had
foil

danentrn a
scor

into
priet

ai

wer

wed by a

of

hi

hear
ver

that the devil

was
effe
f

in Paris, in propel

person, v

an ious to try the

of a

little
t

hath of

wat

as well as to get a sight of


lets,

ir

arch
1

enemy, wh m, doul
8

the vast majority of

hem

.rard<

as nothing

more

han a man

or, rather, devil

traw.

M The news spread like wild-fire that the devil had appeared, and to the qn
%

ions

a-ked by priest and

bailiff

of the

porter, he confirmed the rumor,

and

told,

as best he c uld,

gg

RAVALETTE.
His story did not
officers aside,

afternoon. the of the incidents

rest here,

however, but,

taking two of the

he told them
in

to them caused which something


est

start

back

the wild-

horror,

and

cross

themselves most devoutly.

The

re-

the cautioned porter officers the that was, interview sult of the

from uttering one


person
else.

word

of

what he had just told them to any


they
all

After

this,

again entered the room


all

where D'Emprat was


delirium,
still

still

struggling in

the terrors of

still

accusing himself of a long-committed homicide,

calling on

God and

the priests to save him from the

clutches of the devil,

whom
trident,

he averred he saw beside him

armed with fork and


soul to perdition
scene,

ready to drag his unfortunate

and the damned.

During
all

all this fearful

Madame D'Emprat was


The ghosts of

doing

she could to quiet

her husband, but without avail.

The man went on harder


deeds were there, and aveng-

than before.

evil

ing angels lashed his soul to frenzy.


"
'

Be

still/

she cried,

'

for Jesus' sake,

be

still

They

will

carry you to Bicetre, and from there to


will die

le

Boureau, and you

au

coupe tete

.'*

Oh, be

still

or, if

you must

talk,

say something else than that P

" Every word uttered by the


quietly written

woman and

the

man was
who

down, unobserved, by one of the

officers,

used
desk.

my

pencil

and paper, and the back of

his

comrade as a

"

What

strange, mysterious

power was

it

that caused

me

On

the guillotine.

>

MURDER WILL

OUT.

187

mechanically to purchase a pencil and paper on


Belleville

my way from

down

to Michel le

Compte

" God's ways are mysterious, altogether past finding out

and I inwardly praised him as the mighty

fact

became ap-

parent, that the people of the house were not in league, as I

had conjectured might be the

case, with Ravalette

and that
in-

the mysterious agent of Divine Retribution was not of an


fernal nature, be
off
it

or he whatever
soon, alas
!

else.

load was lifted


heavier than

my heart too
'

to be let

down

before.

"

You
Tis

did not
!'

kill

him,

D'Emprat

So don't say you did

any more
a
(

exclaimed the
lie!

woman

in the accents of despair.


'

a,

I did V yelled the unfortunate man.


in the cellar,
!'

killed

him with the hatchet

and buried him under

the grey horse's stall in the stable

"

'My God

we

are ruined

!'

screamed the

now

frantic

woman.

'I always suspected that you killed


it

my

brother,

but never believed


believe
it
:

until

now.

And,

yet, I

do not even now

for'
it ;

"

'

I can prove

for I well

remember a bloody hatchet,

and that master never would


grey horse
;

let

me

clean the stable of the

and that I have watched him dig gold from the ground there, and heard him accuse himself in his sleep !' said
the concierge,

coming forward.

Then, D'Emprat, and you, madame, I arrest in the name of the law and you, porter, as a witness.
;

Officers,
!'

do your

dutytake

the prisoners clear the house

said

their chief

188

KAVALKTTE

were people unfortunate " Five minutes afterwards, the hotel to my to way the on was I and being led to prison, at the soiree the circumstances-for such dress-even under to be a me fitted little that mind of frame Baron's, but in a
experiments. philosophical spectator of
did I go and must, pledged, and go I

Yet my word was


clock finding

me

in the

Baron's parlor.
perfectly
sensible

"I am
to
the

that,

even

in

what I have

narrated, the

credulity

of

many

persons would be taxed


believe

utmost.
as

It

is

easy enough to

that such
ago,
in

things

have

described occurred long ages


it

but Magic, of days halcyon the green and

is difficult

to

this of light broad the in place imagine such things as taking

nineteenth century.

Millions, aye hundreds of millions, have

believe will ages, perhaps years, coming in and, believed, do,


in the startling records of
tailed,

a magic similar to that I have de-

and which

is

described so briefly, yet so graphically,


;

in the
insist

Book

of

Exodus

and yet these people

will strenuously

that the day of such things

of such exhibitions of the

Upper Magic

has

for ever passed

away, totally unmindful


there re-

of the great fact, that,

when the astonishing things

corded were accomplished, there must of necessity have been

a law

natural law

in

accordance with, and by which,

they were done, and that no law of Nature has ever yet

been repealed
perfection

consequently, they must exist to-day in as

full

and power as ever.


remains of the present affair to be told, may, with

"

What

what has already been related (and the truth of which may

NO D INCEPTION.

189

be ascertained most readily by correspondence with the


parties
tial

named), be implicitly
;

relied

on as correct

in all essen-

particulars

and

yet, the occurrences that

took place on

that eventful night are of a kind so horrible, so utterly monstrous, that, at times, I

almost believe that

we

all

twelve
some
with

healthful men,

and

six

women

were laboring under


cling to
this
belief,

strong delusion.

I should

still

the pertinacity of a miser to his golden god, the bigot to his


creed, or the

drowning wretch to the narrow plank that prolife's

mises a renewal of

tenure,

were

it

not that

facts, appal-

ling in themselves, forever

and

utterly preclude the possibility

that I

that wewere mistaken and

deceived.

What

these

facts were, will

be most clearly shown

in the sequel."

CHAPTER
s

V.

DIABLERIE EXTRAORDINAIRE
traced e'er Hell than With features horrlblcr

On No

Kb own brood

no Demon

of the waste,

in the light lingering caught church-yard ghoul,

sight human blasted Of the blest sun, e'er those as fierce so foul, With lineaments so

shows." mockery grinning in now, Impostor The

When
enumerated

above company the found I house the reached I anxiously most all and parlor, the in seated

individual the of appearance the

who was

to afford
also.

and, entertainment, us

if

possible,

some instruction

awhile

it

disapbe to doomed were appeared that we

pointed

The

pected party had promised


it

attend
already,

and eight, to minutes thirty


and
still

was nearly that time


coming
;

there were no signs of his

but, as

St

Eustache tolled out the half


announced
11

ring at the door-bell

his arrival.

The man

was. a tall

of apparently personage, comely and


all

Irish

at him about whatever nothing extraction, and had


;

remarkable

indeed, he

was a very

so-soish sort of individual,

who
his

at first refused his


:
'

name

to everybody, because, to quote

own words
in

If I remain incog. I shall not " bored,"

be

lionized,

which

other terms means

and pestered by

per-

sons seeking to gratify a


190

morbid and impertinent curiosity

MAGICIAN THE MAI VATTERALE,


people

191
find

who

miracles, full-grown look for

and expect to

and arts studying them, instead of by experience their enriching and knowledge their
increasing
truths, philosophic with acauaintance intimate
'/

and therewith

and

of mighty Nature polished and


freely

polit

entering
so

into

conversation,

and

seemed

altogether
off
~~
/

well

pleased with his

audience that he threw


vt
|^r

all

reserve,
*

v --

- -

and

he time which of the end


gave us
his secret, to

go no

further.

That na
very curious
the back

It was Mai Vatterale

name

He
six

soon proposed
reaching
3

parlor,

and

after

he proceeded to

doing; this, his

Baron the to signified Yatterale Monsieur


was informed

said

'

sieur,

that

Mon with arranged was meeting day that the present the that necessary absolutely was it in all cases
of all

who

assist at, or witness his experi-

should be duly
reason I

fortified

with food, for what particular


is it

imagine, nor
that
all

necessary that I should

of which

present

might forego their usual repasts


little

homes, and partake of a


nnimfinoJno'

soupcr with me, pre-

our experiments, and'


plait,' said

Permettez moi, sHl v&iis

Vatterale, courteously

192
Si
cela

BAV ALETTE
agreabk

vous

est

my

custom, and

is

for the pur

any preventing pose of

might that effects

result

from a shock

7L

expenence to apt be will von me, believe nerves, which, indi explanation, an such course Of done have we before sopreventive of degree small no did, certainly .cauuK perfect^ was foreigner, illustrious the of part licitude on the the by spirit proper a in ace ipted

satisfactory,

and was

whole company.
'

said follow gentlemen, way, This way, ladies ; this the leading and wife, his to arm bis giving gaily Baron, the

way
'

salle splendid his to

a manger.
called it

had noble The worthy

un
it

petit souper,

but the
difficult

rendered us before magnificent spread

a somewhat

in supper grand a constitute would what imagine task to am I task the of part no is it To describe ttion.

his

en-

im

that observe merely shall I therefore, gaged on and, well as table, the of furniture The most recfarcke affair
;

descripsumptuous most the of was as the viands themselves, gold heaviest and richest the of tion, everything on it being

and
the
1

silver

from Noblesse, old plateheir-looms of the

whom

Baron was descended.


Dinner or supper once over,

we

all left the table,

and once

and parlor, back the to adjourned more


western arm

the in seats 'took

in six ladies, the triangle, in a arranged chairs

number

pying those which formed the

thereof.

When
quite

properly and comfortably seated, there

was

placed Vatterale large vacant space before us, into which

two chairs facing each

other,

and also

two

foot-stools

LOOKING THROUGH TWO FLOORS.


covered with damask
other ang
e.

193
in

plush-velvet

close

together
all

the

He

then proceeded to lock


all

the doors lead-

ing into the apartment, tied


piece of scarlet

the keys together with


t

of one to them hung then and ribbon,

directly chandelier gas large la a from pendent glass prisms

over the centre of what I may


circle.

call,

not inappropriately, our

all were number, in seven chandelier, The jets of this

in full

in all room the and gas, of head strong play under a

parts

was

quite as light as

if

the sun shone into the windows,

two

both parlor, the of end northern the of which occupied

being very richly curtained,


lest trickery in
self,

and both quite

shut.

I repeat,

what followed should be suspected by yourof gas

that the seven jets


all

brightly burning, and

continued so

withextinguished, when except the evening,


;

out the aid of human hands

and as they were put

out, bo

once. than more relighted they also were

"

Having

disposed of the

bunch of keys, Vatterale went


closely,

to both windows,

examined them

fastened

them

down
down

securely

that is to say, the lower sashes

for he let
n external

one of the upper ones,

and threw the

east

fastened and open, wide blinds

them
in

so.

Of

course, the

been never -had ceremonies master of

that dwelling before,

respecting information obtained have not could course of and


inquiry, and visit of methods y it by the usual the for ring to him the Baron, he requested

servant,

and

bid door closed the through

him remove an ornamental


the

sofa

from

funds our above immediately the chamber

dark bed

on

the

third

fi

as

its

pre

where

it

194

KAVALETTR.

then stood would materially affect the experiments to be

made

"This request, made under such circumstances, surprised


but particularly

who

stared at the
risen

man

who made
dead
;

it,

as if he regarded

him as one

from the

and

it

was, forsooth, rather a startling circumstance,

to say the least.

He

admitted that there was such a room


troisieme.

and such a dark chamber, au

Yet how the man


in

knew

it,

was very strange, considering that he had been and had not
left

the house but a short time,

us for a mo-

ment, nor spoken a single

word

to any of the servants, save


residence.

on entering, to inquire
Scarcely had

if this

was the Baron's

we recovered from the

surprise natural

such

than we were again made sensible that


for,

were dealing with an extraordinary man,

turning to me,
re-

he begged the loan of a small metallic coin which I had ceived as a present from Mr. Carr less than ten minutes

before

Yatterale entered the house, and which coin was remarkably


curious and valuable on account of its high antiquity,

and

it

was one of the only two known to be in existence, and had been begged for me by Mr. Carr, from his friend Blaise de
Jonge, the celebrated Easter
to Mr. Carr,
previous.
his pocket,

and had only been

by that eminent savant, the


Vatterale placed
set of ivory tablets
it

Having received the


and then taking out a
it

a request thereon, and handed


la

to

Madame

la

Marquise de

Fronde, an elderly lady, foster sister to the Baron.

The

request

was altogether so sin-alar and so novel, that the old

THE PREPARATION.
lady immediately read
have the goodness
her feet
it

195
la

aloud

'

Will

Madame

Marquise

to retire to the alcove

and remove from between

and

stockings the

metallic plates, and, separating the

zinc

from
kind,

the

copper ones, place each metal


restore them

plate with

its

own

cmd

to her feet outside the hose

The

that averred she for astonishment, with lady almost fainted

had she that but plates, such wore that she knew mortal no
for ten years,

and found them, by reason of the

electric cur-

highly system, her to imparted and elaborated they rents


beneficial to her health.

She

retired as requested, and, re-

turning in a minute, convinced us of the marvellous seeing


faculty of the mysterious Mai,

by exhibiting the
She again

plates,

which

were precisely as he

had described-

retired, and,

shortly returning, resumed her seat.

These preliminaries being

concluded, Vatterale brought into the open space before us a


small portmanteau, which he carried in his

hand when he ena coil of wire

tered the mansion.

From

this

he

now took

in-

deed, three small coils tied together

also a saucer of large

dimensions of stone China, or thick, very thick porcelain, a


large vial containing a colorless liquid, a

box

of paste or

gum, two
that

large,

and

entirely

empty, thin bottles

so

thin

we

all

looked through them at the light, as he handed

them

to us for that purpose.


glass, as thin

They were
brittle,

as clear as the best

window
crystal.

and as

apparently, as the finest


also

Prom

the

same receptacle he

took what

looked like three

rolls of

paper, one very large

when

un-

folded, the others quite small indeed.

The

larger bundle he

unrolled and spread upon the floor, on the space between the

1 96

K AVALETTE.
and fautmUs.
It

chairs

was about three

feet in diameter,

and was painted


nondescript.

in all sorts of colors,

and

figures entirely

The

centre of this article

was immediately that

of the triangle, 'The Symbolical figure of the Universe, or

Oneness/ as he called
large chandelier.

it,

and of course was directly beneath the

This done, he placed the saucer right upon

the centre of the symbolical chart, if I

may so term it.

Then

unfastening the coils of wire, he laid one along the laps of


the gentlemen on one side,

and fastened

it

by means of a link

and hook

to

two others, which passed

in front of the other

two

sections of the

human

trine.

The wire held by the

ladies (for

we

all

were directed to grasp the wire before us with one hand,

md
iron,

the

hand of the next neighbor with the other) was


silver foil
;
;

common
steel,

wound with

the one before myself

was

wound with gold wire

and the other was of solid gold,


floss silk.

wound, as were the others, at intervals, with


ladies

The

grasped with the

left

hand, and joined their right, while

with the gentlemen this order

was

reversed.

The next pro

ceeding on the part of Mai, was to place half of the


the

gum

upon
fire

this he

emptied the vial of

Lqoid, and set


bluish flame.
liar

thereto.

It burned with a clear

and steady

The gum was gradually consumed, and a pecu-

and most delightful fragrance floated through the room. " During the burning process, the
operator sat upon the

curious preparations.

and gazed fixedly and intently upon, or rather toward, the open sash, while the rest of us were chatting merrily, and wondenng what would be the result of all these weird ami
stool,

A GLOOMY HO UK.

197

" I said the rest of us were merrily chatting, but must

employment this from excluding qualify that observation by


one person, and that person was

myself, for I found

it

ut-

abanthat with conversation the in terly impossible to mingle


others. the characterized which unreserve don and

It

was

altogether beyond

my

power to forget the tremendous expe-

undergone. had which I day, very that riences of

A weight
'

was on my

spirit
'

that could not be

lifted off.

The

Ghost

of Ravalette seemed to be

invisibly

hovering over me, and


felt

palpably be to seemed presence his unseen, although


me.

by

The

themselves obtruded constantly Belleville at events


;

before the eye of the mind


singular result of his

the affair at the gardener's, the

impromptu wager, the woman at the


all,

Barriere, and, above

the frightful occurrences at the


its

Rue

Michel

le

Compte, with

sure

absolutely sure

termina-

tion on the Guillotine

the miserable and

ignominious death

of D'Emprat, and the unearthly means whereby his deed of

crime

murder, committed the crime a years before the unearthly and mysterious means, I was brought by which
horrible
his guilt

thirty-seven

repeat,
this,

to light

this, all

so

oppressed

me

that I could not take a present interest in

what

was transpiring about me.

Indeed, I cared

little for

either

Mai or

his tricks

which, from

observing the method of his

preparations, I

had already not only despised, but put down

to the score of legerdemain

clever

and

surprising,

but

still

nothing more than legerdemain.


"

How

rudely this conceit

was broken

up,

how

horribly I
us,

was convinced of my mistaken estimate of the man before

198
seen. be soon y
,

RAV ALETTE.

As

for his skill in detecting the

the

sofa,

and the

secretly acalready had I plates,

counted.
Sensitives,

wLo

other several and Hauser, remembered Caspar by what metals of presence could detect the

may

be called

'magnetic

sense.'

His description of the


all

nearly for simple, very was troisieme, au bed-room dark


floor that on chambers old houses have such
old house
;
;

this

was an

Vatterale saw

it,

and made what preliminary

capital he could from his acuteness.

With

the present weight

of experience

with the

memory

of the deeds of the mystical

Ravalette

still

very be not could I course of mind, fresh in


felt

as I magic minor of displays such highly interested in

convinced were very shortly to be

made by

the conjuring

gentleman before
" Suddenly the

us.

man whose

pretensions I

had

just been

in-

wardly

criticising, partially

raised himself from

the stool,

threw back
shoulders, birth

his

head

until his long,

wavy

locks

fell

upon

his

and muttered between his teeth, as


painful,
'

if

the word-

was extremely

He

is

coming V and we noticed

that his face, naturally of a dingy yellow, suddenly

became

of an ashen-hued paleness, and his eyes darted forth lumi-

nous sparks that were plainly visible even amid the glare of
that brilliantly-lighted apartment he placed his right
is
;

and at the same instant


his

hand over the region of

heart^-that

to say, over that part

where nine-and-ninety of every hunleft breast.

dred suppose the heart to be, namely, under the

He

did this as

if

to repress a rising pang, then turning to his


!

audience, he

exclaimed' Look sharp

Be

firm

be

fear-

floor." the on saucer "the


be attentive

199

less
less,

but

if

you would avoid


not,

but great danger,

stir

mo

from your seats


hands,

other each retain cord, the Grasp

make what
inch

marks you may deem


inch from your seats,
prise

proper, but

si

:le

happen what

you

company the of few a not all assented verbally, and when magic, and sorcery his on him joke to began even back motioned instantly were but seats, our from all started

We

by

magisterial commanding, an anxious frown and a

wave of
part

his right

hand

on movement simultaneous The


yell,

caused by a

for such

proceeded

TheMr. a from but female, a from anticipated, be as might Philafrom hailing gentleman, odore D wight, an American

delphiaand at the present time


11

still

dwelling there.
will certify, is

This person, as

all

who know him

no weak,
all this

puling, nerveless

man, for a man

more the opposite of

search. month's in a found could scarce be

" The sound which came from his


ror, horror,

lips

was a shriek of

ter-

and agony

combined, as

might well be fancied to


souls of the nether hell.

come from the

throats of the

damned

fright deadly of paroxysm a It was, indeed,


all

In an instant
is

eyes were turned toward him.

He
;

paler than a

corpse,

the very image of Death

itself

his eyes protruded

as trembled he and sockets, their from


final

if

he stood before the

bar

his lips refused to

tell

the cause of his distress, but

his gaze

was

intently fixed,
the

with an immovable expression of


the floor.
Instinctively our eyes

horror, upon

200

KAVALETTE.

who still Vatterale's, was except direction, followed the same exception, this I reWith sash. open the toward looking
peat

we

all

the toward looked


there
!

floor,

when, great
still

God what
!

a sight was
small rolls

was sancer Tne


!

there,

bnt the two

gone were of paper

They had disappeared, but


recollect, there

stead their in

we

distinctly
full

sawfor,

were

en full jets of
saw, I reiterate,

gas in

blaze right over our

headswe

physical, eyes our with

bodily eyesthree

scorpions overgrown resembling somewhat beings, horrible and arms hands had they claws, of instead that
for
ill

These detestable

negro child newly-born a of the world like those the Great blaspheme not dare I for things,
!

Eternal by calling them

creatures,

were about
in length.

five inches

eighteen some by back, broad on the

Their color

and yellow green, purple, with mottled was a deep crimson, with covered completely were stripes and spots, and they
scales, like those of

an armadillo.

Conceive,

if

you can, of a

tarantula or spider so large,

and whicheach one of them


tips of twelve legs, sixteen

moved about on the very


eighteen inches long, and
all

or
its

the while whirling and twirling

threeand long inches eighteen hands and arms (two of each),

fourths as large as
picture
of the

its

body, and you will form a tolerable


unsightly,

repulsive,
'

hideous

monstrosities
floor

crawling, or rather
"

the on saucer that round stilting/

Each one of

these loathsome things

had

four large, pro

Frog monster the of truding eyes, closely resembling those


of India
;

leaden not but these eyes, unlike the frog's, were


fin

hued

of spark no instead of this being the case, I think

WHAT WERE THEY?


ever shone

201

brighterin fact,

they fairly gleamed with what


;

redness infernal than term other no by I can indicate


it

for

concentrated the emitted they flash every seemed that at


;

venom of a gorgon
perfectly

and beneath the. fearful spell


fear.

we

all sat

immovable with

"What
but they

accursed the had been have would agony our

things ventured to
still

move toward

us, I

dare not even imagine,

and ever kept

in the one track,


floor.

moving with

or-

derly march around that saucer on the

We

felt

and

knew

that they were living, actual

realities,

a genuine and
illusion,

horrid trinity of facts,


result

and not a mere optical


fancies,

or the

of a play

upon our

mesmeric or otherwise.

This opinion was confirmed by the most positive and blasting


testimony, for, as they solemnly, demoniacally marched about

the centre of that symbolic chart, they left a trailing streak


of greenish
dead, hard, greenish ichor or pus, behind

them

at each revolution,
ron's carpet.
letters

and a few drops of

this fell

upon the BaI exchanged

Some months afterward he and

on the events of that night, and he assured

me

that

not a single chemical amongst the hundreds applied for the

purpose had been of the least


stain.
'

effect

toward removing the


its

The carpet has been discharged of

colors

and

leall,

dyed, yet no dye will cover those spots V


for

This was not

on one of their rounds they nearly quitted the chart, and

the

Baron struck at them with

his foot,

whereupon one of
fell

them spirted forth a

fetid liquid,
if

which

upon

his

boot,

and made a mark there as


with hot iron
!

the leather

had been seared

9*

202
"
to
'

B A. V ALETTE.
Talk not
to

me

this after legerdemain of

Speak not

me

appearances, in the deceptive face or illusion, of optical


fa
'

of such
to me,

ts

marks,' are here for as these,

wrote the Baron

defy that contradiction. evidences palpajble are re h

they there and yet night, remain, that on made were They
" Out, and, albeit I cry,
persist in

damned

spots !" they will not, but

remaining absolute confirmations of vivid, strange,

inc')iitrovertil)le/ac^

t
up, under such circumstances,

"
til

'

But why did you not get

of you, and escape from the

room V

is

a very natural and


without impro-

perl nips not unreasonable question, that

may

priety be asked just here,

and I reply
be named.

For

several reasons

among which a few


dl securely locked,
chair,

shall

First, the doors were

and although we had seen Mai mount a

and hang the keys to one of the glass pendants, yet


there,

upon looking
rolls

we found that

they, as well as the two

of paper, had disappeared.

Secondly, the windows were


feet

fastened down, besides being


least fifteen

many

from the ground

at
not.

and

to leap that distance

was altogether out


it,

of the question, even had

we thought of

which we did

Thirdly, the earnest and solemn

warning given by Vatterale

before anything took place


his

his assurance that if

we obeyed

injunctions not

to

stir

that,

although we might be

frightened, yet

no harm could or would beMl

usacted,

amidst
tate

all

our terror, as a sort of stopper upon any precipifirst

movement, after the

shock was over.


all

"

We

could not quit the

room provided even


Hast never heard

the doors

had been flung wide open.

tell

of the fas-

THE FASCINATION OF DANGER.


emotion of Danger?
in all its terrible force

203
was upon us

If so, then

know

that

it

and power.

We were bound, chained,


potentiality never to be
its

rooted, riveted to the spot,

by a

questioned, never to be despised, for


fastens
lenting.

might, when^ once

it

upon

its victim,

is

merciless, griping, stern


stir,

and unre-

We felt
to

that to

was to incur the hazard of an

unknown, unguessed-at
terror
;

danger.

All were

fascinated
!

by

move was

to add

ten-fold to its

power

It

was

Ind, of native the by experienced a feeling akin to that


to wakes slumber, mid-day his from roused
feel

who

the

clammy

his of serpent hooded dreadful the folds of the cobra-capello,

clime,

beneath winding and writhing slowly


his

his

garments

about

naked

flesh

and who
icily

realizes, as his

heart stops

beating; and his blood runs

with agony, and as the great

pore, every from out ooze sweat cold big beaded drops of

that to
his

stir,

of pressure the under quiver even to breathe, to


fear,
is

mortal

certain,

irrevocable,

positive

death

nor that does, he as knowing

man

nor beast hath ever yet

have snake hooded the of fangs the lived a single hour after of King the of entrance the for a passage
once opened
Terrors

"

And

such was

the pall that rested upon the eighteen

trinity detestable the as persons in that room,

moved

slowly

around that saucer on


horny, bulging

the floor

their

eyes their gre a

eyes all

flashin and scintillating while the

of as malignity malignity intense of essence very the with


devil
!

The

female portion of the

company

I fear

may

nev<
n<

received. night that shock weaver from the

They did

2 04

RAVALETTE.
or scream, or swoon, as perhaps
it

faint,

might have been


circumstances,

suspected they would

under

such

diabolic

simply, however, for the reason that the tension of soul

and

nerve w#s altogether too severe and great to permit, even for

an

instant, the reaction

which

is

an absolute prerequisite to

relief

by or through the methods indicated.


length of time
till

" Probably the

that

elapsed from the

shriek of our comrade,

the final disappearance of the

three monsters, did not exceed three minutes, yet in that


brief space

we had undergone

years of terror.
is

" Truly, the real lapse of time


the beats of the clock, but only
throbs.

not to be reckoned
heart-

by sensations and

Mai, at the termination of the time specified, rose

from

his stool,

took a small basket from his portmanteau, and

then fearlessly seizing the things, one at a time, he carefully

doubled up their legs under them, and placed them in

it.

Then taking the two

crystal bottles already alluded to, he

placed them lengthwise on the chart, with their necks and apertures facing each other, after which he

resumed

his seat

upon the

foot-stool,

addressing no word or sign to the specta-

tors of his

movements.

And now

it

began to grow dark

The jets of gas appeared


if

to burn less clear

and

fully, just as

some one was slowly turning the cocks which with a gradual movement. In a little while the

let it

on,

room was
still

darkened, though not exactly dark, for there


half

was

a dim

light a sort of semi-blue, semi-dull red, misty radt


and dimly.

ance, just sufficient to enable us to distinguish objects vaguely,


indistinct

WHERE
"
'

DID THEY GO TO?

205

Stir not
;

of voice husky thick, the said not fear P

Vatterale

and before

we

could reply, a scene commenced,

such as "
* '

it

hath seldom

fallen to

man's

lot to witness.

Allow me
first let

Vatterale, said mystery/ modern explain a to

but

me remove

your

fears.

Look

room the than words, these spoken he "Scarcely had


was suddenly
illuminated,

as if

the very air

was aglow

with the most


quite plainly.

brilliant light,

and we saw the two bottles


these, there

As we gazed upon

came from one

to proceeded which serpent, enormous the appearance of an

the both of that exceeded thrice coil itself up, until its bulk
bottles.
less

Then there came

still

another,

and another, until no


in a loathsome pile
bottle, the first
;

than

"twelve lay there, coiled


last

up

but as the
entered the

one emerged from one

one

other, until all

had disappeared as they had come.


trust your
/

uiI

will

now show you that yon cannot always


'

own

senses/ said Yatterale,

nor account for what you see

botthe broke and basket, the and he straightway emptied


tles.

All three were empty


1

Not a

sign of snake or scor-

pion was there


11
'

Again, I

will

show yon a curious

thing.

You

will

bid and chairs, those of one on her please call a servant, seat
while silk of skein a hold her on a wager
it is
all.

being wound

merely to keep her

attention that
'

is

But/ and he
beg you

spoke very earnestly,


will

whatever you

see or hear, I

not utter a single word/


;

" This was assented to not


till

a skein of silk

was ordered, but

the displaced had gaslight the

other.

206
"
l

RAV ALETTE.
It
will

be just seventeen minutes before the


;
'

girl is

ready/ said Mai


fallacy.

and while waiting, I

will

demonstrate a
real,

The

creatures

you have beheld to night are


Will-creations,

but ephemeral

they are

and perish when the

power

ceases to act

which called them into being.

As
room

proof

of what I say, Behold V

"

From

the floor in the eastern corner of the

there

straightway begun to arise a light mist, which increased in


bulk until a ball of vapor, three feet in diameter, floated in the
air.

Thus

it

remained for a minute

and then, right


its

be-

fore our eyes,

began to condense and change


it

shape, until

at the end of four minutes,

had assumed a human sem!

blance

but, Heavens
first it

what a caricature
outline,

"

At

was a mere vapory

but

it

rapidly con-

densed and consolidated, until what looked like a hideous


half-naked, bow-legged, splay-footed monster
us.

stood before

Its height

was

less

than three feet


;

its

chest and body

were nearly that in width


long
;

its

legs

were not over eight inches


its

its

arms were longer than


j

entire

body

its

head

was gigantic
horrible

had no neck whatever, while from its head there hung to the very ground the appearance
it

and

of a tangled mass of wire-like worms.


ful-looking red gash, extending to

Its

mouth was a

fear-

where ears should have

been, but were not.

Eyes, nose, cheeks, chin, lips or fore-

head, there were none whatever

Do
;

not imagine that

this

creature

was merely an appearance


five

it

was

not, for although

born of vapor, in
strating the fact

minutes

it

beoame

solid as iron,

demon-

by stalking heavily across the

floor riffht

WHAT MAKES THE RAPPINGS


between space open the of centre into the
ing dropped as
it

207
chains be-

usthe

approached where
if its

it

stood, slowly sway-

ing to and fro, as

heart

was heavy.

"

'

Show your

quality/ said

Mai

to the thing.

'
'

I will/

it

hissed,

a toward proceeding straightway and a few minutes, and


it

table, it stood
it

by

it

became apparent that


itself,

was

charging the wood with something from


table began to turn, to
air, precisely as
is

for

soon the

tip,

to move, to

rise

and

float in the

done in

spiritual circles.

"
if

'

Now,

as just act please will you gentlemen, ladies and

that before you was a

human

spirit, invisible

to you,

and
be

desirous of imparting information.


surprised at the results.

I dare say

you

will

You

see already that


test its
is

it is

a capital

table-mover, and I beg you to

mental and physical


nothing to
fear,

powers also

for

I assure you there

now
quite

that I give you leave to break the silence

which was
if it

essential in the first part of the curious experiment.'

" Thus assured, several of us asked the thing to show us

what it could
to write.

do.

Whereupon

it

made motions as

wanted

Paper and

pencil being placed

upon the
and

table, it
its

seized the pencil with its long claw-like fingers,

hand
it fin-

seconds in ten and lightning, page like the over flew


ished,

and

striking the
it

table three heavy blows with


;

its fist,

signified that

had

finished

whereupon Mr.

reached

for the sheet,

and read therefrom one of the most tender mes-

sages conceivable, from a dead mother to a living son.

Even
;

the hand writing was a perfect fac-smile of his mother's


the

name

Lucywas

correct,

and certain dear and peculiar

RAVAXETTE.
808
her by used phrases,
cision

when

alive,

minute with given were

and
'

fidelity

as, for

instance,
s Mr ml. D-

mine/ in
turned pale. r
'

stead of

my

p nn sweet one.
+

Is

imposed so been possible I have tha, modern the of follower devont a was he for he

deee.ved horribly upon-so

maturgy
Several farther
successful equally tests,

and

decisive,

this by given were then hands, phantom beautiful of production the and rapping, ping only not were which of many objects, other

writing, by both ghostly thing, ta-

faces flowers,

and

have persons of thousands Probably magnificent. but sin-ukr & and mediums/ by executed curious pencil drawings,
'

the

which are said to

be portraits of

'

Spiritual flowers'

for

on growing nothing certainly they resemble

this earth

table, the at there thing horrible the minutes in less than five would they and such thirteen executed the eyeless monster,

of specimens splendid pass current as

'

Magic

art/

Now/

said Vatterale,

'

for
:
'

something

else.'

And

then

addressing the thing, he said


self viewless,

You

will

now

render yourus have


:
'

and show what you can do.

And

first let

some

music.'

said he company, the to Then turning

Real

most act invariably that as such but light, the spirits love of advantage the have they then for dark in the efficiently
the elements condensed
vestiture
stances,

upon

their forms

a semi-material

in-

submaterial and can come in direct contact with


in

which,

the

case of real spirits, is

exceedingly

difficult of

accomplishment.
the from was diverted

" During this speech, our attention

how
incarnated
that the entire

music "spiritual"

is

made.

209

the

for it

must not be forgotten


this

phenomena exhibited by

wondrous

per-

into brought will, conscious his of creatures sonage, were the

a to according and thought, a by out being and again cast

known and transferable formula.

True, there were others in

whom

persons such then but existed, faculty this creative

mechanthe through involuntarily power the either exercised


ical processes

of

mind and

will,

or

they are but the


the

L
Mai

When
io-ht.

he ceased speaking

but not from our hearin

for

gently waved his hand, and as he did

us the softest, gentlest, sweetest, and the most soul-stirring


strains of music that ever fell

on human hearing.
there, close at hand,

Above,
and then
is,

below, around,
afar
off, it

now

here,
;

now

sounded

and the only comparison I can make

that

it

sounded

like

a solemn requiem chaunted by angels

perished form of what

god

the

tones

were

pathetic, so solemn, so supremely sorrow-freighted

reminding one of the plaintive


"
'

Hulim, meleagar malooshe,

Huhm
only that
it

meleagar, ma-looshe,'

was

ten-fold

more profound, and

stirred depths

the other could never reach.

" This strange music was a perfect corroboration of the before seance the at Count Italian the by advanced theory

Napoleon, already mentioned

for,

allowing that the being


existence,
it

who made

it

was a

real

and independent

was

210

RAV ALETTE.
it,

in exist to conceptions such for impossible

for the reason

them, create and could the soul mighty but a none that
thing
itself

was exceedingly, revoltingly low in the scale of


But, on the other hand,
it

organization.

if

the thing were the


it

creature of Mai's will,

was conceivable that

vocally ex*

pressed his unuttered thought, itself totally unconscious of


either the music or its

meaning.

" It ceased.
that Count de

It

still

remained

invisible,

and Mai proposed

should hold one end of an accordion,

while the thing invisibly held

and played upon the

other.

This was assented to, and the instrument, bottom up, was held
at arm's length, directly beneath the light.
in masterly style, while in that position.

It

was played

on,

It,

as well as a

guitar, harp

and piano, were played on when no one was near


;

them, and nothing to be seen

and then, at the command

of the arch-magician, the whole performance


the terrific thing in its perfectly visible form.

was repeated by

" Presently, a knock at the door told us that the servant


sent for

had

arrived, with the silk in her hand.

She was ad-

mitted

the thing retired from view.


is

"' Marie,' said the Baron, 'a wager


these gentlemen cannot
to hold, both of

laid that one of

unwind a skein of
I

silk

which you are


it

you being blindfolded.


you
shall

wager that

can

be done.

If I win,

have three days to

visit

your

family, besides something to carry to the old people


little
is

and the
silk

ones.

Now, you must


;

not laugh or speak while the


I lose.
'

being

wound

if

you do

Will you try

?'

"

'

Certainly,' replied the girl

and you

shall see that I

^ scena! cuuious" A
I maman, papa, Oh,
it is

211
have three days

gh

shall

Mm Dim Mmt
<

fine

thing V

seat the taking And,

wrists, her across placed be to silk the offered, she suffered

Baroness. the by and be blindfolded D Mr. done, been This having


cord, the of end the Yatterale, took

at

a sign from

and began slowly

wind

And now
the thing

toward speaking Htter, be<rin,' said the

had disappeared.
touched the

The command was heard.

It

came

forth,

girl's

was she instantly and hand,


whence another touch revived
Instead of
this,

thrown

into a profound trance,

consciousness. wakeful to not her, but


rose,

she

threw down the


in succession,

silk,

approached several musical instruexquisitely.

ments

and played upon them most

most the in love made she and head, her touched The thing
declaring to succession, in gentlemen three to terms tender

each

in

turn that he was her

'

eternal affinity/

and had been

so from the foundation of the world.

"

Again

it

touched her

and, suddenly changing her man-

ner, she

declaimed in lofty strain.

Now

she
;

was Charlotte
again, she

Corday, then Maximillian the Incorruptible


the
she

was

Maid

of Orleans, and then a simple Indian maiden.


;

Now

was Malibran, and sung divinely

anon, she was a strong-

minded woman, and talked about the Divine creative work of

woman

about lovethat man had made


it

it

special

when

it

should be general, and, therefore, free.


Bible, called

She raved about the


called the Saviour the

excellent

Doctrine

Nazarene

spoke of the Deity as the

Grand

Electric

Mind

'

212

RAVALETTE.

declared she could look through a solid

she comprehended

all

the

mysteries

Dodona
were certainly

Delos
ities
;

that she

knew

the exact nature of electric affinaffinities

that magnetic

and elective

and what
but
little.

amounted
for at least

The scene continued

two hours
thino-,
all

at the
r

end of which time Mai dismissed the ed the girl, who was totally oblivious of

and

that had

She received sundry pieces of gold from those present, and left the room, doubtless desiring to

unwind

more

silk at the

same

rate.

'I will
<

now show you someLook


!

thing equally curious,' said Mai,


interesting as anything

and, perhaps, quite as

you have yet beheld.

"

We did so.
now arose,

Simultaneously, and from all parts of the room,


as from the floor, innumerable

ihere

minute globules

of various-colored fire-red, green, blue, purple, scarlet, gold silver, crimson, white and leap
flashing, dancin

and

frisking about, as if

endowed with sensuous, joyous gaiety

Apparently, there were thousands of them, all moving in dis order through the air, now lighting on the picture-frames suspended from the collecting in great masses in front of the splendid and gliding along the floor, under our seats, through our feet, over the chairs, and about the earpet, as if fa the very wantonness of sport, their every mot.on being accompanied by a hissing sound, fa kind. though not in like that emitted by ascending rocket as it rushes through the Presently, they formed themsel into crowns, just such as
<

I had^eTyelrs

Zove

A RECOGNITION.
in that

213

same

Paris, float over

and crown Napoleon at the

behest of an Italian Count.

In an instant I associated the

two circumstances, and, turning to the magician, was about


to speak, when, as
if

divining

my

purpose, he nodded to

me

and said aloud


"
'

I told you

we should meet again


Accept the present

Be patient this
you at your
.

night must pass.


hotel,

I left for

and do not forget that we


silent as before, while

shall meet

again

and he

became

the

knew

what

to

make

of this

ipt,

and apparently

speech.

" I had solved one problem.

Yatterale and the Count

and the same person


other

but who and what were the


? a

Miakus and Ravalette


fiery

" The

crowns concluded the exhibition, and at

hour the company separated, and each sought

his pillow

CHAPTER

VI.

ARRIVAL OP THE EDITOR.


Too
excited to sleep, I threw myself

upon the sofa and

turned the strange series of events


things were absolutely

my mind
1st,

Two

nay, thr

That neither

Ravalette, Vatterale, nor the Italian Count, were men other men 2d, that not one of the company ; suspected
fact
;

this

and 3d, that myself was the object,


rdinary visitations,
ain
crisis,

sole

and

alone, of
all

these
these,

Above

and beyond

that

my

destiny

mg

pidly approachthe

gend), as

and that the Stranger (mentioned Dhoul Bel, were still


I could
lot divine

influencing
their
full

me

for

purposes

which

to

I had already
five

extent.

become

Rosicrucian,
the
Orient,

had passed through

deg:

had

visited

go aS am, had learned many dark

and was about to and solemn mysteries

.,

to rile,..

L ri::, himself nm
,

n s of precions : terrible oath


,

** -
his

magic ""iiuia and & mirrors, nun now

d eePly

KgM
me

Whereby the true Rosi <cian binds

" -

the

pnee of the exercise of

power, prevented

DESPONDENCY.
from availing myself of
altar of
its

215
I

advantages.

knew

that on the

knowledge I had
I

sacrificed all the deeper interests of

my nature.
never

knew that my heart yearned

for

woman's love
but

that she held one portion of


filled it

my

soul captive at times,

that there was a


all

possibility of escaping

what
in
re-

I dreaded, could I

meet and mingle with a certain soul


;

whose body ran no drop of Adamic blood


solved to abandon

and I almost

hope, perform the part required of

me

by

my

tempters of Belleville, the Tuilleries, and Boston,

when

suddenly I remembered the paper that Ravalette had placed


in

my hand,

as also the present left for

me by Yatterale,
them
till

but,

resolving to omit all care concerning

morning, at

length I succeeded in falling into an uneasy slumber, from

which

awoke

late

on the following morning to

find that you,

my

dear friend [the Editor], had just arrived from Alexan-

dria,

and had called upon me."

CHAPTER TIL
THE GRAND SECRET?
It

now

devolves upon the Editor of these pages

plete the narrative of Beverly, his friend.

I had inst reached

Par

fr

Marseilles,

where I had

arrived a few days before,


dria.

On

by way of Malta, from Alexanreaching Paris it was my intention to rest but


one

night there, and then pursue

my way

via Rouen, in

JSTor-

maudy, to Dieppe and England, and thence home' to America. Like all other travellers, I desired to spend a week
Paris, but business prevented, consequently
tious to

made

prepara"

leave the famous

city

on the day following

my

we
e
.

but I resigned myself to this necessity with all the fortitude, for the reason that by so doing I should be able to retain the company of very pleasant gentleman, whose society I had enjoyed Uy from Cairo, where
first
.

Paris,
.,
,

op

-he
o

the Utter place, continne to enjoy a.l the ...tended to start just so soon as he

and which I might, by making no

way

who, for abont three years had been receiving her e Mu * cation

hie

m par s
i

and

whom

home

about to conduct to

his

"ewly-purchased one in
of Mr. I

New York
his

history

Hokeis and

adventu

as

m
related to

hokeis.

217

me on our

journey, are so well worth repeating

that I shall give a short abstract, even at the risk of enlarging


this chapter.

" I was born," said he, " on the banks of the Caspian Sea, of the family of Hokeis

a sacred
for

family, in whom

was invested
devolved the
the
fire

the highest order of Priesthood, and on


care of the sacred
fire,

whom

we were Guebres, and


it

must never be extinguished, nor had


records, for

been,

so say our

many thousand
Rome,

years, for Religion with us is

quite a different thing from

what

it is

among

the

men

of

Islam, India,

or the West.
its

We pride

ourselves

upon
pro-

the purity of our faith, and


fessed

superiority to all that

is

by the children of Adam, quite as much as we do our

Pedigree from Ish, the great founder of our race and a powerful

pre-Adamite king and conqueror."


I cannot

now

afford time to repeat the arguments

by which

Im Hokeis

demonstrated the startling proposition that there

were other people living on earth besides those

who

claimed

Adam as their founder. All He said that he was destined


the Faith, and had married a the early age of seventeen.
ordained,

this

may be found

elsewhere.*
priest of

from birth to be chief

woman of his

tribe

and rank, at

Near the time he was about being


their

war had broken out between the Guebres and

Persian tyrants.

Himself and wife were captured, taken to

Herat, and there condemned to lose their eyes, from which


I

* The argument proving the existence of the


anterior to the date of

human

race thousands

Adam, may be found

in " Pre-Adamite

Man."

10

21

RA\ vLETTE
a by rescued were they

b rrible

fat

member of

the British
years,

Embuq

with

whom

tin

remain.

for nearly three

language. En the red mad had by which time they the had good Hokeis minister, the of service ^\ le in the
fortune to save h
lif*

in

coi

nience of which a friend hip

gprun
r

up
I
t

them so strong, that when the Embassy


Quel
1

Britain the tl
r

went with

it,

Arrived

in

melon, Hokei
,n

iv

an appointment us interpreter,
aft

minted mea
with
Pers
i,

which he entered into a


nine

dire
ai

tn
hi

and although, during the


I

he wi
n,

ga
it

thei

in,

heaven had not sent

him any

childi

yet

had blessed him with abounding

ilth.

At

length,
r

in

tii

}
it

ar of th

ir

married
thai

lif

their pra;

was an

Ted, and

became
did,

ndent

God
<r i

was

al

>u1

nd them a child.

He

and a beautiful

r1

was born, but the


ho

of her mother were closed in death

moment
',

first

the light

One
w.n

he nurse,
lgtl

who was a
und the

relative of Hokeis'
Iks of

wife,

wl

hild ar

Hampstead Heath,

wandered within the precincts of a gipsy encampit,

and the
t

girl

was persuaded to have her own and the

child'

une
:

told.

The complexion and


on
their nationality,

features of tin

twain

to remarks

and by

skillful

manceuverir
bef

the gipsy
re

woman

ascertained that the couple

her

Guebres by

birth,

and had been by

religion.

The

mnmmc

j over and the fee paid, the girl

went home

with her charge.

They were followed, and on that ven

THE STOLEN CHILD?


night, while the nurse slept, the child

219
stolen.

was

Search

was made

for

the gang of gipsies

the abduction having


left

been clearly traced to them,

by reason of a note

behind

by

the robber, stating that the child


in vain, for

would be well cared for

but

on the very next day the whole gang,


sailed in

thirty in number,

had

a packet from the London

Docks, for America.

Many
father

years rolled by,


in the

when one

day, as the disconsolate

was walking

garden of the same house whence

the child was stolen, he was accosted by an old beldame,

who asked him what he would pay


formation respecting his child.
successive steps taken.

in gold in return for in-

It

is

needless to narrate the

Suffice it that

within twenty-four

hours the father and the gipsy were on the ocean, going as
fast as
.

steam would carry them toward the Western World.


child,

The

now a

regal

woman, was found, and father


for a time in
;

and daughter lived with each other


where a
fine

New

York,

property had been bought

for the old gentle-

man

so liked the
life,

New World

that he determined to settle

there for
in

after his daughter

had been properly cultured

Europe, whither he soon took her, and then, after trans-

mitting the bulk of his fortune to America, went on a final


visit

to his people in Persia, his friends

and

co-religionists in

the East.
his return

I had met with him as already stated,

when on

from Egypt to France.

This brings us to the night of

my

arrival in Paris.

It

being impossible to join his child that night, Hokeis and


V*.

220

RAVALETTE.

at were and Royale, Palaise the in hotel myself drove to a was who person a when supper, a of end
the satisfactory
totally

unknown

manger, a salle the entered us of either to


>
:

"Salute! said both, us to obeisance profound and, making a Paris quit not will you that Hokeis, Im you, I come to tell your take will you four of hour the at But to-morrow. ascendleft the on one but last is that house the to daughter
ing the
tions,

You Luxembourg. de Boulevart

will ask

me no

ques-

but will obey.

My

he and you," give thus I authority

the caused that Hokeis, whispered three words in the ear of


latter to start as
secret
if

he had been

shot.
!

He had

received the

countersign of the priests of fire

Then turning

to me,

he

said,

"You

will

go

early in the

morning to the Hotel


;

Fleury.

There you

will find

Beverly, your friend, join him


for

him not quit and goes, he where go


next two days
his salvation depends
the

an instant for the


it !

upon

Now

I go.

Forget not the words of


I was thunderstruck. night before
conceived.

Stranger."

Hokeis and I talked much that

we

slept.

What we

spoke of

is

easily to

be

This brings
fortunes

me

to

my

next meeting with Beverly, whose

we

will

now

follow.

It will be

remembered that Ravalette had given him a

paper just before they parted in Belleville, and that Vatterale

had also

left

something for him at his hotel.

Bearing

this in

mind, observe what followed.

In a bold, strong hand was written these words in the note

BO*LEVART. THE ON HOUSE THE

221

parted they when Beverly placed by Ravalette in the hands of toready are you when Belleville " When yon need me
in

become one of

uswhen

you have given up

all

hope of ever

probing the mystery of


seek

my

existence and your


left

ownthen

me

in the house that is

last but one on the

ascending th&

Boulevart de Luxembourg.

Ravalette."
The circumstance
prudence forbade
quite glad of this

by

given words very the in almost The identical direction, and the of hotel the in Hokeis, to the mysterious personage

Palais

Royale on

the previous night.

made a great impression on


all

mention of

it

to

my mind, but He seemed Beverly.

to and, riddle, strange the solving opportunity of


delight,

my

great

begged and

insisted that I should

spend the day with


to-

him, and in

subject the investigate would we the evening

gether

and that I readily consented,

may be easily imagined.


in this affair

me prompting motives several were There


osity,

curi-

Beverly what baffling of hope vague a friendship, and

regarded as his doom.


has here been
vinced

Those who have read carefully what

written, will

remember that Beverly had conin the strange legend, regard-

me

that there

was more

the curse and murder, the riddle, the princess, the ing the king,

and

its fulfillment,

than the majority of people would be

will-

ing to concede.

In short, I was decidedly inclined to believe

had no faith I but one, doomed other and the Bel in Dhoula
whatever
Italian Count, or the Ravalette, Miakus, either in

Yatterale.

I did not believe all these

names belonged to one


the following theory,
in existence a society,

person, and I finally settled

down on

point by point

1st,

That there was

222
having; its

RAV ALETTE.
head-quarters in Paris,

which of members the


lecromancj, in which they
2d,

practisers of Oriental

ma

and

expert astonishingly were most

That the organization


>

had

for its object,

not the

attai]

ent of wealth or political

the of rule absolute the and knowledge, abstract but position,

world through the action and

influence of the brotherhood

upon the crowned heads and


this association

officials

of the world.

3d,

That

that and master-mind, a by was governed


4th,

mind was Ravalette's.

That

this society

had cultivated
the world be-

mesmerism to a degree unapproachable by


sides

all

and clairvoyance, ordinary exhausted they had That


brain

eagerly sought a

which would admit of the most

thorough magnetization, and whose natural tendency was to-

ward the

mystical,

transcendental

and weird, yet strong, and ambitious


;

strong-willed, logical, emulative, daring


that, to discover such,

and
four

their agents
;

had traversed

all

continents of the globe

and that

finally

they had heard of


;

Beverly, whose fame as a seer

was world-wide

that they

had

found him, and, beyond doubt, had learned the strange particulars of his
life,

the legend,

and

his hope.

They had seen

him, and at once decided that, under their wonderful manipulation,

he could be placed in a magnetic slumber


is

many degrees
and
l

more profound than

possible in one case in five millions,

reach a degree of mental lucidity and psycho-vision that would


not only surpass
direction,
all

that the earth had yet witnessed in that

from Budha, Confucius, Zoroaster, and the Oracles

of Greece,
since

down

to the

days of

Boehme and
really

the Swede,

when there has been no clairvoyant

worthy of the

A THEORY DEMOLISHED.
name.
True, there were
semi-lucicfes in

223
abundance, but

manoting or reading of capable these either were only of thoughts the repeating best, terial objects, and, at
original as books of contents the giving other men, or

matter, heaven-derived

as very much of the matter


celestial truth

at-

tempted

to be foisted

on the world as

by

natural-born ninnies in these


testably
is.

modern

clays

most ineon-

True, there are some sands of gold capa-

ble of being sifted from the heap of ashes, but they are

They knew that unless Beverly's will accorded with their desire, it would be useless to attempt to gain their ends through him
indeed both rare and scarce.
5th,

and

hence
magic
in

all

their

efforts

by playing the

shining

bait of

for the

purpose of inducing him to consent to

anything

order to gain their power.

Hence,

too, their gift

of the secrets of the

Magic Mirror, the

Elixir of Life, of

Youth,

of Love, and a score of others equally curious


to the student of the soul.
6th,

and invaluable

It

was

clear that, while

these

men knew much


full

of the Rosicrucian system, they were

not in

harmony or accord with that brotherhood.


it

Thus I reasoned, and


in the

was easy

to account for the scenes

Boston

office

and at Beverly's home

the apparent

immunity Miakus enjoyed from the

effects of the fire,

which

burnt the chair but not his thigh, I accounted for on the

ground that chemistry helped him,


kings " beside.

as- it

had a score of "

fire-

Thus

far,

felt

that

my
;

theory covered the whole ground

of this clever fraternity

but when

recurred to the scenes

witnessed by no less than eighteen people at the house of the

224
Baron, I

BAVALETTF.
confess, candidly, that

it

utterly failed.

Still,

totally rejected all

supernaturalism as connected with the

trickery, deterI expert whole to the attributing affair, and,

mined
and

very in the act, performers the catch to trap lay a to

flattered myself that it


I'll

would be
!"

successful.

"

Ho

ho

Mr. Yatterale,

show you

I exclaimed, as I shook

Beverly's hand, and leaving him, to bathe, dress, and breakfast alone, I hurried out,

ostensibly to

go to the

post-office,

but, in reality, to visit the head-quarters of the Paris Police,

which I

did,

and,

when

there, briefly

but clearly stated


in the

my

belief that a friend of

mine was being victimized

man-

ner stated
ear,

to all of which the chief official lent an attentive

caused

my proces

verbal to be recorded, directed

me how
and proi

to proceed so as not to alarm the suspected parties,

mised to have a posse on hand very close to the house on the

Boulevart de Luxembourg by the hour named.

On my way
Hokeis was

back to the Hotel Fleury, I dropped

in to see if

home, but found only a note, informing


to Versailles after his daughter.

me

that he had gone

I rejoined Beverly.

CHAPTER

VIII

LUXEMBOURG DE THE BOULEVART


arrive, to hour the for was I as Impatient more still Beverly yet solved, forever be might doubts the for ardently more wished ever condemned man

in which

all

my

so

No

moment when, by

the glaive, the or the halter

grand

which he

my did than him, to revealed hould be him. for worst the or best the should know

friend for that

stone's a within us Three o'clock found three the and rendezvous, the as designated k a " Appartements front of it with at told meubles Cabinets and bres garni,"

throw of the house


four
little

C hamthat
it

person a where establishments middle-class of those lifetime, whole a for undisturbed live and might hire rooms
duly was rent provided the
paid.

this of court paved Into the square, the made, was inquiry least the before

house we entered, and


concierge

came out of
are two of

respectfully, us saluted his crib,

and

said

You
him

her expected the gentlemen ascend Please second floor

the of occupant the day by

You

will find

in the first

room
and

hie to back hobbled fellow old the and the left," shoe a of heel the at began pegging away

instantly

which he was engaged


tered the court

healing and heelin b

10*

925

226
Following
his

RAVALETTE.
directions,

we ascended a broad, winding

stairway of stone, and found ourselves on a landing.


this landing

Prom

one stairway ascended, and another led to the

court below.
door,

At

the further end, but on the side, was a

and at the hither end another.

The house

itself

stood

quite isolated from all others,


it it

and the windows of the rooms,

was

clear,

must overlook the boulevart and a lane crossing

at right angles.

We

entered the

first

door,

and found

ourselves in a very plainly-furnished, large, square room, hav-

ing two windows at the end,

two more on the

side,

a cup-

board, recess, and two large folding doors, both standing

wide open, so that, finding no person in the


passed through them into the second, but
still

first

room,

we

failed to see or

even hear the least indication that their occupant was any-

where around.
for

I was glad of

this, for

it

gave opportunity
calling the

an examination of the

concierge, I

asked him the name, occupation, and period of


to

occupancy of his second-floor tenant,


readily responded,

which he

very

saying
;

foreign

scholar

named Elarettav

that he was wealthy, had lived


little

there five years, and

saw very

company, never dined or

eat in the house, and in short was a very fine man, indeed

he paid two louis a month for porter's fees


left,

The

concierge
floor

and I carefully remarked the place, and found the


ling

and

of

as are all
filled

French houses.

he

cupboard was low, narrow, and


glasses, far

with wine bottles and

more

like

a student's quarters than a grave phiif,

losopher's like Ravalette,

indeed, that personage

was the

ELARETTAV

IS

RAVALETTE.

227
The
recess

porte the by Elarettav as described

was

bedstead cot a but nothing small and simple, and contained was there that concluded and its appropriate furniture. I

no preparation for magic,


notion passed through

if

any was intended, and

my

mind, the clock struck four, and

we heard

the footsteps of a

man

in the other room, notwith.

open to seen not was door the standing


other room. and. "Ravalette. as I
and, sure

We

went to that

live !"

exclaimed Beverly:

stood

gentleman as I had heard described.

You

have sought, and you have found

me

I hope yoi
:

the finding," said he to Beverly


sir,

" and you

have done well to


in

friend," addressing
all

me

a tone slightly insulting, and


slight.

the

more
relish

so from

being

It

was evident that he did not

my

pre-

sence in the least, and as for

me

I had no sooner set eyes on

my man
earth

than I

felt

assured of the truth of

my

theory, and

that I stood in presence of one of the ablest intellects on

man

capable of

all

that had been attributed to


his goal
it

him, and one


at
all

who would reach


if in

and carry

his point
sail

hazards, even

doing so
I

were necessary to
flatter

through seas of human blood


ability to

myself

on

my

measure men and to circumvent deliberate

villainy,

and no sooner had I heard the tones of Ravalette's and seen the clear-cut
suspected some sort of foul play

voice,

of his face, than I

was on the

tapis,

and which

I determined to thwart, even

if

I had to give him the solid


Colt's

contents of a couple of Derringers and a

revolver

228

RAVALETTE.

before with myself provide to care which I had taken unscrupulous of den the been have might what
tiffing into

wretches, for anght I

knew

to the contrary.

It

may be

that

Ravalette read
but said

my

uneasy, looked certainly thoughts, for he

nothing, for at that

moment

the concierge threw

and " et Hokeis fille? Monsieur announced and open the door volupmost the daughter companion and his

my

travelling

tuous and glorious looking

woman

that I

had ever beheld

in

Beyrout of beauties glowing the excepting even not any land,


or

Stamboul entered

the room.

effect

not did and them, Ravalette seemed to have been expecting but pi uninvited appear at all surprised at their they moment very the daughter, Hokeis and his

upon

beheld his face, was

dissimilar, totally yet electrical, perfectly

before knees his upon himself for Hokeis instantly threw attitude an in hands his folded and Ravalette, bent his head,
half supplicatory, half adoring,

and said

Oh

the and Fire the of genius dread

Flame

do I

thee here

Alas

am
I

pow art thou but man, wretched a

erful and will forgive

My
in

defection

was not

my

choice,

but that of accident, and

the religion of Isauvi have I

of temples the or temples thy in ever found more peace than

Astarte

1"

My

brain fairly reeled beneath the tremendous rush of

emotions, conflicting as a whirlwind, excited

by

this extraor-

dinary scene

while,

as

for Beverly,

his

face

was

like

an

ashen cloth, his limbs were like an aspen.

The next moment

these

emotions underwent an entire

RECEPTION. STRANGE A

229

_ ice of her

the taken have to not appeared who woman, the for np straight went father's action or speech,

shoulder, his npon hand jewelled her Ravalette, placed and wither would she if as eye, the in ht him looked & and clear but low, voice a in and glance, crush him going Art again ! " And so, thou fiend, we meet said
deep,
:

to essay to set

more

of thy tricks

and magic

spells ?

Art
?

goin^

more

snares for the daughter

of Im Hokeis

Wretch

thou art foiled again

What,

tell

me, what

thou fiend of

persecuting by gain thou Darkness, couldst

me

my loneliness? What you as whom' matter weddedto 'no


I was

seeing by gain thou wouldst


said

me

long as me,
asleep

wedded?

Why

have

you haunted

and awake, tempting, driving

me toward a marriage?
not answer.

What
I
will

hadst thou to gain

You do

Well

answer for you

I w when ago, years long day, a remember Do you old an to came you that sea, salt child, beyond the great

"

night the for shelter craved and door man's

Well, I do. shared his


fire,

You

were received by the generous Indian.

You

table, his pipe,

and

his cider.

Then, as you sat by the


tell

vou noticed me, and must needs

my

fortune.

You

did

and truly

You

said that in one

month from that day I

miserable, weeping, weary, youth, sad-hearted a meet should


lonely
easily
;

that he would engage

my
us,

heart,
;

and that

would
so,

be led to love and wed him

but that if I did

black clouds would lower over

and that our morn of love

would bring a noon of

dislike,

an evening of sorrow, and a

'

230
night of crim

KAVALETTE.
death

onion with any other


life

man would

bring

all

that could render

desirable.

I believed you, for a hundred things that you


to pass.

foretold

came
;

At

length, three

weeks of the month


in it I

elapsed

and one night I had a dream, and

saw you,
beheld.

and the young man,

whom

in the
all

body I had never yet

In that dream you repeated

that you had said before

and then you disappeared


*

but your hateful presence had no

sooner quit

me than

there

came a glorious

being, robed in
not,

majesty and beauty,


this
love,

who bade me heed you

but to love
to
:

poor creature whose shadow was then before


but not confess
if I
it
till

the proper time should come

that
that
fate

wedded another than him I might be happy, but

if

I married him I would redeem a soul from a terrible

He

bade

me

resist you,

and

the youth
he.
"o

cheer up his heart, and tell him not to despair, for


be

happy

yet.

He

also

but she had

say

other word, for Beverly rushed forward, pushed Ravalette

away, seized the woman's hand, kissed


"
(i
'

it,

and exclaimed

Evlambea
Beverly
in
!'

;
1

And
arms.
It

an instant they were locked in each

other's

was indeed the friend of long-gone years, and yet I had

not even suspected this fact, even after hearing the story of

Im Hokeis and

the gipsy adventure

I felt that this

drama was getting deeper every

minute,

but had not time to think of one half of what was occurring

THE DEAMA
ere the door

INTENSIFIES.

231

was

<

pened by no

less

a personage than the


of the garde de

Commissary of

Police,

followed by

laudand stairs the that saw I while, through the open door,

ing were literally

crowded with gens alarms.


getting very serious.
:

The drama was

Ravalette stood unmoved, and smiled, saying

Your

trouble is in vain,

monsieur

You

are not

wanted

while came, you whither return immediately here, and will

monsieur here,
main.

who engaged you

to come,

is

at liberty to re-

This cool speech disconcerted the


replied
:

official

little,

but he
it

"It

is

my

duty to protect

all

who demand

for

themselves or others."
" True
;

but in

this case

no act has been committed or

designed that could in the least afford just ground for such

a demand.

Still,

as

you are

here,

why

here

you may
remarks.

remain until you are

satisfied of

the truth of

my

Pray be

seated."
' '

The term

intensely dramatic "

would not begin to give an


this particular junc-

adequate notion of the "situation" at


ture of affairs. ease

The only person who was completely at

was Ravalette.

As

for Hokeis, the brush of

Michael
justice

Angelo and Raphael combined could not have done

to his portrait, nor have limned one-hundredth part of the

intense

and overwhelming astonishment and horror depicted


countenance at what he beheld and heard.

on

his

No

two

persons looked at the affair in the same light, nor regarded


the

Enigma from

the same point of view, neither did they

232
comprehend

RAVALETTE.
each other, but all

were comprehended by the

great master before them.

which reigned, was at silence unpleasant an while For a


th

much

to

my

surprise,

broken by

my

Rosier

straight in the Ravalette eye looking who, friend Beverly,


said
:

"

Whoever you

are, I forgive

you

for the attempt to prethis


;

vent myself, a son of

Adam, wedding with

woman, Ev-

lambea, the Bright-shining Daughter of Ish


for persecuting her

I forgive you

toward a marriage with another, which

marriage must have doomed


shrunk from
;

me
all

to a fate I have for centuries

I forgive

you

the

woe you have caused me,

because gratitude for what you have done forme exacts this;

and because I suspect your agent saved


tort burst in Boston,

my

life

when the

re-

when
fire.

was repeating La Briere's

ex-

periment with white

Through you, or such as you, I


.

have learned priceless secrets


rors I

The mystery of Magic Mir-

am

grateful for being taught.

The

secret of ages

the art of

making the Elixir of


never

Life,

whereof whosoever

shall drink shall

know

decay, but so long as once a

year he shall quaff thereof,


inexpressibly thankful for.

may

enjoy perpetual

youth I am
when min;

I shall never use this secret for

that purpose, but five of the seven ingredients,


gled, constitute

what chemistry has sought

in vain

and

be-

queathing this portion of the formulae to

my

friend,

and
few

through him to the medical world, I shall atone for


faults

my

by giving

life

to thousands.

" Freely, without force or compulsion, I solemnly promise

"PIERRE, CALL THE GUARD

!"

233
it

to sleep the sleep of Sialam before I quit this house, and in


will truly

answer you

all

may be

able to, on condition that

you previously clear up the mystery surrounding yourself


thus voluntarily giving you what an age of fraud would not
enable you to obtain, you
first

solemnly promising, by

Him

by whose

will

you

exist,

be you

man

or demon, not to influ-

ence me, either

now

or

when

I shall slumber."

A gleam

of sudden joy flashed from the eyes of the strange


us.

being before

He

looked like a bridegroom in the fullness

of his joy, and clasping both hands

hands

upon
it

pale, thin, bluish-white


:

his breast,
!

he looked up and said

" So be

I solemnly

bind myself, by the most terrible


all

oath conceivable, that I accept

your conditions."

Then going
thence

to the recess mentioned before, he brought


little

taller

than a man. and

about four

feet in diameter.

This he requested the

Comit

missary of Police to examine,

who

did

so,

and declared

to

be nothing but a
"
as
it

common
I

bedside screen.

You
is,

are right

it is

nothing but a bedside screen.


it

Such

however, I request you to select for

any spot you


I shall

choose upon the stone floor of either of these rooms.

want to go behind

it

and that you may not harbor a

thought of an intended evasion on

my

part, I request that

you
shoot

call

your
if

men

into the

me

I attempt to

room and give them orders to pass them I"


!

" Just as you please, monsieur

Pierre, call the guard."

In obedience to this summons, the corps de


into the room, twenty-seven strong,

rde

filed

and as soon as the

last

234
ed.
,.
1

R\\ vLElTR
ft m, sajing,
i

th

ffi

idr sseil

he pointed

la

"

ml
,

m
aHx
if

think

ape.
instanl
I

See to

it

he

,ar

Th
fir

r>

that h

mv
uy

in

him.
l

*
'

Do

tbat 8oi<

M
latr

IVrt
r

-1

aothic

-onld

l>'tt

r,"

ud the

will

place

iirt

m
her
thirl
i

iround
i

the

house

to

wa

h
the
I

lewind
f I

and

tl

u will distribute
try.

and landing
,!

the

mmis

ft )]

said'hr
-int
ill

ant, as
I

he marched

his men
barrel-

tl

ha

had pi
1

dadoubl<
lily

p,

and a
ilr

<

>th fin

capped and
L

hand

in

hat

R
th

tte
tr

man or demon
t

him
\i
1

reli

u^I

hat
not

bein

kind of

di

had an
r

use desir

to a

certain

whether he

il

hi

ni

all

thi

tim

the father, daughter, lover,

my

If,

and
a
at
r

un

irv
let

omrad

had said nothing, but at


its in

if)
*

K;iv

we took our
1

Bach a

ition

the hall-door, that b tween


1,

the two

the cuj

and
i

tl

indow

on either
n

T
in

unissar

la

the

nvex ride of the


takii

middi
said, that
1

>f

room, and then


far
f

a
1,

by

my
f >'

m
hi

he was
lips,

en
in
I

all

WM
R

the pall
f''.

the ton
h<

which

frequency with whi

crow

himself

KAV ALETTE EXPLAINS.

235

worse and French bad of compounded orison, and muttered an of washed well hands his wished he that Latin, it was clear
the whole affair.

"

I, too,

am

ready," observed the wizard,

"

and

I,

who

I that declare conceal, to nothing have

am

he

whom

yonder

man -Im

Hokeis, and his


7

Guebre-tribe, have for centuries

Flame. of and Fire of God the to be believed


of

The mystery
I

my

being cannot yet be solved.

I
is

am
are,

not alone

The

mastery, over Matter and over Magic,


ages.

an inheritance of the

We

who were once as others

became doomed
like

ones by reason of the curse of a dying man, and

Isaac

Ahasuerus, the

Hebrew

of Jerusalem,

who

cursed and spat

upon the

Man of

Sorrows when bearing

his

gibbet up the
the

steep lane of the Dolorous


cursed,

Way, and whom


till

Meek one
so
is

and bade tarry on earth


Powerful in
;

he came

even

he

not alone.

all else,

not one of us can read his

own

future

but for that must depend on gifted ones like

yonder Beverly.
are, there is

Such are seldom born

but when they


subservient

only one opportunity to

make them

to our aid

they must be unwedded


and
in

in soul, else

they cannot
scroll

enter the sleep of Sialam,

no other way can the

of Fate be read for us.

Hence the
girl.
.
.

obstacles thrown in his


It is.possible to shift our
;

path and in that of yonder


fate

upon the neutral, whoever he may be

but

in this case

strong motive existed to saddle the centuries upon yondor

man, who has,

in various forms,

been

my

contemporary since

acres previous to the laying

of the foundations of Babylon

and Nineveh.

236
" There

RAVALETTE.
one more in being

is

the Stranger
verly's body. I

and

still

by him I have been anotherthe mother of

foiled

this

Be-

hoped to win him by Magic; I have


am,"

failed.

He
7

has seen

me

thus, as I

and

so saying, Ravalette slowly

moved around
until

the screen, continuing to speak all the while,

he reappeared on the other corner

and

saying, " and

thus."

We

were astonished beyond measure at the change

that had, in less than twelve seconds, taken place.

Ravalette no longer stood before us, but instead,

we saw
" Mia-

thin, lean, little,

wrinkled old man, the perfect opposite in

everything of the person

we had

just conversed with.

kus

as I live
!"

the

man

of Portland

and of Boston

the

same

exclaimed Beverly, as the figure passed once more

from view behind the screen, and almost instantly reappeared


in a totally dissimilar guise.
i '

And
"it

thus
is

I"

said the wizard.

"

My

heaven
guide
!"

!"

said Beverly,
in

Ettelavar,

my

myste*

rious

and teacher

the

kingdom of Trance and

Dream
11

Again

this strange

being passed around the screen, saying,

and thus," as he reappeared successively as the Italian Count and Vatterale. The wizard said, when in form, the
last
'

11

Mai

is

but a transposition of I
is

am

' ;

Miakus'

is

Myself,'

Vatterale

an anagram of Ravalette, and a school-boy


is

would have told you that Ettelavar


the
'

but Ravalette reversed

name meaning The Mysterious.'


all

To

you, Beverly, I

have been

these.

Behold me now as I really am," and

he passed around the screen, and reappeared again as a little, withered old man, clothed in flaming red from head to heel.

CLEARING UP.
" The Vampire, Dhoula Bel
!"

237

shrieked both Beverly and

Im Hokeis
*

in the

same breath.

*
it

*
would not be

What

passed during the next half hour,

proper for

me

here to relate.

Suffice

it,

that at the end of

that time Beverly had fallen asleep, apparently of his


will.

own

fret

What

followed will be seen in the next, and concluding

chapter of

this

work.

2
bt S

of this work a great deal of curiosity has been excited as to the real tenets of the Rosicrucians ; and all sorts of absurd thing, have been aid and written concerning them, especially about their peculiar theories concerning Deity, Fire, and the seat of the human soul in the human body, which we do not believe resides altogether in the brain. To settle these vexed questions finally and authoritatively, I have prepared and printed a chapter, supplementary to all my works, giving i fa the whole exotenc tern of the farna fratemitas especially concerning the above ponds, b id. revealing, for the first time since the world began, our entire Hi extraordinary belief in reference to Love, and the power of any woman over an*giving man, art**, ske * obtain it for we worship at the Shrine of tie 1 V1I1 , Effluence, and are certain if our doctrines were well underitood by fl .,,, that in ten years she would transform the world This 1D18 traordinary chapter entitled the " stCKuciAN MAHlirKSTO," can be had f th, utkor only, Dr. P. B. Randolph, Boston, Mass. ; a directed and stamped elope containing a clerk', fee of 25 cents for mailing is required a(ldr ed to the vast pubnc wh ha -

Note. - Since the

last edition

; :;:

::::

Deahngs with the Pre-Adamite The Man M*n, ine ^ Ro crucian Book or of Dream* reams, '>'< After A fw r . Death or, the Disembodiment of Love, an,, it. Hl dden History,- The Master Passion," Love HiSt0r> CtC ~ UeW W rk and in ~ to all ' who ' are dis' 7 a, -t.hr.,
,
;

ry, 7

^Z^Tr
Seenhip

:?

W rk8 '-" Ka -

"The ^^ Dead,"
1

Rosicrucians

and believe that there


xc,
t

,,

<lrea,nt of,

raor e between heaven

in Ini.

extraordinary phi.osophy.

- Tke

and eartlthan

pLZZ

CHAPTER
lflE

IX.

SLEEP OF SIALAM.
hushed
eyes,

Deep

the

breaths
for

Quick

beat our hearts, tearful

a greater thau

even Death was in that

room

the Boulevart de Lux-

embourg
Seated
the

in

a large

office-chair, his
;

limbs

stiff

and cold with

damps of

dissolution
his

his face paler

than the Genius of


his

Consumpt

heart and pulses totally

eyes wide open, and so upturned that not a speck of aught but the uncolored portions thereof were
visible,

was

my friend,

In previous years I had often seen him and hundreds of both the mesmeric and odyll the
being the very

common

semi-comatic state into which sensi-

tive persons often pass


in

by the merest

effort of volition,

and
call

which they give

off

such high-sounding platitudes and

them philosophy transmitted direct from


mortals,

spirit-land to erring

when the

fact
is

is,

that the whole

phenomena-when

not simulated, which

not the case in over nine hundred and ninety cases in each thousand of its display but the current action of a diseased body and an abnormal, unhealthy J " and in many cases morals also, for it makes no matter

how

gu,,d
288

or

intentioned the subj

may be

in the

"at last?" "at last!"


start,

239

they are sure to yield before the accursed blast, and


fires

only the

of hell itself can stop their

mad

career and turn

them back to normal paths.

Not

such a trance was that

we now were

witnessing.

In

the course of five minutes there


er's face,

came a change
if

in the sleep-

which became lighted up as

at that

moment

his

soul beheld the ineffable glories of the great

Beyond.

He
As
was

spoke
this

"

Now

!"
lips,

%
the door of the

one word escaped his

room

silently opened,

and two men entered and were about


of Police suddenly rose,

taking seats,

when the Commissary

made a low
" Silence
here
Y*

obeisance, saluted one of

them

in military style,

and exclaimed, " The


!"

Emp

said the person addressed

"
;

all

are strangers

And
last !"

then turning to Dhoula Bel, with

" him, familiar, this person said to quite appeared

whom he At last V
y

"

At

echoed the latter


seats.

whereupon the two new

comers helped themselves to

The whole
all

affair
;

had gone thus

far so directly opposite to

my calculations

events had taken such sudden and totally

unexpected turns, that I ceased to marvel at this new game


of cross-purposes, but determined to watch the results carefully,

whatever they might be.

Of

course I expected that


affairs.

take the lead of


for

But

Dhoula Bel, as I

shall

henceforth call him, addressed

the shorter of the two intruders as follows

Why

do you, too, seek to thwart

Many

years

I found you a student of magic n your lonely prison, whither

240

R A V ALETTE
failed

you had been consigned because you had


sions.

on two occa-

I rescued you,

gave you

liberty,

influence, power,

prestige,

and seated you firmly on the proudest throne on

earth

I have

made you famed and name


;
;

feared

I have humbled

Britain in your

for

you I have broken the power of

ages the Papacy


built

for

you I have severed Austria, and

a new empire on the earth.

For you I have fomented


seen,

the most awful

war the world has ever

and have divided

a nation of brothers into two parties, each thirsting for the


other's blood
;

and while you have been the

silent

automaton,

I have prompted your speech

and moved the wires that

govern the world, asking nothing whatever in return, and


yet you are here to thwart
friend.

me who have
a

ever been your

Why

is

this

V
I

" I admitnothing.
Shall I reveal a I care not."
i

am

man

of Destiny 1"

Well, I forbear
I

but

let this

sleeper

tell it."
is

am

content.

Interrogate him.

This

the hour, and

this the scene for

which I long have waited

Let the oracle

speak."

" Listen to me," said the taller of the two intruders,

It

Ye

have both been proxies of a power beyond us


as
I,

all

and

the Stranger, have foiled each of ye, yet my i was decreed. The drama of ages may end to day Not of us can read his own future there is but one on earth ;

who can read


be done.

it,

and there
is

is

but one

it

may
Not

That person

here

that hour has

come

SIALAM. OF SLEEP THE HE SLEEPS

241

somnambabbling puling, of afflatus magnetic with the self-styled of confidence boastful the with not bules
;

exist no have which regions explorers of apocryphal accurate, and pure simple, vision, a with but all at ence
;

and future, the of horizon the sweep sleeper yonder shall peace, and quietude be there let Therefore, it. reveal
while the mystic scroll
is

being read."
:

said he slumberer, the Then turning to

"
!

thou,

Soul

Look

investigate

reveal

What What

seest seest

?" ruler her thou concerning France and " France will experience another Revolution.

It will be-

gin in

Water and end

in

Blood and Fire

but the end will


are swept

be delayed.

Crown, Sceptre,

Dynasty all

away

Reformation, Political of tide before the resistless

and the

head crowned last the of fate the last noble and priest shares
exile

and death."
?" Nationalities of the other

"
1 *

What

Prussia,

under a new
;

regime,

becomes indeed a Father-

land to her people

Belgium, Holland, and other of the


consolidated

Germanic lands,
existing
;

become

with

empires

now

Spain's night draws

nearher

colonies, erected

at until loneliness, in sink to her into Black Republics, leave great the of part integral an Rome, she becomes, with
last

Italian

Empire

Austria becomes dismembered

Hungary

the earth on power new a form and ; coalesce Poland and EngRussian into Syria hands Greek into passes Turkey
; ;

land loses

which Ireland, and Oregon India, Canada,


;

latter

becomes a Republic

the United States, rejoined, absorbs


11

242
Canada. Mexico and

KAVALETTE.
British

all

A
series of

Black

found an empire which

extend from her southern bor


Presidents;

ders to Brazil, under the rule of a

China, Christianized by

the Taepings, becomes a first-class

power

in the East, blotting out


;

Japan and a score

of lesser

kingdoms

while India and Australia become respectively

an Empire and a

and

all this

within sixty-thr
!"

years from the seventh decade of the century

"

What

of Religious changes &

Speak

Let us know
outside

!"

All Religious
Christian,
will
it
;

systems in the

world,

of the

gravitate

toward,
this is

and

finally

be wholly

absorbed by
quiet

and while

taking place, there will be


;

occurring in that system itself

Catholi

modified and divested of certain objectionable features,


will

become the

right

wing and conservative portion of the

Religion of the entire world, while the radical portion of that

Church, and of all other churches, will secede, rear the standard
of Free Thought, proclaim the Religion of Reason, espouse

the Reformatory

men and

principles of the age, declare itself

a Positive, Eclectic, and Progressive Faith, abjuring the doctrines of Original Sin, the
theories,

Adamic, Mosaic, Hebraic Atonement

and everything affirmative of Miracle, Final JudgThis party will be in a minority, and the
;

ment, and a Hell.


left

wing of the grand Religious system of the world

it will

constantly receive accessions of recruits from the other and

barbaric element of society

but so rapid

will

be the human

march, that the right flank of the grand army will constantly

crowd the

left

and occupy

its

ground, while the latter

THE COMING MAN.


will

243
fields, as

new towards on move constantly as

new

ideas are developed and seen.'*

" Now, Prophet, what of thyself?

" Speedy death,

relief from

and comparative happiness

sorrow, a lot with other men, on the other side of time.

"What

of the Eosicrncian System?


it

" I have already partly sketched


the left wing.

under the name of


will arise

But ere many years there

great
the

man

a German a Prussian, who will


will

prepare

way

for a greater

one of the same nation, and this

last will

proclaim and declare that system to the world,

and he, to Europe,

be the

Man

of the 19th century,

and

will exert

enormous power

in the breaking

up of

Kings and Emperors, and the establishment of the People's Liberties.

At

the

same time there

will arise in

this

Western world a greater man than the world has


In some sense

seen since the present civilization began.

he will be to the intellectual and philosophical world,

what Gautama Buddha

the

Blessed!

was to

India,

Plato to Greece, Thothmes III. to Egypt, Moses to Jewry, Mahommed to Arabia, Luther to Europe, and

Columbus
them
all,

to the

New

World, but

will

be greater than

and more powerful for good than either. rapidly advancing to his work, and his appearance

He
will

is

be

the signal of a religious, political, social, moral, emotional and philosophical upheaval, such as the modern

world has
will

never yet witnessed or even dreamed of. the blacks to education and nationality

He
;

send

the Irish to

dominion of their native


villains of political

soil,

and

will dispossess the

power

all

over this continent.

His

2U
re purees

RAVALETTE.
and he
will

wit be

millions,

command

all

the gold

great the for he needs

work to be accomplished.

He

will

the Third of and Doctrines culgrand the announce boldly his and followers Cross Rosie will the of Temple minating
;

and their number, principles in sea the of sands be as the


will, in time,

be

as resistless as its

waves.

He

will begin his

work

personally,

and by agency before

this great Rebellion

in behalf of

Human

Slavery shall have been ended.

Mark

that

!"

As

the sleeping

man gave

utterance

to

these inspired
dis-

prophesies, the less tall of the

two strangers appeared

turbed, and almost rising to his feet with excitement, he said

"

Then

this

man's career will resemble


ice.

my own
single

?"

"
ful
;

As
his

fire

resembles
will

This man's career will be peace-

path

not be stained

by one

drop of blood
cry

No maimed men
for vengeance,

will curse,
will the

no widows weep, no orphans

nor

ignorance of the people constitute

the lever of his power, nor be the instrument

by means

of

which he will vault into a throne


"
race

!"
1 !

But I am strong

Mexico Empire The


!

Latin
this

! The Church ! Maximilian


The United States

What

can break

chain, supposing I establish the last link, as I intend to ?"

" Fate

will, in

that case, soon

find

time to breathe upon France

and the

New

Empire

That

breath will settle as a cloud, but,


will
<<

when

it rises,

two dynasties

have disappeared forever

/"

Damnation

!"

exclaimed the questioner, and he stamped


his teeth

his feet

and ground

with rage almost demoniac.

WE

!" YET MAT BE HAPPY

24:5

" There will be two

damned

nations,

if

that

programme

is

carried out," said the sleeping

man,

in tones musical

and

calm, as

if

he was discussing the merits of a play rather than

prophesying the fate and destinies of Empires.

For a moment there was


spokd
"

silence.

At

length Ravalette

And now my
tall

turn.

What,

sleeper

what of me

?"

The

seer smiled blandly, stretched forth his

hands toward

both the

personage and the Enigma.

They went forward,

grasped the sleeper's hands in their own, and

" The Enmity of Ages


" It
is is

is

ended

I"

ended

!"

repeated the
!

tall one.
is

"It
thine"

finished

Thy work
Ravalette

done

and
seer.
is

mine

indicating
is

and
!

said

the
there

"Hence-

forward, there

rest for the

weary

rest for thee


it.

No

longer

doomed

to

walk the earth, we three quit

Our
scroll,

paths diverge from this moment.

Above our heads

is

on which

is

written

Ye may
" Thank Heaven
!

be Happy

said

Dhoula Bel.

" Thank Heaven I" repeated the Stranger.

" It

is

finished I" said Beverly, and, as

he spoke, Dhoula

Bel moved behind the screen, and, the very instant that he
did so, there

came the sharp crack of

fire-arms in the hall

and

on the
in

accompanied with any amount of oaths uttered not very choice French.
stairs,

Immediately, running to the door along with the Commissary

246
of one and of Police

RAY ALETTE
his

to know the demanded I comrades,

disturbance the of e

By
and
it

the Holy

Evang
him an inch

I fired straight into his head


!"

didn't faze

said the

And
"

head, the of and middle the in square I struck him

that didn't

harm
put two

said another

And

Derringer bullets

and four

Colt's fair into

inches, ten at his breast, /

and

blast

me

if all

six didn't

fly

back and
"

hit
I'll

me

!"

exclaimed a third.

And

open the through come didn't he swear that


fast shut, with

door, for

it

was

my hand

on the knob, every

!" said the fourth. time the of second

" It was the devil

!"

said a fifth.

Or

his
I

imp

!"

said the sixth

And
stair !"
11

he never passed by

me

the

observed the seventh man.


hither into the

Come

room and

what you

driving at," said the Commissary.

driving at nothing just

now," said the sergeant

bullets some drive but I have been trying to

gh the

devil 1

Do you remember
<

telling

me

person go
prevent
it

if

him shoot to had I

?"

Certainly I do. Well, the


side the door,
first

Go
said,

on."

thing I knew, that gentleman stood as he

and

made

faces

and
;

his

I'm" goin

n spite of I

monsieur/
mft

Are you, indeed

<

Of

am

just

do

it,

magic. last dhoula's

247
stairs,

marched
3

straight for the


so.

and four of

clinch him, and did

Gentlemen, have

potatoe hot a up picked ever you

did and have, I Well,


let

op quicker than
only that
inst

we four

go of that individual
the world like
in-

id of

burning

us, it felt for all

one

feel

those of hold takes he at the Polytechnic when

a discharge which and them, to wires with things fernal Jack say can you before you into quart or two of li htning iH..iy\:)ii vcrv ouicklv. and We let go of Robinson
!
I

he pa

sd

two

or three step
bl

oh

him down, but you might

jm

is

well have
i|i

tried to kill
in the

a shadow.
pis

Messieurs, that

man

(li

in

smoke
!"

He
if

passed

>>ut

vn risible

form

During the

cant's relation I
really left the

had determined to see

Dhoula Bel had


u-el

purpose I

i\y
*

walked toward the window and past the screen.


nobody wl
r

There
bark,
cnpi
1.

behind or near

it.

I walked

lid

nothing, but resumed the seat I

had formerly oo

"Are you
"

sure of

what you

tell

us; that

you are wide

awake, and not dreaming

said the Commissary.


is

As

certain as I

am

that he

not

now

in this

room."

" Which shows

how

easily people

may be

deceived," said
thereafter

a voice from behind the screen, and

instantly

Dhoula Bel himself walked out


ftone floor
it

into the middle of the floor

was and

after pointing his finger scornfully at

250
All persons

RAV ALETTE.
who have
read any of Dr. Randolph's works,

" Love, Dead," the with Dealings

and

Its

Hidden History,"
Mir

..

Man
in,"

"Ravalette,"

"The

Rosicrucian's Story," especially,

may

have wondered at the Strange Machinery, and Personam of tht t two works, and the sources of power hinted at in all the
>thers,

and have vainly tried to unravel the mystery.

To

all

och

say that the Rosicrucians and their very extraordinary

are veiled, and symbolize deeper


call

meanings.

many now desire

to

to

serious attention to

THE ASIATIC MYSTERY.


The Fire-Faith The Religion of Flame The Force LovmJ The Energos of Will The Formative Force Of Piri and Matter! The Oneness of Soul, and God, am rui: Flame-Force of the Universe! The Magic of Pomu Mentality! The Location of Soul within the Human Body,
!

and to the Grand Secret of redeeming from domestic wretchdness the millions of suffering wives (and husbands too), by
the as
<

ercise of three simple, natural forces set forth in the -first


ide the

of the

human

being,

world out

Rosicrucian Manifesto to the


Respectfully, P. B. R.

Order." *

"

cr! 't'<irv

nf Z

QUlte extraordina
S

y document can be had by addressing


>

-" ::;;:::::r:
6 i ne oruer,

CLC,, ;?

dan Br therh00d

*ox

,.352,

Boston, Mass," enfor the

fee of trimng

amount

mamn <

her perquisite.
Respectfully, the Publishers.

AND CLARK TOM

HIS WIFE,

THAT THINGS CURIOUS THE AND DREAMS, DOUBLE THEIR BEFELL THEM THEREIN;

BEING

>

THE

ROSICRUCIAN

STORY.

By Dr.

P.

B.

RANDOLPH,

Author of *"Waa, Gu-mah," "Pre- Adamite Man/' "Dealings with the


Dead," " It isn't all Right," " The Unveiling of Spiritism," a The Grand Secret," "Human Love a Physical
Substance,"
etc., etc., etc.

fc*SO

BOSTON RANDOLPH PUBLISHING CO


1871.

Dear Freeman:
on your shoulders, and
world, as wearily I

have suffered my journeyings up and down the wandered over Zahara's burning sands and among the shrines
I

Bridg much, in

and monuments of Egypt, Syria, and Araby the blessed ; separated in body, but united in soul, we have each sought knowledge, and, I trust, gained wisdom. Our

One portion of that work consists in the. endeavor to unmask villainy, and vindicate the sanctity and perpetuity of marriage. In this little work I have tried to do this, and believe that if the magic talisman herein recommended as a sovereign balm for the strifes and ills of wedlock, be faithfully used,
is

work

just begun.

adopt your motto and my own, and become convinced that in spite of much contrary seeming " we may be happy yet !" To you, and to such this book is
Affectionately

that the great married world will

RANDOLPH

STORY THE ROSICRUCIAFS


IPAJBT
I.

THE MAN.
He
used to pace rapidly

up and down the deck

for a

striking his forehead, if as suddenly then, and two, or minute

a new thought were just pangfully coming into being at the major foci of his soul, he would throw himself prone upon " the old of one of the after seats

Uncle Sam," the steamer in

which we were going from San Francisco to Panama, and


there he would
lie,

apparently musing, and evidently enjoying


life,

some sort of
reverie,

interior

but whether that

life

was one of
all,

dream, or disembodiedness, was a mystery to us


so,

and would have remained

but that on being asked, he very

complaisantly satisfied our doubts,

by informing us that on
a place not laid

such occasion he, in

spirit, visited

down

in

ordinary charts, and the


11

name of which was the realm of


English,
'
'

Wotchergifterno," which means in

Violinist's

Meadow"

(very like " Fiddler's Green").

When

not pacing

the deck, or reclining, or gazing at the glorious sunsets on


the sea, or the
still

more gorgeous

sun-risings

on the moun8

4
he was

THE BOSICKUCIAN
in the habit

STOKY.

ofcatching

Jlics;

which

flies

he
of

and dissect examine to by proceed means forthwith would

of water drop in of a a constructed bent broom microscope a


wisp.

Gradually the

man became

quite a favorite with both

passengers and officers of the ship, and not a day passed but

a crowd of ladies and gentlemen would gather around him to


listen to the stories

he would not merely recite, but compose

as he

went along, each one containing a moral of more than


It

ordinary significance.
the

was apparent from the

first

that

man was some

sort of a mystic,

a dreamer, or some such


ything he

of-the-ordinary style of person, because


said or did bore

an unmistakable ghostly impress.

He

was
a

sorrowful withal, at times, and yet

no one on the ship had


spirits.

greater or

more humorous flow of


sallies,

In the

midst,
short,
jubi-

however, of his brightest


as
if

he would suddenly stop

at that

moment

his listening soul

had caught the


pardoned some

lant cry of angels

when God had


soul.

just

sinful,

storm-tossed

human

One

day, during the progress of

a long and interesting


thing called

conversation on the
the

of that myst
in

human

soul,

and

which our fellow passenger had,


elicit

taken a leading part, with the endeavor to


well as

impart, information,

he suddenly changed

color,

turned almost deathly pale, and for full five minutes, perhaps more, looked straight into the sky, as if gazing upon the awful

and

ineffable mysteries of that

weird Phantom-land which


ejects

intuition

demonst

but cold reason utterly

or

challenges for tangible proof.

Long and

steadily gazed the

a LAEA

;)

5
had just

man

he if as shuddered and then he shuddered

received

some

fearful

heart. his near problem solution of the

And

shuddered alsoin

could I what with sympathy pure


length he spoke
;

not fairly understand.

At

but with bated


it

that solemn, so deep, so low, so tones breath, and in

seem-

utterance gave man, living a not and dead, ed as though a


to the sounds
:

"

Lara

Lara

Ah, Lovely

would that I

had gone then that I were with thee now


into silence.

and he relapsed

Surprised, both at his abruptness,

change of manner and

theme

for ten minutes before,

and despite the solemnity of

the conversational topic, he

had been at a fever heat of fun


Accustomed, as

and

hilarity

I asked

him what he meant.

we had

been, to hear

him break

in

upon the most grave and

dolorous talk with a droll observation which instantly pro-

voked the most unrestrainabie, hilarious mirth

used, as

we
a

had been 4o hear him perpetrate a joke, and set us

all in

roar in the very midst of some heart-moving tale of woe,

whereat our eyes had moistened, and our pulses throbbed tumult uously, yet I not, even by all this, prepared for
the

gular characteristic

now

presented

In reply to

my
if

question,

he

first

wiped away an involuntary tear


;

ashamed of
claimed

his

weakness

then raised his head, and

Lara

Lara

The Beautiful One

What

of her ? asked Colbert,

who

sat opposite him,

who was deeply moved

and

at his evident distr

and whose

curiosity, as that of us all,

was deeply piqued

cr an

T
i.

tell v

m
hi
i

h
i

drinl
first

in tbet

warning os that wh
of so

*
r

hut

r;

U'Xl

4dV
JT

tiack

n the taffrail

it
pu

plOV

WSJ

to

far ofT

I'.

m
1

le

thr

and old
ml
Gloi
1

ha]

*m:
t

hail

een

mj>lNd
s

he!
and

rea

11

that

ban

w
mj
out

fp
M It

>eat th
hi
<1

found
ini

a
I

TMt
seenw

ext
i,

plain

itn
rr

*1

u
n
?

ir

thro
1

gfa
1

he n

i\

fhr ?JM

was not
r

ortain ilcg
off
i

i-

ii

an d rose from

irk

aet
id skii
t
1

wa

re

oft

river of
prairie

Leth

that

lied
I

ImpI
i

the inunen

on and

o\

wl

>i

el,

my way
from

from Minus to Pin fro


o

methhu
rir
avelli
fr

Bad

Go

and from

ter

toward

unknown, unimagin

ID
And

ny
I

ravelling
id
)1

m
I

the

Xow

ward the
it

hall

Re.

mut j gazed
I;

gazed
rl

the dense, d rk shadow!

HlMiiri>

mr
of
(

over th

plain

1<

aud throu h the spao


sound, no
1

d
i

<had

ad

Xo

otfall

even

ownnot an echo broke the v* litud


mvst
rio.

the

Still

nq

tremendous

was*

of an unkn
til its
1

unim gined Eterne

agined
here

arful stillitude

With

my bosom

THE TEMPLE
from went pulse no but
it

heart,

bounding through
life

my veins

responsive back beat throb no


spirit

to

my

feeling, listening

I and
self,

my

Soul were there

the only we alone;

Thinking

thinks never but knows, ever that Self the and

were there. was, I


small
felt,

My

heart was not

cold, yet it

was more
all

it

changed to solid
distant,

stone changed
like
this

save one

point,

afar
;

off,

unto the vague ghost

of a long-forgotten fancy the

and

seemed to have been

penalty inflicted
;

for things

done by

me

while

on the

earth

for it

appeared that I was dead, and that

my
?

soul

had begun an almost endless pilgrimage


where
?

to

what

to

A penalty
my

And

yet no black

memory

of red-

handed crime haunted me, or lurked in the intricacies of the


mystic wards of
alone

death-defying soul

and I strode

all

adown the uncolumned

vistas of the

grand old temple

a temple whose walls were builded of flown Seconds, whose


tesselated

pavements were laid in sheeted Hours, whose winside

dows on one

opened upon the Gone Ages, and on the


to

other upon the

Yet

Be

and

its

sublime turrets pierced

the clouds, which roll over

and mantle the hoary summits of


!

the grey Mountains of

Time

And

so I
I

and

my Soul walked

through this temple by ourselves


"

alone

With

and

my

keen gaze, I looked forth upon the Yastness, vision swept over the floors of all the dead years
clear,

yet in vain, for the things of

my

longing were not there.

beheld trees, but

all their

leaves were motionless,

and no

carol-

ing bird sent


into
life

its

heart-notes forth to

waken the dim

solitudes

and music-which are

love.

There were stately

STORY. ROSTCRUCIIN'S THE

temple's massy the dome, of span arching groves beneath the the ear, or on filled the fell melody of strains but no amphian or ft branches, moveless myriad space from their fro palace of a was It still. was All
fair

(which Silence of music and only the


P
io-e,

is

vocal, if

I,

Paschal the Thinker, and

my Thou

uncouth, yet mighty but moveless thought

were

only living things


I

beneath the expansive dome.

Livin

had

sacrificed all
itself,

thingshealth,

riches, honor, fame, ease,

even Love

for

Thought, and by Thought had overtopped

many who had


had wakened
In
life

started on the race for glory long ere

my

soul

to a consciousness of itself

which means Power.


a throne so
at

I had, so it

seemed, builded stronger than I thought,

and had reached a mental eminence


lofty

occupied
aloof,

that mankind wondered, stood


off
;

and gazed

me

from afar

and by reason of

my

thought had gathered


soli-

from me, and thus condemned the Thinker to an utter


tude, even in the

most thronged and busy haunts of men


cities

and

walked through earth's most crowded

more

lonely

than the hermit of the desert, whose eyes are never gladdened

by the sight of

human

form, and through the chambers of

whose brain no human voice goes ringing.


earth
soul,
;

Thus was

it

on

and now that

had quitted

it

forever, with undaunted

strong purpose, and fearless tread, assured of an endless

immortality, and had entered

upon the

life

of Thinking,

still

was I

alone.

Had my
?

life,

my

thinking,

and my

action on

thought been failures


bility

The contemplation

of such a possi-

was

bitter,

very bitter even like unto painful death

FAIL NEVER " ROSICRUCIANS


failure that true seemed

mine-failure been bad

and yet

it

notwithstanding

men

of well spoke by thousands

me and

of

my worka-the
books
loathin

children of

my
?

thought-and bought

my

in thousands.

Failure

My

idea the rejected soul


social spirit,

For a moment the

the heart-

to me caused and Reason, over-shadowed of my nature stricken walls, dungeon by confined though forget that, even

with poverty, deformity, sin


to freeze in

though even disease or


is

left

out

thinker the yet spite world's the cold

ever the

world's true and only King.

I had become, for a moment,

oblivious of the fact that failure


er ucians never fail
!
l

was an

impossibility.

Rosi-

" But now, as I slowly


nature was at
for a while

moved

along, I felt
within,

my human

war with the God-nature

and that Heart


I longed for re-

was holding the Head


;

in duress.

lease

from Solitude

my humanity

yearned for association,

and would have there, on the breast of the great Eterne, given
worlds for the

company of the lowliest

soul I

had ever beheld


cities of

and despised, as I walked the streets of the


earth.

the far-off

I yearned for

human

society

and

affection,
!

and could

even have found blissful solace with


in

a dog
its

just such a

dog

as,

times past, I had scornfully kicked in Cairo

and Stamboul.
from

Even a dog was denied me

now all

affection withheld

meand

in the terrible

presence of

absence I longed for


I longed

death, forgetting again that Soul can never die.


for that deeper

extinguishment which should sweep the soul


it

from being, and crown

with

limitless, eternal

Night for-

10

STORY. KOSICRUCIAN's HE T

live, must 'thorn, Soul of Memories the that again, getful Horrors hence woi*d that aud be, to cease the rememberer for their mourning suichildren universe the echo through

myself parent that and parent, cidal


"

And

I lay

me
all

despair in tree a beneath down


alone from
its fellows, in

tree*

which stood out


a tree
all

a grove hard by

an awful monulightning-scathed and ragged

the wondering to onproclaiming eloquently ment, mute, yet


looker that

God

had passed that way, in

fierce, deific

wrath,

once upon

a time, in the

dead ages, whose ashes

now bestrewed

Eterne. of temple mighty the the floors of


" It was dreadful, very dreadful, to be all alone.

True, the

fires ambition, the of thirst, of tortures the hunger, pangs of

marred no longer passion earthly of flames radnp; and the a*"o


peace.

my

Pain, such as mortals

feel,

was unknown

no disease
external

racked
being

my

frame, or disturbed the serenity of

my

for I

was immortal, and could laugh


scorn
;

all

these and
fear-

Death

itself to

and yet a keener anguish, a more


I wept, and

ful suffering,

was mine.

my

cries

gave back no

outer sound, but they rang in

sombre echoes through the

mighty arches, the bottomless caverns, the abyssmal deeps of


Soul

my

soul

racking
feel.

it

with torments such as only think


is

ing things can

Such

the

lot,

such the discipline of

the destined citizens of the Farther

Empyrean

region

known only
Rosicrucia

to the Brethren of the

Temple of

Peerless

Sleep

came sweet sleepdeep and

strange

and

in

it 1

11

WHY MAN
Methoo
ht
I

FAILS

dreamed

the beneath gloomily wandered

^.,,,1
cj
s
v

after last, at until Id hall,

county

7 had ^rs r> ye ripe of

been *tl

treasury the into back red


solid,

oft
1

j h

Supreme
j
i

before stood I

massive door

thereabove

the being ounced as

tra

o
h

Garden
1

Beatitude the of
s,

This do

was

rest coi
l

in-

I.

of one Every ,
i

the all than larger one besides opened be might locks these
t
.,

pei

unfastened he uuless u through ,mt tMflfl imuu pass mid not


i

Mock
r

bolts thousand having ten

and wards

sp
a dream
;

d on

my

soul, in this

dream which

wa>

ail

for to

through entrance an achieve

the mast
tion
f

was

inscnpthe said so a task,

ai

would defy the labors of


rly
,

human

armies for periods

time nt

defying man's comprehen


so fa rly strong the bolts
afiilly,

many
by chance
eye

the difficult
.<

^ g

Qy,

turned away, when, as

if

forg ttii

that there

is

no such thing as

Chance my

encountered a rivetless space upon the solid brazen door


circular
rion
i

the

ice,

around the periphery of which was an inscripthus


1'
1 :

running

Man

only Fails through Feeblethis

of
-lance

Will
of

Within

smooth

circle

was

ul

a golden triangle,

embracing a crystalline

globe,

winged and beautiful, crowned with a Rosicrucian


it

cypher, while beneath


single

stood out, in fiery characters, the


instant I caught the

word,

'

Try

1'

The very

magic
be-

significance of these divine inscriptions,

a new

Hope was

gott n in

my

soul

Despair fled from me, and I passed into

12

STORY. ROSICRUCIAn's THE

" A DREAM WITHIN A DREAM.

What

a change

During

my

slumber

it

seemed that

tc transported had been


) 5t still

the summit of a very

lofty mountain,

within the Temple.

By my

side stood
'

an aged and
clad in

tintly

presence. majestic and man, of regal

He was

flowing his robes and ages, long-gone an oriental garb of the

band, golden a by waist were bound to his


similitude

wrought

into the

of emblem eternal sacred the serpent shining a of

wisdom.
of silver,

Around

his

broad and

lofty

brow was a coronet

dusted with spiculae of finest diamond.

On

the

sides of the centre were


tality
;

two

scarabei, the

symbol of immorin*

and between them was a pyramid, on which was

time, same the at told, which character mystical a scribed

that his

name was Ramus

the Great.*

" This royal personage spake kindly to me,

and

his soft

tones

fell

upon the hearing of

my

soul like the

words of par*

don to the sense of sinners at the Judgment o

Seat.

Look,

my

son,'

said he, at the

same time pointing toward a vast

procession of the newly-risen dead


sides of the

spectral

army on

the

mountain, slowly, steadily, mournfully wending


the part of the temple I
this

their

way toward

had quitted

pre-

vious to the

commencement of
at

dream within a dream.


pilgrims are
King

Said the

man

my

side

'

Yonder host of

Egypt, in the 18th dynasty, and sixty-ninth Chief or


tive

Grand Master

of the Superla-

Order of Gebel AI Marulc since known, in Christian lands, as the Order of the
Itosie

thrives

13
GREATNESS OF SECRET THE
to sought, hast thou

who wno women romen and Giory, of es Gat fliibar

seeking are ~~ o

tbey

Beatitudes the of Garden delightful Knowledg into the Strength, Intellectual with endowed ' he The thing Happy and Wise be to another H is * ortahty the lmm earth cnu the all to granted B boon self-

-*"

them through
one

if.

_J
"

development integral by liay be attained contmually God-ness and goodness bv innate alike worlds aromal and this in material be may they wherever woman, is woman and
!

by

man

Man *
The

to the garden

lies

CorManifestation not through


!

Silence of Hall the through but alone himself for nnon the door

Aspirant each and


Failing to enter

thou hast
hither to

failed,

each must
Retrospect,

thee, like and, back, turn

come

Mount

and

labyrinths the into entering

within

its sides,

alone which key, triple the for search must

Remember

! Garden Beautiful the to admit and Gate, the unbar the instant in and Try Despair
!

arms, outstretched with and Phantom-man turned from me, toward him hied feature, every from and benignance beaming

my
Again
I

stood
all

alone,

not

now

in

despondency and

gloom, but in

the serene strength of noble, conscious

Manhood

not

the actual, but the certain

and glorious pos-

ibility thereof.
its

My

soul

had grown.

It

was aware of

all

past short-comings, failures, and its hatreds

toward two
stilt

men who had done me deadly wrong.


vived

This feeling

sur-

stronger than

ever,

now

that I

was across the Bridge

14
of Houi

THE ROSICRCCIAN

STORY

of citizen a and had become

land

a
as

Eternity through wanderer

That hate was as immortal


ever be
in
?

my

deathless soul.
well.

I Will

it

And

yet I had ever

meant
fill

All was calm

my

spirit,

save this single aw-

thing.

In this

spirit,

with this consciousness not of


look

began Justice outraged of I but deep ma! >nance,


for

the mysterious key

and as I looked, an
of

instinct

hat the k y

and human
I
left
-

done before and held deeds, good ponding ami corn


tli

hores of rime and embarked upon the strange and m\


>ee
I
I

ti

hereon
so
I

my

soul's fortunes

were now

cast. found

"A:
jr!
r

searched,
;

and at

last

seemed to have

.lit

and thereupon I wished myself once more


Instantly, as
it,

the braien Gate.


realized,

if

by magic,

the

wish
for-

a M

and I stood before


I.

on the same spot


symbols and

merly occopit
1

The

first

inscription, the

circk

id

d
1

appeared, and in their stead


hi

was another

circle, con-

Speak, for thou shalt be heard

Toll

what thou hast done to elevate thy fellow men, and to round
nt
lift

the

angl
ve<l,

of thine

own

soul.

Whom

hast thou up

hated

Speak, and

when the words


p;
s

th o

poken, the door will yield, and thou mayest


hold
riting slowly faded,

the Tin

Th
txi

and

left

naught but a

surface
c

face as of

molten gold.

I spoke aloud

my

to
shrill

and, to

my

astonishment,

my
I

voice rang

and

clear,

through the
far

and arches of the mighty


head.
'

do

above

my

have

suffered from

"tby!"

15

on slandered robbed, hated,"


defiance of
all,

been maturity to cradle the from opposed infancv-been ^ in forward pnshed sides, yet
all

until I

reached

all

that desired-all that I

earth could give me.

triumphs achieved Self-educated, I


have reaped laurels

where others
keys
<

failed

and grasped the


because
living,

<f

fame, and laughed at

my

folly afterwards,
life

what
dist>

is

fame

canker, gnawing out one's

when
!

rbing his
this,

straw a worth not dead when repose

But,
fol-

in ?

by example, an set have I ending, despite the

lowing which man might

elevate himself, society be improved,

and

its

constituents realize the bliss

of moving in loftier
truths, I

spheres of usefulness V

While giving voice to these

firmly expected to see the gate fly

open at their conclusion.


it

But what was


at
all,

my

horror and dismay to see that

moved not

while the echoes of

my

speech gave back in frightfully


'

resonant waves of sound the last word,

Usefulness V

"
cast

Not being

able to think of

any nobler achievements, I

my
;

eyes groundward, and, on again raising them, I be-

held, across the clear

space on the door, the single

word

'Try

"Taking heart

again, I said, 'Alone I sought the secret


it

of restoring health to the sick, and gave

freely to the world,


efforts to

without money, without price.


banish sloth,
the Cross,
sin,

I have

made grand

ignorance

have ever upheld the honor of


it

and the sweet religion

symbolizes.

Striving ever

to upraise the veil that hides

man from

himself, in the effort

I have been misapprehended,

my

motives impugned, and

my

has been poverty, slander, disgrace.

In the

strife, I

lb'

THE EOSICEUCIAN
every

STOET.

heedless been have

save that of

human duty

have destiny, been nobler a of behests the and in obeying ignored have wealth distinction illy all of ardle and even esteem, been world's the in place honorable fame,
Y love of calls the ,leaf to
"
I

back threw vault the again and ceased,


the arches echoed
'

my

last word,

and
"

all

Love

appeared upon the more once but The gate moved not,
lozenge

golden

on the

door the word

'

Try

!'

in greater

brightness than before, while


of

seemed to the hearing


low, so low,

my

spirit

that a thousand velvet whisp


'

gently cadenced back


I hav

Love Y
humbled the
lofty and

rebuked the immoral,

mourner the comforted deception, overbearing, exposed

deemed the

harlot,

reformed

thief,

fed the orphan and

upheld the rights and dignity of

Labor V

"

Still

the

door moved
'

not,

but again the echoes gave back

the last word,

Labor

"

'

prevailed and thousands, immortality to preached I have


it
;

on them to believe
claimed
its

have written

of,

proeverywhere and
sceptic, con-

mighty truths,

I have beaten the

firmed the wavering, reassured the doubting, and through

have globe, long and bitter years, in both hemispheres of the


declared that
if

man

die,

he shall

live

again

thus endeavor-

ing to overthrow error, establish truth,

banish superstition,
a of foundations

and on their ruins lay the deep and broad


*

better faith
1
'

1'

As

if

a myriad voices chimed out

my

there last syllable,

THE BE

CKEED.

17

,.
to

thr

,'h

the spaeio
I

Temple the of Mil- and corridors


and
h.s.anth the bolt-

the su lime

wor

m,

appeared
said
:

m hav
ami

ire

within

their iron

ward
in

Continu.n
sin
le

ver end

ivored, save

one

instance, to foster,

"This
flew bacl

time there
ti

was no mistake
b
o
!

bolts thousand The

back,
like

pond rou
curtain,

moved forward and


;

ft

wind gentle a ed by
.rinnslv.
'

In AM. CASES

ati
.1
.

snari of pof iveni


ously
I

telling plainly intuition tried again,

me

that

.....

*k;- ,u-o wnu, npoossarv to end

my

lonely pilgrim-

d
horn I so longed

dear the of companionship blessed


glory-walks their in join to

adown

Beatitudes the of Garden God's vistas of and lades &


I spoke again
I

what of pursuance in esteem have fallen from man's

appeared to be

my duty
Lured by

new

faith

sprung up in the land


bitter reproach aga

and unwise

zealots
it.

brought shame and


false

and upon

reasoning, I yielded to the

fascinations of a specious sophistry,

and

for awhile

my

soul

and powerful a of bondage iron the under languished


ing falsehood.
rect
,

glitter-

At

length, seeing

my

errors,

I strove to cor-

them and to

sift

the chaff from the true and solid grain

but the people refused to believe

me

honest,

and did not,

would not understand me


ing

but they insisted that in denouncliving

Error,
;

ignored
still

the

truths

of

God's great

economy

yet

I labored on, trying to correct

my

faults,

18
and to

THE BOSICRUCIAN
cultivate the
this last

STORY.

queen of

human

virtues,
lips,

Charity

!>

Scarcely had

word escaped

my

than the mas


gaze

to disclosing open, wide flew sive portals


such a sight of supernal
magnificence, as
describe
;

my enraptured

and

celestial beauty, grandeur, and


is

human

anguage
it

totally inadequate to

for it

was such as

stood there revealed before

my

ravished

and I may not here reveal the wondrous


.
. .

things I

saw and heard.

Lara, Lara,

my

beautiful
before
still

one, the dear

dead maiden of the long agone, stood


lines of

me, just within the


aye, the dear

Paradise.

She loved me

maiden of

my youth had

not forgotten

the

lover of her early

and her earthly days


I

When

was a boy, anc

In the city by the sea,'

the

Death had snatched her from


ago
;

my

arms, and

long, long time


his hatred, survives the

for the love of the Indian

gi

And

she said.

'

Paschal
thy

my

beloved
her

le

student of the weary world

I await
Wear

But thou mayest not enter now, because

no

hatred can live inside these gates of Bliss.


discard
finished

Thou

yet incomplete, thy


!

work
back to
earth

Thou

hast found the keys

Go

and give them to thy fellow-men


then thy brethren, that Usefulness,

Teach,

first thyself,

and

Love, Labor, Forg

Faith and Charity


to cure all
ill,

the only keys which are potent


i

and unbar the Gates of Glory


Beautiful Lara, I obey thee
!

Lara

Wait

for

EXD OF THE PKOEM.


love.

19

am coming soon

P I cried, as she slowly retreated,


'

and the gate closed again.


with extended arms

Not

yet, not vet/

I cried, as

I implored
instant longer.

the

beauteous vision to

remain but a
fell

sin

le

But she was gone.


I awoke
a<rain &"""J
it

to the

ground

in

a suoon.

When
my
little

found the night had grown two hours older than

when

I sat

down

in the chair in

chamber
in the

in

Bush

street, the little

chamber which I occupied

goodly city

of the Golden Gate."

Thus spake the Rosicrucian.

We

were

all

deeply

moved

day we reached Acapulco, and not


far on our

at the recital, and one after the other we retired to our rooms, pondering on the story and its splendid moral Next
till

we had

way toward

panama)

d;d

of hstenmg to the sermon to the eloquent text I have just J recounted.

left

and were

an q

At

length he gave

it,

duced, in the following words

as nearly as it can possibly be

repr*

" and saw within the moonlight of his room

An

angel, writing in a

book of

gold.

"
see

And

so

you

like the text,

do you

Very

well, I will

now

how much
:

better you will

pleased with

Listen

"
I
,

I cannot and will not stand this any longer.

yet a young

man
shall

very prime and heyday of

life,

and I do believe that I


no time,
in
if

be a regular corpse

in less than

a change for the better don't very soon take place


;

my

family

that's just

as

certain inches

She, ah,

she, is killing

me by

the vampire

Would

that I had been thirty-five million of miles the other side of

nowhere the day I married


Betsey Clark
is

her.

Don't I though, Betsey


love,

killing

me

No

no kindness, not a
somebody's

soft

look never a gentle smile.

Oh, don't
;

I wish

fune-

but not mine


ing, of

for I feel quite capable of

being happy yet, and of making somebody's daughter


likewise.

happy

People
;

may

well say that marriage

is

lot-

terya great
20

lottery

for, if there's

one

tiling surer than an-

MONOLOGUE. MAN'S A MAREIED


other, then it
is

21

perfectly certain

very the drawn that I have


if it

kind of a blank
thing, if

and hang me,

wasn't for

off run wouldn't I

and hitch myself


;

anyfor about read have I Hottentots fo/life to one of the Oh out. strung long misery, this than thing would be better cai he Turk a fellow's a When ! Turk don't I wish I was a don' that 'em of all strangle and wives many have ever so the for Bully they Taw
;

him or come
!

Turks
did

I wish I

knew how

to turn myself

,o

one.

If I

I'd
!'

be the biggest kind of a

Mohammedan

afore

mornin'

" Such was the substance of about the thousandth soliloquy delivered purport, same the to subject, on the same

by Mi

Thomas
life.

W.
t

Clark, during the last seven years of his

wedded

" The gentleman named delivered himself of the contented

and philanthropic speech just


fine day, just after the

recited,

on the morning of a

usual morning meal

and quarrel with

his

wife, de jure

female

attendant would better express

the relation de facto.

Mr. Clark was not yet aware that a

woman

is

ever just

what her husband's conduct makes her

a thing that some husbands besides himself have yet to learn. " Every day
this

couple's food

was seasoned with sundry


than those in the castor.

and divers

sorts of condiments other

There was a great deal of pickle from his side of the gay and
festive board, in the

shape of jealous, spiteful innuendoes


in

and

from her side much delicate sauce piquante,


allusions

the form of

former husband,

whom

she declared

22

THE ROSICRUCIAN

STORY.

that husband best the very


vixeu a by grave premature a
;he

ever sent to

>

ba(
knt
hei

might have added, truth'

sentence with,

to be loved

by a tender, gentle wife


Aj
sresses
?

like

her

The

lady had gotten

;u

l>lf>

weaknesses
I

loner airo.
?

Gentle

av

Tender

what

is

a virago

So
br

man.

Xow

for his mate.

Scarcely

her lord

Mr

as she

lii

lm
door behind
hinr

rone out of the house, and slammed the


at the

same time giving vent to the


lied

last
h<

ottleful of splee:

and concocted

in his soul, than


call

Mrs. Thomas
her

poor Betsey Clark, as I prefer to


truly, really pitiable, for

for she

was

more reasons than

he

but
not exercise
it sufficiently

had common sense and would


to

mi
in

make

the best of a bad bargain


little,

threw herself upon the bed, where she cried a


raved a good deal, to the self-same tune as of yore.
tired of

and

tli

Getting
va-

sa
f.

both these delightful occupations very soon, she


striking

ried

them by

an attitude before a portrait of the dear


portrait, not the

defunct

badly executed the

man

whose
This

name

she bore

when she became Mistress Thomas

W.

1
se

picture of a former husband

Tom

Clark had not had courage


ui

or sense enough to put his foot through, but did have bad
taste sufficient to permit to

hang up
its

in the very

room where
ol

he lived and ate, and where

beauties were duly and daily


its

it

expatiated upon, and the virtues of

the to lauded original

&

Clark
tl

regular patent, venom-mounted,

"WEDLOCK

IS

THING. TICKLISH A

?5

23
t

and, what

is

more,

do to which, as on,
ee

hours and a half


that she did not

each day.

fer

the deceased, especmlly in presence of such


visitors as

chance or business

her of delectation especial brought to their house, all to the


living spouse,

Mr. Thomas

W.
!

Clark.

" Just look at her


shrine,

now

There she

is,

kneeling at her

my

lady gay, vehemently pouring for+h the recital of

her wrongs

forgetful of

any one
tears

else's,

as

usual with the

genus grumbler
her

dropping

and maledictions, now on

own

folly,

then on the devoted head of him she

had pro-

mised to love, honor, and obey, Mr. Clark, fruit-grower, farmer, and horse-dealer.

Exhausted at length, she winds up

the dramatic scene by invoking all the blessings of all the


saints in all the calendars
feit

on the soul of him whose counter-

presentment hangs there upon the wall.

" If this couple did not absolutely hate each other, they

came

so near

it

that a Philadelphia lawyer

would have been

puzzled to
selves

tell

t'other

from which, and yet nobody but themof thingsthose

had the

least idea of the real state


life

under-currents of married

that only occasionally breach

through and extensively display themselves in the presence


of third parties.
it

absurd
presume to know the real
itus

is

for

outsiders to

of

affair^^^^~_
the

which
married
in

behind
the land

curtains of

12*

24

THE KOSICRl'CIAX
is

STORY.

Hymen
guises
;

u fellow fond of wearing


it

all sorts

of masks and

dis-

and

often happens that tons of salt exist

where peo-

ple suppose nothing but sugar

and lollypops are to be found.


to a

"

Tom

and

his wife

the latter, especially


oh,

vast deal of loving-kindness

other

and they were wise


'

pretended how greattoward each presence of other


in the
'

people.

You would have


of Baldwinsville

thought, had you seen them billing and

cooing like a pair of

Turkle Doves

to quote the

'

Bard

that there never


<

was so

true, so perfect a

union as their

and would not

entertained

but that they had been expressly


I

the foundations of the world,

if

fore.

No
c

sooner did they


;

before folks, even after


fell

absencethan they mutuallv


two swains just mated

to kissing and

deari

like
r,

of which

but wise people to grieve.


quite Love's

Phy

>t

methods

and
less

ho most ape love externally, have


private, so great

of

it

withir

a difference

is

there between Behind


Billing

and Before,

in these

matters of the heart

before folks acts as a nauseant upon sensible

men and

and

in

this case it did

upon a

fe

of
miles of

the city of Santa Blarneeo. within a

which Clark lived


Bet
trait,

Clark gave a
< :

Io

long, lingering look at the por-

saying the whiie

Don't I wish
darling,

and

back here again,

my
it

my

pr
:

Lucky for him was

that such could not be

for

had

it

been

THE "WATCHFUL ANGEL.


possible,

25
finely plucked,

been have would he actualized, and

every in and broiled, perpetually not to say roasted, stewed,

way done brown.

ire,

I should be happy,
I'

(meaning Torn), bah

cat the kicked and her feet upon bounced lady and the

by

way

of emphasis.

She
!

'

I can't stand

it,

and I

won't, there! that's flat


tell

I'm

still

young, and people of sense

me

am handsome

at least, good-looking.

I'm certain

the glass does, and no doubt there


gladly link their lot with mine
if

are plenty

who would
!'

he was only dead

And
!

she shuddered as the fearful thought

had

birth.

'

Dead

wish he was accomplish

and true as I
wish
7 !

live, I've

a great good mind to

my

And

again she shuddered.


devil
!

Poor
the horillumin-

woman, she was indeed tempted of the

As
it

rible suggestion flashed across the sea of

her soul,

ed .many a deep chasmal abyss, of whose existence, up to


that

moment

she had been utterly unaware.


soul
is

The human

when
Eye, with myriad snake-

stands bare before

the Eternal

form
it.

abnormal creation, writhing round and near


!

fearful thing
e of
lire

And

Betsey Clark trembled in the

Uncommitted Murder, whose glance of to her heart, and scorched and seared if.
Its flashful
lie;

heat.

illumined

dark caverns of her


fied

soul,

and disclosed to the

gaze of an
pass

being which that instant chanced


ibyssmal deep of Crime-possibility,

to

26
so dense, black

STORY. ROSICRUCIAN'S THE and


that
it

terrible,

almost shrivelled the

peerless citizen of the of vision the shrouded eyeballs and

the upper courts of Glory.


11

Suddenly the radiant Heaven-born ceased

its flight

through

the azure, looked pityingly earth

and heaven-ward, heaved a

deep and soul-drawn sigh, and stayed awhile to gaze upon


the

Woman and

the

Man.

Long

it

gazed, at
its face,
it

first in
if

sorrow,

but presently a smile passed across

as

a new and

good thought had struck


as if intent

it,

and then

darted off into space,


state

upon discovering a cure for the desperate


'

of things just witnessed.

Did

it

succeed

Wait

awhile

and
"
so

see.

Human nature is a very curious and remarkable institution;


woman
nature, only a great deal

is

more

so

especially
little

that of the California persuasion.


singular that

Still it

was not a

Tom's

wife's

mind should have engendered

(of

Hate and Impatience) the

precise thought that agitated his


identical

own

;it

that very minute

which had just rushed into being from the deeps of his own
spirit

twin monsters,
is

sibilating

'

Murder

I'

in

both their

ears.

" There
gonists,

as close a

sympathy between opposites and

anta-

indeed far greater, than

between similaritiesas

strong attractions between opposing souls as in those fashioned in the same


nizes

mould.

True, this

affirmation

antago-

many
;

notions
it is

among

current philosophies and philoso-

phers

but

true, notwithstanding,

and therefore

so

much

the worse for the philosophers.


"

The same

fearful

thought troubled two souls at the same

HESPER.
time, and each determined to do a
their ever,

27
little

private killing on

own individual and separate accounts.


only the intent existed.

As

yet,

how-

The plans were yet crude,

vague, immature, and only the crime loomed up indistinctly,


like
11

a grim, black mountain through a wintry fog.

The day grew

older

by twelve hours, but when the sun-

set

came, ten years had fastened themselves upon the brows

of both the

Woman

and the

Man

since last they

had parted

at rosy morn.

Bad

thoughts are famous for making

men grow

old before

the weight of years has borne


kle

them earthward.

They wrinand grey

the

brow and bring on decrepitude,

senility

hairs faster

than Time himself can possibly whirl bodies graverolling hours

ward.

The
evil

and the

circling years are less swift

than

thoughts of

evil doing.
;

Right doing, innocence,

and well-wishing make us young


youth, vivacity, and

bad thoughts rob us of


Let us turn to Mr. and

manhood

Mrs. Thomas
U
I

W.

Night was on the mountain,


Darkness
in the valley,

And

only stars could guide


r^lly.'

them now

In the doubtful

" There was a star hung out in the sky, and she had already determined to watch their destinies with what success and
;

be apparent before finishing

my

story,
in

which
another.

is

true in one sense,

if

not precisely

28

the rosicrucian's story.


set,

The sun had


blessed

and slowly the moon was uprising

moon

God's Left Eye, wherewith

He

at night oversolitary

looketh the thoughts and deeds of solitary

men and

women
are,

for only such are capable of crime


live

those only

who

and

alone

and

many such

there be, even at their


families,

own

firesides,

surrounded by their

own

own
who

flesh

own blood

fathers, mothers, wives (as times go),


.

husbands
exist

(as they are conventionally called)


in dreadful solitudes in the
live

Many

there be

very midst of
life,

human crowds

who
to

alone and pass through

from the cradle to the grave,

perfect strangers, perfect hermits, wholly unknowing, totally

unknown,
be here

like interlopers

on the globe, whose very right


Friends, I have seen

all

the world disputes.


?

many

suchhave you
insulars in the

These lonely people, these exotics, these

busy haunts of

menthe
;

teeming; hives of &


the

commerce alone

in earth's well-paced

market-townsin
and they are

very saturnalia of Trade's gala days


pitied,

to be
filled

because they

all

have human, yearning hearts,


;

to the brim with great strangling sorrows

and they have

high and holy aspirations, only that the world chokes them

downcrushes

out

the pure,
;

sweet

life

God gave
Yes

them.

These are the Unloved ones

yet ought not to be, for are


?
!

they not somebody's sons and daughters

Then they
all is

have rights

and the

first,

greatest, highest right of

the

right of being

lovedloved by
what we

the people of the

landour
;

world-cousins, for
to

do, are doiug, or

have done

and

be loved, for the sake of the dear soul within, by somebody else's son or daughter.

WHAT WE

ALL DEMAND

29
will day, so, one

Order Rosicmcian So think we of the


think the world."

At

this point of the

Rosicrucian's

narrative,
:

Captain

with him interrupted auditory, his Jones, one of dead, been had system Rosicrucian thought the

Why,

buried,

ago." centuries two and forgotten


:

He

replied

"

The

false

has system pseudo-Rosicrucian or


is

ceased to be.

Truth herself

deathless.
*

I cannot

now

stop

system revived the concerning to explain what interests you


of Rosicrucianism.

You

will

now

please to allow

me

to pro:

ceed with

my

story," said he,

and then resumed, saying

" I repeat that only those


loving, are they
feelings driven

who

live

alone, unloved, unall their

who, becoming morbid, having


daily,

kindly

back upon themselves,

hourly eating up

their

own

hearts

and other

brooding over misfortunes at length

their wrongs, their social

engender crime,

if

not

against their fellow-men, then against themselves.

" Oh, for something to love, and be loved by,


tle

if

but a

lit-

pet dog

The unloved ever are wrecked, the unloving


It
is

reck others.
brut

sweet to be loved by even a

dumb

But, ah,

how

inexpressibly,

how

infinitely better to

be endeared for yourself alone !-for your integral wealth of soul-by a Man, a full, true Man; by a Woman,

full,

push-

ing-hearted

Woman

or,

sweeter, dearer

still,

a child

some

glorious hero of a hobbyhorse,

some

kitten-torturino-

Ah, what a chord to touch


dear
little

am

very fond of child

_
&*"5

Godlings of the

fect.00 -truly, are too full

Those who reciprocate a f. of God to keep a devil's loddn

Age,

32
being wafted
brink of Time

story bosicrucian's THE


mystic and strange
the farther

rankling murder of thoughts with eaeh bed, to ed tirea tir throbwith lay they but " poken, <* worn word =r a Hot hearts. through night, the upon out gazing bing pulses, down was sash upper whose bed,
'

reW. Thomas Mrs. and Mr. ju. ana and down down, come had Night in the,

TV

dow

of the

* olupgi; & 6
all s tra J

of highways the skirt that starry lamps


-

there placed safety of the sky, beacons


souls wandering and
silently

to

recall

and guide

back on

their

way

to

Heaven

and they
"

looked at the

and twinkled they

shimmered

in the azure.

thoughts ghastly horrible, strange, and shone, stars The and sick, get might Tom man the and agitated the woman little a with him feed to possible it Isn't ! die

he might

it ? at caught get not and poison, some other sort of the as free-free be shall I dead, once He, t is I think

birds the as happy and


Is
ally, of
it

Happy

Think of
cliff, accident-

the over Betsey push to possible not to misery and her of myself and thus rid

gether, and forever

Forever

Picture

it

And

thus

immortal precious two on, wore night the they lay as


with rank Murder
"
for a bed-fellow.

At

cogitation, hour's an of the end

reached had both

into wishes their carry to resolution desperate the

crime. fearful the attempt and

"accident

1'

Come

gloom profoundest down in tby

light, firefly's radiant Without one

arch ebon thine Beneath

entomb
Night

Heaven, of gaze the Earth from

done, be must A deed of darkness * sun.' the back roll moon, Put out the

" Betsey was to


of
coffee.

'

season'

Tom's

coffee

he was very fond

Tom was

one-horse a in ride a to to treat Betsey


shay, horse,

shay,
all

and topple the

and Mrs. Thomas

W.

and convenient most a over except his mother's only son


hundred
feet deep,

four over trifle a precipice, little inviting

with boulders at the


leaves

bottom rather thicker than autumn and a good deal harder.


'

in Vallambrossa,

All this

was to

be the result of

accident,'

and

'

inscrutible Provi-

dence,' as a
1

matter of course.

Afterwards he was to buy a


bury what was
left

slashing suit' of mourning,


style, erect

of her in

grand
that

fine

headstone of marble, announcing

" The Lord gave, and the Lord took away,


'

Blessed be the

name of

the Lord

!'

an inscription
cases
1

many a spouse would

like to

read in their

own

a
1

rn

The proposed locality of the

fall

of

woman

'

luckily' lay

right on the

road between their house and Santa Blarneeo.


'

Each thought,
upon which I
that
it

may

not be able to achieve the exploit

am

bent, but one thing is certain,

which

is
w

shall not fail for

want of

trying.

Once

fairly

accom-

34

stoey. eosiokuoian's the


for

then and comes, plished, freedom man. the thought so woman thought the
;

a high old time V

So

NHit

has various and

strange influences,

which are

alto-

gether "unknown

to the day.

The Magi, on the

plains of

whole an. the and Egypt, early of astrologers Chaldea, the astral the of power the acknowledged duly cient world
bodies.

the

soul-expanding

hinges on Zanoni' Bulwer's of interest whole The Clarence upon star a of potentiality
'

Instory. Rosicrucian that of heroes the of one Glyndon, last of neophyte the from fraternity, august deed, the whole of Appolonius to down Henri More,

week to Ross and

Ages the through Tyanse, and away


beyond
all

to Thothmes, and
still

down
away

and Zytos, to dynasties the Egyptian

held know, we Eras, Pre-Adamite the of heart into the very of historian the if and stars concerning doctrines strange Bro our mistaken, not be Mirandolo, great the Order, the tho of nature the reveals that key the therhood possesses
;

starry influences,

and how they may


I

be gained.

Of my own

knowled
not

refor

am

but

do therefore in the fifth degree,

know

the in Destinies are there mysteries all these

stars.

known star the night, particular this on Well,

eye, mild pale the of she Hesper,

was

into straight looking


it

and pair, precious the lay the room where


the
little

shone through

window
little

at the foot of the bed.

The

night was

sultry a
the upper

window summer was in Remember sash was down.

and ascendant the


this,

sash upper the

down

And

and strange very a strange thing occurred,

down was sash upper "the


thing. sterious my

35
had been

Just as

Tom

wife his and Clark

feed
if

into a sort of

restless

the at gazing sleep from


sleet dreamless but

disturbed uneasy, star an

a heavy, thick

and murky

staga off floated cloud just

pestilent, a house the upon descended there nant marsh, it and roof the about and over gathered it and slimy mist,
;

entered

heavily, into

through coming the chamber,

that

little

bed. the of foot the window at


mist,

iron-greyish dense, thick, a "It was

approaching

positive color,

a not redness, turgid of sort a was there that only blackness, hell, of depths the over but as if it had floated
its

and caught a portion of

infernal luminosity.
;

And
it

it

was

thick and dark, and dense and very heavy


rolled,
into

and

swept and

and poured into the room

in thick,

voluminous masses

the very room, and about the couch where tossed in

uneasy slumber the

woman and

the man.

And

it

filled
;

the
its

apartment, and hung like a pall about their couch


fetor oppressed their senses
thick,
;

and

and

it

made

their breath

come
was

and
!

difficult,

and wheezing from their lungs.


breath mingled
it

It

dreadful

And

their

with the

strange
life,

vapor, apparently endowing


sort of semi-sentience
ful
;

with a kind of horrid


it

and gave

a very peculiar and fear-

movement

orderly,

systematic, gyratory, pulsing

move-

ment the

quick, sharp breath of the

woman, the deep and

heavy breath of the man.

And

it

had come through the


upper sash was dowh.

window at the foot of the bed,


11

for the

Slowly, and with regular, spiracular,

wavy motion, with


of the calm Pacific

gentle undulations, like the

measured

roll

31
Sea, the gentle <ea

KOSICRUCIA>s

STORY.
toward
!

on which
I

am
grand

mids

and my Cora

years old, and so pretty


!

Pyram

Is

and old, years ten thousand


cloud the did sea that
cl

Like the wave*

of

begin to

move

gyrally around the


walls, but

to the curtains, dinging the to hanging tmber,


if

as

dreading the
hi
it

m
I

orilight. carefully

avoiding the window

through u
the
I

com*
r

the

little

window

at

the foot of

wh(
very
i

upi

sash
tin*

lown.

-)0<-m,

cloud comiii need


to condei e

chan

axis of

in

nt,

and
it

into a large globe of

iron-hn
t
fl

nebulae;
thus,
slee]

lid

b
lil

m
I
a

contrary peTOlution; and


dreadful
r
<1

a:

and swam

tiny over

nnconsciou

on the bed,

which

it

moi

to
in

tin

w(

'

D Bide

of the room, and bee


\

nearly stationary
it

an

angle of the

ill,

where for a while


.

stood or floated,
,

silent,

appalling, almost motionl<

changed
it

still.

" At th

ml of about six minutes


a

moved

again, and

in

a very short time


of a gigantic

sumed the grot

but unmistakable outline

human form

an

outline horrible, black as night

a frowning

human form human

cut not

sharply from the vapor,

but

still

distinctly

in its shapeness

but very
And

imperfect,

except the head, which was too frightfully complete to leave

even a lingering doubt but that some black and hideous


devilry

was at work

in that little
;

chamber.

the head
terribl-

was infamous,

horrible, gorgonic

and

its

glare

was

infernal, blasting,

ghastly

perfectly withering in

its expres*

ion, proportions and aspect.

The

thi

g,

this pestilent

thing

bearded with the

IT

WAS

HUMAN
grey coarse, of

37
Its

mass tangled a Bemblance of


hair

was as a serried
-uakes

poisonvenom-laden, of thin, long,

distilling

The

were brows and mouth, chin

ghastly,
fied

and

its

of those were snnken cheeks

Famine

The

face

flat

and broad,

its lips

the lips of

nate hate and lost


blue of
<

combined

Its

greenish the was color

q
m

b
.f

on a rammer
a
1

the with suffused battle-field,


,

angrj
fc
centr
hi.

mon's

spil

while

its

eyes

God
was

q
f

-for

thei

very the in one that ma* but one, and

between the nose and br


a:
I

hot

purple,

with infernal light, and

the upon malignance fiendish than glamored down with more

woman and

the man.

\ thing about this Thing

was

clearly cut

or denned,

except the head

wo

incomplete


It

its

hideous, horrible head.

I OtherwiseMt
It

a sort of spectral Formlessness

unfinished, as
it

was the awful crime-thought that had brought

im

being.
it

was on one

side apparently a male,


;

on the
it

other

looked like a female

but, taken as a whole,

was

neither
it
r

man

nor woman,

it

was neither brute nor human, but

w as a monster and a ghoul

born on earth
dark
;

of

human
streets,

pa-

rents.

There are many such things stalking our

and

invisibly presiding over festal scenes, in

cellars,

by the

lamp, in the cabinet

and camp

and many such are daily

peering

down upon

the white paper on the desks where sit

grave and solemn Ministers of State, who, for Ambition's


sake and greed of gold, play with an Empire's destiny as
children do with toys,

and who, with the stroke of a pen,

38

THE ROSICRUCIAn's STORY.

bloody to armies consign vast


hosts,

gravesbrave men, g orioQg


l

victory while back kept

is

possible kept back


in front of his

till

the

foeman has dug

their graves just

ramparts impenetrable walls and

and then
Do you

own

stone
to

sent forward

blood. human with ground glut the


ters of State
?

hear me, Mini


regard

mean you

you who

practically

men's lives as boys regard the

minnows of a brook.
murder by the

in

you who

sit in

high places, and do

wholesal

you who treat the

men

as half foes, half friends, tenderly

men whose hands are griped WJth the iron grip


around the Nation's throat
hear
?

of death

the
life

Nation's throat
that

do

yon

and crushing
it.

out the

God and

our

fathers

gave

Remember

Milliken's

Bend, Port Hudson

Fort

Wagner, and the Black Heroes of the war


Black, too, but the bravest of the brave
heroes ought

Noble men
as

yet treated not

to

be.

Forget not

Fredericksburg! and

bear in mind that this gorgon of your


quit you,
will hiss
its

own

creation

will not

day or night

not even on your dying


*

day, when it
V-

into your ears,


slime will fall

Father, behold, embrace me


as

and

#pon and choke you,

you

have

choked our country.

And

the sheeted ghosts of six hundred


up-

thousand heroes, slaughtered by a whim, will mournfully


braid,

and perhaps forgive you. Will


blue with

the weeping widows


with
half-

and the countless orphanspale, blue-cast women, pale


grief,

want

orphans, poor
forgive

little ?

shrivelled,

starved

orphans will they


?

you

will
? ?

your

will the

Eternal

God

of

Heaven

sacrifice these

six

hundred thousand men

Why did Why did

yoo yon

SIX

MEN DEAD HUNDRED THOUSAND


the hands of
best

39
hundred
fight for

in swords and guns put your

thousand

who had God's


Liberty and their

gifts to

and

Black men

God-inspired Freedom-nerved, strong-hearted, brave, brawny,


black

No
don't

Hack man

yet ever sold his country

Why
grudge

don't you first

remove

their disabilities her

North

Why
of

you bid them


of other free

and be men?

Why
the

freemen the pay

men

the bounty, the pension

other heroes of the same rank

Do

this, let

Negro

his appreciate and manhood, his concede understand that you

prowess

let

him once

know

that you are grateful for all he


it

does for the country,

and proclaim

to the world, and Black

men

will flock to

your standard, not only from your

own soil,
exist.

but from every spot on earth where civilized black

men
its

" See, yonder


there stands

is

plain,

miles in extent.

In

centre

an obelisk.

Go, Ministers of State, and plant

on

its

top a banner, upon which shall be emblazoned this


1

magic sentence
cial,

Freedom

Personal,

Political,

and So-

to the

Black

man

and

protection of his Rights forit

ever,'

and there

will

be more magnetic power in

than in

ten thousand Ministers, with their little

whims

ten thou-

sand

'

Fancy Generals,' with

their

'

pretty

little

games/

and such would be History's record when she handed you

down
have"

the ages.

If

you would

live

in the sacred page,

and

your names shine brightly, act, act at once, cut the cords

that

now bind

the Black man.


!

Say to him

'

Come

as a

man, not as a chattel and Victory


!

Come with me

to Enfranchisement
1'

Let us save the Nation


1

and the

swift-

'

4:0

THE EOSICEUCfAN

S STORY.

winged winds will bear the sound from

pole to pel
floa

fron

I
t

to sea, and from continent, island, and


hills, valleys,

n.

and mountains, from

hut,

hoTel, ami
t,

swamps,

will

come a vast and


;

fearful he

in

nn
r

unto the leaves of the forest

and they

will g.

plain around that obelisk, rallying around

before their victorious

march Rebellion
and
if

will e

as
1

walls before the storm of

Franc
tl

or

or Austria, or

all,

combine against

them
it

out of the battle, nevermore to enter


<<

again.
it,

This
!

is

possible destiny

Think of

State

"

And

so the fe rful spectre in

Tom

Clark's
I

II

then and there

had been civat


fa >hioncd
life

by
their
}

wicked thou

ht a
its

creature

b\

human wa*

and drawing

vitality

from their

and

ilxs

cii

the out from soul y

human beating two


you know

heart
rea

T
of

me Dot
a
1

th

am

painting a picture, limning


I

th

di

rted fancy.
ju
t

know

better,

betl

m< such just u h hideous creatures,


j,

moi
r

view],
\\\

daily,

up and down

the crowd

Santa
ai
I

o,

up and down

th of streets the

City
in

Puritanic Boston
Ivania

but there

ds of

Penu

Ay

nue,

phantom wear and they

op

,1

their spectral shoulders

You

and

K>" tha

'

'?*

such and other

"'Monstr
Fr

horrid thin

that creep

out a slimy a^a,'

after." minutes "ten


the
i

landbut

principally in

high places begot


I

Gold of lust and of Treason Soon the lips began to move


I am I am hungry
yet
!

it

spoke

'

Father
!

mo
feed
1

ther

weak
;

be quick

make me strong

me

great streams give me bloodhot


is

gouts of blood

It
;

well.
!

Kill, poison, die


!'

it

is

well
||

Ha

ha

It is well

ho

ho

to began Thing the then and

dissolve into

the only last at until mist, filmy


for it floated invisibly

weight of

its

presence

was

felt,

but heavily through


its soli-

of gleam fiery the gleam the except the room, and,


tary

eyenothing

else of it

was
it

discernible.

"Ten

minutes elapsed after

had found

voice, for

and faded

away, when

that cloud fleecy a suddenly

had

some time

shutting Hesper, of direction the in sky the past obscured

beams her permitted and away, broke smiles, out her silvery and chamber the enter the moon to once more
and those of
flood
it

with a sheeted silver

glorythe room where


still

still

lingered

where and Thing, hateful the

slept the

woman
sigh-

and the man.


" Simultaneously with this auspicious event there

came

as song a such of notes musical the landscape, the over ing mystical the like wastes the over came sing seraphs only the on sailing while often sunset at heard have I that bells marvelled and heard have thousands which bells mystical Nile not however, bells, bells bells, church

atsoft

bells, silvery

chimin 5 them by human hands. by rung are they believe I and sands, arid Egypt's yellow,

I have often heard

Time. of side other ansel hands on the

And

such a sound,

42
only sweeter,

the rosicrucian's story


came
floating o'er the lea,

and through

the

still

air into the little

chamber.

Was

it

call to the angels to sinful souls of

fro

join in

prayermidnight prayer, for the


came.

men

But

it

Low

it

was, and clear

pure

it

was, and

full

ii,vi

of saintly pity, like unto the dying cadence of the prayer

that

I I

B t,
t

was prayed by the Sufferer on the stony heights of Calvary


that same Calvary where I

have stood within a

year, 'mioV

devout lovers of their Lord, and the jeering scoffs of Mussul-

mans

And

the music

came

tin

so sweetly, as

if

'twould melt
3

the stony heart of Crime itself.

And
there

it

proclaimed

itself the

tvi
!l

of another act of the eventful

drama then and


!

there
rises.

>

performing.

And

see
!

look

the

curtain

I I

lik

Woman, Man,
Gaze
see,

behold

Alas

they slumber

insensibly on.
it is

gn
th

steadily at that
is

upper sash

above
it

for

down

the clear space


it is

again obscured by a cloud

but

this

time

one of

silver, lined

with burnished gold, and

flecked

th

and edged with amethyst and purple.


is

Look

again

What
glorious

d
fr<

that at the

window?

It

is

a visible music a
clear,

sheet of silvery vapor,


angel's conscience
!

bright,
is

and

glittering as an
of

tr

It

a broad and glowing mantle


rose-blushes,

re
1
1

woven gossamer,
with star-beams
;

suffused with

and

sprinkled

and

it

flows through the space, and streams


light,

U"

into the chamber, bathing all things in holy tremulous


soft,

o
|
tl

sweet, balmy,

and pure as the tears of virgin


!

innocence
such a
out
the
I

weeping for the early dead

That

light

It

was just

ght as beamed from your eyes,

Woman

beamed from
first fell

our soul, when, after your agony, your eye


i'gel

upon

you had borne the man-child

whom God

gave to your


43

MY WINNIE
heart a
little

while ago

fitfully flashed as just such a light

from your

soul,

aud

fell

upou the

cradle,

father of the stroug


;

little the wherein heart, and hopeful

stranger lay

just such

light

strange,

pride, in eyes, your as beamed from languishing her over bent you as prophecies, deep

aud hope, and

woman's dear her to first-born her pressing forin,Yeartfully down lovingly kindly, tenderly, so looked you bosom, when for beating heart true the spirit her into eyes through her conarms folded, folded contentedly
you and
it,

beneath

tented, too,

through

all

the deep anguish, such,

O man,
light
!

as only

undergo. can mother a and a woman


like

That

It

was

that which

fell

the and you, given had she babe upon the


first

given world Man-wanting great


then to

for its

coming

uses,

and

Him who

doeth

all

things very

wellwell, even when

He

transplants and away, souls our of part taketh the best

the slips in

His eternal

and

infinite
;

gardeus, across the deep

dark gulfs that hide the dead

just such a light as gleamed


felt

from her eyes and thine own, when your hearts


trustful

calm and

once more, after the

greart,

deep grief billows had

rolled
little
little,

over them

while on earth

cooing Winnie

grief for the loss of one


all

who

stayed but

p.

too coarse and rough for her

some
off,

like

mine

whose

soul nestles afar

on His breast, in the blue sky, and whose body they laid in
the cold grave, there in Utica, after they
starve, perish sadly for

he

had

let her

want of proper food and medicine,

while I

was on the deep

winsome Winnie
!

child of

my soul,

gone, lost, but not forever


little

just such a light played in tha*

room as streams from angel eyes when

God

takes

bad

44

STORY KOSICRUCIAN'S THE


a,

the beautiful Sandalphon, and Azrael of hands the at

learned to had love you too things the Prayer, of and of Death human duty. true all But and God of forgetfulness ll_to

we

they will

took they what give back

they will give back

all,

mor
these

in the clear

purer day, a and brighter a sunshine of


!

than

ours of ones irthly


the light

And

the into and through streamed


>

cham-

ber where lay


1

man the and woman the


y
obj e ct

and

radiated
luminsad-

d bathed
and
it

a crystalline

carried a sadness

itjust

such a

v
;

fed when parti


felt

from those who love


parted from
,
,

us very

well
s

as I

on the day I

Brother of my
ocean

ul
r.

hen

we parted

at the

proud

ship's

side the

destined to bear

me

Egypt's to seas steaming over the

hoary shrines.

It bore a sadness

with

it like

unto that which

up from

my
its

friendshipof fountains the soul, tapping

ami tears upon


the Golden

way,

in

the memorable hour wherein

left
dis-

Gat

and began

my

perilous journey to the


seas.

tant Orient

across the

bounding

What

an hour
sorrowing

tit wherein our bodies move away, but leave our


souls behind
<<

Well, a holy light, sadness-bearing light, like this

d on the bodies of the sleeping pair.

At

first, this silvery

radiance filled the room,


c

began vapor and then the fleecy


it

to

lense slowly.

Presently

and rich a formed into

opal-

cent cloud-column,

large a which speedily chan| ed into

obe, winged, radiant

and

beautiful.

apthere Gradually

peared in the centre of this momenspot, globe a luminous

HKSPERINA.
it until brilliance, its intensifying tarily

45
became
like

unto a
all

the as or sun, tiny

scintilla*

of a rare

diamond when

the

lamps are brightly

shining.

Slowly, steadily,

the change

magic this in on went

there until globe, crystal

appeared

beoutlines whose female, a of figure diminutive within it the few a of end the at until, on, passed time as came more clear and revealed fully figure was perfect, and stood
minutes, the

high, inches eighteen about complete


l

and lovely ah, how

ove ly

that figure

it

was more than

woman iswas

all

she

may becomepetite,
;

feature form, in perfect absolutely but

and expression

from radiating love-glow and there was a

Sin of heart the subdue to her presence sufficiently melting


itself,

though robed

in

Nova Zembla's

icy shroud.

Her eyes

ah,

a upon down the than softer were her eyes !they


breast
; !

ring-dove's

not

electric,

not

magnetic

such

are

human eyes
thing more,

and she was not of

this

earththey were some-

and higher

they were
hair

tearful, anxious, solicitous,

hopeful, tender,

beaming with that snowy love which blessed

immortals feel

Her

was

loose,

and hung

in

flowing

waves adown her pearly neck and shoulders.


and shoulders
blossoms,
is
!

Such a neck
orange

polished

alabaster,
;

dashed with
it

a very poor comparison

would be better to

say that they resembled petrified light, tinted with the


ing blush of roses
ished,

morn-

Around her brow was a coronet


;

of burn-

rainbow hues

or rather the resplendent tints of polar-

ized light.

In

its

centre

was the

insignia of the

Supreme

Temple of the Rosie Cross *a


censer

circle inclosing a triangle

on one

side,

an anchor fouled on the other, the centre-

16

THE

K0SICKTJC1A N 'S bTOKY.

globe, winged piece being a


ai
I

surmounted
of the Order,
'

the sacred
<

trine

at

based by the

Try/

the

wk

.3

lay

blazon, the with being arched

Rosicrucia/

To

attempt] I

im u

lescription of this peerless fay,


n uiness

on uiy

part, would be

chin, her

mouth, her bust, her


the essay
I

g
lip

Ko!
equal

to
task a century
it

make

may be

at

from

this,

but

am

not equal
t

now.
il

1
and thus stood the crowned beauty
with looks of pity upon the
;

There, then,

of the

wa

Night, gazin g

dow

for

occupants of that humble couch


actions they
tion and

for during all these

trans-

had been asleep.

She stood
;

there, the realiza-

tn

embodiment of Light

and

there, directly facing


hateful, scowling
the

her, glowered,

and floated the eye of that


scowling

frowning Thing

with malignant joy upon


:

woman and
the Light.
the scene
t

the man.

Thus stood the Shadow

thus stood

11

But soon there came a change


for

o'er the spirit of

occurrence took

of a cha
;

s
for

quite as remarkable as either of those already recounted


in

a very short time after the

two Mysteries had

assumed

their relative positions,

there

came through the window

the

same

little

window

at the foot of the bed


tall

the

tall
it

and

stately figure of a
light

man a

and regal

figure, but

was

and airy

buoyant as a summer
man, but not
it

the on pillowed cloud

air the

figure of a

solid, for it

was

translucent
as a

as the pearly
lofty

dew, radiant as the noontide sun, majestic

mountain when

wears a snowy crown

the royal

form of a man, but evidently not a ghost, or wraith, or a

OTANKfJII.
ft of or earth, this of or days, of these
ilap

17

up

<>*

fog
al
;

He

than more was something

man

"pra-

a bright and

of land starry glorious citizn, of a


n.

upon once beheld, I pairs whose glory, Roaicruciaaa * of a lineage


bade
iy

time,

when Lara
wot
of,

(lwcllc

a wondrous
the finest
ly

city, afar

off, real,

actual

gates
.

pearlso bright and


fi

beautiful are they.

The stat

jure

advanced midof
~

room, the of way

until

he occupied
li
)->

female the Tl shadowy formed by the wa, in which hand, his waved thru he and bed
truncheon
saying
:

lire,

and
B Btaff

'lie

^cd

at

top

and

and

hr

pake

I.

Ot

G
Pi
th<
it

of the

Tempi

Lord

hither sent am Dome, the of Hour and servant

to thee

O
and

H
I

of the

f;

to

the

Shadow, and to

poor

blind gTO]

am

to pi

dm
him

that
If

man
atom

ei

r
trei

th

R
b
in

or

Redemption
11

through
If

thened
I'

Love of
bility as

on

lit

heth

either

Pole of
arm.
n
t
I,

he,

fairly

warced, and therefore

fully

elect

Poor, weak
j

man
Mi
ri<
t

a
i<r

giant,

knowing

Ins

own

tremendous

er

both of Circnmstani
to

and the
lut

World

yet

the

slave

either

w
t

ik.

onty
ii

gh ignorance
life's

of himself

for ver

and

r failin.
1
1

great race through Blenderneas of Porj


of \\
Vii
'
i

thr

feeblem

n
*

virtu

which com

no

13

^g

THE KOSICKUCIAn's STORY

of not will and aspiration. comes that within of Principle

wrong from abstinence That


pressure external from
fear

is

not virtue which


of

results

may
in-

effect

It

is

false

of what the speech which that


!

th
j

virtue

requires bol

r-

or propping up, and


I

falls

when

left to try its strength


not
I

alone

Vice

is

not

vice,
is

but weakness, that springs


effect

from within
vice
is

which
it

u NV

the

of applied force.

Real

that which leaves sad

marks upon the

soul's escutchor

eon which the waters of an eternity

may

not lave away

wa
and

out
is

and

comes of settled purpose


of Will.

from
has

within,
n
r I

lie

thing

The

virtue

that

known temptation

and withstood
Be
!

it,

counts but
is

little in the

^
,,

great Ledger of the 1fet to

True virtue
!

good

resolve,
is

bettor thinking, and action best of all


half completed

That man

but
are

whom
dom

the world has wholly made.


fail

They

never truly

made who

to

make themselves

Mankind

are

I j

not of the kin

of the Shadow, nor of the glorious realm

Of Light, but are born,

move

along, and find their high*


is

retopment
tho

in the

path which

bounded on

either side by

wo

eternal Diversities
:

the Light upon this side

the

uadow upon that


"
'

The road

to

man and womanhood

lies in

the

mean

Discontent on either side

happiness between.'
of Sorrow
r
l

"

'

Life

is

a triangle, and
;

it

may be composed
Wisdom,

Crime, Mfeery
peer]
a

or

piration,

ppiness.

Hesperina, are the lessons I

am
lc

sent to
s,

b
01

Thou

irt

here to save

two

souls,

not from

assayings

THE ROAD TO HEAVEN.


assoilings

49

from without, but from the things engendered of

morbid thought
th

monstrous
the flowers

things bred in the cellars of

the
man

cesspools of the spirit

crime-caverns where

Moral newts and toads, unsightly things


ever devouring

and hungry, are

that spring

up

in

the

heart-

gardens of

pretty flowers, wild

but which double and


and
wills

enhance in beautv and aroma from

care.
;

We

are present

is

to

waken the

of yonder pair

thou to arouse a healthy purpose

and a normal action

and the Shadow

here to drag them to Perdition.

Man
upon

cannot reach Heaven save by fearlessly breasting the waves


of Hell
the
!

Listen
the

Thou mayest not

act

directly
effect
!

but are at liberty to

thy

pose through the instrumentality of

Dream

And

thou/

addressing the Thing,

'

thou grim Shadow

monstrous offspring of man's

Angel begetting thou

of Crime

who

art

permitted to exist, art also allowed to flourish and batten on

human hear
frustrate thee

may
it

prevent thee
is

penly

for thus

decreed.

Thou must do thy

work.
but

Go

thou art

free

and unfettered.

Do

thy worst

I forbid

thee to appear as thou really art

before

their

wakin

thy horrible
blind, or hurl

should strike

dumb and
Begone
!

Will and Reason from their thrones.

To

thy labor, foul Thing, and do thy work also

through the powerful instrumentality of


11

Dream

!'

Thus spoke the genius of the Order and the Hour


turning

and

then,

him toward the couch, he


and outstretched arms
:

said,
'

y<

mint

with tearful mien

Mortals, hear

50

THE EOSICKUCIAJST
in thy

STORY.

me

slumber

let

thy

but not thy

senses, hour

and understand.
of Rosicrucia,
I

Behold, I touch thee with this magic wand


it

and with

wake thy

sleeping wills thus do


Per-

endow thee with the elements, Attention, Aspiration,

sistence
will

the

seeds of

Power

of resistless Might, which,

if

such be thy choice, enable thee to realize a moral

fortress,

capable of defying the combined

assaults of

all

the enginery Circumstance can bring to bear against thee.

The

citadel is Will.

Intrenched within

it,

thou

art

safe.

But beware of turning thy assaulting power against


selves.

thyit

Will, normal, ever produceth


to the

Good
!

Abnormal,

hurls thee

Bad

Remember

Wake

not to the

external
in

life,

but in thy slumber seize on the word I whisper


;

thine

ears

it

is

a magic word
seal

more potent than the


the Chaldean's

a mighty of Solomon more powerful


it

talisman,

than

waud

but

is

potential for
sely used.

ill

as

foi

Good.

See

to*
,?
!

therefore, that

The word

" TRY
it

As thou
I

shalt avail thyselves of its power, so be

unto thee.

now

leave thee to thy fate, and the fortunes

that

may

befall thee.
;

Two dreams
God

each shalt thou have


the

this night

one of them shall be overruled by thy goodhelp thee


!

other by thy evil genius.


in

Farewell

!'

and

another instant, the

tall

and stately

figure passed through


;

the moonlight out

upon the deep bosom of the Night

and

he

fl

ted,

accompanied by the same soft music heard


the blue

before,

w&j
id

off into
\y

empyrean

and he passed through

the

the little

window

whose bed, at the foot of the

upper sash was down.

THE MAGIC SPELL.


Dream
And
From, "
The>

Hosie Cross," an unpublished


P. B.

Poem oy

Randolph.

"

ere chamber the from gone scarcely was The regal being

Hesperina and the


visible,

Shadow

which

had once more become

approached the sleeping pair


the

drew nigh

unto the

woman and

man

and the Pay gently breathed upon


a magnetic rapport between her-

their heads, as if to establish


self

and them.

She then calmly took her stand near the


her
still

bedside,
beautiful

and folded her beautiful

more

bosom, and awaited the action of the tempter.

She

had not long to wait, for straightway the Black Presence


advanced, and hovered
over them, glaring
pire

over

bed

hovered
spirit

scowlingly

down

into their souls, as doth the

vam-

upon the

man

she would destroy

the

of
1

Wrong
Such

peering wistfully at all beautiful things,

and true

was the posture of

affairs

and thus they remained

until the

Thing had also established some sort of connection with the 8; It soon became evident, from their re. nervous, uneasy
51

52
and
the mystic

THE ROSICRUCIAN

STORY.

postures, that the twain

were rapidly
from

that divide

D
the

mid-reg misty the entering just were land that they

ruling the hour, It, and monstrous the Thing, Shadow, the

realm strange the through guiding them


" ' That
lieth sublime,

out of Space and out of Time.'

The man who

says that dreams are figments

fool
eflife

subsequent their in are, experiences nightly Half of our


fects

upon

us,

far

more

real

and

positive

than our

daily

of wakefulness

Dreams

are, as

a general thin
of this sapient

instances, sneered at

by the
hold,

Events

of

Rosicrucia

are pre-acted
is

other

spheres of being.

Prophetic dreaming

no new

thing.
life

Cir
that
in

cumstances are constantlv

the outer

have been pre-viewed in Dream-land.

Recently, while

Dongofamous a with acquainted Constantinople, I became


lese negro,

near the Grand

Mosque

of one in Sophia, of St.

the narrow streets on the

left,

from square the as you enter

toward the

first

bridge,

and

this

man

had reduced the


;

inter-

pretation of dreams to a science almost

and many a long

hour have I rapidly driven the pen, in the work of recording

what was translated to me

from Donarolese and Arabic


lips,

into

Turkish and English, from his

obtaining

in this

way

not

merely the principles upon which his art was


also

founded, but

hundred twenty-nine explicit interpretations of about


dreams.

different

FEARFUL AND FATAL CATASTROPHE.


n THE DREAM OF THOMAS W.
"

53

Tom

Clark was dreaming

and, lo

great changes had

taken place in the fortunes of the sleeping man.

No

long

toiler at

the anvil or the plow, he


therefore

had become a

rich and,

as times go,

an honored man

honored

by the

crowd which, as a general thing, sees the most virtue in the


heaviest sack of dollars.

"

The wealth of Mr. Thomas


and myster
;

W.

had come to him

in a

very

idower

he had become a

for Mrs.

Thomas was dead, poor woman, having


met her
fate

>me time previously


accident.

through a very melancholy


Daily Truth-Teller/ of

An
all

from the

Santa Blarneeo
in his

a copy of which paper

Tom

Clark carried

pocket

the time, and which pocket I shall take the

liberty of picking of the journal aforesaid,


will tell the

and of quoting,
it,

storysad story but not the whole of

quite

11
'

Fearful and Fatal Catastrophe


and very profound

We

learn with

deep, sincere,
fearful

regret, that another of those

calamities,

which no human prudence can guard

no foresight prevent, has just occurred, and by means of which a most estimable woman, an exemplary and
against,

loving

wife,

son,

an excellent Christian, firm friend, and esteemed perhas been suddenly cut off in her prime, and sent

prema-

turely to her final account.


s

It appears that the late

heavy

have rendered
impassable,

all

the roads leading from Santa Blarneeo


rifts,

ly

by reason of the

rocks, boulders

and

54
slides

THE ROSICKUCIAN

STORY.

slippery claywhich they and dangerous of clayvery

have occasioned
Especially
is

the along case the this

cliff

road, and

particularly where

Bayl the of side the skirts

Gulch

Of

late it

that pass to unsafe exceedingly has been

way

in

broad daylight,

and much more

so after dark.
Ellet,

"At
what

as Mr. morning, yesterday about ten o'clock

the brink along of road, that passing the Ranchero, was shied at horse his ravine, Scott the known
is

objects

man's hat and a be to proved which the path,

precipice the of edge very the on shawl,


fall

feet. hundred four like of something


if

It immediately oc-

curred to Farmer Ellet, that


the
cliff,

anybody had tumbled over


it

whoever that probability great a that there was

was must

the more, by nothing if hurt, have been considerably

had remembered well he time they reached the bottom, as been the case with a yoke
the same spot some
killed,

of steers of his that

had run

off at

years before,

and both of which were


So, at least, he

very dead, indeed, by

the accident.

informed our reporter,


graphically.

who took down

the statement phono-

horse a of remains the Mr. Ellet discovered

and buggy at the bottom


left,

of the ravine,

and at a

little to

the

about ten feet

miraa by had, he down the bank, where

cle,

been thrown when the horse went

over, Mr. Ellet found


hurt, but
still

the insensible
breathing.
trees

body of a man, desperately


fall

His

young stout some had been broken by

and bushes, amidst the roots of

which he now

lay.

Mr.

E. soon rescued the sufferer,

Thomas Mr. who proved to be

REPORTERS. OF PASSION THE RULING

55

neighbor a and man, sober honest, well-known, a Clark, W. from internal, altogether are injuries Clarke Mr. as well.

he otherwise falling, of the shock


pains

is

almost unscathed.

His

tracted

disnearly is he which besides great, very are inwardly but horse, and wife his of loss the from insane and

former. the for mainly


out on a visit

riding been had they It seems that

on slipped had horse the to a sick friend, and

as just bank, the leaped and fright, taken had the wet clay, Ellet where landed and buggy, the from hurled was Clark

found him.
instantly

The

horse,

carriage, and the precious

freight,

plunged headlong down through


air.

four hundred feet

of empty

"

We

attached devotedly most were couple the learn that


is

to each other, as

notorious from the fact,

among

others,

matno and absence, day's after a met, they that whenever

embraced invariably they company, what in nor ter where,


imtheir fullness of deep rich, in the other, each and kissed
passioned and exhaustless conjugal love.
is

Poor Clark's

loss
af-

irreparable.

His wife had been twice married, but her

fection for her first

husband was but as a shallow brook com-

pared to the deep, broad ocean of love for him


mourns, most bitterly mourns, her untimely fate
!'

who now

What d'ye think o' that, my lady ? what d'ye think o' that, my man ? That's a newspaper report, the same that Tom Clark carried in his pocket, and read so often
" There
!

in his

dream.

Singular, isn't

it,

that the ruling passion


in

tri-

umphs, especially Reporters'

even

Death or Dream-land.

56
"

the kosicrucian's story.

At

Clark recovered Mr. days two of end the


cliff,

sufficiently

to so to the foot of the

and when there


left

his first

work
her

was to
first

carefully bury

what was

of his wife

and
had

husband's portrait at the same time

for he

placed

that canvas across the

backs of two chairs, and amused


it

himself by jumping through " There


is

do you know

it ?

a an almost
like

sensible

man.
fas-

uncontrollable

cination in Danger.
desire to

Have you

never been seized with the


into

throw yourself down some yawning chasm,


into the ready

some abyss, over


tiger,

jaws of a shark, to handle a


into a foundery furnace,
wise
'thus

play with a rattlesnake,

jump

write a book, edit a paper, or

some other such equally

and
fceen
"has

sensible thing ?

Well, I

know many who have

tempted

and

to their ruin.
is

Human

nature always
is

a morbid streak, and that

one of them, as

also the

horrible attraction to

an execution

to visit the scene of a


if

Lomicide or a conflagration

especially

a few people have

Leen burnt up
<>r

and

the more the stronger the curiosity

to look at the spot

where a score or two of

Pat-landers

bave been mumified by the weakness of walls


tractors' consciences.

and

con-

With what

strange interest we read


isle

how

the

monarch of some distant lovely


Pot age aux
slices
teet

dined with

his

cabinet, off

de missionaire

how
all

they banof which

queted on delicate

of boiled evangelist,

viandes were unwillingly supplied


vert-'em-all,
life,

ConJonadab Rev. by the


of bread the to supply

who had a

call

that

way

not

slices

of cold missionary

and

did both

So

with

Torn Clark.

One would have

thouirht that

he scene last the

CLARK

IN A REVERIE.

57
bott

would willingly have looked upon, would have been the


of the ravine.
seized him,

m
sir<

N
He

a bit of
life

An

liable

and

for his

he could not ki p away from


there,

tin

foot of the

cliff.

went

and day by da\

uvhed
hi
I

for every vestige of the likewise,

poor woman, whose heart, and

he at

last

had succeeded
relics

in breaking into very small


\
t

fragments.

These

he buried as he found them,

still

could not forsake his daily haunt.

Of

coarse, for a time the


it

people observed his action, attributed


forbore to

to grief and love,

watch or

disturb,

and

finally

cared nothing about


in California.

the matter whatever.

Such things are nothing


it

Well was

it for

Clark that

was

so

that they regarded


full

him as mildly insane, and


it

let his

vagaries have

swing, for

gave him ample time and opportunity to

fully

improve one
befell

of the

most astounding pieces of good luck that ever


since the year One.

human being
It
fell

out upon a certain day, that, after attendin

to
zighi

other duties,

Tom

Clark, as usual,

wound

his

way, by a

zag and

circuitous path, to the foot of the


it

hill,

and took

accustomed seat near by the rock where


C.

was evident Mrs.


flight

had landed

the precise spot

where her

had been

rudely checked

There he
reverie

in Volney, like while, a for sat

deep

peculati

and

meditation

not
tell

upon the
buggy, and

of Empires, but
his wife.

upon

those of his horse, his

very a for feet, his to Suddenly he started

fancy

had struck upon


its

br
it

I cannot
hit

the

spot of

impingement, but

him hard.

He

acted

the idea instantly,

and

np dig to resolved forthwith

the

53

bTOEY. EOSICBUCIAn's THE


a single drank drop perchance of had that thereabouts, at was work, that it was conscience not It was
This
soil,

soil

her blood.
destiny.

with the imbrued blood been had that

of

the horse and

buggyno, the
for

woman, I

meanhe

resolved

of sight of out bury to

man and
;

brute, and sun


instinct told

and moon,
the

and

little

peeping stars

an

him that

gore-stained soil

could not be an acceptable

spectacle to

anything on

earth,

upon the velvet

air,

or in the blue heaven

above
it

it

and so he scratched up the mould and buried


rift

out of sight, in a

hard by, between two mighty

rocks, that the earthquake


before.

had

split

asunder a million years

"

And

so he threw

it in,

and then tried to screen

it

from the
>

sun with leaves and grass, great stones and logs of wood
after

which he again sat down upon the rock to

rest.

" Presently he arose to go, when, as he did so, a gleam of


sunshine flashed back

upon

his eyes
;

from a minute

spiculae

of,

he knew not what.

He

stooped

picked up the object, and

found, to his utter astonishment, that

he held

in his

hand a

lump

of gold,

solid

gold

an
!

abraded, glittering lump of

actual, shining gold.

"

Tom
a,

Clark nearly fainted


Its sides

The lump weighed

not

less

than

pound.

had been scratched by him


cliff

as he

dug away the earth at the foot of the


had landed,
after

where

his wife
feet of

a brief flight through four hundred

empty

air

profitable journey for


!

him

but not for

her,

nor the horse, nor buggy


(

For a minute Clark stood

still,

and utterly bewildered,

"Tita T/tfAT>." LEAD. "BIG A HE STRIKES

59

He brow. his off from sweat of beads round great the wiping the in only minute : for a But it was every pore.
pt at

alway he trowel the with digging wildly madly, was he next for general in Herb-Doctor with him, for Tom was
carried

the

herb and root the at great was and region roundabout,

business,

wherever them dig to prepared therefore went

chance disclosed them.


' '

soft the in Hercules, a like labor he did hours Five long

mould, in the crevices of the rocks

everywhereand with
he sank prostrate on the

mad

energy, with

frantic zeal.

Five long hours did he ply

that trowel with all


inspired,

wealth sudden of hope the that the force

and

then, exhausted, spent,

ground, his head resting on a


in dust, or

mass of yellow goldgold not


but in great and massy lumps

flecks, or scales,

makman's poor a for enough large one each and wedges,


ing.

" That morning

Thomas

Clark's worldly wealth, all told,

could have been bought

thrice over for

any

five of the pieces

them. of scores were there and head, then beneath his


brain reeled with the tremendous excitement.
the richest
'

His

He

had struck
surface

Lead ever
'

struck

by mortal man on the

of the planet, for

he had already collected more than he

man. powerful and stong very a was could lift, and he There was enough to fill a two-peck measure, packed and and yet he had just piled as close and high as it could be
;

begun.

Ah, Heaven,

it

was too much

" Alas, poor


den,

Tom

poor, doubly poor, with all thy sud1

boundless wealth

Thou

art even poorer than Yal-

very

curious! very
;

true!

129

delight and ferment dint by she, time, still this


biting

keep to mind her up made having but


of

much

handkerchief and tongueof herself-

credit eternal the to succeeded,

any

other
u
<

woman

you which That

see,'

said the Hermit,


<

who

of

pleased, he as talking of privilege had the


full

is

a man's heart

play

It

is
life

as

you

perceive, filled

with blood, whose

office is

to give

and body the to

vigor to the

mind

But

other has the heart

the containing those than chambers


;

and

arterial fluids

for

and valves
secrete eells these

small innumerable tai n

cells ;

and

and

far flnids aeriform certain tain

more

potentia

than

and which
derful

subset
.na's

and higher a the ends of

far

more

z
,

economy

There are two

;;

- *.
us,

* * -*
blood of kinds
*

one

born with

and we
fnll,

world th mto come


whi.e

cells these haif of


;

remam must they so and emp ty are Males else. one the heart of some

^^J^ * ^ ^
of

o those with females the left side empty, always are each of cells other the while

he

r, s

ML T^

Love

and when

thing
cells

the from out ' flows nn,u fluid " *, tae . s man a of empty ones

of
full

's

heart

woman a of ones tnll the empty thus cannot men Two 1* other." each love said to
s,

the

the

cells of a

mans

m w

~.

+wrt -females

Many

sex either of

130

the rosicrucian's story.


filling,

either without grave cradle to the

or being

filled in

turn- for it is

unless flow cannot love that a law


;

it l^e

tapped

by the opposite party

and

it

can only be tapped by Kind


!

The three unloved these and Respect Gentleness, ness, women half and, and believe men half only are unloving
me,

my

sight mighty a there's child,


I

of Halfness in

this
it

world of ours
otherwise.

Much

of

it

comes of not Trying

to have

People married

people, especially devote half

not somebody got have they because growling their days to


else's

wife or husband, when the fact

is

that their

own

partners are quite

good enough

as they

would

find out with


to
its

little

proper
all

endeavor.
the time.
it

Men
Fools

expect a woman's love


!

bubble up

why

don't they sound

depth, and bring

to the surface ?
first,

There are altogether

too

many
ous.

divorces a divorce
I

and the next step is


;

dangerthe
1

knew

a wife of three divorces

knew a man

husband of

five consecutive divorcees.


is

Good
of

intentions
fifty

Bah

Hell

paved with such.

know

brokenout,
life,

hearted

women whose
off
;

husbands, after wearing

them

sneaked

to Illinois and robbed them of name, fame,

and hope

the

demons

Out

upon the wretches

The

who man a upon woman who has wasted her youth and bloom
then wants

a divorce,
life.

and permits him to obtain

it, is

fool.

He

promised for

Make him keep

it,

even

if

you invoke
I

the law's strong arm.

If both agree, that alters the case.

have a legal acquaintance in


trade in the divorce
feel

New York who

drives a large

line,

at twenty-five dollars a head.

I
of

called upon to expose the infernal methods by means

HOW
which
it is

DIVORCES ARE OBTAINED.


I call

131

done, and
is

upon the

that the thing

not suffered to go on.


wife.

A.

is

a lawyer

B.

and C. are husband and


publicity

B. wants a " divorce without


fee to secure
it. it,

goes to A. and pays a

but h

no legal quibble

by means
:

of which to obtain

A.

gives

him the following counsel


an inmate thereof
;

"

Go
;

to a brothel, take up with

call

her D,

make

three or four male

and female acquaintances

(E., F., G.,

and H.), introduce

them to D. as your wife


care that D.
is

leave

town a day or two, but take

well watched in the interim.

Of

course she
E., F.,

vocation. her ply to absence your of herself avail will

G.,

and H.

furnish the most incontestable and damning proof

of her supposed guilt/

The

witnesses

may

or

may

not

know

your precious scheme.


wife's

You

prosecute the leman under your


pro-

nameshe,

the about nothing knowing of course,


!

ceedingspoor thing
referee,

The court takes


passes on
it
;

the
it,

who

returns

affirmed, to

the court,
divorce.

which forthwith

enters

decree

of perpetual

unwhipped goes scoundrel


is

of justice,
!

and an

honest woman's reputation

'

forever

damned

Legislators, I tell

you

every done are things that these

to assuming it-and believe not day 1 I was told it-could counsel, above the received decree, a such of be desirous

word

for word,

from
is

the at practitioner a

New York
!

bar.

Legislators, here

murder than a crime worse

Will you

sanction

it

longer?

How

prevent it?

Summon
tfe prove or at least

and perfor
identity

of this
or the

marriage

of

the

woman

man, as the

.,

for rrmvhft BM be case may

that

132
"
'

story. rosioructan's the


iniquity, of sort this of less far be would There
if

there

afloat on the tide of philosophy-mongers were fewer blatant detestable, blasphemous, morbid, their the times, inculcating
brothel-filling,

" Elective "

theories, all

of which directly

a vice worst the pander to


11
'

man can have Meanness.


and expect perfection
in others

People

insanely look for

themselves, thereto but claim slightest not only without the

without the least attempt


suicidal policy to pursue.

in that

direction which

is

a very

Such soon come to be

vampires,
tigers

ravening others destroying and consuming themselves


at their

own

fold's side

Sometimes one person's

affection
an-

which
other

is

round clings and toward out akin to lovegoes


ever flaps his
to give
it

but Death

wings by the
back.

side of such,

when that other


one,
if

fails

The unloving
thief,

loved
cradle
in

such a thing be
;

possible, is

a born

from the

to the clouds

and there are a great

many

such robbers

the world.'
n
i

But how

is

one to love when one don't


?'

feel like it

has attractions in another direction


"
lie
1
'

asked Betsey.

Where

attraction the should there duty and honor point,

Whosoever

shall render themselves lovable and

lovely,

help can smoke than loved being help can no more

ascending
of

through the
your
lot in

air.

Make

partner the to yourself agreeable

life,

and that partner can no more

you loving help

than mirrors can help reflecting.


"
'

The heart

of yonder statue, which

is

that of the

man

who

is

destined to be a future husband


first

old the of yours/ said

man

-pointing to the

which day, figure of the previous

had, together with the second, re-appeared upon

the scene,

WHERE DEAD BACHELORS GO


will

133

be only half

fusing all

by reason of your withholding and retender wifeliness you will rob him and yourself
;

MI

of

the better
will

your years will be gloomy ones you make him wretched, and be the same yourself
life
; ;

meat of

cheat
!

your bodies of health, your souls of happiness and

vi<r r

Take heed
such word.

correct the fault.

You

" can't ?"

There's no

Try
now
See
!

!'

" Turning

to the second figure of the previous day, he

observed

' :

Tom

Clark's heart

is

empty.

All

its cells

are filled with wastes.

a void

hollow

as the apples of Persia's arid

Have

mercy, Heaven, on him whose heart throbs


!

not with the rapturous burden of a woman's love

Pity

him whose soul groweth not tender with the


ing from a baby's eyes
flashes
!

love-light

beam-

Ah, what a world of nameless glory


!

from an infants eyes

They are

telescopes through

which

my

soul sees

Heaven

through

which I watch the


the joys of sera-

mazy dance of starry worlds, and behold


phim.

We

Rosicrucians love babies


too

seed of the ages


;

and
;

their mothers,

because

they are such

for

we

believe

that after death the maids fair

worstthe

wives fare better

awaits that rapture the express but no tongue or pen can


those

who
!

and world the to daughters have borne sons and

heaven

Bachelors

Bah

will pass
is

by such

cattle,

merely remarking that their place


or the other place.

not to be found in heaven,

They

repair in
if

Green Fiddler's to body a


!'

and ought to stay there,

they do not

" And Betsey gazed on the forlorn figure of poor Tom w joys and hopes who was all one-sided, crooked, lean his
:

134

THE ROSICRUCIAN

STORY.

his wife even and not who him, loved one no flown because wretched, was like he full so And she if should,
;

ay another
glades
itself,

whom

I have seen

I journeyed

down

life's

His soul day by


day',

driven back upon, and forced

and year after year and


'

And

this great
..

you will do/ said the hermit

This ^~*. &

widow ife wife girl the thought I have already done/ inconsistency, anomalous strange, that four in one, with
peculiar to Dream-Life.
'

I have done badly


!'

but

this I will

do no more

not another second longer

" Bravely, royally thought


riously

and said

Better,

if
or and say in &
<

done

1and
first is

that's just the difference

doing.
if

The

common
and

the last

is

very r
y

Better
3

truly said,

more nobly done

whis-

pered in th

silvery

had heard

day befor

Who

was

it

that spoke these

melodious words

Not

grey

Was
shall

it

the

vast the across soul visible Hesperina, telegraphing Betsey's

expanse of the Continent of


these questions
<
'

Dream

Who

of smile a smiled Said the silver-girdled hermit, as he

more than human gladness


is

more than human meaning

<

It
!

Well.'

She looked again toward the magic

globe, and lo

moment,
had disappeared
scene
;

its

disk

had changed.

The

first

two

fi

the upon the third had once more come

conspicuous

actor

in

such

terrific

drama,
they

as

earth nor starry eyes ever

saw

before,

may

aga

THE "PRETTY LITTLE GAME I"


"The Gorgon, War, had
bloody
fields,

135

glutted himself on Europe's


salt sea, alighting

and had flown across the

on

our shores.
Moultrie

The demon landed with a

howl,

midway between

and Sumter.

He

had

seized the reins of govern;

ment, proclaimed himself sole

Lord and King

strangled

Reason

in his

dreadful gripe, until she lay bleeding on the


his

gory earth, and meek-eyed Peace fled tearfully away from

grim presence, and hid herself upon a distant mountain-top,

whence she could survey the shock of armies on the plains


beneath,

and

sigh,

and long
side

for Liberty

and

rule.

"

War

and Carnage,

by

side,

with gory banners

flying,

narched from one end of the nation to the


footsteps rested

other, until their

on the graves of eight hundred thousand

men.
soil

God's precious word was disregarded, and His blessed

dyed red with human blood

the

rich, fat

blood of the

noblest race that


brother,

ever trod His earth

the blood of your

and of mine,

my

countrymen

"

And

now, the loud-lunged trumpets brayed

their fierce

alarums,

and summoned

Columbia's sons to deeds at which our

grandsons shall turn pale


Greece, nor

as such daring heroic of deeds


of,

Rome,

nor Carthage ever dreamed


:

nor storied

page has chronicled

summoned them

to Sumter's stony
to

them summoned ramparts, and Potomac's grassy banks


do,

anddie.

Eight hundred thousand

Men

And

they
lift

Nation's a for strike wentgoing as tornadoes goto


to strike the foul

usurper low, and

the to carcass fling his


;

but home and hard struck dogs. They would have struck Generals of game little they were stayed. the not was That
'

'

17

136
and
Ti
on''
ate
;

THE KOSICRUCIAN's STORY.


ma<
rv
I

and of high contraet-iug parties


i

Oh, no

>uld

er

do

Let

tight the foe with gl

the Mil
r,

They fought.

The

-\

re gl

bal

;e

palm
I

w
!

brass, the

fingers
r

iron,
hi-

and the

ki
niJ
tli

kles polished
rn
-i

But the Mini-:

had
!

whim, and
hundred

rations will feel its


es

confluences

Plight

and gra
'

Union
1

wen
in
spil
I

from

I
,

Fat

towan

09

hi
lirtl.

tin

of Ministers, their minion>


lark w
nt

or the

'I

too
t
id
1

"A Hood the


sow
I ;

tram]

brayed; and the heavy drums

and

ti

y woke
rn

and

rful

energies

tl

slumberii

Nation's heart

What

a m.

rjc

transmut

tioo

P
ci"

ntnuisl
ia
i

Itoheroi
;

hall forev.r put


,

<

n-

Tl

the
I

shade
ri

day labor

carriers of the hod.

c:

ing ai

illy,
id

toohigh
k
'

pla es in the Pantl


i;
!

of her
not the
;

dead-

Lo

at Fredericksburg
in

Forget
tr
t

Black
i

Bri

Bear

mind the d

of a
'I

hundi
nn
ht,

gimen

on a hundred fields fieln


tiually

too,

that

hi

aid would have


for th
lo

decided the carna


'

and be

(uarrrl, \v

Minister, his gloves, his


i

little

game/

nil

great

him and

consequences

Tom

ha
Clark quickened into
life

bv the

subtle, flame-tip]

d
r

staff in the

hands of

phantom

the propriotr

of

tr

the wonderful

and Man-facton

pped

forth

through

door of the room, and forthwith the scene

en<
}

panded

to such vast

dimen

that Betse) found

it

impofr

A THRILLING

SCENE.

137

and
the

the magic mimicry, for the whole thing was

She stood on the


its

world, surveying

valleys

at

leisure

Tom

apparently heard
for

Clark

heard, his Country

unchecked Treason was then griping her tightly throat. That cry called him to a field of glory such a< God green earth never before afforded, nor His sun ever sal uw His moon nor His myriad, twinkling,
;

starry eyes

'

" Clark's soul was in arms, as his offended ears drank in the hoarse, deep thunders of Treason's cannonry, pouring
iron
hail

upon a prostrate Nation's head

and

his eyes beheld the

flashing of the guns, as they

vomited a

hell of iron

and

fire

upon Sumter,
three
!

Tom

upon Anderson, and the peerless EightyClark saw the storm, and his heart
indignant

swelled, at the insult to the

Star-gemmed Flag of

Human
in

Rights and

Libertyan
;

insult,

long since wiped out

for the Minister, and the glo\


ight

the whim, whose consequences

thousand
" Like a tru
Clark, inspired by
the
flew to

phantom-wife,
deathless glory.

and

artiste

ran,

leapt,

arms and

Ah, God

to arms, and fadeless


;

dory

He

had no time to grieve, or grumble


that
traitors in his

or to

criticise this

gene-

He
own camp,
at the noble

men

in arms,

and who

bravely fought,

and nobly

died, for the Country.

He

saw,

and gloriously emulated such

men

as Lyon, Saxton, Hunter,

Fremont and Baker

Baker

Oregon

my

tears

fall

138

THE EOSICRUCIAN
!

STORY.

with thine, for him


his life
in
;

He

was mine, yours


;

ours

Ours,

iu

in his

nobleness

in his

soul-arousing eloquence

the valor, and the effulgent glory of his death

the result

of another whim,

and
1

lo

the consequences

"

And

now, see

Behold the smoke of yonder


!

battle

Death
will

rides

on cannon-balls, to-day
;

And,

to-night, there

be much mourning in the land

for strong

men

in thoufor

sands are giving up the ghost.

"Weep not,
not,

widow,

God

>pts

such

ifices

mourn

O
let

orph

He
iu

who tempers
His keeping
bread
' ; ;

the wind to the shorn lamb, will hold thee

thy grateful country will not


it

thee want

for

and, by-and-by,

will

be a proud boast of
;
!

thine,

My

father died to redeem the land from treason

" Death rides on cannon-balls, to-day, in the fight that we


seeing

Tom
1

Clark

is

a her

See
!

he leads the
blows he
deals

God

spare him

What

a presence
!

What

for Liberty

and the Union

Lo

the thundering battalions

of the brave and bold, but insane, misguided,


foe,

and

revengeful

sweep down the embattled

plain, their war-cry ringing


;

out above the belching roar of artillery

and, with such


reel

might and valor do they charge, that Freedom's cohorts

and stagger beneath the dreadful shock of arms.


such a charg-e. and

Another

But.

see.

there

from the ranks

common

soldier
:
'

his voice rings clearly


1'

out upon the sulphur-laden air

Follow me
fire

The

inspir-

ing

wo es and

action

kindle

new
;

in

the

ing

breasts of hundred

They

rise

they throw themselves

upon the foe they hush his battle-cry in death

He

is

COLONEL THOMAS W.
epulsed
<
' !

I39
aide-de-camp.
!

Who
as

did
is

that

V demands an
'

Private

Thomas W./

the response.

Hero

greet
;

him
and

in

my name,
Clark
is

Color Sergeant/ says the General


field.

Tom
"
and,

promoted on the
day's fight
tired
is

The

first

over.

It

is

renewed next day,


sun,

when the

guns give over with the


'

a group of
l

soldiers
it

are gathered round a man.

Who is it V
the

Who

is

'I thought you

knew

why,
foe
is
1

it is

man who saved

the

Tenth Brigade

and was rewarded on


came the
'

the spot

Captain

Thomas
"
the

W.

7 !

With the
line,

sunrise,

Pass the word along

there

Captain Clark
I'

wanted at the tent of the

General-in-Command
"
It
'

He

goes.
?

Captain Clark, do you see yonder battery of the enemy


lost.

must be taken, or we are

If I give you

command
you

of a regiment

whose colonel was


try.'
.
.

killed yesterday, can


'

take

it

V
is

'I will

General, the battery on

the left
'

afterwards. hour an aide-de-camp an says ours/

It

is

taken,
1

and

all
?

its

men

are either dead or prisoners


in

!'

Indeed

So soon

Greet the commander

my

name,

and salute him as Colonel Thomas W.'


" Another

field ensanguined a the on dawns day


I

field

poltroons generals and where privates were heroes


fighting is

Hard
and on,

before us.

Up, up

the soldiers spring

on to death or victory they rush.

Oh,

it

was a splendid

prein they had who, htthose death-defying demi-gods, taken have would vious battles had but a Man to lead them,
fifty

rebel strongholds in as

many

hours

But such
die

pretty

little

game/

More men must

140

THE ROSICRUCIAN

STORY.

human more bones and dug, must be must ditches more


them, else
else

fill

how can

Ministers carry out their whims

how
?

can the enemy be fought and placated at the same time


Constitutional
!

It isn't

besides which

it

hurts the prospect

for the Presidency of the re-United States

which
'

prospect
out,

would be forever marred, and the


if

'

little

game played

we fought without

gloves,

and violated our


foe,

Constitutional

obligations

by kicking the wind out of the

who

is

trying
here-

might and main to strangle the Nation.


after say
:

He

might
1'

'

You,

sir,

fought without gloves on

which

wouldn't do, you know.

"

'

Damn

that Colonel

Thomas

W.

If the fellow keeps on

at that rate, we'll surely whip


fellow,

somebody

badly.
;

Curse the
in

he don't believe in the glove business, or


'

the
cer-

" Erring Sisters' theory,"


tain day.
nel
'

soliloquized
!

somebody on a
go

This'll

never do

Aid,

come here

tell Colo-

Clark take possession of the Yalley


it

down

yonder, and

hold
only

at all hazards

till

nightfall

l'

'

But, General, he has


thirteen

seven
!'
'

hundred

men

the

foe
for
'

is

thousand
Clark, but
the aid
as he

strong
said,
'

So much the worse

he meant
His goose

they ts And transmitted the order shaking hands with the Colonel
the enemy
.' will fight like tigers.'
'

rode away, muttering,


for

Poor fellow

is

cooked

a certainty

What a
is

pity he stands in somebody's light

somebody who

jealous of even a private's fame.

Ah

me

1'

and he rode back to headquarters, wondering whose


next
it

turn

would be to face the forlorn hope


this

such

a singular

number of which
<

Rebellion has developed.


flinch in Colonel

But

there

was no

Thomas

no

JE EENAIS DE MES CENDRE8.


flinch

141

the hazard; but


Soldiers.

Men and

They knew how to obey orders v

their superiors

did not.

But then
;

again, they
'

had no ho
little

of success in

a general election
"
'

they had no

game

Their's not to reason why,


Their's but to do or
die.'

And they did


'
'

it

On, on, like more than Spartan heroes, on they dashed,


as absolutely as anything earthly can be,
'

literally,

into the

jaws of death
let

into the

mouth

of

hell.'

I have a minnie bul-

on

my

table that plowed a furrow through a brother's


!

heart of mine in that same dreadful valley

Away

they
bul-

went
let

that

gallant band, that gallant


skulls

man

and many a
;

went crashing through


its

and bones as they went

and

many a soul sped

way

to

God

ere the cohort reached the

knoll in the valley.

Once

there, they were

no longer mer

they were as

sublime exemplar gods.

But a man fell fell

before the resistless

with charging horses hundred force of a

of Tr

thunder
then the cloud passed on.
"

And

Thomas Clark went


went down
; ;

down down,

as

Truth, and

Justice

and I

but he rose

again-so ever does

Truth and Justice


let

and

cendresmes de renais as for me, Je

those beware
;

by whom

foil.

Down

to the

&**

soil

he went gazing

but even while the

woman

sat there in

the grotto,

till

gazing intensity-sat with ached fairly her eyeballs


'

THE ROSICKUCIAN's STORY.


pi

d breath, so

-till

was'she

at gazing, her

on

fir

pul

beating- three

hundred to the minm


fire; sat
its

beal

th a de p, fierce,
.

tumultuous

gazing

stillv

uhil
if

r h(

bounded and thumped within


fits dure
-

bony
t

citadel

impatient
iikL let

and longing to

bm

it- tal

nacl
h
r

the imprisoned soul


all

go

free

sat gazing

whifc

large grey eyes,

the while gleamed with a light


herot

that

proved her capable of giving birth to


g

even
char:
fierj

while thua she


ing
hi

ized

on the wheeling squadrons, the

id

the great gun<, as they gave forth their


1

vuinir,

char

with sudden deaths


t

the man,
'

'Pom Claii
blood with
!'

-pnm
orif
b

to his fe

iin,

and,

he staunched

his

hand, he pointed with the other at the foe.


I.
'

Follow me

cri

'.

we

are reinforced!
t,

On
and
'

to victory
it

on!'
tin

And
spa*
4

h
,

ace rose

above the tempc

flew over

and

it

upon the

eai

of a

great man, ' and the


'

gre
!

man

'

immg

his hands,
!

and he thought
will
!

Not dead

yet

Damn
that'll

the fellow
!

He

make

us win a victory
B]

md

never do

Dear me

that cursed fool will

my

little

game!
I

Oh,

for night, or

a fresh division
else
it'll

of the
get
hit

em any

must reinforce him, though,

that infernal Tribune

or
my

into that cursed


li

George Wilkes'
!

paperand

that'll spoil
1

le

game

Ho, there

Aid,

Genei
le

Trueman

to reinforce Colonel
his epaulettes

Thomas W.
and gave
his

My h

game.

!'

and he arranged

moust che an additional killing twist.

In the meantime,

Tom

Clark had charged the enemy with bayonets with the


his

remnant of

own

force, followed

by hundreds

whom

his

CLARK FALLS

IN BATTLE.

^43

example had transformed into something more sublime than


fighting soldiers.

"

And now

occurred one of those


:

conflicts

which make or
terrible

mar the fortunes of a nation


personal combats which
the ages

one of those

multi-

mark a
;

century's history, and strike


terrific scenes in

dumb

with awe

one of those

the

world's great drama, that

mark

historic epochs,
scrolls of

and enshrine

men's names in fiery letters upon the


"

Fame.

The charge and the


;

action were short, sharp, swift, des-

perate

but at
"
'

its close

the

Flag of the Planet gems,

With

saphire-circled diadems,'

floated proudly over the scene of Treason's battle lost

Nation's battle
"

won

Day

closes again

and the wounded hero

in

an ambuthe
field

lance
1

was borne fainting almost

dying, from
?'

Colonel Clark, can I do anything for you

said one of the

fighting generals to the stricken

mana
fellow,

bullet

had gone
for

through him.
self,

'

You

are a noble

and I speak

myI

country. our for and arms, your comrades in

Can

can they, can we, can

shedo
If so,

sad this in you, for anything


I beg you
to speak.'

hour of your destiny


"
'

Alas

no,

my

swoon to only reviving, he, replied friend,'


dissipated partially his temples
for his
;

again.

little

cold water on

perceptions his the coma, but not all the fog from
general's words,
lect,
<

Can
:

and he thought

his in obfuscated she' considerably Betsey-that's the c


'

He

means
* 17


144
she I

the rosicrccian's story.


know
;

of.'

And

then he strengthened up for a


t

last dy

ing effort

strove to colle
'

his

thought

partly succeeded

and

said

Nothing more, dear general.


Tell Betsey

Yes.

Xo.

I'm

>m

g going home.
her from

dear Betsey
late.

I did

not find her out till it was


loved

too

Tell her that I

my


soul

at last.

Tell her

that

" She can't stand the pressure any


globe, hermit or no hermit
It's

longerglobe

or no

not another minute.


sett in' here,
!'

You Bet

a pretty how de do,

me a

and poor Tom


fair girl

laying tlure,
in

killed a'most to

death

shrieked the

he grotto of the hermit of the silver girdle,


skillful

waked up
reclu
a.

beyond endurance by the

magic of the weird


'

And

repeating the Californian,


la
t

Vou Bet

f with vehement
feet, in spite of

emphasis on the
the warning

word, she sprung to her

of the

man who

dealt in magic crystal globes in

the precinct

of a forest wild

upsetting

table, tripod,

f-

ool

and hermit,

in her eagerness to

reach Tom's side and give

him wifely ministry.

"

W hat
I
.

luck she might have had in bridging


not,

Phantom
for

River
inquir

know

having omitted to remain long enough


;

not having had time to thus devote

but

this I

do

know, namely, that she nearly kicked the veritable Mr.

Thomas W. Clark completely out of bed


foot
cal
this

was a window, whose upper sash


all

the bed was down


'

at whose

the identi

window through which came

the

funny things' of
is

most veracious history, which, of course,

all

true.

Betsey woke from excitement,

Tom

from being kicked, and

both had finished their double dreams.

" Jfltt TRY

<

U5
Lizzie, I

What'n thunder up now, Bet-no,


checking the
voice to

mean?
<

said he,

less respectful utterance,

and modulatvelvet

es

what he doubtless intended

to be a

dulcet cadence/ but which wouldn't pass for that in Italian 'Not nothing, Tommy, dear.' 'Not opera. nothing Lizzie

'

Not

nothing.'

<

That

ain't

grammar, sweet,
!

<

was paragorically speaking,

my
'

turkie dove
'

Only

I've

been having two very funny dreams.'

You

Two dreams ?
?'
'

That
all

is

queer

!'

'

You Bet

!'

What

about, Lizzie

Oh,
to,

about

how we
'

didn't love each other as

we ought

husband.'

And, dorg on my

buttons, wife,

if

I haven't had

two just such dreams myselfall about a


pile

precipice,
!'
'

and a

Oh, wasn't
all

it

pile,

though V

'

You Bet

And my
didn't
1'

dreams were

about how I ought to love you, and


did.'
'

and then, again, I


'

That's a dear

!'

'

You Bet
'

Let's love each other this time out, will you

?'

I will

will

you
to
'

V
;

You Bet

P
'

'

Let's profit by our dreams.


try p
'

mean
try

won't you V
I'

I'll

III try

!'

'

We'll both
forget.

!'

You Bet

And

they tried to forgive and


the

"Will you do the


story, a

same?" asked

Rosicrucian
the

of one

who stood next

him, listening intently to

strange

great, burly

man

of the world, yet


for,

touched, was heart whose slumbrous

as

a great

tear-drop rolled

down

his cheek, he
I'll
I

said, with

smothered
- said the
!

breath, the holy words


Rosicrucian.

try " "

Amen

Amen

said

we

all

and then, turning

"Friends, said: story-teller the again, to his auditors live, you as and so long
story his nor Rosicrucian the charge you never to forget

go y

and do likewise

146
nor
It,

the rosicrucian's story.


the Shadow; nor Hesperina, the Light; nor Otanethi,

the Genius of the


his Crystal

Hour
in

nor the silver-girdled Hermit, and


;

Globe

a forest wild

nor,

above

all,

the

little

window

at the foot of the bed,

whose upper sash was down."

A
that

day or two afterwards we reached Panama, and

after

we saw but little


him he
stories,

of our entertainer

but before I finally

lost sight of

told

me

that he was about writing some


of which he would send to

Rosicrucian

the

MSS.

me

when
lished

ready.

I have received some,


as soon as I

and they

will

be pubit,

by me
will be-

can spare time to attend to

which

"When

this cruel

war

is

over"

P
Utica, November, 1863.

B. R.

CATALOGUE OF BOOKS BY THE SAME


ICJRUCIAX AUTHOR.

ROS-

THE GREAT WORK.


i.

F11TH EDITION.

LOVE!

ITS

HIDDEN
Two

IIISTOKY

SIXTH EDITION.

THE MOST REMARKABLE BOOK ON HUMAN LOM


Ever
issued.

vols in one.

work

for

the Loving Mar For The Old; and ; Young Women, Especially Heart-reft; and Unloved Single, ried, v ed Love-Star and Wives, Unhappy for

Ones of

the World.

TUB OF EXPLICATION DIRECT A

OF LAWS GREAT CHEMICO-MAGNETIC


BEAUTY, FEMALE MARRIAGE; AND OF WOMAN, AND AND CULTURE, ATTAINMENT, THEIR power;

LOVIA
I)

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main True husbands for A hint hilish unloved hint A love - The tides of love love -' woman's When affection gain a don -Men blondes and Stive power of brunettes we after passion and Sex make love - The how
for
J

Origin of Uterine Diseases The life The stormy Love vs. Passion woman of power Strange Mothers-in-law curse

a of power Terrible

Woman
O

h
ci
-

II

<

to

lost

_
1

IM-

a,

Cyprian's

prayer- The

chemistry of

love-How

to in

life-prolonging Curious method of of secret Strange power art of whole The adornment Skin, beauty and youth preserving This section worth the price of Protozone teeth eyes, hair, the land, be she in old or young; female every to books such ten female magnetic beauty of secret whole the contains Touchfor the resorted to by higher grades means Extraordinary story ing when of "loose women to preserve their beauty, and restore Protoplasm, and how to increase Running upstairs, and a real remedy for an unhappy the heart disease Divorce, marriage? The woman's grand secret Beecher on "The " Girl of the period, and girl of the future youth cret sins of Marriage in 1970 Tests of the love nature by the color of the Whom not to marry The eyes Very of a lover and husband The true rule of divorce Trouble in the love nature, the cause of untold sickness Means of cure Use and abuse of amatory passion Magnetic exhaustion, and the remedy Voudoo John, of New Orleans, who completely subjugated woman Magnetic fascination Vampires A thrilling warning The whole terrible mystery of Voudooism revealed Want of Dickens' trouble with true love The death of love and his wife Why some wives ruin their talented husbands A hint women A very curious paper Proving a man's brother be .nearer of kin to him than his father Singular cause of wedded misery Its certain cure Why wives hate their husbands Underlying law of human genius A hint to mothers Seven magnetic laws of love, whereby the unloved gain and lost loves are firmly rebuilded A strange and mighty power -.How to retain a husband's love Old-maidhood and how to avoid
!

is

it

''

it

lost

it

is it

se-

its life

to

to

is

it,

it.

Price $2,50.

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II.

DEATH AFTER
OR
?

MAN. DISEMBODIED
DEATH AFTER DESTINY ITS AND SPIRIT HUMAN THE
A REVELATION OF THE

GEOG LOCATION, THE CONCERNING UNIVERSE, ETHEREAL UPPER THE OF SCENERY AND RAPHY, TOPOGRAPHY,
CUSTOMS, HABITS, OCCUPATION, WORLD; THE

MODES OF LIVING, AND TRANSMUNDANE


ALSO SOUL. HUMAN THE OF DESTINY
CONCERNING SEX, AND ITS USES AFTER

DEATH

AFFIRMING THAT

THAT IT WILL REMAIN A

HUMAN HAPPINESS FOR

EVER
Fifth Edition.

Corrected

and Enlarged.

Price $2,00.

Postage 20 cents.
CO.,

Address

RANDOLPH PUBLISHING
P. O.

Box

3352, Boston,

Mass

III.

THE MYSTERIES
OF THE

MAGNETIC UNIVERSE.
SEERSHIP ON WORK NEEDED AND A NEW AND ITS LAWS.

THE

MAGKIC MIRROR,!
9A IRA!

CONTENTS PART
Somnambulistic lucidity
fail

I.

Seership.
birth-

Genuine clairvoyance a natural astral and magnetic Why mesright Two sources of their "subjects" Vinemerists to produce clairvoyance production gared water, magnets and tractors as agents in Specific rules Clairvoyance not spiritualism Most and voyants" arrant swindlers, quacks, impostors. The true Psychometry and intuition are not clairvoyance Mesmeric circles Eight kinds of clairvoyance Mesmeric coma and magnetic trance The difference Effect of lung power Effect amative passion on the seer Dangers to women who are mesmerized Oriental, European, and American methods The mirror of ink How to mesmerize by a common looking-glass The insulated stool The electric or magnetic battery The bar magnet The horseshoe magnet Phantasmata, Chemism Why
light,

in

its

is

"clairthe

false

of

"

Spirits " are

Curious

Black

said

to

take subjects

Magic

away from magnetizers Voudoo ("Hoodoo") spells, charms,


4

5
the and sham, The - Very strange Astoundfabricated are they -How real the dangers of Proofs Tennessee in concerning Voudooism
!

nroiects
terrible

" Love Powders "

black by baffled science White result wonderful the the effect, ExplaChief Voudoo the and Doctor, the A., Mrs. magic! to how and Clairvoyance, of degrees The mystery nation of the Self-mesmoney and love, power, to The road reach them Nineveh, Chaldea, Syria, Egypt, ancient Mesmerism in merism Lepsius, of -Testimony ago years of d Babylon, thousands and Champollion, Bunsen, Horner, Botta, Rawlings, and Dee Dr. seership. after seekers to Advice The Phantorama spiritual a Not Sti ~ _,~ mirror .*,.*.>.,. his masric 6 Magic the and Germain, St. Count The Sand George gle purposes same the used for Jewels glass Spirit-seeing rotor

ing disclosures spell, the test, the herbs, the triangle, the conches, The cock, the

.v.

Curious things the outside world, and divine illumination Cagliostro and his Made Mirror Frederick the Great Crystal-seeing Count AmerHargrave Jennings (the Rosicrucian)
of
fire

On

Mirror-Seers Dr. Randolph, in April, '69, predicts the gold Business men use mirpanic of September Its literal fulfilment Better and rors to forestall the markets Their singular magic more effective than animal magnetism Why Extraordinary method of holding a ps^ycho-vision steady as a picture Two kinds of mirrors Crystals The pictures seen in a magic mirror are not on or in, but above it Facts Dingers of " Spirit control " Theory Constructors of magic mirrors Failures Success
ican

Chemistry of mirrors

The Life of Dream, and the Street of Chan-

and Future are actually now, because there can be no future to Omniscience The Future embosomed in the Ether, and he who can penetrate that can scan unborn events m the womb of coming time It can be done, is done, and will be by all who have the right sense Sir David Brewster, Salverte, Iamblichus and D amascius A magic mirror seance extraordinary The Emperor Basil's son is brought to his father in a magic glass Theodore Santa Baren Mr. Roscoe's account of a strange adventure of Benvenuto Cellini What death really is A new
Past, Present,

cesThe

theory

asm
vision
_

Absorption

Its use

spiritual of Theory of theory Platonic meaning and of the Statement same the magnetic, one and sisrht strayher rewins wife blonde The Love of Laws mm magnetic seven om
C _
-
i

om

love of law polar antagonal The love Caressive Polarities Magic Egyptians principle singular A love Back-thrown How a maiden testimony mirrors Power magnetic Awful wrong-doer

discovers a lover
,f

an injured

^F^-"^"*"-^V How
Jy

husband

finds widow prayer" " magnetic woman's The him seen having never having seen him

a rival

Oriental

ot

r magnetically them charge and to clean ror < Trinius" Japanese magic celebrated -The Novalis Master, De Cal. Francisco, San crvstal "lobe of is It dollars. three at fixed been ha work this of price The language, English the in extant now subject the on work the Synac Arabic, German, French, the either Is and incontestably ex< it ,and topic, same the .upon treat* Hindu mee, or the Chaldaic exposiUonof and compilation perfect m. and t tll fall probably tins ot work A 1. penn< ever nco sci sublime o ip th " ** * made terms the By rare. indeed aracter is rdin:ir: tr
k
'

^J!Z G and

this

rhance at once!

om

PUBLISHING
Office

IV.

TED CELEBRA THE

DREAM-BOOK EOSICRUCIAN
CONDENSED gE-TBANSLATED.

AND ADAPTED

TO

MODEM*

VSAOE.

THOUSAND. EIGHTH

JZ'Z^l
.
;

world, the in kind the of book perfect most and This the largest ^northe contains now it tiii >as been eniarged ThooThkeb F o Solutions Thousand Thkbe of nnmber ms earn, Di of sort any have to impossible nearly is It SAND very th.s in contained not is which of tion and meaning
<

whereby Persian famous the embraces also uuu . It . book. curious of means by fortunes other's each and own their Orientals tell and amusement, a source of
Pfal,"

pointin

As

passed

PRICE

50

CENTS.

TRADE. THE TO USUAL DISCOUNT

RANDOLPH PUBLISHING

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3352. BOX POST OFFICE

MAN; PRE-ADAMITE
100,000 Existence Demonstrating Human man first the Adam was not

years ago, and that

When
Grant was

atfJfi=.-swft3sE:
11

^A aA Universally conceded
*

two ui of Press hv thp ries>s tne b>

countries, to be

ago! years 35,000 cities built men that Shows Truth Proves thought of grasp "Great volume" valuable ExtEngrossingly man !"

remarkable book."

We

SET CL

description beyond T,nd and So^tin-ing g

r --. ..profound

the

t^o
11

Scnp-

may

found

we
woild. learned the of particularly attention favorable
Cloth, trade. the to discount Usual
6th Edition.
$1..

8vo,

400 pp

Postage 20 cents

VI.

VE! A
rf

A
LOVE.
*

OF LAWS MAGNETIC THE SEVEN


Fascination, The Increase of

-7 ^,w~ ~ bein man; over .control woman's of methods The lflC rules and Leaves and Feminantia, of Principle the of Mystery Oriental paid. post cents, 50 Price Love and its Hidden History.
Problems / vulviivo vj the trie x of ,iviivj if
,

tne
iroi

*^- pon^ini,

Publishing Co.. P. O.

Box

Mass. Boston, 3352, 8

yew

Original and

Thrilling

Works!!

RANDOI

AMERICA OF THE DUMAS


days. these in books enjoy

OF STOKY THE WONDEKTUL RAV ALETTE.


??
i '

Contents

range Man

a and Double Life. Adam of Son A Evlambea. Story exStrang An very A Napoleo Ish. Elixii the Daughter of Making Spectra. Paris. in It? as dinary Seance w Wl He?

Haunted

Pre-existence. V> y The Legend. Guest. - The Mysterious


,._^f

^-^

* ^ ^- W

Masric The Life. Fire. of of Priest The Youth Perpetual of Secret Magic The The Confession. Revelations. Strange An Magic Slumber. Very 1 other several _ "And " in goes man Pictures. ^ A Experiment. Singular AFTER ^!Mystery IsTOTODING ClI *"7Z_ X Atmnffe tiling,^ " O "o Host G own his of search Devil The a Cab in Out. will Murder Deepei. and Deeper Thickens. " The Saucer on the Moor, Extraordinary. Diablerie Disin Paris. Astounding ,, I* *>V./~* ^4n Spirits! arc believe Rav alette What some Folks
-

Mh

Who was

Wo

'

closure
1

explains.
dUVJU^j

of The Grand Secret. Destinies the of Revelation a and The Sleep, 4i * 4 nUrtP. is worth the price of
...

Demolished

-*^w

THEIR WIFE HIS AND TOM CLARK THAT THINGS THE CURIOUS
;

^lOT^MBAMS.
celebrated

THEM

THEREIN.

Edition Improved and new a etn0

STORY KOSICBUCIAK'S
$1
Postage 20 cents
to discount Usual

the trade.

PUBLISHING RANDOLPH

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