le
priest who has put his trust in the works of Darkness and Evil.'

"'You,' he said to me, 'are delivered. Heaven has cured you. May your
heart therefore repay the living God and Jesus Christ, through the
glorious Mary, with the most ardent devotion.'

"He offered me unleavened bread and wine. I was saved. You who are a
physician, Monsieur Des Hermies, can bear witness that human science was
impotent to aid me--and now look at me!"

"Yes," Des Hermies replied, "without discussing the means, I certify the
cure, and, I admit, it is not the first time that to my knowledge
similar results have been obtained.--No thanks," to Mme. Carhaix, who
was inviting him to take another helping from a plate of sausages with
horseradish in creamed peas. "But," said Durtal, "permit me to ask you
several questions. Certain details interest me. What were the sacerdotal
ornaments of Dr. Johannes?"

"His costume was a long robe of vermilion cashmere caught up at the
waist by a red and white sash. Above this robe he had a white mantle of
the same stuff, cut, over the chest, in the form of a cross upside
down."

"Cross upside down?"

"Yes, this cross, reversed like the figure of the Hanged Man in the
old-fashioned Tarot card deck, signifies that the priest Melchisedek
must die in the Old Man--that is, man affected by original sin--and live
again the Christ, to be powerful with the power of the Incarnate Word
which died for us."

Carhaix seemed ill at ease. His fanatical and suspicious Catholicism
refused to countenance any save the prescribed ceremonies. He made no
further contribution to the conversation, and in significant silence
filled the glasses, seasoned the salad, and passed the plates.

"What sort of a ring was that you spoke of?"

"It is a symbolic ring of pure gold. It has the image of a serpent,
whose head, in relief, set with a ruby, is connected by a fine chain
with a tiny circlet which fastens the jaws of the reptile."

"What I should like awfully to know is the origin and the aim of this
sacrifice. What has Melchisedek to do with your affair?"

"Ah," said the astrologer, "Melchisedek is one of the most mysterious of
all the figures in the Holy Bible. He was king of Salem, sacrificer to
the Most High God. He blessed Abraham and Abraham gave him tithes of the
spoil of the vanquished kings of Sodom and Gomorrah. That is the story
in Genesis 14:18-20. But Saint Paul cites him also, in Hebrews 7, and in
the third verse