346 The Diary of a Drug Fiend
He repeated the words :—
“IT do solemnly declare that I accept the Law of
Thelema, that I will devote myself to discover my
True Will, and to do it.”
“Yes, yes, of course,” I said hurriedly. “I’m not
trying to get out of it; but really, I am at the moment
most frightfully preoccupied with this idea about the
helicopter.”
“ Thank you, that will do,”’ said King Lamus briskly.
“ The meeting will now adjourn.”
I felt a little irritation at his offhand manner, but I
followed him in to lunch. He stood at the end of the
table, facing Sister Athena at the other.
“There will be champagne,’ he said, “‘for lunch to-day.”
The remark was received with a hilarity which
seemed positively indecent, and altogether out of pro-
portion to the good news announced. The whole
Abbey seemed to have gone wild with delight.
Following the example of the Big Lion, every one
pointed a forefinger downwards to the left, swung it
sharply across to the right. This gesture was repeated
three times and accompanied by the words :—
“ Evoe Ho! Evoe Ho! Evoe Ho!”
They began to clap hands but checked the movement
before contact and only allowed the clash to take place
on the third syllable of the great cry
IAO
This was followed by very rapid clapping three times
three, in silence.
I was entirely bewildered by this demonstration,
but had no opportunity to make inquiries, for Sister
Cypris immediately said “ Will” with Hermes, and
lunch began in the invariable silence, a silence somewhat
modified by the exuberant hilarity of the entire
assembly.
The champagne would not account for it all. The
unrestrained glee reminded me of my early days with