Unmasked"
appeared originally in the pages of the newspaper _La Verite_. It was
immediately reproduced in Spanish by the _Union Catolica_; the clerical
press boomed full-mouthed salvos in its honour, and his Eminence
Cardinal Parocchi has blessed book or author, or both, and believes that
it will make a great impression, "undoubtedly contributing to enlighten
minds and lead them back to God."

Jean Kostka, as already indicated, is a spiritual sentimentalist; he
has passed by a rapid transition common to such natures from the Gnostic
transcendental initiate to the pious Catholic devotee, and he will make
an excellent Lourdes pilgrim. As there will be no need to recur to him
again, it will be permissible to justify my criticism by some account of
his personal experiences. M. Papus speaks of him as the founder and
patriarch of the Gnostic Church. Of this same patriarch and primate Jean
Kostka also speaks as of another person, recites the facts of his
conversion, and hopes he will do better work for the Church of God than
he has done for Lucifer. Which is Dr Jekyll and which Mr Hyde in this
duadic personality is not of serious consequence, as they have both got
into a better way of thinking and acting. Now, since his demission from
these high functions, Jean Kostka has found that the chief piece of
Gnostic devilry is in denying that the lost angels are eternally damned.
On this point he has attained what is rare in him, a touch of personal
animosity. To supply the antipodes of heaven, let us say, with a lethal
chamber, as a meaner order than that of theological charity does here,
in the interests of homeless and snappy dogs, would, in his present
state of grace, seem a very wicked proposition. Well, in 1890 Jean
Kostka was invited, as I understand, by the chief of the Gnostic Church,
that is, by himself, to a chapel in the palace of a lady who figures
frequently in his pages under the name of Madame X.; the author takes
great credit for concealing her real titles, but he has failed to
conceal her identity, and there can be no harm in saying that the
reference is to Lady Caithness. He was present upon serious business, in
fact, nothing short of assisting at a seance. A medium had been secured,
the proceedings began, rappings became audible, an intelligence desired
to communicate, and, finally, there was a message, with a name given. It
was Luciabel, "whom you know as Lucifer." To this day Jean Kostka does
not seem conscious