The Vision and the Voice

THE VISION AND THE VOICE her desolation, and greater far is mine, who sought to be my naked self. Knowest thou that in my soul is utmost fear? And such is my force and my cunning, that a hundred times have I been ready to leap, and for fear have missed. And a thousand times am I baulked by them of the City of the Pyramids, that set snares for my feet. More knowledge have I than the Most High, but my will is broken, and my fierce- ness is marred by fear, and I must ever speak, speak, speak, millions of mad voices in my brain. With a heart of furious fancies, Whereof I am Commander, With a burning spear And a horse of Air To the wilderness I wander. (The idea was to keep the Scribe busy writing, so as to spring upon him. For, while the Scribe talked, Choronzon had thrown sand into the circle, and filled it up. But Choronzon could not think fast and continuously, and so resorted to the device of quotation. The Scribe had written two or three words of “Tom 0’ Bedlam,” when Choronzon sprang within the circle :(that part of the circumference of which that was nearest to him he had been filling up with sand all this time), and leaped upon the Scribe, throwing him to the earth. The conflict took place within the circle. The Scribe called upon Tetragrammaton, and succeeded in compelling Choronzon to return into his triangle. By dint of anger and of threatening him with the Magick Staff did he accomplish this. He then repaired the circle. The discomfited demon now continued:) All is dispersion. These are the qualities of things. 99