shewn
herself in the street all Marseilles would have run after her, for, in
spite of her man's dress, anybody could see that she was a girl. I took
her to my rooms in her ordinary costume, to shew her where she would have
to hide after the operation was over.

By Saturday we had finished all the consecrations, and the oracle fixed
the regeneration of Semiramis for the following Tuesday, in the hours of
the sun, Venus, and Mercury, which follow each other in the planetary
system of the magicians, as also in Ptolemy's. These hours were in
ordinary parlance the ninth, tenth, and eleventh of the day, since the
day being a Tuesday, the first hour was sacred to Mars. And as at the
beginning of May the hours are sixty-five minutes long, the reader,
however little of a magician he may be, will understand that I had to
perform the great work on Madame d'Urfe, beginning at half-past two and
ending at five minutes to six. I had taken plenty of time, as I expected
I should have great need of it.

On the Monday night, at the hour of the moon, I had taken Madame d'Urfe
to the sea-shore, Clairmont following behind with the box containing the
offerings, which weighed fifty pounds.

I was certain that nobody could see us, and I told my companion that the
time was come. I told Clairmont to put down the box beside us, and to go
and await us at the carriage. When we were alone we addressed a solemn
prayer to Selenis, and then to the great satisfaction of the marchioness
the box was consigned to the address. My satisfaction however was still
greater than hers, for the box contained fifty pounds of lead. The real
box, containing the treasure, was comfortably hidden in my room.

When we got back to the "Treize Cantons," I left Madame d'Urfe alone,
telling her that I would return to the hotel when I had performed my
conjurations to the moon, at the same hour and in the same place in which
I had performed the seven consecrations.

I spoke the truth. I went to Marcoline, and while she was putting on her
disguise I wrote on a sheet of white paper, in large and odd-looking
letters, the following sentences, using, instead of ink, rock-alum:

"I am dumb but not deaf. I am come from the Rhone to bathe you. The hour
of Oromasis has begun."

"This is the note you are to give to the marchioness," I said, "when you
appear before her."

After supper we walked to the hotel and got in without anyone seeing us.
I hid Marcoline in a large cupboard,