The Equinox (Volume I, Number IX)

THE EQUINOX gnomy that of an extremely devout priest ; his whole air, in short, was entirely worthy of respect. This ecclesiastic was furnished with a letter of recommen- dation conceived in these terms : “‘DEAR MASTER, “This is to introduce to you an old savant, who wants to gabble Hebrew sorcery with you. Receive him like myself—I mean as I myself received him—by getting rid of him in the best way you can. “ Entirely yours, in the sacrosanct Qabalah, “ Ap. DESBARROLLES.” “ Reverend sir,” said Eliphas, smiling, after having read the letter, “I am entirely at your service, and can refuse nothing to the friend who writes to me. You have then seen my excellent disciple Desbarrolles ?” “Yes, sir, and I have found in him a very amiable and very learned man. I think both you and him worthy of the truth which has been lately revealed by astonishing miracles, and the positive revelations of the Archangel St. Michael.” “ Sir, you do us honour. Has then the good Desbarrolles astonished you by his science ?” “Oh, certainly he possesses in a very remarkable degree the secrets of cheiromancy; by merely inspecting my hand, he told me nearly the whole history of my life.” “He is quite capable of that. But did he enter into the smallest details ?” “Sufficiently, sir, to convince me of his extraordinary power.” “Did he tell you that you were once the vicar of 144