"Say, great one, you `n' I gotta have another peek at that sperrit writing.
Seems t' me that was a fool's game down there." She jerked her head towards
the river. "And I don't say but what you done right about Balloch."
Douglas glanced at her sharply in his most dangerous mood. How much
did she know of a certain recent manoeuvre? But she went on quite placidly.
"Now, look `e here. We gotta get these guys. An' we gotta get them where
they live. You been hitting at their strong point. Now I tell you something.
That girl she live five years with Lavinia King, durn her! I see that bright
daughter of Terpsichore on'y five minutes, but she didn't leave one moral
hangin' on me, no, sir. Now see here, big chief, you been beatin' the water for
them fish, an', natural, off they goes. For the land's sake! Look `e here, I gotta
look after this business. An' all I need is just one hook an' line, an' a pailful o'
bait, an' ef I don' land her, never trus' me no more. Ain't I somebody, all
ways? Didn' I down ole Blavatzsky? Sure I did. An' ain't this like eatin' pie
after that?" [293]
The sorcerer deliberated with himself a while. Then he consulted his
familiar demons. The omens were confusing. He thought that perhaps he had
put his question ambiguously, and tried again in other words. He had begun
by asking vaguely "whether Cremers would succeed in her mission," which
had earned him a very positive "yes," flanked by a quite unintelligible
message about "deception," "the false Dmitri" and "the wrong horse," also
some apparent nonsense about Scotland and an island. This time he asked
whether Cremers would succeed in luring Lisa to her destruction. This time
the answer was more favourable, though tremulous. But ever since his wife's
death, his demons had behaved very strangely. They seemed the prey of
hesitation and even of fear. Such as it was, however, their voice now jumped
with his own convictions, and he agreed to her proposal.
They spent the evening merrily in torturing a cat by blinding it, and then
squirting sulphuric acid on it from a syringe; and in the morning Cremers,
with Abdul Bey for bait, set out upon her journey to Naples. Arrived in that
favoured spot, she bade Abdul Bey enjoy the scenery, and hold his peace.
She would warn him when the hour struck. For Cremers was a highly
practical old person. She was not like St. James' devils, who believe and
tremble; she disbelieved, but she trembled all the same. She hated Truth,
because the Truth sets men free, and therefore makes them happy; but she
had too much sense to shut her eyes to it; and though she doubted the causes
of magick, and scoffed at all spiritual theory, she could not deny the effects.