The Equinox (Volume I, Number VII)

THE EQUINOX mouth until, choking with their very volume, her voice broke to a strangled yell, and the agony of the acid bit into her soul. She fell on the floor fainting “Vile thing!” screamed Zircon, spurning her with his foot He choked: his brain fell suddenly clear with the lucidity of intellect. He walked into the dining—room, and whistled as he walked. There he sat down. The next move in his infernal revenge was the waking of Muriel, and that might be soon or later He had not calculated the effect of waiting; his nerves cried out. For the first time he had a glimpse of the doctrine of eternal punishment—perceived that the resurrection of the body was no necessary condition, Tortured, he gazed upon the second hand of his watch, He could have sworn it stopped, when it shook and staggered on with the importance of Big Ben, and he realized that his own time-sense was radically upset. He wondered if it was the same with her—the devil in him gloatecl‘ “A gentleman to see you, sirl" said the butler, opening the door. " He wouldn’t give his namel ” “I'll see him," said Zircon, as blithe as a larkr “Show him in!" In strode the bearded stranger of the afternoon. “You damned scoundrel!” he addressed the smiling Professor. ”So this is where my sister spends her evenings! Be good enough to explain " He broke off, for the Professor had thrust both hands deep into his trouser pockets and leant back against the bookcase, laughing, laugh- ing, laughing. ALEISTER CROWLEY. 98