The Beard-Blown Goat. 



269 



proved it. I collected fat earthworms turned up by the 

 plough : and at the same time took vinegar and the hot 

 blood out of a big he-goat, which I had skilfully fed upon 

 strengthening herbs for a short time, when kept tied up in- 

 doors. With the hot blood I then rinsed the worms, and 

 the vinegar, and so anointed the whole of the bright glass 

 bowl j which being done I essayed to engrave upon the glass 

 with the hard stone known by the name of pyrites." Those 

 who " desire to attack with the steel the noble gems which 

 the princes of Rome loved far above gold," had also to use 

 goats' blood, and so, too, had those who wished to engrave 

 on cr5-stals. But whether Heraclius meant what he said, 

 or whether he was only " showing the way the trick was 

 done," after the manner of Maskelyne and Cook — whose 

 delightful explanations of their mysteries only serve to make 

 them more mysterious than before — nobody will ever know. 

 But as far as the professors of the glyptic art have gone yet, 

 the blood of goats appears to be about as inefficient for 

 softening gems as it is for calling up witches. For this also 

 was one of its deplorable potencies. 



But the watches had their revenge upon the animal that 

 could thus disturb their rest For on their " Sabbaths " 

 they murdered goats, black ones — and ate them, raw. 



^ymsmm:^^: 



