a bear-skin, the bloody edges of which showed that the ani- 

 mal had been very recently killed ; on this the Emperor seated 

 himself and calmly awaited the appearance of the necroman- 

 cer. Soon the cave resounded with weird sounds, unmusical 

 yet rythmical, punctuated by the beat of an African tom- 

 tom, and the priest of Satan entered from an adjoining pas- 

 sage which had been screened from view by one of the ban- 

 ners ; he was clothed in a flowing robe of scarlet velvet em- 

 broidered in black with pentacles, abracadabra, and geomet- 

 rical figures; around his waist was a girdle of yellow silk, 

 and on his head he wore a tall pointed cap of the same 

 color; he carried in his hand a golden rod around which a 

 live green serpent was twined, the head of the hideous ani- 

 mal moving restlessly. He was accompanied by two exor- 

 cists in sombre black, their faces hidden by white linen masks 

 surmounted by black cowls ; one of them swung an incense 

 burner from which arose dense vapors emitting a very de- 

 ceptive perfume, at first agreeable to the nostrils, but after 

 a little time benumbing the senses of those not fortified 

 against it by a counterdraught ; the other masque bore before 

 him a wooden tablet in a gilt frame, on which was painted 

 a mystical diagram; and on the reverse of the tablet were 

 inscribed the names: 



PHUL ZAPH NATALON 



being those of the demons governing the week, the day, and 

 the hour in which the necromantic ceremonies were taking 

 place. 



The three figures advanced silently and slowly towards 

 the Emperor, made a profound obeisance and took their sta- 

 tions, the leader before the tripod, and the other two before 

 the triangular tables. Meanwhile a singular medley of dis- 

 cordant sounds in a minor key pervaded the cavern and the 



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