turn of Carbuccia,
he would have given ten years of his life to have been at the Galleys
rather than Calcutta, but he contrived to pull through, without,
however, creating a favourable impression, for _adversarius noster
diabolus_ passed on with contracted brow, and when the disconcerting
inquiry was over, returned to the centre of the circle, gave a final
glance around, approached Shekleton, and civilly requested him to shake
hands. The importer of missionary skulls complied with a horrible yell;
there was an electric shock, sudden darkness, and general
_coup-de-theatre_. When the torches were rekindled, the apparition had
vanished, Shekleton was discovered to be dead, and the initiates
crowding round him, sang: "Glory immortal to Shekleton! He has been
chosen by our omnipotent God." It was too much for the galliard
merchant, and he swooned.

Now, this is why Signor Carbuccia concluded that he was damned, which
appears to have been precipitate. He has contrived, by the good offices
of his lay confessor, to square matters with the hierarchy of Adonai,
who belongs to the Latin persuasion; he has changed his name, adopted a
third profession, and is so safe in retreat that his friends are as
unlikely to find him as are the enemies who thirst for his blood.

Doctor Bataille, faithful to his role of good Catholic, perceived at
once that the Merchant's Story of these new Arabian Nights was
characterised by extreme frankness, was devoid of a sinister motive, and
was not the narrative of a maniac. A physician, he adds sententiously,
is not to be deceived. He determined thereupon that he himself would
descend into the abyss, taking with him a mental reservation in all he
said and did as a kind of discharge in full. The Church and humanity
required it. Behold him then presently at Naples, making acquaintance
with Signor Pessina, and outdoing Carbuccia by expending 500 francs in
the purchase of the 90th Misraim grade, thus becoming a Sovereign Grand
Master for life! "I will be the exploiter and not the accomplice of
modern Satanism," said the pious Doctor Bataille.

Sec. 3. _A Priestess of Lucifer._

Fortified with the purchase of his Memphis sovereignty, and the
possession of various signs and passwords communicated by Carbuccia,
which, by some interposition of Providence, must be assumed to have
remained unchanged in the intervening period, Dr Bataille entered on his
adventurous mission, bedewed with many tears, and sanct