THE EQUINOX
Open the Bible at random till you find a favourable
text.
There insert the key, leaving the barrel and ring
outside.
Put the elastic band round the book, so as to fix the key
firmly in it.
Balance the whole arrangement by putting your thumb
and that of the Assistant Magus of Art under the ring,
thumb against thumb.
(An important but, as I hold, heterodox school of adepts
employ the forefinger.)
Keep very still; and ask your question: ‘‘ Adam, Adam,
tell me true! Shall I——” &c.
If the Bible turns in a dextro-rotary manner the answer
is “ yes”; if in the opposite direction, “no.”
This sublime method of tearing out the heart of destiny
is evidently derived from a slightly more elaborate one in the
“Key of Solomon” (Book I., chap. ix.) for detecting theft,
which is done with a sieve, and which I supposed (until
“Adam” advised me to the contrary) to represent the lowest
debauchery in which the human intellect could wallow.
The game is, however, much esteemed by charlatan
clairvoyants; and I can well understand their indignation
at finding that I do not recognise their proficiency in this
game and that of swindling and blackmail as entitling them
to a seat at the Round Table of the Adepts.
Let us, however that may be, return to our classification.
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