tron, I will show all de secrets dat art can
show--ay, de secret of de great Pymander."

[Illustration: The Ruins of St. Ruth]

"That other ane," whispered Edie, "maun be, according to a' likelihood,
Sir Arthur Wardour--I ken naebody but himsell wad come here at this time
at e'en wi' that German blackguard;--ane wad think he's bewitched him--he
gars him e'en trow that chalk is cheese. Let's see what they can be
doing."

This interruption, and the low tone in which Sir Arthur spoke, made
Lovel lose all Sir Arthur's answer to the adept, excepting the last
three emphatic words, "Very great expense;" to which Dousterswivel at
once replied--"Expenses!--to be sure--dere must be de great expenses.
You do not expect to reap before you do sow de seed: de expense is de
seed--de riches and de mine of goot metal, and now de great big chests
of plate, they are de crop--vary goot crop too, on mine wort. Now, Sir
Arthur, you have sowed this night one little seed of ten guineas
like one pinch of snuff, or so big; and if you do not reap de great
harvest--dat is, de great harvest for de little pinch of seed, for it
must be proportions, you must know--then never call one honest man,
Herman Dousterswivel. Now you see, mine patron--for I will not conceal
mine secret from you at all--you see this little plate of silver; you
know de moon measureth de whole zodiack in de space of twenty-eight
day--every shild knows dat. Well, I take a silver plate when she is
in her fifteenth mansion, which mansion is in de head of Libra, and I
engrave upon one side de worts, [Shedbarschemoth Schartachan]--dat is,
de Emblems of de Intelligence of de moon--and I make this picture like a
flying serpent with a turkey-cock's head--vary well. Then upon this side
I make de table of de moon, which is a square of nine, multiplied into
itself, with eighty-one numbers on every side, and diameter nine--dere it
is done very proper. Now I will make dis avail me at de change of every
quarter-moon dat I shall find by de same proportions of expenses I lay
out in de suffumigations, as nine, to de product of nine multiplied
into itself--But I shall find no more to-night as maybe two or dree times
nine, because dere is a thwarting power in de house of ascendency."

"But, Dousterswivel," said the simple Baronet, "does not this look like
magic?--I am a true though unworthy son of the Episcopal church, and I
will have nothing to do with the foul fiend."

"Bah! bah!--not a bit