Jewish cabalists called 'Teraphim.' He
now pushed aside a bookcase, opened the door concealed behind it, and
we entered a little vaulted cabinet, in which, besides all sorts of
strange unknown utensils, I saw a complete apparatus for chemical--or,
as I might almost believe--alchemical experiments. From the glaring
charcoal on a small hearth were darting forth little blue flames.
Before this hearth I had to sit opposite the major, and to uncover my
bosom. I had no sooner done this, than the major, before I was aware
of it, scratched me with a lancet under the left breast, and caught in
a little vial the few drops of blood that flowed from the slight wound,
which I could scarcely feel. He next took a bright plate of metal,
polished like a mirror, poured upon it first another vial that
contained a reddish liquid, and afterwards the one filled with my
blood, and then held the plate close over the charcoal fire. I was
seized with deep horror, when I thought I saw a long, pointed, glaring
tongue rise serpent-like upon the coals, and greedily lick away the
blood from the metallic mirror. The major now told me to look into the
fire with a mind firmly fixed. I did so, and soon I seemed to behold,
as in a dream, a number of confused forms, flashing through one another
on the metal, which the major still held over the charcoal. Suddenly,
I felt in my breast, where the major had scratched my skin, such a
strong, piercing pain, that I involuntarily shrieked aloud. 'Won!
Won!' cried O'Malley at that instant, and, rising from his seat, he
placed before me on the hearth a little doll, about two inches long,
into which the metal seemed to have formed itself. 'That,' said the
major, 'is your Teraphim. The favours of the elementary spirit towards
you seem to be more than ordinary. You may now venture on the utmost.'
At the major's bidding, I took the little figure, from which, though it
looked red-hot, only a genial warmth was streaming, pressed it to the
wound, and placed myself before a round mirror, from which the major
had withdrawn the covering. 'Force your wishes,' said O'Malley, 'to
the greatest intensity, which will not be difficult, as the Teraphim is
operating, and utter in the sweetest tone of which you are capable, the
word ----.' To tell you the truth, I have forgotten the
strange-sounding word, which was spoken by O'Malley. Scarcely had half
the syllables passed my lips, than an ugly, madly-distorted face
grinn